Mutant Troll
There was a reason why the common wisdom in the Forest of Illusions was to run if you ever heard a sound like that.
It was simple, really.
Because there was a high chance it was a monster our level couldn’t handle.
Or, even if we could handle it, the rewards for killing it wouldn’t be worth the effort.
There was only one monster that could make that sound.
A Troll.
“...Isn’t that a Troll?”
“Seems like it...”
“Ah, this is gonna be a pain.”
“We’re fucked.”
Everyone shared their thoughts.
If an Ogre had appeared, we wouldn't even have time to comment and would be running for our lives. But a Troll, well, we at least had the luxury to be surprised.
It felt like a monumental moment, one I wanted to share on the forum.
So, I quickly snapped a picture of the approaching Troll and uploaded it.
[Author: ReallyDirtPoor]
[Title: Ran into a Troll…jpg]
[Content: (Picture) Just ran into this guy, what do I do? Looks freaking strong]
With the Troll closing in, I quickly typed up the post and started discussing countermeasures with my party members.
I was quite skilled in magic, but even for me, taking down a powerful monster like a Troll required considerable firepower.
Overwhelming firepower, in fact.
As depicted in many stories, Trolls possessed incredible regenerative abilities.
If we didn't inflict massive damage in a single burst, they would just heal right back up.
“I’ll focus on dealing a concentrated attack. Can someone draw its attention?”
If I concentrated my magical energy, I might be able to take down the Troll in one go.
However, there was no guarantee it would just stand there and take it, even if I did manage to unleash a powerful attack.
No matter how strong a Troll’s regeneration was, they would instinctively try to avoid a life-threatening blow.
That meant someone had to keep the Troll occupied and pinned down.
In other words, we needed a tank.
And in our party, we had two people capable of tanking.
“Guess I’m up. With you, mage, to patch me up, I can afford to be a little reckless.”
“Right, I’ll help too!”
With Hearts volunteering as well, there was no need for further convincing.
It was a relief to have two members capable of holding the front line.
Otherwise, I’d have to juggle both tanking and dealing damage.
While those thoughts ran through my mind, I began constructing a high-level magic spell.
Each one a different element.
There was no way to know which element the Troll would be weak to, so I decided to use a variety of magic.
With the spell structure complete, I began pouring mana into it.
Fwooosh-!
“[Blade of Ignition]”
A crimson blade materialized from the searing flames, slashing across the Troll’s hide.
However, it didn’t cut completely through.
The Troll’s hide was just that tough.
Despite using high-level magic, I couldn’t completely cleave through it. Still, I managed to leave a deep gash.
It was time for the next spell.
“[Dark Spear]”
Using dark magic was a burden even for me. It consumed significantly more mana compared to other elements.
But in this situation, I had to use everything I had.
If I held back and we ended up losing, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.
A cold sweat began to form on my skin. I was pushing myself too hard.
This wasn’t just any monster; it was a Troll.
Looking closely, it was highly likely a mutated one at that.
That was why I was pushing myself this hard.
If the others weren’t drawing its attention, I wouldn’t even have the time to cast these spells and would be fleeing for my life.
Pushing those unnecessary thoughts aside, I poured mana into the spell structure.
Wooong-!
A spear formed from pure darkness materialized in midair and shot towards the wound I’d created earlier.
The Troll let out a pained roar, spitting blood from its mouth.
But it didn’t fall.
I probably missed its heart.
The reason I aimed for the heart was simple: A Troll’s heart fetched a high price.
If it were an Ogre, I wouldn’t have such luxury, but against this Troll, I had some breathing room.
And at that moment—
Bang-!
“Kuhuk…!”
Dontas, who had been holding the Troll’s attention at the front,was caught by a wild swing from the enraged Troll and sent flying into a tree.
And I mean literally into the tree.
He was embedded in the wood.
Dontas was out of commission.
We had to finish this quickly.
“I’m going to break its stance. Everyone attack then.”
“Okay.”
“Got it!”
After relaying the plan to the two who were still combat-ready, I activated the spell.
