— Slayer legion —
[Scout party: 4x5] Small squads of smaller-sized slayers to poke at a raid boss.
[Vanguard: 10x10] The main stay of the slayer legion. They attack a powerful foe in waves, wearing it down with each wave.
[Backline: 10x5] Ranging from artillery support to bridging and tunneling duties and hauling supplies.
[Wizards: 300] Alchemists who maintain the slayer's health. They bring them out of their dormant state for combat.
The camp has grown quiet after most of the population was evacuated.
The steam tank rumbles as it docks, gradually dying down as the crew cranks down its steam core.
Its passengers emerge from the hold, laughing and joking about what they would do once they get home.
Another squad of slayers lines up.
Hikari observes them as her cauldron bubbles.
Hooks, grapples, warhammers, pickaxes, cannons slung onto their backs.
Their gear was crude but large enough to deliver a deadly blow to creatures many times the size of men.
Behind them, a sharp, vinegar smell came from the slayer workshop as the wizards prepared poisonous concoctions designed to erode armor and wear down even the fiercest creatures.
The slayer's blades glittered with a layer of silverish varnish that protected them from the corrosive mixtures.
The foreman raises his flag; the wizard leading the column presses his horse forward into the sandworm pass.
Hikari watches as they leave.
Her stew still needed a bit more cooking.
Donk! Donk! The sound of hydraulic parts moving.
A metal suit walks up to her on its pedals.
The lid opened, and Rey popped his head out.
"So this is it, huh? We're pretty much through with the raid; how are you feeling?"
"Good."
"Sounds like it was a breeze for you. I ain't gonna like, I almost sh*t myself when I saw that sandworm titan gobble up a whole steam tank. But you didn't even flinch."
Hikari scratches her cheek.
Her cauldron lid started rattling.
She removes the lid to let the steam out.
Rey looks at her closely, squinting in confusion.
"Wait a minute, did you somehow get bigger, or am I imagining it?"
"Yes."
Hikari straightens her back, her moons momentarily suspended in midair above Rey before bouncing back onto her chest.
Rey looks at her with dead eyes.
"Whatever, I can't tell the difference. Say, you're going to Escher after this, right? Let me guess, my sister already sees you as a sparring buddy."
"Yes."
"Well, good luck with that then. And thanks a ton."
"Hm?"
"If you're keeping her busy, then she won't be trying to wrestle me. As you can see, I am quite lucky to have all my bones intact."
"He."
The hinge creaked as Rey lowered his head back into his suit.
"I have to get back to the mine shaft now to oversee the defenses. It's been more than a pleasure working with you. Oh, and if you see a giant wyvern flying overhead and burning the entire town. Run the f*ck away. Don't worry about me, I'll find a place to hide. But remember to come back for me once the dust settles; I'll buy you a mug of the finest Herdial ale when we get back to Escher. Well, I suppose a full barrel for you at least."
Rey's voice sounded strange through his armored suit.
Hikari giggled.
"Yes."
Donk! Donk!
Rey's armored suit clanked towards a steam tank.
Its legs shortened to fit through the door, and it shuffled up the ramp.
Hikari stuffed the ladle into her mouth as the steam tank door closed.
Slurp. Chew. Chew. Slurp.
Before she knew it, the cauldron was empty.
She was still hungry. The cauldron was no longer big enough for her size.
Ria had left her more food so she could eat more meals with her cauldron's limited size.
Her lady left her all the excess stock of ration packs.
She had an idea; she could eat one with her stew.
The wet stew would make the dry rations easier to go down.
She got up and checked on her saddle.
She washed and hung it up in the morning.
Stretch. Stretch. The smell of funny soap that she was used to.
But it had already dried.
She disappeared into her tent with it, reappearing seconds later with a comfortable feeling around her hips.
Back to training with her sword.
The sword of the wyvern order.
That's what her lady believed the sword to be.
The reach was shorter than her old claymore.
But it was heavier and chunkier, made of a metal much harder than steel.
She can't activate the runes, but at least she has a decent dueling sword.
Seemingly impenetrable, with a large surface area for easier parries, followed by a deadly counterattack thanks to its weight.
She moves slowly, getting used to the sword's weight.
Her salamander skin reacts, supporting her arm.
That will do for now.
She sets her sword down and lays out her throwing daggers.
The last remaining stock for at most one battle that she may have to fight.
Mana circulation exercises, especially important after a growth spurt.
Once her mana gets flowing, she begins juggling her throwing daggers.
Absorbing the mana vein increased her mana pool.
The daggers felt lighter.
She felt she could telekinetically thrust them with greater power than before.
