—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The dungeons in the game were all infuriating. It was as if the developers had taken a personal vendetta against the players.
This one was no different. After navigating through endless waves of goblins and finally finding a shortcut, players were “rewarded” with elaborately designed, unavoidable traps and a mid-boss troll.
A troll…!
Standing nearly 10 feet tall, its hulking form, covered in muscle, was the very definition of a monster. And it wasn’t just for show.
Possessing strength two or three times that of an adult man, tireless stamina, and rapid regeneration… even a dozen seasoned hunters often struggled to take down this powerful beast.
‘But the experience points are enormous.’
Perhaps it would make more sense if I said it was more than killing hundreds of goblins.
“Snore…”
Fortunately, the troll was asleep. Its bed was a raised platform on the opposite wall from the passage we had emerged from. The platform, at a moderate height, resembled a stage.
“Damn it, a troll…!”
“Out of the frying pan and now into the fire…!”
I subtly probed Roland, whose face had hardened.
“Sir Roland. This is your chance to become a Troll Slayer.”
Knights, who had nothing but their skills to offer, needed a distinguished reputation to secure a vassalage contract. Winning a jousting tournament hosted by a noble was the usual route, but such tournaments weren’t held frequently enough to satisfy the aspiring knights.
So, they found another way to prove their worth. Hunting monsters.
Especially if a knight single-handedly defeated a powerful monster like a troll, they would earn the title “Troll Slayer,” added after their name. It was an unparalleled honor for a knight.
That was how my father, Maxim Tolbatz, had earned his manor as a vassal of Baron Rasino.
Maxim Tolbatz was a Troll Slayer.
“I can’t do it alone.”
Roland answered immediately. Did he think the title of Troll Slayer was worthless compared to the ancient relics rumored to be hidden within these ruins?
I was disappointed, as I had hoped to gauge the full extent of his hidden abilities.
“Then what do we do…?”
“We don’t need to fight it, do we? Look over there.”
Hendricks pointed behind the troll. Hidden behind its massive body, there was another opening in the wall. It was a neatly formed trapezoid, just like the passage we had come through.
Another passage.
“You want to sneak past it? That won’t be easy.”
“We can fight it after we get through.”
“What do you think?”
Roland spoke, his eyes fixed on the troll and the passage.
“We shouldn’t assume it will stay asleep until we reach the passage. We need to move as if it might wake up at any moment, so we’re prepared if it does.”
After some discussion, we decided that I would lead the way, followed by Roland and the two mercenaries. If the troll woke up, I and the two mercenaries would distract it while Roland finished it off. Hendricks, who had taken the rear, would provide support fire.
“Alright, let’s go.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I tensed my body and took a step, knowing that I, at the front, would be the first target if the troll woke up.
I had to carefully place each step, making sure not to make a sound. It took us twice as long to cover the distance that would normally take ten minutes at a brisk pace, but we reached the raised platform without waking the troll.
“Snore…”
I pressed myself against the wall of the platform. The sound of the troll’s snoring echoed from above. I signaled to my companions, who also pressed themselves against the wall, to be quiet, then looked for a way up.
There were stone steps at the edge of the platform. Perhaps they were made for the troll, as they were quite high, requiring us to climb like we were scaling a wall. Just as I finally reached the flat surface of the platform…
Click, clack, click, clatter clatter clatter.
“…!”
I heard the sound of rolling stones from behind. I quickly ducked and turned around.
One of the mercenaries stood frozen, his face pale with fear. He had accidentally dislodged a stone, which had rolled away, making a loud noise.
I signaled for him to stay calm, then carefully peeked over the edge. The troll’s face was the size of a human torso, its yellow fangs protruding menacingly from its lips.
“Snore…”
It was still sound asleep.
“Phew…”
I let out a sigh of relief and climbed onto the platform. The troll looked even bigger from above, and the platform it used as a bed was surprisingly spacious.
It was like… a deliberately constructed stage.
‘This way.’
Once Hendricks had joined us, I pointed to the edge of the platform and started walking. It would be a detour, but it was better than waking the troll.
Thanks to the platform’s size, we were already halfway to our destination, and the troll was still snoring peacefully. Even as we passed right by it, it showed no signs of waking.
The new passage was within sight. I almost let out a sigh of relief.
However, I didn’t let my guard down. As I mentioned before, every dungeon in the game was filled with the developers’ malicious intent. This one was no exception.
As if to prove my point…
Rumble…
A ground-shaking roar echoed through the chamber. Prepared for such an event, I immediately threw myself to the ground. A massive club whooshed past my head, narrowly missing me.
If I hadn’t anticipated it, I wouldn’t have been able to dodge it. Roland, who was behind me, saw the club even later, blocked by my body.
Roland’s face was etched with shock. It was clear that he hadn’t expected this. However, he was quick. He contorted his body like an acrobat, bending backward at an impossible angle.
The club grazed his body, the wind it generated ruffling his hair.
Thud-
The mercenary right behind Roland wasn’t so lucky. He was struck by the club and sent flying into the wall. He collapsed without a sound or a groan.
Instant death.
We had started with five mercenaries, and now only two remained. The troll, now awake, grinned at us.
“Kik kik kik.”
“Bastard! Damn it! It was a trap!”
Hendricks was right. The troll had been feigning sleep. It lulled players into a false sense of security, only to kill one of them before the fight even began. It was a well-known gimmick.
“Hendricks! Let’s run!”
