**#310. City of Giants (5)**
—
I want to live.
I want to continue experiencing the emotions I’ve come to know.
The surging desire to live spread through Ray’s exhausted body like fresh blood.
*Fwoosh— fwoosh—*
The extinguished candles of emotion were reignited, brightly illuminating the boy’s mind.
Brilliant flames of many colors burned with an intensity they had never reached before, and the mana within his jewels and circles danced in response to the tremors.
The mana’s movements grew increasingly intense.
But this transformation was observable only from within—Koom, surrounded by indigo mana, saw Ray, utterly motionless, and assumed it was over.
Just as Koom tried to fully consume Ray’s body—
────────!
An explosion of light erupted.
It was a radiance one dared not open their eyes to.
The world shifted hues at a speed too fast to perceive.
When the light receded, Ray stood on the ground above the pit.
“……”
His characteristically calm expression remained.
But something was clearly different.
His snow-white pupils now brimmed with vitality and life.
He cast his gaze downward.
A massive hole had opened in Koom’s chest, clinging to the cliff.
Multicolored mana of light flickered like embers around the edge, blocking the indigo mana that was gathering to heal the wound.
*No.*
It wasn’t just blocking it.
The embers of mana were actively pushing the indigo mana back, slowly but steadily widening the hole.
─*Gwoooooh!*
Koom, realizing the wound in his chest, let out a deafening howl.
Despite sending more indigo mana, the hole wouldn’t close. His panic was visible.
─*Gwooooooooh!*
The next cry carried overwhelming rage.
*Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!*
Clenching his grip into the cliffside, Koom thrust upward in a burst of strength.
His massive form shot into the air.
In each of his three hate-filled eyes, the image of the boy—calmly staring—reflected differently.
*Boom!*
The giant’s foot slammed down.
But Ray was no longer there.
He had already leapt away, now watching Koom from a distance.
“……”
A direct confrontation was still too risky.
If he could just buy time like this…
Though gravely wounded, Koom was still overflowing with power—and the hole continued to grow on its own without intervention.
Having made his decision, Ray dodged the incoming hand and sprang into motion.
And thus, the chase began.
Koom’s attacks came relentlessly at Ray, who sprinted along the road. Like a wounded beast, each blow was wild and fierce.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Walls crumbled with every swing of his arms, and the ground collapsed under each stomp.
Amid the rising heat, Ray retaliated whenever he found the opportunity—shooting flames of mana toward Koom.
*Fwoosh!*
He aimed only at the wound.
Despite Koom’s violent movements, every strike landed with astonishing accuracy at the edge of the chest wound.
Somehow…
His physical senses felt twice as sharp and precise as before.
It was because of the will to live.
The primal emotion toward life had fundamentally changed how he treated his own body.
Before, he had thought of his body as a mere tool—a knife or a gun for achieving goals. But not anymore.
A shattered ceiling. A sky laid bare.
Sunlight poured down, bathing the boy.
*Shhhhhhh—*
The thick layer of cold, blue mana coating Ray’s vessel like ice began to melt away.
That icy mana had symbolized his indifference toward himself.
─*Gwooooooooh!*
Behind him, Koom’s howl of pain and fury rang out.
A cliff suddenly appeared before Ray as he ran.
He looked around.
Nothing but a sheer drop all around.
Koom’s thrashing had left few footholds.
Turning his head, he saw Koom—his upper body almost entirely consumed by mana flames.
*Boom!*
Ray leapt to a protruding rock on the cliff to avoid an attack, then reached out toward Koom.
*This is the end.*
A spiral of multicolored flame shot forth and struck Koom.
─*Gwoooooooh!*
Koom staggered in the blaze.
Ray had hoped he would fall into the abyss—but the giant managed to stabilize himself and roared back.
Then, he swung his arm straight at Ray.
*He withstood that?*
Ray was just about to leap toward another rock ledge—
─*Fire!*
A thunderous command echoed from above—followed by a barrage of shellfire directed at Koom.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Koom withdrew his hand to defend himself against the bombardment.
But it was no use.
The shells, infused with high-purity mana, clearly damaged the indigo mana forming Koom’s body.
Ray noticed a massive shadow from above falling over the cliff.
He slowly looked up.
It was *Rael Row*.
“Third battery! Prepare to fire!”
Rael stood atop an upgraded mechanical fortress, issuing commands.
Dwarves in combat suits busily moved across the deck.
Ray also saw Nell and a giant redirecting the heavy artillery to aid them.
And that wasn’t all.
*Whoooosh!*
Suddenly, a wave of magical phenomena surged down from the surface and enveloped Koom.
Flame storms. Blizzards. Thunderclouds.
And among them—
─*Kyaruruk!*
─*Come play with us!*
Sounds of pure, innocent laughter rang out.
Ray recognized them—the fairies he had seen in the land of calamity.
Among the chaos, he spotted Blue and several sky island spirits attacking Koom.
“……”
Ray was dazed.
Because this was a sight he had never imagined—never even considered.
And he understood now.
