Chapter 126: A New Category (4)
“Our biggest advantage is having a variety of weapons. There’s absolutely no reason to let that advantage go to waste.”
The once-sealed demon lords have been awakened, restoring a powerful local force and drawing in units and players to form the demonic realm alliance, led by the former Demon King Casaras.
He was still deeply involved in the global war occurring in dozens of locations.
“I know it can be difficult, right? You’re saying we fundamentally can’t unite.”
A purple-skinned orc adorned with jingling decorations and armor snorted. In the past, it would have been impossible for a mere orc to face him, but the situation was much different now.
Units backed by players were free from the demon lords’ dominion.
“I understand your concerns, but you’re only seeing the trees and not the forest. Are you planning to create internal strife while the enemy stands right before you? But fine, if you truly despise joining forces, then it’s time for some changes.”
Casaras, clearly uninterested, glanced down at the broad wooden board floating in front of him.
The board was filled with various pieces. It illustrated the entire situation of the demonic realm, including where individuals were positioned and who their opponents were.
Before the variable known as the hero appeared, and before he transferred the position of Demon King to someone capable of handling the hero, it was he who had pushed and conquered the locals solely with strategy.
“You’ve become arrogant after a small victory.”
Based on the real-time information he received, he commanded every region simultaneously.
A minor defeat report from one front was just one of many.
“While humans ultimately always remain the same, we are different. With just a little change, it becomes possible to shake them.”
He was well aware of the advantages they currently held due to their situation. That’s why he issued separate orders.
In that place, where a few pieces were swapped and repositioned, the Earth Alliance had just celebrated a recent victory and was preparing for the next operation.
*
“This can’t be… a troll?!”
I barely had time to be surprised. A hunter who spotted the enemy first from the closest distance gasped in shock.
The enemy, appearing silently, had an enormous body close to 7 meters tall. It was clearly due to the device on its finger, capable of evading our senses and camouflaging itself.
Using that item, a support item from another cosmic force, the rebel alliance, the creature had erased its appearance and presence. It slammed its large staff into the ground.
“Everyone, move!”
As everyone started to run back, a powerful shockwave emanating from the staff shook the ground and sent people rolling.
“Wasn’t the overlord the enemy?”
“It seems they’re aware of our movements and are up to some tricks. It’s not impossible, after all. They’re moving far more flexibly than we imagined.”
I replied bitterly to Eve’s calm inquiry.
Despite their foolish appearance, trolls were monsters that couldn’t be easily ignored. Their physical power was immense, and even without being a unit, if they borrowed the strength of units through the demonic realm alliance, their power would double.
Moreover, the troll that had appeared before us was not an ordinary one considering its size.
“This is…”
“Everyone, hold position!”
The simple shockwave was only the beginning. Despite its tremendous size, the troll was not a warrior.
The ground twisted and cracked, and from there, earth and stone creatures began to rise.
“Fire! Fire!”
“Ahhh!”
The soldiers’ guns fired, and several hunters unleashed their abilities.
But those were merely earth dolls operating based on magic.
As bullets rained down and exploded mindlessly, the earth dolls continued to advance with sharp stone knives in hand.
“They’re trying to bind our feet!”
“Then attack them!”
In the midst of the urgent battle, both Eve and I slashed and kicked at the advancing earth dolls with our swords.
The combat power of the earth dolls was poor. Their sole purpose was to bind us in place.
To find an answer to that, one nearby officer, Jason, unleashed his ability and rushed toward the troll.
His power was ice. As an S-rank hunter, the massive ice pillars he unleashed were even larger than the troll’s body.
Normally, taking down one troll would be easy for him, which even fell under A-rank.
But in today’s era, even a simple goblin could throw fireballs or spray bullets from captured firearms.
We could no longer judge enemies by the standards of the past.
Jason’s ice shattered into pieces, and he was struck by the troll’s fist, crashing into the nearby wooden structure.
“…It’s not just the troll.”
Frowning, I sighed as I saw this.
“That’s a demonic spirit, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s the embodiment of mana, able to manipulate what they call formancy freely.”
Eve pointed to the translucent figure floating beside the troll.
