Michael rushes through the forest with swiftness he has been here before so he could easily weave through the roots of mangrove trees. The alma lizard is right behind him. It month open wide trying to swallow him.
Luckily the alma lizard has gotten slower. The Hamarr that it just ate still isn't digesting thus the alma lizard body is bigger than usual slowing it down.
However, Micahel with his experience is still running at full speed. The more distance he could put between himself and the lizard, the better chance he is at survival. Micahel keeps running until he reaches the trap that he set up.
Like before, his trap is set between the roots of a tree that let Michael fit in but tight enough for the lizard's head to get stuck on. When he sees the trap he quickly gets out his Sticky bushes, pour some water on it, and quickly throws it on the ground. It expands and traps the lizard but, it's only to buy him time.
He jumps through the roots and places some sticky bush on it leaving only 1 left in Michael's stock. He readies his wooden spear that he craft the day before and prepares for the lizard. It instantly chase Michael when it got out of the sticky bush. He also drops the alma fruit.
However, when it reach the root it didn't jump through as Michael predict!
'Oh no!'
The bush must have made the roots look weird so the lizard circles around it instead. His plan backfired on him. He didn't think that it would not jump through to get him!
Michael didn't wait for the lizard to catch him and quickly throw a spear to intimidate it however, the lizard looks more irritated when he does that. It charges at him more aggressively
'AHHHH'
As he shouted, the lizard came charging at him, jaws wide open. Michael just narrowly evaded its attack as it soared into the air. He had never felt so endangered before in his life. Though he considered breaking his Hopper wisp to end the challenge, he couldn't bear to let Gurara down. The old man had even purchased a guidebook for him from the mainland.
Coming up with a quick solution Michael must give it a try. even if it's dangerous.
As Michael recovered from his jump, he noticed the lizard turning towards him. Despite the distance between them, the lizard continued to chase him through the trees. Michael used his knowledge of the terrain to guide the lizard in a looping pattern back toward the trap he had set.
Michael decides to wait for the lizard as he reaches in front of the trap. The alma lizard promptly seizes the chance when Michael stops to quickly close the distance and turns around the corner. As the lizard charges at him, sweat goes down his neck.
'Now!'
Right at that moment, the lizard jumped at Michael. However, that is exactly what Michael wants. He jumps through the trap right as the lizard is about to reach him!
Pah!
Michael narrowly avoided getting caught in the lizard's mouth by a hair's breadth. However, he managed to catch the lizard in his trap. If he had been there for just one more second, he would have been the one in the lizard's mouth instead. The lizard followed him through the traps as it had already committed too deeply to the jump. Realizing that it could not move, the lizard started to wiggle.
It tries to break free but, its head is stuck between tree roots. Michael advances to the next part of the trap. The hunting part! He makes his way up the roots and cuts them like before. The gravity pulls the roots down and hi the lizard.
Roarrrrrrr!!!
A direct hit!
Michael jump to another tree and cut more roots. The lizard screamed in pain while more roots fell on its head. So far his plan is progressing smoothly.
5 minute later
He cut all the roots he has prepared, and this time he expects the lizard to faint already. The number of roots that hit it is more than the last lizard but, somehow this guy is still holding on. Trying his very hardest to get out of his trap.
Luckily he has prepared for this. last time he could kill the lizard by throwing a close rage spear in the eyes. Although he succeeds, Michael still doesn't want to be that close to a monster so he came up with another way to kill it.
Fire
foo!
He lit up a stick with a crackling. Then he throws it at the wooden roots that pile up on top of the lizard's head. the fire needs more time to catch on so Michael goes around the lizard to suppress its wiggling body.
He find nearby roots and cut them so that they'd fall on top of the lizard. This process takes 10 minute and the fire start to spread. feeling the heat, the Alma lizard thrashes around more aggressively. Although its effort is futile, it still struggles for its dear life.
As the fire begins to burn the lizard's head, more and more roots fall on it, turning it into a crematorium.
Roar
The fight is nearly over. The lizard action begins to decline. The lizard's entire body was consumed by the fire as it continued to grow. Michael delightedly observed the fire as it burned, however seeing the fire he realized something...
Crap!
If the lizard's body burn to a crisp, he wouldn't have any evidence to confirm that he pass the trial! They wouldn't let you submit the ash of a lizard!
Seeing that the monster doesn't move anymore Michael quickly removes some of the wood that has caught on fire. He uses the glove that drenches water to roll the roots out. The roots fall one by one until Michael could see the lizard. Its body is charr in some parts but, overall it's still intact.
He goes to a water river nearby and brings back some water to extinguish the fire. By this time the fire has almost gone out and Michael could heave a sigh of relief.
"Yes! yes! yes!"
Michael celebrates. He could hunt a monster in 3 days! this time is quite good for his strength. He got closer to check the lizard's condition.
Carck
His hand touches its scales and it cracks. The scale is incredibly brittle and can be easily peeled over. Michael thinks that this must be the effect of a fire.
'Huh?'
Something's wrong. The Scale that fell of reveal a semitransparent body inside. Michael has seen quite a few alma lizards and their skin isn't semi-transparent.
'Something's wrong here!'
Right as he realizes this the lizard body moves!
"AHHHH"