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Bonus Chapter
The temperature plummeted from summer to arctic winter in seconds. Frost crept across the barrier like spreading cancer, and spectators' breath became visible clouds. The stadium's defensive systems roared to life, working overtime to prevent mass hypothermia among the audience.
"So," Russell said, studying the two massive frost giants with academic interest, "if they're a couple, does their special ability involve... making new giants?"
Dead silence in the Northgate preparation area.
Jean pushed her glasses up so hard they nearly flew off her face.
Only Lucian pondered seriously. "Would that be allowed on live television? Like, legally?"
"Should be fine?" Russell said uncertainly. "The Federation has legal brothels, so broadcasting giant reproduction shouldn't—wait, should we add content warnings? Hashtag giant, hashtag non-human, hashtag size-difference..."
"?"
Coach Carter coughed like he was trying to expel a lung. Bad enough thinking it, but saying it during a televised match? Northgate's reputation would never recover.
Stare.
Russell felt the weight of a gaze that could freeze nitrogen. Hazel was looking at him with an expression that somehow communicated 'stop talking or I will end you' without actually changing her face.
He shut up immediately. He'd almost forgotten his senior sister existed—she was so quiet it was like having a beautiful statue in their prep area.
On the field, Grant summoned his trinity: [Yaksha], [Asura], and a dignified woman cradling a pipa—[Kinnara]. After his loss to Russell, he'd doubled down on the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils theme. The cards were only purple quality, relying on bonds for strength.
The defensive bond created a barrier similar to Fubuki's telekinesis—weaker but cost-free, making Grant surprisingly durable.
But watching his human-sized cards standing at the frost giants' ankles...
"Can pedicure knives really win fights?" Russell muttered.
The pipa's ethereal music began, golden Buddhist scriptures swirling around Yaksha and Asura, transforming their demonic features into something divine.
Then Russell's joke became reality.
"I WAS KIDDING!"
From the frozen mist emerged more giants. One after another, mindless and bestial, until twenty-eight smaller frost giants stood alongside the two originals. Thirty total, filling the arena like a frozen forest of flesh.
"Grant's fucked," Lucian said bluntly. His cards had no area attacks. Breaking through to reach the original pair was impossible when every single giant radiated silver-level power.
Russell understood Science & Technology's strategy now. They'd let Marcus handle weak opponents in early rounds while Sienna hid her true capabilities. Now, facing Northgate, her attrition warfare would grind them down.
The pipa's tempo accelerated. Yaksha and Asura carved through giants with desperate efficiency. Several fell quickly.
"Not bad!" Grant celebrated prematurely.
New giants materialized immediately, maintaining the count at exactly twenty-eight.
"Infinite respawns?" Russell analyzed Sienna's calm expression. "Even I'd struggle maintaining that many silver-levels. Either she's a genius like me, or there's no cost. Bond effect?"
The pattern established itself quickly. Grant killed a dozen giants. A dozen giants respawned. Sienna never even blinked.
"Only area attacks will work," Russell concluded. "But they know about Caliburn..."
He turned to Lucian. "You're next. Test them with lightning."
Lucian was surprised. "Not you?"
"I have a theory. Giants fear Thor's lightning in Norse myth. Let's confirm it."
Lucian nodded grimly and took the field. His familiar trio appeared—the black-armored youth, the dragon-snake, and the sentient black mud.
I still don't know what those cards are actually called, Russell realized.
The dragon-snake began its aerial dance, nearly caught several times by the towering originals. Storm clouds gathered, lightning crackling within.
The giants shifted nervously.
Bingo. Thunder weakness confirmed.
Lucian noticed too, relief flooding his face. Maybe I can win this without Russell.
His black-armored warrior charged, wreathed in electricity. The twenty-eight giants cowered with almost human fear, but the originals' roars forced them forward. Lightning pierced through several instantly, creating a path to Bergelmir and his wife.
Victory seemed certain until Russell noticed Sienna's complete lack of concern.
Blue light erupted—not from Lucian's cards, but from something in front of the originals.
SCREEE!
When the lightning cleared, a small wooden boat glowing with golden light bobbed gently in the air. It had absorbed everything.
[Lúdr]—the ark that carried Bergelmir and his wife to safety in Norse mythology.
"Small" was relative—compared to the giants, it was a rowboat. To humans, it was a yacht.
"At least we confirmed it," Russell sighed. "Anti-area-attack defense."
The giants respawned. The originals moved personally now, no longer just breeding machines. A palm large enough to eclipse the sun descended on Lucian's warrior. Only the black mud's desperate pull saved him.
Soon, the warrior was overwhelmed and destroyed. Lucian returned to the prep area, dejected.
"Sorry, I—"
"We'll win," Russell interrupted, patting his shoulder. "Trust me."
He walked to the battlefield without looking back.
Carter touched his bald head nervously. "Why does confident Russell feel like bad luck?"
"Didn't expect you up so soon," Sienna said, her first words of the match.
"Someone has to stop you from grinding my team to dust," Russell replied.
"True." She tilted her swan neck proudly.
The referee's whistle unleashed chaos.
Artoria immediately began charging Caliburn—no time for subtlety against attrition warfare. The giant horde surged forward but met Unohana and Neliel's defensive line.
Golden particles coalesced into divine judgment.
Caliburn fell like heaven's own hammer.
The arena became light. Thirty giants simply ceased to exist.
When vision returned, two pale giants stood unharmed behind the ruined hulk of Lúdr. The boat had taken the entire blast, reducing itself to splinters.
But even as they watched, the wood began knitting back together.
"Self-repair?" Alaric gasped in the VIP section.
"You just noticed?" Valeron asked incredulously. "You're Diamond-rank!"
"I wasn't paying attention," Alaric admitted sheepishly. "But this is bad for Russell."
On the field, Sienna exhaled in relief. "Close one."
Too close. Troy warned me not to underestimate them.
"Victory is ours," she declared confidently.
The Northgate team's hearts sank. "Russell, use your invincible card! Do something!"
As if hearing their prayers, Russell spoke calmly:
"You seem confident. But I should be saying that."
"Your consecutive championship dreams..."
The black-haired, red-eyed boy raised his hand to the storm clouds Lucian had left behind. His voice was ice:
"Disappear with the thunder."
"Kirin."
(End of Chapter)