“I SAID! CALM THE FUCK DOWN!” Ludwig pulled with more strength on the vines in his hand, he could hear the vines stretching and slightly tearing, but he had to show the Dreadjaw who was the boss.
Fighting this creature would have been incredibly deadly for Ludwig. This wasn’t meant to be defeated solo, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do something even crazier than defeating it.
The dreadjaw’s neck seemed to strain, it was confused, how could that monkey-shaped creature, who should be nothing more than a snack have this much power in its tiny arms?
The Dreadjaw knew it had always been the apex predator, the terrorizing horror of these lands, it always ruled with blood and fang and had nothing foolish enough to try and contend with it never mind try and ride it.
The dreadjaw jerked his head forward to try and get the clothes-wearing ape off his back, but the power behind its tiny arms was even greater than the strength that the Dreadjaw had in its thick neck muscles.
It desperately tried to shake him off to no avail.
“I said, MOVE!” Ludwig shouted, but the Dreadjaw couldn’t understand.
Ludwig pulled hard on the vines enough that it forced the dreadjaw’s neck to twist to the side, the Dreadjaw followed along with the pulling force, because it was straining its neck hard, and only when it did follow, did its suffering lessen.
But it still didn’t understand. No, it felt even more wronged, it roared again, only for the creature to throw yet again another one of those pesky vines that are incredibly hard to tear apart inside its mouth, further reinforcing its hold.
The Dreadjaw roared from the humiliation and began rushing toward the nearest tree, this time it was intending on slamming the both of them into that tree, that should get the mosquito off its back.
Sadly while it was sprinting toward the tree, the creature simply wrenched the fines forcing the Dreadjaw away from the tree due to the immense neck breaking pain.
It failed this time, so it was going to try again.
What it didn’t realize was that the creature had summoned that same glowing orb that singed its tongue earlier, this time it was right next to its ears.
A loud explosion blew up right next to the dreadjaw’s sensitive ears, causing it to howl in pain and almost go berserk.
The pain was insufferable, and its mind was feeling like it was reeling, so it simply sprinted forward, perhaps the creature would fall off its back.
But whenever it tried to go toward a tree or a large rock, it would be forced off that path, and would receive another explosion to its other ear that would rattle its tiny brain.
Pain and suffering, every time it tried to shake off the small human, nothing but pain and suffering.
The creature was stubborn, even more stubborn than the Dreadjaw, and it kept tormenting it.
Pain and suffering—that was all the Dreadjaw knew now. Every attempt to rebel was met with punishment, and the tiny creature on its back was relentless.
***
“Good!” Ludwig said as he finally managed to have some form of control over the Dreadjaw.
“You’re insane,” Thomas said.
“It’s the only way I can control it,” Ludwig said. “I don’t have treats,” he said.
“Treats?” Thomas asked.
“Yes, to reinforce good behavior, punishment to stop bad behavior. The carrot and the stick,” Ludwig said.
“Well, there is a bunch of raptors back there,” Thomas said.
“True,” Ludwig said and began moving the Dreadjaw toward the position of the seven raptors that died earlier.
Sadly, the Dreadjaw was stupid, incredibly so that he would need a reminder every now and then that he should be and remain under Ludwig’s control.
Ludwig spent more than a couple of hours patiently, and sometimes not so patiently guiding the Dreadjaw until they reached the clearing.
Once they arrived at the corpses Ludwig slowly and lightly eased on the vines.
The Dreadjaw seemed confused at first.
“Go, eat,” Ludwig said.
The creature didn’t understand at first, but seeing the corpses and Ludwig pointing at them, it slowly approached, hesitant at first and cautious that it might be ambushed by another one of those brain rattling explosions, it tilted its head down and began sniffing at the food.
It was fresh and didn’t have any signs of sickness or disease. And was still warm.
The Dreadjaw lightly bit at one of the corpses but he couldn’t swallow since there were a couple thick vines down its throat. it dropped the food on the ground, sad it couldn’t eat it because of the person on its back.
Ludwig slowly walked up to the front of the dreadjaw’s head.
“If you try and bite me,” Ludwig said, “I’ll blast your ears off.”
Beasts couldn’t understand words, but their instinct was enough to warn it that bad things were going to happen to it if it tried anything…
Ludwig then slowly slid away the vines from the Dreadjaw’s mouth.
“What are you doing?” Thomas asked, “It’s going to bite your head off…”
“This is a test, it needs to know that I’m allowing it to eat,” Ludwig said.
The creature seeing itself free from the veins tightened on its leg muscles perhaps attempting to flee, but Ludwig immediately showed him Explosive mines which made it tense up even more.
Still on top of its head, Ludwig said, “Eat,” while pointing at the raptors.
The Dreadjaw was still cautious as it bit down on one of the raptors and began crunching on it, blood spraying and bones crunching.
Ludwig gulped down as he realized how easily it could break bones, but he wasn’t about to show the Dreadjaw any ‘fear’ though it would be literally impossible, Undead have no fear.
Soon, the Dreadjaw seemed to have finished eating. While Ludwig had been staying on top of its thick neck all the time.
Satisfied with the meal, the Dreadjaw burped up.
Ludwig then placed the vines in front of its snout. For a second the Dreadjaw felt a bit uneasy.
“Open up,” Ludwig said as he tapped it lightly on the side of its jaw.
The Dreadjaw seemingly defeated slowly opened its mouth for Ludwig to place the vines back again, this time Ludwig only lightly pulled on the vines, not enough to cause it any strain.
The Dreadjaw turned its head in the desired direction and began slowly moving forward.
Seeing no pain and no twisting and with a hearty meal, the Dreadjaw couldn’t help but feel that it wasn’t that bad listening to the monkey who would give it food.
[Congratulations! You have successfully tamed a Dreadjaw -Illusory Beast-]
[You have learned [Beast Taming]]
‘Huh…” Ludwig muttered as he looked at the Dreadjaw that was following along with his command.
‘Well, that’s a pleasant surprise,’ Ludwig couldn’t help but smile.
He waved the notification away, it wasn’t that important to him anyway. After all, what he needed to tame wasn’t the beast, but the dead themselves once he became a true necromancer.
***
Back in the Colosseum, the audience watched in stunned silence. The screen showed Ludwig riding the Dreadjaw, his figure small but commanding against the creature’s massive form.
“This lad… is actually insane…” Olim Rembaldi said, his voice filled with a mix of confusion and disbelief.