Monster Hunter: I can hear the monsters' thoughts

Chapter 462 A Vicious Wind Rises
To be honest, if it were before, when the entire group only had the blacksmith as a craftsman, with Lin Lin and Ye Zi hunting at a frequency far exceeding that of normal hunters, his orders would likely have piled up more and more. Fortunately, now that he has taken on a little apprentice named Gemma, who can help out, his work efficiency has improved a lot.

Even so, when the blacksmith brother was not working, he would sigh with melancholy as he thought about the increasing number of orders he had received since Lin Lin Yezi joined the guild.

In just two or three months, the orders he handled included the completed Thousand Blade Dragon Shield Axe and armor, the Armored Dragon armor and Shadow Spider Insect Glaive that were now in the final stages of completion, as well as the Heavy Beetle armor and Kirin armor that came in after returning from the Primal Forest. He even had to work with Date to craft some equipment for Jump Jump.
—Well, with Jumpy's current size, it's out of the question that it can wear full armor like it did when it was a Velocidrome. However, it can use some amazing tools that will be useful in later battles.

At first glance, the workload may not seem too large, but the materials used are at least weak to the level of the map boss. The difficulty of processing them is completely different from that of basic ores or even monsters like the Jaggi and Velociraptors. The transaction amount accumulated from these orders alone is enough to keep most of the blacksmith shops in East Dorma from opening for a whole year.

Among the new orders, the Heavy Beetle Armor was one of Lin Lin's purposes in going to the Primal Forest. Its inherent protective effects include [Artillery], [Sharp Blade], [Defensive Performance], and [Hero's Shield], which can completely ignore some weak attacks due to the strength of the materials. Both its protective effects and its inherent protective strength make it a superior alternative to the Transformer Ice Shark Armor set he is currently wearing.

—Of course, most importantly, this set of equipment, besides having superior performance, is also very cool!
(The left side is the top/bottom position, and the right side is the G position. Dear readers, just choose whichever set you think is cooler. PS: What boy can resist transforming into a super robot and fighting monsters?)

The Qilin armor was to be made for Ye Zi, but Ye Zi initially refused, wanting Lin Lin to keep it for himself and make a set of armor made from genuine ancient dragon materials.

However, Lin Lin simply couldn't accept this outfit, which was the same as the Qilin Baron's outfit. In addition, he didn't have many Qilin battle-damaged dragon hides that he had collected, so even if he wanted to make equipment, he wouldn't have enough. In contrast, the Qilin female outfit, which was much more revealing and attractive, didn't have this problem.

(Yes, the collaboration with the porridge is the Kirin R set, so just use that as a reference for the appearance.)

Some people might find it strange that such revealing protective gear is the complete opposite of Lin Lin's full-body heavy armor. Can this equipment really protect the user?
When Yoko saw the design blueprints for the Thunder Wolf Dragon armor set, which were even more outrageous than the original, she also raised this question. The blacksmith explained it this way:

"Indeed, this equipment is not outstanding in terms of physical protection, but don't forget that the Qilin is an ancient dragon. Its protective power alone is enough to make up for this deficiency."

"Don't be fooled by the small amount of materials used. By using that lightning horn as the core and linking it with all the armor parts, it can generate a static energy field that can cover the entire body."

"To attack the wearer, one must first break through that energy field, thereby reducing the damage received. Physical attacks are reduced to a lower degree, only about 20-30%, while the protection against elemental attacks is much better, reducing the power by at least half. [Elf's Blessing]"

"And the effects of this full-body electrostatic field go far beyond that; it can stimulate muscle activity through static electricity, making the wearer less prone to fatigue. [Runner] + [Physical Skills]"

"Its coverage extends beyond the wearer's entire body, also encompassing the hunter's weapon, thereby enhancing the elemental energy unleashed during weapon attacks. [All Elemental Attack Enhancement]"

Lin Lin listened and felt that the name sounded somewhat familiar. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that his Thunder Wolf Dragon armor also had the effect of enhancing attribute attacks. From a macro perspective, it did seem to be similar to the Qilin set in principle.

