Nerscylla.
Because of its incomparably unique mouthparts, it is classified separately as a Temnoceran.
This wasn't about the encyclopedia entry, but rather a spider-shaped monster that Andrew had truly encountered in the underground caves while heading to the Ice Fog Cliff region in the Forbidden Lands.
At that time, he and Evelyn had saved a Forest Thiren named Liu Lang from its jaws. The directions that Thiren gave them afterward had helped the squad significantly during their exploration of the Ice Fog Cliff.
Although the living habits of the Nerscylla could be said to be very similar to ordinary spiders...
However.
As a monster from the Monster Hunter world, even if its appearance and habits looked extremely similar to a certain ordinary animal, the reality was that they were merely similarities.
The Nerscylla and the spider were actually two completely distinct species.
Compared to ordinary spiders, it had one major difference—the Nerscylla did not have eight legs, but only six.
Furthermore, the function of its two frontmost limbs resembled human palms more than legs, possessing unique pincer claws that were very similar to the scythes of a mantis.
So, in fact, many people believed it only had four legs.
As for why Andrew could recognize it just by seeing the appearance of the shell formed by crystals, there was another reason.
In the end, it was all the fault of that equipment beauty contest organized by Jemma.
Although Andrew lost to Olivia in the end because no one understood what the 'Kabuto' set he made was, lacking the nostalgic bonus...
That appearance set caught the eye of Evelyn, who had spent a long time with Andrew and whose aesthetic sense had been somewhat assimilated by him.
The final result was this:
Even though Andrew had already hunted quite a few Nerscyllas to create the most similar-looking Kabuto set, after the competition ended, he accompanied the high-spirited Evelyn to hunt a pile more, just to make her a matching set.
It could be said that during that period, Nerscylla hunting commissions from the Guild didn't stay on the board for more than half a minute.
Hunting so many, combined with studying the Nerscylla's shell carefully every day to craft the armor, meant that Andrew was familiar with the Nerscylla's shell appearance to the point where he couldn't be more familiar.
It was just that when it was finally made, compared to Kabuto's bright red, Evelyn preferred the pure white color of the Nerscylla material itself.
Moreover, whenever Andrew wore Kabuto, she would immediately put on her own set, making Andrew feel like he wasn't wearing Kabuto, but Ryuki.
And because Evelyn's personality was extremely pure and kind compared to his, by the end, Andrew started to feel like he was the one who had come out of the mirror.
It really highlighted a complete reversal of roles.
Putting those past events aside for now, although Andrew had already found the true body that caused Nineveh's mutation this time...
Precisely because of this, another point of suspicion immediately extended from it.
According to the intelligence already detected...
Even if a monster underwent Etherealization, it would retain many of its instincts as a living creature. This was a pattern Andrew had discovered when hunting the Etherealized Rathian before.
And the Nerscylla's survival habit was to live for long periods in a closed space with a huge internal area and very few exits, weaving a web large enough inside to hunt all living things that intruded.
Normally speaking...
Unless the area had lacked sufficient prey for a long time, the Nerscylla would not exhibit the behavior of going out to change its nest.
But after Etherealization, the Nerscylla no longer had the instinct to eat. There was simply no reason for it to need to go out and change nests.
So, logically speaking...
The Etherealized Nerscylla should only stay in its own nest, waiting until the end of time as long as no other existence stumbled in.
Without an unexpected situation, it would absolutely not run all the way here just to infect Nineveh.
At the same time...
Given the Defense Force's monitoring intensity on Nineveh, Andrew felt it was impossible for the Defense Force to watch such a huge and obviously abnormal monster approach Nineveh without making any interception or record.
Just to be safe...
After Andrew confirmed with Roland that there were absolutely no traces of any other large monsters found around the area where Nineveh originally slept—especially the traces that only a large spider would leave behind—Andrew couldn't help but stroke his chin in suspicion.
If the source of infection didn't come, how was Nineveh infected?
If the Frenzy Virus could spread this far through the air after Etherealization, Hollow Zero should have been in chaos long ago, just as if the Gore Magala itself had arrived.
