Chapter Thirteen
Day seventy eight of suddenly being dropped on a strange planet, and Joe found himself once more in the depths of the forest slaughtering slimes. The day was coming to an end, and he had spent it raising up his farmer job to the bare minimum. Seventy plus days of monotonous slime slaughtering might have left many bored out of their minds, but Joe found the exercise to be a bit more invigorating than most of the training he had done under the guidance of his family. Daily exercises and identical katas had left him well prepared for the monotony of completing repetitive work for the purposes of squeezing out that one iota of extra performance. He simply excelled his slime killing into an art form.
He did find that reaching the second level was noticeably quicker than the previous day, and Joe thought that he might be able to start returning to the village before evening after his daily hunts. He had taken the time to note the stats he had gained for farmer in his notebook: all ones except for strength which gave two per level. Huh… about what you would expect. Farmers tend to be very strong!
Joe shut his status down, and slid back into the training mindset, releasing his awareness to focus on all his movements and continue improve them while simultaneously cutting down the extraneous thoughts that tended to run through his mind when he was more relaxed. Lunch came and went, a quick meal the innkeeper was now supplying them, for which Joe was quite appreciative, and then a return to killing. When his fifth level arrived, Joe was quite surprised to find it was still early afternoon… or at least the sun was still around half way to the western horizon. With a good four or five hours left, Joe considered his options and wondered if he could push for the sixth level. He took some time to run the numbers and decided that, if his estimates were right, it would take him almost a half a day to hit the sixth level. He would have to be willing to continue his hunt well past twilight. Such foolishness didn’t really appeal to him. He might have considered it if he could kill in a field since the gas giant was massive and added plenty of light to the night, but in the depths of the forest under leafy bows, shadows became perplexing and distracting; very poor companions for individuals who want to live while surrounded by monstrous enemies.
Joe turned to head back, calling Garnedell after him. On their return to the road, Joe noticed a slime and decided to pass it by when he realized that he had some time to train the boy. If they just killed the four or five they would meet on the way back to the road, the boy could learn some significant combat experience. Joe turned to the slime and ran towards it, hefting his stake in his right arm before calling Garnedell after him. He heard the boy on his rear, and continued the charge, but was unworried about a slime jump that could possibly miss him and hit Garnedell instead. The boy had seen enough of his tactics against slimes and learned quickly that standing behind him was a very bad place to be. Garnedell had learned to place himself off to the side of Joe while hiding behind any large obstacle in the area; usually a large tree, although sometimes he would find a boulder.
Joe slammed the slime into the ground, his stake nailing it to the ground, and Garnedell raced forward towards another largish tree slightly to Joe’s right. Huh… good kid. Already knows the plan and is already in place to catch the gem that pops out. He assumes I’m going to aim for this tree. Not a bad choice! Joe felt a small smile touch his lips as he realized Garnedell had become an excellent help to his hunts, but decided to use the extra time he now had available to begin teaching the boy a more active combat role.
“Hey… kid… come here.”
Garnedell looked back towards him, and saw Joe’s waving arm… some confusion flitting across his face at the break in the very repetitive and now formalized combat process they had developed. Joe waved to him again, calling him forward, even as his eyes glanced down at the slime and saw it well and truly staked. Huh… got a good minute… maybe two before it can wobble its way off.
“Come on, kid,” Joe called out, and waved him forward while also holding out the spoon spear to the kid.
Garnedell’s eyes rose dramatically as he realized what Joe was asking of him, but then a smile and excitement seemed to burst out of the boys form as he leapt forward, legs and arms moving in explosive chaos common in those relearning how to control now adult bodies. Joe smiled at him and handed him the spoon spear and stepped back as he came upon the slime, his feet settling into a strong brace. Joe grunted in appreciation, even as he spread and altered the kid’s stance to greater perfection. Garnedell froze, holding position even as he felt Joe altering his form, long used to Joe’s training. When he had his stance corrected, Joe nodded his head in acknowledgment and pointed towards the slime.
“Alright, kid. Show me what you’ve got!”
Garnedell recognized the phrase almost immediately and his face leapt from concentration to gleeful ferocity as his spear stabbed into the slime. Both Joe and Garnedell froze in a bit of shock even as the spoon spear stabbed into the slime, denting its surface slightly, but not actually puncturing it. Joe blinked in actual shock at Garnedell’s failed attempt, but the boy seemed to be expecting it since he simply growled at pulled back to try again. Another two or three tries later, Joe realized he wasn’t going to succeed, although Garnedell refused to quit. Joe smiled and came up to the boy, grabbing the spoon spear. Garnedell felt the spear grabbed and looked up at Joe. When the realization came that Joe was taking back the weapon, Garnedell’s face crumpled into despair.
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“Hey, hey… Hey, kid! Don’t worry about it. Besides, I’m not taking this away from you. Grab the spear again, and get in stance.”
Garnedell looked back up at him, a bit of confusion on his face, some uncertainty showing. Joe smiled, but then shouted one of the few words he knew in Garnedell's language.
“Garnedell! Stance!”
