” Damn you coward, show yourself. ” Gerrard started to yell like a madman.

 As if I was that stupid... Who in his right mind would do something like that? Or should I assume that he would do?

’Yeaaaah... He's not that smart after all...’

Meanwhile, another arrow was released from where Fiona was. Unfortunately, the arrow missed his foot and landed some centimeters away from it.

” What the hell... Ron, there's more of them. ” he said backing off to look at the place from where the arrow had been fired. 

Good job, Fiona. Even though you missed, he got distracted by it. I had to make use of this opportunity so I put another arrow on the bowstring and fired it. 

” Gerrard, another one. ” 

” Haaa? Where... Fuuuck! That hurt you cowardly piece of shit. ” he said trying to break my arrow that was stuck in his left shoulder. 

 I aimed for his head but I couldn't complain with just [Apprentice Bow Technique] at level 3. I suspected that it would have been even less likely to hit without my racial [Superior Bow Technique]. 

While I prepared my next arrow, Fiona shot another one which missed and ironically happened to hit one of the trolls. 

The monster waved his hand with a roar and broke the arrow in two, not caring too much for the half that was still embedded in his body. 

He didn't seem to be too affected by it in the first place. Their skin must have been really tough and the arrow couldn't penetrate deep enough to damage anything important.

The fact that the troll did not even removed the whole arrow and the tip was still stuck there, prevented the shedding of too much blood and made them bleed less. In a sense, it was the right thing to do. Unlike Gerrard who simply took it out. A perfect fit for the saying ’what you don't know, won't affect you’. 

But an injury was still an injury. Even though that Vanessa had to aim for their belies, neck and other vulnerable places, she still damaged them quite badly while the other two were protecting her. To bad for them that I arrived just in time to break their formation.

Even so, as we shot some more arrows, Ron succeeded to finish the one that Vanessa hit with her last arrow. 

I shot at him next but he managed to avoid it in the last moment jumping to the side. Maybe I could hit him in two or three attempts but I doubt that I could manage a fatal or serious injury. He was quite skilled. 

” Gerrard, we need to break through these monsters and move from here now. ” he shouted loudly for the first time. Probably he finally acknowledged the situation to be critical.

” Fucking hell. I'm not gonna run from these fuckers. Do you hear me? Bastards, I'm gonna kill you all. ” Gerrard yelled even louder with a maniacal expression on his face.

While the situation wasn't too bright for them, our helpers weren't in a better shape either. From all five remaining trolls, I could barely see two of them carrying a large piece of wood as a weapon.

I couldn't let two of them escape from there that easily, so I had to do something about it.

When I was about to shot another arrow an idea suddenly pooped in my mind. If they were mad at how I cornered them there and shot from a distance, I was curious about how they would react at my new idea.

I put the bow back in my ring and took one of my rock clubs which I barely used anymore. The time for them to be shine again was there. 

Taking a step back and preparing myself, I throw the club at them with all my might. A small laugh escaped my mouth as I saw their confused expressions when they spotted an unidentified object flying past them and hitting one of the trolls.

I quickly took the other two clubs I had and tossed them as well before heading toward where Fiona was. My position was already exposed so I had no choice but to move.

As I approached her, she stopped firing arrows at them and looked at me with a doubtful eye.

” Lizza, why did you—

” You... You fucking motherfuckers. ” 

 She couldn't finish her question because another round of swearing echoed through the forest.

I switched my attention back to our enemies and saw that two of my clubs were picked up by the trolls. One by a troll that didn't have any weapon and the other by one that already had a bat. I was about to make a joke about him being a dual-wielder but that wasn't the time or the place for it.

” Lizza, this... ” Fiona said with a shocked expression. 

” We need to make use of everything we can. Sometimes, the most bizarre and unusual strategies work because your opponent wouldn't expect something like that. It's a proved fact in history... ” I cracked a smile but stopped my last sentence since it wasn't that good to mention historical events that didn't happen in this world’s history.

” Yes, but that... No, you are right. Even though your methods look really strange sometimes, at least they work. ” she said with a resolute expression. 

My awkward smile cracked even further at her words which were spoken with so much conviction. I know that my behavior may be a little different from the norm but it was still troubling to hear it in that way.

*Cough* *Cough* 

” Anyway, we need to move, Fio. Come after me. We don't have that much time. ” I said while coughing a little to get rid of the awkwardness. 

After that, me moved from one place to another, circling them and firing arrows in the meantime to distract them and give an advantage to the trolls.

When we arrived at the place opposite to where the troll cave was I stopped and handed some more arrows to Fiona.

” Fio, take some distance and shot from there. Don't let them head in this direction. ”

If they wanted to retreat and we couldn't stop them, at least we could guide in which direction they had to retreat. That was the advantage of advantage of knowing the terrain. I wondered what kind of expression would they have as they popped right in front of the troll cave.

Fiona nodded her head somehow troubled by the situation and took some distance to fire her arrows as we had done the last time.

Now that I thought about it, wasn't I looking like a real villain? Shooting people who were already attacked by monsters from a distance, giving weapons to monsters because they weren't dangerous enough and on top of that, trying to make them retreat toward their nest.

No matter how I looked at it, I was looking like a genuine villain despite being the victim. 

I shook my head and focus again on the fight. I put another arrow on my bowstring and shot it at Ron when he jumped back to evade a club strike. 

Judging at how my club broke at the moment it hit the ground, the trolls raw power wasn't something to be trifled with. But that distraction was enough for me to land a good arrow on his right leg.

” Aaahhhh, fuck... ” he screams in frustration and brandished his sword to cut down the arrow in half.

” He he, that looks pretty good. ” I couldn't help but laugh a little. If something unexpected wouldn't pop up from nowhere—

*Roaaar* 

Even though my habit of speaking alone was mostly gone due to my interaction with Fiona, it had to come out again at this moment and set a damn flag.

” Fuck... Ron, there are more trolls coming. ” 

” I heard that as well, Gerrard. ”

Another furious roar was heard from the other side of the clearing and two other trolls appeared from the foliage. One of them even stopped to pick up the last club I throw before resuming his advance.

That wasn't that good. The more we stayed here, the greater the danger became. If we were to be discovered by the trolls as well, our situation may be reversed. We had to finish with the last two of them and run the hell out of there immediately. 

FDSIO

Hello guys, the battle should be resolved in the next chapter so I hope you guys can handle this cliff again... hehe.. hehehe... 

*cough* *cough* 

Anyway, I wanted to ask what do you think about another monster side story like the one with the goblin. This time my target is one of the trolls... A fun chapter as the end of this semi-sort-of-somehow-arc (I don't even know how to name it) and the next one...

 I think I have a good idea about how to make it entertaining and fun to read. The goblin one was well received and is in top at ’Favorite’ from all my chapters so far, but I would like so see your opinions as well.

(If I'll do it and most probably I'll do, the Side Story chapter will be released after the next one to not break the flow...)