Sorrowful Screech

"At my signal wave it like how I told you."

I pointed my fingers at the makeshift flag made from a piece of his tattered clothes, tied at the end of the bamboo spike.

"Understand." nodding vigorously, Aen proceeded to go at the side of the cliff near the acacia tree where the man which he earlier thought was a gorilla is located.

I am still irked by their ignorance and commend their stupidity. But calling them idiots would do me more harm and make me guilty, so I'll just ignore it for now.

Later I'll make sure to correct them...

"Hey!" The man in the tree shouted at Aen while raising his arms.

And him too, I'll ignore him for a while.

Well, this is quite dangerous because if he suddenly slipped and had an accident, he will directly plunge at the jaws of the behemoth crocs waiting for him below.

But Aen was too focused on his task that he did not notice the man in the tree.

His eyes only looked at the vast river's waters that turbulently flows below the grassy mountain steep.

Smiling at this sight, I inwardly complimented "Good boy."

"Malpi, at my signal you throw that spike to another croc, even if it fails it doesn't matter! just throw it and give it your strongest... Alright?"

Miguel lightly tapped Malpi's shoulders.

"Alright!" Malpi responded fervently as he went to line up in a row with Aen.

"Now, we are all set!" I spread my gaze below. And the two crocs did not felt menacing anymore.

I smirked while the darkening sky caught my sight.

"Crap, I did not notice the time. Looks like I relied too much on watches that I now fail to perceive time."

"I wonder if that Saman is looking for me."

"Also how do I escape from here?"

Numerous questions floated my mind, but as always...

Let me put them at the back of my mind and think of that later.

To be honest, I could already leave them, I should not care...

But, I just can't bear to leave them.

I think I am slowly being influenced by this body's previous owner.

"Psh. Let's carry on."

.

.

.

...

I raised my arms to signal the start of the battle.

Like how I instructed, Aen waved the flag and Malpi tossed the bamboo spike with his full might.

He even closed his eyes, as if that would increase the strength of his throw.

I chuckled at the sight of this,

"Good boy." I proudly mumbled, all while leaping forward, courageously facing the turbulent waters of the river.

Then...

"It worked!"

The flag managed to gather attention away from me.

But only for the croc at the furthest,

because another croc did not stray his eyes away from me.

Perhaps... "It was their leader." As I thought so, I plunged my face below the river's surface.

Below the river's surface, the water looked muddy and had mixed in with the soil and tiny pebbles.

I can only manage to open my eyes for a brief moment before It closed again.

A figure of a beastly savage croc caught my eyes.

And that was the cue.

I lunged myself forward with the bladed spear at hand and moved three paces away from the croc.

And like how I expected, the croc also leaped forward opening his jaws wide.

I have decided not to use the bamboo spike in tandem with the bladed spear in exchange for faster mobility.

In this way, I can capitalize with my small size and take advantage by the fact that these behemoth crocs are naturally huge in size.

As it leaped I raised my arms for a thrust.

The croc screeched it almost growled.

I believe that crocs only growled when they are trying to mate.

"Is the croc behind him was his mate?"

"Does this fcker trying to show off in front of her?"

"Screeeeech!" As if to answer my question the croc's screech got louder and he submerged himself down the river's surface.

"Damnt it, I missed!" I only managed to scrap him and its shallow.

Swirling the spear at hand, rotating my grip from forward to backward, kind of similar to how you grip a knife when you are about to stab someone.

Which reminds me of the time when I am still a newbie recruit, although the spear and the knife is two entirely different tools, both of them can be used as a weapon.

"And I'll show to this fcker how to properly wield this weapon."

As I mumbled from above the surface, I tried to stab the croc's head below.

The croc swayed its tail which helped him to evade my attack, again I missed.

I only splashed and scattered the water.

As if to ridicule my futile attempts the croc happily stomped its tail towards the river's surface.

"Tsk. you mothourhafcker!" With that as a cue, this shall be your end arrogant croc!

Because I am not alone.

I raised my arms as high as I can, hopefully, Malpi could see my signal.

Then it was at that moment that the leader of the crocs got himself defeated.

I saw a long slender rod descending down from the heavens like a blessing gifted to me by God.

A bamboo spike swiftly pierced the croc's flesh as it permeated forcefully at his head.

"Chance!"

Taking that as an opportunity, I dashed forward like an agile snake, wriggling my feet at full throttle, I quickly closed the gap in our distance.

The croc tried to wail and screech but helpless and no longer powerful or menacing as it should be, due to the bamboo spike that was stuck at its jaws, unable to open its jaws fully.

"This is your end." Stabbing the helpless croc, its eyes faintly dimmed dark as it slowly closed its eyes in surrender.

The croc floated at the river's surface, dead.

I removed two of my trusted weapons out from the croc's flesh.

And waved my hands, signaling my thanks for that splendid toss.

It was aimed perfectly. I had no words to criticize them.

I stared at the distance, the last of the remaining crocs wailed in a sorrowful screech.

It did not stop and just screeched and screeched all while stomping her tails.

Opening her jaws wide at each screech, you could hear an ear defeating noise, I felt like my ears would burst at any moment.

It must've been devastated by the sudden loss.

She witnessed me killing her beloved mate.

Now, the flag had no effect.

As I'll soon be facing off against a maddened queen.

It dashed forward, and I swam faster submerging my whole body below the river's surface.

But at that moment I was surprised.

Contrary to what I have expected, the queen croc suddenly left as it dashed sidewards, leaving the bloodied waters below the tree.

Slowing down my pace, I swam unhurriedly as I stared where the queen croc's last figure appeared.

Until it slowly diminished, fading and camouflaged with the muddy color of the river.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I wondered why it took long before they left.

It cost them their whole pack.

These guys had terrible luck, they were used as a scapegoat by that queen croc.

I sighed heavily, looking at the lifeless bodies of crocodiles that floated at the river's surface.

And it did not take that long before I noticed the sky had turned even darker.

Apparently, there were crows that blocked the sunlight.

They are all around me, circling like vultures.

They seem to target the wounded corpse of these crocs.

"Well, that's just how nature works.

Slowly waving strides and strokes while lightly pedaling my feet I had swam towards the stack of damaged boats, arranged like a stair, and climbed upwards.

I was greeted with a smile from Aen and Malpi as they grabbed my arms to support me upwards.

I smiled in reply,

But then...

I noticed the sky got even darker, followed by a screaming thud, a crackling lightning strike descended from the heavens which signaled a heavy downpour of rain.

The heavy droplets of water touched me in a heavy manner as I felt the stinging ache from my wounded and scrapped flesh.

Then, my vision got blurry until all my surroundings turned black.

Little did I knew, it was the start of a peculiar partnership to that brat whom I would recognize as my true lifelong sworn brother.

And it is just the beginning of our very own epic Veiled Saga!