The young dragon tries to conquer the world

　“Oh?” Cornelius gave a short reply, and Sibeth nodded before continuing.

　“I like to carefully investigate my opponents and the hunting grounds beforehand to ensure the success of the hunt, but sometimes that guy just charges in recklessly based on intuition, and not just making baseless guesses or taking a chance. Whenever she does that, she always gets amazing results. I can only conclude that she has an extraordinary ability.”

　"That's it."

　It seems that Sibert is the kind of hunter who carefully observes the movements and habits of every monster and hunts with a down-to-earth approach, while her sister possesses extraordinary concentration and acts on instinct. As Sibert said, such hunters have an unreliable side, but with proper training, they can definitely unleash amazing energy.

　"If I want to continue hunting with her, I must also have Cerelia's keen intuition."

　“I’m telling you, those things don’t just appear out of thin air,” Cornelius couldn’t help but pour cold water on his enthusiasm. It is precisely because intuition cannot be understood or analyzed through the mind that it holds such an important place today.

　"Maybe, but I might be saved by her intuition countless times in the future. Of course, she won't take it to heart, but as her partner, I can't be a burden to her."

　"Hmm. What are your true thoughts?" Cornelius asked again, and Sibert suddenly clenched her lips as if hit in a vital spot, but quickly recovered and answered.

　"As a fellow hunter, I am very unwilling."

　"Hmph, I'm not some kind of tutor. But never mind, I just happen to have a commission to go out on. If you can help me, I'll solve this problem for you."

　"Really!

　"Thank you so much!" Cornelius nodded noncommittally, then went to the counter to complete the formalities. Soon after, the two made all the preparations and headed to the Alcoris region. The Forest Hill Hunting Grounds were not far from Dongdorma, about a three-day journey. Cornelius and Sibert arrived at the hunter camp belonging to the Forest Hill Hunting Grounds.

　The camp here looks as if it were carved out of the rocky mountain. It is tightly protected by the surrounding stone walls, and even the top is covered by the dense bushes growing nearby, which seems to help the hunters hide the place from monsters such as flying dragons that soar through the sky. Although it makes use of the natural terrain, it still gives people a sense of surprise and wonder.

　Beside Cornelius, who was scouting the camp, Sibert was organizing the equipment he was carrying.

　He brought everything he could carry. Upon closer inspection, there were five finished Large Bomb Gs, five Large Bombs, five Flash Bombs, and one set each of traps and paralysis traps. He also prepared three sets each of trap-making materials, trap tools, and nets. Since the spikes on the tail of the female Rathian were highly poisonous, he also brought antidotes. Of course, he didn't forget the basic items such as dye balls, healing potions, food, and a whetstone.

　"Alright, let's go!" After putting the large explosive bombs, which he didn't need for the time being, and the trap materials into the toolbox in the camp, Sibert prepared for the hunt. Cornelius had been leisurely watching him make various preparations since the beginning. Of course, he wasn't being lazy; he just didn't carry as many tools as Sibert.

　"Is everything ready?" Upon hearing Cornelius's question, Sibert, who was carefully checking the equipment and props, immediately looked up.

　"Ah, I've fought Rathian many times before."

　By simply looking at what Sibert prepares, one can understand the order of his actions during the hunt. Moreover, it is a very suitable strategy when facing a female Rathalos.

　Perhaps Sibert would observe his opponent's actions after the hunt begins, set up traps and paralysis traps when he actually starts attacking, and once the opponent's actions are controlled, he would immediately use the Mega Bomb G and Mega Bomb to greatly weaken the target's stamina. Then he would use flashbangs to blur the prey's vision, and launch an attack with the Demon God Slash Blade when it is relatively safe.

　According to Sibert, this was the sequence of actions he had determined after countless battles with the female Rathian. Cornelius considered it a tactic that combined safety and efficiency—a textbook combination.

