Monster Hunter: This Dragon's Built Different

The mist had grown so thick it now completely obstructed vision. The sharp eyesight that Rathalos usually took pride in was rendered useless within this white fog.

What made it even more infuriating was that this toxic mist had clearly been caused by Chameleos, yet it hadn't been deliberately aimed at Logan and Aki. This meant there was a high chance that Chameleos wasn't even nearby. Even if Logan wanted to drive it away to clear the fog, he had no target to strike.

After venting his frustration, Logan could only press forward with flames blazing around him. Once Aki's natural resistance to toxins finally kicked in and she regained some movement, he guarded her as they made their way out of the forest.

But the fire enveloping his body wasn't limitless. The flames covering him consumed the reserves stored within his internal flame sac. While his Firekind Trait allowed him to absorb surrounding flames to create a partial feedback loop, burning away the toxic mist depleted his supply faster than he could replenish it.

With output exceeding input, it was only a matter of time before the flames ran out. They had to leave the fog zone before that happened.

The exposure had been too short, and yet Aki had already inhaled far too much of the mist. The complex toxins had sapped her strength so severely that she couldn't fly—she could only walk on the ground.

Since learning to fly, Logan had rarely walked long distances with his talons curled on the earth. The sudden return to ground movement felt awkward and unnatural.

But as time passed and both he and Aki finally emerged from the forest and returned to their former hunting grounds, the mist was still there.

Logan's heart sank.

This could only mean one thing—the direction they'd been moving in was the same as Chameleos's.

The very thought gave Logan a headache.

He turned to glance at Aki, and as if their thoughts were aligned, Aki instantly understood what he meant.

Spreading her wings, she tried to stir the air with a gust of wind. She beat her wings with all her might, but only managed to lift off by about two meters before crashing hard to the ground. She looked to Logan and shook her head in frustration.

Flying their way out wasn't an option.

Logan scanned their surroundings. The visibility in the fog was less than five meters. The narrow field of vision made it clear—they hadn't escaped the mist at all. If anything, they might have wandered even closer to its center.

Now, only two paths remained before him.

The first: grit their teeth and continue walking through the fog until Aki recovered enough strength to fly and they could escape together.

The second: have Aki hold on just a bit longer while Logan flew up to locate the direction in which the fog was spreading, identify a thinner area, then return to guide her there.

But both options were equally risky. The amount of fire he had left probably wasn't enough to protect them in this dense mist for much longer.

Aki's body couldn't endure another round of damage in this thick toxic mist.

Which meant, ultimately, the only option left was to keep holding on.

Having made up his mind, Logan prepared to lead Aki back the way they had come. Since it was now clear that their path had overlapped with Chameleos's movement, then retreating in the opposite direction might allow them to escape the mist before his flames ran dry.

Just then, Logan's sixth sense suddenly flared—there was movement near the nearby pool!

Something was disturbing the water's surface.

Something... was drinking.

This discovery sent a jolt through Logan's heart.

The only creature that could casually drink water inside Chameleos's poisonous mist—aside from Chameleos itself—would have to be a monster of extreme power.

Whether it was Chameleos or some other beast, either outcome spelled bad news for him and Aki.

Logan's gaze sharpened as he looked toward the source of the sound. Suddenly, a flicker of purple swept through the fog—then vanished without a trace.

But it had only vanished from view.

With his sixth sense still active, Logan's perception had been significantly amplified. Within that heightened awareness, he picked up the presence of a massive figure—transparent, symmetrical from head to tail, with a pair of small wings protruding from its back.

"Chameleos!!"

Logan instantly confirmed the identity.

Chameleos had many distinctive features, but perhaps its most deceptive trait was the design of its tail—broad and fan-like near the base, then tapering into a long, curling tip. Likely meant to protect its vulnerable head, this design created a visual illusion: from a distance, its shifting body colors could easily confuse enemies about which end was the front.

And now, within Logan's senses, Chameleos appeared to be staring directly at them.

