On the other side.
The two continued walking far ahead through the gathering darkness. Only after Gandalf had cooled down a bit did he speak to Levi with measured words:
"Regardless of whether those dwarves are willing or not, we must go to Rivendell. Only Lord Elrond of Rivendell can read the moon-letters on that map. We have no way to complete the ultimate purpose of this journey on our own."
"We need the elves' help."
"Levi, when necessary, I hope you can help me persuade them by whatever means."
"Alright, if needed, I'll do so." Levi readily agreed.
"But where are we going? Aren't we going back?"
Seeing that it was already dark, Levi asked Gandalf with practical concern.
Gandalf was silent for a moment before responding: "I don't particularly want to see the dwarves right now. How about this: you go back first, and I'll continue forward to scout the path. I'll return later."
"Alright."
He was still sulking.
Levi turned around and walked back through the shadows.
On the other side, near the ruined house.
Bilbo was carrying two bowls, preparing to bring soup to Kili and Fili. However, when he went over, he found the two standing motionless, staring blankly into the darkness.
"What's wrong?"
"We've lost two horses. There should be seventeen horses here, but now there are only fifteen."
Besides the fifteen horses for riding, there were two specifically for carrying supplies.
"Should we go tell Thorin first?"
"Uh, no, we don't want to worry him just yet."
"Levi's somewhat dim-looking horse is also missing..."
Kili and Fili were quite troubled. This was a big problem; they couldn't afford to compensate for the equipment on that horse.
"As the expedition's burglar, I think you should help us investigate this matter."
Hearing this, Bilbo had no choice but to put down the bowls in his hands and look around with growing unease.
"These large trees look like they were pulled up by something..."
Looking at the traces left at the scene, Bilbo felt genuinely panicked. What kind of creature had the strength to uproot trees?
"Agreed."
Kili said, suddenly noticing something in the distance that made his blood run cold.
"Wait, there seems to be firelight over there..."
"What is that?"
"Trolls."
Kili replied with a serious expression that spoke of mortal danger.
"It's time for you to be useful, Mr. Baggins. Those mountain trolls are clumsy and stupid; you're so small, they definitely won't see you."
"Me? No, no, no, no, I don't..."
"We'll be watching you from behind."
Thud.
Before he could finish speaking, Bilbo had already been pushed out from the bushes with unceremonious force.
"Alright."
Things had come to this; he could only bite the bullet and go forward.
"Go call for help."
Although Kili and Fili were afraid of being scolded by Uncle Thorin, they could still distinguish between important and trivial matters. Realizing that trolls weren't something they could handle, they immediately went to call everyone over.
A group of dwarves nervously watched Bilbo's movements with bated breath.
Until he was discovered by the trolls and caught in their massive hands.
"Are there any more of your companions around here?"
"No."
"Lying."
"No, I said no!" Even in this dangerous situation, Bilbo firmly refused to betray his teammates with admirable courage.
Seeing Bilbo like this, Kili couldn't hold back. He grabbed his sword and rushed out, slashing at the troll with desperate fury.
"Let him go!"
"Attack!" Seeing they could no longer hide, Thorin immediately gave the order and was the first to charge out with kingly valor.
A group of dwarves roared angrily and followed close behind like a tide of steel and fury.
The scene quickly became chaotic, but despite the chaos, the dwarves' coordination appeared seamless, delivering heavy blows to the trolls one after another with practiced precision.
Extremely high team combat awareness and coordination; this was precisely why the dwarves, despite their small stature, could become a formidable force in Middle-earth.
"Damn trolls, try this!"
Clang!
Someone picked up a war hammer and struck a troll's head hard. However, what would normally be enough to smash a person's head only knocked out a few of the troll's yellowed teeth.
These trolls' skin was simply too thick, as hard as rock. Ordinary weapons could hardly harm them.
Even with the dwarves' great strength, they could only cut through some skin and fat, making the trolls howl in pain, but dealing fatal wounds was still extremely difficult.
However, even so, under the dwarves' coordination, the trolls quickly fell into a disadvantage. It seemed they would be defeated with just a bit more grinding.
