Ch.149Dwarf (1)

As mentioned earlier, trolls are armed with overwhelming regenerative abilities and digestive capabilities, and they also possess remarkable adaptability that allows them to adjust to almost any environment.

Their adaptability is so pronounced that it’s considered a characteristic comparable to their regenerative powers. These creatures don’t merely adapt to specific environments—they rapidly evolve into distinct variants.

Cave Trolls, which live in caverns, develop stone-like skin and echolocation abilities. Lava Trolls, which somehow acquired flame resistance after living near volcanic regions.

Tamed Trolls, or City Trolls, which gained higher intelligence through interaction with humans and eventually integrated into human society. There are also variants like Forest Trolls and Swamp Trolls that have acquired plant-like characteristics.

Some have even absorbed the mysteries of beasts during their survival process, undergoing changes like growing fur, and evolved beyond mere variants into independent species like Sasquatch—also known as Bigfoot or Yeti.

Their environmental adaptability is so bizarrely advanced that the original troll species is actually rarer than its variants. Naturally, among these variants are those that have adapted to freshwater environments like rivers and lakes….

“…Ugh?”

‘Ugh… disgusting!’

That was precisely what stood before my eyes now—that revolting River Troll picking its nose while looking at me.

This freshwater-adapted troll has skin covered with scales similar to fish scales and mucus, with fin-like protrusions growing across its body, making it look more like a fish-human hybrid than a troll.

However, its fundamental appearance hasn’t changed much, so anyone familiar with trolls would recognize it as one at a glance.

Regardless, this monster is fundamentally still a troll. Though it has adapted to freshwater environments and developed gills and webbed feet, its intelligence doesn’t seem to have changed much.

[—WOOOOAAARRRRGH!!!]

Judging by the way it charges mindlessly while letting out incomprehensible howls, that much is clear.

Given their remarkable regenerative abilities, these unintelligent trolls are incapable of sophisticated tactical thinking. Therefore, with exceptions like City Trolls, most trolls employ only two tactics:

If close, they charge and swing their arms. If far, they throw whatever they’re holding or objects nearby.

While these might be the best tactics a brain less developed than a beast’s can come up with, the output of such methods would normally be pathetically limited….

The problem is that these tactics are being used by a troll—a creature that can regenerate even a shattered skull.

Their intelligence is so low that their movements barely change whether they have a brain or not, and the monstrous strength from their roughly 4-meter frame can easily tear apart dozens of humans.

A mass of immunity that survives without intelligence, a biological algorithm, a regenerating autonomous lump of meat.

Considering that it has survived until now despite all the derogatory nicknames it’s earned for its stupidity, there’s really no reason to underestimate it.

Especially since trolls lack even minimal judgment due to their low intelligence, they act without restraint, causing far more human casualties than ogres.

Anyway, as the River Troll swung what looked like a spine-based morning star, using the skull at its end like a mace—

“—Get lost!”

—KWAAANG

I immediately deflected that bizarrely hard skull with the magic bludgeon I pulled out, then launched about eight of the blades that had been fixed to my arm in shield formation toward the troll.

The diamond-shaped blades, elongated on one side, are specialized for piercing. Though small, they can deliver a lethal blow when shot with the long end forward.

However, this time, the opponent wasn’t ideal.

‘As expected, it’s not working….’

A troll can regenerate a throat cut deep enough to expose the esophagus in just seconds. The damage I could inflict with blades half the size of an arm was limited, and the River Troll was by no means a soft target.

Its muscles, which generate strength comparable to an ogre’s, contain unconscious magical energy that makes them incredibly durable. Fish scales are harder than one might think, and the mucus covering them is extremely troublesome.

The mucus that sticks to the blade upon contact reduces its cutting power until removed, and it continues to adhere unless dispelled with magical energy.

Since recklessly expending magical energy for long-range attacks would consume too much, I abandoned remote control of the blades and instead drew the massive zweihander strapped to my back.

My main weapon—a white-bladed sword created by binding the bones and several organs of a variant basilisk to a broken zweihander using a witch’s secret arts.

I was certain that this sword, which excelled in destructive power rather than finesse compared to the unicorn longsword, would be more effective against the troll because…

Troll regeneration fails when the wound surface is chemically damaged.

Similar to cutting off a hydra’s head and cauterizing it with fire to prevent regrowth, I was targeting an inherent weakness in certain biological regenerative abilities.

And this weapon made from variant basilisk bone has a mechanism that secretes acidic fluid from its blade to attack enemies.

—TSSSSSS!!

The acidic fluid naturally coating the zweihander’s blade melted the troll’s flesh as if burning it, and while trolls may be stupid, they aren’t without instinct.

[AAAAAAAAAHHH—!!!]

Using the thruster and shield as a foothold to close the distance in an instant, I precisely cut off its arm. With one arm severed, the creature screamed in pain as the acidic fluid cauterized the wound.

Troll blood is an expensive material and a valuable asset. A corpse full of it is nothing short of treasure, which is why I had no intention of showing even a shred of mercy to this man-eating monster.

So my blade, soaked in acidic fluid, sliced through the air once more, cutting through the creature’s body.

Normally, a troll’s role is that of a damage-tank—enduring enemy attacks while waiting for an opportunity to deliver a powerful blow, a tactic they instinctively employ.

But for this strategy to work, they need a certain level of tanking ability, and the problem is that a troll’s so-called “tanking power” relies entirely on regeneration.

While their durability isn’t low, a troll’s core tanking ability is regeneration, and this structure becomes useless when healing is sealed.

Trolls are typical mid-tier creatures with clear weaknesses. With the right counter, you can defeat even higher-ranked ones, but if their weakness is exploited, they can fall even to lower-ranked opponents.

Since I was already higher-ranked and had now exploited its weakness, there was virtually no possibility of this creature defeating me.

Just as with the left arm, the right arm was severed with its cut surface chemically damaged by the acidic fluid. The next target was its thick, disgusting scaled legs.

Chopped, cut, and severed in seconds.

—SLASH!

To finish the battle, I cleanly decapitated it with my sword, effectively ending the situation.

Unable to even attempt its last resort of spewing stomach acid, the creature’s miserable life was finally extinguished.

As I roughly grabbed the dismembered body of the River Troll and dragged it out of the river, I suddenly realized that I could now rescue the boat that had been under attack.

‘Ah, right! That’s right!’

Perhaps because I had used the troll’s regeneration as bait to dispel my faint guilt, I had completely forgotten this important fact. Now, hastily coming to my senses, I boarded the blood-stained boat.

—CLUNK!

“Is anyone alright? Is anyone alive?”

Though I already knew there were life signs inside, my choice to call out to find the occupants didn’t seem like a bad one.

“Ye-yes, I’m here!”

“Right, I’m coming!”

That strangely youthful voice made me imagine some rich young master. I approached the cabin where the voice came from and opened the door….

“Th-thank you for saving me!”

“….A dwarf?”

Seeing the dwarf boy—something I never expected to find in such a place—I managed to regain my composure despite breaking into a cold sweat.

Yes, that dwarf who should have been buried deep in the mountains.