But Astera had already become bustling early on.
Hunting the Rathalos had left Leon bedridden in his cabin for three full days; only with the help of Potions did his body finally recover.
Early this morning.
Leon went to the workshop to pick up the Rathalos set he had commissioned. In addition to the Rathalos Mail, he had crafted the helm, braces, coil, and greaves, as well as upgraded his Flame Hatchets.
While the armor skills weren't necessarily useful, the Rathalos set was a symbol of status and strength.
[EQUIPMENT: FLAME HATCHETS LV.2, KULU-YA-KU ARMOR, RATHALOS GREAVES, RATHALOS HELM, RATHALOS BRACES, RATHALOS COIL]
[EQUIPMENT SKILLS: ATTACK BOOST LV.1, FIRE ATTACK LV.1, JUMP IRONMAN LV.1, STAMINA SURGE LV.1, FIRE RESISTANCE LV.1]
It had to be said that the Rathalos set looked truly cool. Although he was still missing the chest piece, Leon was very satisfied.
The Rathalos set was dominated by crimson and silver-black tones, the metallic texture of the armor resembling scales forged from solidified lava.
The pauldrons fanned out like sharp wings, mimicking the Rathalos's flight, and every movement seemed to slice through the air with a crisp sound.
The waist was encased in heavy plating with faint traces of monster bone protruding, while the greaves featured sleek lines that balanced flexibility and defense.
The set's appearance was incredibly domineering.
Once fully geared, Leon stood before the quest board, looking at a transcript of an emergency commission.
'I've been lying around for so long, it's time to get some practice in...'
Dumpling stood by Leon's leg, his paws constantly fidgeting with the spikes on the Rathalos set. "Dumpling should get a new set of gear too, meow..." he murmured.
Hearing this, Leon looked at Dumpling and said, "We'll craft your gear as soon as we get back from this trip."
"Really?" Dumpling's eyes lit up with anticipation. "Then I want a Rathalos set too, meow!"
"No problem." Leon turned his attention back to the quest board, carefully studying the details.
[QUEST NAME: THE SCENT OF THE GREAT GIRROS]
[QUEST LEVEL: 4★]
[OBJECTIVE: HUNT A GREAT GIRROS]
[VERIFICATION ITEM: DELIVER GREAT GIRROS TONGUE]
[LOCATION: ROTTEN VALE]
[CLIENT: PARALYZED INVESTIGATOR]
[QUEST DESCRIPTION: I WAS ZAPPED FROM BEHIND BY A GREAT GIRROS IN THE ROTTEN VALE. ALTHOUGH I MANAGED TO GET BACK, THE PARALYSIS HASN'T WORN OFF-OFF-OFF YET. ONE OF MY PARTNERS IS STILL MISSING. PLEASE, HUNTERS, GO SAVE-SAVE-SAVE THEM.]
[REWARD: 3240Z]
[TIME LIMIT: EMERGENCY QUEST]
"Rotten Vale..." Leon whispered. "The Flame Hatchets should be perfect against a Great Girros..."
He knew full well that the Rotten Vale was undoubtedly the harshest region in the New World, built upon the accumulated carcasses of animals, plants, and Coral.
The excessive amount of remains in the middle and lower layers had formed massive colonies of white microbes dedicated to decomposition. These microbes, congregating like white fog, were what was known as 'effluvium.'
In reality, the Rotten Vale served a crucial role in the New World—the internal recycling system.
All Elder Dragons reaching the end of their lifespans in the New World chose the Rotten Vale as their final resting place.
Their bio-energy would be decomposed by the Vale's unique ecosystem and channeled through the New World's ley lines to other regions, fostering ecological growth.
Just as Leon reached out to pull the quest sheet, a crisp voice rang out from beside him.
"Planning on taking this quest?" Flora leaned in. As soon as she got a clear look at Leon, her face fell. "You... why are you still doing this mixed-set look? Rathalos gear paired with Kulu-Ya-Ku... the armor skills don't even synergize. What are you thinking?"