　It seems that Sibert and his companions didn't learn from any senior hunters before becoming hunters. In other words, this was entirely their own method. Despite their young age, their thinking was remarkably meticulous. Cornelius couldn't help but admire Sibert's strength, but the thought of how Sibert might react to his next words made him smirk.

　"Sibert, although you've prepared so many props, I'm sorry, but please try not to use them this time."

　Volume 1: Chapter 448 - The Mysterious Songstress

　"Huh?" Sibert stared blankly, tilting his head to the side. This reaction was exactly what Cornelius had predicted. "In addition, try not to engage in unnecessary attacks such as cutting off the tail, breaking the head, or breaking the claws. The purpose of this mission is to slowly deplete the opponent's stamina under extreme conditions and then capture it."

　Upon hearing Cornelius's words, Sibert would undoubtedly rethink the battle sequence in his mind. Just as Cornelius had predicted, the increased difficulty of the battle under such harsh conditions made Sibert's expression look as if he had been gnawed by insects.

　"Haha, is it that difficult?"

　"Is that even a question? Flashbangs won't work?"

　"Oh, no."

　Ah, her gaze is becoming increasingly melancholy.

　"Don't worry, just follow my instructions this time. But since this is our first time teaming up, I don't know if you trust me."

　“Of course I trust you. After all, you’re a guild knight. And I rarely have the chance to hunt with hunters other than my sister, so I’m very happy. But can you tell me why we can’t use items or damage certain parts?” Sibert asked with the typical youthful spirit.

　"Hehe, seeing how direct you are, I feel bad not answering you."

　If I could hear my own arrogance at this moment

　Speaking slowly, someone somewhere would definitely retort with "Shut up, you're so noisy!" Cornelius suddenly thought of a hunter he was on good terms with, and couldn't help but smile bitterly. "The content of this commission is to find a way to deal with the female Rathian that is occupying the Forest Hills. If it were just that, there would be no need to pay too much attention to it. However, the important thing is not hunting the female Rathian, but the trade route that the female Rathian occupies. It is said that a secret of Mejepoltan is hidden in it, so the Hunter's Guild wants me to retrieve it."

　"The secret of Mejpoldan? That place isn't..."

　"Hmm, as you thought, but I'm not entirely sure of the specific reasons. Judging from the Hunter's Guild, they don't seem to care much about it, but the Grand Elder is very concerned. Of course, the main reason isn't that, but rather that the Gathering Hall wants a female Rathalos as a sparring partner for novice hunters, or that some scholars want to observe the female Rathalos's ecology and habits more closely, and so on. Therefore, we can't cause too much damage to the female Rathalos."

　"So that's how it is. In fact, that's the root of the problem. After all, if we cut off its tail here, we can't conduct the training."

　"Understood?"

　"I understand, but this matter is still tricky."

　"well enough."

　"However, I will try my best. If I can't even do something like this, I don't deserve your help."

　"Alright, let's go then. Just in case, let me remind you in advance: if anyone encounters danger, don't hesitate to use flashbangs."

　"understood."

　“Okay.” Cornelius nodded, gently straightened his wide-brimmed hat, then slung the paralysis trap used to capture the female Rathian over his back, confirmed that the capture tranquilizer darts were loaded, and left the camp.

　The Alcoris region, a hunting ground commonly known as the Forest Hills, consists of two areas: the Hillkor Forest and the Hillton Hills. At the heart of the hunting grounds is a towering rocky mountain, surrounded at its foot by the vast Hillkor Forest, rich in mushrooms and mineral resources, a true bounty of nature. Beyond the forest lies the Hillton Hills, bathed in sunlight, with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

　Cornelius and Sibert headed towards the nearest hilly area, hoping to encounter the Rathian in a relatively open area if possible. Unless a hunter has been hunting the same monster repeatedly, there will always be some time between hunts. Even experienced hunters can have subtle differences in their perception, which can slightly dull their intuition. Therefore, even when facing a monster they've encountered countless times, hunters will still allow time for observation.

　Therefore, they would naturally prefer to encounter them in a relatively spacious area.

