Premium Weapon (4)

The creature that emerged was a monstrous being known as a Troll. It possessed a grotesque appearance with gray, mottled skin stretched over a hulking, muscular frame. Its nose was elongated, its teeth sharp, and its overall visage nightmarish. Trolls were infamous enemies for adventurers, requiring a whole party of four A-ranked adventurers to stand a chance against them. Unfortunately, Gil's party lacked any A-ranked members, and the situation was further compounded by the fact that one of their own had just fallen victim.

Lack, unfortunately, did not survive the monster's sudden appearance. He had been in the exact spot where the creature landed, and the ground around the Troll's legs was now splattered in crimson, mingled with the scattered remains of their fallen comrade.

Gil bore witness to this horrific scene, marking the first time he had seen someone die before his eyes. The traumatic experience left him mentally shaken.

Meanwhile, clutching a huge club, the monstrous Troll began to scan its surroundings with confused air, appearing as though it couldn't grasp what had just occurred. However, its attention was soon drawn to the presence of humans nearby.

In an instant, the Troll's demeanor shifted. Realizing that prey was right before it, the creature's excitement surged, causing its chest to thump vigorously. With swift, brutal intent, it raised its colossal club. The monster swung it to the humans, who were still recovering from their earlier evasive actions.

The Troll's club slammed into the ground, causing the earth to shatter. However, it quickly became apparent that the attack had missed its intended targets. The ferocious swing had been aimed at where Anderson was, but he had managed to evade it with remarkable agility. Elise, too, employed a swift wind spell to propel herself to safety. Meanwhile, Gil, still in a state of shock, was rudely awakened by the seismic impact of the Troll's attack and managed to get away a couple steps back.

Anderson, who had narrowly escaped the immediate threat of the Troll, wore a deeply troubled expression. 'F*ck, there's no way we can win this,' he mused bitterly.

Fully aware of the formidable power a Troll possessed, and with Lack now gone, he recognized that their chances of defeating the monstrous creature were next to nil. In fact, he harbored doubts about their ability to escape this dire situation altogether.

Desperation gnawed at Anderson's mind as he desperately searched for an escape strategy from this dire situation. His gaze flitted briefly to Gil, and he contemplated sacrificing him to create a diversion for his own getaway. However, he swiftly realized that this alone wouldn't suffice. Gil was already near his limits, still recovering from their previous fight.

With a grim expression, Anderson shifted his focus to Elise. He clicked his tongue in frustration, ultimately deciding to sacrifice her as well to secure his own getaway.

"F*ck it," he thought bitterly. "They can die together here."

With grim resolve, Anderson shouted orders to Gil and Elise, outlining his escape plan. "Brat shot toward its eyes to blind that monster's vision. Elise casts the best fire spell you can do now. I'll try to immobilize that monster's legs."

Gil's frustration was palpable; he had only just begun to recover his mana reserves, leaving him unable to harness the full potential of his gun to vanquish the monster instantly. With no other choice, he decided to heed what Anderson said.

Taking careful aim at the monster's head, Gil squeezed the trigger.

*Bang*

Five mana bullets erupted from the gun's barrel, each longer and thicker than those produced by the previous gun he brought along.

The Troll swiftly realized the incoming mana bullets and raised its massive arms in a desperate attempt to block the projectiles. The bullets, however, pierced through the monster's skin, embedding into its arm. The impact elicited a pained groan from the monster, but Gil's intent to blind it had ultimately failed.

"Shit!" Gil exclaimed, clicking his tongue in frustration.

But their assault didn't end there. Following Gil's gunshot, Elise began to incant a powerful spell. She raised her hands, and a magical circle materialized before her.

"Hellfire."

With those words, a torrent of scorching flames was unleashed upon the Troll. The fire quickly engulfed the monstrous creature. Seasoned adventurers knew that Trolls were particularly vulnerable to fire, yet killing one required a fire of immense strength due to the Troll's remarkable regenerative abilities. This became evident in the aftermath of Elise's attack; the monster writhed in agony from the flames but swiftly began to recover from the assault.

