While Godrick’s party was shocked at the sight of the Lesser Troll, the slime’s gaze turned to the chat window.
▶It’s a knockoff troll! A knockoff troll!
▶ Hahaha, hey, that’s just sad. Don’t call it a knockoff lol.
▶ It’s not a knockoff! It’s just part of the evolutionary process!
▶ But it’s still weak, right? How is it weaker than before evolving? LOL.
In the chat window, a truth unknown to humans was being revealed.
That was the fact that the Lesser Troll is an evolved form of the Troll.
Originally, trolls had large builds and regenerative powers, but they were sluggish.
Therefore, some trolls, wanting to move faster to catch prey, evolved by reducing their size and sacrificing some regeneration in order to move quicker than before.
And once they evolve again from a Lesser Troll, their form changes depending on the environment — they become larger than before but don’t lose their speed.
If they live in a forest, they become Forest Trolls.
If they live in snowy fields, they become Snow Trolls.
If they live in deserts, they become Desert Trolls and gain intelligence sufficient to use the system.
In other words, the Lesser Troll was both an evolved troll and a transitional form.
That’s why trolls who had evolved enough to use the system couldn’t stand seeing the Lesser Trolls being mocked.
Because it was no different than mocking their own past!
▶ That was just prep time for a leap! Don’t you know you have to crouch to jump higher?
▶ What kind of troll flies, lol.
▶ Are we about to see the legendary Sky Troll?
▶ Hahahaha what happened to the Sky Troll? Just jumps around every day?
The slime happily watched the lively chat window again today.
Then, matching the pace of Godrick’s party, it carefully approached the Lesser Troll.
And when it got within a certain distance—
"Tongtong, I’m counting on you.”
Boing!
At Def’s signal, the slime sped up and charged at the Lesser Troll.
Boing! Boing!
With two powerful jumps, it closed the gap.
-Grr?
The Lesser Troll turned its head, sensing the slime.
Boing!
The slime delivered a bounce tackle right to the troll’s belly.
Thwack!
-Groooargh!?
Shocked by the sudden impact, the troll’s eyes widened as it stumbled back a few steps.
Although the Lesser Troll was smaller than a normal troll, it was still larger and bulkier than any monster the slime had fought before.
So it didn’t go flying or collapse in one blow.
But it was enough to focus the troll’s attention on the slime.
-GRRRAAAAGHHH!
Furious, the Lesser Troll stomped down in an attempt to crush the slime.
Boing! Boing!
The slime bounced skillfully, dodging the attacks.
"Alright! Let’s go too!"
At Godrick’s signal, Hawane, Skol, and Def charged forward and surrounded the Lesser Troll.
Godrick and Hawane wielded longswords, Skol used a sword adjusted to his size, and Def swung a two-handed axe as they attacked the troll.
Each of them timed their strikes and swung their weapons at the troll.
Thanks to the slime’s timely support, a chain of coordinated attacks followed.
Though wounded from the repeated attacks, the Lesser Troll tried to strike back.
Boing!
Each time, the slime would interfere with another hard-hitting tackle, keeping the troll distracted.
The troll’s skin could be cut, but it could regenerate.
Meanwhile, the slime’s blows delivered internal damage — enough to twist the troll’s insides.
There was no question about which opponent the troll should prioritize.
But the slime dodged the troll’s attacks each time with agility.
This went on for more than five minutes.
“Hah… hah… why is this thing so tough!”
“Whew whew, even as a Lesser, it’s still a Troll.”
“No matter how much we cut it, it just keeps healing, bro!”
“Keep attacking with perseverance! Thanks to Tongtong, we’re still unharmed!”
They had been swinging their weapons non-stop for five minutes to attack the troll.
But simply cutting the skin wasn’t enough to surpass the troll’s regeneration.
Even the internal injuries from the slime’s bounce tackles were partially healed while Godrick’s party continued their attacks.
The Lesser Troll stubbornly held its ground.
At the same time, the Godrick party, fighting alongside the slime, was reaching its physical limit.
▶ It won’t go down!
Unlike other monsters they had faced, the Lesser Troll was still standing.
Even the slime thought it was incredibly tenacious.
[Noblesse Fire] ▶ LOL the knockoff troll’s holding up well.
▶Honestly, it’s not like those human attacks are doing much, except for the slime.
▶ Isn’t it actually using their attack time to recover?
[Free Spirit] ▶ Doesn’t look like it. The knockoff troll’s slower than before.
▶ S-stop it… it’s already dead……!
▶ Hey! It’s not that bad!
Just as the viewers predicted, the Lesser Troll was getting tired.
Though it was healing, the regeneration consumed its own mana and stamina.
If only the slime or only Godrick’s party were attacking, it would’ve been fine.
But the slime’s bounce tackle was stronger than expected, and the constant minor wounds from Godrick’s party added up.
So it was using more mana and stamina than usual for regeneration.
That’s why the Lesser Troll tried to switch targets to the seemingly easier Godrick party.
However, all such attempts failed.
Even when it raised its arm to strike at Def—
Boing!
Thwack!
The slime, noticing its intent, struck its side with a bounce tackle.
