Translator's Note: Starting from this chapter, TL NOTES will no longer appear at the end of every chapter. I genuinely love putting them together, as they've been a great excuse to dig deeper into Monster Hunter lore, but with over 700 chapters in this story it's simply not sustainable. They may still show up very occasionally when something truly warrants it, but don't count on it. The editing work continues as usual. Thank you for your understanding!
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Altaïr was curious, but identifying the Gajalaka's return gift wasn't an urgent matter, so he didn't wake Erik specifically for it.
Carefully stowing the membrane away, Altaïr swapped shifts with Shalan, who had gone to bed early. He found a flat spot of ground, pulled a blanket over himself, and fell into a deep sleep.
Perhaps because his injuries were mostly healed and the pain had faded, Altaïr slept exceptionally well that night.
By the time he woke up, the sky was bright.
Erik had prepared breakfast, which was really just reheating yesterday's leftover Well-done Steak over the campfire. It wasn't exactly delicious, but it was enough to fill their stomachs and provide calories.
Full and refreshed, they filled their Water skins in the nearby stream. Altaïr kicked out the campfire, while Sajji and Erik worked together to tighten the straps on the cart. The group prepared to begin their journey for the day.
Just before heading out, Altaïr beckoned to Erik. "Come here, let me show you something."
Erik, who had been habitually preparing to hook the harness over his shoulders, dropped the rope and ran over. The curious Felynes also crowded around.
Altaïr took out the membrane the Gajalaka had delivered and gave a brief account of what happened last night.
"This is the return gift for that empty bottle. Can any of you tell what it is?" Altaïr looked at his companions, who were staring blankly at the membrane in his hand.
He was asking both Erik and Shalan.
As a scholar, the former certainly had a much deeper reservoir of biological knowledge than himself, while Lady Shalan was equally well-traveled and might have encountered such a thing before.
"Strange thing, meow." Shalan reached out a paw pad to touch it, then leaned in with her nose to give it a couple of sniffs. "I've never seen it before, meow, but it's quite pretty, meow.
If you don't want it, I'm thinking of making it into a scarf, meow."
Erik, meanwhile, had already taken out his portable magnifying glass and was observing it closely. "I can rule out leather, fascia, and various types of connective tissue."
As he spoke, he reached out with his fingers to carefully pinch the edge of the membrane, then glanced at his fingertip. "There's scale powder on it; those tiny specks of light are reflections from the powder.
If I'm not mistaken, this should be part of a wing from some kind of large insect?
Have you seen a Kinsect? The kind used by an Insect Glaive user."
Altaïr nodded in realization. "Of course. Now that you mention it, it does feel very similar to a Kinsect wing."
"Yes, there are many types of Kinsects, including those with wings that display this vibrant orange-red color." Erik's fingers continued to probe the material.
"If I had to guess, the Gajalaka probably found a dead wild Kinsect and cut this wing membrane from the carcass.
But..." Erik began to look hesitant.
"But what?"
"This membrane, which we suspect is an insect wing, is incomplete. Estimating the size based on the edge contours, the body length of that insect might exceed seventy centimeters.
The average Kinsect is thirty to forty centimeters long. Isn't this size a bit too large?
By the way, can I take a few photos and collect a tiny sample?" Erik suddenly changed the subject. "I can't identify it, but the Professor and all those scholars at the Royal Academy... someone is bound to recognize it." Altaïr naturally had no reason to refuse.
Erik took out his portable camera. After losing his luggage, he didn't have many photos left, but for the sake of this peculiar insect wing, he was willing to use a few.
After a series of "clicks," he took out a dissection knife, cut off a palm-sized piece, and pressed it into a specialized ledger like a preserved leaf.
"Lady Shalan, I probably won't have a use for this, but I'm quite curious about its origin. How about I give it to you after the scholars in the city identify it?"
"You're really giving it to me, meow?" Shalan blinked. "Okay, meow!"
Lady Shalan thinks you know how things work, meow!
Now in high spirits, Shalan took the initiative to shoulder the kite. "I'll go confirm that Glavenus's position, meow. If there's a chance, I'll hit it with a Paintball to make it easier to avoid and bypass, meow!"
With that, Shalan sprinted a few steps across the flat riverbank, and as a gust of wind arrived, she rose into the sky.
Sajji and Erik turned in unison to look at Altaïr.
"I feel like you've become very skilled at coaxing Auntie Shalan, Boss meow."
"Total control!"
"...It's called gratitude and respect."
Traveling light and fueled by the fresh energy of just entering the Jungle, the Professor's group moved with surprising efficiency.
Gradually adapting to the Jungle environment and the weight of the luggage, Hibiki's pace steadily quickened.
Running back and forth along the way, he not only carried the Professor but even began nudging the Hunters' backs with his large head, hoping they would walk faster.
