Sorcery Monarch

Chapter 27: Hunting the Trolls

 

Crack! Crack! Crack!

 

The fibers of the tree trunks could no longer withstand the weight and the force pulling them, splintering apart like the death throes of a giant beast, crashing to the ground with a "boom," scattering decayed leaves.

 

The carpenters came over, marking the branches to be trimmed, and dozens of people worked together to quickly divide the tree into sections and drag them away.

 

Angela divided the soldiers, who had not yet undergone formal training, into three teams, holding shields and spears in the most secure formation.

 

Physical training was a long-term plan, but the focus now was on coordinating and forming ranks.

 

The villagers transporting lumber to the village had no idea of this. They thought their lord valued their safety greatly, and this subtly changed their mindset.

 

Yaya joyfully glanced around, her black-and-white eyes reflecting the curious faces of the distant villagers.

 

"Yaya? Daddy, what are they preparing over there?"

 

"They’re preparing to build houses. I’ll build you a big castle in the future too."

 

Matthew patiently answered the question, gently stroking her head, while Yaya's body radiated a soft warmth.

 

"Brother, is that the legendary dragon? It looks so cute! Is she the lord’s pet?"

 

Rebecca snuck a glance and nudged Leon, asking in a low voice.

 

Still recalling Old John’s battle guidance from the previous night, Leon remembered the scene where he was helplessly subdued by Yaya and, with lingering fear, nodded:

 

"Yes, she’s indeed a dragon, the lord’s contracted creature, but she’s fierce and dangerous…"

 

Before Leon could finish his words, he saw his mischievous little sister sneaking up beside Yaya.

 

Boldly, she pulled out a palm-sized dried fish from her pouch and temptingly offered it.

 

Oh no!

 

Glancing over and confirming it was just an ordinary dried salted fish, Matthew didn’t pay much attention to the 15-year-old girl, focusing instead on sensing the movements around him.

 

Yaya sniffed at it, detecting a strong fishy smell that wasn’t her favorite.

 

However, the little one enjoyed trying new foods.

 

She stuck out her tongue, giving it a light lick before bringing it into her mouth.

 

One bite, two bites!

 

The moderately soft and hard dried fish was torn apart by sharp dragon teeth, and the strange fragrance released from the fish fibers, combined with the fatty satisfaction, easily conquered Yaya’s taste buds.

 

"Yaya? Delicious!"

 

Her eyes widened in surprise, savoring the rich flavor as she carefully tasted it, joyfully calling out.

 

Yaya’s adorable demeanor filled Rebecca’s eyes with stars, and she cautiously extended her hand, though still a little scared.

 

Unexpectedly, Yaya nuzzled her head against Rebecca’s palm, gently rubbing and making a happy little foodie’s call.

 

With her fears fully dispelled, Rebecca cheerfully pulled out a small pouch, sharing the dried fish her mother had made with Yaya.

 

Watching the two of them nodding their heads in delight, Matthew’s mouth twitched slightly.

 

Perhaps, the language of foodies is universal?

 

They marched for about half an hour.

 

Towering trees blocked out the sky, and thick brambles grew between the gaps.

 

The bright sunlight was obstructed, making the area below quite dark, cold, and silent. This was the origin of the name "Dark Forest."

 

"Stop, there are footprints!"

 

The nimble Elder Field parted the dense shrubs, picking up a broken bramble and lightly sniffing it:

 

"The foul stench of trolls who never bathe. These must be the ones that frequently attack us."

 

Old John led the fully armed soldiers forward, glancing at the pitch-black depths of the forest ahead and carefully asking:

 

"How many were previously spotted?"

 

"There were five in total. The one that attacked the village last night was the largest and strongest. Now there should be four left."

 

"Fortunately, they don’t have weapons or equipment. Each time they raid the village, they steal some sheep and then leave..."

 

Though Elder Field’s tone was light, Old John could hear the hidden gritted teeth and understood his predicament.

 

Trolls were strong, with mature individuals typically having a challenge tier of 7+!

 

And they lived in groups!

 

Trolls had extremely powerful regenerative abilities. For Bay Village, which had no spellcasters and was too poor to stockpile alchemical oils, trolls ran rampant.

 

That’s why the village had to compromise before.

 

This was also why, when Steward Ralph explained their purpose to Elder Field, he immediately gained his support.

 

"Let’s retreat first, lure them over, and bring them into the traps!"

 

Old John had no intention of being a hero; before they left, Steward Ralph had instructed him to prioritize the soldiers' safety above all.

 

"Not much choice, especially with our lord’s generous compensation policy…"

 

Despite thinking this, Old John’s heart felt warm. Who wouldn’t want a kind and benevolent lord?

 

"Alright, leave it to me!"

 

Stroking the haste scroll and speed potion in his pouch, Field happily patted his new longbow and confidently spoke.

 

Nodding, Old John immediately turned to leave, intending to notify the lord, who was setting up the traps, and prepare for battle.

 

Steward Ralph was busy holding up the map of the Dark Forest that Elder Field had provided, pointing at several red skulls marked on the outskirts:

 

"Besides the few roaming trolls, there are five areas that pose deadly threats to Bay Village."

 

"Two kobold caves, two goblin strongholds, and one gnoll camp."

 

"Their numbers are large—each of the first groups has up to a thousand, and the gnolls have about 500."

 

Matthew wasn’t very familiar with the situation in the Dark Forest, but after studying the data, he silently nodded.

 

Clearing out this area to create a safe environment for development would be a long journey!

 

Old John, moving swiftly, returned first, and Matthew received the message, signaling Angela to begin preparations as planned.

 

Calling Yaya back, Matthew watched her excitement for the upcoming battle and silently acknowledged it.

 

The future would only grow more dangerous, and to barely ensure their survival, increasing their strength in all aspects was necessary. Yaya would have to work hard too.

 

The villagers who had received the news were arranged to leave temporarily, while Angela directed the soldiers to start preparing.

 

Everyone felt a slight tension—last night’s elite troll had put considerable pressure on them.

 

Matthew watched the somewhat clumsy soldiers, fully aware that they had a long way to go, but this first step was crucial.

 

It wasn’t just the new soldiers who were growing; Angela, Old John, and the other commanders, who also lacked combat experience, were growing as well.

 

There were several objectives for hunting the trolls.

 

The first was to eliminate potential dangers and prepare for the expansion of the territory.

 

The second was to test one of Matthew’s theories. If successful, it could provide a continuous stream of funds for the territory.

 

The third was to demonstrate strength, establish authority, and win over the people.

 

Words are less valuable than actions!