“Sophiaa!”. Jonathan screamed charging towards the troll.

  The troll threw her body to the ground and turned its gaze to Jonathan.

  Now, the troll was the one initiating the attack.

  His fist slammed straight at Jonathan.

  Jonathan took the hit, but his knees buckled under the impact.

  “Hold it still”. Vincent yelled towards Jonathan as he slashed towards its neck.

  “Too shallow”. He muttered to himself as the wound instantly healed.

  “Jonathan cover me”. Vincent said.

  “Don't worry about me, just focus on attacking. I will make sure this thing never looks away from me”. Jonathan replied back.

  Vincent charged again, this time with Jonathan attacking in tandem.

  . With a slash of Jonathan axe aiming for its legs and Vincent aiming for its neck.

  The troll couldn't dodge either of them. Both attacks landed, but it didn’t matter—the troll regenerated again and again.

  Jonathan’s and Vincent’s coordination was becoming impossible to counter. Vincent blitzed past the troll and was behind him Jonathan was above. Slashing towards its hands . They were giving no breathing room for the troll to even process what was happening. One of them ran past it and another charged towards it. It's natural the troll will attack Jonathan charging towards it.

  “Got you”. Vincent spoke out.

  Aiming this time at the joints, his daggers slashed both legs . Making its movement stumble . Then immediately Vincent went Slashing at its hands. With no way to block, it seemed victory was finally within reach.

  Jonathan slashed at the troll with full force.

  The troll body ignited with a dark aura.

  “This feeling”. Vincent thought to himself as he remembered his body moving on its own when the same thing happened before.

  The troll let a small grin form across its lips.

  “It's taunting, how is that possible a beast shouldn't have intelligence? No way is this beast evolving through battle”. Vincent's mind scrambled.

  “Jonathan”. Vincent yelled out . But it was too late. The troll troll was different now. It grabbed Jonathan's axe. Then its fist slammed him straight to the ground.

  It did not let up. Jonathan was dying as the troll kept Punching Jonathan deeper and deeper into the pavement…

  Shrkkkk.

  “What the—?” Vincent blinked in surprise. A sword and spear jutted from the troll’s face.

  The stealth ability deactivated . Revealing James and William.

  “What are you boys thinking, but thank you”. Vincent rushed to capitalize on the opportunity.

  Aiming to cut its neck off. But its skin was now harder than usual. His blade wasn't going through.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  “Damn it, am I really going to waste such an opportunity that my students gave.” Vincent thought to himself.

  Zsssst.

  The sound of lightning was coming closer.

  It was Sophia. She used her electrified saber aiming at its neck. But The troll did not give up that easily. It was ready to sacrifice it's life to take them down.

  It raised it's hands trying to kill Sophia for good this time. But it stopped before it could reach her. It was Sam’s doing.

  Her blade sliced its neck like butter. The troll's lifeless body fell to the ground.

  They had won, defeated a beast that should not have existed…

  James ran towards where Jonathan was.

  “Jonathan, are you okay?”. James dragged him out of the ground. It was very faint but he was still breathing.

  James let out a sigh of relief.

  “How did you and William get close to the troll without it noticing.” Vincent spoke as he carried Jonathan on his back.

  “Hmm. Probably because it doesn't have senses like we do.”

  Vincent raised an eye trying to understand what he meant.

  “It's like a child, I don't understand why but it doesn't even know how to use its strength. “I first noticed it when Sophia slashed off its arm, but confirmed it during its rampage against Jonathan…

  “ All creatures rely on instincts to survive, this was different. It felt like it was experimenting with its ability rather than just outright fighting, so after confirming our prediction and William's ability to use stealth on other people, we went over to get Amanda’s spear before stabbing it's eyes”. James explained.

  “Impressive.” Vincent chuckled .

  “By the way, how are you okay? There’s barely a trace of your injury.” William asked Sophia who was walking beside her.

  Sophia was clearly stabbed with a hole through her abdomen but now it was gone.

  “I guess I'm responsible for that”. Sam spoke out, appearing behind William.

  “He only stopped the bleeding—I handled the rest,” Sophia cut in before Sam could say more.

  Mainly because Sophia's ability lets her create or reinforce anything she is in contact with including herself. She subconsciously was able to create the damaged cells and skin she had lost.

  The group after walking for some time finally stopped. They arrived where Amanda had died…

  They stopped to bury her.

  Tears streamed from the kids’ eyes…

  as they were finally able to mourn their fallen friend and the glue that held them together.

  “We should go now”. Vincent was behind them , still with the unconscious Jonathan on his back.

  They turned away, heading back to base.

  But Vincent's mind still scrambled on how something was wrong.

  “Something’s off... No one saw the battle? And worst of all—there was no void break report.”

  The AUN had been able to contain void breaks by monitoring energy activity of the area . Predicting when a void break will form and how devestating it can be depending on the energy readings it gives off when forming.

  Then they all froze—unable to move or even breathe.

  A dark aura began forming behind them.

  Slowly each of them turned their heads to see what was behind them.

  “How is it still alive”. Sophia this time could not even fathom what she was seeing.

  The troll which they just killed was standing before them. Its body was perfectly fine, The only difference was the crimson broken sun eerily glowing on its chest.

  It raised it's claws and slashed off Sophia's neck from her body.

  Thump!.

  Her body fell to the ground…

  “Run! Now!” Vincent shouted, charging the troll in a desperate attempt to buy them time.

  Their hands clenched to a fist, Knowing that was the only possible option left. There was nothing they could do anymore.

  But before they could even retreat Vincent was already dead. The troll was already standing over Vincent's lifeless body.

  “There is no other choice, We are making our move”. James yelled out.

  “Do you even have a plan? It survived being decapitated!” William was panicking as the troll started to walk towards them.

  “It's a long shot. But it might work out”. James said. “What's the plan?” Sam standing next to them was holding Jonathan up.

  “The glowing mark on its chest should be its weakness, probably its core. If we break it, that should be enough to kill it”.

  “Sounds like a plan”. Sam smirked towards James.

  They charged together towards the troll. None of them had the ability suited for combat, but fighting was the only way to survive.

  Sam gave James his long sword. “Where has it been all this time?”. James asked, taking the sword from his hands.

  “I just didn't use it, since I am not suited for combat anymore.” Sam replied.

  They faced their opponent. The troll just standing, waiting for its prey to come to him.

  Sam this time was the one that initiated the attack.

  He dove into its body, trying to restrain its movements…

  James Jumping towards the troll trying to cut it down.

  A downward slash aiming for the troll. The troll raised it's hand in response to the attack but nothing happened. James just landed on the ground. There wasn't a weapon in his hands any more.

  “William”. James shouted out. A sword was thrown to James.

  Immediately James aimed for his chest with an upward slash this time.

  The troll raised it's arms trying to slash James back down. But it's arm didn't move. Sam focused all of his energy on restricting it's body completely. It took a heavy toll on him but Sam didn't mind.

  The beast broke one of his hands free from Sam's control.

  Aiming for James.

  Stab .

  “William!”. James shouted.

  “Forget me. Make sure you kill this thing”. William's mouth spat blood as he shouted out.

  William had sacrificed himself to ensure James could finally kill the abomination of a beast.

  James tightened his grip on the blade.

  Slash.

  James' blade slashed towards the troll mark on its chest.

  The troll staggered—James had finally slashed through its weakness. James watched as the troll stumbled .

  But the troll let out a Grin .

  Then, with a sickening pulse of energy, it regenerated—completely.