Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Troll Hunter (7)
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I wished I could complete the magic as quickly as possible, but if it wasn't possible, there was nothing I could do about it. Suhyun calmed his mind. The knowledge from his past life was still valid. Getting worked up over things he couldn't change right now was pointless.
Someday, the opportunity would surely come.
* * *
“Ughhh... How many days has it been for us now?”
“Day five.”
“The first day was pure luck, huh.”
“Yeah. It’s rare to find one that quickly. Three trolls is already a lot.”
After their first hunt, they still hadn’t encountered another troll. Most people thought troll hunting was just about fighting them, but in reality, finding them was the real challenge.
Searching the vast Calcutta jungle while avoiding other monsters wasn’t easy. Suhyun had tracking skills and know-how far superior to other hunters, but even he couldn’t conjure trolls out of thin air. Trolls were among the rarer monsters in this jungle to begin with.
“Let’s stick around for a week total. If we don’t find any more after that, we head back.”
“Huh? For real?”
“We’ve already got plenty from what we’ve bagged.”
“True, but... greed’s kicking in.”
“Don’t get greedy. Greed gets you killed first.”
“Got it. Got it.”
“Troll hunters usually head back right after nabbing one. It’s rare to push your luck like we are. Unless you’re desperate...”
“Really?”
Kim Chang-sik replied in a puzzled tone, as if he hadn’t known. It was easy to imagine troll hunters piling up gold thanks to the trolls’ value, but the reality was different.
Trolls were hard to find, and sticking around too long raised your odds of dying. This was all just to make a living. That’s why seasoned hunters rarely got greedy after one kill—they turned back with their haul. It was plenty of money as is.
“Trolls are rare to begin with. Otherwise, their blood wouldn’t be so valuable. And lately, they seem even scarcer around here.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, there are tons of hunters gunning for trolls, but the population’s limited. Might have to move elsewhere to find more. Deeper in, maybe...”
“No way! What we’ve got is enough already!”
Kim Chang-sik waved his hands frantically. He’d only had a handful of experiences here, but he already knew full well how dangerous Cameron Planet was. Venturing deeper could mean dying for real.
“We hunt by scouting troll habitats. Do other hunters do the same?”
“Depends on the person, I guess. Some probably chase them directly...”
“Better to dig traps. Chasing them around with your nerves on edge sucks. And those damn crocodile birds...”
Kim Chang-sik had learned just how annoying Calcutta crocodile birds were. The moment he heard their grating cries from above, he’d jerk his head up like he had a nervous breakdown. He knew full well that if they fled, monsters would swarm.
“I don’t like chasing them directly either. Too many variables, and it relies too much on luck.”
Troll habitats had specific conditions. Spot a matching location, check inside to confirm it’s a habitat. Far more stable than tracking signs on the move.
“Found it!!”
“?!”
Suhyun glanced at Kim Chang-sik in surprise. He was pointing at a dirty-colored lump piled under a tree.
“That’s troll shit, right?!”
“Nah. They say you catch more flies with honey...”
“Hey.”
“Kidding. Yeah, troll dung. Looks like one lives nearby. But digging a trap might be tough.”
“Why?”
“It’s fully dried out. Been here a while. Time for it to come back soon. We dig now, we might run into it.”
“So we avoid it?”
It sucked, but Kim Chang-sik figured there was no helping it. He was adapting fast to survive on this planet. Suhyun smiled, pleased by the attitude. If he’d gotten greedy here, he would’ve gotten an earful.
“No need to avoid. Let’s hunt it a different way.”
“?”
* * *
Perseus Company’s No. 3 smoke grenade excelled at masking scents, including human odor. The downside was it wiped out all smells, but most monsters couldn’t pinpoint that subtle oddity.
After deploying it, Suhyun climbed a tree. Attacking from high ground was always effective against trolls.
“You sure this’ll work?”
“We caught the last one like this.”
“That one was already in a trap.”
“Doesn’t matter if the ambush lands. Just watch.”
Suhyun gripped his military combat knife, face impassive. Bait tempting enough for a troll lay on the ground below. Using it too long might draw other monsters, but it was prime time for the troll’s return. Good enough.
