Chapter 77: Central Command (2)

“A while back, while monitoring a base as usual, we noticed the Giant count dropped below ten,” Killia explained. “We didn’t know why then, but now it seems some returned to Titan for their war with the Demonkin.”

“And?” Sarah prompted.

“With their numbers down and distracted by field-spawned beasts, we sent a knight squad to torch their supply warehouse and snag some weapons from their armory.”

“Wow! Why didn’t you say so sooner, old man? Let’s see the loot!” Sarah exclaimed.

Killia stroked her beard with a pleased smile. “It’s modest compared to the enforcer’s ring Master Ion brought, but there are some items with functions we’ve never seen. Let’s take a look.”

The group headed to the spoils warehouse, filled with weapons and mysterious objects, mostly oversized for Giant use: a pointed stick with wave-patterned carvings, a translucent hemisphere containing yellow powder, a board made of four connected planks.

“We knew their magic and tech surpassed ours, but I didn’t expect such bizarre items. No clue about their function or mechanics,” Killia said.

Sarah shrugged. “Ask the dragon when they arrive.”

“I’m not sure even they’d know. They’re coming to meet Master Ion and made it clear they won’t offer more advice—said they’ve interfered too much already. Seems the lord gave them an earful.”

Sarah snorted. “You’d think dragons aren’t native to Idea. With Giants and Demonkin threatening us, how long will they cling to ‘non-interference’ and ‘natural order’? Once humans and elves go extinct, they won’t have anyone left to help.”

“During the spirit frenzy, dragons stayed silent too,” Killia noted. “They don’t care about Idea’s peace. Maybe none of them awakened.”

“Sounds like they don’t care if Idea falls,” Sarah said.

“Dragons know dimensional travel magic. If this world collapses, they’ll just leave,” Killia added.

“Right. Ugh, that ticks me off!” Sarah fumed.

Semir chimed in. “At least one dragon’s helping us—the one coming now. They may avoid advice going forward, but they’ve already done plenty.”

“They’re our lifeline,” Sarah said. “When they arrive, we’ll butter them up with utmost courtesy.”

“Prepare something to win them over, old man. Candy, chocolate, whatever,” Sarah teased.

“No way. They’ve had too much already. What if their teeth rot?” Killia replied.

“Are you serious? A dragon’s teeth rotting from a bucket of chocolate? Forget it—I’ve got Hurulu Mountain chocolate to offer.”

What kind of Breeder gets swayed by candy and chocolate? Ion wondered, eyeing the Giant items. The novel didn’t detail their equipment, so their purposes were unclear. The stick, with mana concentrated at its tip, might function as a staff. The yellow powder seemed like a magic circle, activated by breaking its container. The board…

What is it? Ion thought. The seams aren’t even that tight.

Connected, the planks would form a 10-meter cube. Its use wasn’t obvious, but it was likely a weapon.

Then Ion’s eyes widened at a small item among the oversized loot, familiar to him but alien to Ideans: a smartphone.

“Master Ion’s intrigued by that one too,” Killia noted, picking it up. “Everything else is big and heavy, but this fits in your hand.”

She handed Ion the latest-model phone, common overseas, with a white poodle on the back. Its screen was cracked, and it wouldn’t power on. Only one explanation made sense.

The Giants took this from an Earth hunter, and it ended up here…

The poodle’s owner was likely dead, killed by Giants.

What’s happening on Earth? Are they at war with Giants too? Surely not with bases established, like Idea…

Ion felt a pang of anxiety but shook it off. Jin Seongha was strong, and the orphans, plus Hahoe Mask and Butterfly Mask, knew the future from the Breeder. They’d resist Giant invasions. Besides, Giants were busy with the Demonkin, recalling forces from Idea bases—they wouldn’t have the resources to establish new ones on Earth.

Probably just a hunter’s phone, taken in a dungeon.

Giants were searching for a key buried in the Beast Realm and had teleportation circles. They could cross into dungeonized Beast Realms, as they did in the Monity dungeon. This phone’s owner was likely an unlucky hunter who encountered a Giant during a dungeon run.

“It reflects your face like a mirror,” Killia said, examining it.

“Let me see! Lighter than expected—not a weapon,” Sarah said.

“Maybe a throwing star? Let’s toss it,” another suggested.

As the Ideans speculated, Zieg studied Ion’s face. “Master knows what it is.”

