The young dragon tries to conquer the world

　The body of the Scorching Dragon is mostly covered by sharp scales with a silvery-white metallic luster. Judging from the light emitted by the scales, they not only have a metallic sheen, but also have the same properties as metal.

　Perhaps because it can simultaneously manipulate two opposing energies, the left and right sides of the Scorching Dragon's body exhibit completely different color characteristics due to the influence of its own abilities. Part of its left side has orange fur and scales that look like they are burning with flames, while the red claws on its left foreleg contain the power of flames.

　The right half of its body is covered in pale white fur and scales that resemble frozen ice. Like the red claws that contain the power of fire, the claws on the right side of the Scorching Zero Dragon's body can generate intense freezing air when swung, freezing everything around it.

　"I apologize for troubling you all to come all this way. The matter is rather urgent, so I'll keep it brief. At the top of the ancient tower, we witnessed the fall of a monster we've never seen before. After the guild's initial investigation, we've named it the Scorching Zero Dragon. This is information that the Scribes' Team has urgently compiled."

　As the elder spoke, he distributed the prepared materials to the people present. It was mid-afternoon, and the crowded and chaotic state of the meeting place had long since calmed down. The atmosphere around them seemed to be slow and leisurely. There were many empty seats in the meeting place. Unlike the noisy mealtime, the hunters who came here at this time could choose their seats at will.

　After reading the report from the Scorching Zero Dragon, the hunters and scribes present all pondered it seriously. They knew about the Blazing Frost Dragon, from the Edge Lands, on the night of the Blood Moon.

　These two terms can be used to understand the location and time, as well as the protagonist, the Frost Dragon. The Edge, also known as the Extreme Land, is far away from Mejepoltan. As a notorious dead zone, not to mention living things, even plants cannot survive in the Extreme Land.

　Apart from the towering, massive rocks, there's practically nothing else to see in the Extreme Lands. Moreover, the entire sky above the Extreme Lands is filled with ominous black clouds, making the sky incredibly gloomy. If anyone hasn't seen it, the Scryers team recommends imagining the ancient kingdom of Shured in its moment of destruction.

　What initially caught the eye about the Frost Dragon was the color of its body covered by carapace and scales. Its back was mainly white, while its belly was mainly red. The strange coloration created by the mixture of these two extreme colors was revealed after further investigation to be caused by two special types of scales: white ones called "ice scales" and red ones called "flame scales".

　In terms of size, the Blazing Frost Dragon has extremely well-developed limbs and wings, and has a similar skeletal structure to large Elder Dragons such as the Wind Dragon. However, in terms of physique, the Blazing Frost Dragon is much larger than the Steel Dragon.

　In terms of appearance, the Frost Dragon has a large horn that extends out like a bayonet from the tip of its nose. Around it are many different shaped carapaces that look backward, which makes the Frost Dragon's head structure somewhat strange. The Frost Dragon's thick tail is thick and tough, and the back and tip of the tail have condensed ice pillars due to the characteristics of the ice scales.

　The process of defeating the Frost Dragon was extremely difficult. Even the strongest hunters at the time could hardly gain an advantage against it. However, the hunters fought to the end with their tenacious will and dealt a heavy blow to the Frost Dragon. After shattering its huge horn, the Frost Dragon, due to the imbalance of energy in its body, eventually froze itself due to the energy going berserk, turning into an ice sculpture facing the sky.

　Even after turning into an ice sculpture, flames continued to overflow from the Frost Dragon's body, attempting to melt the solid ice. The hunters urgently requested the merchant guild to bring a large amount of dragon attribute inhibitors and sedatives, which finally controlled the Frost Dragon's transformation.

　However, according to the Scryers' investigation, the energy of the Frost Dragon is still leaking out very slowly. It is speculated that once the Frost Dragon awakens, it will bring about a world-shaking change in the environment. At that time, the moon hanging in the sky will be stained with a scarlet color. For this reason, the Hunter's Guild is still monitoring the state of the moon in this extreme land far away from Mejepoltan.

　During the longer periods of the Red Moon, the Hunter's Guild recruits its strongest hunters to form teams to investigate, just in case. If there is a problem with the Frost Dragon's ice shell, the Hunter's Guild will immediately activate its final contingency plan.

