《Marauding Gods (First Draft)》Chapter 69: Our first steps Part 03
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Some time passed after that fight between Han and me.
Since there was no mention of what happened that day between the two of us again, things went pretty smoothly as if it had never happened in the first place.
And, to be honest, I'm fine with it because I was the wrong person during that altercation, and I myself, I'm trying to brush that memory off me by telling myself that I did what I did because I'm currently undergoing that thing,
Teenage rebellion was it?
It happened so early on and went by so fast, that already find myself cringing at my old self.
So here we are, still moving forward as a partner.
Now that I think about it, something has changed. Well, it wasn't really a change, but rather an addition to what our collaboration already was.
We've recently attempting to something new.
As he said, I have a lot of flaws, one of which is my inability to see. Of course I was already spoiled with my appendage, but there were still a lot of things I couldn't do.
But, fortunately for me, there was someone nearby who was dotted with something that could help me with my current situation.
“You can try it now, I’m ready.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah.”
Hon and I were on top of a rocky ledge that provided an overview of grassland in the lower region of the forest from about 25 meters up.
From below, I could see a group of deer-like creatures with four pairs of red glowing eyes grazing the grass like any normal deer, but just by looking at them, I could tell they weren't regular deers.
First, they were enormous, these things could easily be twice my DeathSeeker Vessels size and height, and second well they did have 8 eyes, though these kinds of freak isn’t really an uncommon sight here, the fact remains that it was just too far gone in the realm of weirdness to be categorized inside the realm of the normal.
I’m willing to bet my arm that these things don’t even have red blood.
… And god? What the hell are these furs?
“Are you sure you want to hunt these? I mean no matter how I look at them they definitely don’t look healthy at all.”
“What’s wrong with them?”
Their furs were of a disgusting red, and on their back were greenish translucent moss-like that made them look like glowing like fireflies, the concept of hunger may not apply to a superior being like me, but even if it did, I, no matter desperate I am, will never find these things appetizing.
I admit that from here, which was from what Han described was still at a decent distance away from the Deer; could already smell a very fishy smell fro-
Like piss…
Oh, Shut up.
“You know what, I’m not planning to eat them, but since we’ve come this far we will just kill them, you’re satisfied now?!”
“No need to be so aggressive I was just reporting what I saw, it’s not my fault if they look so ugly.”
“Yeah, but if possible I would appreciate it if you were to make them more objective, I’m sure I would be fine without your comment.”
“Hai hai understood.
This is what we’ve been up,
Since he’s able to peek into my mind with or without my permission and speak telepathically with me, we decided to put them to good use.
It’s still prototypey and clunky due to his weird and unreliable way of describing things but it is indeed on the right track.
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“So what do we do now?”
“Do I really need to answer that one?”
“I guess, no.”
With my tentacles, I prepared myself to charge at the Deers but just as I was about to charge, I was stopped by Han.
“Hon, wait!”
“What?”
Before we charged, the deers suddenly turned their heads in alert simultaneously, though as they took suddenly notice of the presence of a predator or something that could represent a potential danger to them.
Well, it was pretty much normal reaction given that they were about to get ganged up by a blind murder-hoboing human child, and soul-made sentient creature, but that was if the source of their concern were us.
The reason I stopped Hon was that these things were alerted by something coming from the diagonally opposite side of the forest, from a part of the forest beyond the grassland and more forestine. So basically, we weren’t the threat that alerted the deers but rather something else, deeper in the forest.
I became quite proficient with my other sense since I arrived in the Iharana Great forest but even I didn’t feel or hear anything that could be interpreted as threatening in direction of what these monsters feared.
The deers then suddenly fled scattering at every possible direction except the one they were collectively wary of as if something was coming their way from that direction,
We remained on standby, hidden for several minutes, curious of what it could be, but nothing came out from the wood.
“What do you think it was?”
“I don’t know, but, it can only be a monster, and most likely a strong one.”
“Should we check it?”
“I guess we shouldn’t, but why not?”
We both jumped down and headed straight to where they were wary of.
As Han said, the place was beyond the Grassland, therefore we entered a place similar to the territory we were on previously, with rowdy, bumpy, and wet and mossy ground.
As we got closer, I realized what was causing the Deer-like monsters to be on high alert to the point of fleeing in such panic.
It was still faint, but as we moved deeper into the woods, they became more noticeable: slow but redundant footfall that caused the ground to tremble with each step.
We soon arrived at a place where we, sorry, I could see the source of the commotion.
Hiding behind a tree despite my corpulence which was definitely not made for stealth operation I could see a place similar to the grassland we were before but this one was twice the vastness of the one before, giant spiky boulders were disposed of randomly here and there giving the impression of huge untidy mess,
But these weren't the most noteworthy aspects of that place;
Non, non, non,
The most interesting thing about this place was the monsters in it.
Roaming among the scattered boulder on the grassland were two beasts, two giants humanoid creatures whose roughy skin color resembled very much the boulder next to them, and whose size and height could easily be twice mine, their face resembled one of a very human-like monkey but on their head was a pair of black horn and a pair of equally black tusk just below their mouth, their hand was very human-like except that instead of five fingers those ugly have only four, and also different from humans, instead of feet they had goat-like feet.
I am no expert, but one look tells me that these things will definitely not taste good.
