Chapter 16

"Hey Rey I got a question." - Akuv.

"Mhm?" - Rey.

"How is it that nothing interesting goes in our lives and when we do get something interesting, it happens like after a month?" - Akuv.

"...How am I supposed to know that, maybe some unknown entity just remembered about us one day and said 'Yep, I'm gonna put them through another shenanigans again' and we have something interesting going on in our lives." - Rey.

"But why can't the main entity make our lives interesting!?! Why can't it make us rich already!! I don't want to be another punching bag for someone else's entertainment!" - Akuv.

"Akuv, your guess is as good as mine, buddy." - Rey.

All of a sudden, the wall of their home was smashed down by a man who was sweating and breathing heavily, seemingly distressed. The duo was blown away by the blast, shocked, and angry at what has happened.

"You two!" - The Stranger.

"Who the hell? Why would you smash through our wall when you could use our door! and who even are you!" - Rey.

"Yeah, my friend is right! You could smash our door like this!" - Akuv.

Akuv ran out of the house and proceeded to repeat the same action the stranger had done, except he slammed the door down instead of the wall. Rey and the stranger just collapsed from the sheer sight of Akuv's immaculate intelligence.

"Sorry about the wall! But we need your help, there is a report of a beast terrorizing the nearby forests, we need to spread the news of the terrorizing beast to everyone across the island, be aware when you are traveling through the outskirts! It has been stealing people's foods and cattles while singing the worst tune known to man!" - The Stranger.

"A beast? nah you must be mistaken, it's just Akuv wandering around the forest when he is sleepwalking again." - Rey.

"Hey, that's rude! But thank you for the info Mister! We will be aware of the beast!" - Akuv.

"I assume there must be hunters preparing to hunt down this beast?" - Rey.

"Yeap, the hunters of Shanga are preparing to hunt and put an end to this beast, but we have still yet to get its concrete movements and such. When we get enough information, the hunters will strike down this beast." - The Stranger.

"Say..I am curious, is there any bounty set on this beast?" - Rey.

"Of course there is! There is a bounty placed on the beast's head, and the fur is said to cost around 680 silvers, so a total of 700 silvers for anyone who kills the beast and get its hide." - The Stranger.

Rey and Akuv's mouths fell to the ground, 700 silver may not seem much, but it's definitely a large lump sum of money to be made to hunt down the beast. The duo grinned at each other as they seemed to be thinking what the other was thinking.

"Well, stay safe, people! and make sure to take care of your cattle and meat storage from the beast! And uh, here is some silver for the wall. See you!" - The Stranger.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking, Akuv?" - Rey.

"Of course, Rey, I see your mind clearly. We're gonna terrorize people and steal their cattle correct?" - Akuv.

"Sometimes a cattle has more brain than a rusted bucket that you call a brain. No, we are going to hunt the beast!" - Rey.

"Hunt? You? You can't even take down a fly you salty haired fool! How do you think you can take down a beast?!"- Akuv.

"Hence I said we." - Rey.

"....Okay, fine, we will do it then! Let's hunt down the beast!" - Akuv.

"Alright Akuv, just stick with me and you won't regret a thing, I got everything planned out." - Rey.

Rey and Akuv packed their items and went on to hunt the beasts. As they weren't skilled hunters nor had any track record in hunting, the duo only picked up their rusted hoe, a fishing net, and a mutton. It was hardly capable of killing a single mosquito, let alone the beast, but the duo seemed confident enough with their tools.

They ventured into the northern forest, where the supposed beast was last sighted. Wandering citizens warned the duo and described the beast in various shapes and sizes, much to the confusion of Akuv, but Rey was unfazed by the varying accounts. As they entered the northern forests, they set up their plan to take the beast.

"Okay Akuv, so here is the plan, you will go and serve as bait for the beast, and you will lead them over here at this place exactly. I need you to run as fast as you can and lead the beast to this mutton, then you just disappear. When the beast gets distracted by this mutton, I will ensnare it, and you will land the killing blow to the beast, comprehende?" - Rey.

"Wait, Why am I doing all the running while you do the hiding?" - Akuv.

"Sometimes Akuv, you grow a brain at the wrong time." - Rey.

"It's a genuine question!" - Akuv.

"Who cares! Don't you want the silver or not! Or do you want Thekla to think you are a loser?" - Rey.

"No! My beloved Thekla I will make her proud! I will fight for my beloved wife!" - Akuv.

Akuv charged straight ahead and yelled his war cry, much to Rey's sudden shock. He thought Akuv was foolish was being so obvious, but he couldn't do anything but hope the plan went as expected. Rey hid beneath the leaves, covering himself as he watched in the distance.

"COME ON YOU BIG HAIRY BEAST, BET YOU CAN'T BEAT THIS BALD HEADED FOOL IN SINGLE COMBAT!" - Akuv.

