Monster Hunter: This Dragon's Built Different

"So you're really not planning to relocate?"

The Grimalkyne chief had already prepared himself mentally, so he wasn't surprised to hear this. What piqued his curiosity was why Logan had changed his mind.

After all, the source of all this unrest was an Elder Dragon.

To flee or hide—those were the most instinctive and common responses.

But Logan reaffirmed his decision not to relocate, offering no elaborate explanation. As always, he left the choice up to the Grimalkyne chief.

Once that was settled, Logan returned to his den to rest.

After everything that had happened today, a plan had begun to form in his mind.

He was thinking of trying to drive away the Chameleos.

It wasn't some wild fantasy, nor a hopeless delusion.

If it were any other Elder Dragon, driving it off would be nearly impossible. But since the target was a Chameleos, maybe—just maybe—it wasn't out of the question.

After carefully reviewing everything, Logan realized that this particular Chameleos didn't seem to be fully grown.

An adult Chameleos typically reached a body length of about 20 meters. But the one he'd encountered today was clearly smaller than Aki—roughly around 13 meters in length.

The reason the Chameleos had caused such widespread chaos was largely due to its innate poison and the massive range of its toxic miasma.

In truth, its actual combat prowess didn't measure up to that of a typical Elder Dragon.

What's more, its invisibility no longer worked perfectly against Logan. Within a certain range, Logan could use his mind's eye to accurately sense the Chameleos's position and clearly perceive its movements. The poison mist, too, didn't suppress him nearly as much as it did other creatures.

Under these conditions, as long as his flames could be further strengthened, and as long as he could locate the Chameleos and initiate a battle with enough noise—

Yes, it just needed to be loud enough!

Even with an upgraded flame, Logan could at most pose a slight threat to the Chameleos. It wasn't nearly enough to force it into retreat.

But just because Logan's own strength wasn't enough didn't mean there wasn't a wyvern powerful enough.

While most wyverns couldn't enter the poisonous fog to help him confront the Chameleos, the Bazelgeuse he encountered earlier had a unique capability: it could intervene in a battle without having to enter the fog directly!

Exactly—Logan had set his sights on the Bazelgeuse.

Sure, the Bazelgeuse wouldn't help him fight the Chameleos deliberately. But Logan could exploit its habits and lure it into joining the battle.

The Chameleos, while winged, wasn't especially agile. Its body movements were stiff and awkward, and it didn't have a quick method of escaping the battlefield.

If he played it right, Logan could guide the Bazelgeuse into unleashing its explosive scales on the Chameleos, effectively turning the tables.

That level of damage would be enough to provoke the Chameleos's instincts and prompt it to flee.

And if it happened to suffer some physical injuries in the process, all the better—it would likely retreat back to its territory to recuperate.

Finally, the most critical piece had fallen into place: the noise pollution from Shara Ishvalda had finally vanished!

Earlier that day, while recovering his strength, Logan had actively drawn upon the energy of the leylines—and for once, he wasn't disturbed by the disruptive sound. The energy of the earth was finally beginning to calm down.

With the root of its agitation cut off, the Chameleos's aggression would naturally fade. If Logan succeeded in forcing it out, then based on its nature, it would most likely return to its domain to resume its elusive, mist-shrouded existence.

Logan now had the outline of a preliminary plan in mind. The next step was to figure out how to refine it further.

After finishing her meal, Aki made her way to the reservoir by the treetop platform to drink some water.

The pair of Rathalos and their hatchling had departed the area yesterday, so Aki could finally drink in peace without having to remain alert to their presence.

When she returned and saw Logan lying down to rest, Aki quietly approached him and began gently licking his wounds.

This warm and tender scene did not go unnoticed by the Grimalkyne chief, who had just stepped out of the den. He watched in silence, a trace of emotion flickering in his heart.

Rathalos, as apex Flying Wyverns, were generally known for their brutal, cold, and ruthless demeanor. Yet, only in the presence of their mates did they reveal a gentleness completely unlike that of other great beasts.

The Grimalkyne chief had come to inform Logan of their decision: they would resolutely follow in his footsteps. Since Logan had chosen to stay, then they, too, would remain.

