Stop, Friendly Fire!

"My name is Paul Zero. I hold the Titan's Pride."

This was the important part. Lee Shin Woo saw the Giants coming towards him from here and there and replied in an unwavering voice, but he was honestly a bit uneasy.

There were level 5 and 6 giants, and even a level 7 giant in the middle of them (they were all similarly named 'Sealed Titan Zombie'), though there weren't any elites. Even so, they possessed an overwhelming amount of magic and health.

'If they become hostile, will I be able to subdue them without killing them?'

Lee Shin Woo could roughly assess his abilities now, so he knew that they wouldn't be able to kill him. However, it was difficult to hold back, and there were indeed some powerful Giants amongst them. He didn't want to kill the Giants. At least, not yet.

[I don't feel... any traces of a Giant... within that body.]

[Is a human... mocking us...?]

The Giants that had retained their intellect stepped forward and growled. Though their flesh had rotted away, their pride was still intact. They weren't planning on forgiving someone who so carelessly threw out the word, 'Titan'. Despite their strength, Lee Shin Woo didn't retreat.

"Does it really matter if I'm a Giant or not? What is important is that I have the Titan's Pride."

[The possessors of the Titan's Pride... are all Giants!]

[But you... are no Giant.]

Despite his knowledge of the Titans and Giants, he was no Giant. This was what Jin had feared, as he'd said before, 'What the hell is this guy thinking?'.

However, Lee Shin Woo stayed firm. He knew how to get out of this situation, but it involved him (the wrongdoer) blaming others for his own wrongdoing.

"Haha, what a sad state you're in. You've lost all of your power. Can you really call yourselves Giants looking like that?"

[Keuk!?]

[This guy!]

As expected, Lee Shin Woo was the type to talk more when he needed to 'fight fire with fire' than if the mood was peaceful and relaxed!

Lee Shin Woo frantically sifted through the Giant, Fennos' memories, picked out words he could say that would mentally hurt them (as they had lost both their strength and their very lives) and yelled out as loud as he could.

"I'm saying that I'm much better than you guys, as I have not forgotten about the Titan's Pride, and have continued to pursue that dream, while you guys have forgotten that very pride and have degenerated into such lifeless beings! Indeed, I have inherited Fennos' will!"

[Fennos... Fennos!?]

[How can that be...?]

That's right. He'd activated the Acting and Instigate skills simultaneously, and had swayed them!

To be honest, he'd run out of things to say regarding the Giants (as his knowledge had bottomed out), so if he asked them about their fundamental issue, then they would be like 'We'll let you off the hook for now, since we have to think about your question right now'. His plan had to work, but if it did, then he'd have to use various tricks to sway them again, so he really didn't want to.

[Fennos' will? How?]

But fortunately for Lee Shin Woo, they focused on what he'd said. As he thought, Fennos was indeed the Giant who was closest to becoming a Titan.

"Hoo."

Although Lee Shin Woo had merely absorbed Fennos' bone, and never actually conversed with the living Fennos, he was extremely calm. Since he'd gotten this far, he was pretty much already at the finish line.

There was no need for him to drag the Giants onto his stage. Sitting in the seats was enough. They would witness his act, as the main character of his own monodrama!

"I first met him..."

Lee Shin Woo used Fennos' memories of him separating himself from the Giants, acting independently and alone, as well as the fragmented memories after his death to fuel his solo act.

He began to tell the magnificent story of a Giant who searched for their pride and a wandering human who'd lost their meaning to live, and how they met.

"And that's how he left me with the Titan's pride and went to his eternal sleep..."

[Kuheuk...!]

[Fennos...!]

Lee Shin Woo told his story for 45 minutes, and when he was done, most of the level 5 Giants treated him like he was their brother.

Because they possessed zombie bodies, they couldn't cry, but their bodies shook as though they were grieving, which made them not look like heartless undead. Jin watched on and was shocked like always.

[You're... our friend!]

[You... helped me before! We're... comrades!]

[Comrade! Your heart is that of a Giant!]

The level 5 Giants couldn't really speak properly and their thoughts were fragmented, but because Lee Shin Woo had spoken highly of Fennos, they considered him a close friend. Whereas the level 6 Giants, who were capable of rational thought...

[I thought Fennos would never recognize a human, but... after hearing your story... I understand.]

[I see. You've come to give us back our pride... which we've lost...!]

[It's irrefutable... We're pitiful. Perhaps we'd even... forgotten the word... Giant.]

Thought of him as a trustworthy human. Perhaps they had known that something was wrong with their exhausted bodies following their deterioration. Though they looked at him with rough expressions, they nonetheless looked at Lee Shin Woo positively, which likely stemmed from him awakening them.

However, this effect was a bit different with the three remaining level 7 Sealed Titan Zombies.

[There's no way Fennos would acknowledge a human.]

[It's a lie. I can't believe that Fennos would entrust you with his will.]

[In any case, it's a lie. It's definitely a lie.]