　So how powerful is the Scorching Zero Dragon, which is so similar to the Blazing Frost Dragon? However, considering that the Scorching Zero Dragon is a completely unfamiliar monster that was only recently discovered, all the hunters present were eager to try it out. The Elder knew them, and after learning about the power of the new monster, the hunters could hardly sit still.

　"Hunters, a Scorching Dragon has appeared at the top of the Ancient Tower. This means that something has changed at the top of the Ancient Tower. The Ancient Tower is very close to Mejepoltan. If the Ancient Tower has undergone a drastic change and attracted the Scorching Dragon, it will surely cause damage to Mejepoltan before long."

　The elder paused, then continued, "Furthermore, the ancient tower contains a great deal of important information. In addition, it is one of our important hunting grounds. Therefore, it is crucial that we find out what exactly happened inside the tower. Since we are determined to solve this problem, we must..."

　Hunters need to be sent to investigate.

　The Elder put down the information about the Scorching Dragon and said solemnly, "This is a difficult task, and those who complete it will have their names recorded in the Hunter's Guild's Monster Compendium. This hunt will also be part of the license assessment. Of course, forming a party will not affect the assessment. So, I wish you all good luck in your battles!"

　Sure enough, after hearing the elder's words, the hunters were eager to go to the ancient tower to investigate the Scorching Dragon. The elder also believed in the hunters' abilities. However, if the hunters chose to hunt alone, they would not be able to help each other if something unexpected happened. Therefore, the elder hoped that they would try to conduct the investigation in teams.

　But Cerelia didn't seem interested in this. After the hunters left the meeting place arm in arm, Cerelia was still there repeating the name of the Scorching Dragon. When the elder saw that Cerelia was still there, he came up to talk to her.

　"I didn't expect that the impatient Sereria didn't run out immediately. Is there anything else you want to ask? I can tell you anything, although I don't know much, but it's better than nothing."

　"really?"

　As the Grand Elder, he was very willing to help every hunter who appeared before him, and there were indeed many difficulties waiting for Sereria on her future path, but even so, she did not intend to stop.

　"Of course."

　"If that's the case, then what is the mysterious monster that the Ancient Dragon Observation Bureau intends to investigate?" Sereria asked in a relaxed tone.

　"Well, I'm not an omniscient god, but there's a pretty high chance that eyewitnesses can be mistaken sometimes, isn't there?" the elder replied with a smile.

　"Yes, that possibility is indeed very high, but this joke is not funny. The monster that the guild actually investigated was not the Scorching Zero Dragon."

　Seeing Sereria's gaze, the Grand Elder sighed helplessly, then looked at Sibert with sympathy, his expression instantly shifting from relaxed to anxious.

　“Ceraria, you are as perceptive as ever, which is one of your strengths. Indeed, the guild did not initially investigate the Scorching Zero Dragon, but an ancient dragon called the Flame Mountain Dragon that had only been mentioned in records.”

　"Another ancient dragon? This joke isn't funny, Elder." Sereria twitched her lips, somewhat disbelieving the Elder's words.

　"The Ancient Dragon Observation Bureau did indeed see a shadow similar to the Flame Mountain Dragon. Its appearance was very similar to that of a Fanged Dragon, and the raging flames burning on its body far exceeded the size of a fortress. If the people at the Ancient Dragon Observation Bureau are not mistaken, that monster should be the Flame Mountain Dragon recorded in the ancient books."

　"But why are we investigating the Scorching Zero Dragon instead of stopping the Flame Mountain Dragon? What if the Flame Mountain Dragon reaches Mejepoltan...?"

　"Strangely enough, when the Ancient Dragon Observation Bureau first observed the Flame Mountain Dragon, it was indeed moving towards Mejepoltan. However, according to the most recent observation, the Flame Mountain Dragon's way of moving seems to have changed, and it doesn't seem to be in a hurry. Instead, it has burrowed underground."

　Sereria couldn't understand what the elder was saying for a moment. The Flame Mountain Dragon had changed its direction of travel. Could it be that there was something wrong with the prey it was tracking? Could it be that the Flame Mountain Dragon's target was behind Mejepoltan, and after the prey moved, the Flame Mountain Dragon moved in the direction of the prey?