...

Amid the thick mist, a searing fireball suddenly emerged—drifting and mobile. Strangely, it burned away the surrounding poisonous fog, a phenomenon that greatly puzzled Chameleos. Its massive eyes—just as intelligent as a Pukei-Pukei's and capable of seeing a full 360 degrees around—filled with curiosity as it edged closer, unable to resist taking a look.

As the Chameleos approached, Logan could not only sense its presence through his inner eye, but even his vision began catching brief, flickering glimpses—like a corrupted slideshow—of the beast's true form.

The Chameleos' perfect camouflage relied on three key components.

First was its epidermal mimicry. Its stealth didn't work by becoming invisible in the literal sense, but by adapting its skin like a chameleon, constantly adjusting to its surroundings.

Second was light refraction. The Chameleos controlled the fog it exhaled to bend light at deceptive angles, creating a mirage-like effect that made its figure nearly impossible to track.

The third component was the toxins within the mist. These could enter an enemy's body through inhalation or skin contact, subtly distorting the victim's senses and even inducing hallucinations.

It was precisely this sensory disruption that had delayed Aki's realization of danger. Because her perception had been compromised by the toxin, she missed the critical window to retreat.

If even one of these conditions failed to hold, the Chameleos' camouflage would cease to be flawless.

Fortunately, Logan's flame-cloaked body repelled the toxic mist, breaking the illusion and exposing the Chameleos' presence. His inner eye only amplified this advantage, allowing him to perceive what others could not.

Aki was confused. She didn't understand why Logan suddenly turned vigilant, staring intently in that direction. In her vision, there was nothing there.

But after so many years together, she trusted Logan's instincts completely. Even though her body still felt drained of strength, she mimicked his stance, raising her guard.

Logan now found himself deliberating their next move.

Though creatures like him and Aki were far too large to be part of the Chameleos' usual prey, and despite its lack of bloodlust compared to other Elder Dragons, the situation was still dangerous. Setting aside its mist-based abilities, the Chameleos was considered one of the weaker Elder Dragons in terms of raw combat power.

But it was still an Elder Dragon.

Its hide, scales, bone density, and vitality all surpassed that of most monsters in the world.

Even if Logan wanted to fight, this wasn't the time or place to go all out. All he could do now was hold a threatening posture, eyes locked on the approaching Chameleos, alert and ready.

From the Chameleos' perspective, it wasn't until it got closer that it realized the fireball was actually a Rathalos—and standing beside him was a well-built Rathian.

That confused the Chameleos. Why were there fire wyverns lingering inside its poisonous mist instead of retreating?

What's more, Logan and Aki's cautious yet confrontational posture only fueled the creature's irritation. Already agitated by the recent disturbances in the leyline energy and the constant noise pollution, the Chameleos' temper flared.

Even if it hadn't fully reached adulthood, it wasn't about to be challenged by fire wyverns like them!

Indeed, to the Chameleos, already slightly addled and enraged from the disruptive screeches of Shara Ishvalda, Logan's defensive stance seemed like open provocation.

Even the mild-mannered Chameleos had its limits.

Without warning, a glob of deep purple venom burst forth from the fog.

Logan instinctively prepared to take off and dodge, but then he remembered Aki behind him. Gritting his teeth, he resolved to take the hit head-on, relying on his flame-wreathed body to endure it.

The high heat from the fire engulfing him could at least partially neutralize the venom's potency. He figured he could withstand the attack.

Probably.

Logan wasn't entirely sure—but that was the plan.

However, before he could act, a wing adorned with delicate, mesmerizing patterns suddenly swept in front of him, intercepting the incoming venom.

Aki let out a cry of pain. Her wing hung limp, trembling from the waves of searing agony pulsing through her body.

The Chameleos' toxin wasn't merely numbing—it targeted the nervous system directly. It didn't just dull the senses; it heightened them, intensifying pain to unbearable levels.

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