Chapter 8: The Fox II

Chapter 8: The Fox II The fight between the Orcs and Trolls raged below me, a brutal clash of strength and savagery. The Orcs, armed with their greatswords and crude axes, swung wildly at the Trolls, aiming for their weak points. Their attacks were more coordinated, utilizing their weapons with surprising skill for creatures of their intelligence level. The Trolls, on the other hand, relied on their brute strength and regeneration. Each time an Orc managed to slice into a Troll’s thick, dark green skin, the wound would slowly heal, making it an uphill battle for the Orcs. Clang! A Troll’s massive club smashed against an Orc’s greatsword, sending sparks flying as the weapons collided. The Orc staggered, and the Troll followed up with a vicious swipe, knocking the Orc to the ground. Blood splattered as the Troll raised its club again, aiming for a killing blow, but another Orc charged in, slashing the Troll’s leg. The Troll roared in pain, momentarily distracted, allowing the downed Orc to roll away. Both sides were relentless. The Orcs, despite their superior skill with weapons, were quickly tiring, their movements becoming sluggish as the battle wore on. In contrast, the Trolls, though not as skilled, were relentless tanks of muscle and regeneration. They fought like beasts, shrugging off blows that would have felled weaker creatures, using their sheer bulk and power to overpower their opponents. I watched closely, analyzing the fight. One Orc was already dead, crushed by a Troll’s club, while the remaining two were struggling to keep up. One of the Trolls had taken serious damage, with several deep cuts along its arms and chest, but it was still fighting fiercely, roaring with each swing of its weapon. The Trolls’ regenerative abilities were impressive, but the constant attacks were slowing them down. "This won’t last much longer," I muttered, my eyes narrowing as I saw one of the Orcs fall to its knees, exhausted from the relentless onslaught. It was clear the Trolls had the upper hand now. And then another troll head rolled, now the battlefield is even once again even, with one battered and wounded orc and troll each while the leader of both side still fighting continuously. "Puddle, ensnare that big pig," I said to Puddle, as he attacked the remaining Orc leader, causing several dark tendrils to wrap around him, restraining him. The Troll leader, though now terrified, clenched his club and charged. He managed to land a heavy hit on the Orc leader, smashing him to the ground, bleeding but still alive, but now he lay motionless on the ground. The Troll, now panting from exhaustion, clenched his club tighter and prepared to attack again. The other Orc, bloodied and weak, stood unsteadily, gripping his axe with determination. As the Troll lifted his club to strike, both side began to fight as finally only one standing troll remained with other two trolls dead and a single wounded Orc leader laying on the ground, with the other two orcs dead too. Seeing this, I grinned and decided to step in. "Light Bullets," I chanted, and several orbs of light shot towards the wounded Orc leader. The magic struck his head, leaving a gaping hole where his right eye once was. He collapsed instantly. [ You have slain an Orc, level 26 ] [ You have gained 57,098 EXP ] [ You have leveled up to level 10 ] [ You have reached the level limit ] [ Excess EXP will be stored until you leave the village and head to the town ] As soon as the notification flashed before my eyes, I couldn’t help but grin. Level 10—I had finally made it. The Orc leader’s death had given me the exact push I needed, his head now lying in a bloody mess from the light bullets I fired, a gaping hole through his skull. The Troll’s face contorted in confusion as it looked between the fallen Orc and me, realizing it was all this human deception. "Puddle, good job," I said, patting the slime on my shoulder. He jiggled happily, his eyes glistening like crescent moons as usual. The Troll, despite its overwhelming size and monstrous strength, seemed to hesitate. With its leader gone and the Orcs defeated, it stood there, clutching its club tightly, unsure of whether to flee or fight. Its fear was palpable, but it clenched its club, ready to take a final stand. "Not so fast," I muttered, stepping closer. I could see it in the Troll’s eyes—it knew it was doomed. But it wouldn’t give up without a fight. With a roar, it swung its massive club at me, but I was ready. I dodged swiftly to the side and, with a quick motion, unleashed another barrage of Light Bullets , aimed straight at its chest. The impact staggered the Troll, but it didn’t fall. Its regeneration kicked in almost immediately, healing the damage. I clicked my tongue, knowing that brute force alone wouldn’t be enough. However, I had another plan in mind. "Puddle, Ensnare!" I commanded. With a gleeful "Kyuu~," Puddle sprang into action. He leaped from my shoulder and slithered toward the Troll. Tendrils of darkness shot from his body, wrapping around the Troll’s legs and arms, binding it in place. The Troll struggled, but Puddle’s ensnare held strong, keeping it immobilized. Now, it was vulnerable. "Goodbye," I whispered, drawing my sword. With one swift, clean strike, I slashed through the Troll’s neck, severing its head in a single blow. Its massive body collapsed with a resounding thud. [ You have slain a troll, Level 29 ] [ You have gained 79,430 EXP ] [ You have reached the limit ] [ Excess EXP will be stored until you leave the village and head to town ] Seeing this, I nodded and began to gather the proof I needed for my next quest. Although I hadn’t planned to progress this quickly, now that the opportunity had fallen into my hands, I wasn’t going to let it slip away. First, I cut the ears off the goblins, took the tusks of the orcs, and then I severed the head of the Troll, storing them all in my inventory.