"Darn it... I guess that instant forced return during the first quest was a one-time luxury," Arlow panted, leaning heavily against a mossy trunk.
Just moments ago, while being hounded by the Anjanath, he had tried to trigger a return to the Pokémon world to escape the danger.
To his dismay, the Hunting Manual informed him that he was "currently in combat or being tracked" and could not initiate a return.
Arlow now realized that being able to ignore a staring contest with a Nargacuga and vanish instantly had been a "newbie perk" granted only for his first mission.
"I'll have to be even more careful from now on," Arlow sighed, pulling out a Capture Ball to release Lucerne.
"Are you okay, meow?!" The Palico immediately checked Arlow for injuries the second he materialized.
"I'm fine. Just ran into an old 'acquaintance,'" Arlow joked weakly.
Lucerne twitched his nose, looking unhappy. "Arlow, please just keep me out of the ball from now on, meow. I don't like how quiet it is in there. Besides, I want to go on the adventure with you. I want to help, meow!"
"I'm sorry, Lucerne," Arlow apologized sincerely.
He had initially thought that going into the narrow cave alone would make him more agile and less likely to be spotted. But he realized he hadn't considered his partner's feelings.
He treated Lucerne as a true friend, and his instinct to "protect" the cat was actually stifling him.
Felynes possessed their own will and pride. Lucerne didn't want to be a pampered pet; he wanted to be a comrade standing shoulder-to-shoulder in battle. Arlow's previous choice had completely ignored that.
"We are partners, meow! We act together!" Lucerne declared, raising a paw.
"You're right. It won't happen again." Arlow smiled and high-fived the small paw.
"Now then..." Arlow had considered heading back to rest. With breeding season starting, the forest was a powder keg, and a vengeful Anjanath was actively patrolling for him. Continuing seemed like asking for trouble.
But the more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt. He had spent all day tracking, getting chased, and nearly eaten, and he had nothing to show for it.
"We can't just stagnate. Let's try one more time. Is it really an adventure if there's no risk?"
Arlow opened the Hunting Manual, checked the [Map], and placed a marker on the Great Jagras's cave.
"Lucerne! Let's go! The real hunt starts now!"
"Meow!"
Carefully bypassing the grove where the Rathalos and Anjanath had clashed, Arlow and Lucerne returned to the cave entrance.
Near the trees where the Great Jagras had been slammed, they found a pool of blood, broken yellow-green scales, and fresh drag marks. Most tellingly, there was a half-digested Aptonoth carcass lying in the dirt.
"The Great Jagras isn't dead, but it's close. It vomited its meal to lose weight and flee for its life. The trail leads this way!"
Arlow analyzed the scene with newfound clarity. The Hunter memories in his mind were finally clicking into place, turning raw information into actual intuition.
"Scoutflies, lead the way!" Arlow unleashed the green trail, which swarmed over the scales and memorized the scent of the Great Jagras.
Following the emerald glow, Arlow moved through the trees with feline grace, stopping only to gather a few herbs and materials along the way.
"We're close!" Arlow slowed down, parting the ferns.
In a small sunlit clearing, several Aptonoth were grazing peacefully. A Great Jagras, covered in horrific gashes and scorch marks, was using its natural camouflage to creep toward them.
Usually, this beast would charge in with reckless abandon, but its injuries were so severe that it was forced to be cautious. One wrong move and the predator would become the prey.
RAUGH!
When it could wait no longer, the Jagras lunged. The Aptonoth herd scattered in a panic. The Great Jagras barely managed to latch onto an older, slower herbivore.
"Now!" Arlow raised his left arm. His Slinger, loaded with Scatternuts, fired with a sharp thwack.
Pop!
The nut struck the Great Jagras squarely on its flank, exploding into a burst of concussive force. It hit the exact spot where the Anjanath's teeth had shredded its scales.
ROAR! The beast shrieked, its voice thin and weak.
"Go, Lucerne!" Arlow charged out of the brush, reloading his Slinger. His sudden appearance drew the beast's ire instantly. The Great Jagras turned, its eyes bloodshot and hateful, and began to crawl toward him.
From the opposite side, Lucerne lunged. His bone blade glowed with the light of a Pokémon move.
Zing!
The Scratch attack bit deep into the Jagras's side, drawing another agonized howl. It swung its head to bite at the cat, but Arlow fired another Scatternut, drawing its attention back to himself.
Hampered by its massive injuries, the Great Jagras was trapped in a deadly pincer movement. It lunged back and forth, unable to commit to one target while the other chipped away at its life.
ROAR! RAUGH!
The beast lost its composure. It was losing blood and stamina rapidly. Arlow didn't rush in for a finishing blow with his sword; instead, he played the long game, keeping his distance and letting the "Bleed" effect from the earlier fight do the work.
Realizing it couldn't win, the Great Jagras turned and bolted for the thickest part of the woods.
"Oh no, you don't!" Arlow sprinted after it.
Whirrr—Click!
Arlow fired his Clutch Claw. It latched onto the beast's scaly back with a metallic thud. The wire retracted, pulling Arlow through the air until he was firmly mounted on the monster.
Feeling the weight on its back, the Great Jagras tried to slam its body against a tree to knock him off. Arlow drew his Sword and Shield, stabbing the blade into the beast's hide to anchor himself.
He lacked the raw strength of a veteran Hunter to bury the blade to the hilt, but it was enough to keep him centered through the impact.
Seeing the "tree-slam" fail, the Jagras began to sprint through dense briars, hoping the thorns would strip the human away. Lucerne was falling behind on foot.
"Lucerne! Come back for a second!" Arlow leaned back, using a Capture Ball to pull the running Palico inside. Then, he immediately tossed the ball forward onto the Jagras's back.
"Let's end this, Lucerne!"
Lucerne materialized on the beast's shoulders, bone knife raised high. "On it, meow!"
He began to rain down relentless strikes on the back of the monster's neck.
ROAR!
The accumulated pain was too much. The Great Jagras's legs buckled. With a final, piteous whine, the lizard-king rolled onto its side and collapsed in a heap of yellow scales and dust.
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