The monster was tough, perhaps even tougher than the hydra, and with resistances to match. The sheer quantity of leeches meant afflictions were landing, however, and Jason went to work on bringing those resistances down. Switching to his conjured dagger, he ran shadowy rings around the troll as he landed strike after strike.

Weapon [Ruin] has inflicted [Vulnerable] on [Tidal Troll].

Between his elusive strikes and casting spells from the shadows, all of Jason’s afflictions eventually took hold, while the troll alternated flailing ineffectually at Jason and brushing away leeches with its huge hand. It stomped on those pushed onto the ground, but even its enormous feet could only catch so many. All the while, every instance of the sin curse allowed Jason's aura to further decrease the troll’s resistances, as did the vulnerable affliction from his new dagger.

[Vulnerable] (affliction, unholy, stacking): All resistances are reduced. Additional instances have a cumulative effect. Consumed to cleanse instances of [Resistant] on a one to one basis.

With inexorable doom racking up more instances of both, the troll eventually stopped resisting the effects at all. With leeches in full effect, the creature was ravaged and fled for the ocean. Vincent ran up to Jason.

“It’s making for the water,” Vincent said urgently. “If it makes it in, it’ll start healing.”

“No, it wouldn't,” Jason said, “but it won't get that far anyway.”

He didn't move from where he stood. Unhurried, he raised an arm in the monster's direction and chanted a spell.

“Suffer the cost of your transgressions.”

The creature's resistances were in ruins, but its bronze-rank damage reduction was still in effect. Even so, the punition spell inflicted damage for each of the myriad afflictions on the troll. It was enough that most monsters, even at bronze-rank, would be dead already. The troll stumbled as its flesh withered and turned black, but continued staggering forward. Jason chanted a final spell.

“Mine is the judgement, and the judgement is death.”

Light of silver, gold and blue shone down on the troll from above, and under its radiance, the monster’s body started rapidly dissolving into rainbow smoke. Leeches dropped out of the air as the flesh they were burying themselves in vanished. In the spot where it had been fighting, gobbets of blood and flesh remained, patches of light shining to eradicate them as well. In moments, there was nothing left of the troll but a memory.

Ability: [Verdict] (Doom)

Spell (execute)

Cost: Moderate mana.

Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Current rank: Iron 1 (01%)

Effect (iron): Deals a small amount of transcendent damage. As an execute effect, damage scales exponentially with the enemy’s level of injury.

“Was that transcendent damage?” Vincent asked incredulously.

“Yes,” Jason said as he glanced over the rewards.

You have defeated [Tidal Troll]

[Tidal Troll] has been wholly annihilated. It has been looted automatically.

[Gauntlet of the Sea Giant] has been added to your inventory.

[Monster Core (Bronze)] has been added to your inventory.