episode_0114

Death Troll.

Just by the name, it intuitively feels like a creature stronger than the Troll King.

Besides, hadn’t I just witnessed something absurd with my own eyes?

It tore space and fled into it.

“…What?”

“A boss-level monster on the 6th floor, what do you mean by that?”

“We, we should have realized something strange.”

Panic begins to appear on everyone’s faces.

However, as explorers who have been through various things, they quickly adapt.

As soon as they grasp the situation, they immediately become tense and vigilant in all directions.

『Battle Start. Draw 4 cards.』

『Energy 5/5』

『Joker Card – Draw 1 designated card additionally on the first turn.』

[Shield of God(1)] [Ordeal(Unavailable)] [Defense(1)] [Slash(1)] + [Divine Protection(1)]

I also entered the battle judgment and roughly shoved the status window that popped up to the side.

I quickly spread my senses. However, my spread senses could not find the creature.

“Damn, this is my first time actually fighting it…”

The explorer holding a spear grumbled and looked around.

His golden explorer’s badge hung around his neck in that instant.

Given his attire, he seemed to be a much stronger explorer than I thought.

“…Haa.”

Regretting what happened will be for later.

If we don’t break through this situation now, it’s death.

The fortunate point is that it’s not raining.

[Divine Protection] – Gain a powerful shield. Put 1 [Regret] card into your hand.

At the moment I prepared to use it anytime, without creating the shield.

“This…!!”

With a death throes scream, Erica’s body bent sharply.

The cause was the troll’s club.

Unlike other trolls, Erica, hit by a club as black as its body color, was sent flying far away and embedded into the edge of the battlefield.

“Attack!!!”

Putting aside whether Erica is safe, we immediately pour attacks onto the troll.

However, the troll tears space again and flees.

All attacks cut through empty air.

“What should we do?”

“Erica!!!”

Yuria goes to check on Erica, who has fallen far away, guessing that the troll won’t appear immediately.

Fortunately, Erica was able to get up.

It seems her specs aren’t lacking much, definitely fitting for a high-floor explorer, which also helps a lot.

However.

“Ju, just a moment, what is this?”

Something black drips, drips, drips from where Erica was hit by the troll.

Immediately, Erica touches the black substance with an expression of disbelief.

At the same time, the troll reappears, tearing space.

It immediately swings its club again to finish off Erica.

But this time.

“Move.”

Noah’s fist accurately hits the troll’s head.

The attack landed properly on the troll.

Grrrk?!!

The startled troll quickly tears space and flees.

However, Noah, upon landing, his eyes roll back, and then he runs.

…Could it be that he knows where it is?

It’s entirely possible.

When I first met Noah, wasn’t it within a hidden space in the labyrinth?

If the principle is the same as that, there’s no reason Noah wouldn’t react.

“Follow Noah!!!”

As soon as I shout, everyone immediately runs, following Noah.

They may not know the exact reason, but they must have already seen Noah land a direct hit on the troll.

In the meantime, I head towards Erica.

Yuria, who was nearby, poured a potion onto Erica’s black wound, but nothing much changed.

However, Erica’s condition was getting worse and worse.

“My, my strength…”

Yuria grabs Erica as she’s about to collapse.

Then, a cluster of light dwelling within Yuria’s body transfers to Erica, making the black wound slightly smaller.

…Maybe this can be healed.

『Until the next draw, 30…』

There’s no time to wait for a draw.

But I still have one move left.

『Check card rewards.』

『Check card rewards….』

Stacked card rewards.

Since I got a ride on the bus thanks to Erica, I guess I should put in a little effort too.

First, the first reward.

[Oath(0) – Disappear] – Gain 1 energy and draw 1 card.

[Heavenly Judgment(4)] – Open the sky and unleash a powerful beam of light to attack.

[Wave of Light(3)] – Create a wave of light that blesses and heals everyone within it.

There’s no time for long 고민.

I quickly choose the [Oath], which is obviously too plain and overpowered.

