Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Weaknesses Can Be Found in Unexpected Places. (7)
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It was an ordinary day, just like any other.
“Ah, since we rested yesterday, we’ve gotta bag at least seven today.”
“Yeah, but with trolls crawling everywhere, it’s kinda nice, huh?”
As usual, the C-rank and higher parties were buzzing with plans to snag a troll or two for a quick fortune.
“So jealous...”
“Why the hell are D-ranks barred from going? I could take down at least one.”
Those who couldn’t join watched them with envious eyes.
“Hey, what if a Troll Lord shows up? This shit’s scary.”
“Don’t jinx it. They say trolls are roaming in packs of three just near Ode Swamp.”
Of course, some voices raised concerns.
The troll anomaly, and the emergence of a Troll Lord...
Right now, trolls were just a nice payday for adventurers, but if they burst out of the swamp all at once...
“Hey, that’s why we’re thinning their numbers, right?”
“Let’s go~”
It happened when one C-rank party ventured near Ode Swamp.
Crunch! Cr-u-u-nch!
“...Huh? What’s that noise?”
“Sounds like trees snapping...”
Suddenly, the swamp echoed with the sound of breaking trees.
And that sound drew closer.
The closer it got, the louder it grew.
Spreading over an ever-widening area.
As if... something was swarming in from a massive expanse.
“...Hey, hold up. No way this is...”
The moment they caught on and turned to flee.
Kwaaaang!
“Kreeeek!”
“Krek! Kreeeek!”
The trees right in front of them shattered, and an overwhelming horde of trolls poured out.
“Uwaaaak!”
“Fuck, run!!”
Hundreds visible at a glance.
Behind them, utterly crushed and splintered trees.
So densely packed in their charge, they were smashing through every tree and boulder in the swamp and forest.
Front-liners scraping against trees or rocks? They didn’t care.
Wounds healed fast anyway, and if they died, more would replenish from somewhere.
The troll army’s infinite regeneration.
...The power of the Troll Lord.
“Fuck! Fuuuuck!!”
“Uwaaaak!!”
The adventurer party bolted at full speed.
Along the way, other parties spotted it and fled too.
A few who couldn’t escape were trampled flat.
Pure pandemonium.
The scene was straight out of hell.
“Fuck, stop coming!!”
Whoosh—
One fleeing adventurer yanked something from his pouch and hurled it.
A spray can bundled with an oil flask and flint striker.
An instant bomb, courtesy of Instructor Kane—huge hit with adventurers lately.
Magic or melee, attacking in this panic was near impossible.
So he chucked his instant explosive.
BOOM!!
It hit the ground and erupted in a massive blast, shards flying everywhere, turning a few trolls in the radius to bloody pulp.
Volatile fluids spread beyond, igniting more in flames.
Normally, even regen-heavy trolls would halt.
But these didn’t—even as mush or fireballs, they kept coming.
No, it was like something behind was shoving the immobile ones forward.
“F-fuck, chuck everything! All of it!”
Yet in that split-second of the blast...
They definitely stalled.
The shockwave must’ve halted their momentum.
To buy even a little time, the adventurers frantically dug out their instant bombs and lobbed them.
Bang! Boom! Pop!!
“Krek! Kieeek!”
“Kreeeek!!”
Explosions rocked from all sides, the troll vanguard’s frontline instantly soaked red in blood and fire.
“Fuck yeah, instant bombs rule!”
“Solid as hell!”
“This opening! Run! Run till you drop!!”
Thanks to that, their advance slowed a tad.
The adventurers escaped without getting nabbed.
“...V-village...!”
But there it was—the village ahead.
Troll horde hot on their heels.
If they just swept through, the village was toast.
Somehow warn them to evac.
Small mercy: daytime, so villagers should be up and about.
“Hey! Someone shoot an arrow toward the village!”
One in the fleeing pack yelled; someone caught on, whipped out a bow, and loosed toward the village.
Not aiming to hit anyone—just rough shot to drop near the outskirts.
Thud!
It landed near the village with a sharp whistle.
“Ugh! Sudden arrow...!”
“Who’s that?! Bandits?”
Villagers spotted it, eyed the direction warily—arrows and bombs?
But from there...
“...Huh? That’s...”
A massive troll horde charging full tilt, desperate adventurers sprinting ahead.
Momentary confusion, but villagers grasped the crisis fast and prepped to bolt.
