Hunter

Crrrack-bang!

There was a sharp crack of splintering wood.

One of the mechanical dragon's wooden wings could not withstand the pull and tore off, crashing into the sand.

Ahtal-Ka turned sideways and glanced back curiously.

It transferred the silk wound around one sickle claw to the other.

It left only the slack strand wrapped around the mechanical dragon's detached wing.

Sara was the first to recover from his shock. "Did it realize the detached wing would hinder the dragging, so it wants to cut it loose...? My assessment was correct. Ahtal-Ka really is highly intelligent."

"I don't think so, meow."

Kaluo disagreed.

"Then what is it trying to..."

Whoosh-boom!

Before Sara finished speaking, an arc of sand surged into the air.

Dragged by the silk, the wooden wing swung up along the ground as one sickle claw swayed.

After swinging it around once at an angle, the sickle claw abruptly pulled back and stopped moving.

The silk tugged the wing back, and it fell flat.

Just before it struck the dragon's spine, a large clump of bright yellow silk flew into the gap.

Splat!

The extremely sticky silk clump splashed out a few droplets.

The dragon's back and the fallen half-wing were stuck together in a peculiar, unconventional arrangement.

"The attachment is a little off, but you're still young. It's already impressive that you restored it this well."

Li Le gave it a thumbs-up in praise and encouragement.

Sisi happily waved her sickle claws, then turned and continued dragging.

"La la la~ Once I've wiped down my beloved mechanical dragon, I can clock out, meow."

The helmeted Felyne driver returned to the training grounds, carrying a small watering can he had just filled.

Seeing that the crowd of residents had grown rather than shrunk and now packed the fence, he could not help feeling curious.

"What's happening, meow? Let me see too... It's so crowded, meow!"

After a great deal of effort, the Felyne driver finally squeezed through the crowd to the front of the railing.

In the evening glow, Ahtal-Ka was dragging the mechanical dragon he drove every day across the familiar training grounds.

"My beloved mechanical dragon, meow!... No! How could its wing be stuck to its back? This must be an illusion. You can't fool me, meow..."

As he spoke, the Felyne driver toppled backward in a faint.

At the end of the broad furrow in the sand, the mechanical dragon's base crossed the twenty-meter test line.

A moment later, applause and cheers erupted.

"New Kinsect, Ahtal-Ka! Time: thirty-nine seconds! Mechanical dragon dragging test passed!"

After checking the result, Kedon announced his confirmation loudly.

"The final task is to combine materials into a scent-tracking item similar to a paintball."

Kedon's voice weakened. After all, this test was truly outrageous for a Kinsect.

"Go, Ahtal-Ka! We believe in you!"

Outside the fence, a little boy shouted excitedly.

More residents followed, calling out encouragement.

Catching the beginner's combination book and materials Kaluo tossed him, Li Le sat cross-legged in the sand.

"Sisi, this is the final test. I'll go a little slower, so make sure you watch how I combine everything."

Li Le's plan was simple: use Ahtal-Ka's excellent ability to imitate and have her copy his paintball combination on the spot.

Sisi's compound eyes flashed in acknowledgment.

As the pages turned, Li Le got to work with a sticky plant in one hand and a paintberry in the other.

Kedon also placed the two materials in front of Sisi.

She looked at the materials, then at the strongly scented pink ball growing larger as Li Le rolled it between his hands.

Sisi suddenly understood. This was a blend of substances Li Le had been practicing lately.

She tilted her head and thought for a moment.

Ding!

A huge exclamation mark, visible only to herself, appeared above Sisi's head.

Hiss, hiss~

As her abdomen contracted slightly, a pale yellow cloud with a delicate fragrance spread out around Sisi.

"Now isn't the time to eat. Follow my process, or you won't pass..."

While Li Le was still frantically working on his demonstration, a small, delicately fragrant clump of silk was lowered in front of him from a sickle claw.

Li Le froze for a moment, then quickly raised his hand. "Instructor Kedon, Sisi's finished!"

Not just Kedon, but the entire team of instructors gathered around.

The first instructor pressed the silk clump against the part of his gauntlet inlaid with a diamond-shaped Rathian scale.

After considerable effort, he pulled it off in stretching strands, only for it to stick to the palm holding it.

"The silk clump's adhesive properties are fine."

The second instructor, a woman, pulled it with both hands, transferred it to her own hand, and held it beneath her nose to sniff.

