"Nakarkos is one of the two Monsters scholars consider the likeliest suspects based on the clues gathered so far. The other, incidentally, is Yama Tsukami. Serl and I encountered that Monster years ago, so I'm fairly familiar with it. That's also the main reason the Professor supports the Vanguard Hunting Party's proactive investigation of this area.
"Yama Tsukami excels at flight. The Professor was initially reluctant to bring the Knowledge Seeker down from high altitude because he was wary of that creature."
During the journey back to the Knowledge Seeker, Francesca briefed the Hunters on the situation.
"Back to the main subject. We don't have much information on Nakarkos. Leaving aside the legends, this Monster has appeared only once, more than twenty years ago. The Wycademy's Cross Squad investigated it and ultimately completed the Hunt.
"Had we confirmed its identity sooner, bringing those Hunters here might have been the safest course..."
Francesca sighed softly and continued, "Using the specimen hunted back then as a baseline, it was roughly thirty-seven meters long. Its greatest elemental weaknesses are Dragon and Fire, followed by Thunder.
"Its most formidable weapons are two bone-clad tentacle arms that resemble skeletal dragons. The tentacles are extremely dexterous and immensely powerful, constantly protecting the comparatively sluggish main body.
"It can also expel poisonous mist, spit globs of mucus, and unleash high-energy breath attacks.
"The breath attack probably brought down the high-speed Airship carrying the Vanguard Hunting Party."
"Wait, tentacle arms? A dragon has tentacles?" Morgan asked, puzzled.
"Yes. Although scholars classify Nakarkos biologically as an Elder Dragon, it actually looks like this." As she spoke, Francesca retrieved a hand-drawn sketch from the document satchel at her side.
"Isn't this just a giant octopus?!"
"That's a squid. Yama Tsukami is the octopus," Francesca corrected Isis.
"The name 'Skeleton Dragon' dates back to humanity's first encounter with Nakarkos. No one discovered the main body lurking underground. They saw only the two tentacle arms and mistook the bone-covered limbs for the creature's body.
"If you do have to fight it, pay close attention to those tentacle arms. They're extremely dangerous, and destroying them first may be worth considering."
The Hunters nodded.
This was the advantage of working with scholars.
If the Hunters were on their own, even having heard of Nakarkos would not mean knowing such details. After all, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Monster species inhabited this world. Even if every record were declassified, no one could read and memorize them all.
Scholars, however, could compile the relevant information in advance and analyze the original quest report to provide the Hunters with crucial tactical advice.
Understanding the target's habits and elemental weaknesses in advance and entering a Hunt fully prepared was vastly different from charging in blind without knowing anything about the Monster.
"Here. This is the Cross Squad's Hunt report from back then. My paraphrasing of the Monster's behavior might introduce inaccuracies, so read it yourselves."
Francesca handed the report to Isis, who passed it straight to Altaïr without looking.
Altaïr took the report and looked at Dylan, the only 7★ Hunter among them. Dylan raised his palm slightly, signaling for Altaïr to read it.
Although Dylan was not a reckless, bull-headed Hunter, he still had little interest in textual work such as reading and analyzing reports.
He remembered Olivia mentioning that the young man was good at such things, so he might as well leave the task to Altaïr.
Altaïr unfolded the report and glanced over it. The paper and handwriting were strikingly fresh, and the ink looked barely dry. He could not help feeling puzzled.
"This report... isn't the original, is it?"
"The original is in the archives at the Dundorma Hunter's Guild headquarters. Where would I get it for you on such short notice?" Francesca pressed. "Hurry up and read it. The Professor transcribed this copy from memory. He said there might be slight differences in word order and phrasing, but he can guarantee that the content is more than ninety-five percent complete."
"...Impressive."
Altaïr's literacy and memory might have been respectable among Hunters, but compared with a true scholar, the gap was enormous.
Scholars might include people who enjoyed physical training and had burly builds, but would anyone compare their strength with Mr. Gordon's?
Altaïr wasted no time and quickly skimmed the entire report.
To his surprise, the Hunters themselves had actually written it. It was not the sort of report clerical staff drafted and compiled from a Hunter's dictation.
The descriptions of the many combat details made that obvious.
Although Altaïr did not know the senior Hunters of the Cross Squad, very few Hunters were willing to write such careful, detailed quest reports. Was this what he should have expected from Hunters under the Wycademy's direct command?
This firsthand account of the battle contained a wealth of critical information. Altaïr could not resist taking out his notebook. As he read the report a second time, he recorded the key points to share with his companions.
Hearing that the Hunters had found a lead, the Professor hurried over as well.
"If we locate the target, are you confident the current personnel can complete the Hunt?" Unlike the other scholars, who tended to dawdle, the Professor was as swift and decisive as ever.
The Hunters gathered for a brief, quiet discussion. In the end, Dylan, the strongest and most experienced among them, answered.
"The information is very thorough, so we can devise a strategy tailored to the target. Provided the terrain is suitable and the Knowledge Seeker can offer fire support from the air, we should be able to complete the Hunt."
Dylan's answer was rigorous and made no sweeping guarantees.
Nakarkos's size already put it on the threshold of a supergiant creature. Without heavy firepower, killing it with only the few Hunters present would be exceedingly difficult.
The terrain was another major problem. Nakarkos was essentially a marine creature. If it burrowed into the seabed and refused to emerge, the Hunters would have no way to deal with it.
The Professor understood what the Hunters meant. He nodded. "Very well. I will direct the Knowledge Seeker's aerial fire support. As for the terrain, if we find no suitable battleground, you will not be forced into combat."
He had asked the question primarily to determine whether they needed to request further reinforcements from Hunter's Guild headquarters.
Even if the members of the Cross Squad who had once hunted Nakarkos came in person, they would still need heavy firepower and terrain suitable for combat.
In that case, the request for reinforcements could be put on hold.
Otherwise, the exchange of messages and the process of mobilizing personnel would take at least a week, even at peak efficiency.
They had finally picked up the target's trail. They could not let it slip away now.
Dylan looked at the younger Hunters and said, "In that case, everyone should go make preparations. We still don't know whether we'll actually find it, but there's no harm in getting everything ready beforehand."
Altaïr and the others nodded, then returned to their rooms to adjust their equipment.
—--
The Knowledge Seeker remained suspended in the air not far from the coastline, awaiting news.
At last, Sajji and Hakucho returned from scouting over the sea and landed on the Knowledge Seeker's deck.
"Found it, meow! We found a very suspicious place, meow!" Sajji had not even paused to fold his glider before shouting to the Professor, who was waiting on the deck.
"About fifteen degrees south of west from here, eight or nine kilometers away, there's an atoll, meow!
"We saw lots of bones, meow, and smelled rotting corpses, meow! That has to be the place, meow!"
Hearing the commotion, the Hunters came onto the deck one after another, all fully prepared to begin the Hunt.
The Professor did not immediately order them to set out. "It isn't your turn yet. Go back and get some rest while you can.
"Pawdrick, Clawdia, Sajji, and Athos, you're all experienced Palicoes. Form a Palico team and infiltrate the atoll first to conduct reconnaissance.
"We'll create some disturbances in the surrounding waters and try to lure the target out. That will let us confirm once and for all whether it really is Nakarkos."
The Professor paused, then looked at Francesca, who had already equipped her Armor and weapon. "If Serl is still alive, this is our last chance to rescue him."
* * *
Conquering the Anime Multiverse is another story you can read here on Webnovel. Thank you for reading.