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Odin said,
"The place where Prince Hogan is imprisoned was once a bustling town. Now, however, it's overrun by trolls. Half the mortal population still resides there, though they've been enslaved.
There are roughly 200 to 300 trolls stationed there. Their defense is not particularly tight. Your squad has good observational capabilities, and with Karnilla's apprentice accompanying you, infiltration shouldn't pose much difficulty.
All you need to do is sneak into the town, locate and rescue Hogan. Once you've escaped the magic suppression zone, Uller will activate the Bifröst and bring you back.
Be warned: Uller's all-seeing power is renowned, and the enemy has set up a magic ward to block it. You'll only be able to make contact with him once you're outside its range. Understood?"
Rowe nodded.
"Understood."
Odin then handed him a metallic bracer, his tone warm.
"This is a space bracer. Inside, you'll find detailed instructions and the tools you'll need for the mission. Afterward, it's yours to keepâconsider it part of your reward."
After leaving the command post, Rowe examined the bracer as he walked.
Even in Asgard, spatial artifacts weren't common. Only the wealthy or the eliteâlike Heimdall or Helaâtypically had access to them. So a space bracer as a reward was highly valuable.
Yet for Rowe, it wasn't especially exciting. His Sacred Space already held up to two cubic meters, more than enough for his needs.
He assessed the bracer: its internal space was about the size of a small chestâmaybe several dozen liters.
Inside were two light blue orbs, a few vials of potion, a map, and a letter bearing Odin's seal.
The map detailed the layout of the town and clearly marked the area protected by the anti-scrying enchantment.
The letter explained the mission, confirming the identity of the light blue spheres as All-Seeing Orbs. If one was crushed, Uller would be instantly alertedâprovided they were outside the shielded zone.
Rowe returned to the squad, gathering them around.
"Lord Odin has assigned us a mission: infiltrate a troll-controlled settlement and extract a prisoner."
"Is the prisoner male or female?" Fairwind asked, as usual, missing the point.
Rowe ignored him and spread the map.
"This is the town. It's overrun with trollsâtwo to three hundred, estimated.
We'll enter from here," he pointed. "This used to be farmland, connecting to a mountain trail that leads behind the town."
Skorch leaned in.
"Do we know where the prisoner is being held?"
"Likely inside a newly constructed fortress in the town's center. We're not certain yet, but I believe Amora can assist us in locating him."
Rowe turned to her.
"Amora, as Karnilla's apprentice, I assume you've mastered memory-extraction magic?"
"Of course," she replied with a sly grin. Rowe noticed the constant glimmer of challenge in her eyes.
"We'll capture a few trolls and have Amora extract their memories. That should help us pinpoint Hogan's location."
Haldo tapped a symbol on the map.
"What's this circle? A magical barrier?"
Rowe nodded.
"Yes. That's the boundary where Uller's all-seeing power is blocked. Once we exit it, Uller can retrieve us with the Bifröst."
"When do we deploy?" Fairwind asked.
"This afternoon."
Rowe pulled out twelve potion vials and handed them around.
"What's this?" the others inquired.
"An odorless potion. It renders our scent undetectable to troll warhounds. The effect lasts several days, so drink up now."
They did.
As Rowe drank, his skin prickled faintlyâan odd sensation, like his body was purging scent from every pore.
The others squirmed similarly, discomfort visible on their faces.
Only Fairwind leaned toward Amora with a smirk.
"Hey, you don't smell nearly as nice as before."
Smack!
Her slap echoed crisply.
"It'll take time for the potion to fully activate," Rowe warned. "Until then, avoid contact with any strong scents."
Several hours later, the team departed aboard the swamp monster and reached their destination by nightfall.
After a short rest, they scaled the mountain via a concealed trail and emerged near abandoned farmland on the outskirts of the town.
"Erito, you take three warriors and hold position here," Rowe ordered after surveying the area.
"Yes, sir." Erito and his group vanished into the underbrush.
With seven remaining, Rowe advanced toward the town, carefully maneuvering past ruined buildings and broken fences.
Soon they spotted signs of life.
Since taking control, the trolls had purged the Vanir's warriors, but kept many mortal citizens aliveâforced into slave labor.
Rowe's group hid behind a collapsed structure. In the clearing ahead, a group of mortals hauled heavy materials under the crack of a troll's whip.
The size difference was stark. The trolls towered over the frail Vanir mortals. Their crude buildings were too massive for humans to occupy, so the original homes were abandoned.
Mortals were now being used to erect colossal troll strongholds.
"Move faster!"
The troll didn't even strike hard, yet the crack of the whip made the mortals cry out.
"Savages," Valkyrie muttered under her breath.
Once the troll moved on, Rowe and his team crept deeper into the town.
Near a half-collapsed tavern, two trolls stumbled out, loud and clearly intoxicated.
"âŠShe was a young Vanir woman, but that house was too tight!"
"Hahaha! hic"
From the holy deed at Rowe's waist, the pointer of holy light stirred, hovering near the two trollsâan indicator of guilt.
"Captain, these two?" Skorch asked.
Rowe gave a nod.
"They'll do."
They trailed the drunken trolls until the pair turned into an empty alley.
"Wait⊠did you hear something?" one troll slurred, glancing over his shoulder.
Too late.
Rowe and Skorch lunged, striking them with swift, calculated blows. Both trolls collapsed unconscious.
The squad quickly dragged the bodies into a ruined Vanir building nearby, ready for Amora to begin extracting memories.
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