Otherworld Delinquent - Chapter 13 (Patreon)

Krall bolted through the jungle. His heart tightened at the sight of his master in pain. He could wait no longer.

He recalled the sight of those eyes as the human loomed above him back at the beach. They were the eyes of something greater. Something even more beastly, and terrifying, than even their chief. To the point something deep within him accepted being the human’s companion without a moment's hesitation. He submitted himself, but he didn’t feel anger, or resentment. The human named Noah had saved his life, and he could already feel his body become reborn under his command.

But more than that, all he wanted was a–friend.

Images of his own kind kicking, beating, torturing him–only to then banish him from his home–his cave. Perhaps with the human, he would get his revenge. His blood boiled with a feverish heat that urged him forward.

Me must get something to cure him–for my…friend. Krall desperately thought as the jungle branches scraped across his tough scales. He wasn’t sure exactly what he needed, but there was a faint thought at the back of his mind. He had to kill his kin to obtain the thing he needed.

With that vague plan, Krall made it his mission to cure his master.

It wasn’t long before he tracked down a roaming party of his kin. The sound of their hissing was all too familiar. Glancing around a tree, four kobolds appeared in view.

Me can do it. Copy Noah’s moves, attack like him. Krall chanted within his mind.

He sprinted out from behind the tree and swung his club for the closest kobold. It hissed in panic, but it managed to bring up its club in defence. However, Krall’s strike didn’t come. He took a step to the side, and whacked the side of the monster’s face. Blood spurted thanks to the faint of Krall’s step.

Noah taught me that one. Krall snarled in excitement, but he was immediately beset by the other three kobolds.

He attempted to block the incoming attacks, but there were too many of them. All Krall could do was swing his club in wide arcs in an attempt to stop them.

Swing-after-swing, hit-after-hit, his body was battered by the onslaught of attacks. He managed to get one or two good swings in, but he was forced to put his back to a nearby tree. Blood seeped down from his wounds.

Me will win–for Noah. Krall swung his club once more in desperation.

***

Human and dragonborn walked side-by-side through the night’s jungle.

Noah strained his eyes as they moved closer towards the faint connection within his mind. It was something all Beast Tamers had, and while this was only a rudimentary version since he didn’t have a Skill yet, it still worked, somewhat.

It was like following a compass of hot and cold. But sometimes the connection became unreadable, and they would wander around until it jumped back into his mind. He could feel the pain within Krall’s body as it urged him forward, through the void-like abyss of the night jungle.

He understood the risk he was taking. The jungle during the day was unforgiving, let alone at night. His most used sense–sight–was useless as they traversed through the trees.

Thankfully, he had a humanoid reptile by his side that guided him forward through the darkness.

Noah had read through a study when he was researching for his volunteering. It had been said that when your most used sense was blocked, the brain heightened the others to make up for it.

The smell in the air had changed. From the burning, humid air that made breathing a nightmare to an earthy moistness that tickled his fine nose hairs.

The sounds of birds no longer existed, only an eerie silence pervaded the battlefield riddled with trees and whatever was creeping through the wild-land. Although Noah had researched about different environments and personally watched the other contestants survive in these conditions–experiencing it himself was completely different.

He assumed it would be similar to stalking the streets at night back on Earth. Not having any parents meant Noah had to provide for himself. He was meant to receive help from the government, but it never came, and to hell with chasing it up with hour long phone calls, and walls of paperwork to go along with it. No. He just had to rely on himself.

When Noah had no money, he would steal it from wherever he could. Houses, people, shops. When he couldn’t get money, all that was left was to join a gang. Money came easier after that–he just had to fight for it. Bleed for it.

Noah shook his head from the thoughts of old. He was now in a new world, everything about the past was to be forgotten.

Everything.

Noah twitched his shoulders at the sudden noise of hissing and monstrous shouts. They sounded desperate, as if fighting for their lives.

Noah nodded to Thraz and rushed through the thick layer of trees until a small group of kobolds appeared in view. Krall and three others.

Krall had his back against a larger tree as he swung his club in all directions to ward off any potential attacks. Wounds had marred his body while the three other kobolds had resorted to using rocks as they seemed to be wary of the wild swings of Krall’s weapon.

Krall used one arm to protect his face. Blood trailed down his scales as he desperately held on. His breath was ragged, time was running out.

Noah willed his weakened body to move. It listened. As he bolted in front of his tamed monster, a sudden strength filled his body. The illness that plagued him also eased as strength returned to his arms thanks to his newly gained skill. He raised his shield as the rocks pelted the metal-like wood.

Thraz charged forward like a raging bull on steroids. He raised his axe and swiped it down at the monster’s shoulder. The sharpened blade split the small kobold in half. Shoulder-to-waist. Blood cascaded onto the floor, along with the two fleshy halves. He then kicked the other kobold to the side and glanced at Noah.

Noah took the signal and rushed forward. He used [Thrust] and aimed it at the kobolds chest. The power within his arm bulged, then shot forward like a striking cobra.

The kobolds eyes widened and dodged, but the incoming spear was too fast. It pierced straight through the shoulder. The kobold, instead of panicking, grabbed hold of the spear’s shaft as if its life depended on it.

Noah slammed his foot against the kobold’s chest and pulled back at the same time. The spear was freed.