　But such speculation seemed too easy, and Sereria felt that something was wrong, so she decided to investigate the Flame Mountain Dragon on her own. Meanwhile, Sibert, who had been neglected all along, finally spoke up.

　"Hey, hey, hey, there's a limit to how arrogant you two are! How can you so brazenly exclude me like this!"

　"Brother, so you're still here."

　"What do you mean I'm still here? Do you even consider me your brother anymore?"

　"I thought you went to have tea and chat with that old man at the library again. By the way, could you tell me about him too? I want to ask him about the Flame Peak Dragon."

　"Hey! Was I chatting over tea? I was gathering intelligence. That old man is a veteran hunter; he's very familiar with the habits and weaknesses of monsters. But if you want to go, you can, but first, pay back the money you owe me."

　How could Sereria possibly have the money to pay off her debts? But her eyes lit up, and she quickly came up with a plan. Sereria strode up to Sibert, grabbed his arm, and gently shook it, pinching her nose as she said, "Big brother, please have pity on me! Take me to see that learned old man, okay? Please~"

　"Hey, hey, stop shaking me, stop shaking me, my arm is going to break. Okay, I'll take you there."

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　Volume 1: Chapter 512 - The Songstress's Adventures

　Because of the simultaneous appearance of two Elder Dragons, and even the sudden disappearance of another Elder Dragon, the hunters of Mejepoltan focused all their energy on the Scorching Zero Dragon and the Flame Mountain Dragon, to the point that they forgot about the existence of the most dangerous Elder Dragon on the Rainbow Waterfall, the Returning Lord.

　However, the young girl has now left Ayano-Taki, although she initially left Ayano-Taki...

　She intended to head towards White Lake, but unfortunately, she only realized halfway there that she needed to molt again. This might be related to her eating the Great Dragon's Crimson Jade, but in any case, White Lake and Rainbow Waterfall are not suitable places for her to molt.

　Heading south along the Rainbow Waterfall, after passing through the Alcoris Forest along the coastline, you arrive at an area called the Thunder Desert. The Thunder Desert has sparse vegetation and a huge temperature difference between day and night. Although the environment is so harsh and there is sand flying everywhere, the Thunder Desert also has an ecosystem similar to a grassland.

　This grassland ecosystem, independent of the Thunder Desert, is called an oasis. It is mainly concentrated in the eastern part of the Thunder Desert. The oasis has a small amount of vegetation and water, which naturally makes it a place where small monsters often move around. Perhaps due to this environment, one can even mine ice crystals in the caves in the eastern region.

　In contrast, the northwestern region of the Thunder Desert has become a desert area. During the day, it is scorched by the intense sunlight, and at night, not only does it suffer from reduced visibility due to sandstorms, but it also experiences drastic temperature changes compared to the daytime. Only monsters like the Barroth and Diablos can survive here.

　The Barroth and Diablos, which were originally in the middle and upper levels of the ecological niche, had no ability to resist the Lord of the World. The Lord of the World did not even need to use the Mad Dragon Virus; the difference in size and strength alone was enough to break the heads of the Barroth and Diablos.

　Following the direction of the rising sun, the young girl dragged the corpses of the Sand Dragon and the Horned Dragon deeper into the cave next to the oasis. Although they were in the oasis, the temperature in the Thunder Desert was still high under the sun's heat. This temperature did not affect the young girl much, especially since the clothes she and Lan Mei were wearing were very light and cool.

　However, the situation was different for Melalu. Even though Melalu had removed her armor, her unsuitable black fur and long hair that had not yet shed made it difficult for the Palico's heat dissipation system to cope with the high temperature in the Thunder Desert. After following the little girl for a while, the Melalu and her companions finally chose to hide inside the scales of the Diablos to avoid the direct sunlight.

　If you have frozen mushrooms on hand, that's great. These frozen mushrooms generally grow in cold regions and have snowflake-like patterns on their surface. They are extremely water-rich; you can squeeze out a full glass of ice water just by pressing them firmly. They are rich in minerals and substances unique to frozen mushrooms, and drinking them can help you resist the heat for a while.

　However, neither the young girl nor the girl had been through the snow-capped mountains or glaciers before, so they hadn't obtained any Ice Mushrooms. Therefore, before the young girl found a suitable place, the Melalus had to hide in the gaps between the scales of the horned dragon to escape the heat.

