Generous chunks of dragon meat were wrapped in lotus leaves and placed into the baking oven, roasted over charcoal. The Amatsu hatchling had ingeniously crafted a kiln-like stove, allowing charcoal to be placed on all sides for even roasting. The meat, seasoned with spices, sizzled as hot oil bubbled up, and rich brown juices dripped down the surface, pooling thickly on the lotus leaves. Surrounding the meat were prickly pear fruits and small pieces of spiny cactus, also roasting alongside.
Some shrimp and shellfish, casually gathered from the sea, were added to the mix. A giant pearl clam was placed on the upper layer, and as it roasted over the charcoal, the shell popped open with a "bang," spilling milky juice that dripped continuously onto the meat below. This not only prevented the naturally coarse dragon meat from becoming overly dry and tough during prolonged roasting but also infused it with the flavors of the sea.
On the grill rack beside the oven, wooden skewers held large pieces of Kelbi venison and salmon, interspersed with small fruits for a balanced mix of flavors. The high heat released a complex aroma. Once the main course was confirmed to be roasting, the Amatsu dragon began preparing its key ingredients and desserts, a skill it had learned from its memory of a "teacher" and from observing humans.
How can one enjoy chilled drinks and ice cream in the scorching heat of a desert without a refrigerator? The solution, surprisingly simple, was adopted by the U.S. military: they transformed a fighter jet's auxiliary fuel tank and a small propeller into an automatic wind-powered ice cream maker. In essence, the jet would ascend to the stratosphere and then rapidly descend. The high-speed airflow would spin the propeller, churning the milk and chocolate chips inside, which would then freeze into ice cream due to the low temperatures. The Amatsu dragon decided to replicate this method.
First, it prepared a wooden barrel filled with clean water and chopped fruit slices. The challenge, however, lay in obtaining dairy products. Once again, it resorted to an old trick: "No guns, no cannons... no, no salt, no sugar—hunters will provide." To put it plainly, in the blink of an eye, a supply transport team responsible for delivering goods to camps and gathering materials for hunters found one of their wagons missing from the temporary rest camp. They later discovered the shattered remains of the wagon and the injured livestock hundreds of meters away.
Unlike other flying wyverns that strike and then soar away conspicuously, the Amatsu approached at high speed, swooped over the camp, and accurately hurled a massive fishing hook made from melted ship nails using its wing blades. The hook, though crudely shaped and of poor quality, was just barely sufficient to latch onto the wooden wagon and haul it away.
Its physical strength was not yet sufficient to lift the wagon very high, so after dragging it for a distance, it dropped the vehicle and flew close to the ground, using the forest of stalagmites as cover. This cleverly ensured that the hunters only heard the whistling wind and faint, thunder-like echoes, along with the scattered mess of various items left behind.
A large jar of cheese, two jars of milk from an unknown creature sealed in containers made from fruit shells—all these were placed into a small wooden barrel. Mixed with a bit of water, fruit slices, and the coarse sugar obtained from the hunters (which it had filtered again), the mixture was then packed into a larger barrel filled with water. Thus, a small ice cream bucket was ready.
The white liver was scored with claw marks into a mesh pattern and placed into the small barrel. Finally, it was tightly wrapped layer upon layer with vines for added strength and cooling waterweed vines. With the preparations fully complete, only a large piece of dragon meat remained, simmering in the now-extinguished oven. The clam juice drizzled on the surface had seeped deeper into the fibers and fat, merging with the rich, flavorful brown juices to create a radiant golden hue.
"Whoosh!" A sound reminiscent of a high-speed triangular metal object slicing through the air between tall buildings echoed as the Amatsu dragon took off from the stone pillars by the coast, rapidly ascending under the midday sun. Though still young, it was far stronger than others of its age, having consumed vast amounts of dragon vein crystals and food, absorbing the essence of ancient dragons. Its blue-green flames were strikingly different from the crimson and ochre hues typical of most Amatsu dragons.
The air currents stood like a solid wall before it. No matter how much it compressed the gas expelled from its dragon energy orb, it couldn't increase its speed further. This left the young dragon, who had grown fond of soaring through the sky and caressing the clouds, feeling a hint of frustration. Perhaps it needed more food and time to grow, allowing its wing blades to become broader and sturdier. In fact, possibly due to entering its first rapid growth phase, its wing blades were unusually elongated, unlike the short, thick blades found only at the tips of other Amatsu dragons' wings.
