The mist parted like a curtain, and there it was—a giant.

Not just any giant, but a being so massive that it seemed to embody the mountain itself.

Its colossal form loomed above them, casting an oppressive shadow that made even the mighty ogres in the horde seem like tiny, insignificant insects.

Its torso alone was wider than any cave they had encountered, a wall of rippling muscle and coarse, stone-like flesh. Its head, crowned with jagged horns that scraped against the swirling mist, tilted slightly, as though listening to the very earth beneath its feet.

The creature’s breath came in deep, guttural exhalations, each one reverberating like distant thunder.

Even from a distance, Volk could feel the sheer weight of its presence, an ancient, primal force that made his instincts scream to retreat. Its eyes, glowing faintly in the dimness, swept across the mist-covered land, seemingly unbothered by the haze that blinded them.

“What the hell is that?” a goblin whispered, his voice trembling as he clutched his weapon tightly.

“Some kind of mountain spirit?” another guessed, his wide eyes fixed on the creature’s enormous, clawed hands that dragged across the ground, crushing everything in their path.

“It’s a giant,” one of the ogres rumbled, his voice low with awe. “Bigger than any we’ve ever seen. Bigger than any I’ve ever seen.”

“Look at it!” a goblin hissed, his voice rising in panic. “Its foot is bigger than an ogre!”

The horde murmured nervously, the fear in their ranks palpable.

Some instinctively stepped back, others tightened their grip on their weapons, and a few looked to Volk, waiting for his command.

“Let’s attack it!” one of the ogres growled, slamming his fist into his palm. “Bring it down before it notices us!”

“No,” Volk snapped, his voice sharp and cutting.

“But Volk!” the ogre protested. “If it sees us, we’re dead anyway! Better to strike first!”

“And how, exactly, do you plan to strike it?” Volk spat, his piercing gaze silencing the ogre instantly. “You think your pitiful axe will even scratch it? Look at its legs! You can’t even reach its knees, let alone its chest! Or its head!”

The horde fell silent, their bravado quickly fading under Volk’s scathing words.

“Fools,” Volk muttered under his breath. He clenched his fists, his mind racing. He could feel the faint stirrings of his rage, the energy deep within him that called for release, for destruction.

If he transformed into his radioactive form, he might stand a chance. Might. But that wasn’t the problem.

Transforming here would draw attention—not just from the giant, but from whatever else lurked in these cursed mists. And even if he could defeat it, the cost to his horde could be catastrophic.

No, brute strength wasn’t the answer. Not here.

“Listen to me,” Volk said, his voice low but commanding. “We’re not attacking it.”

“What?” several voices exclaimed at once, disbelief and fear mingling in their tones.

“You heard me,” Volk growled, his eyes narrowing. “We’re not fighting it. We’re letting it pass.”

“Let it pass?” a goblin echoed, his voice incredulous. “What if it steps on us?”

“Then don’t give it a reason to notice us!” Volk snapped, his glare silencing the goblin. “This isn’t some common beast you can stab or shoot. This is a creature of the mountain—an ancient force. If we make one wrong move, we’re all dead. Do you understand me?”

The horde nodded reluctantly, their fear evident in their eyes.

“Good,” Volk said, his tone brooking no argument. “Now, listen carefully. We move slowly. No sudden movements, no noise. Keep your weapons sheathed. Don’t even breathe too loudly. We stay low, we stay silent, and we let it pass. Got it?”

The horde murmured their agreement, though their unease was clear.

“I said, got it?” Volk barked, his voice sharp enough to cut through their hesitation.

“Yes, Volk!” they replied in unison, though their voices trembled.

Satisfied, Volk turned his gaze back to the giant. It hadn’t noticed them yet, its massive form lumbering forward with slow, deliberate steps. Each footfall sent a tremor through the ground, the vibrations rattling their bones.

“Move,” Volk ordered, his voice low but firm. “Now.”

The horde began to move, their steps careful and deliberate. The goblins crouched low, their small forms blending into the mist. The ogres, though much larger, moved with surprising grace, their heavy footfalls muffled by the damp ground.

Volk led them, his sharp eyes never leaving the giant. He watched its movements carefully, noting the rhythm of its steps, the way its glowing eyes scanned the land. He gestured for the horde to stop whenever the giant’s gaze swept in their direction, and they froze, barely daring to breathe.

The minutes stretched into what felt like hours as they crept through the mist, each step a test of their patience and discipline. The giant’s massive form loomed closer and closer, its sheer size making it impossible to ignore.

“Volk,” a goblin whispered, his voice barely audible. “It’s too close. What if it sees us?”

“Then don’t give it a reason to look,” Volk replied coldly, his eyes fixed on the giant.

The horde continued to move, their hearts pounding in their chests.

The giant was so close now that they could see the texture of its skin, the deep cracks and ridges that marked its ancient body.

Its breath washed over them, warm and humid, carrying with it the faint scent of earth and stone.

“Stay low,” Volk whispered, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. “Stay quiet.”

The giant paused, its massive head tilting slightly as though listening.

The horde froze, their breaths catching in their throats.

For a terrifying moment, the creature seemed to focus on them, its glowing eyes narrowing.

Volk held up a hand, signaling for them to stay still.

The giant sniffed the air, its massive chest rising and falling with each breath. Then, slowly, it turned away, its attention shifting to something in the distance.

“Move,” Volk whispered urgently.

The horde resumed their careful march, their movements slow and deliberate. The giant continued to move away, its massive form disappearing into the mist.

