Chapter 29: Troll Shaman (I)

Purphoros, ever the optimist, groaned loudly. "Great, more giant, smelly monsters. And the matriarch too? This is going to be fun." His voice was sarcastic, but his hand still tightened around the hilt of his sword, ready for the inevitable clash.

Odin shot him a sidelong glance, his expression serious. "She might be a Field-Boss, so don't be too arrogant, kid. Shield up—" Odin's words trailed off as his sharp instincts kicked in.

Thwip. Thwip.

Two arrows sliced through the air, their fletching barely visible against the darkened backdrop of the forest. Purphoros caught mid-smirk and didn't have time to react. But Odin, already on high alert, moved with blinding speed.

"Shield up! Now!"

Purphoros barely had time to process Odin's command before he instinctively raised his shield. The heavy wooden shield thudded loudly as the first arrow lodged into its surface, inches away from his face. The second arrow glanced off the edge, ricocheting harmlessly into the trees.

"What the hell? Archers?" Purphoros exclaimed, lowering his shield slightly, eyes scanning the treeline.

Elyse, her face tense, quickly summoned a glowing barrier of flame around the group. "Since when do trolls use bows?"

Odin's eyes narrowed as he searched for the source of the arrows. "They don't." He paused, his gaze shifting to the shadows of the trees ahead. "Which means we're not just dealing with trolls."

Malfurion gripped his staff tightly, glancing around nervously. "Then what else is out there?"

'A fuck ton of goblins. Heh, it explains why this region turned into a Monster Wave Event.

'God, there are also lots of goblins along with the Trolls. Now, I regret not waiting for Mi-Jung, but what can I do…'

'Maybe I get a Goblin Slayer or Troll Slayer for all the kills.'

"Goblins."

"Looks like a bunch of them. Stay sharp. They're weak, but there are too many for us to get careless."

The goblins that ambushed Odin and his team were as grotesque as they were cunning, emerging from the thick underbrush of the Wyrnwoods like predators slinking out of hiding.

Standing barely one meter tall, they appeared small and frail compared to the hulking ogres Odin had just slain, but their twisted features and wiry movements revealed a different kind of menace.

The goblins wasted no time launching their assault, a volley of arrows whistling through the air, fired from the shadows of the dense forest of Wyrnwoods.

Their aim was chaotic but similarly lethal—the sharp, jagged points of their crude arrows speeding toward Odin's team with deadly intent.

The sudden attack caught the group momentarily off guard as they scrambled to respond.

"Incoming!" Purphoros shouted, reacting instantly to Odin's inputs.

He raised his heavy shield, a broad, reinforced slab of metal and wood, just as the first wave of arrows closed in.

~Thud. Thud. Thud.

Several arrows slammed into the shield's surface, their crude tips splintering against the sturdy defense. He could feel the force of each impact in his arm, but the shield held firm, protecting him and Elyse from the barrage.

"Stay behind me!" he called out to her, executing his role as a Tank at textbook, showing his confidence.

He took a few steps forward, his shield held at an angle to deflect the arrows still flying toward them. Each strike reverberated through the shield, but Purphoros stood his ground, bracing against the onslaught.

"They are barely tickling me, stupid goblins. I'll kill you as I've done with the goblins in the Elwynn Forests. Bashing your heads in the ground!"

"Cover me, Purpho, if I get hit my casting will be interrupted."

Elyse ducked behind him, her face tight with concentration as she prepared her counterattack. Her hands were already glowing with a faint orange light, the prelude to her fire magic. She muttered under her breath, frustration creeping into her voice. "These little pests…"

Meanwhile, even though Odin had his Blade Dash and Terra's Resilience on cooldown, moved with such ease toward the goblins that it could make any inspiring Blademaster's boil in jealousy.

His instincts were high on alert, and his crimson eyes narrowed as he tracked the arrows hurtling toward him. The trajectory of the arrows was previewed before his eyes, making it seem like a future sight of sorts.

In a fluid motion, he raised his sword and activated 'Stalwart Parry,' his blade flashing in the dim light as he deflected one arrow after another with pinpoint accuracy.

Clang! Clang!

