Crocodiles

Meanwhile...

The three slaves who were on a daze the whole time as they struggled to debate over the creature at the top of the tree became even more dazed after observing that Miguel is actually talking with the man in the tree.

In their eyes, the suspected monkey, gorilla, or an ape talked back at Miguel.

They even thought that Miguel became nuts, but we all know it wasn't.

Why would they think that way?

Because he did look like a monkey.

If not for Miguel's keen eyesight he would have also said the same.

[26] The Man in the Tree had his lower parts covered by a dark fur, it looked like it belonged to a giant ape. His top was bare naked covered with different kinds of Batuk—tattoos.

People in this area commonly referred to tattoos as Batuk, it was a common tradition to adorn themselves with a Batuk, especially men in particular. Warriors would often brag about their accomplishments with a Batuk which recorded their feats and the number of people they have slain.

The more Batuks a warrior had meant the more people he slain. The larger and darker a Batuk is, the more significant that Batuk was. Sometimes, those Batuks directly tell a warrior's own epics.

Later on, the modern world would adopt it as some mere kind of art they put in their skin, losing the significance and meaning of the said tradition.

But in a tribal society, especially in the Ophir, this Batuks could also be regarded as a form of status.

More often than not, Datus are covered with Batuks beside their face which they considered sacred.

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When Miguel returned to the three slaves who paced back by half a hundred meters, they all clamored around him.

"Badong, are you a former shaman? Can you really talk to the animals?" The tallest among the bunch politely inquired.

Which Miguel had immediately ignored.

"Badong, what does the monkey said? Did he contained a spirit of our ancestors?" The smallest of the bunch also inquired.

Miguel only stared with a frown.

And finally the middle and probably the most reasonable among the bunch also asked while scratching his head...

"Badong, are you going to save that gorilla?"

Surprised by that reasonable question Miguel smirked. He finally turned his head to look.

He only answered the middle with a brief "Yes"

Then, it was the start of his grand debut in this newfound world.

The world will know how courageous Miguel was!

Sadly, this tale will spread under the name, Badong.

"I'll go somewhere and return after a while. The three of you, go and watch that monkey for me!"

"But why shou—"

And without letting those bunch of idiotic slaves utter a word... no, they actually had already uttered two words... Anyway, Miguel left swiftly. Leaving behind the dazed trio.

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"When would that guy return, these pesky mosquitoes had been sucking me dry all this time."

Atop a small mound of grassy tiny hill, the tallest among the bunch of idiotic slaves complained.

His legs had visible red marks, clearly bitten by that pesky insect—mosquito

"Well, he should be returning by now..." The middle in height among the bunch replied while also scratching his legs.

"Say, I am starting to applaud the tenacity of that gorilla, he's been hanging in that branch this long. Gorillas are really awesome! look, even those crocodiles are starting to get impatient."

And the smallest of the bunch suddenly said after his vehement observation of the said gorilla.

Pointing his index finger towards the crocodiles.

From these bunch of idiotic slave's sight, a group of crocodiles was patiently awaiting the fall of that Gorilla. The acacia tree beside the mangroves swayed left and right and the Gorilla also swayed back and forth.

At the steep of the treacherous cliff at the mountains, the roots dug deep unto the grassy hills.

Beneath it, was a river or a lake with waters of Styx and Crocodiles as Grim Reapers.

Each of these Crocodiles spanned twenty meters long and had sharp, rough, and sturdy backshells.

Looking from afar, they looked small and not scary.

But imagine a dozen of these crocodiles awaiting your fall, wouldn't you be scared?

So when the smallest among the bunch, pointed those crocodiles, they all could not help but to admire the Gorilla hanging at the tree with his feet pierced—dripping blood unto the river, his tenacity and willpower to live reached the trio's heart.

But unbeknownst to them, the said gorilla is actually aching in pain now,

Due to his large pride, he just gnashed his teeth and endured, afraid to let out a pitiful scream.

In his mind, the image of the frail Miguel dwindled

"How could a mere brat help me? Should I just die now?"

But when he thought that people would remember him as someone who died due to a crocodile, not from any warrior, his pride got hurt. he helplessly sighed pinning all his hopes to Miguel.

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Suddenly, like a gush of wind...

Miguel appeared from out of nowhere.

In his left hand, you could see four wooden rods, tightly gripped together with its tip sharpened into a spike.

And at his right hand was a bladed spear that looked majestic in many ways.

Its wooden handle was carved with gecko and vine figures inlaid with gold and stones.

The spear looked a grade higher than the typical spear which this trio had ever seen.

They all surprisingly said

"Badong! How great! Both a shaman and a warrior!"

And Miguel who received their shouts could not help but ignore these three.

Little did he knew that this farce would one day escalate higher into a fabled godly reputation under the name, Badong.

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Miguel could not take it anymore as he shouted from the bottom of his lungs...

"You can all go up in this mountain and gather the lost warty pigs from our tribe, I'll follow you after I finish my business. And by the way, that creature clinging at that tree's branches is not a monkey nor a gorilla or an ape; it's a person from another tribe!"

The three slaves exclaimed in shock, they were all astonished to what Argus told them. The three stupid idiots sigh in displeasure

"Whaaat?! Impossible..."

"We've been wrong the whole time." They all sighed as they slowly left the bottom of the mountain steep.

But three to four short breaths later, they'll be in awe to Miguel's courage and battle prowess.

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While the three were about to walk, they all witness Miguel jumping down from the cliff to the river of death.

His action is sudden and without hesitation.

Miguel then was greeted by a pack of crocodiles hungry for prey.

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Jumping off the cliff with a leap of faith, I aimed one of the spikes I was holding towards the crocodile's head.

Due to the force of gravity which amplified my thrust, I successfully planted a rod in this crocodile's head. He moved for a bit before slowly fainting.

At first, I did not know if it would work but the wooden spike I made, handled it with ease.

"Now am getting nervous to the crocs I could not see." As I muttered alone, I lunged the spike from my left hands.

It swiftly dashed towards one of the crocodiles and pierced its eyes.

What I learned in the wild during my Military training, is that you should never underestimate the wild. Especially this behemoth, terrifying crocs.

"And would you look at those razor-sharp fangs, their size was huge as well."

"As expected of the animals from the old, they had the reputation of being large."

What you should be warier about are not the crocs you can't see, rather the crocs whose hiding and would leap at you, suddenly without any notice.

Crocodiles are apex predators, they can swim up to 20 miles per hour and could hold up their breath underwater for more than 1 hour.

Has a biteforce of 3,700 pounds per square inch, that could almost rip apart a thin metal bar!

But since these crocodile's sizes got multiplied by two, am not entirely sure of its strength now.

Now asked, why I leaped down to the water, isn't that tantamount to suicide?

"Well, not exactly. But due to the risk, I managed to kill one."

I'm clearly outnumbered here, there are a dozen of them!

As I lunged towards another crocodile, another croc issued a screech.

And it did not take long before one by one, these crocs had filled the river with their screeching cries.

After my successful attempt in piercing their eyes, that should leave as a warning to them and hopefully, leave that pitiful man who is clinging at a tree's branches.

I went back climbing the steep cliff using a flipped boat nearby.

It must have been the boat whom that pitiful guy, used to travel here.

"Speaking of which, I wonder how he got himself injured."

And right at this moment, a bigger disaster came that is outside of my predictions...