　However, this situation changed after the young girls entered the cave. As long as they weren't directly exposed to the sun, the temperature immediately dropped, and Melalu immediately seemed to come alive, crawling out from under the horned dragon's scales and recklessly enjoying the cool air inside the cave.

　Moreover, the Melalus discovered ice crystals emitting a faint chill at the cave entrance. Immediately, as if they had seen catnip, they rushed towards the ice crystals and clung tightly to them. Only after a piece of ice crystal completely stopped emitting chill did the Melalus reluctantly release the ore they were holding.

　Fortunately, there was plenty of ice crystals in the cave. After cooling herself down, Meralu took out her pickaxe and chiseled some ice crystals from the area where they grew, carrying them with her in case of emergency.

　Before long, the young girl found a suitable place, which was the area where the ley lines converged. Absorbing the ley line energy in this place would maximize the absorption efficiency. When the young girl entered the molting stage, Melalu could only stay far away. The young girl would take care of Melalu, who was cooking for her, but the Mad Dragon Virus would not.

　"Ow~"

　With a fierce roar, the young girl quickly transformed back into the form of the Reincarnated One, and a large amount of Mad Dragon Virus immediately spread. A dark blue light gradually appeared on the Reincarnated One's chest, which also meant that the Crimson Emperor Dragon God Jade within the Reincarnated One had begun to operate, and a large amount of earth vein energy was intercepted by the Reincarnated One and began to be transported to her body.

　These dazzling and pale spots of light also lit up on the chest of the Reincarnated Lord, which meant that the Seven-Colored Dragon God Jade symbolizing the Heavenly Reincarnated Dragon and the Heavenly Sword Dragon God Jade symbolizing the Serpent King Dragon had begun to operate. A large amount of earth vein energy was drawn from the ground by the Reincarnated Lord and then transported into the three dragon jades in his body.

　As the Dragon Jade grows and enlarges, the body of the Reincarnated Lord also continues to grow larger. Judging from the changes in the previous molting, the Reincarnated Lord's body length has increased from the original seventy-two meters to about seventy-six meters. A large amount of earth vein energy is extracted by the Reincarnated Lord and flows on the surface of the Reincarnated Lord. At the same time, the high concentration of earth vein energy continuously forms crystals that envelop the Reincarnated Lord.

　Lanmei's initial idea was to watch the molting process of the Reincarnation Master up close and leave this place when the Reincarnation Master was about to be enveloped by the earth vein energy crystal. However, Lanmei chose a very bad time. When she wanted to leave, the earth vein crystal around the Reincarnation Master had completely sealed off the space for Lanmei to leave.

　This meant that Lan Mei couldn't leave at all; she was trapped inside the earth vein energy crystal along with Hui Shi Zhu. However, this crystal itself contained a high concentration of energy, so even if Lan Mei couldn't leave...

　Leaving here won't be a problem, and besides, Lanmei can take this opportunity to absorb more ley line energy.

　No one knows how long the molting process will last until it is over. However, the Thunder Desert is rich in resources. If you need vegetables, there are cacti, carrots and onions available. If you need meat, there are various small animals such as Assault Dragons and Rattlescythes that can provide plenty of meat.

　As for water resources, this is an oasis in the Thunder Desert, so there is no shortage of water. Moreover, the aura unintentionally emitted by the World Lord and the Storm Dragon is enough to keep creatures like the Rathalos and the Diablos from approaching this area.

　Meanwhile, the songstress, who had been staggering and fleeing, finally left the Alcoris Forest. As she walked through the forest, she often saw all sorts of creatures.

　For example, the blue Velociraptors encountered along the way; in the songstress's memory, Donnie's hat was made from their hides; the giant wild boar with huge teeth that kept walking back and forth; the herbivorous carapaceous dragon that looked like a turtle and was always gnawing on the sparse plants in the corner; and the giant bee that always made an annoying buzzing sound as it flew around.

　The songstress was able to traverse the Alcoris Forest in such a short time not only because of the small monsters like Velociraptors and Thiefosaurus that could be found everywhere in the Alcoris Forest, and even the possibility of encountering large monsters like Nargacuga and Deviljho, but also because of the omnipresent giant bees. Deviljho was alright, at least it looked like a monster, but the giant bees were different.

