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After shaking off the pursuing Ludroth, Ethan simultaneously focused on concealment and investigating the surrounding tracks.
On the rough, cracked tree bark, he occasionally found a few broken pieces of blue-green fur. A fallen dead log looked like it had been violently struck by something, shattered into fragments. The surface of the shrub leaves was stained with splattered, dark red marks, and a deep scratch mark was hidden in the mud beneath the fallen leaves. Comparing the size, he could be almost certain that this was left by Bear Bro.
Ethan's expression grew increasingly somber. These signs unanimously indicated that a fierce battle had taken place here, severe enough that at least one side had been injured. The combatants were undoubtedly Bear Bro and another monster.
Considering the Ludroth that appeared by the lake, and how the ground surface here was damper than other areas, with some depressions even revealing residual, fishy-smelling mucus… the other monster was very likely a Royal Ludroth. Had a territory dispute occurred?
Given that the Ludroth pack was occupying the area around the lake, Bear Bro must have lost and left the area. But where did he go?
The fight couldn't have happened in the last couple of days, as many subtle traces were already buried. After searching the vicinity for about fifteen minutes, he found no further clues. Considering that a Royal Ludroth might be roaming nearby, continuing the search would likely lead to an encounter. After weighing the risks, Ethan decided to temporarily return and first report the potential presence of the Ludroth to the village.
…
At the village entrance, when Ethan returned, he found the atmosphere in the village seemed slightly off.
The villagers coming and going were not busy with their usual activities but were gathered in groups, discussing something. Judging by the expressions on their faces, many were clearly distressed, occasionally letting out sighs while they talked.
What happened?
Ethan's sharp eyes spotted Iwata in the crowd and he quietly walked over.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Iwata's face also looked pale, showing a mix of fear and indignation. Seeing Ethan, he tried hard to adjust his expression so he wouldn't look too "down."
"Old Man Kia was severely injured… He has helped everyone in the village so much over the years. Seeing him rushed back covered in blood suddenly frightened everyone."
"How could that be?"
It was only a mission to hunt the Great Jagras leader. Old Man Kia was a Light Bowgun user who spent years in the wilderness, and he was fully prepared for the fight—he had at least three basic supplies of Fire Ammo stored at the camp. How did he end up severely injured?
"Sigh…"
Iwata shook his head with a sigh. "I don't know the specifics, but according to the Palico Rescue Team, a Royal Ludroth suddenly charged in while he was intensely fighting the Great Jagras…"
"Old Man Kia's luck was really terrible…"
Ethan pressed his lips together. He was just about to return to report the presence of the Ludroth nearby, but he arrived back only to find someone had already been harmed because of it.
He patted Iwata:
"That's the nature of the Hunter profession. The monsters just need to interrupt, but the Hunter has to consider so many things. What about you? Are you afraid?"
Iwata suddenly looked at Ethan seriously. "Do you know? When I first saw Old Man Kia, injured and having even lost his left arm, I was truly terrified."
"But the village always needs Hunters to protect it. Old Man Kia has fallen, but someone else will step up. So, why can't that person be me?"
Ethan watched his gaze grow firm, then nodded:
"To be honest, I initially thought you wanted to be a Hunter just because you were 'chūni' (teenager syndrome), but now I have to admit, I underestimated your resolve."
"Eh? What is chūni?"
"That's not important. I think for you, figuring out when to finish the training camp curriculum and complete the Hunter assessment is more important."
Thinking back to the physical training that had left him utterly exhausted, Iwata's face turned slightly pale, but he still stiffened his neck and spoke stubbornly.
"I'll definitely finish soon and catch up to you!"
Ethan said nothing more, just patted him again, offered a word of encouragement, and headed straight for the Gathering Hall on the mountaintop.
Inside the Gathering Hall, Ethan not only saw Sasayu, but also Konoha.
Konoha was not wearing her usual receptionist uniform. Her eyes looked red, and her mood was visibly low. Seeing Ethan walk over, she just gave a subdued greeting, lacking her usual energy.
"This is all my fault. If I hadn't put out that Urgent Quest contract, Grandpa Kia wouldn't have encountered this."
Ethan handed the required honey and his notebook to Sasayu, and then received a subtle glance from Sasayu.
She wants me to try and comfort her?
Ethan couldn't very well play mute now, so he thought for a moment and spoke:
"Actually, I didn't plan on returning this quickly from the hunting ground today, but because I discovered tracks suggesting a Royal Ludroth was active nearby, I wanted to come back and pass on that information. It seems I was a little too late."
Sasayu covered her face beside him, and Konoha looked even more distressed:
"Actually, the Scholars' Team submitted an observation report a few days ago mentioning that a Royal Ludroth pack had migrated nearby, but the Guild confirmed its habitat wouldn't affect the village's normal operations, so they didn't issue a subjugation quest."
"It's all my fault. I should have told Grandpa Kia this information immediately…"
"Hmm, look on the bright side. At least he's still alive, isn't he? For a Hunter, that's already quite fortunate, isn't it?"
Ethan had thoroughly learned the common knowledge of this world from the manuals and books Kayne left behind. In the real world, the Palico Cart does not have the ability to retrieve people from the middle of a sectoral fire attack. A Hunter who goes down in combat can easily be one who never gets up again. Only a minority of the lucky ones are rescued by the Palico Cart.
"Waaah…"
Konoha seemed to have found a small measure of comfort. Ethan gently let out a breath and turned back to Sasayu:
"Senior Kia was severely injured, so did the Great Jagras leader quest fail?"
Sasayu: "?"
"Are you going to…"
"I have a score to settle with that Great Jagras, so I plan to take it down and avenge Senior Kia while I'm at it."
"But you only just became a one-star Hunter not long ago…"
"According to the Guild's rules, to advance in star ranking, a Hunter either needs to complete a sufficient number of quests at the current rank, apply, and pass an assessment, or complete an Urgent Quest. Is that correct?"
"That is true, but…"
"The Great Jagras quest is a two-star mission, but because it is an Urgent Quest, I, a one-star Hunter, am permitted to accept it. Is that correct?"
"But…"
Watching Sasayu hesitate and try to speak, only to be interrupted by him repeatedly, Ethan knew she was worried he would suffer the same fate as Old Man Kia. He smiled gently.
"Please process the quest for me. I am ready. If we allow that Great Jagras to recover from its injuries, I fear it will grow to hate humans even more and become bolder in attacking passersby."
"Sigh, alright. Please, be absolutely careful."
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