The countless emotional presences he had felt underground—had belonged to them.
Just then, a rope dropped down beside his face.
He grabbed it instinctively.
The rope tightened from above, and Ray grasped an offered hand and was pulled up to the surface.
“You okay?”
The owner of the hand was *Philip*.
The rope was securely fastened to a ring at the back of the bus.
Ray looked toward *Grine* and the elves, preparing magic near Rael Row, and asked:
“What’s going on?”
“Well…”
Philip hesitated, about to answer carefully.
*Thud-thud-thud-thud!*
Veronica leapt out from the bus and threw herself into Ray’s arms.
“I’m sorry, Ray. We came as fast as we could, but we were still too late. Are you hurt? Oh no, look at this burn… scratches too… cuts… it’s all my fault.”
Her voice choked with guilt.
Unable to hold back anymore, large tears rolled down her cheeks.
“……”
Ray looked at the white sun glowing bigger and brighter than ever in Veronica’s vessel.
Then he gently brushed the sand from her hair and said:
“It’s okay. I’m the one who should apologize. You always warned me, but… I got hurt. Not just a little—a lot.”
“Huh…?”
Veronica’s eyes widened.
She stepped back from Ray, eyes full of question marks.
Normally, when Ray got injured, he didn’t apologize—he just asked for healing magic like it was owed.
“W-what? Who are you…? Is this another one of the Doctor’s homunculi? N-no, you look exactly like Ray, but… why? What’s going on?”
She came closer again, poking and squishing Ray’s face like she was trying to verify it.
Ray ignored it and turned back to Philip.
“What happened?”
“Well…”
“It’s been a while, Lord Ray.”
An elf with emerald hair appeared beside them.
“Grine.”
“It would’ve been nice if you’d told us you were coming. But we’ll talk later. Right now, we have urgent matters.”
Ray nodded.
He watched her retreat toward the other elves, then turned back to Philip.
“What happened?”
“Well…”
“It’s been a while, Lord Ray. An honor to see you again.”
This time, it was *Solite*.
Ray looked around.
Priests were emerging in perfect formation from vehicles that had arrived nearby.
“If we can be of help to you, the Church will give its all.”
Bowing his head, Solite led the priests toward the cliff’s edge.
Ray whipped his head back to Philip again.
“What happened?”
“Well…”
“Ah, it’s been so long─”
A protective barrier sprang up before Elder *Parun*, who approached waving cheerfully.
*Bang! Bang!*
─Hey! Why am I the only one being ignored? Is this because I’m a short dwarf!?
Ray pretended not to hear and continued the conversation.
“What happened?”
“Well…”
Philip hesitated again, then finally began to explain.
“Actually, before we left for the land of calamity, I contacted everyone who could possibly help.”
“……”
“I know you hate relying on others because you feel you always have to repay favors. If I’d told you, you would’ve said there was no need to reach out to anyone. You’re not the type to share the burdens you carry.”
Ray gave a small nod.
Philip’s assessment of his tendencies was accurate.
“But this time, it really looked dangerous. And I just… I didn’t want to lose a dear friend, no matter what.”
Perhaps because he had finally let out all the words he had been holding inside, even while gauging Ray’s reaction—
Philip looked noticeably relieved.
“I figured you might be angry that I acted without discussing it with you. And if you decide to leave me out of the group from now on, I won’t complain. But I don’t regret my choice—”
“Thank you.”
“—not at all… Uh… huh?”
“Philip, if it hadn’t been for your preparations, we would’ve suffered a lot more. We might have even lost our lives.”
Leaving Veronica—who was still busy identifying the genuine article—behind, Ray headed toward the cliff.
A voice called out from behind him.
—The elasticity and viscosity of the cheek definitely match Ray’s… they do…
—Veronica, something’s wrong with Ray.
*Tap.*
Ray came to a stop at the edge of the cliff.
Spirits and fairies. Giants and humans.
And dwarves and elves.
While the multi-racial assault raged on, Koom was unable to resist. The mana flames that had spread, widening the cracks, had by now eaten away at his entire body.
All that remained was his massive face.
—You…! Once again, you…!
To Ray’s eyes, the onslaught by the various races appeared like a massive wall composed of countless emotions.
…And then.
Koom’s deep-seated inferiority and malice seemed unable to overcome that wall.
At last, in the place where Koom vanished, only a blue gem remained.
Ray reached out, absorbed it, and sealed it within himself.
“……”
It was over.
The battle in this place.
While Ray stood there, feeling a mix of relief and emptiness, something caught his eye.
It was the golem’s head.
Perhaps it had been flung away during the chase when Koom’s body struck it—it was lodged in a hollow in the cliffside.
Its faintly glowing eye sockets were pointed directly at him.
Which meant: the Doctor had seen everything that happened here.
*Crackle— Snap—*
The mechanical noise coming from the shattered head sounded like broken hope.
Ray met the golem’s gaze and moved his lips.
“Wait for me.”
Wherever you’re hiding…
You’ll have no choice but to face me one day.
