I Pulled Out the Excalibur

Chapter 36 – The Red Eye Mercenaries (4)

Emerging from the dusk-engulfed forest was a gargantuan creature. With a stature thrice the size of a human, thick limbs, and a neck seemingly impervious to any blade, it exuded an aura far surpassing the common monsters.

It was a troll, known amongst adventurers.

Typically classified as a blue-rank monster, it was said that a few blue-rank adventurers could hunt it down when working together. However…

“Is that…”

No one dared to move rashly.

“That’s a Blood Troll, isn’t it? What’s it doing here…?”

Before them stood not just any troll, but a variant known as the Blood Troll. A few months ago, this particular monster had slain fifteen blue-rank adventurers and vanished, leading to a bounty on its head. Unlike ordinary trolls, it was cunning and intelligent.

The central guild of Cambria rated the Blood Troll as red-rank.

Black, Purple, Blue, Green, Red, White.

It sat in the upper echelons of this six-tier system, deemed only manageable by a group of at least eight green-rank adventurers. Knowing this, none of the adventurers present dared to engage.

It was a monster beyond their capabilities.

Even Marsen, the highest-ranked green-rank adventurer present, wouldn’t have taken the lead if this had been a prearranged hunt specifically for the Blood Troll.

‘But…’

Marsen surveyed the surroundings.
Everyone was preparing to flee, a natural response. They were adventurers and mercenaries, prioritizing their own safety above all. Marsen was no different.

They don’t engage in risky ventures.
They don’t take on losing battles.
Their own life is always the priority.

That’s the unspoken rule of this city.

Some might mock this as selfishness, but the inhabitants of this city, be they adventurers or mercenaries, are not knights or heroes who throw themselves into dangerous battles.

“Damn it.”

Marsen clicked her tongue and stepped back.
Seeing even the strongest among them preparing to flee, the other adventurers began to distance themselves from the troll. For now, the Blood Troll only glared in their direction, yet to make a move.

But then, its behavior changed.
As the adventurers started retreating, the Blood Troll, grinning maliciously, began to advance. The ground thundered with its every step, prompting the adventurers to turn and run.

“Run away!”
“Where’s the mercenary group, Red Eye Mercenaries? They should be dealing with this…!”

Panic spreads like wildfire.
In the ensuing chaos, an adventurer got pushed and fell to the ground.

“Damn it! Who the hell…”

The adventurer’s words were cut short.
The Blood Troll, a seasoned hunter, never missed an opportunity to strike a vulnerable prey. It lunged towards the fallen adventurer with a thud.

“Aaaaaaaaah!”

The troll wielded a club, resembling a tree uprooted from its base.
Just as it swung the club towards the fallen adventurer, someone rushed in, grabbing them by the nape and flinging them backwards.

Boom!

The club smashed into the ground, raising a cloud of dust. As the dust settled, a lone figure, standing face-to-face with the Blood Troll, became visible. The fleeing adventurers paused to look back.

Who would be so reckless? Who would volunteer to be bait?

Standing there was a black-rank adventurer. A novice to the city, unfamiliar with its unwritten rules, the center of attention in this cleansing operation. A young man of unknown origins.

Clang!

He drew his sword, seemingly ready to confront the Blood Troll.

“Supervisor.”

The young man, Najin, addressed the supervisor on the stage. The supervisor, apparently preparing to signal for help and escape, was now immobilized by Najin’s imposing presence.

“How many points is that one worth?”
“…What?”

The supervisor was at a loss for words.
Even the adventurers around Najin couldn’t grasp the meaning of his question. Points? Here?

“It looks quite bulky.”

Najin smirked, pointing his sword at the Blood Troll.

“How about 30 points?”

Adding 30 points to Najin’s current score would total 65 points.
That would surpass the highest score ever recorded in the Dochzenberg Forest cleansing operation, previously held by Barger, now the Vice-Captain of the Red Eye Mercenaries, at 57 points.

…A new record.

Before participating in the operation, Najin had inquired not about the number of participants but about the highest score ever achieved in the Dochzenberg Forest cleansing operation.