After all, that effect would basically be comparable to the Gore Magala's main body providing an unlimited buffet, rather than how it was now.
The main body of Nineveh, infected with the Frenzy Sickness, had now become the largest source of infection in Hollow Zero, constantly spreading the Frenzy Sickness among her symbiotic Ethereal swarm.
The only thing worth celebrating was that...
Because of Nineveh's natural attraction to Ethereals, the infected Ethereals would not choose to leave Nineveh's side, so the Frenzy Sickness had not yet spread throughout Hollow Zero.
As for... how Nineveh was infected...
Although it sounded incredible, when all other possibilities were ruled out, the only impossibility became the possibility.
Inferring from the existing conditions...
The reason for Nineveh's infection with the Frenzy Virus was, in all probability, actually caused by humans.
Someone, or some organization, was deliberately infecting Nineveh with the Frenzy Virus.
But what exactly was the purpose of doing this?
For a moment, the clueless Andrew was baffled.
Meanwhile.
After hearing the information Andrew described when questioning Roland about the monster's traces, Isolde's eyes suddenly widened slightly and involuntarily.
The last remaining bit of suspicion vanished in an instant.
Unexpectedly...
The true body of the monster that even the 'Originator'—who forcibly bestowed the so-called blessing upon her and claimed to be omniscient and omnipotent—was unclear about, was known so clearly by the man in front of her.
This caused Isolde's originally firm belief that she could use the other party's power to complete her revenge to involuntarily shake slightly.
If there was a way to complete her revenge without using this evil power...
If possible, Isolde certainly didn't want to be some so-called Bishop in the Exaltists.
But after learning from that woman Sarah who the culprit was that caused her squad's current tragic state back then, Isolde had already made up her mind.
But even so, she couldn't help but waver for an instant.
If the past squad had all passed away in that battle, and she, the former captain, was the only one left in New Eridu now...
Isolde certainly wouldn't care what power she used for revenge.
In that situation, with no ties left and not a shred of attachment to this world, completing her revenge would be the most important thing.
But the problem was...
The current her was not alone. Her squad still had one last member remaining.
'Ghostfire', or rather, the former Orpheus.
Because of the existence of that clone Orpheus, and because of the Obols Squad growing in number...
The feeling of home had begun to make Orpheus show signs of letting go of past hatred. The fire that originally burned regardless of everything now had people it wanted to protect.
But Isolde knew.
Even if the clone Orpheus hadn't appeared...
Given Orpheus's personality, she would never approve of Isolde's current method of hurting innocent people no matter what.
But.
If she didn't borrow the power of the Originator, how could she achieve revenge against her enemy who had been free and unfettered for seven years?
'Major General' Lorentz.
She was just a Colonel, while Orpheus was just a squad captain.
Field officer and General officer.
The huge gap in rank cut off all conventional means of bringing the other party down. As a Colonel, she couldn't shake him in the slightest.
Could it be that she should take the collected materials to report a Major General who had intricate and unfathomable connections within the military's interest network?
It was laughable to say.
When she first learned the truth, Isolde really tried.
But the result of the report was that there was no result.
One had to know that an existence who could be so easily promoted to Major General by Lorentz for the sake of profit could not possibly be just a Major General of the same rank as him.
Even a Lieutenant General at a higher level couldn't be so swift and effortless.
And in order for that guy to continue acting as a white glove providing a steady stream of benefits, even if the evidence was conclusive, it would vanish into nothingness with a light sentence from the other party.
No matter how hard she tried, this report wouldn't make a single ripple under the other party's power.
Soon, Isolde realized one thing.
Reporting within the system had no meaning. Continuing to do so would ultimately only implicate Orpheus, who had just stepped onto the right track in the Obols Squad.
As for the other enemy.
The President of Porcelumex, Lucro.
As a company that monopolized the Porcelumex business itself, the other party could be said to be an absolutely indispensable behemoth in TOPS.
At the same time, as someone who usually colluded with Lorentz, he was also the biggest supporter of the other party when weaving the web of interests in the army.
Given the other party's equally huge interest relations...
Not to mention the status of a soldier being naturally opposed to TOPS...
