During these five days, both the Flame Rathalos and the Azure Rathalos had each chosen their own residence near Logan's nest.
The Flame Rathalos had directly moved into a lava cave. The occasionally erupting magma and the basalt zones that cracked open to reveal molten rock beneath were a perfect match for its tastes. This guy was like an overexcited hound, rolling from time to time in magma and on still-soft basalt.
However, for the past two days, it seemed to have gotten into a feud with a Lavasioth that lived within the molten rock.
The Lavasioth could not defeat the Flame Rathalos, but since it was a Piscine Wyvern that lived within magma, it could dive deep into it, leaving the Flame Rathalos utterly helpless.
Logan's nest was on a small platform, its surroundings and the sky above shielded by sharp bioenergy crystals.
After he and Aki shared and ate the seemingly massive yet sparsely edible Uragaan, they rested for a while with their necks intertwined. Then, under Aki's reluctant gaze, Logan dove into a tunnel beside the nest.
Inside the passage flowed an exceedingly rare water source. Lowering his head, he drank a few gulps of the scalding, sulfur-flavored water before leaping out from the tunnel's exit.
Scarlet magma splashed in all directions, its surface quickly hardening into a black shell.
Logan spread his wings, lying in the rolling lava pool as though on a waterbed. He closed his eyes and rested quietly, his body rising and sinking with the slow movement of the molten rock.
His silver-white scales gradually turned red, while blue-violet flames flared upward. The heat exceeding 2 000 °C kept the surface of the lava pool glowing a constant crimson.
The magma, laden with tiny bioenergy crystals, began to decompose those crystals under the extreme temperature, transforming them into pure life energy that Logan absorbed without restraint.
The Flame Rathalos returned, jaws holding the body of a Lavasioth whose shell was still coated with hardened magma. At a glance, it saw Logan "bathing" in its lava pool.
Its eyes showed clear wariness toward the blue-violet flames scattered across the surface of the pool. Even though the Flame Rathalos's own fire had already reached a temperature close to the level of Cataclysm Fire, it still dared not remain too long near such flames.
Simply put, Cataclysm Fire referred to flames whose temperature exceeded 2 000 °C, causing visible alterations in their outer appearance.
The Flame Rathalos dropped the corpse of the Lavasioth it had finally ambushed beside the lava pool. Under the scorching heat of the Cataclysm Fire, the solidified basalt armor covering the Lavasioth's body began to soften and melt, dripping off as molten rock.
Seeing flames begin to rise from the Lavasioth's body, the Flame Rathalos immediately dragged it out and started tearing at its scales.
Logan took note of the Flame Rathalos's behavior, suppressing the urge to beat up the fellow that treated him like a mere tool. He steadied his thoughts and focused on absorbing the life energy.
It had to be said—Logan at this moment resembled a brutal plunderer. The massive amount of life energy he was absorbing, and the exaggerated rate at which it was being drained, stirred such a disturbance that even the nearby Elder Dragons sensed it.
The Nergigante—the big black hedgehog that was just cleaning away excess spikes from its wings—was the first to notice something unusual.
Unlike the enormous cocoon hidden deep beneath a giant bioenergy crystal, Logan was still far too inexperienced at concealing his aura.
The Teostra, who had originally intended to go out and investigate, saw a black silhouette flying across the sky. Its foreleg, already lifted to step out, was quietly retracted as it turned back into the depths of its cave.
After all the trouble it had taken to finally shake that guy off back then, it couldn't afford to be discovered again!
The Flame Rathalos, who had been happily eating grilled fish, suddenly stiffened. It released its jaws, letting the Lavasioth fall, and spread its wings to glide low, flames surging wildly around it as its eyes locked onto the Nergigante stepping into the cave entrance.
That aura—ferocious and demonic like a fiend from hell—made the Flame Rathalos tremble from the depths of its heart. The absolute ecological dominance pressed down on it, leaving it only able to emit a low, bluffing growl, warning the half-asleep Logan.
The Nergigante, disinterested in the Flame Rathalos that looked far from appetizing, turned its malicious gaze toward the blue-violet fireball still absorbing life energy. Its body lowered slightly—a clear sign of preparing to strike.
Within the Cataclysm Fire, Logan's eyelids opened. His gray nictitating membranes slid away, revealing azure slit pupils glinting with cold light.
He slowly rose within the magma. Scalding molten rock dripped from his wings and chest scales like flowing water.
The blistering heat—hot enough to easily burn even monsters—instantly spread out, filling every corner of the lava cave.
He wanted to see just which short-sighted fool dared disturb his evolution!!