For a Palamute who loved to run, the feeling of having to hold back his strength was too suffocating.
Realizing he had underestimated Hibiki's stamina, the Professor decisively changed tactics. He unloaded several boxes of Ammo from the luggage Hibiki was carrying to further lighten the load.
At the same time, he had Isis, who was the most heavily equipped and slowest moving member of the team, ride directly on Hibiki's back, while Nymera ran behind.
Once they had covered a long distance and Nymera's stamina was nearly depleted, she and Isis would swap places. In short, they were fully exploiting the Palamute's superior endurance.
As a result, Hibiki could no longer run back and forth as lightly as before, but the group's overall travel speed significantly jumped by two levels.
In just two days, they covered a distance that was originally planned for more than three.
The Hunters took turns resting along the way, allowing them to better preserve their strength; only Hibiki was so tired his tongue was hanging out.
Nymera felt a bit sorry for him, but then she remembered Mr. Iori telling her that Hibiki was still in his growth phase and had great untapped potential that could be appropriately squeezed out.
Well then, might as well take this opportunity to squeeze him a bit.
"That's enough." The Professor, silently calculating their progress, called the team to a halt.
"Rest where you are for one hour. Nymera, communicate with the Cohoot to confirm the surroundings and the route ahead. Everyone else, get some rest."
"Woof..." Hibiki panted, his tongue out, as he collapsed onto the ground.
"I don't need to rest." Isis climbed down from the giant hound's back with a grin and rubbed his large head. "Thanks for the hard work! I saw some tracks earlier; how about I go get some food for Hibiki?"
Hibiki perked up his ears and gratefully licked the back of Isis's hand.
This human might be heavy as death, but she was a good person! The Professor glanced over, offering no objection. A Palamute possessed great strength and stamina, but all of that had to be sustained by food.
The supplies they carried wouldn't last this Palamute more than a few meals; obtaining food through hunting was a necessary action.
Isis had good luck; in less than fifteen minutes, she carried back a plump Kelbi.
"Dinner's served!"
Hibiki, who had been sprawled on the ground playing dead just a second ago, immediately leaped up in excitement, wagging his tail as he ran toward Isis.
At the same time, the Cohoot named Mochi landed on Nymera's arm, leaning close to her ear and hooting softly as it communicated with her.
A moment later, Nymera frowned and walked quickly to the Professor's side, where he was busy sketching on a map.
"There is a Large Monster active several kilometers ahead. Mochi is still young and finds it difficult to accurately describe the species, but it should be a relatively dangerous variety."
"Roar–!"
As if to provide evidence for her words, a muffled roar echoed from the distant forest.
"That's a Brute Wyvern's roar, meow." Clawdia, who was sharpening her claw blades, looked up and commented.
The Professor gave her an appreciative look. "Correct. That is the roar of a Glavenus."
Nymera suddenly remembered what Guildmarm Noya had mentioned before they set out, about a hunting group being wiped out by a Hyper state Glavenus. She couldn't help but ask nervously, "Could it be that Hyper state individual?"
"No." The Professor shook his head decisively. "That Hyper state Glavenus was too dangerous; it was dealt with by a high-rank Hunter sent from Hunter's Guild headquarters half a month ago. This must be a different individual."
Nymera breathed a sigh of relief.
"Meow?" Clawdia suddenly set down her weapon and gave her small nose a powerful sniff. "Something's not right, meow. I smell a Paintball, meow."
"A Paintball?" The Professor's brow furrowed. "Is someone hunting that Glavenus? Or did they mark it for some other reason?"
"Mochi didn't mention any information about Hunters fighting the Monster," Nymera guessed. "Could it be Altaïr and the others? Perhaps they used a Paintball for the purpose of avoiding it?"
"It's possible." The Professor thought for a moment, then took out a signal flare and fired it into the air. A yellow signal flare used to indicate their position lit up high in the sky. "Whether it's them or not, let's signal first and see."
"Roar–!"
Another roar rang out, startling a large flock of birds in the forest.
"The scent of the Paintball is getting stronger, meow." Clawdia stared intently in the direction of the smell and sound. "That Glavenus is coming straight toward us, meow!"
"It spotted us from this far away?" The Professor looked up at the slowly descending signal flare. "Did that flare just now catch its attention? Strange, a Glavenus shouldn't be that inquisitive, unless it was drawn by the scent of blood..."
As the Professor spoke, the metallic scent of blood hit his nostrils. He turned his head in shock.
Nearby, Hibiki was buried face-first in the gory carcass of a Kelbi, tearing it apart.
Beside him, Isis was poking her tongue out in concentration as she set up a portable spit, holding a skinned Kelbi leg ready to make Well-done Steak.
"How are you two already eating?!"
(Translated by yourtl.app)