Due to the influence of the dragon vein crystals, a layer of blue-green crystal covered its wing blades, resembling intricate feather-like patterns that extended to the tips of the blades, with slight branching structures. Who knows what kind of bizarre genetic information was contained within the ancient dragons of this world? Not only did they naturally evolve this jet-propelled flight method, but in less than a single generation, they further differentiated and evolved, automatically developing a structure resembling a three-dimensional vector nozzle, distinct from the ordinary straight-through jets of other Amatsu dragons.
Inside the wing blade nozzles of the young dragon, a structure for further compressing dragon energy had also formed, appearing as a series of ring-like patterns. "Boom!" A ring of blue-green explosive flames appeared in the tail flame as it broke through the cloud layer. The cold air, mixed with the dew and ice crystals from the clouds, was inhaled, effectively cooling its scorching and viscous blood. This sensation would be quite uncomfortable for other Amatsu dragons, as they rarely engaged in such high-altitude flights. The thin oxygen at such heights not only drained their stamina rapidly but also diminished their flight control.
It danced freely in the sky, diving, climbing, performing wide turns, sharp turns, irregular S-maneuvers, and wall-kicks, until its stamina was completely exhausted. Then it abruptly plunged toward the sea below. During such intense movements, the mixed milk paste inside the wooden barrel churned rapidly, blending the fruit juice with the extra-thick cheese-infused paste and white liver into a pale pink semi-solid under the low temperature. Meanwhile, the water outside the barrel froze into ice, which would later be used to prepare refreshing side dishes.
At the same time the Amatsu dragon soared into the sky, rumors began to spread in the settlement about a new monster in the wasteland. "I'm sure it's a flying wyvern, absolutely a flying wyvern! I even heard the sound of its wings!" "No, I've investigated—there are no flying wyvern nests nearby. Right after the attack, we sent the Felynes to climb the tallest stone pillars, and there was nothing in the sky except small wingdrakes." "Could it be something like a Diablos or a Tigrex? The kind that can glide short distances at high speed and then burrow underground?"
"Moreover, its eating habits are quite strange. There were no signs of attack on the herbivorous wyverns, but it took the supplies from the cart instead." "What kind of supplies?" the Commander asked thoughtfully. "Some food ingredients, mainly cheese, sausages, and some dried flatbread." "Perhaps it was drawn by the scent of human food and attacked you?" the Deviljho expert Aibo suggested, projecting her own thinking onto the dragon. "After all, there are quite a few dragon species that survive by stealing prey and food reserves from others, such as..."
"Hmm, so it seems we have a dragon species that steals supplies. It looks like we need to strengthen our storage management and camp concealment. Notify the support team to come up with a plan. It's fortunate that the Fifth Fleet has arrived now, and we have plenty of hands available. If any materials are needed, we can promptly issue requests for the hunters to gather them." Indeed, the number of hunters and the availability of personnel at the base have increased significantly recently. The Fifth Fleet consists of veteran hunters, which is entirely different from the Second, Third, and Fourth Fleets, which were mainly support personnel.
"Let's tentatively add this dragon species to the pending list for ecological research. How about we call it... the 'Thief Wyvern'?" After all, this peculiar dragon species uses its tail to hook onto carts (unaware that it actually uses a tool-like grappling hook) to steal supplies, much like a flying thief. The name "Thief Wyvern" is indeed quite fitting. Moreover, considering the series of incidents such as hunters' meals mysteriously disappearing, being attacked by falling objects in the wild, and waking up to find all their supplies gone—events that make up the "Top Ten Mysteries of the Wildspire Wasteland"—the culprit has likely been found.
On the beach at the edge of the wasteland, "I'm starving! Do you have any rations left?" the Sword and Shield leader plopped down on the ground. "I should've brought an extra piece of roasted meat. By the way, the investigation into the sighting of that blue meteor hasn't turned up any traces—no scales, no fur, no signs of predation." As a dragon that values dining etiquette, the Amatsu not only uses its wing blades for hunting but also prepares tools for the task. Its use of projectile attacks rather than close-quarters combat naturally leaves no traces of a struggle—so the absence of claw marks is to be expected.
"There's smoke up ahead, likely a camp," Bai Feng said, holding the Feather Needle Thunder Bow made from Tobi-Kadachi materials. Flying wyverns don't have strong resistance to electric-based weapons. Their muscles are too sensitive and powerful, making them prone to spasms when struck by electricity. Moreover, even a brief paralysis can cause them to fall and fracture their own bones, rendering them unable to use their mobility to escape hunters. Aside from electric weapons, there are also ice and dragon attribute weapons.
