Not long after Logan and Aki left, the Wingdrake corpses shrank slightly. Soon, a thin, grayish miasma seeped from their mouths, nostrils, and wounds—drifting northward with clear intent.
Only then did the stench of rot replace the scent of blood, spreading through the forest. One by one, Carrion Birds began to gather, pecking and tearing at the already nutrient-depleted carcasses.
In the northeast of the Ancient Forest, near the Great Ravine, a Teostra flew above the treetops.
It did not care for the forest environment—in truth, it even disliked it.
Not only because a single lapse in controlling its power could set the woods ablaze, but also because the temperate climate of this place always felt uncomfortably chilly to it.
The stench was in the air again.
The Teostra climbed higher, slowly releasing its power. The temperature in the area began to rise steadily.
Only when it reached a certain threshold and the foul odor began to diminish did the Teostra hold the temperature steady.
For a full half hour, it maintained this heat until the smell had fully dispersed, then resumed its search along the forest's edge.
What it did not realize was that this sudden spike and drop in temperature made the lower layers of the Ancient Forest even more humid and warm.
Already rich in fungal growth, the lower levels had now become an even better breeding ground for spores.
Pure white spores, like delicate petals, began to multiply in great numbers. Carried by gentle breezes, they slowly filled the air, as though transforming the forest's lower reaches into a vast ceremonial hall—solemnly awaiting the arrival of a certain being, laying down a path of white flowers in its honor.
Two days later, Logan and Aki finally reached their destination.
That calling sensation had only given Logan a rough area; the exact target still had to be found.
But this was forest, not wasteland—while flying offered a broader view, the dense trees below still severely limited his sight.
Searching here was far more difficult than the last time in the Wildspire Waste. Every time he sensed something unusual, Aki had to descend for closer inspection.
At moments like this, Logan was glad he had called Aki along.
A pair of Fire Wyverns—one excelling in aerial combat, the other in ground combat—was an evolution and a pairing that made perfect sense.
In terms of both safety and combat effectiveness, the combination offered far greater security.
Especially in the Ancient Forest, where beyond the mid-level woodland there was also the lower region, a tangled network of vines, roots, and caves.
Once inside, Logan found he could rise no more than ten meters before hitting the canopy.
At such a height, a Flying Wyvern's altitude was pushed to its limit, and the hanging webs of vines and protruding roots above made it difficult to even spread his wings, further robbing him of maneuverability in the air.
In truth, the Ancient Tree's lower layer only offered about seven meters of actual flight clearance—a height large monsters could reach with a single leap.
This was why Logan loathed entering the lower levels of the Ancient Tree.
Aki, by comparison, was uncomfortable too, but she could tolerate it. Her combat capabilities were affected, but not to a crippling degree.
In this frustrating and restrictive part of the forest, Logan and Aki searched for three full days without finding their target.
Perhaps it was the spore-breeding season, for the number of airborne spores had increased sharply, constantly making their noses itch.
For Logan in particular, needing greater lung capacity for flight meant that whenever he flew low through the forest, the unpleasant air quickly made him feel miserable.
His mood steadily soured in such an oppressive environment.
At night, they found a tall cliff to rest on. After eating, the two nestled together, letting the evening wind wash over them.
But neither Logan nor Aki showed their usual closeness tonight. From the way Logan kept lifting his head to glance at the pitch-black forest below, it was clear his mood was truly foul.
Meanwhile, in a Wyverian settlement in this region, a young Wyverian woman with three diamond-shaped, crimson scales on her forehead gazed at the moonlit sky. Her eyes were vacant, lifeless—until, under the moonlight, they gradually shifted into blue, vertical pupils.
"Target of hatred, where are you? Without finding you, my heart cannot rest."
The Wyverian girl at that moment seemed like a lifeless puppet, repeating the words without joy or sorrow.
After a long while, her pupils shifted back to black.
A second later, she clutched her chest, gasping for breath. She looked utterly exhausted, eyes still haunted as she glanced toward the distance. Then, stretching her long legs, she ran toward the small, fire-lit huts of the tribe.
The moment the Wyverian girl returned to normal was the same moment Logan closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.
The next day, Logan and Aki set out once again on their search.
At the same time, the Wyverian girl donned a specially made leaf cloak, fastened her weapon at her waist, gave a small nod to the ancient Wyverian seated as always on a tree trunk, and left the tribal grounds without hesitation.
"Hmm… is the one bound by resonance guiding the way for good… or for ill?"
Through an age that had witnessed far too much, even the ancient Wyverian could not be certain why, after so many years, someone in the tribe had awakened as one bound by resonance.
And with what creature had she resonated?
In recent years, the New World had seen great monsters stirring with increasing frequency. Perhaps in just a few decades, that great being would awaken—and the culprit behind it all might also be nearing the moment of birth.
"Is it the King of Elder Dragons? Or that great existence? Or perhaps some new, unknown monster?"
The heavy voice echoed here, but even after long contemplation, the ancient Wyverian could find no answer.
At last, he gazed toward the depths of the New World and sighed.
The endless cycle of slumber and awakening—when that day arrives, will it mean rebirth for the New World… or its destruction?
...
