Elder's Recess.
Leon returned to the temporary camp with Dumpling and opened his Hunter's Notes to begin studying Malzeno's attack patterns.
His first experience had allowed him to draw some conclusions.
First is the non-enraged state.
△ Taunt Tail Swipe -> Two-stage Tail Stab -> Wing Stab
Leon's hand paused over his notebook. He narrowed his eyes, musing, "The start of this combo is Malzeno twisting its body to the left..."
"I can use the Clutch Claw to pull away and focus my attacks on its front half first. Once I land and evade the tail stab, I can use Demon Flurry Rush to reposition and strike the underbelly, which should perfectly dodge the wing stab."
He wrote his ideas into the notes, a smirk tugging at his lips as he muttered, "This time, I need to maximize my damage output."
△ Wing Stab
"Malzeno's attack wind-up isn't long. If I can stay glued to its side, I'll have more time to dodge..."
△ Two-stage Charge
"Evade to the left. If that's not possible, use the Clutch Claw to gain distance quickly. Don't get greedy!"
△ Dragon Orb
"Don't try to power through it. Sheathe and run, then use Demon Flurry Rush to close the gap once it's over."
△ Spiral Charge -> Bloodblight Orb
"This move is incredibly fast... black and red Dragon energy leaks out before it triggers. Using a dash to pull away should allow me to dodge it."
△ Bloodblight Orb -> Two-stage Tail Stab -> Wing Stab
"The key is to move off the center line as soon as the first orb appears. Then I can use the Clutch Claw to close in, attack the head, and dash to the underbelly..."
△ Wing Storm
"Circle around to the tail. Once it ends, that's the best window for damage."
△ Predation
"Malzeno makes a distinct whistling sound. I need to use a dash to get as much distance as possible..."
△ Tail Stab Half-Spin
"Time the evasion perfectly, then strike the head and chest. When it turns back around, I can follow up with a Blade Dance."
Leon took a deep breath and whispered, "In its normal state, the moves are manageable. As long as I time it right, I should be able to counter-attack after every single move."
Next is the troublesome enraged state. In this state, Malzeno can teleport, and many of its moves are enhanced, making them much harder to deal with.
△ Wing Stab -> Wing Stab
"The wing stab becomes a double hit in the enraged state. I can dash to the side to dodge the first one, then use the Clutch Claw to go airborne to avoid the second while transitioning into a slash."
△ Small Pounce
"Use a dash to pull away, but Malzeno always follows a small pounce with a teleport or a Bloodblight Storm. It's better to just keep my distance and observe before acting."
△ Bloody Spiral
"Dodge it with a dash the same way, but it's followed by two bloody shockwaves. Moving backward is the best bet."
△ Triple Dragon Shockwaves
"Malzeno covers its eyes with its wings before using this. Just keeping my distance makes it easy to dodge."
△ Powerful Spin
"Before using this, Malzeno makes a gurgling sound. Just back off immediately. It might follow up with a tail sweep, so I can stick to the underbelly to attack."
Finishing his notes, Leon muttered, "The main thing is to keep attacking while under Bloodblight. Purely dodging will just result in getting worn down until I die..."
Looking at the dense notes, Leon knew this was just the tip of the iceberg. Malzeno's patterns and speed were beyond anything he had faced before.
Confirming there was no more information to record, Leon closed the notebook and exhaled softly, his gaze growing clearer.
He looked over at Dumpling in the corner, who was clutching a grilled fish and eating until his face was covered in oil. He beckoned and called out, "Dumpling, come here. Let's review Malzeno's movements."
Dumpling looked up, startled, with the last piece of fish still in his mouth. He patted his belly, swallowed the meat in one gulp, and scrambled over to Leon. Pushing out his round chest, he said seriously, "Tactical review time! Dumpling is ready anytime, meow!"
Leon spread the notebook open and pointed to several key moves circled in red. "How do we handle the tail stab in Malzeno's normal state?"
"Hmm... that's when Malzeno twists its body, right? I can use the slinger to draw its aggro, then side-hop to dodge. Once the tail stab lands, I'll move to its front right to create an opening for you, meow!"
"Good." Leon turned the page and asked again, "And what about the signs of the Wing Storm in the enraged state?"
Dumpling's eyes darted around as he answered, "The whistling sound means it's about to spin, meow! I'll run far away and pelt it with stones, meow!"
Watching Dumpling recite the tactics so diligently, Leon's lips curled into a slight smile, but he said nothing. He simply closed the notes, stood up, and walked toward the equipment rack. "We only have one shot left, Dumpling. This hunt cannot fail."
Dumpling blinked and nodded seriously. He hopped onto Leon's shoulder, pressing his paws against the armor, and said solemnly, "Don't worry, meow! Dumpling is the vice-captain of the Undead Hunters! I won't hold you back!"
Leon shouldered his weapon and stepped steadily out of the tent.
Deep within the Elder's Recess, the red glow of magma reflected off the jagged crystals. An invisible pressure seemed to be brewing the next disaster.
When Leon stepped out, the sky was dim, and the heavy scent of sulfur hung in the air.
Dumpling jumped down and headed to the item box, his tiny paws moving quickly as he sorted through tools and supplies. "Items are all packed, Flash Pods confirmed, Energy Drinks, Cool Drinks, and my precious Max Potion... I definitely won't mess up this time, meow!"
Leon checked his items and whispered to himself, "The core tactic is high-tempo damage. Don't give it a chance to enter the enraged state, or... try to suppress it once it does..."
Other hunters were still coming and going, and the Felyne doctors were incredibly busy. This battle was far from over.
The hunters moved with grim expressions, some checking their weapons, others crouching over maps to review their routes, with hushed discussions and tactical simulations heard from time to time.
Felynes were also scurrying about, carrying supply boxes taller than themselves. Some hopped onto high platforms to help calibrate signaling devices, while others were mixing medicines.
"Has the Bazelgeuse team returned yet?"
"Message from the third squad, someone's injured!"
"Quick, get the medical supplies ready—"
Once everything was prepared, Leon looked at the busy scene around him and said softly, "Let's head out!"
...
Returning once more to the ravine, the silver-white Elder Dragon awaited Leon and Dumpling.
As Leon walked, he downed his Hunting Essentials. He knew the fight would begin in an instant.
Sure enough.
Just as he stepped into the ravine, a dark silver silhouette plummeted into the battlefield like a meteorite, kicking up clouds of thick smoke.
Amidst the dust, those crimson dragon eyes slowly opened, locking onto the intruding hunter and cat once again.
"Let's go!" Leon's expression was grave as he drew the Decimation Claws from his back, instantly entering Demon Mode.
The second battle with Malzeno was about to begin!
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