Electric-based weapons may seem like elemental weapons at first glance, but in reality, they are simply arrow cores made from Tobi-Kadachi's electrode needles. These highly conductive and energy-storing needles, combined with an electric sac, allow the soft white fibers coiled around the bow to rapidly transform into sharp, arrowhead-like structures carrying an electric charge.
As for ice attribute weapons, they utilize the highly volatile fluids of the Paolumu and the cooling mechanism made from a special membrane. Upon contact with air, these fluids rapidly evaporate, drawing away heat. Combined with frost herbs and the unique structure of Paolumu claws, they form extremely low-temperature arrowheads. This, however, is just a secondary effect. The real lethality lies in the Paolumu material used in the arrows. The volatile fluid splashes onto the target upon impact, quickly evaporating and drawing away heat, forming clusters of ice crystals.
As for the dragon attribute, or the so-called "sealing dragon" attribute, it's essentially a form of toxic attack. It involves certain fluids secreted by specific dragon species, which carry a strong scent that causes some dragons to become nervous and tremble, making them more fearful and less aggressive. This heightened anxiety often leads to them fleeing or making mistakes due to stress. Therefore, the materials for such weapons typically come from high-ranking dragon species, such as Rathalos.
In general, hunters' weapons are not like the infinite, sustained attribute attacks seen in games. In reality, after each use, they require replenishing with special liquids and components. For instance, the highly volatile cooling fluid secreted by Paolumu, explosive substances extracted from Kulu-Ya-Ku, and various leaching fluids from Tzitzi-Ya-Ku materials all need to be refilled after a hunt. Moreover, the actual effects are not the strange phenomenon of stacking attribute values through countless shots as in games.
Each attack genuinely causes corresponding effects, and of course, the more hits landed, the greater the aftermath. For example, after multiple electric strikes, the likelihood of a flying wyvern spasming significantly increases. However, electric weapons are nearly ineffective against creatures like Diablos because of their thick layer of sand and keratin on their skin, which makes it difficult for the electric current to reach their muscles. Thus, such weapons are primarily effective against flying wyverns, which lack extensive hard shell coverage.
By the seaside stood a slanting rock formation, with a sizable space facing the ocean that seemed to function as a balcony, filled with large jars and pots. On one side of the rock, a simple wooden shed made from planks held a pile of fish, and a wisp of smoke carrying a rich aroma rose from the rock dwelling. "Ah, the smell of food!" "Wait!" the hunter shouted, flinging out a grappling hook and climbing up in a few swift motions.
Inside a large roasting oven similar to the one at the Lynian Inn was a massive chunk of dragon meat, akin to the prized centerpiece meat (something only a Level 3 chef would prepare for you...) at the inn. It was resting on recently extinguished charcoal, exuding an enticing aroma. The perfect cooking temperature, the rich meat juices blended with a seafood broth that had seeped into every fiber of the meat, leaving the two famished hunters unable to take another step. Coincidentally, to complement today's "special seasoning," the young Astalos had omitted its "special crystal salt." For one, the shellfish and fish already provided enough flavor without additional salt, and secondly, it had planned to make a sweet dish today...
Otherwise, upon returning with ice cream, it would have found its nest containing two extra "ingredients." But precisely because of this...
"Wow, this craftsmanship is amazing, completely on par with the head chef!"
"Stop it!" White Wind was too late to prevent his companion from digging into the prepared feast. The latter pulled out a hunting knife and, without hesitation, sliced off a large chunk of meat and stuffed it into his mouth. "What if the owner comes back?"
"Ah, we'll figure out a way to compensate later. Otherwise, we're really going to starve to death." The Sword and Shield user cut off another large piece...
"Boom!" A crimson light burst into the sky from the wilderness. "Wait, stop eating! There's a distress signal!" "But we need to eat before we can fight. Are you really not going to have any?" White Wind glanced at the meat and its golden, glistening juices. "Gulp~" "Anyway, due to special circumstances, well, this is to rescue other hunters. We'll figure out how to make it up later!"
When Astalos returned, satisfied, with a large bucket of vanilla fruit ice cream and chilled white liver, it only found an empty oven, an empty wooden platter, and a note written in hunters' script: "We're truly sorry! We were just too hungry. Please forgive us, we'll make it up to you!" The main dish it had prepared was now just grease stains and bones on the ground...
"Clang!" The ice cream bucket it was holding fell to the ground in confusion, its amber eyes filled with a mix of "bewilderment," "helplessness," "grievance," and "shock"...