　The giant bees have huge spikes on their rear ends that are also highly venomous and paralyzing, just like the fangs of the yellow Velocidrome. They are a very annoying monster for both hunters and scribes. What's even more annoying about giant bees is that whenever you try to leave or hide, they can always find you and take advantage of your escape to strike you hard.

　The songstress didn't buy insurance from the Palico, after all, she was neither a hunter nor a member of the Scrivener team, and if she hadn't remembered her previous memories, she wouldn't have even left Mejepoltan. So, the serious thing is that the songstress only has one life, and the Palico won't come to save her.

　No, thinking about these things is useless. The songstress quickly shook her head to shake off all the fatigue and unhappiness that had accumulated over the past few days. Although she was in a dense forest, the only water source she could find was the morning dew. Other water sources were either occupied by monsters or were being used by monsters for bathing. Although she was thirsty, she could only endure it.

　Finally, just as she was about to leave the Alcoris Forest, the songstress found a clean water source. Ignoring the tears in her clothes from the branches and the bites from the mosquitoes, she immediately ran towards the water. After confirming that there were no carnivorous monsters around, she jumped in without thinking.

　"Pfft!"

　The splashing water reflected rainbow colors under the sunlight. The songstress cherished this hard-won water source. She scooped up some water with her hands and put it in her mouth. Although half of the river water dripped from the corners of her mouth, the hard-won water still made the songstress feel temporarily refreshed.

　After cleaning herself in the water, the songstress drank enough water before continuing her journey. After some thought, she abandoned the idea of ​​going to the deserted island and headed towards the Thunder Desert instead. After all, according to the information brought back by Donnie and Bass, the Lord of the Reincarnation might still be near the deserted island. So even though the survival pressure by the sea would be much less than in the Thunder Desert, the songstress still chose to go to the Thunder Desert.

　As long as an oasis is found, the survival pressure in the Thunder Desert is not too great.

　However, it turned out that the songstress was wrong. The survival pressure in the Thunder Desert was extraordinary. The scorching temperature and the parched land quickly exhausted the songstress's strength. The desert was not like a dense forest. The endless sea of ​​sand made the songstress's figure very conspicuous. Moreover, the Sand Dragon and the Dragon Devourer living in the Thunder Desert were killers lurking under the sand.

　The songstress had to be on high alert to deal with the potential threats. Poisonous insects, sand dragons, quicksand, and extreme temperatures could all kill her, but despite this, she couldn't hold on and fainted several times on the way. She struggled to crawl to a bush and then completely lost consciousness.

　So warm.

　This was the songstress's first feeling upon waking up. However, this was the Thunder Desert, where the extreme temperature difference between day and night meant there was almost no warmth. But this tangible warmth was undeniable, and the songstress even thought she was still dreaming. But as her consciousness gradually cleared, she also received tactile feedback—it was a blanket.

　The songstress suddenly sat up from the ground, only to find herself covered with a pure white, fluffy blanket. Judging from the texture of the blanket, it seemed to be the fur of some unknown monster, and the quality of the fur was extremely good; if it were sold in a shop, it wouldn't be cheap.

　Since there was such a blanket, it meant that the person taking care of her must be a hunter. It seemed she should thank that hunter properly. The songstress rubbed her head and had just stood up when she heard a familiar voice.

　"Meow meow meow, meow meow meow." You're still not well, so lie down quickly. Besides, you haven't eaten properly in a long time. I made you some meat soup, so eat some first.

　Hearing that familiar voice after so long stirred a wave of emotion in the songstress, but she never expected that the person who saved her would be...

　It was a Melaluru, who brought the soup to the songstress and urged her to drink it quickly.

　Seemingly thinking of Donnie and Bass, who often took care of her, the songstress's nose tingled and she almost cried after taking a sip of the soup. However, the aroma from the soup made her forget her tears, because the soup was really delicious.

　Not only was the meat very fresh, but the seasonings were also just right, not masking the aroma of the meat but rather bringing out its own fragrance. It also seemed that shellfish and fish and shrimp were added, which made the meat soup taste even better. The singer took two more sips, and the rich flavor and strong aroma of the meat made her forget about her table manners for a moment.