"Though this fresh fragrance is unusual, it's strong enough. As for how far it spreads... It passes!"

The female instructor recalled that the standard required "a scent-tracking item similar to a paintball," and the subject was a Kinsect. This was already enough to count as a pass.

"Even its size and proportions are perfect..."

Kedon praised the silk ball, which fit neatly in a palm.

There was a reason the Guild's paintball combination standards restricted their size.

A great deal of consideration had gone into making them fit the hand for throwing, easy to carry, and less wasteful of materials.

"Uh... Instructor Kedon, why are you looking at me?"

"Well... I must congratulate you, Li Le."

Kedon turned to the residents watching and cheering, then announced loudly, "The new Ahtal-Ka Kinsect has passed every test! This concludes the hunter examination at Guild headquarters!"

That evening, lights came on throughout the city.

Inside the tavern next to the arena training grounds.

The group from the Kinsect Research Institute was enjoying dinner at a table by the window.

"Director, you really went to great lengths to draw out Sisi's intellectual potential."

Li Le praised him.

"Hmm... Ah, yes, yes. I recognized Ahtal-Ka's talent in that area long ago."

Sara seemed somewhat distracted.

"But don't get conceited. You must still remain cautious about the ecology in the wild."

After giving that reminder, Sara asked solemnly, "Li Le, when you met Ahtal-Ka, there weren't any others of her kind nearby, were there?"

"No. Those ruins are very conspicuous. If you have any doubts, Director, you can visit and take a look."

"As long as there aren't any confirmed wild ones, I can rest easy."

Holo picked up the completed scroll, checked it carefully, and said, "According to my estimated scores, Li Le is very likely to pass."

"Really?"

Li Le took the scroll and unrolled it.

Sisi and Kaluo leaned their heads in from either side.

"Why is everything else an estimate, but weapon handling has three confirmed scores of fifteen...? Oh!"

Li Le looked at Sara and understood.

"I didn't help you. Those scores were earned by your performance. Your vault using the glaive against the ground wasn't quite high enough, which would have cost you two points. Fortunately, your transition from the dance to the jumping advance was very smooth, so I added them back."

After dinner, the full moon hung high in the sky.

Outside Guild headquarters, fewer than half as many examinees remained waiting for the results as there had been that morning.

Clearly, many had already guessed their results based on their performance.

Before long, Kedon came out and led everyone into the headquarters hall.

Two rows of tall Guild knights stood straight on either side of the red carpet leading to the counter.

In the solemn atmosphere, the examinees were invited up to the counter.

Kedon stepped in front of them, unrolled a scroll, and began reading.

"This hunter admission examination had a total possible score of one hundred and fifty, with one hundred and twenty required to pass. Three people have successfully qualified as hunters."

Hearing that only three had passed, everyone grew nervous.

Because, excluding Aiden, that meant only two people had passed this hunter examination.

"First place! Aiden! One hundred and forty-seven points!"

Amid the applause.

Aiden clenched his fist and shouted, then went to the counter, accepted the badge from the receptionist, and pinned it to his chest.

"I, the top rookie Aiden, will begin a brand-new legend!"

Aiden pounded his chest with his fist and spoke the words he had been holding back for so long.

"Second place! Leidemeng! One hundred and thirty-seven points!"

A burly man raised both hands to the sky and roared excitedly, then went to the counter to collect his hunter badge.

No way. Did Sisi pass while I failed?

Sisi's already an approved Kinsect, but I'm not a hunter.

How are we supposed to get along after this...?

Li Le suddenly felt the pressure multiply.

"Third place... Li Le! One hundred and thirty-one points!"

Hearing his name, Li Le let out a long breath.

Together with a cat and an insect, he stepped forward to collect his one-star hunter badge.

"Those who failed, please don't be discouraged. You may collect your detailed scores at the counter and review the areas where you lost points. Now, let us congratulate these three rising hunter stars!"

Once Kedon finished, the Felynes on either side pulled ropes.

A decorative egg above the counter burst open, showering ribbons down.

Lan Rui had also only recently become a hunter and was quite familiar with the next steps.

She took Li Le to collect his hunter's handbook at Guild headquarters, then to the workshop, which operated day and night, to collect a set of leather armor and a bone Insect Glaive.

"With a hunter badge, you can ride the city's rail carts for free. The Guild also provides hunter housing and three basic meals a day."

On the nighttime streets, Lan Rui explained the various privileges hunters enjoyed.

