Altaïr held four quest forms.
Each one represented a Large Monster confirmed to be infected with the Frenzy Virus.
The infected Zinogre he had hunted two days earlier had provided the scholars and Alchemists with the materials needed to refine Wystones, but that was still nowhere near enough.
In the end, fewer than ten Wystones had been produced.
Maki's squad, assigned to track the Shagaru Magala, naturally received priority. Altaïr's group of four, the strongest combat force after Maki's team, each received one as well. There were not even enough left to equip the Cluster Heavy Bowgun Squad.
Their first task, therefore, was not to pursue the Gore Magala whose whereabouts remained unknown. They needed to hunt several more infected Large Monsters and provide the scholars with more materials for Wystone refinement and research.
Without more Wystones, they could not bring the Hunters' full strength to bear.
Hojo's purpose in handing Altaïr and the others those four quest forms was obvious. He wanted them to split up and hunt separately for maximum efficiency.
Sending three 6★ Hunters and one 5★ Hunter nearing 6★ rank on the same hunt would waste too much combat power, even if every form listed a troublesome 5★ Monster made fiercer and more dangerous by the Frenzy Virus.
"Let's divide them up. We'll each choose a target," Altaïr said, showing the four forms to his companions. "Once we finish these hunts and return, we can focus entirely on tracking the Gore Magala.
"The local Kamura Hunters who received Wystones will take over the culling of infected Monsters."
"Let's see..." Isis leaned closer. "Mizutsune, Khezu, Rathalos, and Anjanath. All four hunting grounds are in the Flooded Forest?"
"That's right. First, every target is a Large Monster over fifteen meters long and could give rise to a new Gore Magala. Hojo wants us to prioritize them.
"Second, our squad's ultimate objective is to find and hunt the Gore Magala hiding in the Flooded Forest. We can use this opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the environment.
"To be honest, this place is quite different from an ordinary jungle. Streams and waterways crisscross the entire region."
"You can choose first. I'll hunt whichever one is left," Isis said casually.
Nymera and Morgan exchanged a glance.
Both were Gunners. Hunting alone was somewhat harder for them than for Blademasters, so they needed to choose their opponents more carefully.
Nymera ultimately chose the Rathalos. She had hunted quite a few while gathering materials for the Rathalos Cannon and knew them fairly well.
Morgan chose the Anjanath. He planned to use Cannon: Calamity, a newly crafted Heavy Bowgun that had been rushed over from Kamura Village by Palamute only the previous night.
The Bowgun was extremely versatile and well suited to non-Elemental Ammo such as Spread Ammo. For once, he intended to enjoy some close-range combat.
The other two were less particular. A coin toss decided that Isis would hunt the Mizutsune while Altaïr took the Khezu.
Since every target was in the Flooded Forest, the group decided to set out together and split up only when they neared their respective quest areas.
Naturally, they would travel on Palamutes.
Kamura's terrain was complex, Bird Wyverns and Flying Wyverns ruled the skies, and even Elder Dragons could occasionally be glimpsed. Capable of moving at high speed across nearly any terrain, Palamutes were the Hunters' best means of travel.
All four wanted to ride Hibiki because they were familiar with him. Fully equipped, however, even two riders would be a heavy burden for him.
With no other choice, Altaïr and the others settled for the next best option and temporarily hired several Palamutes as "transportation."
Just as not every Felyne was a Palico, not every Palamute had undergone combat training against Large Monsters.
The hired Palamutes could not help in battle, but they were perfectly capable mounts. They could carry the Hunters swiftly between the hunting grounds and the base, which was more than enough.
They could also carry large quantities of supplies and Ammo, even spare equipment, and a single whistle during battle would summon them.
The Gunners of the Cluster Heavy Bowgun Squad had always considered ammunition capacity and weight limits their greatest enemies. Their eyes had lit up when they first saw the Palamutes. To them, those clever dogs were mobile ammunition depots.
—--
At the stronghold gate, Isis vigorously ruffled the broad head of her temporary Palamute companion several times, then swung herself onto the saddle.
