Outside the cave, strong winds whipped through the trees, creating a restless rustling sound. Inside the damp, blood-scented cavern, the clash of blades echoed sharply, like steel striking stone. A fierce battle was underway.
After dodging the Troll's wild swing of its stone club, Catty and Gustin leapt back. The towering monster was now completely focused on attacking Saga, its blood-red eyes locked onto the captain under the influence of his unique skill, Roar of Provocation. Saga steadied his stance, his steel shield trembling violently each time it blocked the devastating blows from the Troll's club.
"Rinrin! Give Berlin an attack boost buff! And cast a protection buff on me, now!" Saga shouted, his voice echoing through the cave, trying to outmatch the Troll's roar.
"On it!" Rinrin replied from her safe position at the rear. She began chanting her buff spell, her hands moving swiftly as they traced complex sigils in the air. A soft light flared from her palms, splitting into two rays that shot toward her allies.
When the spell was completed, a bright red glow surrounded Berlin, while a golden aura enveloped Saga. Once the buffs were fully absorbed, the lights slowly faded away.
"The buffs will only last five minutes!" Rinrin shouted, warning them about the duration of her magic.
"That's enough! Thanks!" Berlin called back, the tip of his staff crackling with energy.
"Good! That's all I need to hold it off longer!" Saga yelled, feeling the magic barrier strengthen his defenses.
Berlin raised his staff high. Fire and lightning gathered and swirled at its tip, forming a volatile orb of destructive energy. "The spell is ready! Saga, get clear!" he warned. "This will hit ten times in a row—don't stay too close!"
"Now, fire!" Saga leapt back swiftly, clearing the line of attack. A split second later, Berlin unleashed a barrage of blazing fireballs wrapped in chaotic lightning. They shot out of his staff one after another, slamming mercilessly into the Troll's massive body.
GRAAAAAHHH!
The monster screamed in agony as each explosion struck its thick hide, scorching the flesh and filling the cave with the smell of burnt skin and ozone. After the tenth and final blast, the Troll dropped to one knee, smoke rising from its charred body as its rapid regeneration began to take effect.
"Catty, go now! Distract it from the side!" Saga commanded. "Gustin, follow up and go for the head! Rinrin, give Gustin a full attack buff—right now!"
Everyone responded instantly. Catty darted forward, her scythe flashing as she slashed at the Troll's wounded arm, keeping its attention away from Gustin. The monster retaliated with erratic, powerful swings.
Meanwhile, Rinrin cast a red-tinged attack buff on Gustin. His muscles tensed and surged with magical strength. Without hesitation, Gustin jumped high into the air, raising his greatsword above his head and bringing it down with all his might at the Troll's neck.
KRAAAKKK!!
The deafening sound of metal striking something incredibly hard filled the cavern. Gustin's sword sliced deep into the Troll's neck but didn't sever it completely. Only half of the neck was cut through, leaving flesh and bone still connected. The wound began to close as regeneration kicked in.
Seeing the critical moment, Catty reacted instantly. With agile precision, she jumped onto the Troll's shoulder, spun midair, and swung her scythe down, finishing Gustin's incomplete strike.
SRAASSHH!
The Troll's head was completely severed, thudding heavily onto the ground. Its massive body convulsed once before collapsing, its regeneration completely halted.
"Nice work, Catty!" Saga praised, recognizing her crucial finishing move.
Catty responded with a faint smile, breathing slightly unevenly.
"Your turn, Rian!" Saga ordered, his tone returning to normal. "Store that Troll's head as proof of our completed mission. And take out our packs—we'll rest and eat before heading back."
"Alright," Rian said calmly. He stepped forward, opened his Storage portal, and stored the gruesome Troll head away. Then, he pulled out all the bags that had been entrusted to him.
When he was done, Catty approached him. "Rian, come eat. Take out the food I cooked this morning, and let's share it here," she said softly.
"Oh, sure. Just a moment." Rian opened his Storage again and took out two bundles containing boiled potatoes and tubers. Miraculously, they were still steaming hot.
"Wow! How can it still be warm, like it was freshly cooked?" Catty exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration. She was always amazed by Rian's unique ability.
Rian placed the food at the center of the resting group. "Help yourselves if you'd like," he offered.
But the others pulled out their own rations—hard bread, jerky, and dried fruit—eating without even glancing at the warm meal.
"No need. We brought our own," Saga said flatly, biting into a piece of tough jerky without interest.
Seeing that, Rian quietly took the food back and sat closer to Catty. She picked up a potato and began eating.
"It tastes pretty good when it's still warm like this," Rian said, glancing at her.
"Mmm… yes, it does. But since it's just simple boiled food, they're probably not interested. They didn't even touch it," Catty replied softly, her ears drooping slightly.
"It's fine. I'll finish it all myself. It's delicious," Rian said with a grin, chewing exaggeratedly to cheer her up.
Catty nodded, a faint smile curving her lips. She felt comforted just by his presence. "Thank you, Rian," she said sincerely.
"For what? I should be the one thanking you," Rian replied, scratching his head awkwardly, pretending not to notice her feelings though he clearly did. "By the way, your last strike was amazing. If you had been even a second late, that neck would've healed right back."
"Yes, I was just in the right spot and within reach, so I decided to follow up on Gustin's strike," Catty said, her tail swaying slightly.
"It really looked impressive. You've gotten better at controlling your mana. Every jump and swing was so precise," Rian noted, analyzing her movements.
"Oh, really? Thank you. I'll keep training again and again until I become stronger. I don't just want to be protected—I want to protect too," Catty said gently.
"Yeah, let's keep learning together," Rian replied with a nod.
After finishing their meal, Saga instructed everyone to return to the guild and report the completed mission to claim their reward.
By the time they arrived back, the sun was already setting. Many adventurers turned their heads toward the weary, dirt-covered party. Whispers began to spread.
"Weren't they the ones who took that 'Brutal Stone' mission?""Did they fail? That was fast.""Maybe they ran away because they couldn't handle it."
Ignoring the murmurs, Saga strode confidently to the receptionist's desk. He called Rian over and told him to present the proof.
Rian stepped forward, calmly opened his Storage portal, and pulled out the massive, blood-soaked head of the Troll. He dropped it onto the floor with a heavy, wet thud.
The entire guild fell silent. Every eye turned toward the gruesome sight. The murmurs returned—this time, completely changed in tone.
"No way! They actually killed that thing!""Wait, is that a Troll's head? That's terrifying!""Where did that even come from?""Probably from the new kid's unique skill.""What's his name again? Unlimited Storage?""Yeah, that's the one. Pretty useless in battle though.""I bet their victory was thanks to that cat girl. She looks way stronger. The kid just got lucky joining a good party."