Logan gave no particular response to the Admiral's suggestion. Matters like that weren't his concern—once the time came, the Grimalkyne could handle the arrangements. Since the purpose of his trip had already been achieved, there was no reason to linger; after eating and drinking his fill, he set out once more.
No sooner had Logan departed than the Research Commission convened a large meeting.
Upon learning that the focus of exploration would shift to the Wildspire Waste, the Commission members immediately sprang into action. Cart after cart was loaded with supplies, ready for the Wyverian hunter to lead into the depths of the Wildspire Waste.
With no need to consider the cat's endurance, Logan flew at full speed, making it back to their temporary base in just a single day.
After gathering the cats and explaining the situation, he enjoyed a good night's sleep. The next morning, he rallied the Fire Wyverns and set out again.
Searching for a new nesting ground was an incredibly tedious task.
In just two days, the Fire Wyvern group reached the border between the forest and the waste.
The Rathians could adapt to the Waste's environment well enough—finding a large cavern would suffice for them to settle.
The Rathalos, however, were different. They preferred living in forests or high places rather than caverns.
This meant the new nesting grounds would have to be chosen along the forest–waste boundary.
It took another two days of searching. Logan had originally thought that, once they reached the Waste, some Fire Wyvern families would split from the group to search for their own preferred nesting sites.
To his surprise, two days passed and not a single Fire Wyvern pair left—not even the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian couple, who usually kept their distance from the others.
It seemed the cats' appeal to the Ancient Tree Fire Wyverns was greater than Logan had expected.
The New World was vast, filled with one breathtaking sight after another.
After three more days of searching, Logan finally decided to settle beside a large waterfall.
This location was also on the forest–waste boundary, with high ground and a fine hill nearby that offered a wide, commanding view. Once the Fire Wyverns moved in, it could also accommodate the cats comfortably.
Below the waterfall stretched a long river that ran deep into the Wildspire Waste. With few cave entrances along its course, it would be ideal for the Fire Wyverns to hunt freely.
The place Logan had chosen to live was, in truth, quite satisfactory for most of the Fire Wyverns. Though the space was a bit smaller and the height could not compare to the Ancient Tree, the open view here more than made up for it. From the skies, they could clearly see everything happening inside their nests.
Of course, what truly left the majority of Fire Wyverns without complaints was that the smaller living area meant more Fire Wyvern households were now within the service range of the cats. Many families who, back in the upper levels of the Ancient Tree, could not enjoy the cats' assistance due to their location, could now benefit from it after this relocation.
So, the moment they landed, the Fire Wyverns eagerly picked out spots to build their nests, marking their territories one after another.
During this time, there were even squabbles between families over whether their nests would be closer to the main path—everyone understood that, apart from the middle and upper-tier Fire Wyverns, only those with nests easily accessible to the cats stood a better chance of enjoying their services early.
Unlike the adults, the hatchlings leapt out of their baskets and began running everywhere. For Fire Wyvern hatchlings of this age, a fresh environment was irresistibly alluring.
Fortunately, the cats in charge of caring for them had long been prepared for these unruly little troublemakers. Always close by, they intercepted several hatchlings who tried to wander deeper into the forest. Only when the parents—realizing what had happened—roared in anger did the youngsters finally quiet down.
Obediently, they stayed with the cats, waiting until their parents had chosen nesting sites before leaving.
Aside from the logistics Grimalkynes and the necessary guards, the Grimalkyne warriors—led by the Fire Wyvern Grimalkyne fighters—entered the forest together to scout, surveying the surrounding resources and clearing out potential threats.
After the initial chaos, the entire Fire Wyvern group quickly settled into order.
The females remained at the new settlement to watch over the hatchlings, while the males scattered into the wastelands and forests to search for suitable hunting grounds.
The cats divided their tasks clearly—some collected materials to start building nests for the hatchlings; some broke rock and cleared earth to make a path; others sliced meat strips to feed the young.
The Grimalkynes of the Ancient Tree Fire Wyvern tribe worked frantically, yet not a single task they undertook was for themselves.
As the Grimalkyne elder put it, they were good at digging holes—at night they could simply dig one anywhere, crowd together, and sleep. Rather than wasting the daylight on themselves, it was better to use it to plan and prepare the Fire Wyvern tribe's infrastructure.
