Kadiz Ral Le Lizor was once a simple, nameless cave troll, no different from his comrades, with no distinct role among his peers. They lived in a cave atop a Grade 1 Rubinx mine in the western part of the Darknar Forest. Since trolls easily adapted to any environment, these cave trolls grew to love the rare red ores found in the mine and often dug them out for fun.
However, this attracted the attention of something far more sinister. The Undead King of the West, Zerahut, noticed the trolls as they occasionally adorned themselves with the unrefined ores. Zerahut decided to claim the mine for himself, and the trolls were powerless to stop him. Their simple minds couldn't comprehend why an undead creature would need so much red Rubinx ore, but they couldn't resist. The trolls who survived his onslaught were forced into servitude.
Kadiz worked the mine alongside the 127 other trolls who had survived from a tribe of more than 300. For the next ten years, they toiled under the undead's command, their life energy slowly drained by Zerahut's minions while being influenced by negative energy. More than half of his comrades perished during this process.
The remaining trolls evolved into Gray Trolls. They were more slender—some might even say malnourished—but they were also more muscular and faster, with some developing the ability to speak.
Kadiz was one of those chosen few. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of accomplishment. He was recognized by the Undead King and appointed to the long-vacant role of the trolls' chief. Among his similarly looking brethren, Kadiz had always been a nobody. He was good in a fight, but most trolls were. They were originally cave trolls who brawled with their fists and clubs; no one cared if you could use a sword.
However, the Undead King noticed his skills. He bestowed upon Kadiz a name and the Dark-Syphon. Kadiz wasn't entirely sure what the Dark-Syphon was, but he knew it allowed him to slowly siphon energy from his core and store it in the strange symbols that occasionally appeared on his skin, granting him the ability to cast spells and even use skills.
Trolls were considered humanoid monsters or demi-humans, but they didn't possess mana bodies. Instead, they had beast cores and, if strong enough, magic crystals. This meant they were generally unable to use spells or skills, relying solely on their racial ability: regeneration. As long as their cores remained intact, trolls could regenerate from any injury, even being sliced into pieces. It wasn't a bad tradeoff.
For the next two decades, Kadiz used his newfound strength to serve his master faithfully. He carried out every order, including massacring any tribe or individual foolish enough to resist Zerahut's rule. His accomplishments were so great that he was promoted several times, eventually becoming the left hand of his king. As a reward, he was blessed with a magical weapon.
Kadiz's reverence for Zerahut grew to the point of overeagerness. His wish for greater challenges was granted when something strange happened a few days ago, sending shockwaves throughout the forest. His master gave him a new order: head east and expand their territory, bringing any strong monsters or intelligent settlements under his rule.
Zerahut's ultimate goal, aside from amassing knowledge and power, was to rule the entirety of the ever-expansive Darknar Forest. Kadiz hoped to be the one to deliver it to him. However, something unexpected occurred.
Kadiz followed his master's command and headed east. He tracked the weakest monsters, those that could be easily captured, and without realizing it, he crossed the eastern forest in less than a day. In that time, they subjugated more than three tribes of intelligent creatures, including two kobold villages—or so he thought. He soon received a report that more than half of the second village had escaped with their chief. Anger surged within Kadiz. How dare these worthless creatures defy his king's will? Such insolence deserved more than death.
Kadiz ordered the ten ordinary Gray Trolls he had brought with him to hunt down the escapees and massacre them, sparing only their leader for his own amusement. He then slaughtered the remaining kobolds in the second village and set off after his men, hoping they hadn't gotten carried away and killed the leader by mistake. What he saw next, however, made him frown.
His men had intercepted a group of ogres and beastmen migrating through the forest's outskirts. While Kadiz was confident in his ability to defeat any ogre, the few individuals traveling with them gave him pause.
There were three demons in the group, as well as a blue-haired woman of an unknown race. Kadiz frowned. These individuals were stronger than he had anticipated. Challenging them carelessly seemed unwise, so he used a skill: Camouflage. He and his remaining ten elite trolls turned invisible and slowly approached the forest's edge.
Kadiz wasn't overly concerned about the demons. He was confident in his own strength, though Zerahut had warned him against engaging demons within the Darknar Forest. These, however, were outside the forest, so it should be fine.
Kadiz stayed back and watched the battle between the ogres, beastmen, and kobolds against his ten ordinary trolls. He was disappointed. Only one ogre stood out, and one of the demons occasionally stepped in to help. The other three individuals didn't seem interested in joining the fight. Kadiz's keen eyesight caught the young man staring in his direction.
