Astera, deep within the headquarters.
The heavy wooden door opened with a click, and Leon followed the Admiral into the Commander's office.
The room remained devoid of ornate decorations, featuring only solid rock walls, aged maps, and the five flags of the Research Commission hanging silently.
The flags represented the five fleets that had arrived in the New World.
An unsettling pressure permeated the air.
The Commander stood before a massive map, hands behind his back, exuding a presence as steady as a mountain.
His gaze fell upon Leon, and he spoke in a low voice, "You have done well, rookie."
Leon instinctively straightened his back.
The Admiral cleared his throat, and after finishing a brief report on the battle, he shifted the topic. "Regarding the Elder's Recess... it is time he knew..."
After a moment of silence, the Commander took a metal-rimmed scroll from his coat and slowly unfurled it on the table.
It was a recently drawn, unreleased tactical map—clearly of the Elder's Recess—featuring a sketch of an unknown monster marked with alarming red symbols.
The Commander pointed to the region and said gravely, "Here—there is an Elder Dragon from the Old World."
Leon frowned as he looked. It was the deepest part of the area he had yet to reach, where the map was incredibly vague, labeled only with: [EXTREMELY DANGEROUS]
The Admiral pulled out another sketch—a rough but overwhelming image.
The drawing depicted a massive silver-gray dragon. Its wings looked like they were reconstructed from crystals and silver armor, its skull sharp and halberd-like, with crown-like bony horns growing from its spine. The dragon was perched amidst crystalline rocks, its silver glow devouring all light like a king slumbering on his throne.
"...What is this?" Leon asked, feeling as if he were looking at the embodiment of death and nobility.
"Malzeno." The Admiral spoke the name slowly, making the atmosphere even heavier and more suffocating.
'Malzeno?'
'Wait, shouldn't it be Xeno'jiiva?'
'Why would Malzeno appear in the New World?'
If Leon hadn't seen those Qurio with his own eyes, he would never have believed Malzeno existed.
But as it stood...
In Leon's memory, the only hosts for the Qurio besides Gaismagorm were Malzeno.
The two Elder Dragons shared an intricate relationship of long-standing grievances.
Originally, the Qurio lived in symbiosis with Gaismagorm. The two Elder Dragons had fought in the Old World; Malzeno had emerged victorious but became a host for the parasites.
Leon had initially guessed that the Qurio were brought to the New World by Nergigante, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
The Commander continued somberly, "It is an Elder Dragon recorded in ancient times, though records are scarce. Since it appeared, monsters in the Elder's Recess have begun to go berserk. Some hunters have even found carcasses that died for no apparent reason."
"The only common factor is those red flying insects. They seem to drain life energy..."
The Admiral added, "I've fought that Elder Dragon before, but those small bugs are a nuisance. We need someone to contain them on the perimeter to prevent them from spreading."
Leon furrowed his brow and asked, "So?"
"It... seems more like it is changing the very structure of this world," the Commander said coldly. "We need your assistance in the hunt. The Admiral and other hunters will be on the perimeter to block the insects and fend off other monsters."
The Admiral sighed. "Nergigante's fury and the spread of those insects might just be a side effect of Malzeno's leaking power... or perhaps there is another monster present..."
Silence filled the room.
After a moment, Leon looked up with a determined gaze and asked, "What do we need to do?"
The Commander pushed a special operation mission briefing toward him. The seal was a pattern of silver and black, with the words:
[EMERGENCY QUEST: THE RESURRECTED LEGEND]
"You, the Admiral, and five other hunters will head out for reconnaissance and find a path to the core area."
"—Confirm Malzeno's status."
"If it is deemed fightable after assessment—"
"—you are to commence the hunt immediately."
Leon looked at the crimson-tinted mark in the depths of the map. His heart sank as he asked, "Why me?"
The Admiral walked over and placed a hand on Leon's shoulder. "I made the call. I saw your combat with my own eyes. You can do this."
With the Admiral's affirmation, Leon accepted the task.
...
He walked out of the headquarters.
Twilight had fallen over Astera.
The crimson sunset cast long shadows across the wooden walls and buildings.
The oppressive atmosphere from the Commander's office still lingered as Leon walked down the stone steps, the name 'Malzeno' echoing in his mind.
'An Elder Dragon from the Old World...'
'The Qurio...'
'Changing the structure of the world...'
He knew he had stepped onto a much deeper battlefield.
When he returned to his cabin, a familiar furry figure dashed out from the eaves before he could even push open the door.
"Meow!" Dumpling pounced, clinging to Leon's leg with his paws, his tail wagging like a windmill.
Leon leaned down slightly to pet Dumpling's soft head and couldn't help but chuckle. "I was only gone for half a day. Why so enthusiastic?"
"Of course, meow!" Dumpling looked up and meowed, "I just cooked some mushroom and meat stew. Come eat, meow!"
"Where did you get the meat?" Leon walked inside with a skeptical expression.
Dumpling sat on the rug, raised a small paw in a 'shhh' gesture, and said, "I brought the meat back from the Elder's Recess, meow!"
"The Elder's Recess? You didn't..." Leon walked to the stove and looked at the bubbling soup in the pot.
The room was warm and quiet, a stark contrast to the heavy mood of the headquarters. On the wooden table were some peeled fruits Dumpling had prepared and a few biological encyclopedias that were hard to decipher.
Dumpling flopped into his bed and rolled around, asking softly, "Weren't you going to see the Commander, meow? You looked quite grim just now, meow..."
"Yeah, it's fine." Leon took off his armor and sat at the table, staring at the ceiling as he whispered, "But we might be facing a new challenge..."
"What challenge?" Dumpling asked, lying bored on his soft cushion.
Leon replied, "Malzeno."
"Meow!!!" Dumpling sat up with a start, his whiskers bristling. "Isn't that... the legendary Silver King from the stories, meow? Didn't it disappear a long time ago??"
"Yeah, everyone thought it was just an Old World legend." Leon gave a bitter smile. "But now it's hiding in the deepest part of the Elder's Recess. Once the stew is ready, I need to organize the maps and routes. We move out in three days."
Dumpling's eyes sparkled as he suddenly asked, "Can I... go with you this time, meow?"
Leon paused and looked at Dumpling.
"Go together, meow?" Dumpling picked up his spare small shield and looked up stubbornly. "I'm not strong, but I can scout for you, set traps, carry your potions, and carve materials—"
Leon raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "Is that last one the real reason?"
"Meow... I want to go with you, meow..." Dumpling lowered his head, clutching his shield tightly.
A brief silence fell over the room.
Leon finally sighed and rubbed Dumpling's ears. "This mission is too dangerous."
"I know, meow." Dumpling climbed onto the table and looked at Leon seriously. "But I can help."
After a long silence, Leon reached for the drumsticks in the corner and handed them to Dumpling. "Alright, we'll go together. I need you to help me with some buffs."
"Before we leave, I'll make you a special Felyne meal! One that super-boosts your stamina and resistance to bugs and bites, meow!" Dumpling's tail wagged happily in the air.
"I don't need bug resistance... just the stamina boost is fine..." Leon gave a helpless smile.
The sky grew darker, and a silver glow like the aurora appeared in the firmament. Leon went to the window, and a quest list popped up before him.
[MAIN QUEST: FIND THE VILLAGE CHIEF]
DESCRIPTION: Main quest unlocked. Primary objective: Find the Schrade Village Chief.
REWARDS: Rocksteady Mantle, Health Booster, Power Talon, Armor Talon.
'The Schrade Village Chief?'
It looks like I'll have to ask Flora about it tomorrow.
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