Chapter 84

Chapter 84. So This Can Become a Contest of Strength

“You were not? Then why did you come all the way here so dangerously? There is no reason for you to break through all these monsters and come this far alone.”

“Ah, that was to take down the leader...”

“What? Then I was right, was I not? But why did you say no... Ah! I understand now! You came here to monopolize those Trolls by yourself!”

At Oskal’s words, the Mages beside him let out low exclamations of admiration. Soon, their eyes were filled with awe. It was because they thought Balun’s courage was extraordinary.

They knew that Barbarians were brave. However, even among Barbarians, almost no one would throw himself alone against as many as five Trolls. No matter how brave they were, they were still human in the end.

Yet this Barbarian had bravely stepped forward despite that, and alone at that. There were countless monsters besides those Trolls too.

Balun read those gazes. For some reason, he felt a sense of crisis and desperately made an excuse.

“No. That is not it. I only came to retrieve my axe. Truly.”

“Good. After you retrieve your axe, let us fight together! I know your skill, Balun-nim, but it will still be dangerous.”

“That will not do.”

“Balun-nim.”

Oskal’s voice dropped low, yet remained gentle.

“I understand that you wish to monopolize those Trolls, Balun-nim, but we also have our own position to consider. Since we have come this far, if we withdraw now, the Red Tower’s dignity will not stand. I trust you understand what I mean.”

At Oskal’s quiet admonishment, Balun scratched his head. The more he spoke, the more he felt as if he were sinking into a swamp of misunderstanding. Even though he had definitely only told the truth.

‘No. I cannot. What do you mean, fight together? I was planning to run.’

Balun was about to say that out loud, then stopped. He simply could not bring himself to say those words.

If he had not signed a contract, he could have shamelessly run away with a who-cares attitude, but how could he disgracefully flee after signing a contract?

Of course, if things truly went wrong, Balun was confident he could ignore even that contract and run, but the problem was that too many people were watching. Not only the Knights who had approached at some point, but all the soldiers on the city wall were looking this way too.

Balun turned his head and looked at the city wall behind him. On top of the watchtower, he could faintly see a soldier looking this way through something like a telescope. It was the very watchtower where Balun had been standing.

‘Sigh. My luck is truly rotten. What kind of timing is this?’

Balun let out a small sigh and nodded. It seemed there was no hole for him to slip through.

“Fine. I will allow it. We will fight together.”

“Ha ha. I knew you would allow it! Balun-nim, unlike other Barbarians, you are flexible, which is truly nice!”

‘Since it has come to this, I will safely ride along from the back.’

If the best option had gone under, then naturally one had to choose the next best option.

In Balun’s eyes, the next best option in this situation seemed to be joining these Mages and doing his part safely and slyly.

‘Still, it will be much better than doing it alone. They are Mages of the Red Tower, after all. Besides, there are Knights too.’

The fact that they had run here meant they had that much confidence.

He would just see how well they fought.

Balun was standing there blankly with that thought when Oskal tapped him on the shoulder.

“Balun-nim. What are you doing?”

“I was waiting for you to move out.”

“What are you talking about? We can move only after you step forward, Balun-nim.”

‘Excuse me?’

Why did it become like that?

“While we cast our magic, please step forward first and draw the Trolls’ attention for us. If you do just that, we will provide you with blazing fire support from behind.”

“What?”

Balun asked back, dumbfounded.

So, in other words, he had to act as a meat shield in front?

He had to charge at those five monsters that looked nearly four meters tall? And in the meantime, they would just fire magic from behind?

However, the Mages interpreted Balun’s dissatisfaction differently.

“We know you are dissatisfied. You must wish to have a larger share of the credit, Balun-nim. But this is all for safety. Is it not more important to reliably defeat the enemy and protect the citizens’ safety than military merit?”

“How long does it take to cast the magic?”

“To reliably take down those Trolls, it will take quite some time. As you know, a Troll’s hide is tough, so low-tier magical attacks do not work very well. We have to strike them with rather heavy magic for it to be effective.”

“I asked how long it takes.”

