Hunting a Thunderjaw

Thank you for the suport and power stones

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While i had told Aloy that i hunted a Thunderjaw, the truth is i had not. Of course i hadn't, this thing is massive and so different from what you see in the game. How could one person possibly take this down with just arrows? Even the idea of the hunters from the Hunter's Lodge doing it alone seems far-fetched.

In front of me stood one of the deadliest machines out there. My scouts had spotted it on the western edge of our borders and imediatly reported it back to me.

"So... are you sure you want to do this?" Albedo asked, staring at the massive machine as if i were insane.

"Want to? Hell no! Need to? Yes, very much." I replied.

"This will definitely make one of the best songs ever." Orlok said, and Kiri nodded in agreement.

"Or an elegy." Rhea added, her gaze fixed on the massive machine.

I had gathered all our best fighters for this. There was no way i was going to face this thing alone. Beside my trusted companions stood 20 Nora warriors, armed with our finest weapons and armor.

"It's not so bad... We have a good plan." I tried to reassured them.

The plan was simple but ambitious, ten Nora would use rope casters simultaneously to tie the Thunderjaw down. The other ten would hurl explosive javelins at its exposed belly to explode its armor. Meanwhile we would use tearblast arrows to disable its side cannons which were the most critical targets. It was a good plan, at least i hoped it was. But seeing this monster up close was another thing entirely. A giant mechanical dinosaur that made the ground shake instead of your remote controller with each step could make anyone second guess their decisions.

"Okay. Time to do this. Rhea, get the rope caster team in position and wait for my signal."

"Orlok and Kiri, take the javelin team to the other side."

"Albedo and I will focus on disabling its main weapons, then the tail if we can. Go now."

They nodded and moved quietly to their positions. The Thunderjaw's path was marked by our Focus devices, allowing us to move strategically.

"Ready for this, love?" I asked Albedo.

"Born ready." she reassured me.

When the monster was finally in position i gave Rhea the signal. Eleven rope casters fired in unison, their ropes tightening as they pulled the beast to the ground, then another eleven shots making sure it didn't move for a while. The scene was spectacular, and the plan worked for now but time was of the essence.

"Orlok, now!" I shouted while Albedo and i focused on tearing off the disc launchers and the sensor unit on its sides.

Twelve explosive javelins hit the Thunderjaw's exposed belly creating a massive explosion and scorching much of the machine then another twelve all over its body. But it wasn't nearly enough. The beast was still moving and without the ropes to hold it down it was now enraged. Its mechanical roar echoed, and it lashed out with its tail, narrowly missing me as I pulled Albedo out of the way.

Thankfully, we had already disabled its cannons. But even burning and battered the Thunderjaw remained a massive threat. Rhea's team abandoned the rope coasters and began firing explosive arrows at its unprotected side to cause more damage, while Orlok's team did the same from the opposite flank with the rest of the the explosive team. The machine thrashed and screamed using its tail to strike at us again. Then it locked eyes with us and prepared to fire its devastating main jaw-mounted guns.

Thinking quickly i threw a few grenades into its mouth and ran for cover. The explosion staggered the machine interrupting its attack. Our teams kept up the pressure, firing explosive arrows and explosive spears has fast has they could and after what felt like an eternity, the Thunderjaw's movements slowed and finally ceased altogether.

It was over. We had done it. Maybe it wasn't fair to the machine bringing so many hunters with advanced weapons but it was necessary. This was a hunter-killer, after all, facing one alone was out of the question for now.

"Hahaha, we did it!" I proclaimed, still half in disbelief.

"Yeah!" the hunters shouted in unison, their cheers echoing across the battlefield. The sight of the defeated Thunderjaw filled us all with pride and relief but mostly relief.

"Okay, people, no time to lose. Start salvaging everything we can before another one shows up!" I urged.

The hunters worked quickly after i said that. I

It had taken all our best steel ropes, javelins packed with blaze, and countless arrows to bring this thing down. No one wanted to risk another fight.

"Too bad we can't take it to the Mother Forge. It would make an amazing trophy." Kiri said examining the machine's massive head.

"Be happy you're alive, Kiri. We're Banuk. Survive. Prevail. What else matters?" Orlok added.

He was right. We had survived, and that was all that mattered. For now, at least and oh boy i couldn't wait to get my hands on that disc lauchers and start playing with them. Now i could craft more powerful weapons and improve our defenses.

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Every 100 power stones a extra chapter