One of the surviving mercenaries pointed towards the passage. It wasn’t far.
“Do you think that cunning beast will let us escape?”
Roland, who had moved a considerable distance away, scoffed at the mercenary. As if understanding his words, the troll stood in front of the passage. It pounded the ground with its club and grinned at us.
“Damn it…!”
“It seems we have no choice but to fight.”
Roland narrowed his eyes and looked at me, his suspicion deepening.
Indeed, I had dodged the troll’s surprise attack far too easily, considering he was right behind me and barely managed to escape himself. He was already suspicious, and now he might be certain.
However, this was also part of my plan. The troll was a convenient distraction, and the time to shed my scoundrel mask was fast approaching.
“Stick to the plan.”
Jimmy, the remaining mercenary, and I stepped forward. Our role was to distract the troll and create an opening for Roland to deliver the finishing blow.
Jimmy muttered,
“Damn it. I had a bad feeling about this quest from the start.”
“Remember, we live only if we kill it.”
“Who said otherwise?”
Jimmy retorted gruffly. I remembered how he had tried to run away earlier. He wasn’t a reliable mercenary. Then again, most mercenaries were the same.
“Let’s go.”
I adjusted my grip on my sword and charged towards the troll’s left side. Jimmy, perhaps due to his experience, charged towards the right. As soon as I was within striking distance, I shouted,
“Hendricks!”
Hendricks answered with an arrow.
Whoosh-
The arrow whizzed through the air, aimed at the troll’s face. The troll raised its club, deflecting the arrow. It wasn’t a complete failure, as it created an opening for me to get closer.
Its thick, log-like legs were right in front of me. I swung my sword without hesitation.
Whoosh.
The troll reacted faster than I expected. The leg I was aiming for lifted off the ground and swung towards me. Its calloused foot was a weapon in itself. I quickly rolled to the side.
“Jimmy!”
“Damn it!”
Jimmy, who had been charging from the other side, seized the opportunity while the troll was balancing on one leg.
“Khyung!”
The troll stumbled backward. A shallow wound appeared on its right knee. Just as Jimmy’s face lit up with triumph, I shouted and retreated.
“Jimmy! Watch out!”
The troll swung its club horizontally, aiming for both of us.
“Oh, shit!”
Realizing the troll’s counterattack only after my warning, Jimmy threw himself backward, rolling across the ground. At the same time, Hendricks’ arrow struck the troll’s chest.
Whoosh-
“Khyung!!!”
The troll roared and pulled the arrow out of its chest. The wound was deep, but the blood quickly stopped flowing, and the skin regenerated, leaving behind smooth muscle. The wound on its leg from Jimmy’s attack had also disappeared.
Regeneration. This was what made trolls so difficult to deal with. However, they weren’t invincible.
“We need to use fire! Wound it and set it on fire!”
“Easier said than done! Sir! Are you just going to watch?!”
“If I act rashly and alert it, it will only make things harder!”
“We’ll all be dead before that happens!”
Jimmy and I reluctantly charged towards the troll again. The enraged troll swung its club at me. Instead of retreating, I darted forward, into its reach. It immediately swung its foot at me.
I wasn’t going to fall for the same trick twice. I rolled diagonally, dodging its attack, then used the momentum to get back on my feet and slash at the troll’s leg, which was now right in front of me. I left a deep gash near its Achilles tendon, exposing the bone.
“Kyaak!”
The troll swung its other hand, its palm wide open, as if trying to crush me like a bug. I dodged between its legs, cutting the other leg as I passed. Blood gushed out.
“Kherrrr!!!”
The troll roared, a sound that was both a scream and a growl, and turned to face me, its ferocity sending chills down my spine.
However, I smirked.
I could see Roland charging towards the troll’s exposed back. He had waited for the perfect moment, when the troll was completely unguarded. Roland raised his sword high and struck at the troll’s groin.
It seemed trolls had the same weak spot as men.
“Kyaaaaagh!!!”
The troll’s scream echoed through the chamber. But its suffering had just begun. As the troll’s attention shifted to Roland, I changed direction and darted back towards it.
This time, I held a torch instead of a sword. I jumped and swung the torch at the troll’s lower body, which was covered in a greasy loincloth. The flames caught instantly.
“…!”
This time, the troll didn’t even scream. It dropped its club and frantically tried to extinguish the flames with both hands. To make matters worse, Hendricks’ arrow struck its face, lodging itself squarely in its remaining eye. That must have been a lucky shot.
“Kyaa!”
“We did it! We can kill it!!”
However, our celebration was short-lived. The troll wasn’t going to fall for the same trick again. Its regeneration quickly healed the wounds from my and Jimmy’s attacks, and its one remaining eye never left Roland.
It had learned who the biggest threat was. And that wasn’t all. Just as the fight lulled for a moment…
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The troll suddenly started pounding the ground with its club. The ground shook, or rather, the entire chamber trembled.
“What the hell is it doing?”
“It must be frustrated! It’s getting wounded without achieving anything! Keep attacking! Its regeneration can’t be infinite!”
I had a different theory. The troll’s behavior reminded me of something. I looked up and shouted,
“Above! Watch out above!”
Just as I spoke, a rain of stones started falling from the ceiling. Most were smaller than a fist, but some were as big as a human head, and a few had sharp edges.
It couldn’t be. Did it have game skills as well?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
It’s a Shower Time! 🤣🤣
