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Chapter 13: The Troll Chieftain of Burning Blood
His breathing was steady, each inhalation building power for the next round of attack, each exhalation releasing this power in the most precise way.
Surrounded by dozens of trolls, Owen remained unflustered.
He moved nimbly among their attacks, his body swaying with each dodge like a leaf floating in the wind, yet always finding the safest foothold.
His attacks were rhythmic, striking at the moments when the trolls least expected, without any superfluous motion, each hit fatal.
Finally, as the last troll fell at Owen's feet, there was not a trace of disarray on him.
He didn't relax, aware that the highest rank among trolls, the diamond-tier, had yet to appear.
He clenched his fists, his eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
Suddenly, a sinister aura spread, a powerful oppression enveloping the battlefield.
At that moment, a towering figure emerged from the darkness.
Over twice the height of a normal person, with muscles solid and powerful like a moving mountain.
His face was ferocious, his eyes gleaming with a fierce light, like a savage beast.
This troll chieftain wore a tattered iron armor, covered with bloodstains and scratches.
A thick iron chain was tied around his waist, adorned with several skulls that clacked ominously.
In his hand, he held a massive battle axe, its blade sharp and emitting a cold light.
The appearance of the troll chieftain brought a dead silence to the battlefield.
His presence was like a violent storm, suffocating.
His eyes revealed cruelty and mercilessness, as if he was the embodiment of the Grim Reaper, ready to devour all life.
"Bastard of dragons? Dare to lay hands on our great trolls?" The troll's voice was thunderous, Owen could see the sound waves emanating from his shouts.
Nikol suddenly burst out from the outskirts of Windshadow Forest, standing beside Owen:
"Scoundrel, how dare you not show respect upon seeing us, the saints of dragons?"
The troll chieftain laughed uproariously, his laughter deafening:
"Saint of dragons? Your dragons haven't produced a saint for thousands of years. Now, you grab just anyone to fill the role? Do you think I, Gna, am easily frightened?"
Gna laughed even more heartily, the iron chain around his neck clinking crisply as he shook with mirth.
Nikol, seeing Gna insult Owen, was instantly enraged.
He clenched the long sword in his hand, his eyes flashing with resolute light.
Grinding his teeth, he spoke with firmness, "You despicable beast, how dare you insult my friend! Today, I will make you pay!"
Owen stopped Nikol, a slight smile on his face.
He said with interest, "Hold on, let me do this. Facing such a formidable opponent is a good opportunity for real combat practice."
Nikol was stunned, repeatedly trying to dissuade him, "Saint, you can't take such a risk! The chieftain has diamond-tier strength, far beyond yours. This will only put you in danger!"
Owen gently patted Nikol's shoulder, reassuring him, "Don't worry, Nikol. Aren't you here with me?"
Nikol's lips moved slightly, but the words in his throat remained unspoken.
Erin stood on the periphery of the battle, deeply observing Owen, and muttered to herself:
"Truly a saint, facing such a powerful opponent without fear."
Gna, seeing the two arguing, disdainfully said:
"Both of you come at me, let me show you the might of a troll warrior."
He didn't grieve for his fallen comrades; trolls' prolific breeding meant their loss was insignificant to Gna.
In his eyes, their deaths might even be beneficial, as he could plunder the entire Windshadow Forest without sharing the spoils.
Owen didn't hesitate.
His body instantly transformed into a streak of golden lightning, entangling with Gna.
Owen's hands turned into huge dragon claws, each covered with hard scales, shimmering with a cold metallic luster.
His fingers, as flexible as serpents, drew eerie arcs in the air.
Gna, surprised by Owen's rapid transformation and the immense power he wielded, felt a tinge of unease but didn't retreat.
Instead, he attacked Owen more fiercely.
Gna's punches, heavy as mountains, stirred up gales with each blow.
His battle axe swung with a momentum that seemed to move mountains and seas.
Owen was not intimidated, dodging Gna's attacks while his dragon claws continuously struck at Gna's body.
Owen's claws traced sharp trajectories in the air, each strike whistling through the air.
The claws, imbued with immense power, left deep wounds on Gna's body.
Gna, overwhelmed by Owen's onslaught, retreated step by step, his body covered in wounds, blood flowing from them.
Despite the intense pain, he didn't give up and attacked Owen with increased ferocity.
Their battle intensified, their figures intertwining in the air, creating loud impacts.
Each of their moves was filled with power and speed, dazzling to behold.
Erin, watching the fight, clapped and cheered for Owen enthusiastically.
Nikol also reflected inwardly:
"It's only been half a year since the saint joined our tribe, but his mastery of our combat techniques is astonishingly fast."
"Most importantly, he shows no fear against such a formidable enemy. Such a temperament is truly rare."
Gna, feeling his strength waning against Owen, let out an angry roar as his body underwent a startling transformation.
His skin became even harder, as if covered by a thick layer of armor.
His muscles swelled, each one filled with berserk power.
As Gna's anger burned, his blood too began to change.
It turned bright red like blood gems, shimmering with dazzling light.
The energy in his blood intensified, seeming like an endless force surging within him.
Gna's body emitted a strong oppressive aura, his presence becoming more ferocious and terrifying.
His eyes turned blood red, revealing a crazed, murderous intent.
His teeth became sharper, like swords.
With his blood burning, Gna's abilities were greatly enhanced.
His speed increased dramatically, each movement stirring up a gale.
His strength also grew significantly stronger than before.
Owen, witnessing Gna's transformation, couldn't help but feel a shock.
Nikol, seeing this, immediately panicked.
He shouted a warning to Owen:
"This creature has learned the trolls' forbidden technique, burning his blood to increase his power. Now, Gna's strength has tripled. Be careful."
"Saint, if you can't win, you must retreat. Don't force the fight."
Nikol harbored thoughts of retreat, doubting his ability to secure a victory against a berserk diamond-tier troll.
Erin's face turned pale, her playful and cute demeanor replaced by fear.
Clenching her fists in front of her chest, she seemed to be praying for Owen.
"Saint, should we retreat and call for reinforcements?" she suggested.
At this moment, Gna, with eyes red as blood gems, opened his mouth wide in a furious roar: "Run? Now you want to run – it's too late!"
"You all will die!!!"
Owen, calm and focused, showed no fear, his eyes sparkling.
Suddenly, his entire body began to radiate an intense light.
This light, as dazzling as gold, was filled with a holy and majestic aura.
The golden holy light emanating from Owen illuminated the entire battlefield.
Where the light touched, the air seemed to become pure, and a peaceful atmosphere spread.
Gna, struck by Owen's golden holy light, immediately felt an irresistible pressure.
His skin began to turn charred, as if scorched by flames.
His blood started to boil uncontrollably, causing intense pain to spread throughout his body.