Each deflection rang like a bell, the blade moving of its own accord.

Odin's movements were almost supernatural in speed and efficiency, the Soulrend Blade blurring in the air as he effortlessly parried the incoming arrows.

His focus was unshakable, his expression calm. After all, what would you expect from a Satisfy World Veteran who has been put in close encounters with High-Level Demons that could kill even a Golden-named NPC?

Even now, the failed raid against the 9th-ranked Archdemon, Haborym, sealed by the Legendary Sword Saint, Muller, inside the depths of a cavern in the Cogro Island, was irking him at times,

Those Goblins were nothing but muppets with predictable attack patterns. Sure, calculating accurately the trajectory of arrows was a challenging task, but after you survived countless battles where your enemy fires waves of arrows at you, you'll get adjusted to the chaos.

Your battle senses will hone to such hellish experiences.

'Ahh, I got a good deflection. Caught you, green rat.'

As he deflected one arrow, it ricocheted back toward the goblins, catching one of them off guard.

The crude shaft pierced the goblin's shoulder, eliciting a high-pitched shriek of pain.

[ You have dealt 1,527 damage to the target.]

Another goblin was struck in the leg by a deflected arrow, toppling to the ground with a yelp, its eyes wide with shock as it clutched the wound.

[ You have dealt 2,127 damage to the target.]

Two goblins staggered back, caught off guard by the unexpected retaliation.

Their chaotic, frantic nature had left them vulnerable, and Odin was taking full advantage.

His blade moved like a living extension of himself, reflecting the arrows with such precision that they bounced back into the goblins' ranks, inflicting damage on the creatures that had fired them.

Malfurion, standing slightly behind the others, watched in awe at Odin's display of mastery, his staff gripped tightly in his hands. "Unbelievable..."

While Odin was reading on facing three Goblins alone, from the tall foliage of the Wyrnwoods, three more goblins broke from the cover, darting between the trees with surprising agility.

One of them, emboldened by the chaos, tried to sneak around the side of the group, hoping to ambush Elyse. Its ugly, crooked grin showed its intent as it slunk low to the ground, daggers drawn.

But Malfurion's sharp eyes caught the movement. His staff glowed with a soft, verdant light as he muttered the incantation for Entangling Roots.

In an instant, thick vines erupted from the earth, wrapping around the goblin's legs and halting its approach. The creature struggled and hissed, but it was too late. The roots held fast, trapping it in place.

"I've got this one!" Elyse shouted, her hands alight with fiery mana.

She channelled her mana, the air around her crackling with heat as she formed a swirling orb of flame between her palms. With a flourish, she released the Fireball, sending it hurtling toward the trapped goblin.

The explosion was deafening. Flames engulfed the goblin, searing its flesh as it let out a blood-curdling scream. Its Health Gauge plummeted, but it wasn't finished yet. Even while burning, the goblin writhed in pain, trying desperately to free itself from the vines.

Before the roots could recede, Odin appeared in a motion blur beside the flaming goblin.

"Why struggle? Know your fate already, vermin."

His sword moved with lethal precision, striking three quick blows that cut deep into the creature's flesh.

With a fluid motion, Odin followed up with Precision Thrust, driving the blade straight through the goblin's chest.

[ You have dealt 4,127 damage to the target.]

The creature choked, its health dropping dangerously low, but Odin wasn't finished.

He unleashed Rapid Assault, a flurry of four rapid strikes that left the goblin a lifeless heap, its body crumpling to the ground.

[ You have dealt 6,722 damage to the target.]

"One down," Odin said coldly, yanking his blade free from the creature's body.

[You have slain the Goblin(Normal))', gaining the following rewards: 15,500 EXP, Goblin's Ear (Common) ×2, Goblin's Leather Scrap (Common) ×3, Goblin's Poisoned Blade (Rare), 35 Silver Coins ]

Meanwhile, Purphoros had his hands full of goblins attacking him with their poisonous daggers. He grunted as he stepped forward, shield raised high to protect himself and Elyse from the next volley if any were in the backline. "How many of these little bastards are there?" he growled.

The goblin whose deflected arrow Odin had hit still clutched its arm, its face twisted in agony.

