The hob troll's voice turned extremely icy. "Are you really want to do this over a failed product?"
He really couldn't understand why Jacob was after that mutant since it had no value except it was a killing machine that didn't feel pain or remorse while killing.
If Jacob weren't an A rank, he might risk killing Jacob and completing the mission before vanishing from the uncommon region.
Even if the Zodiac Taurus Bank sent someone to seek revenge, he and the members of the Killer Skull Society would be long gone in hiding.
The Killer Skull Society was extremely secretive, and no one knows how it operates or where its hideouts were. That's why no one could get rid of it, despite being hated by almost everyone.
However, Jacob's appearance had caught him off guard, since they didn't know someone like him even exist in the uncommon region despite their information network.
If Jacob really can move the mercenary of the entire uncommon region, even the ones in the Earthen Kingdom, which was their base of operation, it would hinder whatever they were doing in the uncommon region.
Which was far more important than a mutant.
Now, he had only two choices, do as Jacob said and report this to the higher-ups, or he can risk everything which would put his life in danger and if Jacob had some trump cards, he might even die or lose a limb or two.
Jacob sneered, "Why don't you try?" He could sense the opponent was almost in his hand.
"Roarrr…"
Suddenly, the mutant's roar rang from a few hundred meters in the distance.
'That thing is coming back!' Jacob's expression turned somewhat dark.
The Hob Troll suddenly dashed toward Jacob while he thrust his spear toward his chest.
"As long as I can keep you here, who will know what happened?" The Hob Troll's voice was filled with killing intent.
He finally made his choice; this mutant was just too important for their real purpose in the uncommon region. Now that it was coming back, if he could use its strength, Jacob would be dead and before anyone knows what happened to Jacob, he would be long gone!
Jacob knew things were going south, and he only had a minute or two before that mutant will reach here. He had to kill this guy and get hold of the control of that mutant.
He used the sword in his left hand like a shield and slashed the other on the hob troll's wrist.
The hob troll's reaction wasn't slow, either. He slid his hand down and Jacob's sword met with the spear shaft, creating sparks.
Jacob, on the other hand, was forced back because of the spear's impact on his chest.
'He's delaying!' Jacob quickly saw through that hob troll's scheme.
With that spear length, he could easily keep Jacob away from himself as long as he didn't make any mistakes.
Their reflexes were equally matched, which also made it impossible for them to kill each other quickly. While the hob troll also had a psychological advantage in the form of the mutant.
He knew Jacob would be desperate because of the mutant, and he just had to wait before he found an opening in Jacob's defense. As long as he wound Jacob gravely, he would use his trump card to make sure Jacob won't leave this place alive.
However, he underestimated Jacob when he thought Jacob would use just swords to play his game.
Jacob unexpectedly threw his sword at him like an arrow, before he detached the sniper from his back and take aim.
The hob troll didn't expect Jacob would abandon his weapon for that long gun attached to his back. He wasn't afraid of bullets because in his view guns were not effective against A rank expert and even if those bullets touched them, they would only leave small wounds.
The skin of A-rank mercenary was as tough as rock, so there were very few guns that could actually hurt them, and they were almost impossible to acquire since those stingy Gunsmiths won't sell them easily.
So, he only focused on blocking the incoming sword.
Even if that bullet hit him, it would only leave a scratch since he was also wearing armor and that cloak was also made with a beast hide and he also had an extra hidden layer of protection.
Jacob's lips curled upward, and he pulled the trigger.
"Boommmmm…"
The titan bullet, despite being shot after the sword, reached its target first.
The hob troll's heart palpitated when he heard that deafening gunshot. He was caught off guard, and he didn't even see the shadow of that bullet as it directly landed just below his neck.
That impact was far more powerful than the impact he received from Jacob's strike and he was sent flying like a rag doll.
Furthermore, the bullet was so fast that the shield barrier activated after the bullet successfully pierced through his cloak and armor and struck between his lungs.
However, because of those two 'shield' protections, he was still alive, or that bullet could've completely poked a huge hole in his chest. But this didn't mean he was fine; his windpipe was also pressed by that bullet now, and his breath become ragged while the piercing pain assaulted him.
He finally understood Jacob's throwing his sword was just a decoy, and his real trump card was this bullet, and he was now completely horrified of that gun despite the surrounding barrier.
This wound was not something he could ignore and continue to fight.
Just as he was still in shock, 'Click…' the sound of reloading rang in his ears.
Despite the surrounding barrier, he didn't feel safe anymore and wasn't confident like before.
'I have to escape and report this to higher up!' He quickly abandoned any thought of struggle, and with extreme difficulty, he suddenly slapped his leg.
Jacob was about to shoot another bullet when dark blue smoke suddenly rose from the ground at an alarming rate.
"Hmph, paltry tricks!" Jacob completely ignored that smoke, since it still wasn't fast enough to cover that wounded hob troll. He pulled the trigger!
The hob troll was frightening now. He even pulled the spear between his head and neck. He knew as long as he can avoid damage to these parts, he can escape, and Jacob would probably aim at this area.
His gamble paid off, Jacob wanted to end it and took a headshot.
Although the bullet breaks the barrier, the titan iron spearhead only bends but does not pierce or broke by the bullet impact.
But it was enough to make a deep wound on the hob troll's head!
'Fuck…' Jacob cursed when he saw that blade safe that hob troll. He again reloaded, but this time the smoke already reached his face, and the hob troll had vanished.
But he still took the shot. He was too close to killing that hob troll.
"Boomm…"
The bullet literally created a hole in the smoke with its speed, and when Jacob saw the bullet land on the ground, there wasn't any tract of that hob troll except his blood.
He knew that bastard had escaped!
"Shit!" Jacob was exasperated.
This smoke was just too thick. and when noticed the burning sensation on his skin, his expression darkened even more.
'Is this the blue landmine?!' He was alarmed when he thought about it. and his skin suddenly started charred!
He quickly pulled the hood over his eyes and dashed toward the hole not far away. Likewise, he knew this smoke was too deadly even for him, and that the underground hideout was his chance to escape it.
Furthermore, he didn't want to try and outrun this smoke since he had no idea just how much range it had. and that hob troll might be in that hideout as well.
That guy was gravely wounded by him and it won't be easily run in this blue acidic smoke.
He wanted to finish that guy off since this might also kill the approaching mutant as well. It took away his chance to acquire a tier-8 mutant heart, and the benefits came with it.
When he jumped inside the hole, the white smoke was still there but because of Tiger Bull's hide, it didn't affect Jacob much. and he also covered his hands and face. So, he was fine for now.
Jacob tried to look around, he saw a pathway that led to the other side, which was lit in dim light.
He slowly walked with silent feet, while his sniper was aimed in front and the sword in his other hand.
At the end of the hallway, Jacob saw something very familiar, there was a glass cell like in the Decker's lab but it was completely broken.
'Did they make that mutant here?' Jacob guessed as he noticed the blue liquid on the floor, mixed with blood and gore, with some body parts of humans.
It was a horrendous sight.
There was some scattered medical equipment and a broken stretcher.
But Jacob's attention was drawn to the opening of the west corner of this place, which was glowing in faint light!