‘A new application of arrays… I should study them more’. Nova made a mental note, adding yet another task to his growing list. As he stepped into the room, Eiruk followed beside him, noticeably tense. Understandable, given that the man waiting for them either wanted him half-dead—or fully dead.

  The room was dimly lit, the sparse glow barely sufficient for an average person to see. But for the three figures within, the darkness was no obstacle; to them, it was as clear as daylight. The lack of ornamentation suggested the owner had little interest in flaunting wealth, preferring to hoard it instead.

  At the far end of the room, a massive figure sat behind a plain wooden table. Long, silver-grey hair framed his imposing presence, his sheer size making the furniture seem almost inadequate.

  Above his head, a name shimmered in ominous red, its hue teetering on the edge of black.

  [Giant Commander]

  Nova immediately checked his Status—and was met with an unexpected surprise.

  [Giant Commander]

  Rank: 0

  Name: Varkun

  Species: Giant

  Affiliation: None

  Level: 8

  Class: None

  Attributes:

  Strength: 402

  Vigor: 428

  Dexterity: 389

  Speed: 401

  Intelligence: 274

  Wisdom: 312

  Will: 2

  Luck: 0

  He thought grimly, ‘If I hadn’t achieved One with the World, I would’ve died here’. The jump in difficulty between Green and Blue portals was insane. ‘What would happen if I entered a Purple portal?’ His thoughts halted before they could take root—dwelling on that would only lead to an early grave. Pushing the dangerous curiosity aside, he shifted his gaze toward the giant.

  The giant bore no particularly striking features, save for a single scar near his left eye. He wore plain brown robes fashioned from animal skins, a stark contrast to his imposing presence. His gaze lingered on the entrance as two figures stepped inside. At the sight of the smaller one, his brow lifted slightly, a fleeting sign of recognition. For the briefest moment, his fists clenched, knuckles whitening, before relaxing as if nothing had happened.

  Shifting his gaze to the giant, he couldn’t hide his surprise. Eiruk had actually come, and not only that—he was accompanied by what appeared to be an outsider. Varkun, the head of the Xalathar family, had boasted to others that Eiruk would come of his own volition, but he never truly believed it. After all, only a fool with a death wish would walk into this den of vipers willingly.

  The two figures advanced to the center of the room. Eiruk struggled to meet Varkun’s eyes, his gaze darting restlessly before settling elsewhere, as if staring too long would burn him. Nova, on the other hand, looked at Varkun with an expression that was almost eager—like a man anticipating a generous gift.

  The silence stretched, thick and oppressive, until Varkun finally broke it. His voice was measured, but laced with intrigue as he studied Eiruk.

  “I didn’t expect you to come here—and bring an outsider with you.” His eyes flicked briefly to Nova before returning. “Do you really think he can help you?”

  Eiruk inhaled deeply. If he hadn’t witnessed Nova’s strength firsthand, he might have crumbled under the pressure. But the memory of what happened outside the gates grounded him. Steeling himself, he met Varkun’s gaze and, with as much composure as he could muster, replied “Yes. I think he can.”

  “Interesting.” Varkun’s voice echoed through the dimly lit room, carrying an almost amused undertone. He leaned back slightly before continuing, “I could have the entire city hunting you down for betraying our race. Did you consider that?”

  “You started this” Eiruk gathered every ounce of courage he had, his voice rising to a near shout. “You slandered my father, stole everything from me, and now you’re planning to kill me! Do you have no shame?”

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  A deep chuckle escaped Varkun, his expression unbothered, as if Eiruk’s fury was nothing more than a child’s tantrum. “You still don’t understand, Eiruk,” he said, shaking his head. “If I say you’re wrong, then you are wrong. If I call you a traitor… then you are one.” A smirk tugged at his lips, his arrogance palpable.

  “YOU—”

  “No need to shout” Varkun cut in smoothly. “Now, are you ready to hand over your remaining properties peacefully? Or would you rather keep this little act going… until you lose something far more valuable?”

  A sickening crack filled the air. Eiruk’s fists had clenched so tightly that his own bones fractured under the pressure. Blood trickled down, dripping onto the cold floor, each drop echoing in the heavy silence.

  Nova, watching the scene unfold, quietly shook his head. ‘At first, he reminded me of myself months ago… but seeing this?’ He let out a silent sigh. ‘He’s nothing like me.’

  Then, with an easy, almost playful tone, Nova tilted his head and looked up at Varkun. A faint smile crossed his lips.

  “Hey, Varkun.”

  The giant’s gaze shifted to him, interest flickering in his cold eyes.

  “I need something,” Nova continued casually. “A so-called treasure of the giant race—a crown. Do you mind telling me where it is?”

  Varkun stood frozen for a dozen seconds, his expression shifting between shock and fury. Then, regaining himself, he shot to his feet, jabbing a finger at Eiruk.

  “You even told the outsider about our race’s treasure? You have betrayed us, Eiruk. Your father would kill you with his own hands if he could!”