"I'm missing a Plate, so I have no choice," Leon replied. He knew Flora would have something to say about his outfit, so he didn't take it to heart and simply took down the quest sheet.
Suddenly, Dumpling retorted, "I think it's very cool, meow! It has a gap moe vibe!"
"Cool?" Coco rolled his eyes, mocking him. "That Kulu-Ya-Ku piece looks like something you scavenged..."
Ignoring the Felynes' bickering, Flora frowned and asked, "You're still injured. You just got several stitches yesterday. Why not rest for a couple more days before heading out?"
Leon took a deep breath and replied, "Almost all hunters at Rank 4 or higher are off investigating Zorah Magdaros right now. No one else is likely to take this quest, and I need to save those people."
"If you're really going, I'm in," a hearty voice interjected.
Vos had appeared behind them at some point, his gaze steady. He wore Barroth armor and carried a polished Blacksteel Lance on his back.
Beside his feet stood a Felyne wearing a cowboy hat and chewing on a toothpick—Biscuit.
"Thanks for saving Yuri," Vos said. His voice wasn't heavy, but it held a touch of sincerity. "Even though he survived mostly by luck, I still owe you one."
"I wasn't looking for a payback..." Leon shrugged. "Besides, I couldn't just stand there and watch her get roasted by a Rathalos."
"Good," Vos nodded, continuing as if it were already decided. "In that case, let's do this emergency quest together! I know the Rotten Vale like the back of my hand!"
"Don't just decide on your own..." Leon's lip twitched. He simply handed the quest sheet to Vos. "If you want to go so badly, why don't you just go by yourself?"
"No! I'm only going if you go!" Vos didn't take the sheet, instead staring at Leon with dead seriousness.
"I want to go too," Flora said suddenly. "I've wanted to see the Rotten Vale for a while now. That's the legendary 'Land of Death,' right?"
The moment she said this...
Leon and Vos both turned to look at Flora.
Leon: "..."
Vos frowned. "That's no place for you. Only Rank 4 hunters can..."
"Give it a rest," Flora interrupted. "If we're in a squad, I can go too, can't I?"
"Well..." Vos was suddenly at a loss for words.
Biscuit said leisurely, "A squad indeed lets you go, but life and squeak are up to fate..."
"Don't you worry, meow!" Coco stepped in front of Biscuit and said, "With me around, Flora will be fine."
Leon scratched his head helplessly. "I originally planned to solo this. Now one of you wants to pay a debt and the other wants an adventure. Why does this sound like a tour group?"
"What tour group?" Flora glared at Leon defiantly. "Don't think being Rank 4 is such a big deal. Don't forget who helped you keep your hunter's license."
Dumpling raised a paw in agreement. "That's right, rookie! If it weren't for Flora, you would've been kicked out long ago, meow..."
"Stop arguing, let's just go as a squad." Vos grabbed Leon's hand and headed toward the quest counter.
"Sigh, fine." Leon sighed and resigned himself to following Vos. "Getting there quickly to save people is what matters. But let's get one thing straight: you have to follow my lead when we get there."
"Follow your lead?" Flora raised an eyebrow, following behind them with her arms crossed.
"Otherwise what?" Leon said. "I'll open with my Dual Blades and maximize damage while you guys focus on pulling aggro."
Flora forced a smile. "Are you crazy?"
"Seems reasonable," Vos agreed.
The three of them registered at the quest counter and boarded the Wingdrake bound for the Rotten Vale.
The Felynes hopped onto the Wingdrake as well. Coco watched the receding base in silence, lost in thought.
Beside him, Dumpling shouted excitedly, "Rotten Vale, here we come, meow!"
"Such a pain..." Biscuit adjusted the hat on his head. "But I wuv a good scrap."
Leon had been observing Biscuit for a while now. He noticed this Felyne was quite unique; besides his slightly dazed manner of speaking, he didn't add "meow" to the end of his sentences.