I somehow convinced Shraaizar to heal me during my slime hunt. Something in the lines of "A stronger target is worth even more after you take him down." I had to promise her I'd let her train her poison bite on me a whole afternoon soon, though.
I've been thinking how it is strange that I could recognize Shraaizar as female right off the bat. She has no physical feature of a female. There is no waist, no breasts. Her head is at most androgynous. The arms are slender and delicate, but she is mostly non-human. Was it the lap pillow? Her voice sounds very feminine, and the way she moves her body is captivating and has a gait that is very enticing. Maybe that is it. Her body language is very feminine.
The slimes are now grouped into lesser and greater, and I named them. Lesser slimes are lime (yellow), sakura (pink), bluey (baby blue) and crystal (transparent). Greater slimes are sludge (black) and napalm (orange). I have now killed five lesser slimes. But I got the knack to hunt them now, so I get burnt very little. The exp to next level is almost full and I got some 120 pemadra points. I won't engage any of the greater ones.
I was about to kite back the sixth slime, when some monkeys came to me in a rush. They are wounded, but still very agitated.
"Oook Oook Huck!!! Ook Griiik" I really wanted that title to grant the ability to understand them. But to expect anything in this messed up world to go my way? I gave up on that a long ago.
"Shraaizar, can you understand them? Please, tell me what they are saying."
"They've found orcs. More than a handful of them. Some orcs chased them, but they escaped as you ordered."
Monkeys can somehow count, but only up to five. Anything five and above is just 'a lot'.
"Oh, great. Shraaizar, we are off to hunt orcs. Can you come with us? You can bite and poison all of them for all I care."
"It is fine. These orcs will wither and die with a single bite anyway." She is getting gutsy. I took quite a beating of the first orc I've met.
We depart to the place where the orcs are supposed to be camping at. I will fight using my heavy spear exclusively. I could use some training. I'm taking five monkeys and Shraaizar with me. The monkeys will stand behind and throw goblin toothpicks, and Shraaizar will do magical backup and support. I feel elated for not being alone anymore. Shraaizar is a good companion, if you can dismiss her murderous nature like I can. The monkeys pledged to serve me and it was even recognized by the Akashic Records. I won't abuse their trust or send them on shitty missions. I believe that cherishing those that are friendly and crushing one's enemies is a good policy to live by. That reminds me, I need to pay a visit to that Sniper guy someday, right?
We leave the syrup tree meadow. I stop and look back at it. It is a really thick meadow, the trees are different and closer to one another than the rest of the forest. The syrup tree, its branches are long, thin and they fall down like one of those champagne cascades you see at weddings. They hang down like a waterfall all around the tree. In some cases, you can't even see the trunk unless you push some of those stems apart. Most monsters avoid that place. The slimes don't go past the tree line too. The syrup is mildly poisonous only. Am I missing something?
Distracted as I was, It was obvious I would miss spotting the orcs. I even forgot to turn on [Presence Detection]. But I am not alone: Shraaizar hissed, the monkeys readied their spears. One can tell their skill with the goblin toothpick increased just by how they grasp them. Only the dumb me strolled forward while admiring the wonders of nature.
"Buhii! Bugih!!!" The orcs grunt at me and they are angry. There are twelve orcs here, but they are more than one head smaller than the one that I fought before. They are still taller than a human, but the other one was almost my own height. They are brandishing rusted swords, clubs and axes.
"Hey there, orc guys." They all seem like dudes to me. Is there such a thing as an orc female? "What are you up to this close to our turf?" I'll try to intimidate them. Maybe they can give me some information before we inevitably fight.
"You! We are looking for our prince. Great High Orc Prince Gronkirion! Did you see him? We are following his smell, it got stronger right now." I feel a chill running up my spine. Something tells me that...
"Where are you coming from? If there is a prince orc, surely there must be a mighty orc king, right? The father of Gronwateverion!!"
"Yes! We serve the mighty king Gronklangor! If you pledge loyalty to him he will make you underling! Gronklangor has many monsters underlings!!" Is this the event to trigger the monster life route? I go and live in a monster town, and do monster things away from the humans? Did I collect the right flags?
"We might go and check on your king. But he better be strong!!" I'll play around these guys' tune.
"But we won't return until we find the prince. You must show loyalty and help us find prince." A quest is beginning. Find the High Orc prince! Then get a reward from the orc king. Let's make it all go sour in 5, 4,...
