After collecting his gear, Leon hurried to bid farewell to the Second Fleet Master, eager to head to the training grounds.
He wanted to experience the feel of wielding a Sword and Shield as soon as possible.
The afternoon sun cast a golden glow over everything.
Many hunters were still busy training at the grounds.
Leon jogged over to the edge of the field, his gaze scanning the crowd until he quickly spotted a familiar figure in the corner.
Flora was still dressed in light gear, her dark ponytail shimmering slightly in the sunlight. She stood with her arms crossed, looking focused as she watched a small area cordoned off by wooden boards.
Inside the enclosure.
Coco stood atop a stone pedestal, flicking his black tail sharply. "Ten sets of leaps! No slipping on the landing! Ready—go!" he barked.
"Meow-nooo!" Dumpling gritted his teeth in despair as he leapt from the first stone. His brown leather armor was damp and slick with sweat.
"Faster!" Coco shouted. "You're a Palico, not a sloth!"
"I... I'm jumping, meow! You're a demon coach!" Dumpling wailed, hopping through the second set, panting so hard his tongue was nearly hanging out.
Flora's expression softened slightly as she watched the scene. "Even though he's always complaining about being tired, Dumpling's willpower is stronger than many hunters," she said softly.
Sensing footsteps behind her, she turned her head slightly. "You're just in ti—"
Flora's words cut short as she saw Leon's mismatched, half-worn gear.
Her brows furrowed, her eyes dissecting Leon's appearance like a surgical knife.
His upper body featured a brown fur vest, while his lower half was clad in silver metal plate armor.
A Bone Helm, a Bone Mail, and then...
A Hu... Hunter's Coil?
Flora couldn't help but speak up. "Why didn't you just wear the full Hunter's set for now? This combination is really..."
"Hideous."
"Huh?" Leon looked down at himself, answering helplessly, "Didn't you tell me to make the Bone set first? But I didn't have enough materials, so I had to make do with this for now."
"No," Flora said sternly. "No is no. Go hunting immediately and finish the full Bone set."
Leon blinked in surprise.
"Armor must be worn in sets." Flora's tone left no room for argument, her voice even colder than usual.
"Uh..." Leon scratched the back of his head, about to say something, but Flora had already turned and walked toward the quest board near the training grounds.
She tore off a commission sheet, walked back, and shoved it into Leon's hand. "Go hunt, now!"
Leon looked down at the commission.
[QUEST: KESTODON KERMUFFLE!]
[QUEST LEVEL: 1★]
[OBJECTIVE: SLAY 12 KESTODONS]
[VERIFICATION ITEMS: DELIVER 12 KESTODON SCALPS]
[LOCATION: ANCIENT FOREST - AREA 1]
[CLIENT: CHIEF ECOLOGIST]
[DESCRIPTION: I'D LIKE TO COMMISSION A HUNTER TO INVESTIGATE VARIOUS MONSTERS. THERE IS STILL MUCH TO BE LEARNED REGARDING KESTODONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PERFORMANCE.]
[REWARD: 720Z]
[TIME LIMIT: ONE DAY]
"Alright, I'll go right away..." Leon nodded, a smile creeping onto his face as he turned around.
Finally, a real hunt!
He tucked the commission into his Hunter's Notes and decided to head back to his room to prepare.
Having learned from his previous experiences, Leon had become much more cautious. Even though the targets were Kestodons—weaker than Great Jagras—he had to get organized before setting out.
It was a good habit.
One he had to cultivate!
"Wait a second!" Flora added behind him. "Take Dumpling with you."
"Huh?" Leon stopped and looked at the exhausted Dumpling in the distance. "He looks like a dried-up cat prune right now. You still want me to take him?"
"Ta... Take me with you, meow..." Dumpling clung to the wooden fence, his eyes sending out a distress signal.
Leon looked at Dumpling, then at Flora, and grinned. "Fine, let's go! Move it, Dumpling."
At that moment, as if given a new lease on life, Dumpling scrambled over the wooden fence and dashed onto Leon's shoulder.
Back at the room, Dumpling collapsed directly onto his cat bed.
Based on what Leon had learned over the past few days, he knew Kestodons weren't particularly dangerous monsters.