The control was not as precise, but it was good enough for now.
She would continue practicing when she returned to the estate.
"Hm?"
She noticed a RazenHeir scout standing behind her.
"Letter from her lady."
The scout unfolded the paper and held it up for Hikari to read.
The invisible ink of the RazenHeir house.
How are you doing at the camp, Hikari? Don't worry about me; I've made it safely to Escher. Our house already has a branch here where I'll be waiting for you to return. Oh, did I mention that the city is basically a gigantic maze? We have to leave our own flame marks to find the branch. I still have no idea how the locals get around. Once you reach Escher, the scouts will guide you. The route we usually use might not be wide enough for you.
Do you have enough to eat? I've been searching through the market. Unfortunately, because of the rationing in Herdial, I could only find some dried food for sale. But I'll send it to you anyway; I hope it fills your tummy at least a bit. I really didn't plan for you to get bigger. I am definitely sending letters back to the estate to prepare bigger meals for you, so don't worry about going hungry once you get back.
Your lady, Ria.
Hikari smiles and nods. The scout burns the letter.
She goes back to her training.
"Ah, the legendary knight Hikari. The bane of wyverns that scorch the sky and sandworms that split the earth. Pleasure to make your acquaintance again!"
A voice came from behind her.
Her daggers dropped into the sand.
She got up and turned around.
"Greetings"
The slayer master stood before her in fine robes of expensive Herdial silk.
Hikari noticed him tilt his head, looking past her toward the RazenHeir camp where her empty clothesline was.
"Slayer master."
He snaps out of it.
"Oh, Ahem! I am glad that you still remember such a humble alchemist as I. Sorry to disturb your training, but there's just a bit of business I wish to discuss with you."
Two men pushed a cart carrying a round glass vial of swirling orange potion, the size of a cauldron, the kind normal infantry uses.
"An experimental potion I concocted just for you."
"Potion?"
"Yes, you see, I am quite fascinated by your physiology. Giants always fascinate me. Their sheer size causes so many problems with their internal processes."
Hikari hesitated.
She picked up the vial and shook it.
She popped the cork and sniffed it.
"Funny."
"Well, I never promised anything about the smell. That's not the point of a potion, is it? Don't worry, it's mostly common ingredients you'd find in a strength potion with just a hint of my humble artistry. "
She took a sip. The thick liquid slid down her throat.
It was clearly not poisoned.
She drank a mouthful.
It tasted bitter, but it was thick and filling.
She kept drinking.
It wasn't too bad.
She was hungry anyway.
Below her, the slayer master took out a paper and began scribbling.
"The subject digests the Ryulibutten roots… no signs of muscle expansion…. No visible side effects… "
He mumbled to himself.
Hikari drank the potion in one go.
She swallowed, trying to wash away the chalky taste.
"So! How did you feel? Anything different?"
Hikari checked herself.
The potion filled her up a bit, but that's about it.
"Nothing."
The alchemist scribbled furiously on his paper.
The intensity of his quill work surprised even the giantess, who was several times his size.
He looked up at her, staring and studying her until it almost felt like his eyes would pop out.
Hikari stood there uncomfortably.
She wanted to get back to her training.
Crack! Smash! Roar!
Suddenly, a slayer broke loose and began rampaging.
The giant ran around, shouting incoherently and smashing things at random.
Panic spread amongst the camp.
The soldiers raised their crossbows and fired tranquil darts.
But it seemed to enrage the slayers even more.
Hikari watched as the giant rampaged.
She sensed an oddly familiar mana presence from the slayer.
"Subdue it!"
The slayer master shouted.
The men kept firing tranquil darts and throwing powder bombs at it.
But the usual tranquilizers that they had always used seemed to have no effect.
Smash! Smash! The slayer banged his fists against a wall.
He kept smashing against it mindlessly.
Volley after volley of darts hit his back to no effect.
As the giant turned around, a shadow loomed over its head.
Poof! Hikari kicked up a cloud of sand as she landed on the slayer.
With a giantess several times its weight sitting on it, the slayer squirmed beneath her, unable to break free.
A wizard rushed up, holding a scroll.
He hurried and pressed it onto the back of the slayer's head.
A brief burst of mana as the scroll unleashed its spell.
The slayer squirmed for a bit more before falling asleep.
Hikari got up. She was quite surprised that the slayer could hold her weight.
The strange mana presence.
She felt it more strongly now that she was right on top of it.
"Check all of the slayers. If another goes berserk, heads will roll"
The slayer master barked.
The wizards scramble to work.
Hikari shrugged and got back to training.