The moment the messenger said the word troll, the Adventurer Guild exploded into noise again.
"What?!"
"A troll near Riverwood?!"
"That's impossible…"
Several adventurers stood up from their tables, their expressions filled with disbelief. Others immediately began whispering among themselves, clearly worried.
Bren stepped forward, his face serious.
"Slow down," he told the boy. "Tell us exactly what the scouts saw."
The messenger gulped nervously but nodded.
"They said it came out of the eastern forest not long after sunrise," he explained. "It attacked a supply wagon traveling toward town. The merchants barely escaped."
A few adventurers cursed under their breath.
"That road is one of the main trade routes."
"If a troll is roaming there, caravans will stop coming completely."
Bren rubbed his beard thoughtfully.
"How big?"
The boy spread his arms wide.
"Bigger than the ogre."
That answer made several people groan loudly. Alex sat quietly at the corner table, listening.
"Great," he muttered. "Just when I thought things were calming down."
Kael leaned back in his chair.
"Trolls rarely travel alone," he said calmly.
"That's comforting," Alex replied dryly.
"They also regenerate," Kael continued.
Alex paused.
"Regenerate?"
"Yes."
Kael tapped the wooden table lightly.
"Cut off a troll's arm and it will grow back."
Alex blinked.
"That sounds… unfair."
"It is."
At the center of the guild hall, Bren raised his voice.
"Alright, everyone listen!"
The room slowly quieted.
"We handled the ogre this morning," Bren said. "But a troll is a different matter."
Several experienced adventurers nodded grimly. Bren continued.
"A monster like that can wipe out an entire caravan if we leave it unchecked."
One adventurer crossed his arms.
"So what's the plan?"
Bren looked around the room.
"We form a larger hunting party."
"How large?" someone asked.
"At least ten fighters," Bren replied.
"That thing will have thick hide and insane strength."
Another adventurer spoke up.
"And the regeneration?"
Bren nodded.
"We'll need fire."
Alex frowned slightly at that.
"Fire?" he asked quietly.
Kael nodded.
"Trolls heal quickly, but fire slows the regeneration."
Alex leaned back in his chair again.
"So basically we fight a giant monster that can heal itself unless we burn it."
Kael smiled faintly.
"That's one way to describe it."
Across the room, Bren continued organizing the hunt.
"I need experienced fighters," he said.
Several hands immediately went up.
"I'm in."
"Same here."
Bren pointed to a few of them.
"You, you, and you."
Then his gaze moved across the room until it landed on Alex.
"And you."
Alex blinked.
"Me?"
Bren nodded.
"You helped kill the ogre."
"Fair point."
Kael stood up from the table.
"Then I'm joining too."
Bren didn't argue.
"I expected as much."
The veteran adventurer looked around the room again.
"That gives us eight."
Two more adventurers stepped forward.
"Make it ten."
Bren nodded approvingly.
"Good."
The group began preparing almost immediately. Weapons were checked.
Torches and oil flasks were gathered for the fight. Several adventurers grabbed extra rope and equipment.
Alex stood up slowly. His body still felt slightly tired from the ogre battle earlier that day.
"Back-to-back monster hunts," he said.
Kael adjusted the straps on his armor.
"Welcome to the adventurer life."
Alex chuckled.
"Not sure if I signed up for this part."
But even as he spoke, the system flickered again.
New Event Detected
Threat Level: High
Target: Forest Troll
Objective: Survive and Eliminate the Threat
Reward: Skill Evolution Opportunity
Alex's eyes widened slightly.
Skill evolution?
That was new.
Kael noticed his reaction.
"Another message?"
Alex nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
"Good news or bad news?"
Alex thought about it for a moment.
"Both."
Kael smirked.
"That's usually how it goes."
Bren clapped his hands loudly at the center of the room.
"Alright everyone!"
The hunting party gathered near the guild entrance.
"We leave in five minutes."
Alex tightened the grip on his sword. Outside the guild hall, the sun was already beginning to sink toward the horizon.
The forest beyond Riverwood looked darker than usual. Somewhere in those trees… A troll was waiting. And if the system was right about the reward… This fight might change everything.