Astera.
Mist draped over the camp like a silken veil, and the sun shone through the clouds, casting dappled shadows.
Leon stood before the quest board, his eyes fixed on the newly posted commission. This was his first time accepting a hunting quest as an official hunter.
[QUEST NAME: IS THE KULU-YA-KU A COLLECTOR?]
[QUEST LEVEL: 2★]
[OBJECTIVE: HUNT A KULU-YA-KU]
[REQUIRED ITEM: DELIVER A KULU-YA-KU BEAK]
[LOCATION: ANCIENT FOREST]
[CLIENT: CHIEF ECOLOGIST]
[QUEST DESCRIPTION: I would like to commission a hunter to investigate various monsters. There is still much to learn about them, and through your research, we can gain valuable intel for future hunts and captures.]
[REWARD: 1800Z]
[TIME LIMIT: THREE DAYS]
In his memory...
The Kulu-Ya-Ku was a medium-sized Bird Wyvern known for stealing the eggs of other monsters. It was crafty and cowardly by nature, yet it wouldn't hesitate to pounce on an enemy when necessary—especially when it felt its collection was threatened.
Bird Wyverns were among the easier monsters to handle in the world of hunters, as their attack patterns were usually quite predictable.
As long as one understood their traits, a solo hunt wouldn't be difficult.
Leon rubbed his chin, pondering the details.
'1,800z... It's not much, but the Commander said that to reach two-star rank, I have to complete this first...'
It wasn't a glamorous assignment, but it was an unavoidable first step for every one-star hunter.
"Let's get it over with today." Leon tore the quest sheet from the board and turned toward the canteen.
When he arrived at the dining area, it was still early. Most of the hunters present were those returning from night patrols. Felynes scurried between the stoves and the tables, their tools clattering in a busy rhythm.
Leon sat down with a tray containing a bowl of piping hot meat soup and two pieces of fragrant, charred jerky.
This was his first time spending his own "Research Points" as an official hunter. It wasn't exactly a gourmet feast, but food always tasted better when it was free.
When hunters completed quests, they earned Research Points in addition to monetary rewards. These points could be used for various services within Astera—dining, crafting equipment, alchemy, and more.
However, if one wanted to buy items or medicine, they still needed hard currency.
"Taking on a new quest?" Flora appeared out of nowhere and sat down opposite him as if nothing had happened.
"Yeah." Leon didn't even look up, continuing to sip his soup.
The savory aroma of the jerky burst between his teeth. He chewed slowly, appearing deep in thought or perhaps just choosing to remain silent.
Flora didn't say anything, merely watching him quietly.
She was fully armed with her black hair tied up high, clearly prepared to head out on a quest of her own.
The air between them felt a bit stagnant.
After a long silence, Flora spoke up softly. "About last night... are you still angry?"
"I'm not angry." Leon set his bowl down and looked at Flora, his expression calm. "I believe you had your reasons, but if there's a next time, I won't let him off."
Flora's brow twitched slightly. She seemed to want to explain, but couldn't find the right words for a moment.
"His father helped my family once..." Flora finally explained. "So... I couldn't just stand by and watch him die."
Leon remained silent at the explanation.
He wasn't the type to bite the hand that fed him, so he could understand her position. Still, leaving an unknown threat at his back felt like a thorn in his side. He only hoped the man wouldn't provoke him again.
"I'll promise you this: as long as he leaves me alone, we'll have no problems." Leon stood up and walked toward the quest counter.
Dumpling finished organizing his small backpack and hopped onto Leon's shoulder. "Supplies are all ready, meow! Flash pods, Pitfall traps, and Capture nets, we have it all!"
"Good job." Leon checked his own pack as well. Before leaving, he had used a whetstone to sharpen his Bone Axe, restoring its sharpness to like-new condition.
Sharpness refers to the keenness of a weapon's edge.
