This was a sandy hollow located near the mountainside.
The Hunters couldn't understand how such a hollow, spanning thousands of square meters, had formed on the hard mountain rock; they could only guess it was due to geological shifts or similar reasons, which had lifted a pool carved out by a waterfall to this mid-mountain position.
Numerous dark red ruins dotted the nearby mountain slopes.
These architectural remains were fragmented and tilted, appearing as if they had been crushed along with the earth itself.
Wind and mountain floods had brought soil to this hollow. Although the soil layer was thin, too shallow for the kind of massive trees that required several people to encircle, various herbs and shrubs were visible everywhere.
Especially the vines.
Even Altaïr, who possessed the "most extensive biological knowledge" among them, couldn't identify the species of these vines, let alone the others.
The vitality of the vines here was startling, their growth capacity reaching absurd levels. The creepers grew and spread wildly, intertwining with small trees, shrubs, and even the ancient ruins to form a sturdy green mesh about six or seven meters off the ground.
This great green net shrouded almost the entire hollow, clearly dividing the area into upper and lower layers.
The lower layer was relatively flat and damp, with streams formed by the falling waterfall flowing through, providing ample water for the plants, especially the vines.
The upper layer felt like a trampoline; the sensation when stepping on it was quite strange, making it difficult to stand firmly.
Except for certain nimble Fanged Beasts and the lightweight Kelbi, most creatures disliked bouncing around on this giant net of vines.
And this giant net was precisely a vital link in the current hunting plan.
Isis and Naziya, who had arrived here before dawn, had been busy for a long time.
They had selected an area near the center of the giant net that lacked support from below. They had severed and smashed most of the thick branches that served as the skeleton supporting the entire mesh.
The remaining vines were entangled and pulled taut; from the surface, nothing looked wrong. A person could walk, run, or jump on it without issue, but if a large Monster like a Tigrex, weighing over ten tons, stepped on it, that would be a different story.
The preparations didn't stop there.
Beneath the giant net, they had also set a Pitfall Trap. Once the Tigrex stepped through and fell, the large pit of the Pitfall Trap, the sticky webbing within the trap, and the sturdy tangle of vines from above should be enough to keep the Tigrex trapped for a considerable amount of time.
"Clang, clang..."
Naziya used a Whetstone to polish her Valor Switch Axe again and again; she could wait no longer.
High up on the nearby cliff wall, Sajji was shading his eyes with a paw, looking around.
Suddenly, the sight of trees crashing down in the distant forest and the faint, echoing roar of a Tigrex caught his attention.
Sajji slid down the mountain wall in a flash, shouting as he ran: "They're coming, meow! They've lured the Tigrex over, meow!"
Naziya put away the Whetstone, then stuffed a bottle-like object into the thick back of the Switch Axe and pulled the mechanism.
With a soft "hiss," the bottle popped out, and a faint heat glowed within the Switch Axe.
Seeing Isis look over with a curious expression, Naziya explained briefly, "This is to activate Sword Mode. There aren't any suitable small Monsters nearby for me to slash to build up charge, so using this method allows me to inject some energy."
Isis nodded as if she understood, though she actually didn't get it at all.
When choosing a new weapon previously, the wyverian artisan had also given her a brief introduction to the Switch Axe. The former had merely spoken about the various switches between Axe Mode and Sword Mode, as well as charging and filling the phials, and she had already given up.
A weapon even more complex than a Charge Blade was completely unsuitable for her.
"Rumble, rumble, rumble."
The ground vibrated slightly as the furious roars drew closer. Isis and Naziya quickly moved to a sturdy stone pillar of the ruins and crouched down, silently waiting for the moment.
Jara flanked around a rock blocking his path and burst out of the densely vegetated forest belt; the vine-covered hollow was right before his eyes.
The Tigrex sent rocks flying, following closely behind.
Due to the complex terrain and difficult movement, it almost never came to this area, but to tear the hateful creature before it into shreds, it didn't mind stepping into unfamiliar territory.
As the lord of this mountain forest, it had nothing to fear.
Jara, with his round stature, was like a chubby Congalala, nimbly weaving through the broken walls of the ruins before finally stepping onto the giant green net.
He had already seen the markers made by Naziya and the others, and he accelerated for a few steps, arriving in the middle of the weakened area.
The Tigrex's pace was hindered by the ruins; these remains that had existed for a thousand or even several thousand years appeared dilapidated but were actually incredibly sturdy.
The Tigrex slammed into one but failed to break through, instead making itself feel a bit dizzy from the impact.