　However, there was no sign of female Rathalos in the entire hilly area; only a few wild herbivorous Rathalos were leisurely grazing on the tender grass shoots and wildflowers sprouting from the grass.

　"How leisurely!"

　Cornelius spoke while constantly scanning his surroundings. Even the female Rathalos, known as the Queen of the Land, often prioritized aerial routes when moving, perfectly befitting her species, the Flying Wyvern. Therefore, Cornelius used the shade of his hat to shield himself from the sun and looked up at the sky.

　"Unfortunately, there is absolutely no sign of the presence of the female Rathalos."

　“There’s no other way, let’s go to the Hillkorre Forest and take a look.” After Cornelius finished speaking, Sibert nodded immediately. In the Hillkorre Forest, there are only two areas where large monsters like female Rathalos can roam. One is the central area of ​​the Hillkorre Forest, which is an open space. Although the space is not large, the surrounding vegetation is lush, and herbivorous dragons often go to that area to forage. Moreover, the visibility is also quite good.

　Another relatively dangerous place is where you should leave immediately if you encounter a female Rathalos. It is a narrow passage between two vertical rock walls, with the top covered by a dense forest, making it look like a green tunnel.

　Compared to the central area of ​​the Hillkor Forest, the space for movement here is extremely limited. The narrow, passageway-like area is just large enough for monsters to pass through. If attacked in this area, without a sturdy shield, the only option is to run for your life, especially since this is also a place where some very troublesome monsters lie in wait.

　“Let’s go.” Cornelius loaded bullets into the Reverse Sands and then urged Sibert to move quickly. In the meadow surrounding the northeastern part of the hilly area, there was a path sandwiched between two giant rocks. At the end of the path lay the troublesome green corridor, and the temperature dropped instantly upon entering the forest; the moist, cool air caressed their faces. Because countless branches and leaves blocked the sunlight overhead, it was somewhat dim here, a stark contrast to the bright weather outside.

　Importantly, the activity of insects and small animals has increased significantly compared to outside, and most importantly, those troublesome creatures are indeed waiting here.

　"Meow, meow."

　"Meow meow."

　"Meow!"

　If you listen carefully, you will hear a very unique call coming from deep in the forest.

　"Wow!" Sibert couldn't help but sigh.

　"Just as I expected."

　Although they cannot yet be seen, Cornelius, or rather every hunter, knows them very well. They can be found in any hunting ground and have hindered hunters' hunting efforts countless times. These upright monsters are about the waist tall of Cornelius, with soft, jet-black fur all over their bodies, except for part of their faces, their fore and hind legs, and the tip of their tails, which are white.

　Their distinctive features are round blue eyes and straight whiskers. They wield sticks that resemble cat paws and are wielded by one-handed swords. They wear rough scarves made of vines and carry small pouches for their spoils.

　Even when they appear right in front of you, they'll initially lick their front paws and wipe their faces, feigning an adorable wash, completely concealing their murderous intent as they stealthily approach. Then, regardless of whether they find a good opportunity to strike, they'll attack the hunter with their cat-like paws. Stealing an item from your inventory is utterly despicable.

　This is a monster belonging to the orc race, named Black Cat, or you could call it Melalu.

　"Let's go."

　Sibert used a katana, a weapon that wasn't very agile. He hated these creatures even more than Cornelius, and his expression grew increasingly grim. Indeed, there were five black cats jumping around in the green tunnel, looking rather cute.

　"Sorry."

　Cornelius removed the Reverse Sand and held it in front of him, then fired without hesitation.

　"Meow!" All the bullets hit their mark, and the five black cats scattered and fled like little spiders, immediately leaving the place where they had been playing.

　"You're really something," Sibert said in surprise. He had heard that some hunters had been fooled by their cute appearance and failed to attack in time, resulting in considerable trouble. It seemed that Sibert not only used a somewhat slow weapon, but also lacked complete mental composure, which was why he found the black cat so difficult to deal with. Of course, Cornelius was not a completely cold-blooded villain.

