Chapter 552: A Formidable Foe
The Olog-Hai that the party had encountered were, according to Tauro’s ability True Eye, a forcibly evolved superior species of troll.
Trolls themselves were dark monsters that dwelled underground and were weak to sunlight.
It is said that treasures lie in the dwellings of trolls, so among adventurers there was a common belief: where there are trolls, there is 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-rank team Blue Thunder Beast, who had hired them for this quest.
“got it!”
Jack, the claw-blade wielder and team leader, took the lead and launches at the Olog-Hai.
Longa, the longsword user, and Ack, the battle-axe wielder, 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 the shield he was holding.
Jack was surprised at the monster’s almost human reaction speed.
The same was true for Longa and Ack. 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 Ack’s battle-axe crushed its skull, ending its life.
Without pause, Jack moved on to the next Olog-hai.
Bomane, the explosive flame mage, and Fores, the priest, supported the three attacking with various physical strengthening spells.
At the same time, Tauro drew his bow and fired four rapid shots of Holy-Dark Arrows at the remaining four Olog-hai who were about to counterattack, each arrow 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 darkness 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.
Bomane, quick to notice from behind, chanted her namesake explosive flame spell 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 give it speed.
The fireball’s speed increased with the help of wind magic and it struck the fleeing Olog-Hai squarely in the back, erupting in a flashy explosion of flames and finishing 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,” Ack remarked, wiping off the blood from his battle-axe.
“From the report, it was recommended by the Adventurer’s Guild that these monsters should be prioritized for slaying by first-class adventurers like us. I see why now… With bodies this tough, clad in equipment, and attacking in coordinated groups, 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,” Bomane 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 out loud.
“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 joined in, sharing information from the 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, the connection seems likely,” Jack said seriously, clearly recognizing the importance of Tauro’s insight.
“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 the members of 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 they were, Jack and the members of Blue Thunder Beast once again recognized just how formidable Tauro’s party—Black-Golden Wings—truly was, especially recalling their previous battle against the Manticore.