“[Earthquake]”
The ground beneath the Troll violently erupted.
Unable to withstand the sudden shift in balance, the massive creature stumbled.
Hearts seized the opportunity, channeling his aura into his sword.
And then—
Swish-!
With a single, decisive strike, he cleaved the Troll’s torso in two, right where I had created the opening.
Thump–!
The Troll’s upper and lower body separated with a sickening thud as blood splattered across the ground.
We couldn’t let this chance slip away.
“Let’s collect as much of the Troll’s blood as possible. And the heart.”
“Right!”
“Okay.”
Leaving the unconscious Dontas behind, we prioritized securing the Troll’s blood and heart.
My subspace pouch was a high-grade one, with enough space to fit a small warehouse. It could easily hold all of the Troll’s blood.
And its heart, too.
After some time, with everything collected, we approached Dontas.
“Ugh… Did you… get everything?”
“Yes, we did.”
“Good, good...”
“Just a moment, I’ll heal you.”
While it was common practice to leave behind severely injured party members in such situations, I was capable of healing most wounds.
That was why Dontas could afford to be so calm.
Having a high proficiency in healing magic was truly a blessing. It meant I didn’t have to abandon my comrades.
“Just hold still.”
“[Lightning Bolt]”
I cast a small bolt of lightning to examine Dontas’s body.
I felt like I had examined his body before.
It was strange, like I was starting to remember its contours.
Pushing aside those odd thoughts, I continued my scan, pinpointing the locations of his injuries.
“Hmm, you have injuries to your chest, and your spine again.”
“My spine again? Are you kidding me? Unbelievable...”
“Please be more careful. I can heal you, but if you die instantly, I can’t do anything.”
“Alright, alright, mage.”
It was just common sense advice, as far as I was concerned.
I could heal, but if he died instantly, there was nothing I could do.
No matter how skilled I was in healing magic, I couldn’t resurrect the dead.
That was a feat for priests, and even for them, it came with a hefty price.
As I continued to think, I began channeling my healing magic.
“[Heal]”
I meticulously controlled the flow of mana.
Manipulating another person’s body required the utmost care and focus.
A single mistake could have disastrous consequences.
And then, after a short while—
“Ah, that’s better.”
“You gave us a scare. That blind punch really got you good.”
“Blind punches are surprisingly hard to dodge. I always seem to get hit by those.”
“That just means you’re not skilled enough.”
Violet had a habit of being brutally honest, which sometimes put me in an awkward position.
As I pondered this, I checked the post I had made on the forum.
People were probably worried, and I should let them know we survived.
[Author: ReallyDirtPoor]
[Title: Ran into a Troll…jpg]
[Content: (Picture) Just ran into this guy, what do I do? Looks freaking strong]
L: Dude, why are you posting this instead of running for your life?
ㄴ: Don’t worry, this guy’s a total natural at this game lol
ㄴ: With a username like that? You’re delusional.
ㄴ: Run!
ㄴ: That’s not just any Troll, it’s a mutated one. Those are super dangerous.
ㄴ: Oh, you sweet summer child ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ: He got you too lol ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
L Ferus: It’s a mutated Troll.
ㄴFerus: I don’t know what level you are, but your best bet is to run.
ㄴ: This old man always answers seriously lol
ㄴ: Hey ReallyDirtPoor, answer this guy, he’s legit
ㄴ: I think he always answers.
Wait, didn’t he reply to me last time?
I was sure I thanked him in the comments.
With that thought, I replied.
ㄴReallyDirtPoor: Thanks for the advice.
Then, I replied to those who were worried about me.
ㄴReallyDirtPoor: We managed to take it down. Thanks for the concern (:
Almost instantly, a new comment popped up.
ㄴ: ? No way you guys took it down with just luck.
I replied to that one too.
ㄴReallyDirtPoor: Yeah, we got lucky.
ㄴReallyDirtPoor: Somehow, we pulled it off.
Then, another comment appeared.
ㄴ: What a braggart.
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