　“I already held back, using LV1 normal ammo. Just to make them back down.” After shrugging slightly, Cornelius folded up the Reverse Sand and headed deeper into the tunnel. At the southern end of the green corridor exit area was a small pond, one of the drinking spots for large monsters. The two still couldn't sense the presence of the female Rathalos. However, they still checked the pond, and sure enough, it wasn't there.

　Cornelius and Sibert were about to turn back to the green corridor when suddenly they heard a hissing sound from above, as if the membranes of a flying dragon monster were tearing through the air.

　"They're here!"

　"It's hopeless. If only we could fight in a more spacious place." The female Rathalos flew straight towards the pond. Cornelius and Sibert each hid in the shadow of a rock wall, carefully observing the situation. Due to the obstruction of their view by the rock wall, trees, and branches, they could not yet see the female Rathalos's body, but its terrifying aura was indeed rapidly approaching.

　They felt a pressure from above, and on the other side of their vision, the shadows cast on the ground grew increasingly dense. A colossal body, not in their field of vision but undeniably present, began to slowly descend from the sky. The gale-force winds whipped up by its wings caused the surrounding branches to sway violently, scattering countless leaves. Dust billowed across the ground, and the dense foliage above, bent by the winds or the weight of the wings themselves, created a hollow—through which the female Rathalos entered the green tunnel.

　Coincidentally, it was facing away from the two people.

　On the other side of the Hillkole Forest, inside the rocky mountain in the center of the hunting grounds, any hunter who manages to reach this place will be astonished by the scenery inside the rocky mountain, because the inside of the rocky mountain is hollow, and inside the rocky mountain is a huge mountain lake. In the center of the lake is a huge tree that is as thick as five people can hug, and five white ribbons extend from the trunk. The ends of the ribbons are tied to the stone pillars next to it, and torches are burning at the top of the stone pillars, indicating that someone has been taking care of this place.

　"Meow, what? Meow, it must be a human hunter, meow. Don't try to persuade me, meow. You're definitely here to laugh at me, right, meow? I'm so angry, meow. Get away from me, meow."

　A pure white Felyne with gray ears and paws stood respectfully in front of a tree, seemingly deep in thought. Suddenly sensing something, the Felyne turned around and shouted out the words it had been holding back. To its surprise, there was no one behind it. Panicked, the Felyne turned back to look at the tree, but still, there was no one there. The Felyne panicked completely, and its fur stood on end like an explosion.

　The Palico, now in defensive stance, didn't care about the mud on its clothes and cautiously lay down on the ground. Suddenly, the Palico felt the call of death and tremblingly turned its head to look behind it. This time, it finally saw clearly what it was: not a human hunter, but a dragonman.

　Before the Palico could even think, its body reacted instinctively, pulling out the Horned Palico hammer from behind and smashing it down.

　The so-called dragonman, but the next second, Felyne felt as if her body had been pierced by a unicorn dragon. Felyne flew backward and crashed into a tree, causing a pile of leaves to fall from the tree. Felyne, who had instantly lost consciousness, was on the verge of death, but the so-called dragonman did not want to kill Felyne. He glanced at her indifferently and prepared to leave.

　The young girl didn't know what the Palico was going to do, but in her perception, the tree in front of her was a little strange, but that was all. It wasn't edible. After shedding her skin, the young girl's hair turned completely platinum blonde, while her original black and purple hair only left a small strand at her temples, which was not visible unless you looked closely. The young girl's hairstyle also changed from a high ponytail to twin ponytails, and the excess hair was turned into pretty bows.

　Her hair was casually tied up on both sides and hung down in front of her. Her clothes were no longer the blue and white sailor uniform, but a pure white coat with pink stripes adorning the seams. However, since the main color was white, the pink stripes did not overshadow the white; instead, they looked quite harmonious. Her original white skirt hadn't changed much, except that it was a bit shorter than before, but it still covered her knees. Otherwise, Lan Mei would be jealous.

