When explaining the tactics earlier, Jara had clearly stated that this tactical plan was built around two specific types of terrain.
One was the hollow previously covered by the giant net of vines; that part of the plan went quite smoothly. The hunters used the vines to trap the Tigrex for a long time, dealing critical damage.
As for the other location, it was the site of the Tigrex Nest, the rocky platform they had now reached.
Unlike typical rock formations that were incredibly stable, this rocky platform, covering nearly a thousand square meters, was actually a massive, movable, inverted-triangular boulder.
No one knew how it had ended up there, but the giant rock was perfectly wedged into a notch between two steep mountain peaks.
Usually, walking on it presented no problems, and most people wouldn't even realize the unique nature of this rocky platform.
Jara only found out while listening to an old hunter bragging; this rocky platform used to have the nickname "The Seesaw."
Humans or ordinary small monsters would be fine on it no matter what they did, but once a large Monster stood at the edge of the rocky platform, the platform could undergo a violent tilt.
There had been cases of ignorant hunters fighting Flying Wyverns here when the rocky platform suddenly tilted, causing the hunters to fall off the cliff to their deaths.
To prevent similar accidents, the Guild sent people to jam large bricks and stones into the bottom of the rocky platform as support points. This giant natural seesaw was thus fixed in place, no longer wobbling, and fewer and fewer hunters knew of its former alias.
At the same time, the stabilized "Seesaw" became the optimal nesting site for Flying Wyvern species, and its current owner was the very Tigrex that Altaïr and the others were targeting.
As they approached the rocky platform Wyvern Nest, Sajji left Altaïr's side and headed alone toward the bottom of the rocky platform.
They had pre-placed explosives at the artificial support points at the base of the rocky platform. Sajji's job was to detonate the explosives at the correct moment.
To hunt the Tigrex, they were going to restore the "Seesaw" to its former glory!
Having only recently arrived at the Ancestral Steppe, this Tigrex was unaware of the hidden danger of its own nest. Seeing the hunters climb up to its home, it gave chase without the slightest suspicion.
The moment it leapt onto the rocky platform, the already unstable platform wobbled slightly, but the Tigrex paid it no mind, or rather, it was already used to it.
With two humans and one Wyvern squeezed onto the nearly thousand-square-meter rocky platform Wyvern Nest, it suddenly felt crowded.
The Tigrex pressed forward step by step, while Altaïr and Jara retreated slowly until they reached the edge of the rocky platform Wyvern Nest, looking as if they had nowhere left to run.
"Sajji!"
"Now!"
Altaïr and Jara shouted simultaneously.
Stimulated by the sound, the Tigrex lunged forward with a sudden pounce. Simultaneously, several muffled explosions rang out from beneath the rocky platform.
Losing its extra support points, the rocky platform Wyvern Nest tilted violently under the Tigrex's weight, the angle quickly exceeding forty-five degrees.
Having prepared long ago, Jara and Altaïr ran in opposite directions toward the sides. Jara used his Insect Glaive to vault upward, hooking the head of the glaive onto the branches of trees growing on the cliffs flanking the rocky platform.
Altaïr fired his Clutch Claw, latching onto a protruding rock, while simultaneously throwing a Flash Pod with his backhand.
Already flustered by the sudden tilting of the rocky platform, the Tigrex lost its last shred of balance under the intense burst of light.
The loss of vision made it impossible for it to find a proper foothold. Amidst bursts of panicked roars, the Tigrex inevitably tumbled over the edge of the rocky platform.
By all logic, such an accident shouldn't have been a real danger to any kind of Flying Wyvern.
After all, "Flying Wyverns" were supposed to be able to fly. Even with the Tigrex's specialized wings, it was the same; even if it wasn't skilled at true flight, gliding and diving pounces were its specialized hunting maneuvers.
The falling Tigrex reacted quickly enough; it instinctively tried to spread its wing-limbs, attempting to adjust its posture and glide to the ground.
But just as it painfully managed to regain some balance and spread its wings, it found that its falling speed didn't slow down at all.
Under the hunters' assault, its tattered wing membranes were already in tatters and couldn't catch the wind at all. The last straw for its survival had been cut long in advance.
"ROAWRRRRR–"
The Tigrex flailed its four limbs and long tail wildly, but nothing could stop its fall anymore. Its roars of shock and fury grew more distant.
