Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 139. The Scroll (3)

He asked what to start with, but the truth was, it was already decided.

Naturally, he would start with Kr (κρ)—the technique of hiding one’s aura and erasing one’s very presence.

He had already asked to be taught this several times. If it got postponed again, he might actually get angry.

But this tone-deaf Gigant fighter bastard, maybe his ears were clogged or something, just wouldn’t listen, no matter what.

“You can’t just pick and choose and expect to be taught only the specific Energy manipulation methods you want. You have to learn step by step, one at a time.”

“For someone who goes around spouting that they’re giants, you’re spouting some surprisingly calm nonsense.”

Hearing something so reasonable from a bunch of lunatics, Anagin reacted with genuine surprise.

Even though he wasn’t being sarcastic, the Gigant fighter looked offended.

“Don’t you dare judge us so carelessly.”

“No, I’m going to judge you, you lunatic bastard who calls himself a giant.”

When Anagin rejected him so bluntly, the Gigant fighter was left speechless, as if dumbfounded.

But honestly, wasn’t it funny?

Just from the sound of it, they seemed like the kind who judged others freely themselves, yet they were saying others shouldn’t judge them. Only those who won the fight could spout such bullshit—not a loser who had already been defeated.

“So just answer what I ask, will you? It’s pissing me off.”

“......You won’t properly learn Energy (Γι) that way.”

“I will. Want to bet?”

The Gigant fighter looked at Anagin like he was insane, as if trying to figure out where that absurd confidence was coming from.

“...What makes you so confident?”

“Because I’m damn good.”

“.......”

“If you teach me exactly the way I ask, and I still can’t pick it up… then… I’ll let her go.”

Anagin made the offer while pointing at the Gigant female swordsman.

At the sudden proposal, the Gigant fighter glared at Anagin with suspicion, as if questioning whether he was lying.

And it was a suspicious offer.

Of course, Anagin knew that. From the listener’s perspective, it was undeniably suspicious.

But even if it was suspicious, it wasn’t like he could refuse, was it? Not when he was like a fish tied to a cutting board.

In fact, that was exactly why Anagin made the offer—to give that fish on the board the will to struggle. In the end, all he had to do was learn it anyway, wasn’t it?

As Anagin silently looked down at him, determination began to fill the eyes of the Gigant fighter bound to the Giant’s Cutting Board.

“Make sure… you keep your promise.”

“Don’t worry. I might talk crap, but I don’t lie.”

* * *

The Gigant fighter, who had been forced into submission under the threat of his companion’s life, reignited his resolve and began passing on his knowledge to Anagin.

“To learn Kr (κρ), you first need to be able to use Pa (pa) proficiently.”

Pa (pa)—the act of concentrating Energy (Γι) within one’s body.

“What exactly counts as ‘proficient’?”

“It’s not just about imbuing Energy (Γι) into a single point of your body. You have to be able to smoothly shift the concentrated point, and eventually apply Pa (pa) across your entire body… You can do that, right?”

“No.”

“…You little—!”

The Gigant fighter, who had maintained a calm demeanor all this time, nearly let out a string of curses before catching himself.

From his perspective, the situation wasn’t bad, but Anagin’s attitude was infuriating.

He was teaching him the very essence of Gigant Energy manipulation, and yet this was the attitude he got in return.

But Anagin continued shamelessly.

“What? I’ll just try it now.”

Anagin stood up and used Pa (pa).

Using Pa (pa) itself wasn’t particularly difficult. He had already mimicked it once after seeing the old carriage driver do it.

However, freely switching the point of concentration felt clumsy and awkward. It wasn’t something he could use effectively in real combat.

“Got any tricks to make it easier?”

“.......”

“Don’t swear at me with your eyes. If you don’t like it, you should’ve won.”

Whenever things didn’t go his way, Anagin would throw out that same line—then you should’ve won—testing the Gigant fighter’s patience.

“Haah… In my case, I picked up the trick while training in martial arts. Like putting strength into your legs and fists when attacking, or into your abdomen and head when defending.”

Oh, that was actually useful advice.

Anagin immediately applied it, recalling his sparring sessions with his master.

Under the pretense of “training,” his master had subjected him to brutal violence, and Anagin had fought back with his fists. Of course, every attack had been futile, but it wasn’t meaningless.

At some point, he had begun focusing on his attacks, trying to land even a single punch on his master’s face.

He learned how to chain attacks smoothly without losing momentum, how to strike while being struck, and eventually even analyzed his master’s techniques, modifying them into something that suited himself.

And still, I never landed a single hit.

The frustration rose belatedly, but it helped.

Not long after receiving the tip, he was already able to naturally shift the Energy (Γι) concentrated in his fist to other parts of his body.

The speed was still lacking somewhat, but the earlier clumsiness was gone.

With a bit more practice, he felt he could handle it proficiently.

“…How?”

The Gigant fighter, seemingly thinking the same, couldn’t hide his agitation.

“Because I’m damn good.”

