At the canal estuary, ships and carriages moved in a ceaseless flow, a scene of bustling industry everywhere one looked.
But one corner seemed completely isolated from its surroundings, appearing leisurely and serene.
It was a wooden watchtower. At the top, more than ten meters above the ground, sat a small semi-open cabin, measuring no more than three or four square meters.
Looking south from here, the horizon stretched out endlessly.
The yellowish waters of the Inland Sea merged with the ocean here. At the estuary, the two currents of different hues were clearly demarcated, but as the waves rolled, they gradually converged and blended, eventually becoming part of the cyan sea, of that vast surface that seemed to cover the entire world.
On the watchtower, a young woman knelt on a cushion, holding a teacup. She gazed silently at this wondrous scene of blending motion and stillness like a statue. Only after a long while did she lift the cup for a sip.
"Phew—" Exhaling a puff of hot steam, she set the cup down and murmured to herself, "I never tire of watching this."
Methodically setting the cup aside, she poked at the fire beneath the teapot, stuffing in a few dry wood chips to reignite the flames that the damp sea breeze had nearly extinguished.
The flames licked the teapot, and before long, the sound of bubbling water emerged.
Taking advantage of the time it took to boil the water, the woman pulled out a simple wooden lunch box. She slid back the lid, revealing several sticks of Dango neatly arranged inside.
Looking at these delicate, adorable Bunny Dango, decorated with sesame seeds and red beans to form smiling faces, a nostalgic smile appeared on the woman's face.
She picked up a skewer by the bamboo stick, took a bite of one with an "ah-munch," closed her eyes, and chewed slowly with puffed cheeks, savoring the flavor.
Since a Bunny Dango was roughly the size of an egg, stuffing one into one's mouth wasn't exactly convenient, forcing the cheeks to bulge; however, this was the standard way to eat Bunny Dango.
If one tried to be elegant by biting only half a piece at a time, it was absolute heresy, one would miss the blooming layers of sweetness and the complex, chewy texture.
Not recommended.
With an effort, she swallowed the large, sticky mass of Dango and picked up her tea once more for a hot sip.
"White mochi turns to clouds, tea steam boils as skewers empty, sweetness and bitterness embrace." After improvising a line of poetry, the woman sighed and set down her cup. "As expected, my skills have reached their limit. I still can't match the Bunny Dango handmade by Master."
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!!" Far out at sea, a seagoing vessel sailed toward them at a precarious tilt, moving with desperate speed. Listening to the piercing sound of the Mist Bell, it was obvious that an emergency had occurred.
There was nothing that could threaten such a large ship other than a Monster in the deep.
The woman quickly set aside her tea set and Bunny Dango, grabbed the Light Bowgun leaning nearby to slung it across her back, and then leaned backward. Without reaching for a rope or stepping onto the ladder, she flipped directly off the top of the ten-meter-high watchtower.
Even for a Hunter, falling from such a height would not leave one unscathed, but in the final second before she hit the ground, the woman suddenly raised her hand and released a strange, cyan-white flying insect.
A strand of shimmering, resilient Ironsilk connected her arm to the flying insect. Despite being no larger than a palm, the creature displayed strength far beyond its size, managing to suspend a fully armed Hunter mid-air.
Using the silk to break her downward inertia, the woman severed the thread and landed firmly on the ground. The strange insect looped through the air before returning to her wrist.
Under the astonished gazes of passing dockworkers, the woman hit the ground running, sprinting toward the spot where the ship was nearing the shore.
The watchtower, built specifically to guard against sea Monsters, was naturally not far from the coast. Within seconds, she had reached the edge of the pier.
The vessel in distress had already neared the shore. The sailors on board had no time to lower gangplanks or launch lifeboats; taking advantage of the moment while the creature attacking them was distracted, they leaped into the water one after another.
The people on the docks finally noticed the anomaly. Sharp whistles blared, and the crowds began to evacuate.
The female Hunter pushed through the throng to reach the water's edge. Her expression turned grim as she looked at the cyan-blue Monster clinging to the ship's mast, its weight tilting the massive vessel at a severe angle.
Lagiacrus.
Because they spend most of their time swimming in the ocean where they are unburdened by gravity, Lagiacrus can grow to immense proportions.
While a body length of twenty-five meters is the growth limit for the vast majority of Large Flying Wyverns, for a Lagiacrus, it is merely the average length of an adult specimen.
Fierce by nature, massive in size, and possessing the ability to discharge powerful electrical currents, the Guild classified it within the 5★ Threat Level.
On land, the threat of a Lagiacrus is relatively diminished, as the creature's body and limbs have evolved away from terrestrial life, making its movements on the ground sluggish.
However, once in the ocean, the Lagiacrus becomes a true overlord of the seas. Aside from a handful of Hunters specializing in naval combat, few can defeat a Lagiacrus alone in the water, and she was no exception.
The greatest source of her headache was the Weapon on her back: the Khezu Syringe, a Light Bowgun crafted from Khezu materials.
She had chosen this Light Bowgun, with its peculiar design and name, specifically because it was specialized for the Rapid Fire of Thunder Ammo.
The various Monsters commonly found here at the estuary, including Plesioth, Royal Ludroth, Gobul, and the occasional Zamtrios, all have very low resistance to electricity. The Khezu Syringe and its Rapid Fire Thunder Ammo were incredibly effective against them.
The Lagiacrus was a different story. A creature capable of discharging powerful electricity itself would hardly fear the threat of Thunder Ammo, and the power of her spare Normal Ammo was limited. In short, she lacked the means to deal a fatal blow to the Lagiacrus before her.
The only saving grace was that she didn't need to dive into the sea to risk her life against it; she only had to protect the docks and the personnel as best she could.
As the Old World's most important shipping hub, Geo Wandreo naturally had contingency plans for Lagiacrus attacks.
