In an instant, Rylan evaluated the other party. The speaker was a man of average height and build, wearing light leather armor and a cloak. There was no hood to hide his face or unusual clothing, which actually made him appear inconspicuous. Above all, it was a face that Rylan recognized.

He resisted the urge to smile. As expected, Evenon wasn’t willing for him to return from the quest. The subordinate glanced at the soldiers, who had turned towards him. Rylan waved his hand and spoke.

“Go towards the east entrance. I’ll join you shortly.”

The soldiers glanced at one another, but it wasn’t their place to question orders. They simply nodded and continued walking. Sarah looked at him for a few seconds. He nodded at her, making her follow the soldiers. Once they were some distance away, Evenon’s messenger smiled and rubbed his hands.

“I’m sorry for approaching you like this, Master Rylan. I’m here to notify you that the Boss would like to speak to you.”

“What about?”

“I don’t know, unfortunately.”

Rylan remembered something that Evenon had once told him.

His men only know as much as they need to.

He clicked his tongue. In the end, he would need to deal with Evenon directly. That was fine; he had readied himself for this. Trying his best to mimic his past self’s tone and word choice, he replied.

“Sure, but I need to finish this quest first. My old man isn’t giving me much breathing room. Wait for me by the city’s east entrance. I’ll go to him right after I’m done.”

“Master, the Boss really wanted to talk to you before you set off.”

Rylan tilted his head. All light had left his eyes.

“And?”

The man blinked. Then, he merely lowered his head.

“…I’ll wait by the east entrance.”

Rylan’s acting had been effective. It didn’t take much to remind the messenger of who exactly Rylan Flameheart used to be or, more accurately, who he was still believed to be.

“Good.”

As he walked off with his back facing the messenger, the light returned to his eyes.

Two trolls. Then, Evenon.

His course of action was clear.

He sped up his steps, acting as if he were clumsily trying to catch up with the soldiers. Once he guessed that the messenger was no longer looking at him, his walk regained its stability. It was uncomfortable to intentionally move inefficiently. It was something that went against Roland’s instincts. However, it was best to act weak for now, at least until he got the staff back from Evenon.

Naturally, he was taking full advantage of the fact that Evenon was likely to make up his own justifications for Rylan’s actions. No matter how convoluted the explanation, it would make more sense than accepting that Rylan had changed. Even if the man heard about today’s quest, there was virtually zero chance that he would believe Rylan had faced down trolls, with or without assistance.

Evenon was the one who had become most familiar with Rylan’s past self. Now, this was used against him.

Soon, Rylan caught up to Jack and the others. They made space for him in the middle of the group, next to Sarah. None of them asked him about what had happened. Together, they reached the city’s east entrance after walking for some time. The road gave way to a large gateway with Mages on both sides. They glanced at Rylan’s party before looking away, looking uninterested and bored.

Beyond, Rylan could see the woods on both sides of the path towards the nearby town. Dozens of people walked on the path, either alone or in groups. Commoners and adventurers were mixed together. The hopeful glint in their eyes was the same. It didn’t matter if they were heading out to complete a quest or arriving in Cantavega in search of a better life.

Rylan pointed at the woods on the path’s left side.

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“The two trolls were last sighted two kilometers in that direction. The quest giver needs the eyes, heart, and bone marrow for their alchemy. Thankfully, harvesting is being left to another team. We’re here just for extermination. This will be a good experience for all of us. Let’s go.”

The soldiers nodded, a few of them looking more sure of themselves than the others. Daniel and Raniel shifted uncomfortably while Scott smiled. Jack appeared to be deep in thought. He waited a bit for them to collect themselves and then started walking. The group followed him. As they walked, the gazes of numerous people fell on them, but Rylan didn’t bother to pay attention to their expressions. It would be just more of the same.

The party followed the path for a bit, then entered the woods. In the shade of the canopies, they walked to their destination. There was no need to run and tire themselves out; the enemies would demand their full abilities.

Rylan watched as the green leaves fell and drifted in the wind. The atmosphere was peaceful. The sounds of birds chirping could be heard. That serenity was marred by a snarl. His gaze zeroed in on the figure of three small, green creatures around ten meters in front of the group, sitting by a large tree.

Goblins.

