After briefly examining the tracks, Altaïr confirmed that the two Ravenous Dragon Beasts had headed in different directions. He could not decide whether to feel relieved or disappointed.
This meant that tracking them would be much less dangerous.
On the other hand, the fact that they had split up despite being full proved that they did not belong to the same group or nest. Following them back to wherever these Monsters had come from would likely be difficult.
With no better option, Altaïr selected one of the larger individuals at random as their target.
To avoid being discovered, the Hunters did not begin their pursuit right away.
The wings of this type of Monster had deteriorated to the point that flight was virtually impossible. There were no nearby rivers deep enough for creatures of their size to swim through, and the foul-smelling slime left alongside their tracks made the trail difficult to lose.
Altaïr decided to use the delay to test something.
He walked over to the mangled Monster corpse, drew his Carving Knife, found a relatively clean spot, and began slicing off pieces of meat.
Isis swallowed involuntarily.
It was not from hunger, but a physical reaction to the disgusting, gruesome sight.
"You're not planning to roast that thing and taste it, are you? The meat of strictly carnivorous Monsters usually tastes awful," Isis asked cautiously.
Altaïr and Morgan stared at her as though she had said something absurd. Even Clawdia gave her a concerned look.
How could she possibly think of eating something like that?
Realizing that she had misunderstood, Isis awkwardly averted her gaze and closed her mouth.
Altaïr let out a heavy sigh. The slick, tough hide resisted his blade, but after some effort, he managed to cut several large chunks of meat from the corpse.
Perhaps because of the creature's scavenging diet, its flesh carried the same sour stench of decay. The smell alone was nauseating, without anyone having to taste it.
"You mean to use this Raw Meat as bait?" Morgan guessed part of Altaïr's plan.
Altaïr nodded. "Exactly. Poisoned bait, to be precise. With appetites this strong, we may be able to poison them through their food."
"I see." Morgan brightened. "I brought quite a few Toadstools and Parashrooms with me. I can use them to prepare stronger poisoned bait from this Raw Meat.
"We can test their resistance to each toxin, then choose our bait accordingly."
"Mm. We aren't planning to Hunt it yet, but gathering combat intelligence is always worthwhile. Once the poisoned bait is ready, we'll resume the pursuit."
Altaïr continued cutting meat while Morgan took various dried and processed mushrooms from his materials bag, crushed them, and spread them over the dark red chunks.
To help the poison penetrate, Altaïr even scored the meat with additional cuts.
With nothing to do for the moment, Isis wandered off alone. She remembered seeing Toadstools growing beneath a nearby tree when they passed through the day before and intended to gather some.
Morgan's refined Toadstools were primarily used for Crafting Poison Ammo, so it was best to conserve them whenever possible.
Before long, several large chunks of Raw Meat had been prepared, their color now decidedly unhealthy. No one wanted to carry them in their arms or put them in a bag, so the Hunters cut several vines, tied the chunks into a rough bundle, and carried them that way when they set off.
The gorged Monster was not moving quickly. Its tracks sank deep into the ground, and its swollen belly had even left drag marks, making it easy for the Hunters to follow.
After more than an hour of tracking, Clawdia, who had been sent ahead to shadow the Monster, suddenly ran back to report. "That thing stopped, meow. It didn't return to its nest. It just found a place to lie down and sleep, meow."
This was within Altaïr's expectations. Finding somewhere to sleep and digest after a full meal was a common habit among many creatures.
It also gave them a convenient opportunity to conduct another experiment.
Wearing Ghillie Mantles, the Hunters approached from downwind. They carefully drew near the target, set down several chunks of heavily poisoned Raw Meat treated with Toadstools, and quietly withdrew.
They did not go far. After finding a sturdy tree with red bark, they climbed into the canopy to hide. Altaïr then fired several small stones from his Slinger, startling the Monster awake.
Apparently not expecting an attack, the awakened Monster raised its head and looked around. Its gaze naturally settled on the pieces of heavily poisoned Raw Meat.
The single thought of "Food!" seemed to fill its tiny brain. Ignoring its stomach, which was already packed with meat, it went over and gobbled down the chunks of Raw Meat, now stained dark purple by the poison, in a few bites.
Watching through a gap in the leaves, Altaïr clenched his fist.
It had taken the bait!
The Toadstools used for Crafting Poison Ammo were highly toxic. Morgan had also dried and refined them beforehand, further concentrating the poison.
The poison was unlikely to kill a Large Flying Wyvern outright, but even a creature as hardy as a Tigrex would inevitably show symptoms after swallowing so many large chunks of Raw Meat saturated with it.
The Hunters watched expectantly as the Monster licked its lips after eating the poisoned Raw Meat, then lay back down.
The casual way it had woken up, eaten a snack, and gone straight back to sleep made Altaïr's eye twitch.
Quite some time passed, yet the Monster still showed no sign of poisoning.
Altaïr now had to consider the possibility that it was immune to toxins. At the very least, a few chunks of heavily poisoned Raw Meat or several rounds of Poison Ammo would not be enough to overwhelm its system.
They also tried Raw Meat prepared with Parashroom, then with Sleep Herb. Unsurprisingly, neither had any effect.
Whatever its digestive capabilities, the Monster's metabolic system was abnormally powerful. Ordinary toxins simply could not affect it.
The result disappointed the Hunters. Their poisoning tactic was off the table. On reflection, however, that was hardly surprising. Without an exceptionally powerful metabolism, these creatures probably could not sustain their terrifying appetite for anything that fit inside their mouths.
After watching the Monster finish the "snack" they had prepared and leisurely lie down again, Altaïr took out a Sonic Bomb.
Seeing Isis and Morgan exchange puzzled looks, he did not explain. He motioned for them to stay hidden, pulled the pin, and tossed the Sonic Bomb.
A high-pitched blast erupted. The Monster, which had been on the verge of sleep, lifted its head in confusion and looked around for the source of the noise.
Altaïr snapped his wrist and launched a Flash Pod from his Slinger. Blinding light flooded the area, but the Monster merely shook its head twice, otherwise unaffected.
The string of strange events did put the Monster on alert. It rose from the spot where it had curled up and began searching the area for its attacker.
Hidden among the branches, the Hunters held their breath, slowed their heartbeats, and suppressed their presence. With the aid of their Ghillie Mantles, they escaped the Monster's notice.
The Monster clearly sensed that something was wrong. Rather than lying back down, it heaved its bloated, overfed body to its feet and left the area.
Several minutes passed. Only after confirming that the Monster was far away did the Hunters jump down from the tree.
"Immune to potent poisons, paralytic agents, and sedatives. Unaffected by sound. Even a Flash Pod does nothing. And it eats anything... Just how harsh an environment did these creatures grow up in?" Isis murmured.
Altaïr and Morgan looked equally grim. The easy confidence they had felt after defeating the earlier Monster with the Lolo Gougarf's help had vanished without a trace.
(Translated by yourtl.app)