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Ah, please spare me with that.
But, hey, tastes are a very subjective thing, this is just my personal opinion.
“So, any idea what these things could be?”
“I’m not sure but from your description, I can assume they might be a Dara, but hey are you sure their skin color resembles one of a rock?”
“Euh, yeah, I just checked.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah, listen closely I doubt you’re very well placed to doubt my sight Little One.”
“Yeah, yeah, but just one last thing, are you sure there are only two of them, not a third one or a fifth, or even maybe a seven one?”
“That’s rude, I said there are only two of them, just like I said. You can try checking by yourself if you want.”
“... Okay, I believe in you. So you’re ready?”
“You’re planning to charge onto them?”
“It was their fault that the meal was gone, so yeah.”
“Didn’t you say earlier that these deers weren’t for the meal anymore?”
“Don’t fuss about something so pointless. Charge!”
I charged toward one of the monsters while Han charged at the other.
Maybe noticing me the beast vented out a very threatening roar, but I paid it no mind
Attention a punch is coming at you.
I know.
Dodging the heavy punch that created a giant crater where it landed, I went immediately for my most powerful punch with my fully prosthetic dragon claw onto what I believe was his goat-like knee.
It had the effect of making the beast lose its balance and fall on one knee.
Immediately taking advantage of the momentum, I climbed my way to its head, I wrapped some of my appendages around its neck and some others on its horn to stabilize myself in the perfect position just behind its neck.
I started pounding, kicking, punching it on the back of its head. It took me less than fifteen try to entirely crack its skull and begin punching onto a fleshy warm poppy mess.
Brains are truly magnificent inventions.
No matter how brainless a creature is, once their brains are destroyed they die.
The beast’s corpse lifelessly fell on the ground.
Glancing at Hon, I noticed that he was already done but for some reason was just standing there staring in a certain direction.
“What are you looking at?”
“Hey Hon, you earlier asked me if there was a third one or fifth one, right?”
“Euh, yeah. Why ?”
“Why exactly did you ask me that question, I mean why didn’t you ask for a fourth but jump straight at the fifth one?”
“Well Daras are very sociable creatures, they usually work on pair, a male and a female, most of the time a pack is made of whether two or one pair, never more than that, if for some reason a third one or fifth or any uneven one were to be there, it would be chased off the group or immediately eaten by its brethren.”
“... I suppose if you asked then it would mean that there are situations where these monster’s packs find themself with a third or a fifth one existing, right?”
“Well, yes, the moment there is a third individual or a fifth one in a pack, then it can only mean one thing, their pack is not a pack but rather-wait… why the hell are you asking me those questions?.”
“... can you please continue elaborating, hypothetically if there’s a third, let’s say very well hidden among the giant boulder if it’s not a pack then what it is ?”
“A cattle,” I said my heart drowned in dread.
Abruptly the ground beneath us trembling, strangely I had the impression that we were gaining altitude.
With no tree around I tried to anchor myself on the ground but it was shaking and cracking so much that it was a futile thing to do, so I had no other choice but try to find myself trying to balance myself with my own body, but it was a difficult task to perform, then my tentacle reached one of the spiky boulders Han mentioned, strangely these boulders were not even fazed by the trembling and instead was rocking with it.
As if things weren’t ominous enough, an earth-shattering reverberated from below the ground.
With all that happened, It was as if a giant beast the size of a small mountain had awakened with us on its back.
Well, you see Hon, it is because it is the case.
Beneath, from where I was I could see it.
The last Dara, yes there was a third one, as Han calls them fell from our sudden rise, to be gobbled up by something whose teeth were protruding on the outside.
Coming out from the ground was a giant head, under our feet I could see that the grassland was replaced by a black carapace-like thing, the giant spiky boulder turned out to be spikes appendaging that thing's carapace.
“Han”
“Hum?”
“I can’t believe it’s coming out of my mouth but, Run!”
Without wasting my time, I jumped from that thing back and headed deeper into the forest.
From behind me, I heard the thing positioning itself to begin its chase.
Oh, god it’s coming.
“Any idea what that thing is?”
“I have no idea. But I've read about monsters catling Dara by keeping the pack at an uneven effective while forbidding them from killing one another, so these monsters have no choice but to breed themselves to fill up the gap left by the uneven individual, and of course, once the one that makes the number even is born, the previous is eaten, allowing the cycle to continue. ”
“But still, how the hell did you miss that last one.”
“Tehe…Perfection is my Motto, but heck, even, I, have some flaws.”
Something blasted from behind us indicating that despite its imposing size the creature was getting closer and closer.”
“Han, You stupid idiot.”
“Ha… Pardun! Was it my fault if it was well hidden?!”
“And I am supposed to be the blind one?!”
“Sorry, but I think your blindness made you forget the concept through and through. I’m dotted with sight, not omnipotence.”
“Besides, it was your choice to attack them so it’s a little bit rich of you to blame me for all of this!”
Suddenly, a big explosion exploded behind us.
Glancing back I saw a horrendous turtle-like monster the size of a small hill, destroying every tree on its path emerging from the forest.
That monster was closing us, at an impressive speed despite his unfitting size.
Naturally, that monster was chasing us for a reason, to kill us obviously.
“Screw you, Han!!“
How did we end up in this situation you once wondered.
Well, now, you know.
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