Huo Lei benefited from the diversion Ji Bai created by distracting the troll commander’s attention and did a side step, causing the incoming axe to narrowly miss his face. He then took advantage of the opening and hurriedly retreated to safety.
“Nice sword.” The troll commander wasn’t the least perturbed as he shot a glance at the torn skin on his arm. With a gaze of ridicule, he sized up the human and troll before him.
“Haha, birds of a feather flock together, what a fitting saying! In the end, traitors can only get together and partner up with frail worms. How tragic indeed!”
“I’ve no intention of being criticized by a primitive beast that’s a slave to their instinct, whose only knowledge is to burn, pillage, and kill.”
“Primitive?? What a foolish child. This is the troll’s way of life! If we gave the weak space to live, another avaricious beast would eventually take their lives. That would be a stupid and meaningless action!” Said the troll commander in ridicule.
“To think that a troll is willing to believe the words of these feeble and cunning humans over those of his own comrades, how lamentable!”
“My belief is not placed on humans, but the knight creed instead.”
“Enough! Just come at me together, you maggots, and stop wasting my time!” Shouted the troll commander impatiently, seemingly having no intention to continue listening to Huo Lei’s preposterous reasoning. He then thumped on his chest with the side of his axe in a provocative manner.
“As you wish!” Killing intent filled Huo Lei’s gaze as he rushed at his opponent with large strides. His massive hammer whistled from the wind pressure it generated as it made a beeline towards the troll commander’s face.
As the troll commander’s axe handle intercepted Huo Lei’s pole hammer, his hairs suddenly stood on end.
A sharp sword blade rushed with murderous speed towards his back, as a figure wearing a metal helmet appeared behind him.
“Clank!” He used his axe’s handle to tenaciously block the weapons attacking him from both sides one after another.
“Hehehe… Rest assured, little princess. I’ll bring you home right after I’ve killed these two troubling fellows!” While skillfully fighting with ease on the battlefield, the troll commander took the time to ridicule the trembling Lil’ Sha with a shout.
“Uuu…”
“Useless. Pair. Of. Worms!” The long axe in the troll commander’s hands had the vigor and vitality of a tiger. He rotated the handle of his weapon, repelling the longsword and hammer stuck on it. The troll’s commander then took advantage of this situation and unleashed a spinning cut,sending his two opponents backwards.
“Clank!” Sparks flew outwards as his axe blade scraped against the surface of the longsword. The strong impact sent Ji Bai flying towards the other end of the bridge, while Huo Lei was merely forced to take a step back.
“Hiya!” Huo Lei tenaciously endured the injuries on his body, all while incessantly harassing and obstructing the troll leader. Although the number of injuries on his body had increased, he was becoming more courageous as time went on.
As the saying went, with great power comes great responsibility. As a second-tier species and the only one with any real combat ability in his team, Huo Lei knew that his group would face the possibility of annihilation if he were to throw in the towel.
One of his comrades has already passed away. The only thing he could do now was to prevent another tragedy from repeating.
“Sister Xiaomu…” Seeing the duo fall into a disadvantageous state, Lil’ Sha was bewildered and at her wit’s end as she held onto Xiaomu’s hand, which had long since turned ice-cold.
“So you’re a true man. What a pity…” A trace of a praising gaze showed itself in the troll commander’s eyes as he saw how Huo Lei still maintained his high fighting spirit despite having a body covered with injuries.
“Haa!” Triple-blow of the Ferocious Tiger!” Huo Lei raised his huge hammer. With a large roar, he once again launched an assault.
“…you’re in the wrong team.”
“ELDilet!”
[Destructive Class – Rock Piercer]
Faint magic appeared and attached itself to the blade of the axe, giving off a radiance that would seemingly obliterate the material plane. Wherever the axe streaked by, a series of spatial distortions would appear.
“Crack!” The long axe shattered the huge hammer made of stone, knocking Huo Lei down to the floor.
“Die gloriously and go to hell!” Roared the troll commander furiously. His massive axe continued its earlier attack, and, without the slightest indication of stopping, smashed directly towards Huo Lei’s face.
“Broken handle, reforge and defend!” Huo Lei pulled up his stone hammer handle that had been split into two ends.