Even though he had already secured first place.
Najin had no interest in a marginal victory.

He wasn’t content with a first-place finish by a narrow margin of points. Najin aimed for an overwhelming victory. A victory that would set a new all-time high, unassailable by anyone.

“I’d appreciate it if you added more.”

Saying so, Najin slid sideways and leaped. The troll swung its club again, sending another cloud of dust into the air. But this time, there was no need to wait for the dust to clear.

Slash!

Najin’s blade cut through the dust. Not only the dust but also the skin of the Blood Troll was slightly sliced by his sword.

Blood splattered.

However, what captured the attention of the onlookers more than the blood was the sword in Najin’s hand. The glow on the blade he wielded cut through the dust.

A white, shining radiance.

Almost akin to Sword Aura, it shone with its own unique color in the twilight-drenched forest.

Cambria, the City of Opportunities.

Since arriving in this city, Najin had yet to engage in battle with a true formidable opponent. He had sparred with Volkman, but that was merely practice, not a life-or-death combat. Therefore, Najin longed for it.

A battle with an equal or stronger opponent.
A fight for survival.

Najin knew that this was the fastest way to enhance his skills. Nothing was more valuable than the experience gained from battling a stronger adversary.

‘Of course, I’ll have to assess the opponent…’

Najin glanced at the Blood Troll before him.
Undoubtedly, a formidable foe. With Excalibur and the complete white Sword Aura concealed, he couldn’t be certain of victory against it.

‘But…’

Even without using those,
He didn’t feel like he was going to lose. Sooner or later, the Red Eye Mercenaries stationed at the heart of the forest would come to aid, so retreating in the worst-case scenario wasn’t a bad option.

That’s for when things go south.

But right now, Najin was aiming for victory. His eyes, bloodshot with determination, read every move of the Blood Troll. Dodging the club, Najin started sprinting.

“Huff…”

He exhaled deeply.
As he inhaled again, Najin absorbed the mana scattered around him. The mana stored in his body was minimal, but at this moment, the quantity was irrelevant.

After all, it was merely residue.

The Mana Cultivation Technique taught by Merlin.

This cultivation method does not primarily focus on accumulating mana. Instead, it strengthens the pathways through which mana flows and fortifies the body itself, creating a physique optimized for mana.

Thus, the mana accumulated in Najin’s body is merely the residue left after strengthening his physique. The amount of mana Najin can handle becomes apparent only when he ‘breathes.’

Boom!

Having completed his breathing technique, Najin suddenly accelerated.
With widened pathways and a body adapted to mana, the speed generated by their synergy was on par with that of Sword Experts who had honed their skills for over a decade.

Movements surpassing even a seasoned Sword Expert.

Najin’s sword flashed as he swiftly avoided the Blood Troll’s club and slashed its hide. However, he instantly realized the cut was too shallow.

‘It didn’t cut deeply enough.’
-Of course.

Merlin murmured.

-Blood Troll hide is tough. Even trying to burn it with magic is difficult due to its high resistance. To slice it with Sword Aura, you’ll need a trick.

She suggested.

-Should I tell you?
‘No need.’

Najin declined.
His eyes rapidly assessing, Najin predicted the troll’s next move. As the troll raised its club and stepped forward, Najin moved.

‘I think I know how.’

Najin gripped his sword more firmly.
He had seen something similar recently. The mid-rank priest Volkman, effortlessly slicing through orcs without even drawing out his Sword Aura. Although orc hide was less tough than a troll’s, Najin’s sword was clad in Sword Aura.

If so, he should be able to slice through the troll’s hide. Najin adjusted his stance.

Woosh!

The moment Najin stepped forward, the momentum shifted.
His presence was no longer that of a nimble hunter, but more akin to a Sword Priest who had spent years mastering the sword.

Slice.

The power of swordsmanship, enhanced by a strengthened body and Sword Aura-wrapped blade, was incomparable to before. The swift sword strike grazed the side of the troll’s club.

Only the troll’s hide had high resistance.
The club, merely a blunt weapon of wood, couldn’t withstand the Sword Aura.

