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A chain of massive mountain peaks, the kind that would usually leave people awestruck by their grandeur. But here, these majestic peaks were being dwarfed—literally—by huge towering figures.
These were figures so tall, they reached the clouds.
Just the sight of them would send chills down the spine of any race. Ranked fifth among the most powerful species: the Giants.Their sheer size was their greatest weapon. Even a Dragonoid would struggle to take a direct hit from a Giant's punch.
"Looks like it," Riku said calmly, standing on Zhu Yue's head, his white hair fluttering in the wind.
"Lord Riku, Giants are known to be hot-tempered. Trying to win them over for our alliance is probably gonna be really tough," Zhu Yue warned, flying steadily even as the Giants stared them down with piercing, hostile gazes.
"Hm? Did I ever say I was here to recruit them?" Riku tilted his head slightly, sounding casual.
"Eh? You're not? Then why are we here?" Zhu Yue blinked in confusion.
"What if I said it's just a sightseeing trip? Would you buy it?" Riku chuckled.
"Like hell I'd buy that. Don't tell me you're here hunting for treasure again?" Zhu Yue rolled her eyes.
"Ding ding. Correct. But sorry, no prize this time," Riku grinned.
"You Dragonoid. You here to pick a fight with us? Just one of you dares come here? Do you think we're a joke?"One of the Giants, exuding intense pressure, stepped forward and bellowed.
His voice thundered like an explosion. The black dust hanging in the air got blasted away by the shockwave, scattering everywhere.
"Hmph, and what if I don't take you seriously?" Zhu Yue shot back, clearly annoyed. She was planning to be polite, but since they were being rude, she wasn't going to back down either.
"If you know what's good for you, get out of the way and let us through. Otherwise, Lord Riku will beat the crap outta all you big lugs."Her voice turned cold.
Riku couldn't help but laugh awkwardly—when did Zhu Yue learn to talk like that?
"Lord… Riku…?" The Giants blinked in surprise, finally noticing the figure standing on Zhu Yue's head.
"A monkey? Since when did Dragonoids become so weak they let a monkey stand on their heads? And even call it 'lord'?"The Giant King sneered instantly.
The relationship between Giants and Dragonoids had always been hostile—fights broke out pretty much every time they met. And now, with someone coming to their doorstep, they were already seething.
"Told you, Lord Riku. These guys are super grumpy," Zhu Yue said to him.
"Fair enough. You want to handle it? I'll give you a chance," Riku said coolly.
"Uh… I think I'll pass." Zhu Yue immediately declined. As much as the Giants pissed her off, she had no interest in getting surrounded and pummeled to death.
"Damn Dragonoids, don't get cocky!"The back-and-forth between the two totally ignored the Giants, which only enraged them more. Oddly enough, none of them even acknowledged Riku, the human.
See, Giants may be massive and physically insane, but they didn't have the sharp senses of Beastkin, the agility of Skykin, the perception of Forest Elves, or the tech of Earthkin. So they couldn't sense the power inside Riku at all.
What Giants had was pure, terrifying strength. Raw, brute force.
At that moment, one of the Giants lost it and lunged forward, throwing a punch straight at Zhu Yue.
The air around them compressed violently, the pressure under that fist was enough to squash a person into paste instantly. Even the wind seemed to wail in agony.
"So reckless. That's not a good habit."Riku's face remained indifferent.
"Balance Breaker!"Suddenly, a crimson gauntlet appeared on Riku's right hand. Then a red glow engulfed his whole body. A burst of fierce, red spiritual energy erupted, and he was fully covered in sleek red armor. His aura exploded.
Even the Giants felt it immediately. In the blink of an eye, they were all staring at Riku in utter disbelief.
This guy… is really a monkey?!
But shocked or not, reality was reality. Especially for the Giant who had attacked—he instantly went full power, veins bulging like snakes across his arms, clearly boosting his strength to the max.
Riku let out a cold grunt and suddenly shot upward, throwing a punch of his own.
BOOM—!
In a flash, the distance between them vanished. Riku soared into the sky, fist raised. Their punches collided, completely unmatched in size.
The sky thundered, winds howled, the world around them was blown to bits. A shockwave rippled out in all directions, clearing the area with brute force.
This was a clash of raw power.
BOOM—!Another heavy crash followed. Before all the stunned Giants, their comrade was actually knocked back. He stumbled and crashed into a mountain, causing the entire peak to crumble, his body embedded deep in the rock.
His massive arm was spurting blood, and you could vaguely see shattered bone peeking out. Brutal.
"…"The Giant King and his people stared, faces grim, unable to hide their shock.
How is this even possible?!That human—no, that monkey—who's not even a fraction of their size, had just overpowered their own with brute strength?!
Is this guy really human…?!
The Giant King was the first to snap out of it. His expression turned serious, and even the word "monkey" didn't feel appropriate anymore. Riku's strength demanded respect.
"Heh. That's what you get for underestimating Lord Riku," Zhu Yue said smugly, watching the shocked, horrified expressions on the Giants' faces.
You guys pride yourselves on your strength, right?Then getting beaten in your own game must feel… real special.
"A human, huh. My name is Bach, King of the Giants. Tell me your name,"The towering Giant with the most intimidating presence finally spoke. His voice boomed across the land like thunder.
"....."