Leaving aside why such a card even exists, even if it can only be used once per battle.

Right now, there’s something more important.

I immediately change the Joker Card.

The one I chose was [Heal].

Just as I finished changing it, the status window popped up.

『Battle Start. Draw 4 cards.』

『Energy 5/5』

『Joker Card – Draw 1 designated card additionally on the first turn.』

[Guardian(3)] [Baptism(1)] [Defense(1)] [Shield of God(1)] + [Heal(1)]

I immediately use the card.

[Heal]

A cluster of light뿜어져 emerges from my hand.

It goes straight into Erica’s body.

Just like other priests heal people, my light begins to heal Erica’s black wound.

“Oh, it seems to be working a little?”

Knowing that [Heal] worked on the black wound, I could breathe a sigh of relief.

“Watch out!!!”

Just then, Noah shouts, looking at me.

At the same time, the Death Troll appears, tearing space.

I immediately throw a card and summon a Defense Golem.

[Baptism]

Blessing is immediately cast upon the Defense Golem.

Unlike usual, the Defense Golem emits subtle light all over its body.

It immediately deploys a shield.

And immediately the second card melts into the world.

[Shield of God] – Deals damage proportional to the shield.

I had already confirmed the result in a previous experiment. The shield deployed by the Defense Golem is also applied.

Kung!!!

The troll’s club powerfully strikes the shield once.

But the shield, about to break, gathers into a single point and clumps together in my hand.

The shield-shaped cluster of light goes forward and hits the troll’s belly.

Puok-

With a sound, a shield-shaped white wound appears on the troll’s completely black body.

The troll’s body heavily falls over.

In that fleeting moment when it stopped.

All sorts of attacks pour down.

Kairek and Yuria’s arrows tear its body, Luca’s axe slashes its flesh, and Adele’s sword lands accurately on its shoulder.

“……!!!”

However, the troll did not die with just this.

It instantly battle-healed its wounds. Then, it leaped greatly to the side.

“It’s hiding!!”

Contrary to the shout, the troll did not hide in space anymore.

The red eye-light against the black glanced at Noah for a moment.

It seemed unbelievable that he was following it even when it was hiding in space.

So, it seemed to judge that hiding and evading wouldn’t work anymore. It didn’t run away further.

“…Dodge!!”

The explorer with the spear shouts and rushes forward.

But it was already too late. A black slash had begun to fly forward along the trajectory of the club swung by the troll.

Most reacted quickly and dodged to the side. Unfortunately, that slash continued to fly forward.

Towards Erica, who was still being healed.

“Ivan!!”

Erica gets up in a hurry but winces due to her injury.

It seemed impossible for her to dodge immediately.

But it’s not like we can’t do anything on our side.

“Explode!!”

The Defense Golem self-destructs upon my command, slowing the slash’s speed.

The card I immediately threw exerts its power.

[Defense]

A small shield is created.

I don’t think this can block it.

This shield is merely to prevent the fragments of the attack from reaching Erica and Yuria.

Instead, I spread both my arms and thrust my body towards the slash.

Paaat-

With a powerful sound, the slash attacks my body.

But it soon gathers into a single point and begins to disappear.

The power of the purple robe my master gave me, which I’m wearing now.

Though I can’t control it, thanks to the powerful effect that blocks an attack just once, the troll’s attack is nullified.

“Are you okay?!”

When I signal Grace, who is approaching, that I’m okay, she also runs back towards the troll.

I calm my slightly startled heart and watch the situation.

『Until the next draw, 38…』

There’s a long time left until the next turn.

But I have no cards I can use.

It seems the vanguards are occasionally landing effective hits while clashing with the troll, but unfortunately, the troll is recovering quickly and pouring out attacks.

Moreover, every time it attacks, it deals a critical hit to us.

I begin to wonder how we should defeat this.

“…It seems we need to defeat it with a special method.”

Erica, who had recovered and returned, muttered.

Even with those two who seem to be high-floor explorers joining forces, the troll shows no sign of fatigue yet.