He yelled and taunted the beast, hurling creative insults and demeaning the beast's reputation, alongside it's mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, and even it's distant ancestors, Akuv was not giving the beast's history any mercy, dragging its name under the mud. 

A growl was heard nearby Akuv, and it wasn't any normal growl, it was an insidious, voracious growl, pent with rage and anger, ready to unleash it's pent up anger to rip and eat any unlucky soul that comes along its way. Just as the unknown creature was about to prowl, It's teeth was grabbed by Akuv, who promptly smashed the creature upside down, followed by a suplex, and a punch that dazed the beast.

"You see this!?! This is what I will do to you stupid beast! I will do this exact thing as I did to this beast that looks and sound exactly like you!!!" - Akuv.

"See!?! It even looks exactly like you!....wait." - Akuv.

"It looks and sounds exactly like you.....ohh...it is you....well, TIME TO RUNNNN" - Akuv.

Akuv ran in full speed, and the angered beast took chase on the fearful man. Akuv didn't pay heed to his surroundings and obstacles as he dashed through anything that came into his way, leaves, dirts, and even trees! Wait, he can break through trees!?! 

The beast was berserk and wanted to rip the remaining hair from Akuv's head, it was not gonna let its lunch go away, but it would be greeted with the sight of a mutton, conveniently laid there in the open, waiting to get grabbed. The beast knew this was too much of a convenient trap to get caught, so it stuck by the trees. 

"Oh man, all this running made me hungry! Oh, look a mutton! Time for me to eat this!" - Akuv.

Akuv went to get the mutton, and as he grabbed the mutton, he was ensnared by a fishing net. But he didn't seem to mind it, he was happy he got the mutton. The beast smirked, seeing as the hunter has now become the hunted, soon to be its lunch. It proceeded forward, filled with pride and a feeling of victory.

As it came into the opens, it's head was struck with the rusted hoe, but because the hoe was so rusted and blunt, it knocked the beast out, instead of killing it. The hoe was attached to a vine, and the beast seemed to step on a makeshift lever. Rey came out of hiding and looked at the sight the knocked-out beast and Akuv, who gobbled up the whole mutton, including the bone.

"Well not exactly what I had in mind, but hey, we got the beast, now time to see what this bastard actually looks like." - Rey.

He approached the beast to inspect on it's unconscious body. However, on closer inspection, it doesn't look like a beast, but an animal hide that is being worn by someone. Intrigued, he took off the hide, only to reveal a teenager who has been hiding under the animal hide. Much to Rey's shock, he was confused to the sight, and tried to wake the kid up.

The kid woke up, and much to his shock, tried to push Rey away, but he was grabbed by Rey who held him with a firm grip.

"What kind of sick joke is this kid?!? You were the beast the whole time!?!?!" - Rey.

"Teehee, well, duh!" - The Kid.

"Oh great how fancy! Why would you terrorize villages and do all those shenanigans!?! Are you sick in the mind?" - Rey.

"I am sick in the mind, which is why I DO those things, mister." - The Kid.

"You make a fair point." - Rey.

"But I managed to scare a lot of people! teehee, you should see everyone's scared faces! I am unparalleled in my ability to scare anyone, no one can scare me!" - The Kid.

"Well of course no one can scare you, as a matter of fact, I have a reward for you, for being able to strike fear in everyone's heart. It's a special reward just for you." - Rey.

"Really? Well tell me and show me, knave!" - The Kid.

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"Wahhhhhh mother please! I won't do this again, I will be a good boy, wahhhhh!" - The Kid.

"Oh you will be grounded for the next few months for bringing shame! Wait till father hears about this!" - Mother.

"Wahhhh Mother anything but that, please, please mercy!!!!!!" - The Kid.

"Well, that serves the kid right. Anyways, I can't express the gratitude we have for ending the terror, the two of you will be handsomely rewarded." - The Guard.

"We are gonna be rich Akuv! I can smell our wealth from a distance!" - Rey.

"Hell yeah! Money!!!!!" - Akuv.

"As promised, 20 silvers, you guys can split 10 each." - The Guard.

"...20 silvers? 20 SILVERS? Are you kidding me?!? How about the hide? isn't it 680 silvers?!" - Rey.

"Well the hide is a fake, it's really just painted grass that really looks convincing. Sorry, but you gotta get the real deal." - The Guard.

"Urgh, this chapter is just another waste! I can't believe we have been bamdoodled just like before!" - Akuv.

"Akuv, Bamdoodled isn't even a word, but I agree, we have been going nowhere...maybe the higher being is running out of ideas." - Rey.

"Alright you two quit yapping about nonsense, get back to your lives okay? and good luck, of course." - The Guard.

While it was not an expected payment, they were at least happy they quell a threat, and they were recognized for doing something good, and frankly, it did feel good for the duo to be recognized for doing a good deed. Nonetheless, evening was approaching, and the duo decided to spend their coin at a tea shop in Shanga, drinking away their worries as they reminiciese of good times, and their lovely wives.