"How is that prince, can you tell how he looks like?" Merchant smile and poker face make your magic!!! 3...
"He was almost your height, troll. And he was using a leather armor like the one you are using, troll..." No wonder that guy was very strong. 2, 1...
"Oh, that high orc prince. Sorry, I ate him." Boom!!!!
"The troll killed the prince! Attack!!!" Yup. I got all the right flags. Roll for Initiative.
The orcs are pissed off. If I had a mirror, even I would want to punch my own smug face. They attack, I barely feel anything. That prince was the real deal, these small fries aren't worth my trouble. I exchange a look with the strong one in the back, he is coming at me with double headed axe and screaming. I brace my spear and lunge forward, piercing his belly until the horn comes out on its back. Shraaizar hisses and with a waving motion releases two green wind blades that quickly find their homes in orc necks.
More orcs come at me, their angry slashes making shallow cuts on my rugged skin. I'm getting more and more used to feeling this kind of pain. I swing the spear sideways and bash three of them towards the monkeys. The rush of combat rises to my head. I know I am with a very evil smile on my face. Can't be helped, can it? The monkeys climb over the crashing orcs, and sink their goblin toothpicks on their vitals.
The monkeys screech as they spill the orcs' entrails. "Oi, leave one of them alive."
We make quick work of the remaining orcs. Did any survive? Oh, the monkeys abandoned their toothpicks and were holding one down.
"Orc, if you don't want to die, talk." I'm a mobster now. This is what I got for not developing those people skills when I could.
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"Die you filthy troll." The bacon snarls at me. I think now it is my cue to skewer it with my spear. Oh, wait. There is a better way.
"You are brave orc! Run and tell your king I am coming for him. Release him!"
And brave Sir Orc runs away.
Skill Long Spear Level 3 acquired.
Grendel has leveled up! 5 skill points added.
Time to send my monkey underlings on errands. "You there, go back to the meadow and bring help to take these dead orcs to the camp. Do not eat them. And you, follow that orc. Don't let him see you." The two monkeys "Ookk!" me and go their ways. "And you, stand here and keep watch over these bodies. Shraaizar, what do you think we should do now?"
"Slaughter those orcs. These wimps dare call themselves strong, they deserve nothing but death." I won't call her psychotic, because that is the normal way for a monster to think. I'm the odd one here.
"Should we follow them then?" I offer my arm like a gentleman. Shraaizar takes the arm, wraps herself around it and then around my waist. I'm almost used to it it feels rather natural.
We go in the general direction the orc ran to. Not before long, the forest slopes up. It seems we are getting to a rocky area. The trees are more spaced out, and in the distance some mountains can be seen between the treetops. After walking for a quite while I came into some rock face that blocks the path, and it is a very steep climb going up. We are at the base of the mountain. The orc should have detoured somewhere around here. What to do now? How to find them?
I have to wake up ms. snake that is dozing off hugging my neck. "Hey Shraaizar! Have you been around these parts?"
"Oh? Is this the mountain already?
"Is there any strong monsters in the foot of the mountain?"
"Not really. And I've never came this far to the mountains."
"OK. I think I can make it back to the syrup meadow, so lets go down that way for a while. I'm not so sure to climb these rocks."
"Wake me up when you find something tasty."
I have a plan to either find something or let something find me. But first let me put some distance between this mountain and me. I walk downhill until I can't see the rocks or the mountain behind. Now lets find who rules these woods. I wake up Shraaizar again, and let her know of my plan. "You are crazy", she pouts.
My plan is to just raise a ruckus until something comes to see what it is. If w can deal with it we deal with it otherwise I'll just bolt away. Here I go: Max range "[Ferocious Roar]!!!!" I stop and listen. Nothing. "[Ferocious Roar]!!!!". Wait a few minutes to recover the stamina. "[Ferocious Roar]!!!!" Third time is the charm.
"Are you going to stay there roaring until something shows up? Really?" Shraaizar Affection Points -20.
"It didn't work. Let's go back." I pick up my esteemed companion, and help her get into her usual position. But she tightens around me and squeezes. Can't be helped. Maybe I deserve it.
We begin to walk downhill, and in the distance I see a black figure running toward us, with a big brown something big running behind it. [Presence Detection] shows only those two. It is the monkey I sent as a scout. And following him is a mythical creature. Body shaped like a man, but with head and feet like a bull. The Greek mythical creature had a hairless body, but this minotaur is all furry. Brown with white spots, it carries a big club with over five feet in length.
