Monster Stampede [4]

I still couldn't comprehend why such a metal golem was summoned at this time. What could he use it for?

The man standing on top of the metal golem's shoulder assessed the area in the blink of an eye. He seemed confident. What was he planning? Launching the metal golem and getting it destroyed?

I didn't know, but I would laugh if he did. However, as the seconds felt like minutes, the man aimed at the area just ahead of the stampede.

In a flash, something surprising happened. I didn't know what to feel. It was as if a bombardment of spells had instantly appeared without chanting, which should be impossible.

Was the man the one who did it?

It would only be possible if he used an artifact, but I couldn't see him holding one. The intensity and number of spells were impossible to be stored in an artifact. How was he doing this?

Even court mages would be embarrassed for their careers, seeing a mage capable of casting magic spells without the usual incantations. These weren't small spells either, but wide-ranging ones.

Clouds of dust appeared and disappeared in a flash, with invisible slashes attacking the monsters before us.

As another second passed, it wasn't over. A series of glowing arrows appeared and rained down on the monsters charging the walls.

It was unbelievable. I felt incapable of moving from shock, having witnessed something extraordinary. Court mages couldn't do that.

The first thought that it could be an artifact was dismissed as I saw him aiming without any in hand. The spells came straight from his palm, eradicating the monsters near us.

Was it from his cultivation base? Then he should have high intellect to make such an intricate artifact as his cultivation base.

Plenty of questions followed, surging one after another. How could this be possible? Who was this man? Where did he come from? Was it really not from an artifact? What did he look like? Was he part of a secret society of mages? Was he a grandchild of one of the kingdom's court mages?

The next seconds turned into minutes for me as those questions kept ringing in my head, trying to find answers or just to retain my composure.

For sure, if anyone other than me saw this, they would be rendered incapable of moving despite not feeling fear from the monsters.

My frozen state wasn't due to the monsters, but rather the event that had just occurred.

However, my shock dissipated as the wall started crumbling weakly. It seemed its durability had faltered.

I immediately watched the man's next move. This time, he retrieved an artifact or gadget shaped like a horn. He blew on it, emitting a long 'oh' sound that surprised the monsters. It appeared to be a tool to capture their attention.

It seemed my assumption was correct; the monsters reacted wildly. All their attention focused on the man, and the metal golem began moving at a decent speed.

This was another shocking development. A golem moving like that couldn't be just a golem. Was it a weaponized gadget that resembled a golem? I wasn't sure, but its height was enough to rival that of a giant.

The golem ran to the First Mountain. My initial reaction was to follow them, dashing on the crumbling earth wall.

Just as the wall was almost down, he asked me, "Hey, can I trust you to watch if any monsters pass through the ends of the walls? I'm afraid this artifact won't be able to attract all of these monsters."

I was silent for a few seconds but quickly made a decision.

Despite my desire to follow him and uncover his identity, I dismissed the idea. People's lives took priority over my curiosity. That was the reason for my investigation, and all the clues I had found now made sense.

Firstly, the traces of the magic circle seemed to require a certain amount of human blood. With such an inexplicable phenomenon, it was safe to assume that this stampede was unnatural.

Could Count Nux have planned this, or did someone else orchestrate it? But how could someone create a magic circle around the town without his knowledge? The drastic change in people's moods would certainly be suspicious.

If I were the territory owner, I would have investigated it. Given Count Nux's capabilities, it seemed impossible that he hadn't noticed this. My suspicions couldn't be easily dismissed.

I had to concern myself with both the lives of the people and uncovering Count Nux's identity. I would need Uncle's help after this stampede.

As I watched the man disappear from my field of view, I returned to the entrance of Giant Valley. I asserted my presence, observing monsters following the stampede while others strayed, heading straight for the town.

It was fortunate that the man had an ace up his sleeve. He seemed calm and composed. If I could maintain such composure, always prepared, I wouldn't have to worry about another disaster.

I refocused my attention on the space ahead, vigilant not to miss any monsters.

My heart pounded in my chest as I caught sight of a massive figure looming ahead of me. The troll was huge, its hulking frame towering over the tallest trees. Its skin was mottled grey-green and rough.

The creature's small, beady eyes scanned the surroundings with menacing intelligence. Despite mocking the other monsters, its gaze fixed straight on the town behind me.

Its arms were thick as tree trunks, ending in hands capable of crushing boulders. Jagged teeth bulged from its wide mouth, and a low, guttural growl rumbled from its throat, sending grossed shivers down my spine.

I could smell its foul breath, a mixture of decay and raw meat, as it exhaled heavily. For a moment, I stood frozen, captivated by the troll's sheer size and power. But I wouldn't let its size overwhelm me.

Drawing my sword from its hilt, I unsheathed it and hurled two fireballs at the troll's eyes. With its vision impaired, I sprinted beneath it, reaching its underside and slipping behind.

Raising my sword, I drew strength from my legs, lowering my stance and maneuvering around to its back. The blade's sharp edge allowed me to thrust forward, and as I propelled myself upwards, I timed my strike perfectly, aiming for its nape.

With swift precision, the blade slashed through the troll's nape, causing it to growl weakly and collapse. Ensuring it was dead, I stabbed its neck and heart to confirm.