Aftermath. They say a monster hunter's life history can be read by the scars in her flesh. Today, mine was written in bruises. Well, the actual writing was done last night, but I was too high on adrenaline to notice. Today it took a force of will just to get out of bed. The worst thing you can do for sore muscles is to let them stiffen. A regimen of stretches and a hot bath later and I felt nearly human again, with just enough energy to go foraging.



It was a perfect day to gather herbs, and running after bugs with my net made me feel like a kid again. It put me in a nostalgic mood, remembering the days I'd go mushroom hunting with granmama, before she and granpapa brought me to live with Teacher. They didn't approve of my wanting to hunt monsters, but I would not be dissuaded. I understand they were afraid of losing me too. It's been a long time since I saw them. I need to visit, but not until I've proven myself. I've decided the Lagiacrus will be my test.

It was a good day. I gathered enough ingredients to mix healing potions and will give my excess plants to the farm when I return to Moga Village. They want to install a beekeeping addition too, so I'm looking forward to getting honey from them soon. Time for another hot soak, then I'm for bed. Tomorrow I plan to go on a fishing trip with Monkey and his friends.

Gone fishing. I crept to the water's edge, fishing pole at the ready. I remember pausing to look back at Monkey who, along with two other hunters, waited further back in the undergrowth, ready to charge. He gave me a grin and a thumbs up.

"Just remember to pull extremely hard," he said. I had to wonder which was really the bait here—me or the frog.

I'd met up with Monkey and another pair of hunters, Luckett and Dustt, this morning. Luckett was the one to propose catching a Gobul. Apparently he's on a personal journey to capture and eat every type of monster known to human kind. I wonder if he's a patron of the chef Brannon works for.



So there I stood, fishing for one.

The water was a bit cloudy and the steady drizzle obscured the surface all the more, but I could just barely make out a large—very large—shadow approach. It grabbed the lure, and I thought for sure I was about to be dragged under; but I dug in my heels and pulled hard. I still don't know how I managed to land the beast, seeing as it was many times larger than I. It flopped onto its back and struggled as we hammered it. When it righted itself, I got my first good look, and I must say—Gobul are seriously ugly fish monster things. It waddled about on four stumpy legs, was twice as wide as tall, and had a cavernous mouth filled with needle sharp teeth.

Projecting from its head was a stalk that ended in a round bulb that glowed. Somehow, this growth was able to create dazzling flashes that sent the lot of us staggering around blinded a half dozen times. It was able to charge forward with surprising speed on those stubby legs, and when it grew angry, it puffed up like a balloon and extended murderous spines from its back. At some point during the fighting on shore, someone cut the barbed end of its tail off. That sent it back into the water and all of us piling in after.

Underwater, the Gobul did not have the speed and maneuverability that the Royal Ludroth did, but the close confines of the river and murky water made it hard to avoid. The beast could bury itself in the mud then pop out right under you. At one point it opened its mouth wide and nearly sucked me in.

We chased it through the water, slashing, dodging, retreating, until it suddenly turned and swam away, visibly struggling to move. I had backed off to tend to some injuries so I got left behind as Monkey, Dustt, and Luckett pursued. I missed the capture, catching up to them after they'd already snared it in a shock trap and tranquilized it. I was a bit disappointed at not being there for the end of the battle, but it was a great hunt all the same.

Thanks for the fishing trip, guys!