A fierce blow that even cracked ribs.
Whenever the troll focused on Godrick’s group, the slime would attack through the openings.
In the end, the troll had no choice but to focus on taking down the slime first.
Then, another five minutes passed.
-Grrggh… huff… huff…
The blue Lesser Troll, now drenched in the blood it had shed, was breathing heavily.
Not only that, but due to constant regeneration, the Lesser Troll’s ability to regenerate was gradually weakening.
“Hah… hah… alright! I can see it’s getting tired too!”
“Hang in there!”
“Damn it! I swear I’m never taking a troll extermination request again!”
“Huff! I feel the same.”
Godrick’s party was also breathing heavily from the prolonged battle.
While the slime helped by drawing attention away from itself, the possibility of being hit by a close-range attack from the Lesser Troll still kept the party on edge.
And that high tension and pressure took a toll on the party’s stamina.
The only one left with substantial stamina at this point was the slime.
“Guys, be careful. We can’t let that thing fall down.”
While fighting and moving over ten minutes, the Lesser Troll and Godrick’s party had reached the edge of a cliff.
It was the cliff they had talked about earlier along the way.
Below it, fierce rapids flowed.
If the Lesser Troll fell, there would be no proof of subjugation, so Godrick issued a warning.
“Tongtong, be careful!”
‘Okay!’
At Def’s words, the slime quickly bounced toward the cliff and took position.
Meanwhile, the Lesser Troll realized with desperation that it was in danger.
If it tried to attack Godrick’s party in front of it, the slime would hit it from behind.
Its stamina and mana were already near depletion from the earlier battles.
It could tell that it would die at this rate.
And so—
-GRAAAAAAAAH!!!
“Ugh!”
“What the?!”
“!”
The Lesser Troll suddenly roared toward the sky and then charged at Godrick’s party.
The unexpected sonic attack broke their concentration, making it hard for them to react immediately.
Boing!
The slime rushed to the troll’s back and launched a bounce tackle.
Thwack!
-Grooaagh!
Crack!
A sound rang out as the troll’s spine dislocated.
Boom!
The charging Lesser Troll lost its posture and collapsed to the ground.
But the attack didn’t end there.
Whoosh!
Even while downed, the troll reached out and grabbed Hawane’s leg.
Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Hawane failed to dodge.
Though he had stepped back when the troll fell, he didn’t expect it to lash out even while prone.
The fallen Lesser Troll, still gripping Hawane’s leg, swung its arm powerfully again.
“Waaah!?”
“Hawane!”
Unable to resist the force, Hawane was flung to the side.
“Hey! Wai— gah!”
Skol, who had been standing in the direction Hawane was thrown, got caught in it too, and both rolled across the ground.
‘Hawane! Skol!’
Seeing the two hit and rolling on the ground, the slime got angry.
‘Mean!’
Boing! Boing!
The slime quickly stepped on the troll’s back and head, moving upward.
Boing!
Then, with all its might, it delivered a bounce tackle to the troll’s face.
Crack!
The troll’s face caved in, and a snapping sound from its neck was heard.
Had this happened earlier, it might’ve been able to regenerate the injury.
But after all the previous attacks had drained its mana and stamina, it no longer had the strength to heal.
The Lesser Troll collapsed completely, its head crushed.
“Hey! Hawane! Skol! Are you okay?!”
“Hawane! Skol!”
Confirming that the troll had stopped breathing, Godrick and Def rushed to Hawane and Skol.
“Ugh! Damn troll bastard!”
“We let our guard down at the end. Hmph, I’ve still got a long way to go.”
“What are you acting cool for?! I got tossed because of you!”
“That’s your fault for not dodging.”
“You little—!”
Watching the two argue, Godrick felt relieved.
“Looks like they’re not badly hurt.”
“Not quite, bro.”
Hawane shook his head and pointed at the leg the troll had grabbed.
“It’s swollen. It hurts.”
Just above Hawane’s ankle, where the troll had gripped him, was a deep bruise with the handprint still visible.
Seeing his swollen leg, Def asked worriedly, “H-Hawane, are you okay?”
“Fortunately, I don’t think the bone is broken. Hahaha, looks like even the Lesser Troll was out of strength by the end.”
Boing! Boing!
The slime, which had been standing next to the fallen troll, now moved over to Hawane and Skol.
‘Hawane! You’re hurt!’
Living in the mansion and spending time with Godrick’s party, the slime had gained some knowledge of human injuries.
The slime was worried, but there was nothing it could do for the injured Hawane.
It drooped forward, looking dejected.
Seeing this, Hawane chuckled and reached out to pat the slime.
“Heheh, thanks to you wearing down the Lesser Troll’s stamina, we made it out okay. Thanks, Tongtong.”
Shiver-shiver!
Though saddened by Hawane’s injury, the slime trembled with joy at the praise.
Then, a little while later—
With the slime staying by injured Hawane’s side, Godrick, Skol, and Def approached the fallen Lesser Troll.
They were about to remove the trophies as proof of the kill.
Just then—
-GRAAAAAAAAH!!!
A roar filled with rage echoed out.