Chapter 5 – An Ork of Business

"Well done Dobby, today we'll see how you use a Shoota." I said to the Grot in front of me.

"But boss, isn't it just pulling the trigger?" Dobby asked.

"But if you just pull the trigger, will you hit your target?" I asked again.

"Yes?"

"No! It's not enough just to pull the trigger, you need to hit the enemy, if you keep shooting at nothing, it will only increase the chance of someone getting close and killing you. Now try to hit one of the bottles." I responded by pointing to the object in question.

We were at the back of our shack; I placed some glass bottles on top of some wooden boxes divided into different distances.

Dobby quickly waved with a smile on his face, pointed at one of the bottles and pulled the trigger, only to miss completely and hit the roof of another shack. I slapped my face in frustration.

"Listen Dobby, how about you calm down and aim for the bottle before you shoot? Know what? Do as I say. Firm your feet on the ground!"

"Yes boss!" Dobby did as I said.

"Second, hold the gun with both hands!"

"Yes boss!" Dobby held the gun in front of him with both hands.

"Hold the gun at eye level, but away from your face!"

Again, Dobby did as told.

"Now aim at one of the bottles, take a deep breath and shoot!"

"Yes boss!"

Dobby pointed at one of the bottles, took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

CRASH!

Moreover, he managed to hit the nearest bottle.

"See boss! I did it!" Dobby jumped with joy.

"Congratulations Dobby. Now do you understand what I mean? Hitting the enemy is much better than letting him kill you, isn't it?"

"Yes boss!"

"So keep practicing, there's still a lot of bottles left, and there's a lot more where those came from, we won't leave until you get them all right without too much trouble."

"You can count on me boss!" Dobby replied, returning to target practice.

While Dobby trained, I sat on the floor, leaning against a brick wall with Laenae's crib floating beside me, taking a quick look at the baby; I realized that she stared at Dobby with curiosity. Maybe she finds Dobby funny? On the other hand, maybe she is already learning about ork culture?

As if! As if! She is still too young to understand what is happening around her. A few thoughts came to my mind at the time. Perhaps I should have some weapons installed in Laenae's crib? At least for her to protect herself and help me during fights.

Another thought is if I should recruit more Grots to my team. I think I'm becoming an Oddboy, specifically a Runtherd, an ork that specializes in taking care of Grots and Snots and making them the strongest and fiercest, Runtherd often lead mobs of Grots and Snots onto the battlefield, giving orders to the little creatures.

I think that, because I don't hate Dobby, honestly I feel a little attached to the Grot, maybe it's the human side screaming louder when finding a being with low chances of killing me and who is loyal to me.

I wonder if it's possible to unlock all the ork abilities hidden in my DNA. Maybe I'll be able to become an Oddboy who specializes in all areas? If not, at least I can try to use and control the WWAAGGHH! power that all orks have.

But how? Meditation? Fighting until I feel the power of WWWAAAGGGHHH! in me? Or maybe asking a Weirdboy?

I'll make a list of all the things I need to discover and learn, until then, better save as much money to buy the best equipment.

CRASH!

Looking at Dobby, I saw that he hit another bottle, I gave the Grot a thumbs up, and Dobby smiled and continued his training. Speaking of training, I should train. How strong can an ork get without having to risk its life fighting? Because I am an ork boy, there must be a limit and the more I grow, the more the limit must disappear.

A few runs around town and lifting some makeshift weights should do for now, at least it would help get rid of that paunch.

CRASH!

Well, Dobby is getting better, he's missing less bottles. Honestly, the amazed look Dobby gives me is weird. Is it so surprising to take aim before shooting your enemy? In ork society, it seems so.

Time passed and Dobby kept practicing, but I think that's enough, there are other things I'd like to do.

"Dobby, let's stop for today, come with me, I want you to help me with something." I said, getting up and walking towards our house.

"Yes boss!" Dobby said, following me.

"Listen Dobby, you don't have to yell 'Yes boss!' to everything I say. Do you understand?"

"Yes boss!" Dobby replied.