"Stop running so I can kill you, little one!!!" The minotaur brandishes his club menacingly. I won't let him.
"HEY! Minotaur there, I shall be your opponent. Let the monkey be."
The minotaur stops, monkey runs past me and hides. Shraaizar reads the mood and climbs down.
"Oh, a Troll. Aren't you a small one?" It is the first time someone calls me small. I'm 12 feet tall with my horns.
"Yeah. That... My physician told me I still have one growth spurt left in me." I ready my spear. Won't let my guard down.
"Your what? What monster is that?" The minotaur is suspicious.
"Name's Grendel. A troll. And you?"
"Tancred the Minotaur. Pleased to make your acquittance." The bull head nods. Oh, nice. I was expecting a "Me no care, me kill U" kind of reaction.
"Hey, Tancred, we are looking for some orcs that live around here, do you know where are them?"
"I'm afraid this is the closest you will get to them. I'll have to kill you." I see, they are that way. Thanks buddy!! Can we skip the fight part? It clenches the club tight and raises it up. Guess not.
"Hey, we are monsters, right?" I throw my spear a few feet to the side. Then I spread my arms wide, claws showing.
Instead of playing along, Tancred buffs and charges with a wide overhead swing. Leaves shoot behind him from the strength of his hooves.
I look closely. He is left-handed. Dodging to left I clinch to cut his reach, and send a merciless right straight into his chest. I feel his breath leave his body violently as I use my newfound power: "[Emperor's Might]!!!!"
I feel the bones in his ribcage break as his body is thrown several yards backwards. The amount of energy this skill uses is not trivial: I'm winded. I stand still where I finished the movement, the club falling to the ground with a thunk.
Slowly returning to a neutral position, I don't take my eyes away from Tancred. He coughs blood. Good, he is not dead. The dodge worked. Thanks, Kratos.
I walk next to him, examining his condition. There is an inward bevel in his right torso that is filling up with blood, broken ribs are popping out. Wheezing. He has a punctured lung.
Skill Punching Level 3 acquired. Title One Hit Wonder acquired.
"Shraaizar, can you do me a big favor? Heal this guy, I don't want him to die." Facing her, I bring both hands together, and beam a smile.
"Honestly, why can't you just kill your prey?" She complains but complies.
Soon after, Tancred is able to talk again while lying on the ground admiring the colors of an autumn forest. "Defeated again. And worse, spared by the enemy. I am nothing but a pile of hubris..." And he begins to sulk right away.
I sit next to him. "Say, Tancred. You seem a decent guy. Who are you working for?" He made a very bouncer-like statement back there. Lets fish for something.
"The Orc King. He defeated me in one to one combat, so I serve him." I'm onto something.
"And now I defeated you. So will you work for me?" I have a coin in my pocket...
"Grendel is surely strong, but not stronger than the Orc King."
"And what if I go and defeat the Orc King?"
"Impossible. The only ones with the right to challenge the Orc King are the two Orc Princes."
"I ate one Orc Prince. His skin is part of my spear now."
"Even so, that does not grant you the right of challenge." We are not getting anywhere.
"If I go to the orc place, will you stop me?"
"I already failed trying that. Do what you will."
"And what will you do now if you are not stopping intruders from going to the orcs? You can stay with us." I point at Shraaizar and the monkey.
"I am weak. I have to refuse your offer and go to the mountains to train."
"Fine then. After I am done with the Orc King, I'll call for you. Go and get stronger. Then we can have a rematch."
Tancred gets up with difficulty. His wounds will take days to fully heal even with a monster's constitution. He picks up his club, waves at us, and walks to the mountain.
Shraaizar is going back and forth from angry to confused: "Why did you let him go? That minotaur is a rank C. You would get stronger if you killed him."
I pet her frills. "And if he trains and get stronger even more, he will become rank B or close to that. Then I will get even stronger when I defeat him again." She calms down. "And if the best outcome happens, I'll have an ally I can trust with my life. Just like you."
"I won't let him kill you before I do, so don't trust him with your life." She pouts. Is it alright to let him kill me after I die by your fangs though?
I pick up Shraaizar, and head in the direction of the orc village.
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Title Info
One Hit Wonder
Those that defeat enemies rank C or higher with a single strike.
Doubles damage of first strike if it hits.