A series of strange incidents have recently occurred in the Wildspire Waste. Hunters have discovered that the traps they set up were mysteriously dismantled and vanished, leaving behind claw marks from some extremely small Elder Dragon-like creature.
Additionally, hunters have found that the fish they caught and stored in their supply chests frequently disappeared. Not only that, but fishing rods and bait have also gone missing.
On top of this, hunters have reported varying degrees of shortages in the Guild-provided rations and hunting tools. In light of these crises, the investigation of the Wildspire Waste was temporarily suspended by the Research Commission leadership, and a quest titled The Truth Behind the Wildspire Waste Mysteries was issued, tasking the newly arrived Fifth Fleet hunters with conducting the necessary investigation and evidence collection.
"Aibo (partner), so this is Astera!" exclaimed the girl who served as the quest board attendant but was actually a "Compiler." She gazed excitedly at the base built in a secluded corner of the bay, pieced together from the wreckage and hulls of several warships and transport vessels. The base looked quite imposing. The Fourth Fleet's logistics team was busy unloading large crates of supplies from the surviving ships. "It's really huge! Oh, right, you must be exhausted, aren't you? Why don't you go rest first? I'll come find you tomorrow."
As the newly arrived hunter, the young woman glanced at the rough bone bow on her back and decided now wasn't the time for rest. "Oh, you're here, Bai Feng(White Wind). Follow me, I'll give you a quick rundown of the facilities here."
Unlike the previous fleets, the Fifth Fleet was recruited as an elite team of seasoned hunters dedicated to the Elder Dragon Crossing investigation. Among them were two types of hunters. One type was those who had been selected through rigorous examinations from the ranks of ordinary hunters, such as the "Sword and Shield Captain" from the same Fifth Fleet who had saved her life from an Anjanath.
The other type was hunters like BaiFeng, who were directly recommended and exempted from examinations due to their past achievements. This was roughly equivalent to the difference between elite bureaucrats in Japan who had passed the National Level Class-A Civil Service Exam and police inspectors who had worked their way up from the lowest rank of patrol officer (after all, this was a game made by the Japanese). However, unlike in a certain peaceful country, the recommended hunters here were actually the top elites who hadn't undergone any exams but were exempted solely because of their proven abilities.
"The New World sure knows how to welcome us."
"Can't be helped, Fifth Fleet Commander. The creatures here are far more active than those in the Old World, and there are plenty of new monsters and subspecies to deal with. Oh, if your weapon needs adjustments, the Second Fleet has set up a workshop on the second floor. Why not check it out?"
As a hunter who once defeated the Elder Dragon Amatsu, which had terrorized Yukumo Village, her weapon was certainly not this crudely made bone bow. However, the equipment she had brought with her on the ship had sunk, leaving her no choice but to make do with what she had. The makeshift bow, reinforced with old dragon bone and plant bark, resembled more of an elastic stick with vines tied at both ends than a proper bow.
Most hunters possess such incredible physical strength that one might even wonder if they evolved from ancient dragon species. The so-called hunting bow is a massive folding longbow nearly 1.5 meters in length. The arrows it uses are almost akin to short spears. Due to the heavy weight of the arrows and the span of the hunter's arms, the bow has a relatively short range and suffers from severe arrow drop. However, this inversely makes its destructive power absolutely terrifying.
Moreover, unlike what meets the eye, the true hunting bow's limbs are packed with mechanical components. These automatically latch onto the notches on the arrow shaft, reducing the hunter's stamina consumption while maintaining the draw. They also increase the bow's curvature to store more kinetic energy. Additionally, the bow can automatically apply various special liquids to the broad arrowheads.
For instance, there's lubricant (Close-Range Coating) to reduce friction during rapid consecutive shots; there's also a potent mixture of gunpowder and phosphorus powder that ignites upon friction with the air, turning the arrowhead red-hot to enhance its lethality (Blast Coating). Other substances include poison, paralysis powder, sleep powder, and more, all dispensed onto the arrows via a small vial attached to the bow's limb.
However, due to the attacks by Anjanath and Zorah Magdaros, the supplies sent by the Fourth Fleet have been insufficient. As a result, the workshop's craftsmen haven't been able to forge more complex and powerful weapons. For BaiFeng, this means she'll have to make do with the reinforced and strengthened dragon bone bow for quite some time. Fortunately, the old craftsman has already mentioned that if she can bring back some additional materials, he can further modify the dragon bone bow to make it more efficient and even craft some new equipment for her.
"Fifth Fleet Commander, the Commander-in-Chief has called for a meeting at the Gathering Hub."
With most hunters scattered across the land for ecological surveys, and the prolonged absence of the Third Fleet Master and the Grand Master, the Gathering Hub was nearly empty. This meeting was essentially held just for her. First, they welcomed the arrival of the Fifth Fleet, and then they issued a new commission regarding the frenzied pack of Jaggi in the Ancient Forest.
Meanwhile, in the Wildspire Waste, after nearly two weeks of ample feeding, the young wyvern's body had grown much stronger than before. Its delicate scales had gradually shed, replaced by tougher, bluish-black scales. Throughout its life, it would undergo this molting process many times, with old scales falling away and new ones growing in their place. Cooked food, for it, was a novel experience. In fact, most animals tend to prefer cooked food because it's easier to digest and absorb, though they generally fear fire.
After tasting cooked food, it no longer had any interest in the decaying meat of the Kulu-Ya-Ku. This not only filled the void in its memory of never having experienced human food firsthand but also indirectly led it to discover a source of food that was easier to obtain than any other prey—humans.
Unlike other dragon species and animals, it does not fear the "sharp teeth and claws" wielded by humans. It clearly understands the hunters' keen perception and sharp gazes, and it never engages with these hunters directly, nor does it appear within their immediate vicinity.