But then I thought about it again. According to the blacksmith, the blueprints for the Qilin armor came from the legendary craftsman, the Dragon Craftsman. Maybe the old dragon man in Jieyun Village used the Dragon Craftsman's armor design ideas to make the Thunder Wolf Dragon armor?

After hearing about the powerful protection of the Kirin Set, Ye Zi's resistance to its shameful nature lessened considerably. It would be such a waste not to have such powerful equipment.

At most, it'll be like the Thunder Wolf Dragon armor set in the box, something I'll only wear when hunting with Brother Lin Lin.

Even if you want to put it on now, I can't conjure the equipment for you!

The blacksmith shook his head:

"Equipment crafted from ancient dragon materials is very powerful, but it also requires a lot of effort to make, not to mention that you have a stack of orders waiting in line."

He sighed softly:

"At the current pace, we can only finish the Armored Dragon Set and the Shadow Spider Insect Glaive at most before we reach the village of Sinard. The rest can only be crafted when we arrive in the village of Sinard."

He paused, his expression somewhat conflicted:

"The leader mentioned earlier that you were in a hurry to set off for Xinard Village, which seems to be because of the Black Eclipse Dragon that the elite team was chasing, right? It's said that the creature has been officially classified as an Elder Dragon?"

"If we actually fight it and successfully defeat it, won't my orders pile up again?"

Lin Lin: ...

I thought you had some profound insights to share! Turns out you're just worried about your future workload?
The blacksmith smiled:
"However, if that monster, renamed Tenkai Dragon, escapes, wouldn't it cause unimaginable disaster?"

"In that case, compared to my own little bit of fatigue, your success is definitely more important..."

"We must win, as a human being!"

……

After sailing on the vast ocean for three days and three nights, we finally found the small village after breaking through a thick layer of clouds.

Above the endless sea of ​​clouds, countless mountain peaks pierce the sky like sharp swords. On the edge of the mountains, between several more slender, cone-shaped peaks, lies a relatively flat area, which is where the village of Sinard is located.

Looking down from the air, you can see farmland cultivated in the village, where lush crops grow. Villagers work in twos and threes in the fields, and children run around holding windmills. The whole village looks peaceful.

"Huh? It seems like all the villagers here are dragon people?"

Sofia peeked out for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise.

She actually wanted to bring Baobao over too, so it could also enjoy the magnificent view overlooking the sea of ​​clouds, but the little dragon was probably a little afraid of heights. Ever since it had glanced down from the airship, it refused to come onto the deck while it was taking off.

"After all, the Kingdom of Xiqi is the land of the Dragon People, and Xinard Village is located within the Kingdom of Xiqi, so it's not surprising that it's full of Dragon People."

The brigade commander casually replied.

He was clutching an envelope in his hand; it was a letter from the big-nosed village chief of Jiangbo Village, entrusted to him to deliver to his relatives.

"The Kingdom of Xiqi..."

The blacksmith muttered something to himself, as if remembering something, and said, "I remember there was a legend that mentioned that the legendary Dragon Craftsman was from the Kingdom of Xiqi?"

"That's right."

The dragonman merchant smiled and nodded. "In fact, a considerable number of dragonmen's homelands are in the Kingdom of Xiqi."

"I see, meow..."

The cat chef also joined the group. It remembered that when it asked its master about the origin of its cooking skills, the master only said that it was from the far east. Now that it thought about it, could this be the place it was talking about?

The airship descended slowly, allowing everyone to take in the scenery of Sinard Village more clearly.

"Brother Lin Lin, look, there are so many windmills here!"

Ye Zi gently tugged at Lin Lin's arm; the unique local customs and culture were truly eye-opening for her.

Since traveling the world with Brother Lin Lin, the experiences I've gained are far greater than what I had while staying in the village.

Lin Lin nodded. In fact, besides windmills, ribbons tied high up and fluttering in the wind could be seen everywhere.

"That's because in our culture and beliefs, the wind is sacred, and the turning windmill is also our way of praying for blessings."

