“Do they need us over there?” Karl asked.
Overlord Orleans shook his head. “They have three times as many defenders per likely enemy unit as this front does, and the Spellblade Clan has a number of old masters who they can pull out of retirement if they are in real danger.”
So, he was still on the worst front, just in a decent spot along it. That should be alright. From what he remembered of the Giants, they should be near his own team’s power level, mostly ascended, with Commanders leading larger teams on occasion. But there was one more question that needed to be asked.
“Other than what was on the map, what is the strongest Frost Giant that has been seen in the past few years? Not what we know is deployed, but what could be coming at us unexpectedly.” Karl asked The Defence Minister.
“There are Royal Rank Frost Giants, nearly thirty of them within the nation, and three known Monarchs, but their Immortal King, as they call him, is a Totem Rank monster, one step above the Overlord Rank.
He has been alive for hundreds of years, and we are unsure of his combat power these days, but there is a theory that they organized this alliance with the other Giants to eliminate the threat of the humans before the Immortal King succumbed to old age.
The leaders of the other Giant Nations are similarly impressive, though the Stone Giants are taking the majority of our strongest warriors, as they have dozens of Overlords in their ranks, and their average warriors can grow to Royal Rank in later adulthood.”
Karl nodded and made notes as Defence Minister Orleans outlined the issues. Now it made sense that there weren’t any Overlords on this front. They had all been deployed to keep the Stone Giants and Hill Giants at bay.
The Frost Giants were more numerous, but not as domineering at their peak strength.
The other two teams looked a bit relieved at the news that there weren’t many Frost Giants above Commander Rank, but Karl had already seen the deployment numbers, and no matter where they went, it was not going to be an easy battle.
“What are the chances that they are going to stand down after a prolonged stalemate? Should we be aiming to push them back, or just to limit casualties on our side?” Jodi asked, distracting the Minister from his explanation about the difference between Giant Nations.
“Limited losses are the aim right now. If they make a full offensive against the artillery lines, that might change. The artillery is powerful enough for the Awakened Giants, and will have some effect against the Ascended beasts as well.
But if they make a full push, none of our conventional weapons will be able to hold against them, and it will be up to the Brothers of the Church and their blessings to allow our line infantry to fight back.”
He was obviously trying to push them to do as much as they could to keep the Giants from attacking, as the casualties involved in regular infantry fighting Giants were guaranteed to be catastrophic. That was just basic history, and for millennia, that was how the less magical nations of humans had survived.
During those times, even when the average family had ten children, the nation had barely managed to increase its population after casualties in the wars against the monster tribes.
In the last ten years, they had made huge strides in the stability of the nation, and it was honestly surprising that the Giants had waited this long to start to team up to eliminate the human’s power base.
The rest of Karl’s team came in with a rather unassuming looking girl in an Ascended Rank school uniform. He had thought that they were going for a Berserker, but if she was their choice, Karl would work with it.
The most important thing was that everyone got along, and she didn’t look like she intended to cause any friction among the team members like some flirtatious male warrior might.
“Karl, this is Bear, an Ascended Rank Berserker from the senior classes.” Lotus introduced their new member.
“Bear?” Karl asked.
“I am a Bear Totem Berserker. I transform when I use the [Enrage] skill, and the nickname kind of stuck. My name is Ophelia.”
“Good to meet you, Ophelia. Now that our team is ready, we can head to the supply room and start packing. I have arranged our deployment point already, and the government sorts will inform us when our ride is ready.” Karl explained.
He led them out of the room, along with Dave, Jill, Alice and Daniel. The four Agents from the Bureau who had been looking after Karl and Dana were rightly concerned to be seeing them going to war so early into their training, but they were also going out to make sure that other promising talents had a bit of extra protection when they were in the worst spots.
So, this would be the last they would be able to see each other for a little while, unless the situation near Karl changed.
“It looks like you’ve formed an enviable group. Take care of them while you’re out, and we might see you soon. We’re all being assigned to strike teams to rescue Elites in trouble. That’s one of the primary duties of the Bureau. It’s difficult to have Elites develop if they’re dead.
But you’re in a good position, so as long as you don’t get into the main lines of the Frost Giant army, you should be alright.
Don’t try to play hero, and … I’m sure there was something else I wanted to say.” Alice ranted.
Daniel patted her on the back.
“They will be fine with Karl along. I have read all the reports, and I don’t know many who have more skilled scouting abilities than him and Hawk. When it comes to avoiding ambushes, they’re top-notch.” He comforted his partner.
Jill smiled at Dana while pulling her blonde hair back into a ponytail.
“Are you certain that life as a pop music idol sounds that bad? It’s not too late to back out and find a replacement to go to the front lines.” The mage joked.
Dana nodded enthusiastically. “Anything sounds better than that. As Daniel said, we will be fine. I just hope that Jodi and Josh will be. They’re taking student teams out, and it sounded like they weren’t going to get to pick the good locations.”
“They will be alright. They’re going to be attached to military units, so they’re not out alone. The lines are dangerous, but there is support. Most of us have been there before. That’s how Rita got all but her last promotion, it’s not as bad as the historical battles were.” Alice assured them.
A call from inside the meeting room drew the Agents away, and Karl led the team to the supply room, then looked at their newest member.
“Does your transformation preclude wearing armour?” He asked.
The Berserker shook her head, knocking some of her straight brown hair loose from its tie. “Not if it’s bonded. Sister Lotus said you would splurge and cover some bonded armour for me, and a new weapon.”
Karl smiled. “Of course. We all need to be equipped to go to battle, and I will check on the others as well. What is your transformed shape like?”
Ophelia made a vague gesture upwards. “I’m about 250cm tall, standing on my back legs, half bear, half human. I can still hold things, but I’ve got claws on my hands, and a bear head. It’s the rage that causes problems because I can forget who is an ally if they look too much like the enemy.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem while fighting Frost Giants, but we can put you on the far side of Thor if that makes you more comfortable. I don’t think anyone has ever mistaken him for a Frost Giant.” Karl laughed.
“There is another member?” She asked.
Karl turned to Lotus. “Did you forget to give her details?”
The nature Priestess just shrugged. “We got the important parts.”
Karl sighed as he turned back to the Berserker. “Thor is a Lightning Cerro, one of the four beasts I am partnered with. He’s full-grown, bright green, and provides everyone a Lightning barrier that refreshes stamina, as well as providing basic healing.
Then we have Hawk, our scout, who is a form of Dragon Hawk, and Rae the Bloodbath Spider, who usually fights with two spider Golems made of vines at her side.”
She nodded along, then counted on her fingers. “You said four, that is three.”
Karl called Remi out into his hand.
The little blue and gold snake looked up at Bear, then activated [Minor Water Control] to make herself a pair of arms to wave hello.
“Oh my Goddess, she is adorable. But I can see why you don’t count her as a combat pet. Why did you pick a common grade water snake?” She asked.
“Remi is a Naga Spirit Snake. When she grows up, she has a high chance to evolve into a Naga, but she is an Ascended Rank shaman already. Her skills are limited due to her age, but she isn’t entirely incapable.
In fact, as she can cast Blizzard, she might even help us blend in with our surroundings on this mission.” Karl explained as they reached their destination.
“Commander, what brings you back so soon?” The supply room manager asked when the group entered the room.
“We’re heading out on a mission, and one of our team members needs gear. Possibly two, if Sister Lotus has been worried about everyone but herself.” Karl replied.
“We’ve got just what you need. Just give me a moment to pull up the inventory.”
