The "noise pollution" from Shara Ishvalda once again swept across the entire New World—at an intensity never seen before.
In the past, it only made the Elder Dragons feel uncomfortable, and usually they could endure it and it would pass.
But this time, perhaps because It was about to fully awaken, and because active Everstream energy amplified the noise, quite a few Elder Dragons could no longer endure it.
When ordinary people are repeatedly awakened from sleep by noise for many consecutive days, they become gloomy and emotionally unstable after waking—let alone Elder Dragons, who have lived a lifetime doing as they please, with few restraints on their behavior and actions, following only their own preferences.
Even the most good-tempered Elder Dragon, after a long period of noise pollution, would have their temper flare up instantly!
Because Shara Ishvalda was powerful, and because Shara Ishvalda was at the endpoint of the Everstream, the Elder Dragons were somewhat at a loss. With no other option, the violent, brutal impulse in their hearts could only be vented on the nearby creatures and the environment.
For a time, multiple regions of the Wildspire Waste saw the emergence of high-temperature climates. One stretch of desert was even scorched overnight by extreme heat into a large amount of crystal, and many creatures that could not flee in time were reduced to flying ash.
In the Coral Highlands, water vapor filled the air. One Raphinos after another struggled to fly through the mist, and even the Shimmering Eels in the ground were not as active.
In the Great Ravine, thunder and lightning raged—almost every day, Rajang corpses would fall from the Great Ravine. Occasionally, there would also be some lucky ones who successfully endured their coming-of-age rite through this cruel method, and thus their strength greatly increased.
These days, the Research Commission could be said to be so busy their feet barely touched the ground. One record after another of disasters caused by Elder Dragons was placed onto the tabletop, and one elite squad after another, watching out for each other, went to various places across the New World to maintain ecological balance.
Amid such busyness, gradually, the Research Commission discovered that besides Elder Dragons, the New World actually also had traces of an ecological destroyer like Deviljho!
Toward a creature like Deviljho, the Hunter's Guild's consistent attitude was to complete the hunt; after all, in terms of the degree of ecological destruction, Deviljho was not inferior to most Elder Dragons.
Time thus rapidly passed.
Along with the investigation of Elder Dragons, the footsteps of Research Commission hunters were also expanding across the New World at an extremely fast speed.
And at this time, the mobile research base far away in the Coral Highlands investigated a very unusual major matter!
Those Legiana that occupied the skies of the Coral Highlands actually, for no reason at all, began a great migration!!
This was not one or two—rather, it was the migration behavior of several Legiana clans.
You must know, in the Coral Highlands, Legiana had no natural enemies; they were completely the local tyrants! The primary food of the entire Coral Highlands was something that catered to them as much as they wanted. Under conditions with no survival pressure, how could they possibly casually carry out this kind of large-scale migration?
This completely defied common sense!
Later on, after the scholars joined forces and carried out some in-depth investigations, they discovered that the fog surrounding this matter not only failed to dissipate, but instead grew even thicker!
The reason for the migration of these Legiana was actually that they could not find their home!!
That's right—Legiana, which possess the migratory-bird instinct of returning home, were actually unable to find their home in the Coral Highlands, the place where they had lived for generations!
In order to unravel this mystery, and also to confirm whether this was an event that could affect the entire New World, the Darren squad, who had been accepting quests at the Ancient Tree, was requisitioned by the mobile research base. They would join forces to investigate this matter.
...
In the sky, on the deck of the mobile research base.
The Darren squad and the Third Fleet Master leaned against the railing, gazing at the sea level below as it continuously receded. One wingdrake after another flew alongside the hot-air balloon, serving a warning and lookout role.
"According to the investigation by the old Wyverian scholar, he discovered that the reason Legiana lost their homing ability is very likely that some strange changes are occurring within the Everstream, and it is highly likely related to the 'singing' you heard."
The Third Fleet Master pulled together the collar of her fur-lined cloak. The current flight altitude of the mobile research base was too high, causing the temperature to be somewhat low, and for her frail constitution, this kind of temperature was indeed no small trial.
He rubbed his hands together, warming his palms a little, and then continued speaking: "So after discussion, it was decided to have the mobile research base—with its long-range flight capability—together with the recommendation group centered on you, track the movements of the migrating Legiana, and see exactly what it is that is affecting them."
Listening to the Third Fleet Master, Darren nodded.
He had also been present at that meeting, and many of the work assignments of the Fifth Fleet were issued by him, so he had no objections to such an arrangement. The only regret was that they needed only two more investigation quests with an eight-star danger rating to gather enough Ancient Tree investigation points to exchange for the reverse scale of the Sunblaze Dragon's Elder Dragon stage. Because of the abnormal behavior of the Legiana, however, this could only be put aside for the time being.
Darren's gaze passed through the thin cloud layer, looking at the distant Legiana flock that had almost turned into tiny dots. His eyes narrowed slightly, and even he did not know what he was thinking.
…
In the Ancient Forest, Logan, who had finally taken advantage of the temporary subsiding of Shara Ishvalda's noise pollution to properly rest with his eyes closed, suddenly reopened them in irritation.
Within his pupils, aside from agitation, there was also a trace of disbelief!
He had sensed the aura of death!
More precisely, it was bioenergy filled with the aura of death, spreading from the north of the Ancient Forest.
No longer the youth he once was, Logan had long since memorized the auras of the Elder Dragons he had encountered in the New World.
And this aura—he truly knew it well!
After all, this was the very one that had once forced the Ancient Tree's Fire Wyvern group to migrate to the Wildspire Waste!
What Logan could not understand was that the current Ancient Forest was thriving. With the supplementation of Xeno'jiiva's bioenergy, there was absolutely no need to carry out a mass biological extinction to maintain the nutrients required by the land.
What was more, the present Ancient Forest had Him presiding over it.
That conspicuous, undisguised Disaster-level Elder Dragon aura had allowed the Ancient Forest to maintain at least the most basic calm during these chaotic days.
And yet even so, that reclusive dragon actually climbed back up again after several decades!
This was simply far too disrespectful to Logan!
"Roar!"
A resounding dragon roar echoed out from within the palace.
The Flame Rathalos, who was carefully escorting his pregnant partner as they strolled through the treetops, lifted his head high. After listening carefully to Logan's roar, he skillfully let out a responding call.
Rubbing his jaw against the neck of the Scorching Heat Rathian, his enormous twin wings—marked with blue Terastal patterns—beat fiercely, carrying waves of hot wind as he rapidly flew toward Logan's palace.
By the time the Flame Rathalos arrived, Aki, Little Loren, and Logan's Radiant Fire Wyvern guard unit had already fully assembled.
Logan did not emerge from the nest. After confirming through the Terastal particles in the air that all the wyverns had arrived, another long, drawn-out dragon roar rang out.
In the next moment, led by Aki, a force of fifty of the Ancient Forest's top-tier Radiant Fire Wyverns took flight from the Ancient Tree, heading straight toward the northern part of the forest.
This time, the Ancient Tree had an owner!
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