Chapter 552: A Formidable Monster

According to Tauro’s [True Eye], the Olog-Hai the party had encountered were a superior species of troll that had been forcibly evolved.

Trolls themselves were dark monsters that dwelled underground and were weak to sunlight.

It’s said that treasures lie in the dwellings of trolls, so among adventurers there was a common belief: where there are trolls, there’s loot.

However, these trolls were extremely powerful monsters—far beyond what ordinary adventurers could handle.

Unlike trolls, which were slow-witted and lumbering giants, the Olog-Hai—their superior species—wore swords and armor, carried shields, and moved almost like humans.

They operated in groups like adventurers and even displayed coordinated teamwork.

That was the impression Tauro had formed from fighting them before.

“Be careful! The Olog-Hai are intelligent!” Tauro warned the A-minus team Blue Thunder Beast, which had hired them for this quest.

“Got it!”

Jack, the claw-sword user and team leader, took the lead and charged at the Olog-Hai.

Longa, the longsword user, and Akku, the battle-axe user, followed.

Jack’s preemptive attack seemed effective against the leading Olog-Hai, which had been caught off guard—but it managed to block the attack with its shield.

Jack was surprised at the monster’s almost human reaction speed.

The same was true for Longa and Akku. They had initially intended to let Jack handle the leader while they cut down the second and third monsters, but when Jack failed to finish the first one, they instantly shifted targets and attacked it together.

Even the quick-reacting Olog-Hai couldn’t match the superior teamwork of Blue Thunder Beast. Longa’s longsword severed its right arm, and Akku’s battle-axe crushed its skull, ending its life.

Without pause, Jack moved on to the next Olog-Hai.

Bomarne, the blast-fire mage, and Fores, the forest priest, supported the three attackers with various physical-enhancement spells.

At the same time, Tauro drew his bow and fired four [Holy-Dark Arrow] shots in rapid succession at the remaining four Olog-Hai as they prepared to counterattack, each shot as precise as threading a needle.

The Olog-Hai had treated their leader as bait, intending to confront Jack’s group head-on, but the arrows imbued with holy-dark power slipped through the gaps and struck them, disrupting their counterattack.

Seizing the moment, Jack and his companions delivered fatal blows to the remaining Olog-Hai one by one.

Only the fifth Olog-Hai at the very back remained unharmed. Judging the situation, it chose to flee rather than fight back.

Bomarne, quick to notice the retreat from the rear, chanted blast-fire magic and launched what appeared to be a small fireball at the creature’s back.

Unfortunately, the fireball moved slowly.

Aeris then used wind magic to accelerate it.

With the added wind, the fireball sped up, struck the fleeing Olog-Hai squarely in the back, and erupted in a spectacular explosion that finished it off.

“That was wonderful support, thank you, Tauro.”

After ensuring all the Olog-Hai were dead, Jack expressed his gratitude to Tauro and Aeris for their timely assistance.

“Still… for a new species to have the reaction speed to block Jack’s opening strike—that’s unbelievable,” Akku remarked, wiping the blood from the battle-axe.

“The Adventurers’ Guild report recommended that first-class adventurers like us prioritize subjugating these monsters. I see why now… With bodies this tough, equipment of their own, and coordinated group attacks, ordinary adventurers wouldn’t stand a chance,” Longa said grimly.

“What concerns me more is that this new species is inside a place like this,” Bomarne pointed out.

“That’s right. When we came here before, we didn’t encounter them near the ruins. So did they move in afterward? Or did we simply not cross paths by chance?” Fores wondered aloud.

“These Olog-Hai appear to be artificially created monsters. We don’t even know how many there are. That’s what makes them unsettling,” Tauro added, sharing information from the Adventurers’ Guild.

“…We were so focused on the ancient ruins that we didn’t pay much attention to the new species. But if they’re here, a connection does seem possible,” Jack said seriously, recognizing the importance of Tauro’s information.

“When we first encountered them, there were fifteen Olog-Hai. It was a tough fight. They don’t just rely on numbers—they actively target the rear guard. This time, we could fight without worrying about being flanked because of the narrow underground passage. But we should be careful in wide-open areas.”

As the first party to discover and defeat the Olog-Hai, Tauro made sure his warning reached not only Blue Thunder Beast but also Silver Twin Mages.

“You fought fifteen of these at once—in an open area?! …And survived? That must’ve been like fighting a group of normal adventurers. It couldn’t have been easy.”

Having just experienced firsthand how troublesome the Olog-Hai were, Jack and the members of Blue Thunder Beast once again recognized just how formidable Tauro’s party—Black-Gold Wings—truly was, especially when they recalled the earlier manticore battle.