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It was too slow to react as Odin and Elyse turned their attention to it. Still brimming with fiery magic, Elyse conjured a smaller Flame Burst than Eve's version of the spell, sending it directly at the wounded goblin.

The explosion wasn't as grand as her Fireball, but it was enough to leave the goblin reeling. It screamed in agony, its already injured body now alight with burning mana.

The goblin staggered back, its skin blackening and curling under the intense heat, but it wasn't finished yet. Even as its Health Gauge dipped closer to zero, it clawed at the earth, trying to extinguish the fire, snarling defiantly.

Seeing the opening Elyse had created, Odin darted forward in a blur.

His Piercing Thrust came first, the tip of the Soulrend Blade spearing the goblin through its abdomen with a precision that left no room for error. The creature gurgled, blood pouring from the wound, and as Odin twisted the blade, its Health Gauge dropped even further.

Watching the monster, there wasn't much emotion in his eyes. There was some hatred in Odin's eyes that he held for the Goblin Race because one of his favourite villages after Gravelmark got raided by one of those vermin, resulting in a lot of pain and sadness for those villagers.

"You filth... You always crawl out from your holes, thinking you can take what isn't yours."

The follow-up was swift. Two rapid, calculated sword strikes containing only basic attacks but a powerful force that sliced across the goblin's chest, widening the gash and ensuring its end. It staggered on its feet, barely standing, as Odin raised his sword for one final blow.

"There's no mercy for your kind," Odin said, his voice low and cold.

Odin unleashed Mighty Strike with a powerful swing, cleaving through the goblin's midsection with a thunderous impact.

The blow was so strong it nearly severed the creature in two. It felt like Odin bisected this monster on purpose to get some revenge.

The goblin let out one last shriek before collapsing, blood pooling beneath its limp body as the light in its eyes faded away

[You have slain the Goblin (Normal), gaining the following rewards: 15,500 EXP, Goblin's Ear (Common) ×2, Goblin's Leather Scrap (Common) ×1, Goblin's Leather Armor (Uncommon) ×1, 35 Silver Coins]

'Only junk, but the EXP is welcomed. If there is at least a couple of Enhancement Stones dropping, it would be all worthed.'

Elyse, her eyes wide in admiration, watched as Odin wiped the blood from his blade.

She was about to comment on his flawless execution when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement, the third goblin, driven by blind rage and desperation, leapt at her with its poison-coated dagger.

"Pathetic."

She scoffed, her mana already surging. Before the goblin could even come close, Elyse cast Fire Wall, an eruption of flames that shot up between her and the charging monster.

"You really think you stand a chance?"

The goblin screamed in pain as the fire seared its skin, but it pressed on, its dagger raised high, determined to take the fire mage down.

Elyse's expression darkened. "Persistent little beast, aren't you?"

Her Fire Blast cooldown had just ended, and she wasted no time in summoning another surge of flames in her hand.

She hurled the Fire Blast at the goblin, the magic slamming into its chest, sending it stumbling back. Its Health Gauge took a severe hit, but still, it pushed through, teeth bared and eyes wild with hatred.

But before the goblin could even reach her, a dark, crescent-shaped arc of shadowy light flew through the air, hitting the creature square in the back with devastating force. It was Odin's Soul Slash.

The impact knocked the goblin off its feet, and as it crumpled to the ground, the dark energy from the slash began seeping into its wound, triggering a Bleed Effect.

[You have dealt 6,532 DMG to the target.]

[Bleed Effect Applied: Target loses 350 HP per second for 20 seconds.]

Tendrils of dark energy coiled around the gash, draining the goblin's remaining life force. It howled in agony, its movements growing sluggish as the effect gnawed away at its health, dropping its gauge steadily.

"Nice save," Elyse remarked, sparing Odin a quick glance as she watched the goblin writhe in the dirt, unable to escape its fate.

Odin didn't reply, his eyes fixed on the dying creature.

The goblin stumbled forward, its legs giving out beneath it as the Bleed continued to drain its strength. It let out one last pitiful groan before collapsing to its knees, then to the ground, its body disintegrating into ash as the dark energy consumed it completely.