"Why do you seem to be in such a hurry tonight?"

Li Le asked in confusion.

He felt as though Lan Rui wanted to tell him everything a hunter needed to know all at once.

"We've almost saved enough money. We won't be staying in Dondorma much longer, meow."

Sanhua sighed.

"Then we can get together again when you come here to hunt."

Li Le did not see a problem. After all, aside from some village-based hunters, moving around was normal for hunters.

"The Wycademy headquarters in my hometown, Bherna Village, wants to recruit and train a group of special hunters. I didn't want to miss the opportunity, so I signed up."

"Special hunters... What's special about them?"

Li Le asked curiously.

"So far, they've only said we need to be bold, with enough courage to face any monster we encounter."

"Hmm... That sounds a little different from the principles the Guild promotes."

"If you were from Bherna Village, you'd understand. That's just the Wycademy's culture. Apparently, we'll have to study for a long time. Even when we go hunting, the Wycademy will assign our contracts, and all the hunting areas it focuses on are very far from Dondorma."

Lan Rui spoke helplessly.

"That's all right. When I have time in the future, I can visit you in Bherna Village."

"Uh... Apart from backlogged contracts that couldn't be completed, you can't accept contracts from the Bherna Village area at the Guild counters or noticeboards in Dondorma."

Lan Rui reminded him.

Only then did Li Le realize why Lan Rui seemed a little sad.

In an age when the airship industry was still undeveloped, many companions might never have another chance to meet once they parted.

"You can still keep in touch by letter, meow."

Seeing the mood grow subdued, Kaluo promptly reminded them.

"True. Your address is the Kinsect Research Institute, right?"

Lan Rui asked.

"That's right. Even if I change addresses in the future, the director and Holo can still pass letters on to me."

"That's good."

"Oh, right. If the Wycademy ever stations a hunter in Yukumo Village, make sure to let me know. Preferably include information about them-the more detailed, the better."

"Yukumo Village... All right, I'll remember. You mentioned Yukumo Village when we first met, too. Is there something there that interests you?"

Lan Rui asked in puzzlement.

"Nothing much. I just want to confirm whether certain things will really happen."

"All right. Speaking of which, would you be interested in joining my last hunt before I leave Dondorma?"

"Well... Of course."

Li Le hesitated slightly. After all, he had been a hunter for less than three hours.

He should at least have made a plan before accepting a contract.

But at the thought that this was probably his last chance to hunt alongside Lan Rui and Sanhua, he agreed anyway.

"Thanks for your help. Here's the contract."

As Lan Rui spoke, he took out a scroll.

"Huh? You already accepted the contract?"

Surprised, Li Le unrolled it to take a look.

Find the Phantom Liver

★★ Urgent contract

[Find the Phantom Liver]

Location: Desert sands (outside guild hunting grounds)

Contract target: Cephalos ("Old Geezer" individual)

Client: Hunter's Guild Headquarters

Quest summary: A hunter reported sighting an elderly Cephalos individual named "Old Geezer." Due to its extremely strong pursuit and attack instincts, it may pose a potential threat, so hunters are being sought to hunt it.

Additional reward condition: Carefully carve out the Cephalos liver intact, preserve it, and bring it back.

Reward: 4650z + 3550z (if the additional reward condition is met)

Time limit: 15 days

"Could this Old Geezer be..."

Li Le could not have been more familiar with this particular Cephalos.

"It's the one we reported, meow. Lan Rui and I originally wanted to hunt it as a farewell surprise. We didn't expect you to become a hunter so soon."

Sanhua explained.

"How did this become an urgent contract?"

Li Le was puzzled.

"Either the guild received another report that Old Geezer had hurt someone, or someone paid a hefty sum because they wanted to taste Cephalos liver."

Lan Rui speculated.

"This really is a great contract... Let me head back and prepare. Once we register at the guild tomorrow, we'll set out right away."

"It's settled, then."

After the two said goodbye, Li Le returned to the shack at the research institute and began preparing with Kaluo.

Seeing Sisi adding parts to the cargo pedal cart, Li Le began gesturing as he described the modifications he needed.

"Li Le, getting enough rest is important. Don't celebrate too late."

Sara, who had just finished checking on the kinsects, reminded him.

"Don't worry, Director. I'll go to sleep once I've finished preparing for the hunting trip."

"All right... Did you say a hunting trip?"

Sara asked incredulously.