[Quest: "Homecoming."]
[Quest Clear Condition: Make your way to the Ogre Tribe you are originally from.]
[Rewards Upon Completion:
1- Three Stat Points to assign to whichever Stats you desire.
2- A Locked Skill will be Unlocked based on your needs.
]
'That's useful.' Jason nodded to himself after reading the System messages. 'Not just any Skill, but one I will need.'
He took a deep breath, staring at the following words.
[Do you accept the Quest "Homecoming"?]
While being surrounded by Ogres didn't sound like a good time, he wasn't a Hunter or Human anymore.
'Since this body is originally from there, they might treat me well, right? The fact that I'm able to talk with this body implies that Ogres might have the ability to talk in this world. Or maybe it's some ability that would allow Ogres to communicate together.'
Again, the fact that he was a Modified Ogre made any implication based on himself unreliable.
'I'll just have to stay on guard in case they don't have the best intentions.' Jason nodded. 'In the first place, I do not know whether this Ogre was killed on his way back to the Tribe, or after running away from it. If it's the latter, then bad things await.' He massaged his forehead, thinking a bit more about it. 'As long as they don't gang up on me, I can leave the moment they seem hostile towards me.'
[You have accepted the Quest "Homecoming".]
[Pinpointing the targeted Location…]
[Location found!]
[The Ogre Village is currently 4600 meters away.]
'That's not too far. Should take about half an hour to get there.'
[Health Points: 250/300]
[Endurance Points: 120/210]
'Regeneration slowed down now that I'm mostly healed. I'll walk so that both Health and Endurance are fully recovered by the time I get there.'
Just like earlier, an arrow appeared high up in the sky above, showing the Target's Location.
'That'll be my weapon for now.' Jason thought as he picked up the Modified Orc's cut-off stinger arm and started walking. 'Other than that, I have a couple more sharpened stones. It'll have to do.'
As Jason made his way through the dense forest, he couldn't help but wonder about the Ogre's previous plans.
'It either got close to the village but died before getting there, or died not long after leaving.' Jason frowned slightly. 'Homecoming seems to imply that the Ogre has been away for quite some time, right? The Quest's name is a hidden clue, isn't it?'
It made perfect sense to him.
'What will answer it once and for all is how the Ogres at the Tribe are.' Jason nodded. 'If they're also Modified Ogres, then… Whatever. If they aren't, however, it would mean that the Modifications somehow took place while the Ogre was away from the village. It would also imply that the Ogre and this Modified Orc came from the same place. Or rather, have been to the same place.'
It was also possible that the "Modified" part is the result of the effects of the "Predatory Core Absorption" Skill.
'Either the Skill made the Ogre Modified, or the Modification led to the Ogre gaining that Skill.'
Jason found himself feeling very passionate about these questions and curious about their answers.
'These small mysteries really make life more interesting.' He thought with a smile. 'Unlike when…'
Jason's thoughts trailed off as he noticed rustling from the corner of his eye. A bush had just been moved a couple dozen meters to his right.
'I wouldn't have caught that without Hawk's Eye and the jump in my Perception Stat.' Jason altered his course and slowed his pace. 'Something is hiding.'
Once he arrived in front of the rustling bush, Jason thought about how best to approach whatever was hiding in there.
'The Modified Orc moved carelessly, and lost an eye because of that.' He took the stinger arm into his hands. 'I'll be more careful.'
This did not mean being more graceful, though.
Jason raised the stinger arm above his head and threw it onto the bush, the heavy segment crashing down and flattening branches and leaves beneath it.
'Caught something.' He crouched.
Hissss!
A thirty-centimeter-long purplish lizard-looking creature was stuck beneath the metallic stinger's weight.
'The color seems to indicate that…'
Jason reached for the reptile and, as his hand was about to take hold of its head,
Spit!
The Modified Ogre managed to block the purplish puddle with his hand before it could reach his head.
"Unfortunately for you,"
[Poison Resistance: A Ranked Skill.]
"I'm kind of immune." He whispered, grabbing the reptile by the neck.
Jason lifted the stinger just enough to free the lizard's body.
It did its best to move its head around to bite Jason's hand, but was completely unable to.
"Kind of feel bad bullying the small guy-"
Jason's words were interrupted as the reptile's mouth opened.
Crack-
He squeezed before it could spit another puddle.
[You have Defeated one "Arigula".]
[You have gained 20 Experience Points.]
"Hm. Arigulas and Iron Scorpios are the only Species so far that I do not recognize."
Jason shrugged and moved on to the more useful part of Hunting.
[Arigula Core.]
[You have acquired the Skill "Poison Spit [F Rank]".]
'Only F.' The Modified Ogre shrugged as he placed the unmoving body back on the ground. 'The Poison must be incredibly weak.'
Jason felt quite good about the "Predatory Core Devourer" Skill. He did not need to feast on the bodies of every creature, which saved time.
'Who wants to eat Monsters? Raw, too.'
Leaving the bodies behind felt better. It wasn't really a waste either, since other creatures were sure to pounce on them soon.
'I just have to make sure not to leave a trail of bodies behind me.' Jason thought. 'I would be too easy to follow then.'
He remembered the Modified Orc coming back for him.
[The Ogre Village is currently 3953 meters away.]
'There aren't as many Monsters around as I expected at first. Maybe because we're so close to the Ogre Tribe.'
[The Ogre Village is currently 3179 meters away.]
[The Ogre Village is currently 2100 meters away.]
Little over halfway through,
'Is that…' Jason frowned as he stared.
It was just close enough for its whimpers to reach him, and its distinct features made it obvious, especially the perpetually burning tail.
'A goddamn Fire Fox?'