In truth, it was thanks to all the beatings he took from his master, but Anagin lied. There was no need to bring up such a grim truth.

After moving the Energy (Γι) around his body a few times, Anagin expanded it across his entire body.

This, too, wasn’t particularly difficult. It was similar to tensing up the part about to be hit, recalling the times he’d been beaten by his master.

Abdomen, chest, arms, legs. Sometimes he didn’t even know where the blow would land, so he’d tense his entire body—it was just like that.

Same problem, though. If I keep moving the Energy (Γι) instead of fixing it in place, the power drops a bit. And if I spread Pa (pa) across my whole body, I can’t move properly.

In the end, it was a matter of choice and focus.

Once Anagin became proficient with Pa (pa), the Gigant fighter moved on to the next stage.

Unlike before, when he taught reluctantly, there was now a spark in his eyes. Something like the desire of a teacher watching a student rapidly absorb knowledge.

“If you want to use Kr (κρ), compress the Energy (Γι) you’ve spread throughout your body, as if you’re pushing it inward.”

“Trick.”

Anagin immediately demanded a shortcut.

This time, instead of getting angry, the Gigant fighter complied.

“The best way is meditation. Shut out external stimuli and focus solely on your inner self—”

“Something else.”

“…You can also adapt the technique of hiding your presence while hunting.”

“You should’ve taught it like that from the start.”

Every word grated on the nerves, yet surprisingly, Anagin applied it immediately.

He had never meditated in his life, but hunting? He’d done that to the point of exhaustion.

It wasn’t just brute strength that had allowed Anagin to protect his home village. He had also tracked down and killed the beasts that threatened it.

Among those skills were techniques for concealing his presence to approach prey or lie in ambush.

Anagin applied that directly.

Erasing killing intent for a single purpose, blending into the surroundings—he applied that sensation to Energy (Γι).

It helped quite a bit.

“…Kr (κρ) doesn’t just hide your presence. It also helps recover Energy (Γι) that’s been depleted through overuse, and aids in refining your Energy (Γι).”

“Refining?”

“Energy (Γι) is originally the power of giants. By focusing on the Energy (Γι) within your body through meditation, it’s said you can awaken its hidden, true power.”

“It’s said? That’s a strange way to put it.”

“I haven’t reached that level yet. But once you enter that realm of awakening, all your abilities rise several levels, and you gain access to the true power of giants.”

Anagin wondered if ’Gigantic Force Forging’ was one such power—the strength Periphetes used to forge Longbald with his own Energy.

Like refining the power dwelling within one’s body into something easier for the user to wield?

He felt a spark of curiosity.

“Ever seen someone like that? Someone who awakened the true power of a giant?”

“Of course.”

The Gigant fighter answered confidently. It seemed he truly had.

But Anagin didn’t ask who. He didn’t want to know right now, and more importantly, he wanted to keep this flow going. Besides, it didn’t seem like the man would answer honestly anyway.

“That’s enough for Kr (κρ). Teach me something else… Pl (pl) sounds good.”

After a brief moment of thought, Anagin chose Pl (pl).

To properly make use of a Giant’s Fist, he needed to know how to use it.

“To properly master Pl (pl), you need to be able to use Yul (εὐ) and Ek (ek).”

“I know.”

“Not just use them, you need to be proficient.”

The Gigant fighter warned him sternly, but it didn’t seem particularly difficult.

Ek (ek), the act of releasing Energy (Γι) outside the body, would take some practice, but it was just repetition. Not a major issue.

Ironically, Yul (εὐ), which was supposedly more difficult, was already solved.

“You have to understand the tool, not just imbue it with Energy (Γι). Only by properly understanding an object can you infuse it more precisely. It requires patience, something Gigants lack.”

Whether Gigants lacked patience or not, Anagin wasn’t worried.

This, too, was because of his master.

Their sparring had essentially been no-rules, meaning all weapons were allowed.

Which also meant his master used weapons, and Anagin had to learn them too.

If he didn’t, his body would be cut, stabbed, pierced, crushed, or torn apart.

So Anagin learned to handle every weapon his master used, until he could wield them as naturally as his own body.

“And then?”

“You manipulate the Energy (Γι) you’ve released outside your body, shaping it into form. Most Pl (pl) users are limited in the forms they can create.”

“Why?”

“It’s the same principle as how one reliable weapon is better than a hundred mediocre ones. You need to focus deeply on one form to achieve proper power.”

In truth, once Energy (Γι) was released outside the body, its power weakened. And if its volume increased too much, its density dropped, weakening it further.

To compensate for that, the only way was to master a single form as if it were a part of your body.

Anagin understood immediately. He had thought something similar before.

Like how a stone is harder than a bundle of cloth.

That’s why, when that hulking figure had shown the Giant’s Fist, Anagin had responded by simply condensing Energy (Γι) into his bare fist.

Even if the overall power of the Giant’s Fist was superior, he was confident that in a direct clash, his own fist would break through it.

“What happened to Lord Keones?”