I sighed, forget it, better to be called boss than to have Dobby ignoring me, returning to our house, we took the equipment from the orks devoured by the rippers. Shootas, Sluggas, Choppas, ammo, belts with holsters and space for ammo, armor and clothing.

I tied Laenae's crib to my chest and the three of us left our house, carrying the equipment, we walked for some time until we reached a street with some stalls of ork merchants, this was the street with less competitive merchants, who sold lower quality products, I prefer not to incite the antipathy of high-class merchants.

However, before I started selling, I saved some equipment for Dobby and I, a Choppa for each of us, I handed Dobby a twisted-blade knife, and for myself, I kept a lesser quality Slugga and a small hand ax by ork standards, but the weapon would be a battle-ax in human hands.

Our "shop" is simple, a piece of fabric laid out on the dirt floor, I put the equipment neatly, Shootas next to Shootas and so on, we stayed there waiting for a few minutes, honestly I don't understand much about marketing, I don't know if I should yell about my products like crazy or should I expect someone to buy it.

Eventually my wait was worth it, the quality of the equipment caught the attention of passers-by as being slightly better than what other orks sold.

Even so, I was careful, the main characteristic of the Death Skulls clan is being a band of thieves, they steal and plunder everything they find interesting, so I kept my Big Shoota close, ready to shoot in case a git decided to run off with my wares.

"How much for da Shoota?" An ork boy asked me, pointing to one of the Shootas.

"Fifteen teef." I replied.

"It iz 'pensive!" The ork replied.

"It might be expensive, but it's the best Shoota you'll get around here, look around, out of everyone on this street, I'm selling the best. How about that? You pay fifteen teef for the gun and for two teef more you get some ammo for half the price." I suggested to the ork.

The ork put a hand on his chin, thinking for a minute, shrugging, and he accepted my proposal.

"Done!" The ork paid me and walked away happy with his new weapon and ammo.

Yet another satisfied customer, oddly enough, I knew roughly how much each item was worth. Shootas are worth fifteen teef, Sluggas are worth ten teef, choppas are worth five, ammunition is worth four, armor is worth three, belts and clothing are worth two.

It must be the ork instinct speaking, especially the Bad Moon side because they are the best merchants and richest of the ork clans. I won't deny it, I have a strong desire to amass fortune and show off, but I would be the envy of other ork, I would become a Flash Git.

BANG!

"AAAHHH!"

"Boss look!" Dobby yelled, pointing at something.

The shot and the two screams brought me out of my thoughts. Looking where Dobby pointed, I saw a Grot on the floor, holding his bleeding arm, on the floor next to him, and I saw my bag where I kept my teef.

Like I said, a bunch of thieves, and I almost was stolen for not paying attention, I have to stop making so many mistakes, I feel like I'm not taking my situation seriously enough.

"Good job Dobby, your aim is improving." I thanked Dobby.

Then I approached the Grot on the ground, he stopped screaming in pain when my body created a large shadow over him. Looking up scared, the Grot faced me. I held him by the back of his shirt and lifted him to the height of my eyes.

"Did ya really fink ya kould rob me?!? Listen ere ya miserable git, 'da next time I katch ya try'n ta steal ma teef, I will use ya as a target for ma grot for shoot'n practice! Ya understood?!"

The Grot nodded vigorously.

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm my ork anger, I managed to be a little rational, still with anger in my voice, I spoke to the Grot.

"But to show you I'm not that bad, I'll let you go with just my warning, if you'll do me a favor. I want you to spread a rumor to other Grots who aren't currently working for orks. Say that an ork named Gorlonik is hiring Grots, and that he is willing to pay for their services. You understood?"

I said with a bit of sadism in my voice, as I placed a teef in his hand, the Grot looked at me in surprise as he waved.

I let go of the Grot, as he fell to the ground, he ran down the street, away from my shop.

"A gift for you Dobby." I threw a teef to the Grot.

"Thanks boss!" Dobby replied, putting the teef in his pocket.

The morning passed, Dobby and I sold all the equipment, in the end we got two hundred and ten teef, the other merchants in the street gave me envious looks, I shrugged at them. What's my fault if my products are better? The previous owners won't need them anyway.