　Below her long, fair legs were a pair of light pink sneakers. Overall, the little girl's outfit was completely different from before. However, the girl next to her, Lanmei, hadn't changed much. But to match the little girl's clothes, Lanmei also chose a more sporty style, changing from a long skirt to a military-style jacket. But aesthetics took precedence over practicality, so Lanmei's clothes looked more like a performance outfit than a military uniform.

　If you look closely, you can see that Arashi's current outfit is quite similar to the outfit worn by the young girl. Both have a gorgeous top, white boots, and a pure white skirt, just like her performance costume. However, Arashi's outfit is indeed more refined than the young girl's.

　After the young girl and Lanmei left the cave in the rocky mountain, a blonde woman carefully emerged from behind a tree. After confirming that the young girl was gone, the woman mustered her courage and placed her palm on the Palico's chest. After feeling that the Palico still had a faint heartbeat, the woman softly hummed an ancient song. As she hummed the song, a faint green light shimmered in the woman's palm. Under the green light, the Palico, who was chatting with its great-grandmother, suddenly felt someone pulling it back.

　P.S.: Hmm~ o(*￣▽￣*)o Well then, I won't abandon the Legend of Sword and Fairy manuscript for now. I might write it as a side story later. For now, let's continue writing the Monster Hunter side~

　PS2: Happy Winter Solstice! I ate mackerel dumplings!

　Volume 1: 449 - The Ungrateful Hunter

　It's no exaggeration to say that even if the little girl appeared in front of Bai Feng and Mary now, they might not be able to recognize her. This is not only because the little girl's clothes have changed, but more importantly, the color of her hair and even her face have matured. The change in hair color is naturally very obvious, and as for her face, according to Lan Mei's opinion, compared to the little girl's silly face before, although she still has a bit of baby fat, she looks much more dignified now.

　To put it bluntly, she transformed from a silly little girl into the most popular young lady in a noble family. However, this only applies when the little girl is quiet. When it's time to eat or play, she reveals her true nature. After completing her molting on the Origin Island, the place no longer holds any appeal for her, since she blew up half of the island. As for that lazy, black dragon, she has even less interest in it.

　With Melalus and the others by their side, the young girl and Lan Mei followed the warm ocean currents in the West Dragon Ocean to an unfamiliar area and landed there. They learned from the locals that the area was called Mejpoldan.

　After exploring, Lanmei discovered that unlike the Star Bases of the New World, such as Flame Village, Elgard, Yukumo Village, and Sinard Village, Mezeportan, as a base, was quite special. It seemed that it had its own unique system. In fact, there was indeed a department dedicated to Mezeportan within the Hunter Guild, and its internal structure was almost identical to that of the Hunter Guild.

　Information about Mezeportan is rarely released within the Hunter's Guild. Due to its unique nature, other places only know that this mysterious place exists; in reality...

　Very few hunters come here. Some might think it's because Mejpoldan is too far from the mainland. Unfortunately, Mejpoldan is actually not far from the Old World. It's even located southwest of East Dorma, separated from East Dorma only by the Kruk Sea.

　However, Mejepoltan is unique in that it is adjacent to a large unexplored area, such as the Alcoris Forest in the Forest Hills and the Metape Forest in the Old Forest, as well as the Leopold Plains and Kipling Desert that border the West Dragon Ocean. Because it is close to the coast, one needs to pass through Mejepoltan to reach this unexplored area. Therefore, the Hunter's Guild has given Mejepoltan the code name of the border.

　Of course, the uniqueness of Mejpoldan goes far beyond this. Because the situation in the unexplored areas is extremely special, the monster classification in the border is quite different from that in the New World and the Old World. Due to the initial exploration, the monsters here were initially classified according to their strength. In addition to the original species, subspecies, and rare species that are clearly analyzed according to the classification method of the Old World, the border also has further subdivided monsters into variant species, strange species, strong species, domineering species, fierce species, primal species, migratory species, and alien species.

