Failed Hunt

The heavy blow left the Horned Dragon reeling for a while, and the Dragon Person Hunter agilely leaped off its head.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the hunters who had been lying in ambush nearby revealed themselves.

Light bowgunners, heavy bowgunners, and archers provided ranged suppression, while the remaining hunters threw pre-prepared ropes, ensnaring the Horned Dragon from all directions.

The other ends of these special ropes were tied to wooden stakes nearly a meter long.

Hunters who were ready swung their great hammers, driving the stakes into the ground with just a few blows.

Sensing a great danger, the Horned Dragon struggled madly, but it was a premeditated capture plan, and there was no way it could escape easily.

This time, the objective was to capture it alive and bring it back to replace the failed Ancient Dragon investigation.

That's right, the Ancient Dragon investigation plan had ultimately failed.

The Investigation Team had overestimated their own strength and underestimated the density of monsters in the New World.

From the first day they departed for the Great Antlion Desert, they were attacked by large monsters three times a day on average, with smaller pack creatures harassing them in the scattered time in between.

As the Investigation Team ventured deeper into the Great Antlion Desert, their logistical supplies began to run low. They were completely surrounded by monsters, isolated and helpless.

Nature once again showed its cruel side to the hunters.

Day and night, all sorts of creatures attacked them, constantly depleting their supplies, with injuries occurring in battle after battle, a lack of water and food, and the constant tension in their hearts – each burden was like a massive stone pressing down on everyone's chest.

Especially since their mission was to track the traces of an unknown Ancient Dragon, which inevitably required them to venture into many complex environments and intrude upon the territories of many powerful creatures.

Even with the Great Leader, Sword Master, and Dragon Person Hunter leading the way, they were still outnumbered. Moreover, they were facing giant beasts surviving in the barren Great Antlion Desert.

Even a powerful individual like the Sword Master was injured in one of the battles and had not fully recovered yet.

Their progress greatly hindered by the environment, the Investigation Team eventually lost track of the unknown Ancient Dragon. Helpless, they could only collect some residual traces left by the Ancient Dragon and reluctantly searched everywhere, hoping for another chance.

After stationing themselves in this area for a considerable time, the Great Leader and the others finally faced the reality and had to reluctantly declare the mission a failure.

Finally, to give everyone an explanation and to gain something after consuming so many resources.

Following the advice of the scholars, the Investigation Team set their sights on the overlord of this region, a Horned Dragon in its prime.

To obtain the maximum amount of information, the ultimate goal of this hunt was to capture it alive.

A living Horned Dragon could provide far more information than a dead one.

Once confirmed that the Horned Dragon was indeed restrained, the scholars, carrying paralysis bombs, quickly rushed forward, intending to throw the prepared paralysis bombs at the face of the still struggling Horned Dragon.

"Fall back! Everyone fall back!!"

A woman with short hair, sensing the abnormality beneath her feet, quickly drew a handmade hand crossbow and shouted loudly towards the running scholars.

Without a hint of hesitation, even though they were close to their target, the scholars still trusted this woman wholeheartedly, not for any other reason than that she was the sole disciple of the legendary figure who disappeared fifteen years ago, the Dragon Person Hunter, known for his aloof adventuring. She was an absolute elite specially invited by the Hunter's Guild, a seasoned explorer bearing the title of Wilderness Master!

Her judgment would never be wrong!

The hunters who also heard the Wilderness Master's call became vigilant. With the Wilderness Master's reminder, they began to pay attention to the abnormalities of the ground beneath their feet.

The Great Leader, having just dislodged himself from the Great Antlion, immediately noticed the area of disturbance due to his position upon landing.

"Everyone retreat! Something big is coming!"

Everyone quickly moved away from the Horned Dragon. Less than two seconds later, the ground began to shake, and sand flowed towards the lower ground.

Immediately after, a Horned Dragon of even greater size burst out from underground, its wings beating. Its tail hammer, as if carrying immense weight, smashed the wooden stakes fixed in the rock, along with the rock itself.

Its ferocious eyes scanned the hunters surrounding it, letting out a deafening roar that made the unprepared hunters cover their ears, their faces showing expressions of discomfort.

This Horned Dragon that burst out had no intention of fighting. Taking advantage of the hunters being affected by the roar, it quickly burrowed into the ground with the previously restrained Horned Dragon, disappearing underground under the cover of the quicksand.

The hunters, having recovered, looked at each other. Their hunting plan of many days had been ruined by an unexpected Horned Dragon.

Everyone felt a bit dejected, but they were all seasoned hunters. This was not the first time they had experienced a hunting failure due to new uncontrollable factors. Without anyone needing to adjust their mood, they quickly calmed down and waited for further instructions from the Great Leader.

"Really! To think there's another Horned Dragon this big, it's a headache~"

The Great Leader casually picked up the great shield that had been thrown aside, rubbing his sore shoulder.

"Let's leave it at that for now! We'll head back to camp to rest."

There were no words of encouragement or any summary, but it was this slightly cheerful yet vexed demeanor that relaxed everyone. They teased each other while packing their belongings and headed towards the camp.

It was just one failed hunt, and no one was injured, so there was no need to make a fuss.

At night, the starry sky of the Great Antlion Desert was exceptionally brilliant.

By the campfire in the center of the camp, the Great Leader took a large gulp of water, picked up a large plate of stewed meat brought by the logistical Felyne, blew on it, and began to eat heartily.

"Ah~ Delicious! Auntie Cat's stewed meat still tastes so good!"

"Hey, Sita, didn't you say you wanted to take some time to apprentice under Auntie Cat and learn her cooking skills? Why hasn't there been any progress after so long?"

The Great Leader's Felyne coolly raised its eyebrows and glanced at the Great Leader, who was teasing it, while blowing on the soup in its bowl.

It had already apprenticed, it just hadn't officially started learning yet!

Although Master's stewed meat was delicious, it was too hot and not at all friendly to cats!

"Sigh! You rascal!"

The Great Leader, who knew his attendant Felyne's personality very well, laughed heartily. He simply liked its quiet and efficient demeanor.

"Leader, today's logistics data has been compiled, and it's not very optimistic."

A man wearing gold-rimmed single-frame glasses, who still looked very gentle despite being covered in dust, walked to the campfire with the statistics sheet and said.