However, this was the moment Anderson had been patiently waiting for. He sprinted toward the monster's location, giving the impression that he was about to join the attack. Yet, it was all a cunning ruse. While the others believed he was preparing to strike the Troll, he bypassed the creature and bolted toward the exit.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Gil shouted, his frustration boiling over. But it quickly dawned on him that Anderson was attempting to make a hasty escape. "You f*cking bastard!"

Anderson didn't retort with insults but merely flashed Gil a sinister grin that seemed to say, 'Good luck.'

Gil and Elise, realizing their dire predicament, made an attempt to follow Anderson's path to escape. However, their luck took a sharp downturn as the monster swiftly recuperated and, if anything, seemed even more enraged.

In a fit of fury, the Troll violently swung its club multiple times, its rage palpable. It bellowed in unintelligible words. Its expression twisted into one of pure anger directed at Elise and Gil.

"Shit, what to do now?" Gil muttered, his thoughts racing in desperation.

But while Gil grappled with his sense of hopelessness, Elise took action. She swiftly cast another fire spell at the Troll, causing it to momentarily halt in its tracks before regaining its composure again.

As Elise diverted the monster's attention with her attacks, she shouted to Gil, "Quick, run away while I keep it distracted!"

"What about you?" Gil replied, his concern evident.

Elise offered a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

Gil frowned; he didn't like the idea of leaving Elise behind, but he couldn't see any other way to escape. His thoughts turned to the premium gun he possessed, but he knew he lacked the mana to kill the Troll instantly.

However, a sudden revelation dawned on him. "Right, why didn't I ask for mana transfer from the start?" he thought.

Mana transfer, as the name implied, was a skill that allowed the transfer of mana from one person to another. Gil remembered this skill from the game; it was a skill Emily used to order Sid to transfer his mana to her. The reason Gil hadn't initially remembered this skill was that he'd only used it once in the game, and it made Sid have a weak effect after Emily had utilized it. He didn't know the reason, but there was no time to find out.

"Elise, transfer your mana to me!" Gil shouted urgently.

Elise was shocked by the request. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Trust me," Gil replied with determination. "I know what I'm doing."

Elise frowned, still uncertain. "You do realize what will happen if I do that, right?"

Gil assumed she was referring to the potential weakness that might follow after transferring her mana. He assured her, "I'll get you out safely. I promise."

Elise blinked in confusion, then sighed and reluctantly agreed. "Don't blame me if something goes wrong."

She tossed her mage wand aside and raised both of her hands, conjuring two magic circles. One released another torrent of fire toward the Troll, while the other manifested a wave of mana directed at Gil.

Gil, simultaneously aiming his gun at the Troll, anxiously awaited the arrival of Elise's mana. But as the surge of energy entered his body, an intense, searing pain coursed through him, accompanied by the sensation of something piercing his flesh.

"Arrggghhh!" Gil cried out, writhing in agony.

Gil, in excruciating pain, lost his footing and stumbled. Blood gushed from his mouth, and he spat it onto the ground. 'W-what the heck is happening?' he thought, gritting his teeth through the agony.

However, Gil's gaze abruptly shifted towards his gun, which was pulsating with an erratic, glowing energy. He knew what that meant—his weapon was overcharged with mana. This was the only chance to end the troll's menace once and for all. Summoning every ounce of strength he had left, he clenched the gun, steadying his aim despite his wavering stance.

With trembling hands, he locked onto the monstrous target. As soon as he did, he pulled the trigger. Slowly, an energy mass began to coalesce at the gun's muzzle, growing larger and more formidable by the second. When it reached the size of a massive sphere, it erupted, unleashing a torrent of magical power in the direction of the troll.

Caught completely off guard, the troll was engulfed by the explosive blast, along with its surroundings, leaving no trace behind except for the lingering mark left by the cataclysmic eruption.

Seeing what he had accomplished, Gil broke into a broad grin. The troll was no more, and he had survived.

"I killed it. I won," he exclaimed triumphantly.

However, immediately after those words left his lips, Gil lost consciousness.