The higher the sharpness, the more damage each strike deals, and the easier it is to cut through the tougher parts of a monster's body.
Just then, he heard footsteps behind him.
Flora approached. She didn't say much more, simply handing him a hand-drawn map. "The Kulu-Ya-Ku has a wide territory. This is a map I drew showing its most frequent haunts. Use it as you see fit."
Leon didn't refuse. He took the map without glancing at Flora and said coldly, "Isn't your injury still healing? Don't follow me."
"I wasn't planning to." Flora turned away, giving a soft warning. "Just don't go into the areas marked with a red X on that map."
The two passed each other by, neither turning back.
"It feels a bit chilly today, meow..." Dumpling shrunk back slightly, still not quite understanding what was going on.
"Come on. Let's find that egg-stealing bird." Leon stowed his Bone Axe and set his gaze on the busy quest clerk.
The Ancient Forest.
Leon pushed aside the hanging vines and stepped into the damp, dense jungle. Sunlight danced through the canopy above, occasionally casting dappled light on the ground. Beneath his feet, a mixture of puddles and fallen leaves formed a soft mud that crunched with every step.
'The area ahead is marked with a red X... The Kulu-Ya-Ku shouldn't be appearing there...'
Leon looked down at the map Flora had drawn and turned toward the more open mountainside to the east.
Dumpling darted nimbly through the woods, sniffing the air while muttering, "A mushroom was pulled up over here, meow. There are claw marks, but... it doesn't smell like a Kulu-Ya-Ku."
Leon knelt to inspect the ground. "There are some Jagras tracks here too. The Kulu-Ya-Ku isn't in this area..."
Following the map, they searched along the ridge from morning until noon. Aside from some Aptonoth and wandering Jagras, they hadn't seen so much as a feather, let alone the Kulu-Ya-Ku.
"That's strange..." Leon frowned in confusion, muttering to himself, "Kulu-Ya-Ku usually live on the forest edges or high rocky ledges. They don't normally hide this deep, do they?"
Dumpling emerged from the grass, holding a mushroom stem with an exasperated look. "We've circled the perimeter three times already, meow. If we don't find that guy soon, it's mushroom stir-fry for dinner again, meow."
Leon leaned against a tree, squinting as he surveyed his surroundings. He had the nagging sensation that he was being watched, yet his eyes and ears picked up nothing out of the ordinary.
It was too quiet.
This part of the forest was unnervingly silent.
"Keep it down," Leon whispered. "I feel like... there's something else out here..."
Dumpling's ears twitched as he immediately went on alert. "You mean... another monster?"
Leon nodded, slowly drawing his Bone Axe as he heard the faint rustle of leaves.
A low, heavy breath broke the silence.
"It's here." Leon gripped his Bone Axe, his nerves taut as he watched for movement.
Suddenly, Dumpling's tail stood on end. He scrambled onto Leon's shoulder and hissed, "Hide, meow!"
Boom!
A thick tree nearby came crashing down, accompanied by a sudden surge of searing electricity.
Leon rolled into the brush. As soon as he landed, he saw a massive creature leap down from a trunk—
It was a Tobi-Kadachi.
The Tobi-Kadachi was covered in short, pale-gray fur, with a slender body and agile movements.
Its appearance was somewhere between a squirrel and a lizard. Bony, electrode-like growths ran along its spine from head to tail; these sacs rubbed against branches as it moved, building up a charge of static electricity.
Leon gritted his teeth. "Did it scare off the Kulu-Ya-Ku?"
Dumpling gripped Leon's shoulder and asked, "Should we retreat, meow? It... it looks really strong, meow."
Leon's gaze locked onto the Tobi-Kadachi as he fell into thought.
Sparks crackled through the woods, and for a moment, the clear afternoon felt like the eve of a lightning storm.
Finally, Leon took a deep breath and answered with resolve, "I'm not running. I want to see what I can do."
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+40 chapters) patre0n.c0m/Royal_ink]