Another day of searching, and as always, they found nothing.
Logan now stood atop a cliff, spreading his wings wide and roaring to ease the stifling weight in his chest.
He felt unbearably uneasy, his mind a tangled mess.
One voice kept urging him to leave the Ancient Forest at once.
Another told him to stay and finish the target of this journey.
As time passed, Logan noticed the bad feeling growing stronger, like a countdown ticking away.
Whenever he flew high into the sky, the sensation weakened; but when he lowered his altitude over the forest canopy, it engulfed him again.
In his perception, the entire forest seemed to be covered by a dangerous net, threatening all weaker creatures that dwelled within.
A Fire Wyvern could fly, had stamina, and could leave the forest.
But what about the cats?
And so Logan wrestled with the decision: should he keep searching for his target here…
Or should he abandon this mission, return to the Ancient Tree at once, and prepare for whatever danger lay ahead?
While he was still caught in that turmoil, the clear, lingering sound of a flute reached his ears.
It was just a sound—yet Logan felt as if it were calling to him.
He didn't quite understand, but after some thought, he called out to Aki, then flew toward where the sound had come from.
The flute's melody ended abruptly not long after.
Though he didn't know what had happened, Logan had already locked on to the general direction. His wingbeats quickened, stirring gusts of wind as he sped toward it.
...
In the Yian Garuga's territory, the Wyverian girl used the terrain to her advantage, constantly dodging the monster's attacks from behind.
Bursts of fireballs spewed from the beak of the black Yian Garuga overhead, acting like a mobile artillery piece, raining down attacks on the tiny figure that had suddenly appeared on the ground.
Within this Yian Garuga's territory, the only living beings left were the black Yian Garuga and the Wyverian girl. Clearly, every other Yian Garuga in the area had been slaughtered to the last.
Though she looked a bit disheveled under the black Yian Garuga's assault, the Wyverian girl kept her composure, executing evasive maneuvers with precision. Other than being covered in dust from the explosions, she had not actually suffered any injuries.
When Logan and Aki arrived, the black Yian Garuga immediately noticed them.
It instantly abandoned its attack on the Wyverian girl and shifted its focus to Logan and Aki.
Logan's gaze fell on the ground, where a dozen Yian Garuga corpses lay scattered, before settling on the battered, scar-covered black Yian Garuga before him—a specimen larger than its kind.
"A Scarred Yian Garuga, huh?"
With just one glance, Logan knew this was his target.
Unlike ordinary black Yian Garuga, the Scarred Yian Garuga of the New World was more than just a bird wyvern covered in battle scars—it was a tempered specimen.
Its combat style and fighting power far surpassed others of its kind, even exceeding its normal ecological niche.
But that wasn't what puzzled Logan. Even if it was a Scarred Yian Garuga, a Rathalos was still its natural predator—especially when Logan was no ordinary Rathalos.
What made him curious was this: by the Yian Garuga's usual behavior, wiping out the Yian Garuga population in a territory wasn't entirely abnormal—unless it had killed nearly every Yian Garuga in the entire forest region.
But a Yian Garuga, even a Scarred one, was a creature that relished battle, not mindless slaughter. It wouldn't usually waste its energy on something so unrewarding.
And as for the idea that this Scarred Yian Garuga had not only killed Yian Garuga but also hunted other monsters?
Logan didn't believe that for a second. It simply didn't have that kind of power.
Even if other large monsters couldn't defeat it, they could at least escape.
But regardless of the circumstances, since the target was this Scarred Yian Garuga, Logan was going to take it down.
Without another word, the battle began.
And it wasn't Logan who struck first—instead, the Scarred Yian Garuga charged straight at them.
Amusingly, its first target wasn't Aki, who had weaker flight capabilities, but Logan himself—its natural predator.
"Is it out of its mind?"
Logan had never seen a monster act so irrationally.
He met the charge head-on, his speed and strength both greater than the Scarred Yian Garuga's.
That barrage of small fireballs was nothing more than an itch to him, and the supposedly tough plating of the Scarred Yian Garuga shattered easily beneath his claws.
There was no need for elaborate maneuvering—sheer speed and strength alone quickly pushed the Scarred Yian Garuga into a disadvantage.
After taking several hits, the airborne Scarred Yian Garuga finally regained some clarity.
It let out a piercing screech, forcing Logan back, then shifted its target to Aki.
Like a living missile, it dove at her with its massive beak as the warhead.
Aki sidestepped and whipped her tail in a smooth counterattack—
But missed.
The Scarred Yian Garuga had already shifted direction mid-air. Though it seemed to be attacking her, it had calculated her reach in advance, landing just outside her strike zone.
From the smoke and dust, a charged fireball shot out, striking the unguarded Aki dead-on. The explosion's impact knocked her back.
Aki let out a stifled groan of pain.
The Scarred Yian Garuga seized the moment to give chase—only for a fireball to fall from above, blocking its path. Logan dove down, engaging it in close combat at low altitude.
Aki, having recovered, quickly joined the fray.
The Scarred Yian Garuga showed no fear, fighting two opponents at once, unleashing a frenzy of relentless attacks—until its body was wreathed in flames and its spine was crushed between powerful jaws.
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