Time flowed quietly—
Three full days passed before anyone realized it.
On the Starship, Ira sat at the counter, serene as ever, watching two hunters bicker over a three-star hunting quest.
"I picked this quest first!"
"Your squad can handle four-stars already! Why are you stealing from us!?"
"Ever heard of first-come, first-served? Learn some manners!"
A small crowd of hunters had gathered around them.
From the back, a Fifth Fleet elite sighed.
"Unbelievable… arguing over a three-star job? There are plenty of four-star hunts sitting unclaimed. Go take one of those!"
He was a true five-star hunter, capable of slaying Rathalos alone.
Normally, hunters like him only took four-star assignments to earn side money—hunting Anjanath, Pink Rathian, beasts of that tier.
But now…
"Ira, are those quest completions you recorded actually real?"
The question came from another receptionist standing beside her.
Ira turned her head lazily.
"All the captured monsters have been delivered. You think I'd fake paperwork like that?"
"But three days to finish twenty-five three-star hunts? By one person? That's insane!"
Her colleague's voice trembled, eyes wide as if she'd just witnessed one of the seven great mysteries of the world.
Ira, in contrast, remained perfectly calm.
"There's nothing strange about it. You'll get used to it soon enough."
"...You sure you're okay?"
"Perfectly fine." Ira smiled softly, then offered her colleague a vial.
"Want a sip? Great for recovery. Also helps with skin health."
The other receptionist just stared at her.
"...She's broken," she muttered. "Completely broken."
But Ira ignored the strange looks.
Her gaze dropped to the last quest form in her hand.
"Only one task remains… the hardest of them all. But with him—there's no way he'll fail."
Ancient Forest.
Bai Chen crouched low among the tangled roots, his senses sharpening.
He'd already tracked down the scent trail of the Tobi-Kadachi—the Thunder Wyvern.
The electric tang in the air grew stronger with every breath.
Amid the ozone and bark, Bai Chen smelled something else too—something alien.
"This forest's been strange lately," he murmured.
"Let's finish the job and get out fast."
He followed the scent deeper, weaving between towering trees—each as thick as a house's foundation.
The canopy smothered all light.
Then—
He saw it.
Deep claw marks carved into the bark, three at a time, each as wide as a blade of ice.
Fresh scars, glowing faintly under his Natural Vision.
"Close… very close."
A rustle behind him.
Bai Chen spun—
A blur of white streaked through the leaves.
Before it could strike, Nergigante roared.
Her body swelled in an instant—
A thunderous boom! echoed as her claw slammed the attacker into the dirt.
The Tobi-Kadachi hissed, tail whipping out like lightning.
It struck Nergigante squarely across the flank.
She took the blow, teeth bared, and brought her other hand crashing down.
Smash! Smash! Smash!
Each strike shook the clearing.
The Kadachi shrieked, body coiling like a spring—it twisted, slithering around her midsection.
Blue sparks burst to life.
A surge of high-voltage current exploded from its fur.
For a moment, Nergigante froze—paralyzed.
The Kadachi tore free, claws digging into bark, preparing to flee—
—but Bai Chen was already there.
Shnk!
His blade pierced through the beast's shoulder, driving it into the ground.
"Technique—Iron Discipline."
Strength flooded his limbs; the air shimmered around him.
He pressed down hard—ten tons of fury pinned beneath him.
Then came the follow-up.
Thud!
Bai Chen's gauntlet smashed into its skull.
The creature's vision went white.
Nergigante had already shaken off the paralysis.
Her claws came crashing down again—
Boom!
Nearly knocking the wyvern unconscious on the spot.
That was their method—
No traps, no gadgets, no fancy equipment.
Pitfalls and paralysis traps cost hundreds of gold a set.
Why waste coin when raw power worked just as well?
They'd made a rhythm of it:
Weaken the target, stun it senseless, and—when its breathing slowed—
Toss in the capture sphere.
It always worked.
…Until now.
A crackling snap! split the air.
Electricity surged violently through the Kadachi's body—its muscles bulged, fur glowing blue-white.
A wild surge of energy erupted outward, forcing both Bai Chen and Nergigante back.
The beast leapt onto a tree trunk, claws sparking.
Its silver fur rose, charged with static.
Bai Chen gritted his teeth, rolling his shoulders.
Even through his armor, the air prickled with electricity.
At that moment, the system prompt appeared before his eyes.
[ New Quest Issued: Hunt the First Danger Level 4 Monster ]
[ Objective: Capture or Slay the Thunder Wyvern (Tobi-Kadachi) ]
[ Failure Condition: Target Escapes ]
[ Rewards: 30,000 Skill Proficiency (Free Allocation) + 1 Rare Lv.5 Skill Gem ]
"Danger Level 4… huh." Bai Chen's lips curled.
"No. Half-step into Level 5, at least."
This one was strong—easily level 40, boasting two master-tier skills and a web of advanced techniques.
"A Rare 5 Skill Gem? Fine. I'll take it."
He raised his blade.
"Technique—Quickstep: Flash Strike!"
Lightning crackled under his feet as Bai Chen vanished, reappearing right before the wyvern.
A single upward kick—
Thud!
The Thunder Wyvern crashed from its perch, slamming into the ground.
Nergigante moved in perfect rhythm—her spiked wing drove into its flank.
Crack!
Sparks and blood exploded together.
The Kadachi screamed, tail lashing with brutal strength, hurling Nergigante backward.
Lightning crawled across her scales; paralysis struck again.
The wyvern lunged, fangs open wide—
"Not today."
Bai Chen's blade blazed red.
Cursed Flame had reached its first refinement stage.
"Hunter's Art—Iaijutsu: Spirit Blade Draw!"
Boom. Boom. Boom!
Three bursts of energy detonated inside the monster's body.
Its grip faltered.
Nergigante roared, tearing free, its claws swiping the creature's head sideways.
The two monsters crashed into each other, rolling through mud and leaves, lightning and fury colliding in flashes of gold and blue.
The Kadachi's Lightning burned through her scales; her body trembled—but she held firm.
Still, Bai Chen could feel it.
That power.
That pressure.
A true high-tier monster.
The paralysis numbed his limbs; his balance wavered for a breath.
"That static field... damn strong. Fine—let's see how it handles this."
He gripped his blade tighter.
Green light began to gather in his left hand.
"Technique—Power of Nature."
The air thickened.
Wind swirled around his body, feeding into the green aura at his fingertips.
The forest itself seemed to tremble in answer—
—and Bai Chen stepped forward into the storm.
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