Chapter 90: Spell Turret
Chapter 90: Spell Turret
The explosive "Fireball" spell showcased its power as a devastating battle weapon.
Three trolls, unable to dodge, were instantly gravely injured, their bodies charred black as they fell to the ground, screaming in agony.
The flames' searing heat counteracted their regeneration ability, leaving them unable to recover even if they weren't dead, completely out of the fight.
The trolls' anguished screams only fueled their comrades' anger.
Naturally cruel and confident in their strength, they roared defiantly at the charging soldiers, showing no fear as they attacked!
However, intimidated by the might of the fireballs, the trolls, who had been standing in a line, instinctively spread out.
Seeing their response, Matthew quickly realized that these trolls must have had experience fighting spellcasters before.
It was clear that using fireballs to wipe out ten or twenty of them in one go, as he had done with the gnolls, would not be possible this time.
But rather than being frustrated by their reaction, Matthew was actually pleased.
Without hesitation, he cast a second fireball!
Boom!
The rapidly moving fireball struck the two trolls at the front.
Matthew’s swift casting caught the trolls off guard.
The expanding flames engulfed their massive bodies, quickly filling the air with the foul stench of burnt flesh.
As the flames dissipated, the two tenacious troll warriors lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Their scorched bodies trembled and smoked, and after a final twitch, they breathed their last breath.
Ding! "You killed a level 6 troll warrior, gaining 40 experience points. Mana Drain activated, restoring 5 mana points!"
Ding! "You killed a level 6 troll warrior, gaining 60 experience points. Additional skill point x1 awarded!"
The sweet sound of kill notifications made Matthew raise an eyebrow. Watching the trolls spread out even further, he licked his lips with excitement:
"Just what I needed—time to rake in some skill points!"
As the thought passed through his mind, Matthew raised his staff again, unleashing a barrage of speeding blue projectiles.
The storm of Magic Missiles pounded a particularly strong troll.
With a series of sickening cracks, the charging troll collapsed to its knees.
Its chest, riddled with a dozen wounds the size of bowls, gushed blood uncontrollably.
Through the gaping injuries, the troll's regeneration powers could be seen desperately trying to heal its flesh.
But more critically, its vital organs had been torn apart by the barrage of missiles.
Yet another troll had fallen to Matthew's power.
The charging soldiers cheered with renewed vigor.
The 400 adventurers nearby widened their eyes with astonishment and joy.
No longer hesitating, they joined the soldiers' flanks and rushed forward to encircle the trolls.
Matthew’s fearsome attacks had suppressed the trolls' momentum, forcing them to slow down.
Although Matthew had burned through 100 points of mana, he paid it no mind as he raised his staff again.
Deadly Magic Missiles streaked toward the next troll.
The troll warrior, aware of the danger, tried to twist away.
But its massive size and lack of agility made it too slow to dodge.
Twelve Magic Missiles struck it head-on!
With Matthew’s extraordinary 25 points of intelligence, plus the significant boost from his level 3 Magic Missile spell,
Each missile inflicted 6–7 points of damage on the troll.
After being bombarded by twelve missiles, the troll’s health was utterly depleted, and its life was snuffed out.
The trolls, now visibly shaken, scattered even further in disarray.
Rottenfang, the troll commander pulling his bow from the backline, noticed the unfavorable turn of events and urgently shouted:
"Charge! The spellcaster can’t keep casting forever!"
The trolls surged forward with greater speed, believing that only by closing in on the soldiers could they avoid the deadly magic.
Their fear of death fueled their furious roars, as they tried to frighten their much smaller human foes.
The soldiers, filled with a sense of strength, charged fearlessly at the towering trolls.
Bang!
Crack!
Crash!
The scattered trolls collided head-on with the advancing soldiers.
To the astonishment of the adventurers, the soldiers maintained their orderly formation even while moving forward.
Archers at the rear continued to fire volleys of arrows as they ran, raining down on the advancing trolls.
The leading trolls, covered in arrows, used their thick arms to shield their heads, charging forward despite their bloodied bodies.
What amazed the adventurers most was that, just before the trolls made contact, the shield-bearing soldiers adjusted their stance and reformed their line.
So, in that first moment of collision, the trolls found themselves at a disadvantage!
Right on time, Angela tore open a spell scroll.
"Inspire!"
The spell boosted the soldiers' overall strength and defense!
The trolls were undoubtedly powerful, but even against the prepared soldiers, they gained no ground and were held back.
A few particularly strong trolls managed to muscle their way past the shield defense, using their size and momentum.
But before they could break through, Matthew had already pointed his staff at them from the rear.
With a series of rapid-fire blasts, the trolls let out their death screams and fell into pools of blood.
The soldiers, their morale soaring, quickly filled the gaps, and soon the spears from behind thrust forward in unison.
The leading trolls were immediately punctured by several spear thrusts.
The pain only fueled their fury, making them even more enraged as they ignored their wounds.
Time and again, they pressed the attack, swinging their weapons viciously against the soldiers' shields.
Several soldiers who were smaller and less strong struggled to withstand the brutal assault. Exhausted, they cried out for reinforcements.
Angela, ever alert, shouted commands in a cold voice:
"Spearmen, advance!"
Soldiers from the rear stepped forward with their spears, forming a solid wall of points that pushed the disorganized trolls back.
The weary soldiers quickly retreated.
The reserve soldiers were ready and took their place without missing a beat.
Meanwhile, the archers continued targeting the trolls' weak points, forcing them to retreat and giving their comrades a chance to swap positions.
Matthew watched this scene with great satisfaction.
Though the soldiers were individually weaker than the trolls, their coordination had withstood the most dangerous first wave.
This indicated that their formation skills had reached a respectable level.
After this difficult battle, the soldiers' combat abilities would undoubtedly improve further.
Feeling a bit relieved, Matthew eagerly scanned the battlefield for his next target.
Troll warriors with higher strength—eliminate them first!
Troll archers with greater range—eliminate them next!
It didn’t matter if the trolls weren’t killed outright. Even trolls needed time to recover from serious wounds before rejoining the fight.
However, aside from a few who managed to stay far back, most trolls targeted by Matthew couldn't escape the deadly 12-hit combo of Magic Missiles.
What terrified the trolls most was that Matthew, standing far behind, seemed to have an endless supply of spells.
Every time the whizzing sound of a spell rang out, another comrade fell!
Even the naturally savage trolls began to tremble with fear!