"Boss? Do you think it was a good idea to give the teef to that Grot? What if he doesn't do what you say?" Dobby asked.

"I hope the Grot does as I say. If he doesn't, I'll just have to carry out my plan personally, and honestly, it was just one teef, we have several, one less doesn't hurt." I replied.

With our work done here, Dobby and I headed to the guild; let's see what quest we can do.

-In a different place in Thumb of Gork-

The Grot who was shot in the arm ran through the alleys of the city, his pain being overcome by the joy of receiving a teef, it already made him richer than most Grots, and if the news the ork gave was true, he could get more.

Entering a small wooden door of a small building, the Grot entered a makeshift bar; the establishment was built by Grots, operated by Grots and only served Grot.

The place had a wooden floor, ceiling, makeshift tables and chairs were scattered around the sides, on the other side of the bar there was a counter with stools in front, on the other side a Grot served fungus beer, and squig kebabs, a dim light of lanterns hanging from the ceiling illuminated the place.

At the tables, the Grots ate, drank, gambled, played cards and talked about their day. Their sense of camaraderie and survival being greater than that of orks.

The commotion in the bar was interrupted by the entrance of a Grot with a shot in the arm.

"Everyone look!" The Grot screamed, showing the teef he was given.

The other Grots looked on in wonder and moved closer to observe the teef.

"Where did you get this?" A Grot spoke.

"That's more than I've ever received in my entire life." Another spoke.

"Did you steal this?" Another Grot asked.

"No, an ork named Gorlonik gave it to me, he said he's looking for Grots who aren't working for any orks at the moment, and he said he's willing to pay." The Grot with the teef replied.

This discouraged most of the Grots.

"Bah! It's a lie!"

"An ork paying for our work? Do you think we are idiots?"

"You stole that teef, didn't you?"

However, there were the Grots who were interested in the proposal.

"What the hell! I'm tired of having to rummage through the trash for food! If this Gorlonik guy is going to pay us then I'm in! But if he doesn't, I have a better chance of getting food by working for him than by wandering around! Tell me more about this ork!" One Grot exclaimed, gulping down his beer.

The exclamation emboldened other Grots, and soon the bar became a cacophony of arguments, the Grots divided over whether or not to believe what the ork Gorlonik said.

-Back with Gorlonik-

Dobby and I were walking through the jungle, this time I bought a map. Our current mission was to kill some Gaunts that roamed the forest and bring their skulls, and we could do whatever we wanted with the rest.

Dobby was sitting on my shoulder and the crib with Laenae in it floated right behind me.

"Boss? What are we doing here?" Dobby asked.

"We are hunting a type of Nid called Gaunt, he is one of the most basic and easy to defeat if they are in small numbers and if you don't let them get close." I replied.

"Oh! And what do they look like?"

"Large, hunched creatures with bladed arms, elongated heads, tails, knife-sized teef and long tongues."

I could see that Dobby gulped at this information, best to get his fear out of the way before he ran away mid-fight, as Grots are known to do.

"Dobby, I understand you're scared, I was scared too in the moment I first encountered a Gaunt."

"Really boss? How? You are the boss! You don't get scared!"

"I'm smarter than other orks and because I'm smart, I'm able to get scared and think better about the situation in front of me. Mainly on how not to die, but not always avoiding what makes you afraid or running away is an option, sometimes you need to face danger. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Yes."

"Well, then I hope you do the same, Dobby, it's just You, Laenae and I for now, we need to work together to survive here. Take care of my back and I'll take care of yours. I know it's hard, but we need to do this until we have more Grots on our team."

"You can count on me boss! I'll shoot those gits when they show up!" Dobby exclaimed excitedly.

"Well done Dobby." I pated the Grot on the head.

Well, my plan is working; earning a Grot's true loyalty will be more beneficial than ruling through fear. Less chance of them abandoning me during a fight.