Shaking its head violently to regain its senses, the Tigrex's rage soared even higher. It braced its four claws against the ground, extended its neck, and released a roar. The shockwave swept up fallen leaves and grass clippings, expanding in all directions.
Altaïr, trailing behind the Tigrex, hurriedly covered his ears, feeling as if he were about to be deafened.
After the roar, the muscles in the Tigrex's limbs tensed, and it suddenly exerted force to leap. Its massive body crossed dozens of meters, pouncing directly at Jara in the center of the giant vine net.
Jara instinctively retreated to dodge, but he immediately realized that the Tigrex had gliding capabilities. Even if he left his original spot, the Tigrex could adjust its pounce to change the landing point.
Doing so would not only put himself in danger, but the Tigrex would likely jump over the trap area they had prepared in advance.
Thus, he changed his plan. Standing his ground, he stared fixedly at the pouncing Tigrex. Only at the instant the Tigrex was about to land in front of him, with its sharp claws halfway through a swing, did he suddenly perform a vaulting jump.
This pole-vault dodge was extremely dangerous. Although the Tigrex's claw didn't hit him directly, it struck his Insect Glaive which served as his fulcrum, causing Jara to lose his balance mid-air.
But he wasn't the only one who lost balance.
The giant vine net, with its main supports severed, simply could not bear the weight of a Tigrex weighing dozens of tons. A massive section of the vine net, spanning a thousand square meters, suddenly collapsed upon the Tigrex's landing. It wrapped around the roaring, struggling Tigrex and plunged it into the Pitfall Trap set beneath the net.
Seeing the Tigrex's head land right in front of her, entangled in the vine net and almost unable to move, Naziya gave a cheer. She swung her battle-ax, intending to split the Tigrex's skull.
At that moment, Jara also fell like a bouncy ball. After rolling on the ground to dissipate the force, he leaped up and shouted at Naziya, "The wings! Attack the wings!"
Naziya smacked her lips. According to the plan, the part she was responsible for attacking was indeed not the head but the wings, specifically, the wing membranes.
Though reluctant, for the success of the subsequent combat, she could only drag her Switch Axe and rush toward the Tigrex's left wing.
As for why it wasn't the closer right wing, it was because Isis had already claimed that spot. She was swinging her Gunlance with great sweeps, hacking and blasting in a full-scale assault.
Altaïr arrived close behind, and the three of them joined forces, using every high-power move they had to repeatedly attack the membranes of the Tigrex's wings.
Compared to typical Flying Wyvern species, the Tigrex rarely used its wings for flight, which made its wing membranes narrow and thick, and not so easy to break.
But even the sturdiest things have limits. Under the assault of the Gunlance's Wyvern's Fire and Wyrmstake Cannon, the Long Sword's Spirit Combo, and the Switch Axe's various discharges like Zero Sum Discharge, the membranes of the Tigrex's dual wings were gradually torn with one rift and hole after another.
Only Jara remained at the Tigrex's head, continuously wielding his Insect Glaive. The toxin flowing from the tip of the Red Axe's blade seeped into those unremarkable wounds, accumulating bit by bit.
"Take my Chubby Tornado Slash!"
(Translated by yourtl.app)
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TL NOTES: LORE SECTION
Some terms and creatures referenced in this story may be unfamiliar to readers new to the Monster Hunter universe. The following entries provide additional context.
MONSTERS
Congalala — A large Fanged Beast resembling an oversized ape, found in jungle and forest regions. Known for its erratic behavior, powerful limbs, and the ability to weaponize the gases produced by its diet, which consists of nearly anything it can fit in its mouth. Referenced here as a humorous comparison to Jara's surprisingly nimble movement despite his build.
EQUIPMENT
Switch Axe Phials — The Switch Axe stores energy in a phial loaded into the weapon's frame. In Sword Mode, this energy is channeled into the blade with each attack, empowering strikes and enabling special discharges. Different phial types produce different effects: power, element, exhaust, paralysis, and others. Charging the phial normally requires landing hits on a monster; Naziya's bottle injection is an improvised shortcut to bypass that requirement.
Zero Sum Discharge — The Switch Axe's most powerful technique, introduced in Monster Hunter: World. The hunter drives the Sword Mode blade into a monster and locks on, channeling the entire remaining phial charge directly into the target in a sustained explosion. It deals massive damage but leaves the weapon uncharged afterward and the hunter briefly vulnerable. Requires close contact to execute, making timing and positioning critical.