“Pack up! Nah, ditch it all and run!!”
“To Hasler!”
No choice but abandon the village—they hightailed to Hasler.
Walls there to hold off monsters, troops to handle it.
“Uwaaaak!”
“S-save me!”
“Get up, quick!”
Lungs burning to the limit, but no stopping.
Trolls tireless behind—forcing past physical limits to flee.
“I-it’s in sight!”
En route, some collapsed from total exhaustion.
Others too slow, trampled dead.
But they made it.
Hasler’s gates loomed.
And folks waiting at those gates.
“Trolls incoming!”
“Magic prep, everyone!”
News had spread somehow—they were fully geared up.
Civilians herded to shelters; territory soldiers, adventurers.
Even dispatched heroes ready.
“Ha! Don’t need the rest! We’ll slaughter ‘em all!”
Hero party members boasted and charged ahead solo.
“W-wait...!”
They figured trolls were chump change, numbers be damned.
But Hasler’s lord, Viscount Straus Parein, knew the handed-down tales of the Troll Lord inside out.
Revived, these weren’t normal trolls anymore.
“Die, you pathetic troll shits!”
Shlaaash—!
One hero swept his sword horizontally; a giant slash wave fanned out, cleaving dozens of trolls in one go.
A chunk of the horde vanished like gnawed away; the sword-slinger smirked triumphantly.
“Hmph! Bunch of nobodies.”
“...No! Proper follow-up, now!”
Viscount Straus’s urgent shout cut through the hero’s scoff.
First trait.
Trolls under the Troll Lord regenerate—even from death.
“Grrroowl...”
“Kreeeek!”
Bisected corpses—upper and lower halves severed dead—healed up and rose again.
Rejoined the horde, filling the gap.
“Wh-what the hell are these bastards?”
Hero reeled; behind him, a hulking brute with a massive two-handed axe stepped up.
Dayrun Grace.
“Hmph! Then I’ll smash ‘em so they can’t regen.”
Swoooosh—
Dayrun swung the enormous axe like a twig at blinding speed.
Trolls before him pulped instantly, spraying blood everywhere.
“No regen now, huh! Kahahat!”
Dayrun crowed, swinging his axe wildly at trolls all around.
Crunch! Splat! Squish!
Trolls minced or bisected.
Dayrun figured this slaughter would scare them off.
Trolls or ogres—they fled when kin got massacred like this.
Living creatures, survival instinct first.
But for some reason, the trolls didn’t retreat.
Just surged denser, pressing Dayrun.
What the...? Why more now?!
Second trait.
Trolls under the Troll Lord have instincts suppressed—obey only its commands.
No fear for them.
No survival drive.
Just blindly following the Troll Lord’s orders in their heads.
Die? Regen and refill.
Ultimate legion: feels no fear, hunger, nothing.
“We must hunt the Troll Lord now. Agile adventurers, knights... heroes, step up!”
Viscount Straus proposed a plan.
“Tch, no choice.”
“Fuck off with orders! We got this.”
Heroes realized it wouldn’t end like this; they pulled back to search as suggested.
Left their party members to hold the trolls, of course.
No point hunting the Lord if trolls overran Hasler.
Three heroes including Dayrun.
A few A-rank adventurers stationed in Hasler.
Knight squad led by the viscount’s captain.
And finally, S-rank adventurer Veronica.
“Th-that bitch...”
“Muscle pig.”
Dayrun flushed beet-red at Veronica’s face, mouth opening for a tirade—but clamped shut.
Remembered getting one-shotted.
“Solid crew.”
Pure elite squad.
Five here could 1v1 the Troll Lord.
Rest pair up three-four at a time, no problem.
Stall long enough, main force joins, Lord drops quick.
But their worry wasn’t the fight.
“We’ve all scoured Ode Swamp for its lair. No dice.”
Right.
Finding the Troll Lord’s hideout was the issue.
They’d combed Ode Swamp for over a week.
Couldn’t find it.
Enough to doubt if it’d truly revived or just a population boom.
“...Not sighted in Ode Swamp, then.”
Suddenly, a voice from beyond the elite group.
“...?”
“Huh? That guy...”
“Kane?”
Slim build, tall frame.
Neat, well-groomed man.
Adventurer Instructor Kane.
“...Who?”
Viscount Straus and others didn’t recognize him.