However, their self-assured guesses did not become reality.
As time passed, Trom did not fall behind in his struggle with the sea troll. On the contrary, the sea troll's movements grew increasingly sluggish, until Trom had gained an absolute advantage.
When Trom kicked out and shattered the sea troll's remaining eye, the massive creature cried out in panic and confusion upon the sea before sluggishly falling into the ocean. Only then did everyone notice a detail.
The sea troll's body bore countless white frost marks.
Its skin was covered in traces of frost. Moreover, when the sea troll let out its desperate cries, the spectators outside the arena noticed that large clouds of ghastly white cold vapor were spilling from its mouth as well.
In other words, the sea troll had not merely suffered severe frostbite on the surface—cold had also invaded its body.
The cause of this was the white mist swirling around Trom.
Earlier, when Trom had shattered one of the sea troll's eyes, the white mist had slipped into its body through the wound. Later, as Trom grappled with the sea troll, the white mist around him had affected it once again.
The alternating effects from within and without were the main reason the sea troll had become slower and slower toward the end.
When the sea troll sank into the depths, Trom rolled over and landed atop a reef. He was breathing slightly heavily as he raised his head to look across at the other side.
He had finished things here. He wondered how Onassis was doing.
What he saw made Trom freeze in surprise.
Onassis hovered calmly above the sea, muttering low, incomprehensible words beneath his breath. Behind him lay the sea troll's corpse, shattered into countless segments.
Those severed limbs floated on the surface,