Rowe couldn't help but glance back when he heard the words, slightly startled.
The hordes of trolls chasing behind numbered in the hundreds. Yet there were only two or three hundred trolls in the entire town. Had nearly all of them joined the pursuit?
There was no time to ponder. Everyone could only push themselves harder, retreating out of the town's limits. Once outside, they could reach Uller and trigger a teleportation, escaping the battlefield entirely.
They could not afford delay. If one enemy managed to drag them down, three more might catch up. The longer they lingered, the deadlier their situation became.
They ran with everything they had—trolls thundering behind them.
After a while, troll cavalry began to close the distance, taking advantage of their superior speed.
Rowe pivoted sharply, raised his palm, and the divine holy light within burst out like lightning across the sky.
Blinding Radiance!
The leading trolls were blinded momentarily—perfectly timed as the group took a sharp turn, gaining precious seconds to breathe and increase their lead.
But again, the troll cavalry closed in.
Rowe repeated the tactic, casting another blinding light. This time, however, the trolls were prepared. Some closed their eyes just before the flash. Though disrupted briefly, they quickly regained coordination.
After several repetitions, the effects of the Swiftness Potion began to wear off.
Once more, the troll cavalry advanced—this time a dozen riders, distanced from the main forces.
"Quick strike!" Rowe growled. "Fairwind, protect the prince!"
Without waiting for acknowledgment, Rowe leapt forward. Hammer of Judgment crushed a troll rider, then he dashed ahead and brought holy light crashing onto another cavalryman.
Boom!
Empowered by King's Blessing, the holy strike shattered the troll's chest like brittle armor.
Landing with agility, Rowe spun and unleashed a Sword of Justice, slashing through a troll's mount. The beast shrieked and collapsed, throwing its rider to the ground—only to be beheaded by Skorch's waiting axe.
Without pausing, Rowe charged into a formation of three trolls. He raised Verigan's Fist, channeling holy energy.
Blessed Hammer!
Boom! Boom! Boom! The hammer spun in a glowing spiral, smashing the trio to the ground.
He had struck first, striking hardest. Several trolls had already fallen, stunned by the sheer ferocity of Rowe's assault.
But the numbers weren't in their favor. They had only eight fighters, with one guarding the prince—leaving just seven actual combatants.
Suddenly, a troll engulfed in flames stormed in, wielding a massive greatsword. With a thunderous roar, he brought it down toward Rowe.
Clang!
Rowe blocked with his shield—the Crimson Commander's Shield—sparks bursting at the impact point. Flame collided with flame as both divine energies exploded outward in a towering inferno.
He glanced at the flaming aura surrounding his opponent. Divine energy—akin to his own.
Under normal circumstances, Rowe would relish the chance to clash with an equal. His own understanding of divine power was still raw, and combat with someone similarly gifted would offer rare insight.
But now was not the time.
Still, there was no choice.
He charged.
Clang! Clang!
Two flame-bearers collided again and again, their weapons slicing arcs through burning air. A shockwave of heat and power rippled around them.
Then—an opening. Rowe stumbled slightly, exposing his neck.
The troll reacted instantly, slashing for the kill.
But Rowe made no move to evade. Instead, he drove Verigan's Fist forward toward the troll's arm.
The troll grinned. The hammer might break his arm—but his sword would sever Rowe's head. It was a fair trade.
Then came the shock.
Crack!
The greatsword struck Rowe's neck—only to break apart, shattered by a mystical golden light that enveloped him.
The troll's eyes went wide. The paladin's body shimmered with runes.
Holy Shield Technique. The sacred protection of the Light.
At the same moment, Rowe's hammer connected.
Hammer of Justice!
A surge of divine power paralyzed the troll. Frozen mid-motion, he couldn't respond.
Rowe didn't hesitate.
Hammer of Wrath.
Boom!
The troll's skull imploded. Flames vanished. His body collapsed lifelessly.
The watching trolls recoiled. Their leader—defeated in seconds. Fear clouded their eyes.
"Captain! We're here!" Elito's voice rang out as he and reinforcements burst onto the field.
With renewed momentum, the team surged forward, cutting down disoriented trolls. The rest panicked and fled.
"Run!" Rowe shouted.
They sprinted. Pursuit still echoed behind them, but the town's border—and safety—was within reach.
But unseen by them, atop a ruined tower, two trolls stood—one aged, one regal—watching with narrowed eyes.
"Mt. Hess, do you think they found the tunnel?" The bearded, golden-armored troll—King Ulic—spoke grimly.
"I doubt it, Your Majesty," said the elder—none other than the giant archmage Rowe had encountered at the Hunting Festival. His brow furrowed. "Still… I won't let them escape."
"I trust you," King Ulic said and turned away.
Mt. Hess raised his staff to the sky. His aged face flushed with power as magic surged around him.
He whispered ancient incantations. The top of his staff lit up like a dying sun, banishing the moonlight from the sky.
Boom.
The heavens roared. The sky rippled with thunder—but no lightning came.
Below, Rowe and his allies raced toward the edge of the town.
Rowe reached into his cloak, gripping the All-Seeing Orb, ready to activate it.
"What… is that?!" a soldier gasped, staring at the sky, paralyzed.
Everyone stopped.
Their eyes widened in dread.
From the heart of the darkened sky, a swirling vortex—the eye of a magical storm—tore open. From its center, a blazing meteor emerged, wreathed in flame, trailing a tail like a comet.
It roared downward with impossible speed, targeting them directly.
Boom.
A meteorite descended from the heavens. The earth trembled. The night sky ignited.