The Gigant fighter suddenly asked. Well, not completely out of nowhere. He had asked before.

Anagin answered plainly.

“He’s dead.”

The Gigant fighter didn’t react. He seemed to have already expected it. But he was curious about the reason.

“…Why did you kill him?”

“He tried to rob me. And instead of answering my questions, he kept rambling about giants and other nonsense I couldn’t understand.”

Honestly, his death had been inevitable.

Coming here for the Coins of Greed meant he intended to kill Anagin, too—so why spare him?

On top of that, he refused to answer questions and spouted incomprehensible nonsense about being a Descendants of Giants and some Age or whatever. He deserved to die.

If he had just answered properly, like this Gigant fighter, he might’ve lived. In other words, he brought it on himself.

“Got a problem with that?”

“He was my master.”

The Gigant fighter said it while looking straight at Anagin.

There was no visible anger or sorrow, but paradoxically, that made it feel even deeper.

“And he was the one who saved me.”

“So?”

Anagin asked back. He genuinely didn’t understand.

“He’s your master, and he saved you. So I should’ve just let him kill me? That ‘master’ of yours looked like the kind who’s killed plenty himself.”

He hadn’t confirmed it, but he was sure.

The fact that the man had involved himself in Anagin’s situation in the first place was proof enough. Even during their first encounter, he attacked with the intent to kill.

Anagin didn’t regret killing him. Even if he went back, he would do it again.

“Then why are you telling me this? Don’t tell me you think we’ve gotten close or something. You’re not teaching me because you like me, right? You’re doing it because you lost.”

Anagin snapped the Gigant fighter back to reality.

Perhaps because of that, the Gigant fighter said nothing more and continued teaching the remaining Energy (Γι) techniques.

He had already taught Pa (pa), Yul (εὐ), Ek (ek), Pl (pl), and Kr (κρ).

That left Di (dí).

However, Di (dí) was difficult for even Anagin to grasp.

To learn Didomi (dídōmi), the act of imbuing properties into Energy (Γι), one either had to awaken an innate attribute of their Energy (Γι) or be exposed to a specific environment for a long time and reflect that energy into their Energy (Γι).

’Hmm, I’ll pass on this one.’

Anagin decided as soon as he heard the explanation.

He didn’t understand what an innate special Energy (Γι) even was, and exposing himself to some specific energy to alter his Energy (Γι) didn’t sit right with him.

Personally, he felt that imbuing properties into Energy (Γι) felt more like weakening it rather than making it stronger.

“So, is that the end? Of the Energy (Γι) manipulation techniques?”

“Of course not. What I taught you are just the basics. To truly use Energy (Γι), you need to combine them.”

Anagin understood right away.

A good example was the Giant’s Fist:

Concentrate Energy (Γι) in a specific area with Pa (pa),

Release it outward with Ek (ek),

Then shape it with Pl (pl).

“The best way to learn is to use it in real combat. If you release me, I’ll teach you personally.”

The Gigant fighter offered, but Anagin refused without hesitation.

“I don’t have a hobby of fighting someone I’ve already beaten twice.”

“.......”

“If you break out of there on your own, I’ll think about it.”

Anagin said this to the Gigant fighter, whose limbs were bound to the Giant’s Cutting Board.

If he really wanted to fight, sure—but only after he got himself out of there.

Well, that wasn’t the only reason he refused.

“Alright, your turn now. Let’s hear what’s in Chiron Tower.”

Anagin said as he approached the Chiron Tower Four.

* * *

The Energy (Γι) techniques of Chiron Tower didn’t stray far from expectations.

Of course, it was limited to what Tramachus knew and could teach, but even taking that into account, it still felt lacking compared to the Descendants of Giants.

No. Lacking might not be the right word. If anything, it felt more grounded in fundamentals.

While the Descendants of Giants treated Energy (Γι) as something to be developed into a singular weapon, Chiron Tower’s Energy (Γι) felt focused on basic physical enhancement and conditioning.

Something meant to be easily combined with blessings.

It didn’t feel inferior. Just different in form.

If the Descendants of Giants were like constructing a building using only a single material, which is Energy (Γι), then Chiron Tower felt like using Energy (Γι) as a foundational material, and building the structure on top of it with blessings.

Is that intentional? Well, it could be. Chiron Tower is an institution that trains practitioners. Or maybe…

Anagin entertained a meaningful thought for a moment, then dropped it.

It wasn’t certain, and more importantly, it wasn’t his concern.

Having learned the basics of Energy (Γι) manipulation, Anagin spent the remaining time practicing on his own, asking questions whenever something came up.

Nothing much happened.

Occasionally, crows came to pick at the battlefield remains, or minor scavenger raiders wandered in, but they only circled the area before leaving.

And so, time passed.

Eventually, people from Chiron Tower arrived to retrieve the Descendants of Giants and the treasure hunters.

Which meant it was about time for Anagin to make his decision.

Whether or not to use the scroll that could take him straight to the Temple of Delphi.