When it was finally out of sight, the horde let out a collective sigh of relief.

“We did it,” a goblin whispered, his voice trembling.

“Quiet,” Volk snapped, his gaze still fixed on the mist where the giant had disappeared. “We’re not safe yet.”

The horde nodded, their fear keeping them silent as they continued their careful journey through the mist.

As the horde slowly trudged through the oppressive mist, their breathing still unsteady from the nerve-wracking encounter, the tension in the air refused to dissipate.

Each step felt like a gamble, the dampness of the mist clinging to their skin like a warning they couldn’t shake. Volk led them cautiously, his sharp eyes scanning the swirling veil around them.

Every shadow seemed to shift, every sound felt magnified, as though the mountain itself was watching them.

The moment of reprieve was shattered by a low, distant rumble.

The sound echoed through the mist, like a landslide rolling down unseen slopes.

Volk froze, his hand shooting up in a sharp signal for silence.

The horde stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide as they strained to listen.

The rumble grew louder, closer. It wasn’t the sound of falling rocks.

It was something heavier, deliberate—a rhythm they now recognized.

Thud.

The ground trembled faintly beneath their feet.

Thud.

The vibrations grew stronger.

Thud.

The horde’s collective breath caught as a familiar, towering shape began to emerge from the mist. The giant was returning.

The creature’s massive form materialized, its bulk blocking out what little light filtered through the mist. Its glowing eyes pierced the fog, scanning the area with a slow, deliberate intensity. The horde instinctively shrank back, some dropping to their knees in an attempt to make themselves as small as possible.

“Stay calm,” Volk hissed, his voice barely above a whisper. “No sudden movements.”

The giant’s gaze swept over them, pausing momentarily. Volk’s hand twitched, ready to signal the horde to scatter if necessary. The creature’s glowing eyes lingered, its head tilting slightly as though it were considering them.

The air felt suffocating, the weight of its presence pressing down on them. Each second stretched into an eternity as the horde waited for the inevitable—an attack, a charge, a single step that would crush them where they stood.

But the giant didn’t move toward them. Instead, it turned slightly, its massive shoulders brushing against a rocky outcrop as it began to lumber past.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Its footsteps reverberated through the ground, each one a reminder of the immense power it wielded. The horde remained frozen, their eyes darting between Volk and the giant, unsure if it was truly ignoring them or merely toying with them.

“Keep your heads down,” Volk ordered quietly, his voice sharp and commanding. “No noise. Not even a whisper.”

The horde obeyed, their fear palpable. A goblin crouched so low that his chin almost touched the ground, his trembling hands gripping his dagger as though it could protect him. One of the ogres shifted uneasily, his large frame making him a conspicuous figure despite his best efforts to remain still.

The giant continued to move, its massive form disappearing into the mist once more. The horde collectively exhaled, their relief short-lived as Volk’s hand shot up again.

“Don’t relax,” he growled, his voice low but firm. “It’s not over.”

The words barely left his mouth before the tremors began again.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

The horde’s eyes widened in disbelief. The giant was returning once more.

“Why is it coming back?” a goblin whispered, his voice trembling.

“Quiet!” Volk snapped, his glare silencing the goblin instantly.

The giant emerged from the mist again, its glowing eyes sweeping over them as it lumbered closer. The horde pressed themselves against the ground, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Volk’s mind raced. Why was it circling them? Was it aware of their presence, or was this some instinctual behavior? His sharp eyes studied the creature’s movements, searching for any clue that might explain its actions.

The giant paused, its massive head turning slowly as it sniffed the air. The sound was deep and guttural, like the rumble of an earthquake. The horde held their breath, their muscles tensed as they awaited its next move.

Volk’s hand remained steady, signaling them to stay still. He could feel their fear, their desperation to act, to do something—anything—but he knew that any movement could spell their doom.

The giant’s gaze lingered on them again, its glowing eyes narrowing. For a terrifying moment, it seemed as though it might finally attack. Its massive shoulders shifted, and it took a step toward them.

Thud.

The ground shook violently, the vibrations rattling their bones. A goblin let out a stifled gasp, quickly clamping a hand over his mouth as Volk shot him a warning glare.

The giant paused again, its head tilting as though reconsidering. Then, without warning, it turned and began to lumber away, its massive form fading into the mist once more.

Volk exhaled slowly, his sharp eyes never leaving the spot where it had disappeared.

“Don’t. Move,” he commanded, his voice a low growl.

The horde remained frozen, their breaths shallow as they waited. The silence stretched on, the tension unbearable.

Minutes passed, though it felt like hours, before Volk finally lowered his hand.

“Move, quietly,” he ordered. “We’re not safe yet.”

The horde began to creep forward, their movements cautious and deliberate. The fear in their eyes was evident, but they trusted Volk’s leadership.

As they moved, the tremors began again.

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Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

The giant was circling back.

Volk gritted his teeth, his sharp mind calculating their next move. They couldn’t keep waiting for it to pass—they needed to find cover or risk being noticed.

“Quiet down!” he hissed, his voice sharp and commanding. “Not a word. Not a sound.”

The horde obeyed, their fear keeping them silent. The giant loomed closer, its massive form once again emerging from the mist.

Volk clenched his fists, his sharp eyes fixed on the creature as it lumbered past. This time, it didn’t pause. It didn’t sniff the air or turn its glowing gaze toward them.

It simply passed.

As the tremors faded into the distance, Volk allowed himself a brief moment of relief.

“Keep moving,” he ordered, his voice low but firm. “And stay alert. Anything can happen now.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep