Chereads / SHADOW BUSINESS / Chapter 23 - Killing a forest troll

Chapter 23 - Killing a forest troll

{You killed the level 11 colossal beetle.}

{Rewards: Strength +2, Vitality +2.}

{You leveled up. You gained 3 status points.}

{You gained 1 level of weapon mastery.}

{You received 150 soul tokens."

"That was quite easy, to be honest," said Lucca.

"I agree," Ana concurred.

"How about attempting a level 30?" suggested Alice.

Lucca started to look at the map and said, "What about a level 40?"

Everyone began to look at each other until Alice spoke up, "I think we can handle it, but it should be a level 40 with low agility."

"Like an ogre?" suggested Lucca.

"Exactly," Ana replied.

"Why?" Ivy asked curiously.

"Because if we go up against a level 40 with high agility, I'm sure we'll die. But if we face a creature that's large and has low mobility, I think our chances are better," explained Alice.

"The problem is that these creatures have very high HP," he said, clicking on the information about a forest troll.

"Let's give it a try! We just leveled up once and gained 4 stats as a reward for killing the colossal beetle. If we die, it's not like we're losing much," Ana asserted.

'So, even they gain stats when they kill something. I thought it was just me. What a pity!' he thought.

(You're already the only one who gains stats when you train. Now you want to be the only one to gain when you kill something?)

'Of course!'

(...)

Everyone waited for Alice's response, and she said, "Why is everyone looking at me?"

"You're the group leader, so it's up to you to choose," Lucca said.

"When did I say I wanted to be the leader?"

"You didn't say it, but you always act like it! So, you've become it!"

"Pwe" Alice sighed. "Alright, alright, I want to know who's against this decision."

No one raised their hand, seeing this, Alice asked, "So, which direction are we going?" and began to look around to see if there was any path.

"I'd like to go that way!" Lucca pointed in the direction of the troll.

"Alright, let's go!" Ana said.

"Nolan, you go ahead since you're going to be an assassin. Start training for that," Alice ordered.

"Wouldn't that be the role of a scout?"

"Assassins also have scout skills, so they're often used that way."

After a while, they saw Nolan behind a rock, crouched down. Seeing this, everyone crouched down and went to him, and Alice asked, "What is it?"

"It's a forest troll," Nolan replied.

"That's perfect, isn't it?" Ana said enthusiastically.

"How much HP does it have?" Alice asked, concerned.

"7,000," Nolan replied.

Everyone fell silent, knowing what that meant.

Hearing the troll's HP, Lucca opened his status window and invested the 3 status points he received upon leveling up in mana, bringing his total to 34 mana.

'This battle is going to take a while, so I'd better have enough mana,' he thought.

"Okay, guys, let's do the same thing we did with the beetle, but be aware that it's going to be a long fight, so conserve your mana and stamina. Don't use it all at once!" Alice said.

The troll stood at 3 meters, its skin was very rough, with shades of brown and green, a flattened nose, sharp teeth, and a wooden club.

So the group advanced, Lucca cast a fireball, hitting the troll's face.

-145

'Damn, one fireball and it only took off 145. This is going to take a while.'

Next, Ana climbed a tree and began shooting arrows at the troll's face.

Meanwhile, Alice and Ivy advanced toward the troll. It was distracted by Lucca's attack, and they took the opportunity to strike at its legs. Seeing that the creature's aggro was on Ivy, Alice shouted.

"Don't try to block his attack! Dodge it!"

The troll swung his machete vertically, trying to hit Ivy, but she managed to step back in time.

With that, Nolan had enough time to go behind the troll and cut the Achilles tendon of one of the troll's legs with his daggers.

Feeling the daggers, the troll tried to step on Nolan, but he managed to get out in time. Even so, the force of the stomp sent him flying.

After about 30 minutes...

---Information---

Forest Troll: 1,000 HP remaining

"We're only missing 1,000 HP. I can cast three more spells!" said Lucca.

"I have only four arrows left!" Ana said.

"I'm running out of stamina!" Ivy mentioned.

"We're almost there, people! Lucca and Ana, use everything you have left. Ivy and Nolan, we have to cut at least one of the troll's legs," motivated Alice.

"The left leg is weaker!" Nolan stated.

"Okay, let's focus on the left leg. Lucca and Ana, when the troll starts losing balance, use everything!" Alice said.

With that said, the three of them advanced towards the left leg. Nolan was the first to strike, making a slight cut in the calf. Taking advantage of that, Ivy grabbed her axes, joined them, and made a vertical cut, as if she were cutting down a tree. Meanwhile, Alice couldn't advance because the troll's aggro was on her. Seeing this, Lucca cast a lightning bolt on the troll's eyes.

-200

With that, the aggro shifted to Lucca. Alice, realizing Lucca's tactic, advanced toward the calf, which was already halfway cut, and completed the job with a slash. The troll lost half of its left calf and began to fall.

Ana quickly shot four arrows into the troll's neck, leaving only 200 HP.

Lucca cast another fireball at the back of the troll's neck.

-150

"50 HP!" Lucca shouted.

Hearing this, the three who were fighting hand-to-hand began to run, but at a much-reduced speed due to exhaustion. When they were starting to get close, the troll was beginning to stand up.

The three reached the troll at the same time. Nolan, who was at the troll's back, went under its neck and began cutting without thinking. Alice arrived from the left side and plunged her sword into the troll's neck, while Ivy extended her arms behind its head and swung downward, hitting the top of its neck.

Seeing the troll's HP at 0, Lucca yelled, "One of you get Nolan out from under!"

Nolan heard and extended his arm to Alice, who managed to pull him out from under just in time because the body fell right after!

{You killed a level 40 forest troll.} 

{Rewards: Strength +5, Stamina +8, Mana +1.} 

{You leveled up six times. You gained 18 status points.} 

{You gained 5 levels of weapon mastery.} 

{You received 800 soul tokens.}