The local Guild would periodically cull large Monsters, including Lagiacrus, from the nearby waters to project a signal that these areas were the "territory of something even more powerful."
Even if a reckless Lagiacrus like this one blundered into these waters, there were Dragonships specifically designed to handle them, either by driving them off or killing them. As long as they could hold out until a Dragonship arrived, they would win.
Therefore, she didn't open fire on the Lagiacrus currently grappling with the ship right away. Instead, she continuously waved her arms, helping to organize the evacuation.
However, at that moment, the Lagiacrus suddenly turned its head and shifted its gaze toward her.
Despite its prestigious title as the "Lord of the Seas," a Lagiacrus isn't actually very intelligent. It had mistaken the passing merchant ship for some kind of large sea creature invading its territory, which was why it had attacked.
But after all the biting and wrestling, the Lagiacrus finally realized that the "invader" it was fighting was actually an inanimate object. A bite yielded no blood and no texture of flesh, only wood.
Indignant and preparing to leave, its attention was suddenly caught by the noisy shouting and sharp whistles coming from the docks.
It felt a bit hungry.
The moment her eyes met the shifting gaze of the Lagiacrus, the female Hunter holding the Light Bowgun felt the hair on her neck stand on end, that was the look of a predator eyeing its prey.
Without a second thought, she pulled out an SOS flare and fired it.
Roughly pushing her way through the chaotic crowd, she ran to a relatively open area, shouldered her Light Bowgun, and opened fire on the Lagiacrus in rapid succession.
The evacuation wasn't finished. If the Lagiacrus were allowed to come ashore and charge into the crowd, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Left with no better option, she intended to draw the Lagiacrus's attention to herself through active aggression and then lure it away to an uninhabited area.
A string of Thunder Ammo landed one after another on the Lagiacrus's head and chest.
The electric arcs exploding from the Bowgun Ammo flickered and died instantly against the pale blue shell, producing no effect. The power of the rounds themselves wasn't enough to pierce through the dense layers of scales and shell covering the Lagiacrus.
It was a completely ineffective attack, but at least the rate of fire was fast enough that the crackling impact caught the Lagiacrus's attention.
Feeling insulted, the Lagiacrus let out a roar, released its grip on the merchant ship's deck, and leapt into the sea. Its massive body writhed like a sea serpent as it swam rapidly toward the section of the shore where she stood.
Seeing this, the female Gunner immediately sheathed her weapon and sprinted at full speed toward the open, deserted area.
(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
Lagiacrus — An enormous leviathan-class creature and one of the most feared predators in and around open water. Because Lagiacrus spend the majority of their lives submerged, free from the constraints of gravity, they grow to exceptional sizes; an adult specimen measuring twenty-five meters in length is considered average, far surpassing the growth ceiling of most large land-dwelling wyverns. They are capable of generating and discharging powerful electrical currents across their body and from their jaws, making them both a threat at range and in close quarters. On land, their movements become sluggish and constrained, as their limbs and physiology have evolved primarily for aquatic life. In their native ocean environment, however, Lagiacrus are virtually unchallenged; only a handful of specialized Hunters have ever bested one in open water. They are territorial by nature and prone to mistaking large vessels for rival creatures intruding on their domain. The Guild classifies them at the 5★ Threat Level.
Gobul — An ambush predator Piscine Wyvern found in rivers, swamps, and shallow coastal waters. Gobul bury themselves beneath sand or mud, using a bioluminescent lure on their head to attract prey, then strike from below with a gaping, spike-lined mouth. They can also inflate their bodies defensively, and their spines carry a mild paralytic toxin. Despite their unassuming appearance, they are considered highly dangerous due to their concealment ability and the unpredictability of their attacks.
Zamtrios — A large Amphibian found in frigid lakes and coastal waters. Zamtrios are capable of inflating their bodies into a spherical form and rolling at high speed to crush targets, and they can secrete a paralysis-inducing liquid from specialized organs. They are social creatures that often travel in groups with smaller brood members in tow. Their thick, rubbery hide provides significant protection against physical strikes, and their tolerance for cold allows them to operate freely in waters that would incapacitate most other large creatures.
EQUIPMENT
Khezu Syringe — A Light Bowgun crafted from the materials of the Khezu, a pale, eyeless wyvern adapted to life in dark, damp cave systems. True to its name and origin, the Khezu Syringe has an unsettling, organic aesthetic. It is prized for its specialization in the Rapid Fire of Thunder Ammo, making it highly effective against Monsters with low electrical resistance, particularly the aquatic creatures common to coastal hunting grounds. Its narrow focus becomes a liability when faced with opponents immune or resistant to electricity.
CONCEPTS
Dragonship — A heavily armed naval vessel purpose-built for engaging large sea Monsters. Dragonships are equipped with heavy cannons, ballistae capable of firing barbed bolts attached to steel cables, and in some configurations, fortress-grade Dragonators, massive piercing rams designed to impale even the largest creatures. They are crewed by experienced Hunters and sailors trained specifically in maritime monster combat. Guild-operated Dragonships patrol key trade routes and respond to Mist Bell distress signals, serving as the primary line of defense against oceanic threats in major port cities like Geo Wandreo.
Wirebug — A small, luminescent insect native to certain regions that produces Ironsilk, an extraordinarily strong and elastic thread. Hunters from Kamura Village learned to tame and partner with Wirebugs, using their silk to perform acrobatic aerial maneuvers, break falls from great heights, and execute advanced combat techniques impossible without their assistance. A Wirebug attaches to its Hunter's wrist or equipment and responds to precise gestures, launching itself outward and suspending the Hunter mid-air on its silk. Despite their diminutive size, Wirebugs can bear the full weight of an armored Hunter without difficulty.