Morning next day
"What is the Goal of your hunt?" In the forest, Gurara asks him a question while walking through it.
"I want everyone to respect me! I want a song about me!" That was his goal, he wanted everyone to appreciate him.
"That's a good goal, don't lose your way." Gurara pauses and leads the way into the forest. "Now, whatever your aim is, it's still killing a monster to get there, That's why you are a hunter."
"Some are there to hunt for fun and some to make a living but, remember don't hunt just for the sake of it."
Michael listens on without understanding what Gurara is talking about. Are we not hunting monsters? Why does all of that matter?
"Then I should have a goal when hunting? Is it that important?"
"You'll know it in time kid, mark my word."
"See that kid?" Gurara grinned and pointed to a neighboring tree. One of Boniha Island's miracles is this. As swiftly as the day arrived, the water went away. The water had already dried up after one night. After the water left most animals and monsters are all up in the trees. An Alma lizard is dozing off on the Gurara-pointed tree.
The lizard hadn't awakened yet because it was still early in the morning, which perplexes Michael because typically if you are this close, the lizard would notice. but somehow he and Gurara didn't wake it.
"Why...."
"You'll know in time kid."
With that Michael didn't want to talk more about it, so he change the topic. "Then what do we do?"
"We? No, it's just you again this time kid. kill that lizard in 3 days"
"What!?"
It took him 3 months last time to hunt the lizard. even if it's a successful hunt, being chased down more than 3 times by a monster left a bad impression on him. He doubts that he could be as lucky as 3 times before. It's a miracle that he survive this far. His one successful hunt didn't give him enough confidence to hunt another.
"Kid, are you a coward?"
"Ye....." Gurara glace at him. "No!"
"Then get to work, I better see that lizard dead in three days."
"Wait...."
With his parting word, Gurara is gone again. Leaving Michael in the middle of the forest. With Gurara gone the hunt has officially started and the lizard suddenly wakes up. Michael quickly slaps the mud on himself with mud nearby. The dirt is still soft from the water so it's rather easy for him to put it on. The lizard goes back to sleep when it notices nothing wrong. Maybe it's just the wind.
Michael slowly backed away from the lizard trying not to wake it up. When Michael's fury over the lizard scent faded, he began to consider how he may handle the reptile.
'Dig a hole like last time?'
That would take too long and Michael doesn't want to attempt the same thing twice when it fails the first time. It work the first time because the hole was quite deep. With around 10 meters deep the wooden spike at the bottom could hurt the lizard. But with a limited time of three days, he couldn't do that.
'Fire?'
Another possible way to kill the monster but, he doesn't know how to utilize it. Maybe he could trap it and set it on fire? Thinking about it he scratches this idea. The lizard has to be trapped for a long time for the fire to work. What kind of trap could hold the lizard that long? He doesn't know. So he picks up the monster guidebook that he's always kept with him.
The section about the alma lizard is really expansive. Because the alma lizard is not a common monster that can be found throughout the land. They hail from the same animal but, at some point, they spilt and adapt to different environments. The alma lizard is one of them so they had almost the same weakness.
They are a nimble body and impressive stamina. but it is weak to blunt damage to the head. and has quite a fragile body by monster standards.
'Maybe I could do it?'
Blunt damage to the head is usually dealt with by a hammer this weapon is among the most popular weapon in the BOniha tribe along with Greatsword and a big club. These weapon is easy to use and work quite well with their tribe's strength. Michael couldn't use any of them because the weapons are too big and heavy however, he could also drop something from a high place to do the same thing. The plan starts forming in his head, one that's actually had a chance of working!
Micheal left to find the place that have the right condition. He ditches the lizard because the floor is still wet so, even If he loses the lizard he could come back here and easily track it down with its footprint that could be easily spotted. Due to the water, even Michael might leave a footprint because the earth is so soft.
Hours later.
It was almost lunchtime and Michael could find several spots that is good for his plan, however, they didn't satisfy all of his conditions. With his little leg, he could not cover much distance and in turn, has found fewer places to work with. Nonetheless, he still found quite a good location for his plan, even if it doesn't satisfy all of his conditions. It's still a good spot.
He looks at the roots of the mangrove tree which is in the position that he could fit in. Satisfied with his discoveries, he bought out dry meat to eat. This time he came prepared. he doesn't want to starve in the wood like last time so, he prepared a slice of dry meat that could last him for 3 days.
Truthfully he wants a better meal but, Michael doesn't know how to cook and Gurara refuses to cook anything for him. Saying that a hunter needs to prepare for his own hunt. So the only option left for Michael is this cheap smoke meat that could be eaten whenever you want.
Nonetheless, it tastes pretty decent with only salt and Alma juice on them.
With the location found, Micheal now only needs bait, and the best bait for the alma lizard is of course the alma fruit. He marks his way in the forest by using his knife and then set out to find some alma fruit.
- 6 hours later -
Micheal is exhausted.
He walks around for six whole hours but, he can't find any Alma fruit. Even though it's a fruit most common on the island finding one in the wild takes a lot of luck. the Alma fruit could be found all over the village because they had farmed for it but, in the wild, it's up to chance that you'd find one.
Usually, it isn't this hard to find the fruit, but Micheal is truly unlucky.
The sun is setting. Glimmering with orange light making the aquamarine forest look yellowish. Sitting around his campfire Michael read his book and checked if he forgot something...
'Oh, my Apex! I forgot to ask Gurara about the tree!'
With him being chased and almost getting eaten, he completely forgot about the tree that he saw yesterday. maybe there's a connection with it? the tree and the Alma fruit, both look semi-transparent... but the Boniha village has no record of such a tree. Maybe it's just an infection.
"My luck is really bad today..." he muttered to himself. The sky has grown considerably darker as the sun is close to set.
"You couldn't find any alma fruit?"
"Yea I search....."
Michael... realize something. He is alone in the woods...