Suddenly, two trolls grabbed Bilbo's limbs with bone-crushing force.
"Drop your weapons, or we'll tear him apart!"
Everyone looked at Thorin.
Thorin looked at the terrified Bilbo.
Without hesitation, he dropped his weapon with a resounding clang.
He chose to risk the safety of thirteen dwarves for Bilbo's life rather than sacrifice Bilbo's life for the safety of thirteen dwarves.
Trolls liked fresh food and usually wouldn't kill their prey until just before eating.
At this moment, a group of dwarves were tied up on one side, grumbling and cursing the trolls while watching helplessly as the water in the pot boiled with ominous bubbling.
"We need to hurry, or it'll be dawn soon. I don't want to turn to stone..."
One troll said. The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was attentive. Bilbo realized something and immediately stepped forward to delay time.
"No, no, no, that's not how you do dwarves. You first need to, uh, skin them!"
The dwarves erupted in commotion.
"What are you saying, you little hobbit? Just wait until I get out..."
Thorin kicked the shouting dwarf, signaling him to be quiet.
Bilbo ignored the dwarves' threats and struggled to think of ways to delay time.
As he was thinking, he suddenly saw a person appear on a nearby boulder.
A person wearing black armor that gleamed like midnight.
That person raised a finger to Bilbo, making a "quiet" gesture.
Then, while the trolls' attention was all on Bilbo, he suddenly jumped out with predatory grace.
Thud!
A critical hit with one sword; the struck troll let out a scream that echoed through the forest. The hard skin that the dwarves couldn't break despite their desperate efforts was cut open in one strike, blood flowing out in crimson streams.
At the same time, as the sword blade flashed with fire, that troll was also ignited, burning with flames while continuously wailing and rolling on the ground.
"They have more companions!"
At this moment, the trolls had no idea how serious the situation was and actually charged forward on their own initiative.
Levi struck again with his sword, igniting the second troll with Fire Aspect.
However, there was still one troll that hadn't been hit. That fist, larger than an entire dwarf, came swinging toward Levi with the wind.
"Danger, behind you!" In the critical moment, Thorin shouted.
Levi just smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth, raised one hand, and with a thud directly blocked the troll's attack.
His form didn't retreat even half a step.
This was the knockback resistance that came with netherite armor.
"I must be hallucinating."
A dwarf stared wide-eyed at this scene, reluctant to blink.
That punch would have knocked down anyone present, yet he blocked it just by raising his hand?
Parrying the incoming fist with his sword, Levi constantly shifted his position, single-handedly suppressing three trolls. What was amazing was that every time the trolls made a move, Levi seemed to anticipate it and could dodge in advance.
As if he had prophetic abilities.
Although Levi could completely rely on his armor to tank the trolls directly, he still instinctively recalled his past combat experience, showing off against the trolls with his movements.
"Damn slippery eel!"
A troll cursed.
However, the smartest one suddenly stopped and retreated two steps.
Faced with this situation, he unconsciously recalled a terrifying story that had circulated among his kind long ago: the legend of the Treasure Devourer.
It was said that no troll attack could hit that Treasure Devourer, who would hunt down solitary trolls, and after killing them, would devour all their stored treasures, taking everything away without leaving a trace.
Because of this legend, many trolls who preferred solitude chose to band together, moving in groups.
"You, you're the Treasure Devourer!" the troll who had retreated shouted, his eyes full of terror.
What Treasure Devourer?
The bound dwarves looked at each other, not knowing what the troll was shouting about.
"So that's what you call me." Levi flicked the blood off his long sword and smiled.
But this smile, to the trolls, seemed like the scythe of death.
"Run..."
Rumble!
"Let the dawn take you away!"
Before the trolls could escape, a figure suddenly appeared on the nearby boulder. He struck his staff downward, and the boulder immediately cracked.
Sunlight shone through just like that.
"Ahhhhh!"
The three trolls, frozen in their running poses, turned to stone.
"Gandalf!" Bilbo exclaimed with relief.
"Oh, it seems I didn't arrive quite in time. The problem here seems solvable without me."
[Chapter Complete]
***
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