Wanting to report the other party to TOPS was no different from directly reporting Major General Lorentz in the military.
So in the face of reality...
Isolde could only forcibly suppress the flames of revenge in her heart, pretending to be unaware of the truth, quietly waiting for the day she could shoot a bullet into the other party's chest.
As for...
Requesting the Hunter in front of her, who knew things even the Originator didn't know, for help...
The sprout of this idea only appeared in her mind for an instant before Isolde immediately chose to press it back into the deepest part of her mind.
Recalling everything she had encountered in her secret investigations over the past seven years, and what she suffered when she reported it later...
Everything made her no longer willing to trust others.
She had to rely on her own planning to send bullets into the chests of Lorentz and Lucro.
After all, how could there be someone who, without any profit or benefit, simply because of injustice and a few dead people, would go against the two behemoths of the Military and TOPS?
Even if he was really willing.
Regardless of whether her previous actions in the Exaltists were voluntary or forced...
After this Nineveh incident ended, she, who had already become a villain, had long since lost the qualification to ask them for help.
Looking at the formation of the Ethereal swarm gathering around Nineveh represented on the sand table in front of her, and the unit symbols of the Defense Force about to make contact with them.
Isolde couldn't help but sigh softly.
Closing her eyes gently and opening them again, the last trace of wavering had completely disappeared at this moment.
She examined the terrain sand table in front of her with incomparable focus.
In order to minimize potential casualties, she needed to give her all to the command of the battle line that followed, not letting go of any detail.
She knew very well.
No matter what, the soldiers sacrificed in this battle were innocent.
Unlike herself, a villain, every one of them was a hero who stepped forward to defend humanity.
She wanted to minimize the casualties this time as much as possible.
Although everything at present was not her arrangement, in Isolde's heart, failing to act to stop this event from happening meant she already had to take responsibility for all the sacrifices that followed.
As an evildoer, she needed to bear the sin of this innocent blood.
Sending out communications, Isolde requested at the fastest speed that all Defense Force squads about to engage the Ethereal swarm seal their helmets, paying attention at all times not to inhale any substance similar to phosphorous powder.
At the same time.
Using Andrew's intelligence to skip the feigned probing directly, and after reasonably placing the transmission method she had figured out through the Exaltists onto the bright side...
Isolde, who had already drafted a plan in her heart for this battle, immediately began to change the original arrangement. The original conventional command operation layout shifted rapidly under Isolde's direction.
Under her arrangement...
The method of eliminating the Ethereal swarm changed from the original conventional blocking formation to a tactical arrangement focusing on long-range firepower, quickly sniping special individuals infected by the Frenzy Sickness before proceeding with rapid elimination.
Just as Isolde began the tactical arrangement...
Suppressing the conjecture in his heart for which he had no evidence, Andrew quickly synchronized the current situation with Belle on Knock-Knock.
In just a few seconds, Andrew received a reply of 'No problem' from Belle on his phone.
Watching Hoshimi Miyabi, who had taken the unsheathed sword and was immediately ready to head to the tarmac, Andrew did not choose to follow immediately.
Before heading to Hollow Zero, he had one other thing to do that could reduce the possible casualties of the soldiers.
Turning his head around.
In order to prevent the other party from being held accountable by the inhuman military brass after the battle ended, Andrew spoke directly to Roland in front of the command table in a different way:
"To hunt Nineveh, I have a condition."
Without waiting for the other party to react, Andrew continued:
"I need permission to allow my Proxy to connect to your military equipment. Because compared to the 'Carrot' you provide, in the Hollow, I trust my Proxy more."
Not giving the other party a chance to reply, Andrew continued:
"I need the equipment here as a signal relay station, and it might occupy a portion of your computing power here."
But before Roland agreed directly, Andrew spoke the real purpose of proposing this suggestion:
"In return for opening the military equipment permissions, while we give you a zero-latency command line, my Proxy will also provide faster and safer paths for the military squads currently fighting Nineveh, ensuring that support and retreat can reach them at the fastest speed."
Looking at Roland and Isolde, who were stunned after hearing the second half, Andrew said as a reminder:
"What do you two think?"
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