Hearing the chief's words, Lovie, the "Shepherd," immediately posed her question: "Like the two 'Silver Knights' at the main entrance of the royal court, do they not actively engage targets outside their range?" Colin Iliath nodded gently: "At least, that's what they've demonstrated so far." They had now drawn close to the exit, yet the guards outside showed no response. This indicated that the other side lacked true intelligence and spirit—likely merely a living entity activated in some way. Without waiting for the other teammates to speak, Colin of the Hunters continued: "Immense, heavy..." With the relevant intelligence gathered, the people of Silver City instinctively formed groups. One group moved away from the exit, yet positioned directly in front of the main gate, protected by the elder shepherd, Lovira, serving as a lure to draw the guards' attention. Another group received the designated holy oils from the chief and applied them to the ground at the exit. Haim, holding the "Cross of No Shadow," and Colin of the Hunters took positions on either side of the gate, shielding themselves behind the stone pillars. Then, Colin Iliad inserted his straight sword back into his belt and produced a small metal bottle, drinking the liquid inside in a single gulp. His presence quickly faded, no longer noticeable—unless one looked closely, he seemed entirely absent. This was another layer of strategy: Haim visible, Colin concealed. After another fifteen seconds, Lovira of the Shepherds extended her right hand forward and reached out, grasping as though she had touched something intangible. Her silver-gray hair took on a deep blue hue at that moment. A gust of wind surged, and the large gray-blue door creaked open with a resonant sound. Then, a steady, heavy footfall echoed, shaking the entire hall. A "giant" emerged, wielding a long pike and clad in iron-gray armor. Its exposed parts were devoid of any flesh, as if forged entirely of metal, while a deep crimson glow emanated from behind its black mask. If it stood still, it would be indistinguishable from a statue. Tack! Tack! Tack! The hall's tremors grew stronger, and the giant statue suddenly hurled its long pike into the air, sending a gale of wind rushing toward Deric and the others at the entrance. Thud! The pike struck an invisible barrier, and ripples of shimmering light spread out rapidly. Before Loivia, the Shepherd, a translucent figure clad in silver full armor appeared without notice, inserting her great sword into the fissure of the floor. Thud! Thud! Thud! The giant statue continued without pause, charging into the hall. At that moment, a hissing sound emerged from beneath its feet, and the massive body suddenly leaned back sharply. It had stepped upon the area where holy oil had been applied. As the giant statue slid, a deep crimson glow surged intensely within its eyes, and an invisible force rose to support it. Suddenly, a brilliant, searing white light erupted from the "Cross of No Darkness," striking precisely at the giant's single eye. The deep red glow instantly dimmed. Colin, the Hunter of Monsters, leapt to his feet, gripping the same straight sword in both hands, and plunged it downward with the force of an eagle seizing its prey. Dawn light fragments converged upon the sword, making it appear extraordinarily large—larger even than Colin Iliad's own height. With a sharp thrust, the clean, straight sword pierced the gap in the giant statue's facial armor, entering its eyes. The rising morning light surged in torrents. Colin Iliad tightened his grip on the hilt, drawing the sword as the giant statue crashed to the ground with a resonant clatter, then leapt to the side. The statue lay at the entrance, its body emitting continuous cracks until it grew still. "Hunter of Monsters" Colin turned away without looking back, facing outward through the door, and after a few seconds said, "No other guards remain—we can attend to this statue now." Dariq and the others quickly gathered around, efficiently gathering materials from the giant's body. From above the gray mist, Caine observed the entire exchange, deeply impressed by the seamless coordination among the people of Silver City. According to his observation, the giant statue was crafted from some unknown metal, its surface clad in an armor of astonishing defensive strength—allowing it to completely ignore the vast majority of attacks during combat and proving exceptionally difficult to penetrate. Moreover, the statue itself lacked "spirit," meaning it was immune to extraordinary abilities within certain domains, such as "manipulation of spirit threads," "hypnosis," "frenzy," and "nightmare"—making it a truly mobile fortress. It was hard not to suspect that it might have been the original work of the goddess of abundance. Klein wondered: if it were himself, facing such a statue when his master mage's most essential abilities were rendered ineffective, could he rely solely on the powers of his two secret companions to overcome it? What would the course of battle then become? The "distortion" and "chaos" of the Duke of Decline might prove effective, but perhaps not as swiftly as the Silver City Expedition team. A well-coordinated team of extraordinary beings truly can achieve a "sum greater than its parts"—and the chief's keen sense of timing and unwavering determination in attacks are certainly key. Klein nodded slightly, impressed internally. If this were a live broadcast, he might