These unknown spirits, discovered only recently, were certainly entities that hadn’t existed before. I was convinced that they were born from someone’s manipulation influenced by this game.
“It’s our turn to step in. We must make our mark.”
“…Right.”
Eve pointed at the troll. Perhaps because it had overpowered Jason, who was obviously stronger than it, the troll seemed to be in high spirits, attacking the scattered resistant hunters with glee.
We, positioned further back from the troll, took steps forward to approach it.
“Wa-wait! It’s dangerous!”
“…If we don’t stop that thing, we won’t be able to hold out against it.”
A nearby special forces member tried to detain us. It wasn’t just him; others were holding us back with trembling eyes. Their faces, surely full of determination upon volunteering, were now clouded with fear.
But I shook my head, explaining that we had to go.
“How foolish.”
“Don’t say that, Eve. We’ll go on ahead, so please hold out for as long as you can.”
I pulled Eve, who couldn’t understand their fear, and charged forward.
“It’s true that it’s foolish. They stumbled into the battlefield and then panicked, failing to move efficiently.”
“But I don’t think it’s bad that I don’t have the ability to discard useless emotions like you do.”
We rushed forward, cutting through the earth dolls without hesitation. The troll was watching us.
I saw the dark blue spirit next to it reach out toward us and slammed my foot down.
Damn it, my body feels heavy. Compared to the upper species I had experienced once, I felt small and devoid of a tail, yet my body still seemed heavy.
“I’ve cut through.”
As the mana blast released by the spirit narrowly grazed my head, Eve jumped into the air beside me, unleashing a momentary decisive strike that split the spirit in two.
Even the ethereal being immune to physical force couldn’t resist the direct strike shaped like a blade from formancy.
“Everyone, charge! There’s a gap!”
Using the opening left by the spirit’s demise, hunters, including Max, raced forward alongside me.
The flustered troll swung its staff like a spear. A powerful attack came crashing down from above, and someone who couldn’t evade was crushed by the sword they tried to use to block it.
“What the hell… why is it so tough?”
Even when I managed to get close to the towering creature, all I could see were its large feet and thick legs.
Though I managed to cut its leg with my sword, it was merely a scratch.
“Clear them all out! Defend yourselves!”
Even Eve was pressed for time.
As I dodged the troll’s attack and slipped between its legs, Eve kicked the swinging staff and jumped into the air, executing a somersault before plunging a burning sword deep into its shoulder.
Amid a flash, part of the troll’s shoulder exploded.
However, Eve’s attack also didn’t inflict a deadly wound. The troll’s rough skin was akin to dragon scales.
Tough against formancy and simultaneously high in defense. Hunters had not struggled against this creature for no reason.
“Ugh… this is why the human body…”
I caught Eve as she fell. She immediately bounced back, grinding her teeth.
But before we could catch our breath, we had to leap again to evade the swinging staff of the troll.
“I’m going to kill it.”
Eve, rising and filled with rage, sparkled with fierce determination.
It had received a blow, but perhaps regaining its confidence, the troll lifted its staff and swung again.
It was trying to sweep us away from the ground like bugs with a broom. Given that it was treated like such, Eve wouldn’t remain calm about it.
I dashed forward without looking back. There’s no way that its staff would touch my body.
Suddenly, a massive shock erupted from behind. At the same time, the troll’s movements halted.
Before it could react in a panic, I pushed off the ground and leaped, plunging my sword deep into the inner thigh.
“Uuuggh!!”
It worked. With each glide of my body, the troll’s thigh was struck deeper.
As it staggered, blood gushed out, and the troll fell backward with a thud.
“Finish it!”
Eve’s voice rang out through the collective consciousness. Before it could set any new tricks in motion, I launched myself toward the bewildered creature. Dodging its wildly swung fist, I raised my sword and charged forward.
“Grrr.”
I thrust my sword, the size of my body, into the troll’s brow, embedding it to the hilt.
There was no need to be certain that its breath had ceased. The earth dolls, fighting the special forces raining gunfire, all crumbled following the death of their master.
“Haah… Eve!”
But it wasn’t over yet. Breathless, I quickly turned my head.
I saw the surviving spirit channeling its mana blast directed at my back.
