Secondly, without magic, trolls rely solely on their physical strength and natural weapons, which makes them predictable and easier to defend against. It also means they can’t use powerful magical abilities that could pose a greater threat. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

In terms of disadvantages, there were numerous. The number of trolls, their resilience, their discipline, and their base were only a few of them, but they were also the most troublesome.

The trolls’ large numbers make them difficult to handle. There are so many of them that it’s hard to defeat them all. They can also heal quickly, so even if the group hurts them, they bounce back fast. They are organized and work together well, which means they are not easily tricked or divided. They have a strong base that provides them protection and makes it tough for the group to break through. All these things make dealing with the trolls a big challenge.

"Maybe we can use the same tricks that the former drakes used at us," Vanessa said. "We can fly using the Earth platforms and attack them from above."

"Even if the visibility is bad, they still can counterattack, we tried something like that against them in the past, and they threw all kinds of things at us," George explained. "They can throw things with more power and speed than some cannons."

Vanessa, Rebecca, and the other mages of the group could fight back, but only for a while. Besides, without them, they wouldn’t be able to use the air advantage that much.

"Terry can’t deal with them using your Fire Swords while we fly?" Rebecca asked.

"Only to a certain extent. After using that spell a few times, I noticed that it got weaker the more we approached the portal; the wind and the cold are terrible against fire," Terry replied while shaking his head. "Also, the further I fire, the more power it will lose."

"What do you think we should do?" Hector asked with his arms crossed.

"The most obvious answer would be to mobilize the people of the town and fight against them," Terry replied.

"Impossible. I asked for help because I wanted to save as many lives as possible," George said as if it was a matter of fact. "If we were to lose our people, then our deal has no meaning."

"I never said that we should do that," Terry shrugged. "As for what we really can do in this situation... we have two options, the slow and safe method or the quick and dangerous method. The safe method will only make me and Rebecca fight the trolls; with only the two of us, she should be able to maneuver her earth platform to dodge the attack of the trolls even from a close range, and then I will attack them that way, we will kill one hundred of them at time and retreat, recover, rinse and repeat. The quick and not-so-safe method will use all of the guild masters. Still, you will have to work as a second team since Rebecca, and I will do the same thing, and you guys will work as a distraction to cause more confusion among the enemy’s lines. We won’t be able to help in case something happens, hence the danger."

The guild masters exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to say in response to Terry’s plan of splitting up despite the evident danger. There was a lingering silence in the air as they contemplated the risks and implications of such a strategy. They understood the necessity of covering more ground and maximizing their efforts. Still, the potential perils weighed heavily on their minds.

The gravity of the situation was reflected in their expressions as they grappled with the decision of whether to proceed with Terry’s plan or voice their concerns. Each guild master was torn between the desire to complete the mission efficiently and the instinct to prioritize the safety of their comrades.

"Well, I am open to new ideas as long as they make some sense," Terry added.

No one said anything, both options were quite troublesome, and they couldn’t think of anything else. The guild masters that came to see Terry fight were already satisfied. Still, they also had to confirm the portal disappearing, the existence of overlords, and other things. Staying behind wouldn’t let them confirm any of that directly.

The guild masters also wanted a good part of the materials that could make the magic staves. After seeing Terry’s firepower, they assumed that at least one-third of that was thanks to them; they were almost correct.

"The plan still is risky, and we can’t afford to get hurt before finding the overlord," Rebecca said. "I think we should start with the plan A and then change to the plan B."

"... I suppose that is also an option," Terry said after thinking for a short while.

"Then we should do that to minimize the danger; by the way, what are the chances of the overlord coming to Earth and stopping our operation?" George asked.

"... I am not sure; we don’t have enough information to have an answer," Terry replied. "Still, I don’t think that it has happened yet... a creature at the level of a fire dragon wouldn’t go unnoticed."

Terry never thought of that, probably because he instinctively assumed that it couldn’t happen unless some requirements were met.

Terry wondered about the prerequisites for an overlord to come to Earth. What conditions or circumstances needed to be in place for such a powerful being to make the journey? Did it require a specific alignment of cosmic energies? Or perhaps the opening of a rare celestial portal? Maybe some ancient prophecies or legends foretold the coming of an overlord to Earth on their sides...

Terry contemplated the possibilities, trying to piece together the puzzle and understand the underlying factors that allowed an overlord to traverse the realms and set foot on Earth since that definitely would help them... Still, once again, he got nothing.