After a full seven or eight seconds, several muffled thuds echoed from the distant foot of the mountain, and the Tigrex's roars came to an abrupt halt.
Altaïr and Jara, hanging from the cliffside, looked at each other, both their faces breaking into mischievous, wicked grins.
"Hehehehe..."
Without the Tigrex's weight, the violently tilted rocky platform gradually returned to its original balance, and the two jumped back down onto it.
"By the way, we'll have to find a way to replace those support points we blew up under the rocky platform, right?" Altaïr asked with a smile.
"Of course. Otherwise, if someone gets into trouble here later, won't the Guildmarm skin us alive?" Jara said, looking back into the Wyvern Nest with a face full of regret: "That Wyvern Egg rolled down with it. What a waste. Why didn't I think to carry the egg back before we set the explosives?"
Altaïr: "..."
—--
After meeting up with Isis and Naziya, the four people and one cat cautiously headed to the foot of the mountain, where the Tigrex had fallen.
They didn't dare lower their guard. What if? What if the Tigrex caught onto something during the fall and hadn't quite died? Although judging by the sounds of the fall and the roars, such a possibility was slim, it was always better to be cautious.
Fortunately, there were no surprises; they found the Tigrex's corpse at the foot of the mountain.
It turns out that falling to one's death from three or four hundred meters without wings to slow down is something even a Monster like a Tigrex cannot withstand.
So what if it's an Absolute Peak? Can an Absolute Peak crash through the earth?
Though the corpse was a bit of a mess, with more than half of its steel-hard bones shattered and its spine broken into several pieces, there were still plenty of materials to be salvaged through carving.
Scales, claws, teeth, these basically couldn't be broken by a fall. Unfortunately, the jawbone, which was best suited for making heavy weapons, had been smashed and had no carving value.
In addition to these materials, Altaïr also stripped off a large piece of Tigrex hide.
The hides of large Monsters like the Tigrex are too thick and hard to be used directly for equipment manufacturing, and once split into layers, their strength becomes insufficient, making them unsuitable for forging armor.
However, the split layers of Wyvern hide seemed capable of being tanned into leather for making saddles, leather clothes, and other such goods.
Madam Marydan had a coat made of Brute Tigrex leather that he was very envious of. Since the opportunity was rare, he wanted to take a piece of hide back to see if he could find a Smithy to make a coat or something.
Isis was equally enthusiastic and peeled off a large piece.
Almost all the elders in her family were hunters, so she naturally didn't lack such things. She had thought about sending such items to show her filial piety, but the things she hunted before, like Jaggi or Bulldrome, weren't really something prideful to present.
The Tigrex was excellent!
Later, at Jara's suggestion, they carved off some Tigrex meat that looked okay, set up the Portable BBQ Spit, and roasted it to give it a try.
The result was a level of foulness that even Isis couldn't swallow...
However, these small disappointments couldn't dampen the group's good mood. When they returned to the camp entrance with their arms full and shoulders laden with a mountain of spoils, they happened to see a small Airship landing in the camp.
Without waiting for the Airship to stabilize and lower the gangway, a fully armed middle-aged hunter leapt down from the Airship and walked quickly outward, running right into the returning group.
Looking at the Tigrex materials in their arms, the middle-aged hunter, wearing high-rank armor and a Hunter's Bow and looking to be around fifty, was clearly stunned for two seconds.
Jara and Naziya both shrank their heads simultaneously, instinctively trying to hide behind Altaïr and Isis.
"Get over here!" the middle-aged hunter barked.
Like Gargwa seeing a Zinogre, the two of them tremblingly approached the Bow user, bowing and scraping as they greeted him.
"Instructor..."
(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
Zinogre — A large Fanged Wyvern and one of the most iconic monsters in the series, flagship monster of Monster Hunter Portable 3rd. It channels thunder through its fur by attracting and absorbing Thunderbugs, building up electrical charge before unleashing powerful lightning-infused attacks. Its imposing silhouette and roar make it a creature that instinctively triggers fear in prey animals, hence its use here as a benchmark for absolute terror. Rated ★6–7 depending on the title.
CONCEPTS
Monster Carving — After a successful hunt, hunters carve materials from the monster's corpse: scales, claws, hides, bones, and other parts used for crafting weapons and armor. Carving is time-sensitive in quests but unrestricted in free hunts. The quality and type of materials obtained depend on which body parts are intact. As noted here, a fall from several hundred meters can destroy high-value parts like the jawbone entirely.