Leon and Raymond walked to the village entrance. The dawn light filtered through the clouds, casting a glow over the walls of Schrade Village and outlining the long-unseen silhouette of the settlement.
A few hunters on patrol caught sight of the two figures on the mountain path. Their eyes sharpened, and then—
"Chief!!!" The shout cut through the morning silence like an arrow.
The young hunters guarding the gate rushed out in excitement. Even the veteran hunters who had not finished their night shift stumbled over, their faces filled with joy.
"It's true! It's the Chief!!"
"You're alive!!"
"We thought... we thought you were..."
Raymond's steps faltered for a moment before he steadied himself. He looked at the familiar faces before him, his eyes reddening. The grime and fatigue on his face only made him look more like a true guardian.
"I'm sorry..." Raymond said softly. "I made everyone worry. I'm fine."
"Do you have any idea how much effort everyone put into finding you in the Rotten Vale?" an older hunter said, nearly in tears. "The effluvium was getting heavier, and several villagers never came back..."
"And that Vaal Hazak..." a young man turned pale, his voice trembling. "Last time, my squad was attacked as soon as we entered the vale..."
Raymond remained silent, looking troubled. He never imagined that his obsession would end up hurting the villagers.
He turned to look at the silent Leon.
Leon was calm. Though blood still seeped through the makeshift bandages on his left shoulder, his gaze was firm, like someone accustomed to carving a path out of desperate situations.
"It was Leon," Raymond said, his voice low but powerful. "He successfully hunted the Vaal Hazak."
The crowd fell into a sudden silence.
A few seconds later, everyone's eyes fixed on Leon.
In that moment.
There was no applause or cheering, only a deep, undeniable respect that solidified in the eyes of the crowd.
Finally, a boy ran out from the crowd, stopped in front of Leon, and gave a deep bow.
"Thank you!!"
Then came a second, then a third...
A line formed along the street as the villagers bowed their heads to the hunter who had saved their Chief.
Leon said nothing, merely nodding.
He had never been comfortable with being the center of attention.
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chief stepped forward, looking at Raymond with a strange expression.
Raymond understood the look and coughed. "Alright, I have things to discuss with Leon. Everyone, head back to what you were doing."
Hearing this, the villagers dispersed in small groups. Retos stood among them, staring at Leon with a dark, unreadable expression.
He could not understand how this Outsider had grown so quickly. He was supposed to be the genius, but after his failure at the arena, he was nothing more than a joke.
Raymond turned to Leon. "Come, I need you to accompany me to the Gathering Hub."
With that, he began to walk.
Leon nodded and followed.
The Vice-Chief followed with a grim expression.
The three of them walked down the main road of Schrade Village. Leon observed the settlement as they moved.
The village looked different—somewhat dilapidated. Many houses were still covered in white cloth, and the forge fires had long since gone cold.
They entered the Gathering Hub, the tallest building in the village. War banners hung from the wooden arches, and the walls were decorated with hunting medals and Elder Dragon skulls. Time had left its marks, but the place remained solemn and majestic.
The Vice-Chief closed the heavy doors, and Raymond invited Leon to sit.
After a few moments of silence.
Raymond got straight to the point. "I hope you will return to the Old World with us."
Leon did not agree immediately; he just listened quietly.
Raymond continued, "For a thousand years, the Black Dragon has occupied Castle Schrade. We no longer hope to hunt it; we only wish to drive it away..."
The Vice-Chief picked up the conversation, his voice low. "We only want to return to our homeland. Now that you've saved the Chief, I believe you are the legendary Red Star."
'The Red Star...' Leon's brow twitched. He looked at the Vice-Chief, realizing now that his main quest was to defeat the Black Dragon.
But before that, he had to hunt Malzeno.
'It seems Xeno'jiiva has nothing to do with me...'
Leon thought of Ramsey. He knew very well that Ramsey was the protagonist of Monster Hunter: World.
The true Sapphire Star.
So, his own destiny might be to face that "Forbidden Monster."
Raymond noticed Leon's hesitation but did not press him. He spoke steadily, "You don't have to answer now. This battle is far more dangerous than hunting Vaal Hazak. Castle Schrade is a wasteland now. The Hunter's Guild has sent hunters there many times, but they always returned empty-handed."
The Vice-Chief stood up slowly and walked to the wall. He pulled back a heavy hide curtain, revealing an ancient map of the Old World.
The map clearly covered the entire Monster Hunter world.
"Here—" The Vice-Chief pointed to a highland in the far northwest of the map. "This is Castle Schrade. There are two cities nearby: East Schrade and West Schrade."
Leon looked at the map. The city looked like a throne hidden at the edge of the continent. He knew that Schrade had once possessed a highly advanced civilization before it became the Black Dragon's nest.
Raymond added, "Our ancestors fled from Castle Schrade and hid in the New World until the arrival of the New World Research Commission."
Leon asked in a low voice, "Do you know why the Black Dragon attacked Castle Schrade?"
This was something even the official game lore had not explained clearly. Existing records were vague and evasive, so he was particularly curious.
"We don't know," Raymond shook his head. "There are no records. It was like a natural disaster that appeared without warning, instantly destroying the technologically advanced Schrade."
The Vice-Chief added, "What's even stranger is that it is immortal. It doesn't hunt, and it doesn't expand its territory. It just stays there as if... as if it's guarding something..."
"Guarding?" Leon pressed. "So you have no information at all? What about the Black Dragon's weaknesses?"
"No one knows," Raymond replied. "The hunters sent by the Hunter's Guild either die or, if they return safely, refuse to speak of it entirely."
Leon fell silent.
Raymond's answer matched exactly what he already knew.
"I understand," Leon said after a moment's thought. "I can consider returning to the Old World with you, but I must complete my own task first."
Raymond and the Vice-Chief exchanged a look, both feeling a sense of relief.
"Then we will wait until you finish your task," Raymond nodded, his voice softening. "As long as you are willing, we can wait for you. Thank you."
Leon said nothing more, only giving a slight nod.