The majority of the goblins followed her, retreating into the distance, but three remained: Zzok, Zarah, and Narg.
Before I could say anything, the troll's voice boomed, shaking the air.
"Vile goblins, you will not escape!"
The ground trembled as the massive creature broke into a run, charging toward us with terrifying speed.
My chest tightened.
This was bad.
I turned to my remaining companions.
It was time to be firm.
"You three. I won't repeat myself. Leave. Now."
My voice carried an edge of authority as I fixed them with a sharp glare.
Zzok and Zarah exchanged hesitant glances, torn between loyalty and fear.
Even Narg shifted uncomfortably.
For a moment, I thought they might dig in their heels and refuse, but the weight of my command—and the approaching troll—finally tipped the scales.
Zarah lingered behind the others, her head turning back every few steps, her eyes darting between me and the retreating group.
I smiled inwardly. She did care.
Despite her cold demeanor, her concern was clear.
I appreciated it more than she'd ever know.
It's been a while since someone cared about me.
With my clan finally out of harm's way, I turned to face the charging troll.
Its heavy footsteps shook the ground like thunder, each one a reminder of just how massive and dangerous it was.
I let out a deep sigh, tipping my head back to the sky, searching for confidence somewhere in the endless expanse above me.
But instead of confidence, something else hit me—a spark of inspiration.
I grinned.
The pieces clicked together in my mind.
I can indeed win this.
The troll's roar filled the air, its hulking body barreling toward me like a runaway boulder.
And I ran.
Not away—toward it.
As I sprinted towards the troll, I began to narrate, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me.
"You know," I said casually, "back in my world, I once learned about a bird that fed on bones."
The troll growled and swung its massive fist at me.
I used [Wrap], blinking away and reappearing behind her, just out of reach.
"You'd see this creature carrying a huge piece of bone," I continued, dodging another swipe. "And watching it, you couldn't help but wonder: How the hell is it going to swallow the whole thing? Surely, it'll choke to death, right?"
The troll's frustration boiled over.
She roared, "Stay in one place, goblin!"
I grinned, sidestepping another wild attack.
"But here's the thing," I said, ignoring her demand. "This bird didn't have the bite force of a crocodile. Its teeth weren't strong—in fact, it didn't even have teeth. So how you ask, did this bird manage to feast on big, solid bones?"
"SHUT UP!"
The troll roared in pure frustration, her movements becoming more frantic with each passing second.
"You don't know the answer, do you?"
I taunted, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.
Her glare said everything I needed to know.
"Well, let me enlighten you," I continued, dodging another swing. "This bird came up with a brilliant plan."
I clapped my hands together, activating [Switch]. Instantly, we both vanished, replaced by birds where we once stood.
The next thing I knew, we reappeared—side by side—in the sky.
We were surrounded by a flock of startled birds that screeched and scattered in all directions, their wings flapping in a frenzy to escape the chaos.
The troll's face was priceless, her wide-eyed shock practically screaming, What the actual fuck?!
We both began to plummet, the wind rushing past us as gravity took hold.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her glance at me, her shock quickly shifting to anger. She reached out, trying to catch me mid-fall.
But I activated [Wrap], reappearing above the troll, floating just out of its reach.
I could have just teleported her and that would be it.
But there was no way I was going to let this moment pass without finishing my story.
Call it a flex if you will.
The troll roared in frustration, her massive hands swiping at me furiously.
Each attempt came dangerously close, but I hovered just inches beyond her reach, like an annoying fly she couldn't swat.
"Yeah, so as I was saying," I continued, my voice calm yet laced with a mocking edge, "this bird had a problem. A big one. It couldn't eat the bones whole."
The troll's swipes became more frantic.
"But this bird was clever," I said, dodging another near miss. "It carried those bones high into the sky. And you know what it did next?"
The troll paused, her expression slowly shifting.
Confusion. Realization. Fear.
"It found a rock far below," I explained, my voice dropping slightly as I set the scene, "and it dropped the bones. Let them fall. Let them shatter. Turned them into tiny, bite-sized pieces. Problem solved."
Her fear was now plain as day.
Her hands stopped swiping, replaced by a guttural scream that made the earth tremble.
"Ah," I said with a somber grin, "looks like you understand what I'm saying."
The troll's panic was palpable as I continued, my tone shifting to one of mock sympathy.
"I'm sorry for killing you and your partner in such a... creative way," I said, shrugging. "But, you see, you were way too strong. I had no choice but to resort to this."
I glanced down at the jagged boulders below, and my grin widened.
"Adios."
As the ground rushed up to meet me, I activated [Wrap] just in time, vanishing from the air and reappearing on a sturdy tree branch high above.
I landed smoothly, crouched on the branch, and took a moment to steady myself. It seemed that [Wrap] didn't just teleport me—it completely nullified any momentum I had previously.
Handy.
Then it came.
BOOM!
A deafening crash echoed through the forest, followed by the faint tremor of the earth beneath the tree.
I didn't need to look to know what had happened.
A small, satisfied smile crept across my face.
Ding!
[You have killed Troll Level 3.]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[You have received the title 'Troll Killer']