The battlefield was full of craters.
The barren land pockmarked with holes was proof of past battles.
"The Giantkin's war is a little special. It's basically one-on-one."
So said Ingie, deputy to the Giant Warlord.
Lich looked up at her shining, rocklike skin at his feet.
Ingie-san was a woman.
"They fight elimination matches until sunset. But the Giantkin are always defeated by that hateful 'Giant Slayer, Warrior Leila.'"
"Lich wonders... why fight one-on-one?"
"Giants are poor at group battles. Humans don't want to clash with giant armies. After much negotiation, this form became the war."
"Not that."
"...?"
"You fight Leila one-on-one, right?"
"Yes."
"While she's busy with that, other giants could ambush, right?"
"...Eh?"
"Then it's easy to win, no?"
"Giants dislike such dishonor."
"I see. Pride is treated as a resource heavier than life. Lich doesn't get it."
There were many things Lich couldn't understand.
So he was used to thinking, different values, oh well.
"...Look. Over there, that figure."
Ingie pointed.
Under poisonous violet clouds, with no sunlight reaching the barren land,
they saw the shadow of a massive sword.
Even from far away, that weapon was enormous. Of course, Lich knew it.
The 'giant greatsword' Warrior Leila had stolen from the Giant Warlord.
Giants were about ten times the size of Humans.
So their 'greatsword' was longer than their height, wider than their shoulders.
Even the hilt alone was more than twice a man's height.
Yet the one carrying that heavy weapon on her shoulder with ease was a small beastman girl.
Golden hair tied in twin-tails, fluffy golden cat ears.
A revealing outfit that covered little beyond chest and hips, showing her flat but toned body.
A bell on her tail rang ding-ding as she walked.
"It's the Chime of Bells!"
"Yes, I hear it!"
"She's here! Warrior Leila! The dreadful 'Giant Slayer'!"
Hearing the chime, the giants screamed half-mad.
Beside Lich, Ingie clenched her fist, glaring at Leila.
"Warrior Leila. Today I'll defeat you. ...Um, Lich-sama, can I shout here? It helps me focus."
"Well, it's a battlefield. Go ahead."
"Then... Warrior Leila!!! Today I'll defeat you!!!"
Her spirit-filled roar burst eardrums of nearby giants, knocking them down.
The shout echoed across the cratered field—loud enough to reach the Humans still some distance away.
"Giant warrior! You came again today only to be killed by me? Fine! Let's have war!"
With a whoosh, Leila swung the giant greatsword.
The force of it became wind that reached even Lich.
"So! Who's today's opponent!? Is it you, giant woman warrior Ingie!?"
Leila's voice shook the whole battlefield.
And the answer was—
"Lich will go."
Lich's voice, not spirited at all.
* * *
In the center of the largest crater, Leila and Lich faced each other.
Leila, small beastman girl holding an absurd sword in one hand.
Lich, ragged cloak, no weapon at all.
"...Why is an Undead in a giant battlefield? Aren't Undead fighting south?"
"Lich has his reasons."
To begin with, Lich had been in the Human Hero's Party.
It was odd he fought for the Demonkin now.
"Fine. If you stand before Warrior Leila, you must be ready."
"No. Lich is only here for an experiment."
"...Weird. This off-pitch, not-quite-connecting talk... feels like something from long ago, with someone..."
"Don't you Humans forget too quickly?"
"What do you mean?"
"No matter. Lich doesn't care. But it's just a little unsatisfying."
"You vague skeleton! Anyway, die!"
Leila's giant greatsword came down with blinding speed.
Lich took it head-on.
Unharmed.
"Hah? Eh? Why can't my sword shatter you? Don't tell me..."
"You noticed?"
"You reinforced your skull?"
"...Lich is, in theory, completely immune to physical attack. Because he exists in another phase."
"Hahhh!? That's cheating!"
"It's war."
"So what!? Cheating is still cheating!"
"...Another thing Lich doesn't get. Whatever. But don't worry. Your opponent is Lich, but also not Lich."
"What does that mean!?"
"Therefore—arise, arise. You are long dead and gone. Empty vessel of flesh. Your name is warrior."
From beneath Lich's feet, something black and viscous welled up.
It gathered, kneaded, took shape.
A giant.
The corpse of the previous Giant Warlord rose again, by Lich's sorcery.
"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"Giants sure are loud."
Sitting on the revived Warlord's shoulder, Lich covered his ears.
Leila shouted in alarm.
"What the heck!? I killed that one before!"
"The body remained, so I revived it. But his soul was long gone. With current necromancy, souls can't be recalled after too much time. From this limit, we can deduce that when souls pass into the underworld, the practical timeframe is roughly—"
"Too long! Gross!"
"Lich can't get along with you."
"Summarize in one word!"
"This is the corpse of the former Giant Warlord. No soul. Lich moves it with mana."
"...So?"
"This is Lich's weapon. It keeps its martial skill, but obeys Lich's will. This is one result of the Berserker Project in Lich's notes. Giant Warlord No.1."
"So I just have to smash that giant?"
"Even if you do, you won't beat Lich... but fine. If you stop it completely, Lich will admit defeat."
"Finally clear! Die!"
Leila swung.
The blow split Giant Warlord No.1 from crown to crotch.
His body was torn apart.
But—
"Undead Heal."
At Lich's word, the halves rejoined.
Leila shouted in frustration.
"Why does Undead Heal work on a giant!?"
"Giant Warlord No.1 carries both giant and Undead traits."
"What!? Makes no sense! Cheating!"
"Not cheating. This time, I must repair him manually each break. But with more time, I could add Auto-Revive, MP Drain, all sorts of tricks to make it more unfair."
"...Then I just keep smashing until it breaks for good!"
"You refuse to understand? That's why the Hero's Party called you their biggest idiot."
"You know me too well. A fan?"
"Talking to Lich doesn't jog your memory?"
"............Whatever! Break it and I win!"
"Lich really doesn't like you Humans."
The Giant Slayer with her massive sword,
and the Giant Warlord, body revived but soulless, now an Undead weapon.
Their battle shook earth and sky.
It began now.