[You have slain the Goblin (Normal), gaining the following rewards: 15,500 EXP, Goblin's Ear (Common) ×2, Goblin's Leather Scrap (Common) ×1, Goblin's Leather Armor (Uncommon) ×1, 52 Silver Coins]

"You didn't leave much for me, did you? Not that I'm complaining."

"I don't intend, when opportunity arises, I'll kill them myself. Goblins are like weeds. Cut one down, and another will take its place."

"Yeah, I guess. But this is why you got yourself a Fire Mage, to burn them all down. No more goblins in this region."

"If this is what you want to believe, sure."

After Odin and Elyse killed three goblins, only three remained. They were fighting against Purphoros as he taunted them, keeping their aggro on him.

Purphoros gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead as he continued parrying and blocking the relentless blows from the three goblins who had locked their focus on him.

Their small, crude blades clanged against his shield, the strikes relentless but lacking in real threat. He could handle goblins any day. It was just a matter of time, a slow, tedious time.

With a grunt, he swung his sword in a wide arc, the blade biting into the goblin closest to him.

'Worth all the money. Haha, doing damage in thousands is always the best.'

Purphoros was satisfied with his performance, he was the type of guy who wanted to do DMG, and by a switch of fates, after encountering Odin in his first day inside Satisfy World, he was 'forced' to play a Tank role.

Heck, even his Stats were distributed according to Odin's suggestion. Of course, everything was done by his own accord, no one technically 'forced' him, but Purphoros understood that Odin knew this game better than his older brother, who invited him inside the Leviathan Guild.

Slashing at the goblin, the creature shrieked, backing off just slightly, but the others continued their assault.

Purphoros allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction before his peripheral vision caught something that made his blood run cold.

Six trolls charged through the underbrush, their hulking frames barely visible until they were right upon him. They thundered through the forest, their massive forms shaking the ground as they moved. His heart dropped as he cursed under his breath.

"Perfect. There's more of them…" Purphoros groaned, raising his shield to block another incoming goblin strike.

As the trolls grew closer, he shouted over his shoulder to Elyse, his voice tinged with frustration. "Hey, Elyse! Can't you pull off that Molten Shield thing? Like Miss Eve did yesterday?"

Elyse, who had been preparing another spell, glanced at him with an exasperated look. "I wish I had half of Eve's skills! So no, I can't help you there. Ask Malfurion for buffs or something. You've dealt with way more mobs than this before. Handle it."

Purphoros blocked another swipe, grunting as he shifted his stance. "If I die, I swear you'll be next!"

"Yeah, yeah. Focus, big guy," Elyse called back, a smirk on her lips. Instead, she focused on Odin's figure as he charged toward the Trolls.

She was trying to anticipate his moves, but she scratched her head because Odin's patterns were unconventional.

Odin noticed that Purphoros was reaching a limit in how much he could tank without reaching a red zone. It was a shift in the battle for the monsters, so he turned his attention toward the oncoming threat.

"I'll take three of them for now. It will not take much to kill them. Until then, you can manage the rest," Odin called out, his tone firm as he prepared to intercept the trolls.

"I'll try holding on here. MALFURION, the fuck you're doing dude? Give me the Heals."

"I've already put the Healing Bind on you! I can't do much more than help you directly."

Saying that, Malfurion cast two Entangling Vines on the Goblins before he transformed into a wild beast, a panther with some druidic traits on its body.

Even as the trolls charged, Odin remained calm.

Odin sidestepped with ease, the first troll lunging at him, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation.

Using 'Sovereign Insight' he peered into their Status Window and saw that they had an (S-tier) Skill/Passive called Regeneration. He knew about this skill from previous experiences, but he didn't expect a low-level monster at only 115 to be that highly rated.

It explained why the Trolls were a dangerous race to face.

He diverted some of the trolls' aggression, pulling the aggro for three Trolls away from Purphoros.

The first one to be be caught by his bait, was utilizing one of his new abilities that still made him doubtful of its abilities, the Manifestation of Wills belonging to his Legendary Stat 'Willpower'.