That means there’s no lack of attack power.

So what exactly is the problem?

“Do you know anything?”

Erica asked the explorer holding the bow about the strategy.

However.

“We didn’t properly hear the strategy either. What I remember is that a Priest was essential. The Priest was in the main group. I guess there’s definitely no Priest or Paladin among you?”

“That’s right.”

It’s obvious that Priests and Paladins usually show their affiliation with symbols of their Holy Order, etc., so they would know that we don’t have any in our party.

“A Priest…”

But I am here.

Perhaps there’s a way to break through this situation?

As various thoughts piled up.

The situation occurs.

“Uwaaaah!!!!”

Adele is hit squarely by the troll and flies near here.

She rolls on the ground once or twice before finally landing.

But the black wound inflicted by the troll begins to eat away at her shoulder.

“Aah…!!”

“I’ll go first!!!”

Erica runs to fill Adele’s empty spot.

I quickly approach Adele and check her condition.

Fortunately, she’s slightly better off compared to Erica.

But we don’t know what will happen if the treatment is delayed.

『Check card rewards.』

I quickly choose the one remaining reward.

[Divine Agent(5)] – Summon 5 powerful Divine Agents for 1 turn.

[Wave of Light(3)] – Create a wave of light that blesses and heals everyone within it.

[Hammer of Salvation(2)] – A powerful hammer strikes the enemy.

My eyes were drawn a little to the attack card [Divine Agent], but I quickly chose [Wave of Light], which I had rated not bad before.

Given that it “blesses and heals everyone,” it should be much more effective with more people like now, I guess.

And I immediately drew a card.

[Slash(1)] [Wave of Light(3)] [Holy Strike(2)] [Oath(0)] + [Heal(1)]

[Wave of Light], which I just put into the deck, was drawn immediately, but I used [Heal] right away.

Adele’s black wound heals quickly.

“Unbelievable.”

Just as Adele, having recovered, was about to quickly rejoin the battlefield.

Suddenly, the ground begins to shake.

And then, tearing through the ground, 4 more black trolls appear.

Of course, they were much smaller than the Death Troll. But the party is divided to deal with the sudden increase in monsters.

And that undoubtedly creates a gap.

“Ah…!!”

This time, the beastkin warrior from Erica’s party was hit by an attack and fell.

Moreover, that wasn’t the end.

Soon after, Luca slowly retreats backward, clutching his black wound.

It clearly felt like the fight was turning into a war of attrition.

It’s a good strategy for the creature.

It can heal endlessly, while just hitting the enemies once takes them out of the battlefield for a certain amount of time.

Furthermore, those black wounds that potions don’t work on.

I understood why they said a Priest was essential for no reason.

It was a good thing I didn’t use it initially and saved it.

I immediately throw a card.

[Wave of Light]

As the card disappeared, an inspiration flashed in my mind.

I immediately lightly drew a line with my finger, just like using [Tidal Wave] from the Elementalist deck.

Then, following that trajectory, light erupted and moved forward like a wave.

“What is this?!”

Everyone, startled, looks at me. But I don’t care and push the Wave of Light forward, blessing and healing everyone within it.

However.

“What, this troll is also healing?!”

The bodies of the summoned small black trolls were also healing.

Ah, I realized that this does not distinguish between friend and foe.

It’s actually obvious. [Tidal Wave] also swallowed everyone, regardless of whether they were allies or enemies.

As the wave, impartially giving buffs and heals to everyone, was about to pass.

Suddenly, the Death Troll flinched greatly and leaped high, then tore space and disappeared.

“It’s doing this again!!!”

“It’s going this way!!!”

The explorers immediately move, following Noah.

Meanwhile, the regular black trolls who lost their master are quickly dealt with.

Eventually, the Death Troll reappears, tearing space after a short while.

But at that moment, I felt something strange.

Its foot, which the [Wave of Light] had brushed against, had turned white.

“…No way.”

Was that why they said a Priest was essential?

If that hypothesis is correct.

At least, there would be no reason for someone to die here.