Before the Fire Wyvern lords had fully settled in, how could those who were under their protection think of themselves first?
When these words reached Logan, he felt a twinge of embarrassment.
After all, right now, a whole group of Fire Wyvern Grimalkynes were building his nest—digging drainage ditches, clearing weeds and unnecessary branches.
A few cats, dressed in Palico gear, were even discussing whether they could recreate the waterwheel from Astera to bring fresh water into Logan's nest.
That way, just like back in the Ancient Tree, Logan could have his own private water trough, without having to share with other Fire Wyvern families.
Watching the Fire Wyvern Grimalkynes labor tirelessly under the command of their leader, each one brimming with fighting spirit, while he and Aki stood off to the side, unable to lend a paw, Logan couldn't shake the feeling that he was some vile, exploitative landlord.
It was a stark contrast to the other Fire Wyverns, who were practically staring holes into the cats, eagerly waiting for their turn to be served.
"Aki, how about we head out and look for a hunting ground nearby?"
Feeling a pang of guilt, Logan decided he should at least go out and find some food—something to fill his own stomach and also bring back something fresh for the cats.
But after waiting a good while, he still got no response. Turning his head, he saw Aki crouched at the edge of the cliff, wings folded, staring down at the long river below, lost in thought.
"Roar?"
From her back, Logan got the sense that she seemed… nostalgic, as if remembering something.
Aki turned her head, giving a soft, low growl—an invitation for Logan to join her.
He didn't know why her mood had turned a bit subdued, but he had no reason to refuse her offer.
The two spread their wings and soared into the clouds. Once in the air, Aki checked their bearings, then followed the river in one direction.
Along the way, Logan saw many sights he hadn't expected. Deep in the Wildspire Waste, the competition between monsters was far fiercer than he'd imagined.
Everywhere he looked, there were monsters fighting over territory—he even spotted a Diablos pummeling a Barroth, a Kestodon chasing after a Kulu-Ya-Ku, and a Fulgur Anjanath squaring off against a Glavenus.
Most of the resources deep in the Wildspire Waste were concentrated near water sources. The large gatherings of powerful monsters there made hunting far more difficult, and territorial clashes all the more frequent.
So, in terms of sheer numbers, the Waste was far inferior to the forest—but when it came to strength, the monsters here were far tougher.
The only drawback was that most of them couldn't fly.
And that was precisely why a Rathian could survive alone in the Waste.
"Rroar~!"
A familiar, piercing cry rang out. Bazelgeuse swept in from the distance, wings slicing the air, charging straight toward where the Glavenus and the Fulgur Anjanath had just been seen.
In Logan's eyes, that shape, that cry—it could only be the very same one from the Ancient Forest.
It seemed the upheaval caused by the Blackveil Vaal Hazak had driven this brute to migrate into the Wildspire Waste as well.
To Logan, the sights along the way were still novel. But for Aki, they were far from pleasant memories.
When she spotted a familiar marsh, Aki called out to Logan, then glided along its edge. After crossing a stretch of sand, the distant roar of a Rathian reached their ears.
Logan's pupils narrowed. In the distance, a Seregios—about 20 m in length—was exploiting its aerial advantage, harassing a Rathian whose scales were dull but whose form still looked young.
The young Rathian couldn't get airborne at all. Every fireball she spat was deftly avoided, while the Seregios scattered volleys of blade-like scales from above. Each sliced through her armor, and when they struck, they burst apart, inflicting a second wave of damage.
Without outside interference, she would be pinned down like this until the Seregios killed her.
"RROAR!!"
Aki's furious roar tore through the sky as her emerald-green form, flecked with gold in the sunlight, dived.
The Seregios reacted quickly, rolling its body to avoid a head-on collision, but Aki's wing spines still raked across its chest, tearing away scales and leaving a gash.
Before it could counterattack, Logan's barrage was already upon it—a string of fireballs hammered the Seregios head-on, blasting it out of the sky.
Before Logan could press the attack, the wounded Seregios twisted violently in midair, forcing its battered body into flight, fleeing at full speed without looking back.
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