It was still unfamiliar, but this was an opportunity to 'safely' doing a trial-and-error over this skill.

His Willpower surged, crackling in the air as it coalesced into a nearly invisible force, and this experience felt akin to how one with Telekinetic powers would describe it.

The energy flowed from his body, concentrated into an ethereal blade, a weapon made with pure intent. The blade shot forward through the air, slicing through the throat of the charging troll as though carried by an unseen hand.

[Critical Hit.]

[You have dealt 2,532 DMG to the target.]

The troll halted mid-stride, its beady eyes widening as it clutched its throat, blood gushing from the deep wound.

'Oh my, my, this Skill is bonkers. A bit awkward for the first usage, but similar to Sovereign Insight and the Blessings, I can get used.'

'Does this make me now a psychic?'

'Nah, this feels more like that old anime of the Pops, Elfen Lied. I got invisible blades slashing necks, but not blasting ones. I might have to train myself to reach that Epic power.'

'Wait, now that I got reminded of that story, and with the Willpower abilities combined with my now red eyes. Doesn't this make me some Diclonius?'

'I doubt I can get a race change, with something like a Diclonius.'

'Well, whoever designed this Saharan Successor Class, got some problems that need to be solved with therapy.'

For a moment, the creature looked like it might collapse, its life force draining rapidly. But Odin knew better.

'It's an act. This is one of their tactics of lowering one's guard, by faking their death if they get hit in their vitals.'

He saw the telltale shimmer of Regeneration already at work, the flesh knitting together at an unnatural speed. The life-threatening wound closed right before his eyes, but the damage was done.

The aggro had shifted. The first troll's focus was now solely on Odin, its anger redirected.

His gaze shifted to the second troll, lumbering toward him with its brutish fists raised. A low growl rumbled from its throat, and Odin knew he had to act fast before they coordinated their attacks.

'Before Purphoros does any AoE Taunts, I need to get a quick hit on them.'

Bending down swiftly, he grabbed a nearby rock from the ground. His hand tightened around it, feeling the rough texture beneath his fingers. He hurled the rock at the second troll, and the projectile soared like a missile.

The rock struck its target square in the eye.

'Bullseye.'

The troll howled in pain, clutching its face as it staggered back, blinded and disoriented. It let out a guttural roar, flailing wildly, but Odin didn't stop to admire his shot. Instead, he moved his attention to the third troll, now closing in from the side, its long arms swinging in wide arcs as it barreled toward him.

Odin had something special for this one.

Reaching into his inventory, he pulled out one of Mustard's alchemical gadgets he had bought before departing to Wyrnwoods. It was a small bomb that, when detonated, would deliver a forceful explosion, releasing all the magical power imbued inside. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the bomb at the troll's feet.

The moment the bomb made contact with the ground, it detonated with a loud boom, a shockwave rippling outward. The explosion tore through the troll's leg, blowing it clean off in a shower of blood and viscera.

The creature bellowed in pain, collapsing to the ground in a heap as it tried to pull itself up on its remaining leg.

If this was another humanoid creature that didn't have such a broken passive as the Trolls, that missing limb would be a constant debuff until the fight was over or he received a High-level Priest Healing.

The troll's regenerative abilities kicked in almost immediately. Muscle and bone began to reform, tendons knitting back together at a speed that defied logic. The severed leg was already growing back, inch by inch, as the monster's body healed itself.

"Damn cockroaches," Odin muttered under his breath, readying himself to take them out by focusing fully on DPS.

***

[Willpower]

It is strong enough to distort reality. Unlocks the special stat skill 'Manifestation of Will'

* The higher the number, the higher the effect.

* Stat points can't be distributed to this stat. This stat can be risen by overcoming/resisting an debuff (abnormal state)

[Manifestation of Will]

Rating: Legendary (Weakened)

Only a transcendent being can deal with the intangible.

Distort reality with the manifestation of your solid will.

* At the current level, the willpower can only be used to attack the enemies.

* The amount of damage done by Manifestation of Will is the same as the willpower stat combined with the strength stat. It completely ignores the target's resistance and defense.

* A target with the willpower stat will ignore this attack.

Cooldown Time: 1 minute.