The Troll!

"Krrr—"

Startled, one of the knights pointed toward the forest. "Look, I think I saw something there."

His companion agreed, their curiosity overriding their earlier restlessness. "Then, let's go and check."

Approaching the spot where the eyes had gleamed, the first knight asked, "Was it here?" But before he could receive an answer, a massive black wolf lunged at him, swiftly ending his inquiry by biting his head off in a gruesome display.

The remaining knight was horrified by the sudden, brutal attack. He shouted at the top of his lungs to alert his comrades, "Aaah... Monsters are attacking!!"

The forest, once eerily silent, now echoed with the sounds of chaos and terror as the other knights rushed to respond to the alarm.

The captain, Tauras, was both frustrated and alarmed by the chaotic situation as he reached the scene. What he encountered was a nightmarish spectacle: a horde of massive black wolves, accompanied by goblins, pouring out of the forest. The sudden and ferocious attack had already claimed the lives of numerous knights.

"Fools!" Tauras muttered to himself, shaking his head in frustration. "I told them to keep an eye out for any sudden attack and to gather if one commences. But they just had to relax."

Despite his frustration, Tauras swiftly took command. "Everyone, get ready and form up according to Lord Nadino's plan!" he ordered loudly.

The remaining knights immediately fell into formation, aligning themselves to face the onslaught of monsters. Only about 80 knights remained out of the initial 100.

"Go and ask Lord Nadino to come and lead us in clearing the forest!" Tauras commanded one of the nearest knights.

As the designated messenger hurried back to the main camp, Tauras and the remaining knights braced themselves for the ongoing battle.

"Everyone, attack!" Tauras shouted, raising his sword and charging toward the front lines.

Swinging his sword with incredible precision and strength, Tauras dispatched the attacking monsters with ease. His aura-infused sword cut through the creatures' tough hides as if they were made of butter.

Observing their captain's prowess, the morale of the knights soared. Each knight fought valiantly, and a hail of arrows from the archers added to the carnage.

While the majority of the monsters were held at bay, a few managed to slip through to the flanks. These monsters were confronted by four knights assigned to Adrian who had arrived early in response to the initial alarm.

For a time, the situation seemed somewhat under control. However, the battle took an unexpected turn when a colossal black shadow emerged. Tauras, thinking it was just another oversized monster, rushed forward and swung his sword, its blade enveloped in an azure aura. He had not yet recognized the true nature of this looming presence.

Tauras's sword struck the colossal monster but was met with resistance as it blocked the blow with its hand. Although the attack managed to make a small cut on the troll's hand, it was far from lethal. Tauras couldn't hide his shock and immediately voiced his astonishment.

"What? My sword was covered in aura, and it still made only a shallow cut. It felt like I had hit steel or something," he exclaimed.

However, the true nature of the formidable opponent was revealed when a beam of light illuminated the area, allowing everyone present to see the monstrosity before them.

"Troll—TROLL?" The collective cry of astonishment rang out as the knights were taken aback by the creature's appearance.

"What is a troll doing here?" one knight exclaimed, his voice quivering.

"We can't defeat a troll that big!" another knight screamed, his fear palpable.

"Even a normal troll would require a 5-star knight to defeat after a lengthy battle, and a troll of this size can't be defeated by even a 5-star knight," a more knowledgeable knight shouted, attempting to provide some context about trolls.

"Even though I don't want to admit it, what he's saying is correct. Although I haven't fought a troll before, I have seen the corpse of the troll defeated by Karl, the 5-star knight who is ranked 89th in the aura knights ranking of the 7 empires. It was only half the size of this one." Tauras couldn't help but recall the size of that troll's corpse when it had been sold in Antinia City.

This troll was twice the size of that one, measuring between 9 to 10 meters. It was an absolute behemoth in comparison.

Tauras knew he couldn't afford to let the knights panic; it would only lead to their downfall at the hands of the monster. He shouted out his plan to reassure them.

"Don't be afraid! Lord Nadino is on his way. He will take care of this bastard. All of you, focus on clearing the other monsters while I distract its attention."

With the plan explained, Tauras charged once more toward the troll, leaping into the air to deliver a powerful aura-infused strike. He aimed to strike the same wound he had created earlier, but to his shock, the wound had vanished as if it had never existed. Tauras was reminded of the troll's monstrous regeneration ability.

The troll, unfazed by Tauras's attack, effortlessly caught the knight and swung him toward the ground like a mere insect. Tauras went hurtling toward the earth, unable to resist the troll's incredible strength.

Tauras struggled to rise, his body feeling like a sack of broken bones. The troll approached him with heavy, thunderous steps, each one echoing in his ears. Fear gripped him as he tried to get up, knowing that he would meet a grisly end if he couldn't move in time.

His attempts to rise were futile, though, as the previous impact had shattered his body. The troll continued its relentless approach, and Tauras could see no way out. He felt his fear intensifying with every passing second as he lay defenseless before the colossal creature.

In his desperation, Tauras knew that he was on the brink of death. The troll lifted one massive leg, its intention clear: to squash him like a bug. The looming foot grew larger and larger in Tauras's vision, and he closed his eyes, resigned to his fate.

"Looks like this is it," Tauras thought as he awaited his impending demise. But to his astonishment, he heard a loud sound, resembling steel striking iron. Confused, he opened his eyes and found himself lying on the ground, staring up at the night sky.

Struggling to sit up with his battered body, Tauras took in the scene before him. There was a man with gray hair and a colossal broadsword in his hand, its aura overflowing. The man wore white leather combat clothes and had a red cape billowing behind him. The troll lay on its hips, as if it had been pushed or knocked down.

The man turned to Tauras and inquired, "Are you alright, Captain? Good job in controlling the situation until I arrived. Now, rest and let me take care of this troll bastard."

This man was none other than Count Nadino, a 5-star aura knight. When he had arrived at the scene, he saw the troll advancing menacingly toward Tauras, who had been struggling to get to his feet. The count had rushed at top speed and intervened at the last possible moment, sending the troll sprawling and saving the captain from certain death.

"Come, Sir Tauras. I will take you out of the fighting area," a man offered, reaching down to assist the wounded knight.

"Thank you, Young Master Valark," Tauras replied, recognizing Count Nadino's son and successor, Valark Nadino. Valark helped Tauras to his feet, offering much-needed support.

As Valark prepared to leave the tent and return to the battlefield, he turned back to Tauras with a parting question. "Sir Captain, where is your vice-captain? I didn't see him anywhere on the battlefield."

Tauras pondered for a moment and then replied, "Um... Young Master, now that you mention it, I haven't seen him since he left the main tent after our meeting." His words were tinged with a hint of uncertainty, as he hadn't paid much attention to Adrian's absence amid the chaos of battle.

Valark immediately jumped to a conclusion. "He must have succumbed to his fear of the monsters, being just a kid, and ran away," he stated firmly, as if it were an undeniable fact.

Tauras, however, defended his vice-captain. "No, Young Master. I am certain that Sir Adrian has a valid reason for not being here. I have witnessed his combat skills, and I can assure you that he is not weaker than me."

Valark nodded reluctantly. "Very well, Sir Captain. Let's discuss what to do about that young man once this mission is over. You rest here, and I will deal with these beasts," he said before departing from the tent.