When Han Shuo had moved behind the fatty, he discovered that out of the ten or so mercs defending the fatty, the strongest of them were two mid-ranked warriors, followed by six novice warriors and a few other warrior apprentices.
All of them were covered with wounds, and the two strongest mid-ranked warriors were injured the most heavily to the point where they had almost lost the ability to fight.
“Master Fabian, we’re the ones who are supposed to protect you!” The mid-ranked warrior with blood still bubbling out of a bloody hole in his rib cage grew agitated as he saw Han Shuo quickly draw near.
“The situation now is quite apparent that you have lost the ability to fight and cannot offer me effective protection. I paid half of the gold to your mercenary band earlier, but because you were unable to escort me back to the Empire, I will not be paying the second half.” Fabian said with a face full of resignation and then pasted a warm, slight smile on his face. He bowed slightly and said to Han Shuo, “Mighty warrior, please take me away from here and I will pay you two hundred gold.”
“Alright, give me one hundred gold first and I’ll start immediately!” Han Shuo was at ease and also responded with a slight smile.
At this moment, upon seeing that Han Shuo did not seem to be leaving, the forest troll leader finally screamed with violent rage, “Devious and evil humans, kill them all!”
When the leader’s words sounded, the troll warriors, hunters, and priests that had been standing blankly in their places called out in the weird language of the forest trolls and rushed over in large strides.
“Alright, this is one hundred golds. When you safely take me away from here, I’ll give you the other hundred gold. Damnit, they’re coming for us, make your move!” Fabian hastily took out a money bag and poured out one hundred gold coins for Han Shuo when he saw that the forest trolls were rushing over with ugly expressions and wielding weapons.
Having received the one hundred gold coins, Han Shuo suddenly smiled at Fabian. Before Fabian had a chance to react, Han Shuo had swung Fabian onto his back and ripped out a few tattered pieces of gauze from an open pocket. He firmly tied Fabian onto his back without further ado.
“Let’s go, I’ll get you safely away from here. You must hold on tight, if you fall off halfway, you only have only yourself to blame!” Han Shuo hurriedly instructed as he threw away the battleaxe in his hand, grabbed a new long spear from beside him and abruptly dashed towards the perimeter.
Seven troll warriors had long since blocked the way, with a few other hunters and priests behind them. They had already thrown out their long spears and javelins with whooshing sounds when they saw that Han Shuo was rushing towards them.
Even with a fatty on his back, Han Shou still navigated the rough and windy paths with ease. He agilely changed direction and easily evaded several long spears and javelins.
When Han Shuo had rushed to the side of the seven troll warriors, the long awaiting troll warriors rushed towards him, carrying their battleaxes. He clenched the long spear in his hand tightly as Han Shou rapidly closed the distance, and the spear stabbed towards the chest of the first troll.
A blood red flower suddenly blossomed on his chest, and the troll warrior fell directly backwards after he shuddered. At this moment, the troll priest towards the back started singing healing and Fire of the Soul magics. A few beams of green light descended onto the troll warriors.
The troll warrior who had fallen shakily got back to his feet. When the other troll warriors had been enveloped by the magic of the Fire of the Soul, it was as if a layer of metallic skin had been applied to their already tough green skin. Their skin shone with a metallic gleam, followed by simultaneous increases in speed and strength. They rushed at the two with loud wails.
“Hurry! Hurry and get me out of here!” Fabian was frightened out of his wits and started screaming in a panic on Han Shuo’s back.
His expression unchanged, Han Shuo ignored Fabian’s calls and yells. He abruptly threw out the spear in his hand and impaled the troll warrior, that had just unsteadily clambered to its feet, through the neck and nailed it to the floor. He then pulled out the spears and javelins stuck on the ground and threw them, one by one, towards the priests hiding the back.
One of the priests didn’t dodge in time and was immediately pierced to death. Another two troll hunters also died due to being impaled from the front. At this moment, Han Shuo randomly pulled out a long spear and started to directly confront the troll warrior in front of him.
Having had the Fire of the Soul cast on it, all of the troll warrior’s bodily functions had increased significantly. However, Han Shuo’s current condition had had some small achievements in practicing magic, and the toughness and flexibility of his body still far outstripped them. He maneuvered the long spear and flicked out the battleaxes one by one.
Throughout this process, when the battleaxes had been sent flying from the troll warriors’ hands, they would pull out a javelin or long spear from the ground at the same time, thoroughly blocking the way and entangling Han Shuo. He was up against six with a fatty on his back. Even though he dodged with high speed, he still wasn’t able to fully avoid all the injuries.