Eventually we arrived at the approximate location where the Gaunts were, I saw three Gaunts eating a type of giant boar, it was a gray-skinned creature with red fur, and some thorns sticking out of its back, the Gaunts were devouring the open belly of the animal.

Hm! I crouched down and moved closer, hiding in the undergrowth, I skirted around the Gaunts until they had their backs to me, I felt Dobby ducking and grabbing my shoulder.

The more intact the skulls are, the better, so I held the Shoota in front of me and aimed at the torso of one of the Gaunts, but before shooting, I looked around in search of some hidden Gaunt. I prefer not to repeat the scene of a certain dinosaur movie .

Not finding a Nid staring at me, I focused on the ones in front of me, but when I was about to pull the trigger I felt something wrong, it was a strange sensation, as if I was doing something wrong, as if a surprise attack wasn't the answer to finish off the Gaunts.

Then I realized what it was, the ork instincts acting again, my hand shook, I felt an absurd urge to scream and shoot, but a logical part of my mind screamed that this was the worst possible way to act. Calm down! Take a deep breath and calm down!

"Boss?" Dobby called out to me, snapping me out of my confusion.

"What?"

"Look!" Dobby yelled, pointing ahead.

I saw that the Gaunts had stopped eating and were now sniffing the air; my agitation must have caught their attention so the heads of the three Gaunts turned towards where I was.

Before the Gaunts acted, my human side kicked in and I managed to accurately shoot the first Gaunt.

DAKKA!

DAKKA!

A hail of bullets, presumably leaving his skull intact, pierced his torso but the other two Gaunts broke away and came at me from different directions, one from the left and one from the right.

This time the ork instinct took over me, I got up immediately and opened fire on the Gaunt on the right.

"WWWAAAGGGHHH! Stand still yer git!" I screamed as I fired at the Gaunt, but he was fast, the bullets hitting the ground right behind.

"HAHAHAH!" I heard Dobby laugh as he fired at the Gaunt on the left.

Eventually the Gaunts surrounded us, each coming from one side, they both jumped towards us, only to crash headfirst into a blue energy bubble that surrounded us, the force field of Laenae's crib was large enough to cover us all.

Speaking of Laenae, the baby was giggling at the Gaunts' faces squished against the force field.

"Dobby shoot!" I yelled at the Grot.

"Yes boss!" Dobby responded, shooting at the Gaunt from the left, he landed a series of shots in the Gaunt's chest, with the little lesson I gave Dobby and Nid's proximity, he would hardly miss.

As for me, I pointed my Shoota at the Gaunt on the right, aiming at his chest, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahaha! Nice try git, but i kame prepared dis time!"

DAKKA!

DAKKA!

DAKKA!

With a hail of bullets, the third Gaunt fell dead, purple blood oozing from the bullet holes.

Hearing a growl, I saw that the Gaunt in which Dobby was still alive, but wounded, the Gaunt backed away from Dobby's shots and leapt at us again.

I quickly grabbed my Choppa, and dealt a blow to the Gaunt, the blade of my ax sank into his skull with a sound of breaking bone and tearing flesh, blood flowed from the Gaunt's eyes, the Gaunt's body went limp and he slipped out of the blade, falling to the ground.

When the adrenaline wore off I realized what I had done, I had damaged one of the skulls, and I only had one thing to say.

"ZOG!"

"HAHA!" Laenae laughed.

"Do you find my suffering funny?"

"BBSSHH!" Laenae stuck out her tongue and made a strange noise.

"I just don't get mad at you for being adorable." I responded by touching Laenae on the tip of her nose.

With the Gaunts dead, Dobby and I used our Choppas to cut off the Gaunt's heads. I only needed the skulls, but I dragged two of the dead Gaunts with me. Dobby had the skulls.

"Boss, why are you taking these things?" Dobby asked, stumbling under the weight of the Gaunts' heads.

"To get us new armor parts."

"Us?"

"Yes Dobby, we, you are my Grot, you deserve the best equipment a Grot can have."

Dobby grinned and ran after me, taking little hops along the way.