True to their characteristics and fast breeding, the monsters could be found even here, so close to the path and city. Rylan unsheathed his sword at the same time that the goblins turned towards him. They screamed, grabbing the thick branches on the ground and rising to their feet. They ran towards him. His mana flowed throughout his body, granting it newfound power. He calmly walked closer to the three goblins.

Two of them arrived first, with the third one close behind. There was no need for special techniques; he needed only to follow his instincts. His blade cut through the air. It was as if the enemies were unable to dodge. The well-honed edge slid across the throats of the closer two goblins, and Rylan used the momentum to spin and bury the sword halfway into the neck of the third one. Blood flowed in a burst, showering the blades of grass on the ground. All three goblins had their windpipe and nearby blood vessels severed; they were dead before they hit the ground.

The battle had taken less than five seconds. The three dead goblins fell to the ground, sliding. He frowned slightly. Even though he had gotten better, his performance still fell short of Roland’s standards. This was nothing to be proud of. He heard Scott’s voice.

“Unbelievable.”

He waved his hand dismissively.

“They’re just goblins.”

“Killing three goblins without using magic in such a short amount of time… I’ve never heard of anything like it, master.”

Rylan scoffed.

“Focus your energy on coming up with a plan for the trolls. We’re getting closer.”

“Of course.”

They continued walking. Rylan paid attention to his surroundings while also listening to the soldiers’ conversation about possible plans. He offered a few pointers, but mostly let the soldiers come up with the tactics by themselves. He couldn’t hold their hand forever. Soon, they arrived in front of a big tree. Large claw marks could be seen on the trunk. Jack spoke.

“Those are troll marks, young master. We’ve arrived.”

Rylan nodded.

“Stay sharp, now.”

An ambush would put them in a disadvantageous position. He had made sure they hadn’t been followed by humans or other creatures, while the trolls should be too large to ambush them, but there was no harm in being careful. They slowed down their pace a bit as Rylan scanned the woods. More marks became visible the deeper they went. A few of the smaller trees had even been toppled.

Their physical strength is remarkable.

Even though that didn’t directly translate into fighting prowess, it was a good parameter. There was no need to face the creatures’ attacks head-on; avoiding everything and aiming for the gaps would be an effective strategy. Of course, the possibility that the enemies could be faster than expected existed.

It was then. Rylan raised his hand, making the soldiers stop.

Heavy steps.

His improved hearing picked up on the sound. He looked in its general direction, attempting to find the source. The shifting figure of a large brown creature came into view. As William had told him, it was taller than two and a half meters and possessed a burly frame. The brownish skin was bumpy and looked more like hide. The two hands ended in sharp claws, while the creature’s mouth was adorned with large, dagger-like fangs. The sharp canines could be seen even at this distance. Its eyes were rather large with yellow irises. Despite its animalistic features, the creature was humanoid.

He analyzed its large, seemingly powerful muscles in an instant, using Roland’s insight to try and get a solid grasp of the enemy’s capabilities. He watched the way they contracted as the creature trudged on.

It would be over if any of the soldiers got hit by it.

The group didn’t have his mana circulation method. They were ordinary, albeit decently trained, humans. Something like the troll was sure to injure them severely or kill them outright if it landed an attack. However, its slow, unsteady walk seemed to be indicative of a lack of speed.

The soldiers might be able to take it on if they play their cards right and fight together.

Still, it would be better for him to discover more about the enemy. The second troll was also nowhere to be found. Without turning around, keeping his eyes on the troll, Rylan spoke.

“I’ll fight it for a bit to get a feel for what it can do. After that, you guys are up. I’ll be watching you closely, so fight without worrying.”

The soldiers nodded. Even though they had looked unsure on the way, they were now all focused on the enemy, especially Jack. He had his hand on his sword’s hilt, his eyes brimming with decisiveness. It was as if he were trying to prove that Rylan was right about his potential. Rylan grinned, unsheathing his sword.

“Sarah, keep guarding them while I fight.”

He picked up a small rock, took aim, and threw it. It landed square on the creature’s head. It snapped towards him, baring its teeth. Its walk turned into a slow, heavy sprint. The ground vibrated with every step as the shrubbery on its way was destroyed. The soldiers flinched at the sight of the charging troll, but Rylan was calm. Roland had faced far bigger, greater enemies in his life.

“Now, let’s see what trolls are all about.”