When the axe was about to make contact with his nose, the two broken ends began to restore and merge back into one. In the nick of time, it stopped the axe that had been chopping down towards him.
“Whoosh… Boom!”
Suddenly, a figure flew in their direction from the other end of the bridge, leaving a heavy dent in the iron portcullis before slowly sliding downwards towards the ground.
“O-Obscene middle-aged man?! You…”
“Yoyoyo, it’s very unfair for two people to be up against one guy. Why don’t I join the fun as well??” A gruff voice emanating a deceptive aura resounded from the other end of the bridge.
A lofty green silhouette had appeared there — It was another troll.
When compared to the troll commander in front of them, his body was slightly shorter. In addition to an eyepatch on his left eye, several knife scars could also be seen on his face — An appearance similar to that of a crafty old fox. Fresh blood was dripping from the spiked club he was carrying on his shoulder.
Ji Bai, who earlier had been sent flying back like a baseball, seemed to have descended into unconsciousness. He laid motionlessly in front of the iron portcullis with his head drooped. The brigandine armor on his abdomen was already stained red with blood.
Lil’ Sha gradually descended into despair as she looked – one after another – at the struggling Huo Lei who had fallen to the ground, the incomplete corpse of Xiaomu before her, and Ji Bai, of whom it was unclear if he was alive or dead.
“Can you please stop scaring me …obscene middle-aged man? You must be acting unconscious, there’s no way you would die if you’re this strong, right?” Mumbled Lil’ Sha in a gaze as she grabbed onto Ji Bai’s hand.
“So, don’t pretend any longer… Uhu~ Hurry up and get up…”
“I can handle it by myself, third brother.” The troll commander’s brows were slightly knitted as he let a hint of displeasure appear on his face.
“We should settle this as soon as possible. Big brother, we’re currently performing deeds to atone for our crimes. It’s best to avoid any troubles caused by an unintentional delay.”
“Haa! Haa!” Huo Lei took advantage of the troll commander being momentarily distracted to get up with a roll. This drastic movement teared his wounds open, making his facial expression appear even more sinister.
With a swing of his large hammer, he did a 360 degree turn and temporarily forced the two trolls backwards.
“Oh? This mongrel is still alive and well, huh?” The troll third brother sized up the scar-riddled, incessantly panting Huo Lei with interest and took his spike club off his shoulders.
“Stay back, little cat-girl…” With his eyes semi-narrowed, Huo Lei resembled a wounded lion that was continuously seeking a chance of winning.
“Uncle Huo Lei, you…”
“Ha! You’re finally willing to call me uncle, huh? Heh heh…” The corners of his blood-dyed lips revealed an unsightly smile.
“Why are you still mentioning things like that during such times…”
“In that case, I cannot allow this endearment of yours to be in vain! Eahhh!”
Huo Lei roared to the heavens as he charged towards the other two trolls.
“Hmph! You’re biting off more than you can chew, trash that couldn’t even master [Magic Techniques]!”
As could be expected, the completely worn out Huo Lei was completely unable to block the frenzied attacks of the troll duo. Even if one ignored all other variables, just the fact that he was incapable of learning any [Magic Technique] already was very disadvantageous to him.
“Oh? Didn’t you shout oh-so-elegantly earlier? Weren’t you still flaunting your might, trying to be all heroic in front of a beauty? Why don’t you repeat it now?!” The third troll brother’s leg ferociously stamped on Huo Lei’s hand and incessantly twisted it around.
“Ugh…”
“Hahaha! You’re tasting the feeling of betrayal, aren’t you? You lowly degenerate!” Said the third troll brother ferociously as he lifted up Huo Lei’s body by his head.
“Enough, third brother. End his suffering.” The troll commander slightly knitted his eyebrows. Even though his opponent was a shameless traitor, he still considered him a warrior and thus was somewhat dissatisfied with the way he was humiliated.
“Sigh, there’s no hurry. When it comes to a traitor like him, the humiliation we give him must be severe enough that he’ll remember it even after being reincarnated, otherwise…”
“Eahhhh!” Like a wolf gathering his strength, waiting for the perfect time to strike, Huo Lei momentarily took advantage of the fact that the third troll brother was pleased with himself and grabbed onto his feet.