“What?”

“Really?”

“As expected of a Revelator!”

Ion hesitated—deny or admit? He chose.

“I know what it is.”

In six weeks, a dungeon linking Earth and Idea would appear, revealing the phone’s identity and Ion’s Earth origins. Denying it now would only expose his lie later.

“It’s a smartphone, a communication device from Earth. Like a communication orb, but it can record images, calculate, take notes, and more.”

“Image recording? Incredible,” Killia said.

“So many functions in this tiny thing? Earth’s impressive,” Musriolph added.

Their reactions were straight out of an isekai trope, though Idea’s civilization rivaled Earth’s, with magic replacing technology. Communication orbs lacked photo functions but could teleport items. Familiars handled calculations, and urgent notes were written in the air with mana, then solidified.

If explained to Earthlings, they’d marvel, “Teleporting items? Amazing!” or “Animals doing math? Idea’s incredible!”

“Master Ion, what about the other items? Are they from Earth?” Killia asked.

“No, just the phone. The rest are Giant-made.”

“Any guesses about their function or mechanics?”

“Not certain, but…” Ion shared his thoughts on the stick and hemisphere.

Semir suggested the yellow powder might be a defensive magic circle. Musriolph tested a Giant defensive circle, and Ion compared a pinch of the powder—it was similar.

“As expected, Master Ion delivers results instantly. We can trust him with weapon analysis!” Killia declared.

Ion’s task was set. They’d gathered for the Tulia base assault, which had more Giants than others. With aura users still tackling fields, it’d take a week for them to join. Since Ion was waiting for the dragon, analyzing weapons beat idling.

As they left the warehouse, darkness had fallen. The valley village grew chilly at night, despite late summer.

“Let’s head to Tulia,” Killia said.

“Tulia? You’re not attacking now, are you? Why go?” Sarah asked.

“We’ve set up teleportation devices near the base to monitor terrain and climate changes. We check daily for updates. It’s crucial to see your future battlefield.”

“Crazy! What if you’re spotted?” Sarah exclaimed.

“We won’t be. That’s why we go ourselves, not subordinates. Come on, it’s important.”

“Wait!” Sarah shouted, her fierce gaze making Killia flinch.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m starving!”

“…”

“We’ve been marching for days, dragging that key! You heard how hard it was! And all we’ve gotten here is a cup of water? That’s absurd!”

Sarah’s yell echoed through the valley.

“Old man, feed us! Illiands live on rice power! How do you work us this hard in the dead of night without food? Are you a Giant spy, trying to sap our strength?”

Thus, the group got dinner time. As they headed to the dining hall, Ion slipped away to his assigned room.

“No wonder I couldn’t focus—my body’s weak from hunger… Huh? Ion, where you going?” Zieg called.

After weeks together, Zieg had grown unilaterally chummy, dropping “Master” for “Ion.” He always noticed Ion skipping meals first. His shout halted the group, who turned to Ion.

“Where’s Master going?” Killia asked.

“Tired. Going to wash and sleep. I’ll take some bananas,” Ion said.

“Didn’t realize you were that exhausted. Should’ve fed you sooner—sorry,” Killia said.

“It’s fine.”

“But eat first, Master. You won’t sleep well hungry,” Sarah urged.

Ion smiled. “I’m sleepy now. Sleep’s more important than food for me. Enjoy your meal.”

“But—”

Ignoring her, Ion hurried to his lodging. Behind him, Sarah, Zieg, and Semir exchanged glances. Zieg clicked his tongue, wrinkling his chin.

“Three weeks together, and that iron wall of his won’t budge.”

“It’s getting thicker, taller—like he’s someone we’re not allowed to befriend,” Semir added bitterly, feeling particularly rebuffed.

Sarah’s eyes narrowed, recalling Onil’s words in the Black Marsh field:

“There’ll be a brown-haired, green-eyed mage. Tell him to hold the key. We’ll come for it.”

“You know him?”

“…Yes.”

Onil’s stoic eyes had warmed briefly. Yet, when Sarah asked Ion about her—

“Master Ion, what’s with this Onil? Lovers?”

“Just acquaintances.”

Ion showed no emotion, focused on the ring. What an iron wall, Sarah thought. Was anyone allowed inside it? Even his familiar got no warmth.

She watched Ion’s small figure vanish into the lodging, then turned away.