This stance essentially placed the entire fate of their tribe in Logan's hands.

The chief was well aware that his people had no deep emotional connection with Logan. When they first pledged allegiance, it had been purely out of necessity.

But over time, as they spent more time with him, the chief began to realize something: Logan possessed a remarkable intelligence, an unusual mindset, and an unshakable calm far beyond that of any other Rathalos. He was, in every sense, a highly intelligent being cloaked in the skin of a fire wyvern.

Once he understood this, the Grimalkyne chief convened with the others and together, they decided to make a bold wager.

Even if there wasn't deep affection between them, the loyalty shown through daily interactions could bridge that gap and forge a true bond.

The Grimalkyne who lived near the outer perimeter of the Ancient Forest had mentioned that a group of beings had arrived near the border between the forest and the Wildspire Waste. These beings were close kin to the Grimalkyne—called Felynes.

These Felynes had already fully integrated into human society, alongside Wyverians and other demi-humans on another continent. They had become an indispensable part of that world.

So then, why couldn't the Grimalkyne integrate into the world of monsters?

After all—monsters are the true rulers of this world.

Logan didn't yet know the full extent of the Grimalkyne chief's thinking, but upon hearing their decision, a strange feeling stirred within him.

It seemed… he didn't actually reject the loyalty of these adorable little cats.

...

Today, another pair of Rathalos left the Ancient Tree. At present, most of the Rathalos families still residing in the Ancient Tree are either exceptionally powerful or even include several Tempered Rathalos.

Any creature that has reached such a level of strength clearly understands just how much benefit the Ancient Tree's dense life energy provides. Unless absolutely necessary, they would never choose to leave.

Over the past few days, the Chameleos had not appeared again. Whether it was because the disruptive cries of Shara Ishvalda had ceased, or because it had decided—after its encounter with Logan—not to approach the Ancient Tree again, remained uncertain.

However, Logan did not lower his guard. These days, he had been continuously pondering why the Chameleos had originally moved toward the Ancient Tree.

The most likely conclusion he had reached was this: the Chameleos was drawn to the leyline node beneath the Ancient Tree.

Considering the migration patterns of Zinogre and Nargacuga, the place Chameleos had previously inhabited was not close to the Ancient Tree. The interference from Shara Ishvalda might have been only a trigger. Once it had left its original habitat and strayed farther and farther away, the idea of migrating may have taken hold.

This time, it likely intended to settle permanently in the Ancient Tree. That was a complete contradiction to what Logan had initially believed—that once Shara Ishvalda returned to slumber, the Chameleos would go back to its own territory.

When an Elder Dragon decides to change its habitat, the resulting impact is enormous. It means the ecological structure of the Ancient Tree will be entirely shattered. Only after suffering an unprecedented blow can it slowly begin to form a new ecosystem—one centered around the Elder Dragon's traits.

The weak adapt to their environment, but the strong shape it.

The stronger the Elder Dragon, the more capable it is of altering its surroundings to better suit its own needs and growth.

They don't even need to take any deliberate action. Just remaining in one place over a long period is enough for their inherent traits to subtly transform everything around them.

Once Logan understood the Chameleos' intention, he had spent the following days closely monitoring the situation near the Ancient Tree.

As expected, today, thick white mist began to rise at the edge of the Ancient Tree's territory. It seemed to signal the final stage of preparation. This fog carried an undeniable intent, steadily advancing toward the Ancient Tree.

With the appearance of the mist, more perceptive creatures had already begun to flee.

In the sky, flocks of flying creatures—Forest Pteryx, Wingdrakes, Revoltures—scattered in droves, blanketing the air in dark masses.

Within the forest, Jagras, Tobi-Kadachi, and even the Nargacuga that had not yet left, all scrambled to escape the fog, weaving desperately through the dense undergrowth. Roars echoed endlessly through the forest.

At this moment, it no longer mattered whether there were natural predator-prey relationships or mutual counters between species—none of that was important. The only thing that did matter was escaping the poisonous mist and staying alive.

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