Garnedell’s eyes jumped again, but quickly got into his stance, Joe began swinging the spear, giving a cadence to the thrusts so that Garnedell could time the thrust when he was ready. Joe considered chanting out ‘1, 2, 3’ but realized the kid wouldn’t even understand, so instead felt for the timing when the boy would suddenly thrust. It was a moment later when Joe felt the spear leap in his hand, and he added his force to the thrust, the spear easily sinking into the slimes body. Joe nodded with some satisfaction and then stepped back and pointed to the slime even as he nodded at the boy. Garnedell smiled back and began maneuvering the spoon spear.
The boy struggled tremendously, even as he bludgeoned the spear into place. It seemed that the effort was still difficult, but with the puncturing of the slime’s ‘skin,’ it appeared that Garnedell was able to work the spoon through the slime’s guts. He lined it up, bringing the bowl of the spoon under the gem. He suddenly heaved mightily and ponderously pulled the slime gem out of its bulbous body. The gem came free, but was still trapped in a shell of ooze, although much smaller, and Joe shouted loudly in encouragement.
“Nice job, kid!” Joe exclaimed, then shifted to the local language, pointing excitedly at the kid, “Hard… Did it!”
Joe quickly ripped up his wooden stake and chased after the flying slime. He was able to bring the stake down on the slime even as it fell to the ground, spiking it once more. Garnedell came running up from behind and plunged the spoon spear into the slime, this time able to pierce the slime’s skin by himself. Huh… did the slime get weaker with a smaller size? Or was he able to use his momentum?
Joe stood back once more as he saw Garnedell bring the spoon into position, this time more expertly expelling the gem. The gem came out easily, although Garnedell had to still put the same effort into ejecting it. This time, the gem flew from the body with only a trace of ooze, and the two were able to arrive at the side of the gem while a small bit of ooze desperately orbited the outside of the gem. Garnedell looked towards Joe, waiting, but this time Joe nodded to the gem and pointed to the kid.
“It’s yours kid. You finish this one. You did all the work!” then shifted to the local for a short statement, “Go. Do.”
The boy’s intent concentration faded to excitement as he whooped and whipped out his own stick whisk, picking up the gem and expertly whisking off the ooze. The boy froze, obviously feeling the status update, then smiled and leapt as he whooped in excitement.
“Well done, kid. This one was all yours! Uh…hmm… how to say it… ooh… More? Again?”
The boy didn’t respond, leaping and dancing around the clearing holding up the gem and spoon spear. Joe smiled, indulging the kid’s success, but then crunched his eyebrows in some confusion as the boy tossed him the gem but continued to hoop and holler as he held the spoon spear aloft. Why… wouldn’t … shouldn’t he be excited about getting his first kill? He’s got the gem… why does he seem more excited about the spoon… OH! Joe quickly came to a realization and then wondered why the boy was able to hold the spear. What’s going on… He wasn’t able to hold the spear before. I let him hold my main spear and the dagger and it leapt out of his hands like it was terrified. Why is he able to hold the spoon spear fine?
Joe dropped the gem back in his pouch and realized why the kid was so excited. He called the kid back and picked up his spoon spear before dropping it in the kid’s hands. Huh… no rejection… Joe considered a moment and pulled out his dagger, but the boy again back away and shook his head no. He seems to know he can’t use a dagger? Should I push it? Joe considered a moment, but then called the boy forward and handed it to him again. The boy seemed nervous, but came forward anyway and held out his hand, palm up, but completely flat, his fingers almost folded back away from his palm in fear of holding the knife.
As before, the knife settled into the boy’s palm, but immediately leapt from his hand, this time spinning away just over Joe’s shoulder and his eye’s widened in shock and surprise. Woah! No wonder he’s scared! The think takes off in a random direction… its luck whether it hits you or not! Joe glanced at his shoulder, and saw that it hadn’t hit him in passing, but he was now much more respectful of the kids’ nervousness.
“Alright… I get it kid… no more experiments with randomly leaping sharpened weaponry,” Joe offered in condolence as he turned and picked up the knife.
When the knife had returned to its sheath, Joe considered the spoon spear, then back at the spear on his back. Well, if he can use one spear… can’t he use both? Another fighter would be helpful! Joe retrieved his second and better spear to give to the kid, but the spinning dagger of death that had slipped over his right shoulder at throat height had left him very cautious. He called the boy forward, watching his actions to see if he was nervous this time, but the boy seemed unconcerned. Huh… maybe he knows his job can use a spear? Caution still drove him, and he carefully pressed the spear shaft into the boy’s hand and immediately felt it bucking off his palm. Joe sighed with some despair, and he watched the kid’s face drop. Joe quickly stood, not wanting to leave the kid sad, and quickly sheathed the spear to keep it out of sight, instead grabbing the spoon spear and returning it to the boy’s hands. Again, the boy picked it up without problem, and Joe felt some confusion. Why can he pick up the spoon spear, but not a regular spear?
Joe smiled at the boy, trying to calm him, and clapped his shoulder with some exuberance as he said, “Well, kid. I don’t understand this crazy place, but I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Let’s keep going, alright? Um…uh… Fight. More!”