The kobold attempted to use that second of free time to get in closer, but Noah had already taken a further step backward and used the advantage of the spear. Range. He pierced the kobolds throat as it clutched its throat in a desperate attempt to stop the blood spilling. But it was a futile attempt, the kobold fell to the ground.

Thraz made quick work of the last kobold as it lay in a pool of blood.

You defeated a - Level 4 Kobold.
| You defeated a - Level 3 Kobold.

| You defeated a - Level 3 Kobold.

| Experience is reduced for fighting within a group.

Krall, the Scourge of the Jungle has levelled up.

| Krall level 5 -> Krall level 6

Grace Coins awarded!

With a quick check of his total coins, he still needed five more to buy the antidote. He needed to shake the weakness from his body, but it looked like he would have it for a while longer.

Noah shivered and took a breath. He turned to look at Krall and handed him a potion. He ordered him to drink it.

Soon, the wounds scabbed over and vitality returned into his body.

If only they could cure sickness. Noah thought. It was the limitation of health potions. They could cure external and internal wounds, but the bloodstream was different.

Noah wasn’t sure why, but maybe it was the restriction of certain ingredients. Or something like that anyway.

Krall was looking him up and down.

I’ll be okay. Noah thought.

Krall repeatedly nodded as his eyes brightened. He was happy.

“Let’s get out of here,” Noah said. “Before something–”

A branch snapped. But it was enough of a sound to startle Noah deep into his bones. He hadn't heard a single thing, even with him focusing on his hearing. Or maybe it had taken the opportunity just as he was talking to get closer, he didn’t know. He didn’t have time to think.

Noah snapped his body to the side and barely managed to get his shield up in time as a sudden force blasted him off of his feet. He slammed and rolled onto the ground. The monster went to attack again, but dodged to the side as Thraz’s axe slammed into the floor.

Noah crouched and prepared his shield and spear while Krall quickly got into place by his side. Thraz took a step back as they created a triangle formation with Thraz at the point.

Finally, Noah looked at the beast and took in all of its details.

It had a lithe body, exactly like a cheetah, but he could tell it was far more agile than its Earthen counterpart. Despite that, the strength in its body far outweighed any opponent he had met so far. Its body was black with small copper spots and a stripe of hair trailed from the scruff of its neck all the way down to the base of the tail. The monster’s claws were as sharp as any weapon, maybe sharper as they glistened under the sparse moonlight. They looked like raptor talons, as the middle claw was far larger than the rest.

It was another monster he had never seen before. He wasn’t able to use his planned knowledge.

It must be a high level, shit. Noah cursed.

It was only a matter of time before he ran into something he couldn’t handle, and now it had happened. If he wasn’t with Thraz, it most likely spelt death. Even working together, the future wasn’t certain against such a creature, Noah could feel it.

Its eyes were the very eyes of a predator.

The monster moved from side-to-side. Its vision roamed from all three of them as if it was sizing them up–trying to see who the weakest link was.

Most solo beasts were extremely cautious as it took only a little scrape for infection to set in, or worse, an injury. If they were slowed down, they would simply become food for a more healthy beast. So most monsters were incredibly careful in picking their fights.

The fact that it had attacked them, clearly meant that it was confident in doing so.

It must have watched our fight with the kobolds, then deduced that we are prey. Noah thought, then grit his teeth. Concentration, and ferocity grasped his mind. I have no intention to be prey, not any longer. Noah tightened the grip on his spear.

He had the thought of mounting Krall, but what they needed was numbers. They had to flank and pinscor the creature. Simply relying on strength was a good way to get oneself killed.

The creature paced to the left, as Noah and the others rotated their bodies to face it. It slowly moved behind a set of tree’s. Noah lost sight of it for a second, he thought it was going to continue to the left but he rapidly moved his vision back to the right and waited.

Krall, when it attacks, be ready to attack from the side. As soon as I block, hit it. Noah commanded within his mind. He wasn’t sure if Krall could time it well, or if he understood particular details, but it was worth a shot.

Krall nodded. He didn’t say anything to Thraz as he wanted his attention on the left, while he had the right in check.

But Noah was right. The beast blasted out from the cover of the tree’s on the right and pounced straight for Thraz. Its enormous middle claw was aimed straight for his scaly throat. Thraz couldn’t react in time as his sight rested on to the left of the tree, but Noah was there to cover.

Noah stepped in front and blocked the hit. His already weakened arms almost gave out. He felt his body fall back, but Thraz held him up.

Krall had stepped up from the side and swung his club in a wide arc towards the beast's slender body. But it was too fast, and Krall’s attack was too slow.

It used Noah’s shield as a stepping stone and leapt to the side as Krall’s attack fell onto the jungle's soil floor.

The beast attacked a few more times, but everyone’s attacks either hit the air, or struck the ground.

Thraz yelled, frustration was taking over.

“Calm down Thraz!” Noah exclaimed. “It’s waiting for us to make a mistake, we are harder prey than it thought.”

Thraz took a breath and said, “Then what do we do? It’s playing with us.”

“We survive,” Noah said. “Wait for an opportune moment to attack, but if you can’t, then we wait and survive.”

Either that, or wait for an even more powerful monster to arrive and hope to god they fight each other. Noah grimaced.

They were simply too weak, too slow, and with no Skills yet to make up the difference, they were sitting ducks.