Though the young man wasn't looking directly at him, Kadiz suspected he had been noticed. An assassin type? Even so, he should be weaker than me if I can't sense his aura. The two females are the real issue. Kadiz sensed an icy, cold aura emanating from the blonde woman and a calm yet soul-crushing aura from the blue-haired one. However, his concern lessened when he saw her healing the group.
She might have been their strongest member, but as a healer, she likely lacked offensive capabilities. Kadiz's confidence grew as he realized the icy blonde was his only real concern.
He briefly considered retreating but decided against it, especially after glancing at the magical weapon in his hand. Kadiz smiled and stepped forward. First, he picked up a massive boulder with one arm and hurled it like a catapult. The rock was aimed at the large ogre causing the most trouble for his trolls. He wanted to demoralize the enemy before making his grand entrance.
He was shocked when his surprise attack was easily deflected by the young man he had previously dismissed as a weak assassin. Kadiz quickly recovered and challenged all three of them, pretending he didn't already know the blue-haired woman's limitations.
Everything was going according to plan—or so he thought. Why, then, was he locked in a fierce battle with the young demon, the weakest of the group? Why was his blood boiling with rage? And worst of all, why couldn't he land a single hit?
Kadiz roared in pain and frustration. He used every technique he had learned, every attack pattern he knew, yet each time he struck, he was met with the same infuriating sound: the clang of metal against metal. He wanted this man dead. He wanted this group to kneel before him as he dragged them back to serve his master.
|Smog of Darkness|
Kadiz unleashed his final trump card. While he couldn't fully utilize the power of his magical weapon, he could use the glyphs—the power gifted to him by his master—to forcefully control it. The chains of the Hamaxe came alive, striking at their targets from every angle. Combined with the smog, he could attack from virtually every direction simultaneously.
Yet, he still failed. His attacks came closer than ever before but were deflected each time. His frustration grew with every wasted effort, his grip on reality slipping. Connect, just connect. Why can't I reach him? CONNECT, DAMN IT! He clung to this single thought, desperate to maintain his sanity.
But with a single swing of the young man's cracked sword, Kadiz lost an arm and suffered a severe burn across his chest. He fought through the pain, pouring all his siphoned energy into the magical weapon for one final attack. And finally, he succeeded.
"I did it! I hit you! I finally hit you! Fwahahahaha..."
Kadiz laughed with relief and satisfaction. A wave of euphoria washed over him. He had forgotten about his men, his master, even the other demons and ogres. All he could see was the shocked face of the young man before him, and his heart swelled with pleasure.
The pain from his lost arm and the burning wound on his chest no longer mattered. He was a war troll, born to fight. Even in this dire situation, he had surpassed his limits. He took pride in this minor accomplishment, pleased that he had finally made the man who had looked down on him as a pet change his gaze.
"Trash."
Kadiz's elation shattered with that single word. He looked up at the young man, expecting to see frustration or anger. Instead, he saw something far worse.
Every fiber of his being screamed in warning. A chill ran down his spine as he tried to step back, but his legs refused to move. He struggled to breathe, noticing that even his ordinary trolls had collapsed, with the elites barely able to stand. The ogres, beastmen, and kobolds were also affected, their leader the only one still conscious. Even the other demons seemed to struggle under the suffocating pressure.
Kadiz felt fear—a Gray-War Troll, feeling fear. He realized what was happening and wondered why he had ever come here.
The young man, who had seemed so weak and unassuming, now radiated a suffocating aura that silenced the entire battlefield.
"YOU INSIGNIFICANT, ABSOLUTE TRASH! HOW DARE YOU LAY YOUR FILTHY HANDS ON ME! I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!"
It was as if a volcano had erupted. A massive wave of bloodlust exploded from the young man, suppressing everyone on the battlefield. Friend or foe, it didn't matter. The air grew heavy, as if gravity itself had multiplied a thousandfold. Most were on the verge of passing out.
Kadiz was no exception. Every word from the demon's mouth made his soul quake. His knees hit the ground hard, and his remaining arm felt like it weighed a ton. His grip on his magical weapon loosened, and he let it go.
Unable to process what was happening, Kadiz caught a glimpse of the massive greatsword slicing through the air, a beautiful arc of silvery light trailing behind it as it aimed for his neck.
Smash! THUD.
With the sound of the greatsword shattering against his hardened skin, Kadiz's view shifted to the blue sky above. He no longer felt his body, and soon, he felt nothing at all.