Given the weight of her equipment, she had specifically chosen an exceptionally stout Palamute. The animal looked sturdy and adorably blocky, with a build a full size broader than Hibiki's.
According to Master Iori, who had arranged the hire, the Palamute's name was "Asuka," a rather poetic name evoking "the future" and "beautiful hope."
Once Isis was seated securely, her gaze shifted to the side.
Perhaps because he had eaten his fill at the previous night's feast, Hibiki was in high spirits and happily trotted back and forth with Nymera on his back.
What caught Isis's attention was not Hibiki, however, but Nymera's everyday dress.
Had it not been for the weapon and Ammo cases hanging from Hibiki's side, Isis might have thought Nymera was setting off on a countryside outing rather than a hunt.
"Nymera, where's your Armor?" Isis finally asked the question that the other two men also wanted answered.
Wrapped tightly in her cloak, Nymera stiffened. She forced out a faintly awkward smile. "I... ahem, I brought my Armor. It's just inconvenient to wear right now. I'll put it on at the hunting-ground camp, when the hunt is actually about to begin."
"You brought it?" Morgan glanced in confusion at the saddlebag secured to Hibiki.
Several Ammo cases already occupied most of the space. How could an entire Armor Set possibly fit inside?
Altaïr's gaze also swept over Nymera's dress.
Could it be like the "Maiden Clothing" worn by Hinoa and Minoto, lightweight equipment made with special fabric and craftsmanship?
That did not seem right either. The material looked like ordinary cotton.
"You didn't stop hunting properly after you returned to Kamura Village, did you? You're not still using that old Doom Armor Set and too embarrassed to wear it in public, meow?" Sajji asked suspiciously.
"Nonsense! Of course not!" Nymera glared indignantly. "Before the Frenzy Virus outbreak was discovered and the seniors confined us to the village, I trained diligently, went on proper hunts, and made myself a brand-new Armor Set, all right?"
"Then where's your new Armor?" Morgan could not understand why she kept hesitating.
Wear casual clothes all the way to the hunting-ground camp and change into Armor there? That was absurd. What if a Monster attacked along the way? Was Nymera going to change right in front of it?
"Nymera, were you so busy bringing ingredients for Bunny Dango when you left Kamura Village that you forgot your Armor? Are you planning to make a quick detour back to the village and fetch it?" Isis guessed.
Nymera's expression darkened. Did they really think she was that unreliable?
The gazes of three people, two Felynes, a Cohoot, and even Dango the Stinkmink all converged on Nymera. Everyone could tell that something was wrong with her today.
"If something is bothering you, speak up now," Altaïr said, staring at Nymera with a serious expression. "A Rathalos may not be a High Rank Monster, but you still can't defeat one with a half-hearted attitude.
"Going there in nothing but cloth, without any Armor, is unacceptable."
Under the group's intense scrutiny, Nymera, who usually seemed gentle and serene, finally snapped.
She clutched her head, cried, "Aaaaah!" and clawed wildly at her hair. Then she glared at the two men in the party and shouted, her face crimson, "I am wearing Armor! It's under my clothes! I can show Isis, but you two turn around. No peeking!"
"?"
Altaïr and Morgan exchanged a bewildered look, but Nymera's unwavering glare left them no choice but to turn their backs.
Under Isis's curious gaze, Nymera gritted her teeth, undid her sash and ties, and pulled her lapels apart with both hands. She displayed what lay beneath for less than a second before immediately closing them again.
"Eeeeeh?!" Isis's startled cry made even the two men with their backs turned jump. "That's really Armor?!"
With her ears completely red, Nymera looked tormented. "Yes, it is. It's a high-performance High Rank Gunner Armor Set called the Shell Set.
"I worked so hard for it. I hunted so many Monsters and repeatedly selected only the finest materials before I finally managed to craft it. How was I supposed to know it would turn out like this?"
Covering her burning face with both hands, Nymera continued, "Even though its skills really are excellent..."
(To be fair, the Shell Set's skills really are quite good...)