“Hmm. I think it will take at least about five minutes.”

“If that is the case, why did you not just shoot from the back? There is no point in coming forward.”

“We would like to do that as well, but magic has an effective range too. This distance is the optimal range to take the Trolls’ lives.”

“I see.”

Balun chuckled. How could he not laugh? When he imagined himself performing a ridiculous struggle among those monsters for over five minutes, laughter was all that came out.

“As expected. I knew you would be confident. That is why I trust you, Balun-nim. Of course, it has not been long since I came to know you.”

“I am not confident. I am devastated.”

“You are good at joking too.”

At that moment, the ground thudded. It was the sound of the Trolls approaching this way, and it seemed they had finally discovered the humans.

“They are coming.”

“Everyone, prepare for battle.”

The Mages gripped their staffs with stiff expressions, and the Knights also raised their swords and shields as they slowly advanced.

Balun slung Black Moon on his back and walked forward awkwardly with only the Crimson Moon he had picked up dangling in his hand, thinking,

‘Fine. Damn it, let us hold out for five minutes. If I just suffer through that, they will kill them on their own. They are the great and mighty Mages, after all.’

***

Trolls were famous for their tremendous regenerative power, but if one experienced them directly, the weapon just as powerful as that regeneration was their tough hide.

A Troll’s hide was tough and thick, so even arrows, let alone swords, did not work well against it. They could pierce it, but it was difficult to inflict a meaningful wound.

That was why one had to aim for vital points when facing a Troll. Since Balun knew that, he had killed the last Troll by cutting off its neck.

It would be nice if he could do that again this time, but the problem was that there were five Trolls.

Even if he dealt with one, four others would be watching with their eyes wide open. When would he climb up and cut the neck of a creature far taller than himself?

If he even made the attempt, they would stride over with their vastly superior steps, grab him by the nape of the neck, and split him into two pieces of hu/man right then and there.

For that reason, Balun boldly gave up on the tactic he had used last time—climbing up and hacking at the neck. It had been a fairly efficient tactic, but this time, there would not be the slightest situation where it could be used.

‘Ugh. I have no choice but to suffer a bit.’

Balun tied Crimson Moon securely to the right side of his belt and took out Black Moon. The two small axes cried out as if whining for him to use them too, but now was the time for the large two-handed axe to shine.

Grrr—

THUD!

THUD!

They were approaching. Their gazes were not directed at him, but slightly diagonally past him.

‘They are aiming for the Mages.’

They knew too. They knew who the enemies threatening their lives were. They knew who was giving off the most unusual power.

Mana was slowly rising.

The Trolls had clearly sensed it instinctively.

“Phew.”

Balun took repeated deep breaths. Even with the repeated motions of inhaling and exhaling, the violently pounding beat of his heart did not slow in the slightest. Balun knew that too, but it did not matter. At least the fear slowly rising within him had somewhat stopped.

“You Trolls! Look at me! There is a Knight here to face you! I, Sir Poltren of the Zadar Family!”

“I am of the Bihachi Family...!”

At that moment, the Knights suddenly began introducing themselves out of nowhere. The Trolls, who had been approaching with thudding steps, lowered their heads to look down, then fixed their gazes back on the Mages. Their steps did not stop.

Seeing that, Balun laughed in disbelief.

Why were they suddenly introducing themselves?

‘Do these bastards think real combat is easy?’

He knew why they were doing it. They were probably trying to draw the Trolls’ attention.

Yes. He understood the purpose, but the method was wrong.

That was not how one drew aggro.

The voice had to be loud, the words short. The expression had to be threatening.

‘Hooop.’

“Hey! You monster bastards!”

Balun’s thunderous voice spread in every direction. His voice was so loud that the Mages, who had been chanting spells with half-closed eyes, flinched in surprise.

“Look at me! Raaah!!!”

As he shouted almost like a roar and strongly revealed his presence, the Trolls finally looked at Balun. Perhaps it had been effective, because they stared at Balun for quite a while.

THUD!

