"Bzz—" The more-than-ten-meter-long Lightning Scepter came smashing down from high above, accompanied by a deep hum and the crackling sound of sparks flying everywhere. The unexpected attack made everyone freeze for a moment, but at least two-thirds of those present were battle-hardened fighters who were unbeatable in a brawl. The instant the giant attacked, I steadied the little doll on my shoulder, grabbed Saeko, and easily dodged aside. Everyone else likewise protected the weaker people around them and moved out of the giant's attack range. As a professional MT, Yiersen instantly summoned his Golden Greatsword and Emblem Giant Shield, raised the shield over his head, and directly took the giant's utterly straightforward blow.
"Clang!" An earsplitting metallic boom, wrapped in the roar of exploding thunder, erupted where their weapons met. Centered on Yiersen, a thunderous shockwave one hundred meters across suddenly burst outward, instantly vaporizing all sand and stone within its range, along with more than half a meter of ground. The giant's control over his strength was extremely refined. Apart from the harmless shockwaves meant to disrupt the enemy, ninety-nine percent of the energy from that strike had been focused precisely on its target—so Yiersen came flying back, smoking all over, and sideways at that.
"Brother!" Monina leaped forward and caught the hotheaded fool. "You... you're almost cooked!"
"My sister, please don't make bad jokes when your brother is half dead," Yiersen said through gritted teeth as he straightened himself. In that brief exchange, even he, who specialized in defense, had been overwhelmingly outmatched. He had even been sent flying that far. The blond pretty-boy had lost all face, but he had to admit that they had run into trouble. "Looks like I really can't take him alone—the damage from that scepter doesn't seem reducible by any means."
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