Chapter 108: The Lord Shows Off
The interior of Troll Valley was unexpectedly vast.
In the center of the valley flowed a gentle stream.
On both sides of the riverbanks grew lush green meadows, dotted with dense patches of reeds.
Sparse groves and thickets occasionally dotted the landscape, giving the area a peaceful, idyllic feel under the bright sunlight.
Field gazed at the valley with mixed emotions, envisioning a future where this flat land had been cultivated and transformed into fields of wheat and rice.
"A castle for the lord in the center, surrounded by a dozen small villages, with a stronghold at the valley's entrance..."
The old village chief's dreams were grand, but thinking of the dangerous creatures they had encountered along the way, he couldn't help but frown.
Crunch!
A yellowed tusk bit deeply into a bone, sucking out the marrow with a loud "slurping" sound.
The thick smell of blood ignited a deep rage in the troll's heart, its bloodshot eyes filled with hatred as it let out a low growl.
It warily watched the mountain ravine ahead, crouching slightly as its legs tensed.
Even though its wounds had healed, the troll could still feel a dull ache in its bones, the terrifying memory of its leg being shattered by a brutal strike deeply etched in its mind.
Grinding the bone into fragments between its teeth, the troll was about to enjoy the rest of its wild boar feast when a shadow suddenly fell across its face with a dull thud.
At first, the troll paid it no mind, but intense pain soon radiated from its face. Instinctively, it reached out to grab at the twisted, slimy sensation, and an indescribable terror welled up inside it.
A wave of agony swept over the troll, and faintly, it heard the sharp whistle of something cutting through the air.
Squelch!
The last sound the troll heard was the crack of its skull shattering.
"Ding! You have killed a troll. You gain 50 experience points and 1 skill point."
Lowering his staff, Matthew ignored the curious looks from the adventurers and said in a clear voice:
"Move forward!"
He wasn't here to capture trolls; that wasn't necessary. Earning money was only a means to an end—completing tasks and increasing his power were the real goals.
Alice glanced at him reflexively, nodded as if it were the most natural thing, and gestured for the group to continue moving forward.
Up ahead, Beelzebub looked nervously at the fallen troll's corpse.
The remnants of the corrosive acid from Matthew's acid arrow continued to eat away at the troll's skull, exposing the white bone underneath.
Though confident he could take down a troll quickly, Beelzebub had no certainty he could withstand one of Matthew's rapid magical attacks.
Passing adventurers saw the troll's gruesome fate, recalling the awe and mystery surrounding spellcasters.
Additionally, they had learned that this mysterious spellcaster was the leader of the group and that they were required to follow his orders.
Some felt regret, but no one dared to voice their thoughts aloud.
After demonstrating his power, Matthew took a moment to observe the others in the group and found little complaint—everyone displayed a commendable level of professionalism.
Matthew had invited the adventurers along for this mission to evaluate their growth speed.
If their progress wasn't fast enough, he'd have to figure out a way to help them improve.
Of course, Matthew wasn't planning to abandon them; he simply wanted to accelerate their development.
It might come at a cost to them, but overall, it would be beneficial.
Alice's party of adventurers was already quite strong.
Their average level had reached 5.
There were eight mid-tier professionals in the group, and Alice herself was a Level 9 Ranger.
Based on his data, Matthew knew she wasn't far from stepping into the higher tiers.
"Perhaps I can find a way to recruit her..."
As Matthew pondered, several sharp bird calls rang out from the distance.
The group halted their advance, waiting for the scouts to report back.
Alice quickly approached, not bothering to peer under Matthew's hood, and quietly reported her findings:
"We've spotted three ogres ahead; we're nearing our destination."
Rubbing his staff, Matthew glanced at his remaining 230 mana points and issued a quiet command:
"Surround them and prepare to eliminate them."
Alice glanced at Matthew in surprise but didn't question him. However, she found it odd.
Bay Village's usual approach was cautious.
When developing the Dark Forest, Bay Village had not rushed forward but instead only harvested some resources.
In skirmishes, Old Village Chief Field led by example, avoiding direct confrontations as much as possible, preferring safer methods like ranged attacks and traps.
But everything seemed to change when Bay Village's spellcasters joined the fight.
Many adventurers still found the large-scale battle against the trolls hard to believe when they recalled it.
And now, this mysterious spellcaster seemed to be no different!
"Could it be that they're especially confident in their combat abilities?"
"Or do they already know everything about the enemy and have prepared countermeasures?"
These thoughts briefly flashed through Alice's mind before she began directing the group's formation.
The scouts surrounded the battlefield as usual, preventing new enemies from sneaking in and causing unforeseen incidents.
The rangers formed the second layer of defense, ready to assist if the melee fighters struggled.
In case of any unexpected intrusions, they would act as the primary delay force.
The remaining 20 or so melee professionals closed in on the ogres.
The battle-hardened adult ogres sensed something amiss and let out angry roars, asserting their strength and territory.
Unfortunately, they had chosen the wrong opponents this time!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
More than a dozen crossbow bolts shot toward the ogres, who had no experience dealing with such attacks.
One ogre was immediately struck in the chest by three bolts, collapsing with a pained howl.
As it fell, a glowing magic missile streaked through the air, striking it square in the head.
Splat!
The ogre's head exploded in an instant!
Blood and flesh splattered everywhere!
The remaining two ogres screamed in agony.
Despite their severe injuries, their battle-hardened spirits remained unbroken.
Rather than flee, they charged toward the source of the crossbow fire.
Matthew, who had just gained another wave of experience points, did not rush to attack.
He signaled the soldiers to cease their crossbow fire and instructed Beelzebub to lead the charge.
Matthew wanted to gauge the ogres' melee capabilities, gather detailed information, and develop better strategies for the upcoming fights.
Beelzebub engaged one of the ogres, swinging his massive axe to meet the ogre's thick wooden club head-on.
Bang!
Beelzebub was forced back two steps, his feet digging deep grooves into the ground, while the ogre stumbled and fell, its club chopped in half.
Though they both possessed extraordinary strength, Beelzebub's superior technique made him the stronger fighter!