Balun did not stop there and stamped his foot, causing the ground to tremble. As the earth shook, the Trolls staggered slightly. Only after experiencing that did they turn toward Balun.

The Trolls’ eyes narrowed. The bumpy space between their brows became filled with wrinkles. It was as if they felt anger toward the insignificant creature that had confused them.

Watching their furious expressions, Balun ran. The Trolls, who had been walking slowly, increased their speed. Then one bent at the waist and extended its fist. Balun did not dodge.

“No!”

“Dodge, Barbarian!”

Ignoring the Knights’ screams with one ear, Balun brought Black Moon forward. In that instant, the muscles in Balun’s arms swelled like balloons.

BULGE!

THOOONG!

Balun’s two legs, firmly planted on the ground, slid backward by about one meter. Then surprise spread among the Knights. Even a sword imbued with Aura could not withstand that force, yet he had blocked it with simple strength?

“Insane.”

“He blocked that?”

The Troll flinched. Then it blinked. It looked as if it could not believe what had happened. Its attack had been blocked by something as insignificant as this?

Soon, its confusion turned into anger. The Troll let out a roar and extended its left fist as well.

Graaaah!

THOOONG!

The Troll stamped its feet against the ground. It was thoroughly enraged. By contrast, Balun grinned.

‘So this can become a contest of strength.’

Balun felt a sense of wonder. Perhaps he might be the first in the world. A human who could endure a contest of strength with a Troll, that was.

If he could manage this much even without his Awakened State, then if he used Awakening as well, he might even win in a contest of strength against a Troll.

Of course, that did not mean he truly intended to engage in a contest of raw strength.

Confirming whether a contest of strength was possible. That was Balun’s only goal.

If a contest of strength was possible, then the number of methods he could use would increase significantly.

CLANG!

Balun shoved in his strength with all his might, knocked away the Troll’s fist, and nimbly spun his body to the side while cutting its leg.

SLASH!

SPLURT!

The Troll’s leg was cut about halfway through, and blood surged out.

Graaaah!

The Troll staggered in pain for an instant.

Balun spun a full 360 degrees and cut the same spot once more. The wound in the leg opened wider, and the Troll lost its balance and fell. Coincidentally, it fell in the direction of the other Trolls approaching Balun.

THUUUD!

Graaargh!

Dust spread, mixed with the Trolls’ screams. The Trolls struggled and could not quickly get back up. Because their bodies were so large and heavy, it took time for them to stand.

“You gave it a proper blow, Barbarian!”

“Now is the time. Let us go, comrades!”

“We cannot lose to a savage!”

The Knights charged forward with their swords and shields raised, as if they had seized an opportunity. Some of them gave Balun a thumbs-up in awe, but the rest looked at him with clear jealousy.

They were probably jealous because they thought he was earning credit.

Balun’s mouth twisted. He was dying because he did not want to do this, and what? They could not lose to a savage?

‘No, then why do you not rush in first? You were only introducing yourself in half-hearted voices from the back and staring, so what are you saying now?’

Balun desperately suppressed the urge to strike their Adam’s apples with the edge of his hand and put strength into his entire body. Fortunately, thanks to the Trolls all having fallen, an opportunity to deliver a single blow had arrived.

‘If I do this well now, I may be able to end one of them.’

He gathered his strength. He used Enhancement Art to the limit. However, he did not enter his Awakened State. That was like insurance in case something happened.

The Mana dwelling in his bones and muscles gathered and gathered again, condensing to the utmost degree. As he continued gathering his strength, the Mana began to writhe as if it wanted to escape immediately.

To Balun, that was transmitted as a ticklish feeling throughout his entire body. When that ticklish feeling spread evenly through every part of him, that was the time to deliver the strike.

‘Now.’

Balun swung his axe.

VMMMM!

Black Moon vibrated clearly as it aimed for the Troll’s neck.

BOOOOM!

With a tremendous explosive roar, the necks of two Trolls burst like watermelons at the same time.

“I-Insane!”

“What is that!”

Everyone who saw it had eyes as wide as brass bells.

What kind of power was that?