Troll
The academy gate guard’s expression froze the instant he spotted the approaching student. It wasn’t a genuine threat—only mild surprise. William Berhan was far too flamboyant, far too arrogant, for anyone to mistake for a genuine cadet. He had been one of the examinees who had left the academy moments earlier. What business could he possibly have returning?
“The transfer exam for cadets is over,” the guard said, tone flat. “What exactly brings you back here?”
“You have my gratitude. Truth be told, I forgot something vital before I left. Came rushing back just for this one item.”
“Didn’t your escort accompany you?”
“Skyler is famous for commerce as well as the academy. I told them to enjoy the market while I handled this. I’m on my own.”
“Is it safe?”
William answered with an indulgent smile that never reached his eyes.
“How kind of you to worry. You, of all people, should know the academy is guarded by individuals who don’t take kindly to intruders. Nothing can possibly happen to me. I trust you completely.”
“That’s true enough,” the guard muttered, unable to stop the corner of his mouth from twitching upward. The fact that William had arrived alone was suspicious, yet the man was clearly a cadet. His identity was verified. There was no cause for alarm.
“I’ll leave you to it, then.”
“Thank you.”
William passed without another word and headed straight for the lecture hall. He chose a shadowed alcove where purple crystals pulsed with ominous mana. A careful glance around confirmed the room was empty. He placed the artifact on the table and retreated to the control room.
Teleportation artifact location confirmed. Control room secured.
The map on the wall showed every corridor. He found the control room without trouble and knocked.
“What is it? I’m supervising the exam—unless this is truly urgent, leave me be, please~”
The voice was already irritated, laced with the clear strain of someone who wanted nothing more than to be left alone.
“This is cadet William Berhan. Professor Aaron Patrick instructed me to deliver an important item related to the exam.”
Saying “Professor Patrick” out loud felt like bile rising in his throat. He forced his face into polite neutrality. The man who had humiliated him deserved no warmth from him.
“An item? There’s nothing for me to deliver. What exactly are you talking about?”
“The professor only told me to bring the item himself. Nothing more.”
“Tch. I’m swamped. Why does that professor always make things this difficult? Fine, come in.”
The door opened. Two men stood inside, both clearly in the middle of critical work. One of them narrowed his eyes at the intruder.
“So what is this object that requires such drama? Let’s see it already. Nothing special, I hope.”
“You’ll be pleasantly surprised. I guarantee it.”
William set the artifact on the table and stepped back, smile polite. The man closest to it froze.
“…A teleportation artifact?”
The man reached for his sword, but his hand never moved. The second man noticed immediately.
“Humans are still painfully slow. Always have been.”
A figure in black armor rose behind him, grinning. The woman beside the control panel tried to draw a spell circle, but it was already too late.
The armored figure casually caught the woman’s face in one gauntleted hand. Her resistance spell shattered against his barrier like glass. He slammed her head into the wall with a wet crunch.
-38 HP
“Perfect! Just perfect! Too smooth for comfort, really!”
“What now?”
“Stop whining. You wanted this? Now I just need to move my finger.”
“If you’re going to help me, at least tell me what to do.”
“…”
The man considered ending the conversation permanently. He laughed instead and shook his head. The human had been useful so far; a little mercy was only fair.
“I assume you know the academy sometimes brings monsters into live drills for practical training.”
“Yes.”
“They are kept under strict taming protocols. Safety, of course. Now the real question: what exactly is this control room for?”
Even the idiot in front of him understood.
“To maintain the taming spell.”
Exactly. The black-armored figure grinned wider.
“Ninety-nine percent correct. Then from this moment, I will begin the… modification.”
Taming control breached. Monster aggression protocol activated.
“Correct. The monsters will go berserk.”
William’s smile never wavered.
Renya was in no mood for small talk. The moment Hillary had finished their earlier argument she had already been irritable. Now the knight in black armor had drawn her gaze like a magnet. She had prepared for everything—carefully. Yet here he was, moving without a plan. The heat in her blood had nothing to do with him personally. It was simply a bad feeling she could not explain.
“I understand you’re unsettled, but focus. We’re looking for trolls. I won’t interfere while you’re doing your job.”
Hillary’s scolding snapped Renya back to the present. Right now they had to concentrate on the troll.
“…Fine.”
An archer in the trees signaled something. He slid down and spoke in a low voice.
“Found one. Northeast, lying down, breathing regularly. Probably asleep.”
“Great! Then we move. If he’s really sleeping, one precise strike to the weak point and it’s over!”
“Shut your mouth. It’s not a normal monster—it’s a troll…”
Before she finished, the knight was already charging. No one could stop him. The four of them could only watch, helpless.
“Idiot. As always, he does whatever he feels like.”
Hillary sighed beside her.
“He said he couldn’t handle it alone. He won’t just blindly wake the troll. We handle our own tasks. Find a good vantage point and set up.”
Ivan pointed eastward.
“There’s a hill east of the troll, plenty of trees. Once combat starts, getting to the hill will be difficult for it.”
“Perfect. I’ll take that position. Ivan, Renya—what do you plan to do?”
Ivan gestured at the trees.
“My specialty is moving between trunks. I’ll secure high ground and provide support fire.”
Renya stared at him, unimpressed.
“Even if ogres have lower durability, this is a troll. Arrows can hurt it?”
“I’m not specialized in precision, but one shot will deliver real force. Enough to satisfy you.”
“Then it’s a team. If you won’t trust me, who will? I’ll find a good spot to draw its attention. As for that knight…”
Her head throbbed at the thought. The man was neither graceful enough to be a real threat nor strong enough to actually fight. They had to stop worrying about him and focus on what they could control.
“We do what we’re good at,” Hillary added, voice gentle. “And watch his back without expecting anything in return.”
The knight had already left them far behind. He had never faced a true demon before. His only combat experience was a few years of lessons from a backwater knight. He had entered the academy transfer exam purely by luck. Among the examinees, he was average at best—nothing special. Yet he could not abandon the dream of admission so easily.
If I can catch the sleeping troll alone, I’ll at least finish in the top ten, even if not top five.
Rejuvenation was said to be exceptional among trolls, but they were still living creatures. He would simply drive his sword deep into the brain. The idea was naive, almost laughable, yet he moved toward the spot Ivan had described. The troll lay exactly where promised, snoring softly.
Perfect.
Renya had been watching the knight the entire time. She muttered under her breath.
“X you…”
The knight drew his blade with the care of someone defusing a bomb. He moved like an assassin, slow and precise. When he finally reached striking distance, he raised the sword high.
Then his foot caught on a tree root.
Desecration of academy property. Unauthorized presence. Attempted collusion with unknown entity.
The sword clattered to the ground beside the troll’s ear, the impact ringing like a temple bell.
Monster aggression protocol ACTIVE
The troll roared awake.
Renya’s muttered curse echoed into the night.