The arrival of the two airships had already attracted the attention of the villagers in this secluded little village. One of the young men, who had just finished his farm work, walked over and happened to hear Yoko's exclamation, so he spoke up to explain.

"Welcome to the village of Sinard, distinguished guests from afar."

The dragon-human merchant explained to the group in a low voice:
"Sinard, in the Dragonling language, means 'the sound of wind.' So, Sinard Village is actually the Village of the Sound of Wind."

The entire village is named after the wind, so it's easy to understand the unique significance of the wind to them.

While Lin Lin and his group were whispering among themselves, the brigade commander and Julius, as the leaders of the two teams, stepped forward to negotiate with the villagers who had gathered around.

Although Sinard Village is a village high in the sky, and the villagers live a secluded life, this does not mean that the villagers are xenophobic. On the contrary, the simple and honest villagers are quite welcoming to visitors.

So the group and the members of the elite squad set foot on the land of Sinard Village, each splitting up to talk to the local villagers and inquire about things they were interested in—the dragon-man merchants were planning to open a new trade route, the cat chef wanted to confirm whether his culinary skills originated from here, and the hunters were asking around to see if there had been any unusual events recently, hoping to find news of the Heavenly Returning Dragon.

Unlike in the original storyline, the brigade leader didn't go around searching for the pure white dragon scale. After returning to Jiangbo Village from the primeval forest, the first thing Lin Lin did when he approached the brigade leader was to show him the materials he had collected from the ancient dragon battlefield.

Those were scales of the Heavenly Returning Dragon, their platinum luster shimmering with dazzling light. Although there were subtle differences in color compared to the pure white dragon scale in the brigade commander's hand, their texture, shape, and size made it immediately clear that they originated from the same source. ①
With time running out, Lin Lin didn't have time to let the brigade leader find the answer at the end of the journey on his own. He simply recounted what had happened in the primeval forest.

The brigade commander, upon learning the truth, was indeed momentarily downcast by the story behind the dragon scale. However, he quickly rallied, recognizing the gravity of the matter, and swiftly completed the arrangements, arriving at Xinard Village as quickly as possible.

Right now, he was clutching the envelope the big-nosed village chief had given him, pestering an elderly dragon-man who served as a village elder:
"Please, please allow me to meet the High Priest of your village!"

The elder dragon-human glanced subtly at the amiable young dragon-human beside him, his expression showing reluctance:

"I'm sorry, but the High Priest usually resides in the temple. Is there anything you need that I can relay?"

"It's a letter. I promised them that I would personally deliver it to the head monk of Xinaer Village."

The kind-looking young dragonman looked puzzled. He thought and thought and realized that apart from that person, it was almost impossible for anyone else to want to send a letter to the isolated village of Sinard.

But that person was clearly very wild and only liked to wander around. When did he change his nature and start sending letters home?

"My brother asked you to do this, right? I'm so sorry to have troubled you."

The brigade commander was stunned for a moment, looking at the ordinary-looking young farmer in front of him.

The young man gave the elder an apologetic look and continued, "As you can see, I am the current head monk of Xinard Village."

The brigade commander then carefully examined the young man's appearance for a moment and found that he did indeed resemble the village chief of Jiangbo Village—the village chief's nose was unusually large, while the young man's ears were larger and longer than those of other dragon people. Putting aside this difference, the two actually looked quite alike.

The brigade commander then handed the letter to the chief monk.

The other party didn't shy away from it and opened the envelope to read it on the spot. However, as he read, his expression gradually changed from the joy and excitement of receiving a letter from home to worry and gloom.

After a long while, the senior monk put down the letter, sighed, and muttered to himself:

"God descended from the sky and punished those creatures; an evil wind blew and dyed the Sky Mountain black."

Upon hearing this, the elder standing nearby widened his eyes like saucers, his face turning extremely grim.

"Could it be that?"

The head monk sighed:
"This is a message brought by my elder brother, the previous abbot."

"The evil winds are about to sweep across Sky Mountain once again, history is about to repeat itself, but I no longer have the power to seal the gods like my ancestors did."

(End of this chapter)