About thirty minutes later, thudding footsteps echoed from afar. Kim Chang-sik swallowed hard.
‘It’s coming!’
No matter how skilled Suhyun was, could he really handle this? It wasn’t trapped. Pondering contingencies, Kim Chang-sik peered down with a tense gaze.
-Sniff?
The troll seemed momentarily confused. It had followed the bait’s scent, but no other smells registered. Aside from the bait, the area was scentless.
A human might’ve spotted the trap, but even cunning trolls couldn’t twig that fast.
‘That’s a troll’s limit.’
A black shadow dropped from above.
*Stab!*
-Kraaaaaagh!
The troll’s nape was deeply slashed. In agony, it swung a massive hand backward, aiming to rip him apart if it connected.
But Suhyun was already in front. The severed nape was regenerating already. He yanked it open with telekinesis, then slashed clean across the throat in one fluid motion.
The troll stared at Suhyun in disbelief until the end. Suhyun kicked the head aside, braced the falling body, and spoke.
“Grab the blood!”
“......”
Trailing Suhyun was distorting his sense of reality. Kim Chang-sik thought that as he drove stakes into nearby trees. To prop up the troll.
Trolls were ferocious monsters that devoured countless explorers, mercenaries, and hunters. Not something that went down to two knife strikes.
“It’ll be slower, but let’s drain it upright this time. Stake both ankles.”
“Okay.”
No more exclamations left him. Suhyun handled it so casually that fussing felt like a crime now.
“Ah. Damn it.”
“?”
“Crocodile birds.”
Suhyun snatched Kim Chang-sik’s rifle and fired a snap shot. Even holding and aiming on the fly, the bird’s body exploded in a spray of feathers.
“Damn, two of them... I’ll get ’em!”
“Hey! You’re leaving me alone?!”
“If we let them go, we ditch the troll corpse and move!”
Suhyun dashed off without looking back. Kim Chang-sik sighed. With the troll dead, strong monsters were unlikely nearby, but being alone still sucked.
‘Some senior I am.’
Anyone watching would think Suhyun was the senior. Steel yourself, Kim Chang-sik thought. At least don’t drag him down.
“Huh?”
Rustling sounds made Kim Chang-sik snap his rifle up. But it wasn’t a monster. Three people emerged. He knew their type instantly from the blood pouch on one’s back.
“What the?”
“That bastard got it.”
“Damn...”
The three eyed Kim Chang-sik and the blood-draining troll corpse. He relaxed a bit knowing they weren’t monsters, but stayed vigilant.
Monsters were only dangerous on Cameron Planet. Humans were dangerous anywhere, and Kim Chang-sik knew that well.
“Hey, lower the gun. We’re hunters too.”
“Sorry, I’m paranoid. Mind turning around and leaving?”
“What? Cocky little shit. Looks like you lucked into one. Can’t you see there’s three of us? If we wanted, we could kill you easy.”
“Then you die first, guaranteed.”
He might look like a pushover around Suhyun on this unfamiliar planet, but Kim Chang-sik wasn’t one. He was a trained soldier. Otherwise, Jo Seung-hyun wouldn’t have brought him.
The hunters licked their lips at his fearless counter-threat. Not an easy mark to bully.
“Sorry about that. He’s got a foul mouth, but he’s not a bad guy. We won’t attack, so relax.”
“Relax this— just get out. Turn around and walk.”
“That’s gonna be tough.”
Kim Chang-sik’s face hardened further.
“Why?”
“Sorry, but that troll was ours—we’d been tracking it. We’re hunters too. Can’t just back off.”
The other two shot approving looks at the speaker. Perfect excuse.
“Bullshit. It was pristine when we took it down. You scratches-not-even scrubs pulling this crap?”
“You know troll regen. We poured it on this thing good. If we met here, doesn’t that mean we chased it this far—give us credit?”
“Umm...”
Unfamiliar with hunter customs, Kim Chang-sik hesitated slightly. Seizing the gap, another hunter spoke up.