　"Meow, meow, meow." The cactus jam bread is here! This time, the bread has added soybean flour, so it tastes really good! Oh, the girl is awake.

　Another Melalu appeared. The songstress stared blankly as the second Melalu brought a bread as tall as the first one to her side. The Melalu casually picked up a soybean flour bread and placed it on the songstress's soup bowl.

　"Meow, meow, meow." Well, eat it while it's hot. The bread is fresh out of the oven, and the soybeans and cactus fruit were just picked today. They're very fresh.

　The songstress seemed unable to understand what was happening. She could only take the bread from Melalu's hand as she had instructed, break it open, and put it in her mouth. The bread was still a little hot, but it was just right for the songstress. The cactus jam tasted noticeably sweeter, and the songstress could taste the honey in it.

　When she was so full that she could eat no more, the songstress realized that she didn't know where she was. She quickly looked around and saw that the surrounding environment looked like a cave, and there was sunlight coming from above, so it must be daytime.

　Furthermore, Melalu mentioned cactus fruit and soybeans, which suggests that this place is still in the Thunder Desert. But does such a place exist in the Thunder Desert? The songstress has never been to the Thunder Desert, so she is not sure exactly where this place is.

　"Meow meow meow meow, meow meow, meow." This is a cave near an oasis on the eastern side of the Thunder Desert. We found you unconscious next to a bush when we went out to collect supplies, so we brought you back.

　Another Melaloo!

　Compared to Palicoes, hunters generally prefer Palicoes, but some hunters do hire Palicoes as their companions. The Hunter's Guild only allows hunters to bring one companion on a hunt. Of course, hunters who use bows or light or heavy crossbows may choose to hire two Palicoes due to ammunition issues.

　But she had never heard of anyone hiring three Melalus to accompany them on a hunt.

　These Melalus seemed to notice the songstress's confusion and sat down next to her. The first Melalus to appear began to explain.

　"Meow meow meow, meow, meow meow meow, meow meow." We are the Holy Maiden Knights! As you can see, the three of us are a group, responsible for protecting those we have sworn to protect. However, the one we take care of is not the hunter, but our leader.

　"Boss?"

　When Melalu arrived last, she brought some fruit and drinks. After giving some to the songstress, the three cats started chatting.

　"Meow, meow, meow, meow." Yes, it's the boss. The boss is very strong, stronger than anyone else in the world, stronger than any monster you've ever seen. And the boss is very gentle and cute, so we all want to follow the boss.

　Gentle? Indeed, she is quite gentle in her young form. At least she is willing to let Melalu eat the meat stuck between her teeth. Even the bits of meat that leak from her mouth are enough for Melalu to eat for several days. As for strength, she is undoubtedly strong.

　Yes, cute. You could say that young girls are raised on cuteness!

　Although those foods weren't exactly appealing.

　"Where is your leader? Did he go hunting? I wanted to express my gratitude in person, since you took me in and gave me such delicious food."

　"Meow meow meow, meow, meow." Our boss is still fast asleep. This often happens; he sometimes falls asleep for a while and then grows up.

　"Sleeping, growing up, is it sleeping in? I've heard that sleeping more makes you grow taller."

　"Meow, meow meow, meow meow meow." The eldest can still grow taller, right? I remember the eldest grew taller before, but the eldest doesn't sleep in late.

　Now the songstress was truly confused. Height wasn't the issue, nor was growing taller or not growing taller. But the fact that she had grown taller was a real problem.

　"Meow meow meow meow meow meow, meow." May I ask your name? If I'm not mistaken, you're not a hunter, um, I mean, not a simple person.

　Melalu's words made the songstress's heart skip a beat. Could it be that her ability to control the Dragon Machines had been exposed so quickly? But these Melalu weren't that old. At least during the Dragon Machine era, these Melalu certainly wouldn't have known. So why did they say it out loud?

　After a period of internal struggle, the songstress decided to tell her story.

　"I was originally a princess of the Ancient Shured Kingdom. Back then, the Ancient Shured Kingdom wanted to create incredibly powerful dragon mechs..."

　My indiscriminate hunting of monsters and relentless disruption of the ecological balance ultimately led to the descent of the black dragon Miraboreas, which directly destroyed the Kingdom of Ancient Shured. Yet, I survived that catastrophe.