With a clean slicing sound, the club was split in half. The smoothly cut club fell, creating an opening in the troll’s defense. Najin seized this moment.

Slash…

Najin’s steps were a blur.
Gliding and almost dancing, he utilized the swordsmanship of the mid-rank priest Volkman. Techniques only passed on to fully adept mid-rank priests, based on four foundational stances.

Using this swordsmanship, Volkman had struck down orcs in a single blow.

Recalling Volkman’s movements, Najin sprung up. His sword swung in a fluid motion. The built-up momentum from his accumulated steps released in a single stroke.

Slash!

This time, he felt the sensation of cutting. The troll’s hide was torn, blood spurting out. A fatal blow that would have crippled any ordinary troll. But the Blood Troll was different from the norm.

Roar!

The troll roared, swinging its fist.
Najin twisted in mid-air, blocking the fist with his sword, unable to completely negate the impact. He was thrown against a tree with a loud crash.

Yet, Najin quickly got back up.

As if the ordeal was nothing. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Najin wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. Far from a pained expression, a smile formed on his lips.

He had figured it out.

How to properly slice through that thick hide.

The adventurers, who had initially been planning to use Najin as bait to escape, now stood still, watching him battle the Blood Troll alone.

Initially, they considered Najin mere bait for their escape, but now they simply watched his battle in silence, witnessing an unbelievable sight.

The Blood Troll, a dangerous red-rank monster.
The young man, Najin, was holding his own against it.

Najin and the troll were evenly matched, an incredible feat. Was this black-rank adventurer actually on par with red-rank experts? The adventurers’ gazes wavered.

“Should we help him?”

Someone suggested moving forward, but at that moment, they were halted by Najin’s chilling gaze, turning back to look at them.

Do not interfere.
This is my prey.

His eyes seemed to shout. Taking or meddling with another’s prey was against the unwritten rules of adventurers. Thus, the adventurers remained silent, merely observing Najin’s hunt.

Roar!

The troll roared, swinging a tree trunk it had ripped from the ground. As the trunk smashed into the earth, kicking up dust, Najin had already moved out of its path. Sliding to the side, he leapt onto the trunk held by the troll.

Najin ran up the slanted trunk.

Climbing onto the troll’s nape, he held his sword in one hand and plunged a dagger deep into the troll’s eye socket with the other.

Scream!

The troll’s scream echoed.
Its eye, unprotected by tough hide, was easily pierced by the sharp dagger. Clinging to the troll’s neck, supported by the dagger, Najin swung his sword.

Swish, slash, slash!

The incomplete Sword Aura flashed repeatedly.
The blade, swung over and over, shredded the troll’s thick neck hide. Blood splattered in all directions.

Despite the troll’s violent thrashing, Najin held on, evading its grasping hands. Eventually, the troll screamed and repeatedly slammed its body against the tree. Only then did Najin kick off the troll’s shoulder, leaping away.

Thud, thud…

The Blood Troll, foaming blood at the mouth, glared at Najin.
A dagger stuck in one eye, its neck hide shredded and bleeding. Perhaps a few more sword strikes would completely sever it.

The onlooking adventurers felt a chill.

Sometimes, his movements resembled those of a seasoned swordsman… other times, like a ferocious hound tearing at its prey’s throat.

Overwhelming.
The adventurers sensed the overwhelming presence of the young man.

This black-rank adventurer was no novice. He was a rising star, destined to reach the heights of this city’s elite, just as those at the top had done.

A new star rising in the city.

And he wasn’t just being watched by the adventurers. One of Cambria’s five apexes, having just arrived in response to the distress signal, also observed the scene.

“Huh.”

Roselin Ascalo let out a chuckle.

“Crazy guy, that one.”

A smile spread across her lips, the smile of someone who has found a kindred spirit. Roselin watched Najin’s movements with amusement.

Najin assumed his stance.
Preparing for the final strike.

The most powerful blow he had seen. As Najin positioned himself to mimic that strike, Roselin’s eyes widened. She recognized that stance.

She had intended to observe a bit longer, but now she couldn’t.

Najin, unaware, was about to use a technique that should not be employed, especially not against such a monster.