As usual, when those hunters successfully complete their investigations and return laden with spoils, the young dragon follows closely behind. Its faint ancient dragon aura automatically intimidates the massive beetles, causing them to scatter in flight. The herbivorous dragons also seem a bit restless. These changes heighten the hunters' vigilance, yet they do not affect the little feline-like cub trailing behind them. In fact, more than one hunter has noticed it, but they dismiss this wobbly-looking creature as inconsequential.
Strictly speaking, it is merely an ancient dragon species rather than a true ancient dragon. A true ancient dragon is one that has accumulated immense power over a long lifespan, such as the female Elder Dragon that laid this egg, whose hundreds of years of life have endowed it with a massive body and rich combat experience.
After numerous battles and injuries, the scales that grew back were exceptionally tough and flexible. Even gunpowder-powered cannonballs could barely leave a mark. Continuously softened by high temperatures, the red-hot, crumbling bone wing plates gradually took on an obsidian-like hue. Their composition leaned closer to metal-rich ceramic, remaining unyielding under intense heat—thus further raising the temperature of its dragon flame, shifting from crimson to a deep, fiery red.
Compared to its mother, whose aura of danger could be sensed from kilometers away, this young dragon seemed remarkably inconspicuous. This, in fact, is a common trait among the offspring of most creatures.
The more powerful a species, the cuter and more unassuming their young tend to be. This helps avoid prematurely alerting other creatures or males and reduces the likelihood of the mother abandoning her offspring. Conversely, for humans, this trait can be highly deceptive—just as most people find lion or tiger cubs adorable, rarely considering that within a year or two, they could grow into predators weighing hundreds of kilograms, capable of killing with a single swipe.
"Clang~" A small piece of crystal fell off the wooden cart pulled by the herbivorous dragon. This was something collected by the hunters from a mineral vein in the wasteland, alongside iron ore. Such crystals are actually quite common and are referred to as "Earth Crystals." They are essentially fossil-like or amber-like formations created from the remains of monsters through microbial decomposition and metabolism. They are typically melted down to be used as a type of sealing wax, or for sharpening weapon edges and crafting tools and parts.
However, unlike ordinary Earth Crystals, the crystal extracted this time was far more radiant, faintly emitting a strange glow. Yet, its quantity was too scarce, and it didn't stand out much among the bulk of ordinary crystals. Nevertheless, for the young dragon trailing behind, this unfamiliar object seemed to exude an edible scent. It quietly picked up the crystal with its tiny dragon teeth, continuously scraping against the smooth surface, shaving off a few fine particles.
A bizarre, burning sensation appeared on its tongue. As it swallowed, strands of bluish glowing substance flowed through its digestive tract into various parts of its body. Soon after, it felt an indescribable hunger. Clearly, there wasn't enough time to steal food from the two-legged creatures now. It had to eat, and the nearest target was the heavily armored herbivorous dragon. A young one was playing away from its parents, its rough tongue searching for tender, less thorny leaves and the more delicious prickly pear fruit among the juicy but thorny plants.
The lineage of the Elder Dragon granted it powerful hind limbs, and the crystal powder it swallowed provided it with nearly berserk explosive strength. This cat-like creature transformed into a shadowy, bluish-black figure, launching itself onto the neck of the herbivorous dragon's young. Its small but sharp dragon teeth pierced through the soft, scale-less skin, and hot blood gushed out. This sudden assault clearly startled the herd of herbivorous dragons. The females loudly cried out, frantically escorting their young away, while the males lowered their horned heads, cautiously watching the monster that now lay atop the screaming youngling, slowly retreating.
In the harsh laws of nature, these herbivorous creatures hold no concept of revenge. Once a predator strikes and brings one down, it means there is no longer any need for rescue. Thus, in their understanding, protecting the living is far more important than mourning the lost. So, the herbivorous dragons gradually withdrew, leaving behind a slowly cooling corpse and the terrifying sound of flesh being torn and chewed.
Its powerful digestive system was repeatedly filled and emptied. The metabolic waste fermented in specialized organs, becoming material for the growth of Dragon Qi Pearls, while the remaining residue continuously dripped from the excretory pores at the tail and wingtips. By the time the young dragon regained its normal state and rationality, it was almost buried under the remains and its own excrement.
Its body had also grown larger than before, and the heat generated from its massive consumption and rapid metabolism accelerated the growth of the Dragon Qi Pearl—it was an extremely heat-resistant dragon species, and the heat from its rapidly dividing cells was not enough to kill it. Compared to the heat generated when breaking the sound barrier during flight, this level of heat was trivial.
The dragon horns on its oddly heat-dissipating cheeks and the back of its head had already begun to serve their purpose, turning a crimson hue as blood gathered, emitting waves of heat. The stifling heat and foul odor made the young dragon disgusted, causing it to wriggle its body and burrow into the nearby grass. Its nostrils flared incessantly, seeking out the faint traces of moisture in the air.
At the waterfall in the Great Ant Hill Wasteland, a creature about the size of a small lamb drove away the reckless fish-like dragons and submerged itself in the cool water. Several pores on its body opened, drawing in the cold water, which was then expelled as steam through its wing vents.
For the Astalos, they accumulate large amounts of water within their bodies, using melted snow and ice to cool their heat-generating and propulsion organs. Thus, although they are a flying dragon species, they primarily inhabit oceans and snowy mountains, rarely appearing in deserts or wastelands where water is scarce. The turbid water, carrying a strong, pungent odor, flowed downstream, eventually pooling into a muddy swamp. A massive creature stirred uneasily, rising from the mire, its eyes darting cautiously around its surroundings...