  Before Eiruk could respond, Nova spoke up, his tone calm yet commanding.

  “I’m the one talking here, not Eiruk.”

  With a quick leap, he landed on the table, standing just a few steps away from Varkun. Tilting his head up to meet the giant’s gaze, he continued, “Tell me where I can find it.”

  Eiruk stood behind them, his rage cooling in the wake of Nova’s words. He knew full well that Nova wasn’t doing this out of friendship or loyalty. And yet… someone was standing up for him. The feeling was foreign—one he hadn’t experienced since his father’s death.

  Varkun, still seated, looked down at Nova, irritation flickering across his face before twisting into a mocking smirk.

  “What if I don’t?” he sneered. “Will you wave your tiny fists around and throw a tantrum too?”

  Nova simply smiled, unfazed by the taunt.

  “If you help me, no one has to die.” His voice was steady, matter-of-fact.

  Eiruk inhaled sharply, the words striking deeper than he expected. If Varkun agreed, Nova would have no reason to fight—no reason to fulfill the request Eiruk had placed on him. But instead of anger, a different realization settled over him.

  I shouldn’t have counted on Nova to fix my mess. I should’ve been the one to do it.

  With that thought, a quiet breath escaped him, as if a weight had been lifted. For the first time in a long while, he felt… at peace.

  Varkun smirked. “You? Kill me? I’d love to see—”

  Before he could finish, Nova launched forward, stepping off the table with explosive force. His left fist arched high—then came crashing down.

  Varkun didn’t even see it coming.

  The impact struck him square in the chest, a devastating force that nearly shattered every bone in his body. His massive frame hurtled backward, slamming into the wall with a thunderous crack, embedding him deep within the crumbling stone. Nova, still pressed against him, had nearly buried himself in the giant’s torso.

  ‘Fuck’, Nova cursed inwardly. ‘Is this what happens when someone has too much strength but his body can’t handle it?’

  Pain flared through his body. His left arm was completely shattered, ribs cracked like brittle glass, and his right leg screamed in protest, showing clear signs of fractures.

  A ragged wheeze snapped him out of his thoughts.

  Varkun struggled to breathe, each attempt rasping and weak, the sheer force of the attack leaving his lungs barely functional.

  After a few strained attempts, Nova finally wrenched himself free from Varkun’s chest, tearing loose a small river of blood in the process. He muttered under his breath, “I really need a spear… this is a bloody situation to be in.”

  Without hesitation, he leapt down. The moment his feet hit the ground, a searing pain shot through his entire body, nearly forcing a yelp from his throat.

  But before the agony could fully take hold, his regeneration spread from his right arm to the rest of his body. As the pain dulled, he heard the familiar chime of notifications that had been echoing in his mind since he left Eiruk’s house once again.

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  [Regeneration proficiency increased]

  Casting his gaze backward, Nova spotted Eiruk standing frozen, mouth agape as he stared at Varkun.

  Nova could already guess what was running through the giant’s mind, and he couldn’t help but twitch his lips in amusement.

  “Stop gawking,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. “I’m doing this for you, remember?”

  After saying that, he gave himself a small nod, a thought crossing his mind—'Nice gaslighting’. It had been a while since he last cracked a joke like that. He had spent so long keeping up his serious persona, at least that’s what he thought it was, making sure his generals and subordinates followed his lead.

  Eiruk jolted awake from his daze, subconsciously nodding before rushing toward Nova. Seeing the extent of his injuries, he asked with clear concern, “Do you need help?”

  Nova shook his head. “No, it’s too late now. You should’ve caught me before I hit the ground.” His tone was half-joking, half-serious.

  Eiruk immediately looked guilty, his lips parting to apologize.

  Nova sighed. ‘This guy really doesn’t get jokes, huh?’ Before the giant could start apologizing again, he raised a hand to stop him. “Forget it. Just check on Varkun. See if he’s still breathing—I need him alive.”

  Eiruk nodded and quickly made his way to Varkun. The sight before him was almost surreal.

  The once-mighty head of the Xalathar family was barely clinging to life. Blood seeped from every pore, his mouth and chest drenched in crimson. His breathing was so faint it barely made a sound, his chest rising and falling at an agonizingly slow pace.

  If Eiruk hadn’t known who this was, he might have started reciting the warrior’s farewell rites, preparing to send off a dying soldier.

  Swallowing hard, he said, “He’s still alive… barely.”

  “That’s fine,” Nova replied, lying flat on the ground, making an effort not to move. “His regeneration should kick in, right?”

  Eiruk hesitated. “R-right…” He wasn’t entirely sure if Varkun’s regeneration was strong enough to pull him back from the brink.

  Sitting down not too far away, Eiruk kept watch over both Nova and Varkun as they silently recovered. He couldn’t help but find the situation absurd—mere minutes ago, one had been on the verge of killing the other, and now here they were, motionless, both covered in broken bones and blood, neither speaking a word.

  What a weird situation I’ve gotten myself into.

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