Whenever danger approached him, Han Shuo would very evilly use Fabian on his back as a shield, using the latter’s fat, stocky body to decrease the damage inflicted on his own body.
“Damnit, you can’t do this, otherwise don’t even expect receive the one hundred gold coins after.” Fabian’s butt had been poked by a long spear, and his back had been bloodied by a few javelins. He wailed in continuous complaints on Han Shuo’s back.
Unfortunately, Han Shuo completely ignored all of Fabian’s complaints. He conveniently pulled a long spear embedded in the chest of a troll warrior, and the resulting spray of flesh blood fully splattered all over Han Shuo. Han Shuo’s expression had been cold and vicious to begin with and he looked even more like the reincarnation of a bloodthirsty god with all the blood over him. This momentarily shocked Fabian senseless and he didn’t dare speak further nonsense, merely whimpered and cried on Han Shuo’s back.
“Kill him, kill him, rush him together!” The forest troll leader suddenly exploded into an irate roar upon seeing that Han Shuo had killed quite a few forest trolls. He even pulled out a battleaxe from behind him and rushed over.
Currently, although Han Shuo wasn’t particularly breaking a sweat facing off against five trolls, it was still exceedingly difficult for him to break through. When the troll leader had finished speaking, even more forest troll warriors rushed over. Han Shuo dodged the crushing blow from a battleaxe and backed up a few steps.
“Souls of the fallen soldiers, heed the dark herald’s call and reveal your existence!” Han Shou spread out his hands and suddenly chanted the spell used for a necromancy summons.
“Oh, my gosh! You’re also a mage!” Fabian had been sobbing in a low voice when he was momentarily shocked by Han Shuo starting an incantation. He looked blankly at Han Shuo with an odd expression and called out weirdly.
The forest troll leader off in the distance was startled and then increased its speed, screaming loudly, “Kill him, hurry up and kill him.”
A small skeleton that wielded a bone dagger suddenly materialized in front of Han Shuo. Its small, thin body stood there in solitude as its empty eye sockets patrolled the area a bit at a loss.
“Aw come on, just one little skeleton, and such a thin, small one. What use is it?” Fabian started wailing with surprise when he saw that Han Shuo had summoned just one skeleton.
“Wahahaha, so it was just one skeleton. That scared me… kill them all!” Upon seeing that it was just one skeleton after being shocked, the forest troll leader immediately jeered loudly and directed the troll warriors to quickly approach.
Han Shuo’s two eyes were cold as a trace of a mocking smile also made its way to his lips. When the forest troll leader had spoken, he immediately gave the order for the little skeleton to attack.
When the little skeleton received the command to attack, its small leg bones bent down and then extended, suddenly flying out like a sharp sword. The bone dagger in its hand drew a line of black light through the empty air as it flew out first. The first troll warrior, that came rushing up, was directly pierced through its forehead like cutting paper, and it fell straight down backwards.
The little bone dagger didn’t stop after running through the head of the first troll warrior. It whistled through the air according to the little skeleton’s motions, just like a ghost out for blood. Ear deafening whistling sounds accompanied secretive and unpredictable curves as it ran through two more troll warriors with another stroke. When the little skeleton drew close to the troll warriors, the dagger returned automatically back into the little skeleton’s hands.
The mere loosening of the bone dagger had instantaneously taken the lives of three troll warriors. The previously exceedingly disappointed Fabian and loudly jeering troll leader were both dumbfounded after the little skeleton’s single strike. They stared closely with a face of incredulity at the little skeleton. It was like a tiger that had entered a flock of sheep. The little bone dagger that was grasped tightly in its hand began to nimbly reap the lives of the troll warriors.
“Oh my goodness! Am I seeing things? Is that really only just one skeletal warrior?” Fabian had finally recollected his wits and began to shout excitedly. If it wasn’t for the gauze that had completely wrapped around him, he might have even fallen off and landed on the ground in his excitement.
“Don’t get close to him, everyone stay away from the skeleton and use long spears, javelins, and battleaxes to kill that skeleton.” After the troll leader had recovered from its shock, it issued loud commands with a look of fear. Its originally advancing body stopped in its tracks as it began to back up in cowardice.
The troll warriors, that had been close to the little skeleton, had all retreated. When they had left, long spears, javelins, and even the troll warriors’ battleaxes filled the air and descended upon the little skeleton.
Han Shuo was startled. As strong as the little skeleton was, it would most likely be hit under such a strong barrage of attacks, b. But he wouldn’t be able to recall it in time even if he started the incantation now. Han Shuo grew anxious and started truly worrying for the little skeleton.
Except, the little skeleton’s succeeding fancy, incredible performance completely upended Han Shuo’s understanding and knowledge of it.