Those three retained their intellect and their pride as 'Giants'. They led the Giants and didn't accept him, so the other Giants became half-hearted as well.

[I cannot allow you to come in.]

[However...]

[He's our... friend!]

[Even so, he cannot enter.]

Lee Shin Woo smiled bitterly at the sight and didn't attempt to convince them any further. If he couldn't convince them, even with this extensive use of Instigate, then increasing the intensity of the skill might cause a civil war. That wasn't what Lee Shin Woo wanted.

"What exactly are you misunderstanding here? Giants, I am not trying to enter Perlin Elta. I've just come to give back what you have lost!"

[Keum...!]

It was a lie. Lee Shin Woo was sure that the Titan's Heart lay within the deepest part of Perlin Elta, and he wanted to get his hands on it no matter what. He could even guess as to where it was as well.

He'd figured it out only after he'd enter the Giants' domain, but the two undead heroes (who were Giants)... were in the same place as if they were overlapping. They must be protecting the Titan's Heart.

'If things go awry and I have to kill all of the Giants, then I have to steal the Titan's Heart before one of the 12 generals can get to it. However...'

That scenario was much too plain. He'd finally met a tribe that possessed a completely different power, yet they would only become a single meal for him if he were to implement this plan. It wasn't what he was looking for.

Fortunately, he had a way to break through this stalemate. He'd already laid the bait. Now they just needed to take it.

"There's something I have to tell you. You guys are in danger... There's a chance that you won't be able to regain the Titan's Pride and that the entire tribe may be annihilated!"

[What... did you say...!?]

Lee Shin Woo inwardly smiled. That's right. Ironically, the Imperial Army which had discomforted him was helping him now.

"The Imperial Army has entered the mountain range. Feotane Von Seldin has broken through the blessing of mana that protects us. The Emperor of the Heita Empire is aiming for the Titan's Heart!"

[What...!]

[How did they learn about the Titan's Heart!?]

The moment the words 'Titan's Heart' were spoken, almost all of the Giants responded. One of the giants was shocked and its rotten eyes widened, while another tightened its fist; one of them even attacked Lee Shin Woo!

[Aren't you part of the Imperial Army!?]

"Heup."

One of the level 7 Giants attempted to punch Lee Shin Woo, but he stretched out his hand and blocked it.

So long as he had Rule of Bone, his strength and health could be reinforced exponentially, and if that overwhelming mana was focused in one place...

[Ku...ot...!?]

Even though it was a level 7 Giant, which was over 10 meters tall, Lee Shin Woo could briefly grab its arm and lift it! It was a mere performance that had no actual use on the battlefield, as its mana consumption was extremely high, but that performance was paramount right now.

"Has your mind rotted away along with your pride?"

[Kuhahk!?]

Lee Shin Woo said coldly and flung the Giant. Not only had it lost in a bout of strength against a human, but it had also been thrown with just one arm, so it was quite humiliating for the Giant.

It was so overwhelming that the other Giants were overwhelmed as well, as they watched along vacantly.

"If you were to just listen to the Giant I rescued, you would've known. And if you can't trust what I told him, then you can just go out there and see for yourselves! Moreover, if I were part of the Imperial Army, then do you really think I would come to discuss the Titan's Heart with you!?"

[Kuaah...]

The Giants couldn't forget what was said, as they were both humiliated and frustrated. Then, the Giant who had led Lee Shin Woo to the village spoke up.

[I was attacked... by the Imperial Army. They... were surprised once they saw Paul Zero! They're enemies!]

[Is that... true?]

[Are you not... planning on lying... and using us?]

[He killed... the Empire's troops! He left none... alive!]

Lee Shin Woo deliberately didn't add anything. He believed interfering with their discussion wouldn't be a good idea. As he thought, they listened more intently to one of their comrades, and suddenly, one of the level 7 Giants spoke.

[I'll need to check.]

[I'm still not sure about him.]

[We cannot let him enter.]

[If he really came here to help us, then...]

[We should be able to verify if that's the truth or not.]

With that, the Giants finally agreed. The two level 7 Giants helped the final level 7 Giant up, whose head was buried in the ground, and convinced it. Even though it looked enraged, it soon nodded its head and spoke.

[We cannot let the Imperial Army take the Titan's Heart.]

[We, the giants, are the ones who succeed the Titan's Pride. Though our bodies have rotten, the Titan's blood still flows through our veins.]

[If that's the case, then... we cannot afford to be wasting time like this.]

The three gazed at Lee Shin Woo. The other level 5 and level 6 Giants did the same.

[Paul Zero, you'll have to verify your own 'Titan's Pride'.]

[We'll observe, and make a decision afterwards.]

Lee Shin Woo's jawbone clattered as he smiled. Since he really had no reason to hide his feelings from them.

"Alright. I'll show you my pride. No, that shouldn't be all."

He was sure that the Giants had stepped onto his stage and smiled. He then declared.

"We'll all have to prove our pride on the battlefield against the Imperial Army."