They were small omnivorous dinosaurs, but highly territorial; anyone approaching carelessly would be struck by their hard heads.
They usually lived in herds, with only one male per group and the rest being females.
Leon sat at the table, unfolding his map and carefully studying the terrain of Ancient Forest Area 1.
"Kestodon habitat... the terrain here is a bit complex, but... it shouldn't be much of a problem..."
He opened his Hunter's Notes again and wrote down a list of supplies: Potions, Well-Done Steaks, Pitfall Traps, Shock Traps, SOS Flares, and other items.
"Don't be nervous, those guys aren't much of a threat," Dumpling said from his bed, his head tilted sideways like a corpse, eyes rolling with effort.
Leon closed his notes and laughed. "Who was it that said a hunter must always be prepared?"
After organizing his gear, Leon slung his Sword and Shield and supply bag onto his back, while Dumpling donned his own little pack.
Man and cat set out from the room.
Sunlight filtered through the layered canopy of the Ancient Forest as Leon and Dumpling moved through the vines, their footsteps crunching softly on the fallen leaves.
Before long, they reached the designated hunting zone.
Ancient Forest Area 1.
Area 1 was on the outskirts of the Ancient Forest, consisting of shallows and rocky terrain.
Although there were giant trees, they were sparse, meaning there weren't many places to hide.
Leon scanned the area and quickly spotted a herd of Kestodons amidst several Aptonoth.
Crouching low, they crept toward a large boulder and slowly peered around the edge.
A group of Kestodons were fighting over fallen fruit on the ground.
Kestodons were roughly as tall as the 183-centimeter Leon, with helmet-like bony protrusions on their heads. They would occasionally headbutt each other as they moved.
"Target confirmed," Leon whispered. "Looks like this group has at least two males. The smaller ones are females."
"What's the plan, meow?" Dumpling asked.
Leon drew his Sword and Shield, the blade shimmering in the light—sharp and steady.
"Watch my back. I'll handle the rest." Leon took a deep breath, slowed his pace, and silently circled toward a cover of tree roots on the left.
Dumpling nodded, his cat ears twitching. He leapt onto a protruding root, staying alert as he scanned the surroundings, his fluffy tail swishing as he stood ready.
Leon leaned against the back of a massive fallen trunk, holding his breath for a moment while calculating the distance and angle.
Five meters—four meters—three meters...
The male Kestodon was currently lowering its head to gnaw on a large fruit, completely defenseless.
"Now!"
Leon lunged out with the explosive speed of a cheetah, his sword carving a clean diagonal line—
Lateral Slash, Return Stroke, Roundslash!
A fluid combo struck the target's neck. The Kestodon didn't even have time to react before it collapsed.
Before the others could react, two quick horizontal slashes suppressed two nearby females.
The surrounding Aptonoth scattered in a panic, but Leon didn't lose focus. His objective was clear.
[KESTODON SLAIN X3]
[EXP GAINED: 50 X3]
[LEVEL: LV.2 (700/1500)]
Noticing Leon, another male Kestodon charged forward, its bony crest held high like a miniature battering ram!
Leon's pupils constricted. Without time to think, he dove to the side, narrowly evading the blow.
*CRASH!*
The Kestodon slammed into a boulder, leaving a long gouge in the smooth stone surface.
Leon didn't hesitate. While the Kestodon struggled to regain its footing, he slammed his shield into its flank!
The Kestodon lost its balance and fell.
Leon followed up with a series of backhand slashes, finishing off the male. The other three females shared the same fate.
[KESTODON SLAIN X4]
[EXP GAINED: 50 X4]
[LEVEL: LV.2 (900/1500)]
The battle ended, and peace returned to the area.
Leon knelt down to begin carving, tucking the materials into his pouch.
Holding a Kestodon shell, he felt a surge of excitement. To hunt stronger monsters, he had to gather materials piece by piece to craft better gear!
As Dumpling carved another Kestodon, he praised, "Not bad, rookie. You barely damaged the materials..."
Hearing this, Leon paused and looked at Dumpling seriously. "Dumpling, we have to get stronger. This is only the beginning."
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+40 chapters) patre0n.c0m/Royal_ink]