　"...So everyone must remember, there are more weapon types to choose from here. In addition to the fourteen familiar weapons, there are also the Dragon Piercer and the Magnet Hammer. However, only hunters who have passed the Hunter Exam can choose these two weapons. Also, the G-Rank Hunter Exam will be reopening soon, and we hope..."

　For everyone who comes to Mejpoldan, whether merchant or hunter, Florence, as the receptionist, will do her best to deliver Mejpoldan's intelligence and information to everyone, because Mejpoldan is too special. However, this time Florence saw a magical little fellow. If you call her a hunter, her small body doesn't look like a hunter at all. But if you don't call her a hunter, then you can't say that anyone who can come to Mejpoldan is an ordinary person.

　The meeting place in Mejpoldan wasn't built next to the tavern, making the tavern even noisier. The strong smell of alcohol mixed with the aroma of food, along with wisps of smoke carrying the scent of tobacco, making one feel as if they were lost in a misty mountain. At first, no one noticed the young girl and Lan Mei, since their attire was completely out of place. But even those who caught a glimpse of them reacted as if they had seen a pebble or weed by the roadside.

　"Hey!"

　Hearing the voice behind her, the little girl glanced at the person behind her without caring, "Don't stand there in the doorway, you're blocking the way, get out of the way."

　The man only said those words before staggering and nearly bumping into Lan Mei. He then walked straight into the tavern. Judging from his appearance, the other party's hunter level was quite high, which could be proven by the tail crystal scorpion series armor worn by the four men. Moreover, the hard scorpion tail carapace had already been worn thin.

　The tavern fell silent. But then a loud thud came from the side, as if something had been hit, and the silence vanished as if it were an illusion, and the tavern became lively again.

　On the other side, in the Hillkor Forest, what first caught Cornelius's eye was the vibrant emerald green covering his entire body. Under the sunlight, the dazzling reflection was particularly eye-catching in the dim area. The hardness of those shells and scales made it hard to believe that they were all made by a living creature itself.

　Its well-developed muscles not only support a massive body that is more than ten times larger than a human, but also give it the ability to move freely. It also has membranous wings that allow such a body to fly high into the sky. Their size is even more unimaginable, and when unfolded, they are several times larger than the body.

　Its long neck led to a head covered in sharp scales, and its tail alone was thicker and longer than the torso of an average adult, whipping around with tremendous force. If it struck a hunter in a vulnerable spot, it would instantly pierce through their artificial armor. Cornelius often thought of hunters who faced such monsters for the first time; they usually shared the same thought: even if it was out of necessity, wouldn't they feel despair when confronting such a gigantic creature?

　The female Rathalos, bearing the title of Queen, appeared before Cornelius and Sibelius with a majestic and arrogant demeanor. Sibelius, unsure of what to do, waited silently for Cornelius's instructions. The Guild Knight nodded, loaded another type of bullet into the Reverse Sand, and then launched an attack.

　After the bullet struck the Rathian's neck where it met its body, a strong odor suddenly spread out. It seemed that what he had just fired was not an ordinary bullet, but a dye bullet. The green queen, who had been facing away from the two of them, suddenly turned around and took a deep breath.

　"Roar!" The powerful roar echoed throughout the green tunnel, and Cornelius and Sibert instinctively covered their ears.

　"coming!"

　The moment their bodies regained their freedom was almost simultaneous with the female Rathalos's right foot stepping out. Her enormous body, several times the size of a human, suddenly accelerated, seemingly unconcerned about crashing into the rock wall in the confined space. With wide, sweeping movements, Cornelius and Sibert leaped to the left and right respectively, barely dodging the impact. Just as they had anticipated, they plunged into the air...

　The female Rathalos was quickly stopped by the rocks, but she straightened up as if nothing had happened a moment later.

　With a low growl, it deftly changed its orientation on the spot using its two hind legs. The movement appeared slow.