Bear School Astartes

The Grand Commander’s words greatly alleviated the tension within the investigation team.

After all, they were people who had left their homes to come to the new continent; could a whole continent truly offer no place to shelter them because of a curse?

”But the monsters of the other world are truly peculiar, to be able to cast a ’curse’, no less.”

The Grand Commander said while smacking his lips.

”And since the curse itself is related to that so-called deer-headed creature’s self-designated territory, shouldn’t we also discuss where exactly its domain is?”

Wende, who was re-donning his armor, dumbly questioned.

”That thing’s entire body looks like it’s made of branches, with moss all over it. Just being near it feels like you’re in a densely dark ancient forest... It must be the Ancient Tree Forest, right?”

”No.” Lann, who was beside Wende, frowned and refuted Wende’s assumptions.

”We first discovered traces of the deer-headed creature on the Extinct Dragon, but has the Extinct Dragon appeared in the Ancient Tree Forest recently?”

At this point, the Commander-in-Chief’s gaze turned to his old friend, and Lann followed his gaze, looking at the man whose robust spirit made it hard to pinpoint his age.

The Grand Commander straightforwardly provided his clue.

”Ha, that’s right. I’ve been tracking that rampaging fellow all along before this.”

He scratched his hedgehog-like golden hair; the ’rampaging fellow’ he referred to was undoubtedly the Extinct Dragon.

”I’m very sure the Extinct Dragon hasn’t visited the Ancient Tree Forest in the past half-year.”

”In fact, I know a bit more than you might think.”

The Grand Commander placed his wine glass on the table, leaning forward with a proud smile.

”I witnessed firsthand where the two fought!”

”There wasn’t a single tree in the conventional sense there.”

The Grand Commander’s pride was justified; upon hearing that he witnessed a battle between an Elder Dragon and an otherworldly creature of Elder Dragon level, the onlookers almost simultaneously exclaimed in admiration.

Envy and longing.

But Lann furrowed his brow.

”What’s wrong?” Aiden asked beside him, puzzled; news of a target should be good news, right?

Yet Lann maintained a solemn expression.

”The deer-headed creature is a monster capable of drawing power from the ecology, but undeniably, forests are its most suitable habitat.”

”And if its previously defined territory wasn’t even a forest...”

Lann paused slightly, lifted his gaze to meet Aiden’s bewildered eyes, and finished his thought.

”Then what might this deer-headed creature be transformed into if it enters the Ancient Tree Forest?”

Aiden froze, the beer in his hand spilling out.

”This is also what concerns me,” the Grand Commander interjected, ”At least during the time I’ve been tracking it from afar, the deer-headed creature has been steadily approaching the direction of the Ancient Tree Forest.”

”It might truly be seeking a territory where it can feel comfortable.”

-----------------

The matter of the deer-headed creature can’t be rushed; after all, this kind of monster possesses the ability of instant space magic teleportation. It seems the abundant ecological power has greatly expanded its area of activity.

Rushing in search is practically like finding a needle in a haystack.

Moreover, before clarifying whether it marked the Hunters during the last Molten Mountain Dragon counterattack, encountering it would be meaningless.

Because even if killed, it would revive.

And according to the combat records of Demon Hunters against the deer-headed creature, Lann would also need to find the deer-headed creature’s Magic Totems within its territory.

Destroying these Magic Totems would significantly hinder the deer-headed creature’s ability to continuously draw power from nature.

But the investigation team still has much to do; the operations against the Molten Mountain Dragon have nearly exhausted their resources.

If they don’t first fill the gaps in internal supplies, the self-sufficient system they’ve painstakingly constructed over the years might collapse.

So, these days, the Hunters have been running back and forth at the battlefield of the last Molten Mountain Dragon counterattack.

The Molten Mountain Dragon sustained unprecedented massive damage previously; its shell was smashed down significantly, creating a small lava lake when it first fell into the valley.

Though the lava lake looks intimidating, it’s actually a treasure trove.

Because the Molten Mountain Dragon’s long life had fused its shell with various rare minerals, some of which had reacted with its body, transforming into rare minerals.

Not to mention the countless gems covering its body.

Thus, after the lava lake solidified, a large number of Hunters were dispatched to collect resources.

Yesterday, a Hunter also excavated the large horn cut off from the Extinct Dragon by Lann.

In line with Hunter’s customs, this Elder Dragon material was returned to him after he paid a modest finder’s fee to the excavator.

[Turbulent Stream · Extinction]was painstakingly nudged into the tip of the large horn’s opening by Lann.

Then, as per the Second Order Regiment Captain’s suggestion, he didn’t meddle further.

”This sword will ’feed itself’, my craftsmanship is quite worry-free, right?”

The one-eyed, bald, muscular man said with evident pride.

It seems the psychological shadow cast by the sword has subsided.

The ’feeding’ process of [Turbulent Stream · Extinction]was swift, taking less than two hours to complete.

To the naked eye, the hardness and luster of the Elder Dragon’s broken horn visibly deteriorated.

Meanwhile, some phenomena appeared on the sword’s blade that were unfamiliar to Lann.

The blade, originally stark black and white, would now occasionally emit dense black smoke.

Within this smoke, blood-red lightning would intermittently flicker, resembling a miniature storm cloud.

And after the smoke passed, the ground contacting the blade exhibited charred erosion, intermixed with sporadic blood-red arcs.

Uncertain, Lann visited the Forging District for the second time in one day.

”[Dragon Energy]...” the Second Order Regiment Captain placed the sword on the table for careful inspection; his apprentices crowded in to catch a glance.

”Sizzle~”

Being too engrossed and too close, a patch of his wire-brush-like beard was instantly eroded by the black smoke amidst the electric noise.

He and the apprentices hastily scrambled to wave heat-resistant gloves over his face, only then was the black smoke subdued.

Three to four pairs of heat-resistant gloves were rendered unusable in the process.

”As you can see, [Dragon Energy] is indeed fierce.”

The Second Order Regiment Captain remarked nonchalantly, as if the person who nearly lost half a jaw to corrosion wasn’t him.

Given that blacksmiths here deal with preserving active monster organs regularly... perhaps this is routine for them?

”Its strong corrosiveness is especially effective against dragonkind. If used properly against Elder Dragons, it can even momentarily suppress their unique abilities.”

”Since you’re not a scholar specializing in this, as long as you know these points while fighting, it’ll be sufficient.”

”The sword is only spewing Dragon Energy like breathing because it’s momentarily full, but in time, it will only erupt when you start cutting ’food’ again.”

Lann nodded, gently stroking the broad blade.

This way, at least he wouldn’t need to worry about the Dragon Energy corroding the contents of the Alchemy Pouch.