have been tempted to make a donation right now. Of course, he'd likely just think it over. After securing the most valuable items from the giant statue, the Silver City Expedition team continued forward, moving along the outer corridors into another hall. Thus, they moved back and forth among the grand palaces, towering spires, and various corridors and staircases, seeking additional clues and the entrance to the "sea" as described by the visitor, little Jack. — Regardless of whether they believed the young boy's words, they had already, unconsciously, begun to look forward to the deep blue sea behind the Giant King's Court. On the other side of that sea lay a human settlement where life flourished. There, in the depths of darkness, no monsters dwelled; the sun rose and set normally, and lightning appeared only before rain. People harvested a variety of foods. During this journey, the Silver City exploration team encountered only a few enemies—mostly statues that had come to life, and a smaller number of malevolent spirits formed from the fusion of residual emotions and twilight powers. These latter beings offered little resistance to the "Luminous Cross." "That makes perfect sense..." The Fool, Kline, gently nodded above the gray mist, accepting the current situation. "After the King of Giants fell, this place naturally came under the dominion of the Ancient Solar God. It's unlikely that many powerful Giants or magical artifacts would remain. When the Angel Kings plotted here, they would have certainly eliminated any unnecessary complications. Once the Ancient Solar God is divided and consumed, it's unclear who will claim this land—or whether it will simply be abandoned altogether. "In short, there aren't many half-gods or artifacts that can be reliably anticipated. Hmm, without the 'Cross of No Darkness,' the spectral spirits would have been a major hindrance. The Silver City exploration team simply wouldn't have progressed this far, unless led by angels or unless the 'Level 0' sealing artifact had been activated." When the 'Cross of No Darkness' returned to Deryck's hands, the Silver City exploration team was already very close—very close—to the tallest building of the Giant King's Hall. The golden hues of dusk here are particularly rich, as though emanating directly from that palace. "Once we pass this hall, we should be approaching the side of the Giant King's residence," identified Colin, the Hunter, pointing ahead. Elder Lovira, the Shepherd, nodded, her expression now filled with an increasingly palpable hope. Dric's heart quickened, his excitement hard to contain; then, he was gently soothed by Antilena. Calming himself, the people of Silver City entered the hall ahead and found paintings hanging on either side—works resembling oil paintings. These paintings depicted various giants: some holding bone flutes, others carrying wind chimes, and others cradling seven-stringed lyres proportionate to their own height. As the Silver City exploration party arrived, the giants in the paintings suddenly came to life, beginning to blow flutes, sway chimes, and pluck their lyres, harmonizing into a beautiful melody. The golden hour light in the hall brightened slightly, and one by one, dishes materialized on the long tables around, glistening with an irresistible sheen and radiating enticing aromas. Roasted chicken... braised goose... fish glazed with honey... Was this the banquet of the Court of the Giant King? Yet, wouldn't the sizes of these chickens, geese, sheep, and fish be too large? The masterpiece of Demeter, the Goddess of Abundance? Kline glanced at the dishes, confirming they were all effects of magic—after all, the Court of the Giant King had long since run out of ingredients and lacked anyone capable of imagining or creating. "Is this... normal food?" Heinm, wielding the thunderous roar of Thor, stared fixedly at one of the long tables, his throat working as he struggled to find words. "Perhaps," Drik sniffed, and involuntarily swallowed. Beyond black grass, they had never seen anything resembling normal food. The meats of the monsters, when roasted, varied in color but were equally unpalatable, often causing illness. Caelin, the Hunter, gazed for several seconds, then sighed. "All of it is false. Do not touch it, or unforeseen complications may arise." The people of the Silver City, outside Lovira, struggled to withdraw their eyes, following the chief to the exit of the hall. After a careful inspection, Caelin Iliad drove both swords into the ground and pushed open the heavy door. A narrow crevice appeared, allowing a richer, more intense orange-red glow to stream in. As the crevice widened, a towering palace gradually came into view. At that moment, a rustling sound was heard. Caelin then drew one straight sword, calming the growing restlessness among his team. He then drew the second straight sword and stepped steadily out of the hall, with Dric and the others following cautiously. Once fully immersed in the golden twilight, they all turned their gaze toward the left, where a row of stone pillars formed a balustrade. Beyond the railing lay a diffused orange-hued mist, and far in the distance, a deep blue stretching endlessly, gently rippling with a rustling sound. Without anyone needing to explain, the members of the Silver City Exploration Team simultaneously recalled the entries in the books and Little Jack's description, and a single term flashed into their minds: "the sea."