-XXXXXX-

Dobby and I left Maground's workshop, after taking the quest reward, the ork was happy to be paid to make new armor pieces, although he complained about his work being "wasted" on a Grot. I don't care, the Grot is mine and I'll treat him however, I want.

In my case, in addition to my ripper mail, I wore carapace from the Gaunts' backs as shoulder pads, elbow pads, knee pads, a plate protecting my heart, secured by leather straps around my chest, and shin guards protecting my tendon of Achilles.

Dobby already wore a large carapace that protected his back and chest completely, it was practically a vest, and the metal plate that protected his heart was underneath.

All of our armor was purple in color, of course. With the crib strapped to my chest, we walked through town.

"Where are we going now boss?" Dobby asked from my shoulder.

"We have a lot of free time at the moment. We can cheat bets on fights, go to the canteen, buy some new equipment or we can..." I cut my speech short due to the group of Grots in front of us.

There were five Grots in total, poorly dressed, dirty and injured, one of them had a bandaged arm and held a teef in his hand. Who would say? He did as I said.

"It's him! He's Gorlonik Teef Rippa!" The Grot I paid for spoke.

The other Grots perked up at this and moved closer.

"Are you here because of the news I sent out?"

I received a chorus of affirmations.

"Okay, but I should warn you that the job I have for you is dangerous and involves walking through the jungle, but I'm counting on your ability to sense danger and abnormal luck. Do you still want to continue?"

A Grot hesitantly raised his hand.

"They said you would pay us for our work. How much are we going to get?"

"Glad you asked! All of you will receive a monthly salary of three teef."

This excited all the Grots, they ran towards me and jumped around me.

"You can count on me boss!"

"I'm on it boss!"

"Right! Right! Calm down!" Scream.

Immediately the Grots fell silent.

"At the moment I can't equip all of you, but if you do a good job, everyone will get quality equipment like Dobby here. Speaking of Dobby, he is my second-in-command, which means you answer to him as well." I replied by pointing at Dobby.

"Yes! Boss Gorlonik and Boss Dobby!"

"Boss Dobby!"

"Boss Gorlonik!"

The Grots screamed.

"Me, a boss?" Dobby asked me.

"Yes Dobby, I plan to get more Grots for our team and I need someone to keep an eye on them, after all I'm just an ork, I can't be everywhere at once. Your first job as boss is to teach them how to shoot like I teach you as soon as I get them Shootas."

"Yes boss! I will show that I can be a boss too!" Dobby spoke.

"Now that everything is clear, I want you to do the following..." I said approaching the group of Grots.

-XXXXXX-

Outside the Thumb of Gork, a group of orks were fighting a pack of Gaunts and Hormagaunts, amidst the screams, squeals and gunfire, some orks fell dead to the ground, necks slashed, decapitated, or with their hearts pierced, covered in cuts and bites of their enemies.

In the midst of the fight, small green creatures dragged the corpse of the dead ork away without anyone noticing, these creatures were a group of Grots, amidst laughter, the Grots removed all the equipment from the dead ork, Shootas, Sluggas, Choppas, Armor, Clothes, then they knocked out the dead ork's teef.

Throwing the corpse to a corner, the Grots put the equipment in bags and wooden boxes hidden among the vegetation and watched the fight, hidden, just waiting for the next ork to die.

In addition, when the next ork died, they dragged him away from the fight and repeated the process.

The Grots didn't wait to find out who would win the fight; they took the boxes and bags full of equipment and fled to the city.

In the city, the Grots hid in an alley behind a building, in this alley they used Choppas, sandpaper or rough stones to scrape off any adornment or identification from the weapon, then dipped their hands in paint cans and painted the weapons different colors. , leaving them unrecognizable.

With the weapons painted, the Grots took them to the front of the building, where there was an ork and a well-equipped Grot behind a tent, the ork took the weapon, gave the Grots thumbs up and put the weapon on display in his tent, next to Choppas, clothes, ammunition and armor.

The ork spent the day selling the equipment and making a good profit, the buyers would use this equipment on quests, and the Grots would be waiting to get it back, or from any other ork that suffered an unfortunate fate in the Green Morgue.

END OF CHAPTER