The moment Logan's gaze locked onto him, the Nergigante's wings—originally spread in an intimidating display—froze halfway open.
At the same time, the Nergigante, which had also readied itself for battle with sharp spikes jutting all over its body, found itself staring blankly at the silver-white creature standing above the molten rock.
"Holy crap, Nergigante!!"
"The Rathalos who tricked a dragon!!"
For a moment, the atmosphere grew rather awkward.
Logan had not expected the visitor to be an old acquaintance—the Nergigante. Ever since the siege against the Shagaru Magala years ago, he had not seen it again. He didn't even know whether, after pursuing it into the Rotten Vale, the Nergigante had ever found the Shagaru Magala's corpse.
Watching the Nergigante warily, Logan began to think about how to resolve the situation. Although there was some history between them, with his evolution already reaching 94%, Logan could not be certain whether he might now become the Nergigante's target.
After all, the amount of life energy within his body was now not much less than that of the chaotic Gore Magala back then.
The lava cave was too cramped, too easy for the Nergigante to close in. This battlefield was not well suited for Logan's fighting style.
Meanwhile, the Nergigante slowly relaxed its muscles, its gaze filled with confusion as it examined Logan—finding him increasingly fragrant.
It couldn't quite understand. Back then, Logan had been just an ordinary Elder Dragon–class monster. Though powerful in battle, his life energy content hadn't been particularly high.
But now, within the Nergigante's perception, the amount of life energy inside Logan's body was already no less than that of an Elder Dragon approaching maturity.
Moreover, judging from the rate at which Logan was absorbing life energy from the lava cave entrance, it wouldn't be long before his life energy reached the level of a fully grown Elder Dragon.
For a moment, the Nergigante began to ponder whether it should prey upon this Fire Wyvern who had once deceived it—but had also helped it complete a hunt.
In terms of strength, whether it was during their brief clash in the Wildspire Waste or in the siege against the Shagaru Magala on the Coral Highlands, the Nergigante's impression was that Logan possessed power enough to fight it on equal footing.
Besides, Logan had once helped it hunt its very first Elder Dragon.
All these factors combined left the Nergigante momentarily uncertain.
The two seemed to remain locked in that tense standoff.
Until a dragon's roar echoed from above the magma pool.
Aki's massive form descended, spreading her wings to hover beside Logan.
Flames, charged with Cataclysm Fire, leaked from the corners of her mouth, raising the air temperature even further.
What defined the "police class"? A monster capable of unleashing Elder Dragon–level combat power for a short period through a burst state was known as police class.
Without a doubt, both the Flame Rathalos and Aki—whose transformation had reached over 60%—possessed police-class strength.
Already aware of Logan's power, the Nergigante, still in hesitation, made its choice.
Under Logan's relieved gaze, it turned around with an air of swagger, gliding out of the lava cave.
Inside the lava cavern, with the departure of Nergigante, that invisible pressure rapidly dissipated.
Without needing Logan to say anything, the Flame Rathalos cautiously flew toward the entrance of the cavern. Only after watching the silhouette of Nergigante completely disappear from sight did it finally let out a breath of relief.
For Logan, Nergigante's sudden appearance had truly given him quite a fright. This point in time was precisely his most critical stage, and unless absolutely necessary, he truly did not want to expend even the slightest bit of bioenergy.
After all, this immense bioenergy was continuously transforming within his body into the purest life force. If his body were to encounter any problems due to battle at this stage, resulting in the final metamorphosis failing or leaving behind some hidden danger, there would really be nowhere left to cry about it.
Fortunately, regardless of whatever reason it might be, at least Nergigante had chosen to retreat of its own accord. Given Nergigante's habits, it would basically not choose to make another move, allowing him to relax somewhat and once again advance upward with his full strength.
Nergigante's deterrence was indeed considerable. Although the Elder's Recess housed many Elder Dragons, ordinary ones made up the vast majority. Upon sensing Nergigante's movements, they would not take the risk of provoking such a troublesome being to come and investigate the lava cavern.
As for those Arch-Tempered Elder Dragons completely unafraid of Nergigante, each and every one of them was an absolute recluse, content to enjoy the wondrous days of surpassing their lifespan limit within their own little domain. They would not care in the slightest about Logan's massive absorption of bioenergy.
After all, no matter how much Logan absorbed, could it possibly compare to the amount being drawn by that "egg" deep within the bioenergy crystals?
That fellow had absorbed the bioenergy of the entire Elder's Recess to such an extent that even the edges of the New World had begun to suffer a shortage of bioenergy for expansion.
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