Bear School Astartes

”These little fellows are Elu cats, a Beastman race that coexists peacefully with humans and is hardworking and kind.”

The Commander-in-Chief looked intently at Lann, who was seated opposite him, seemingly aware of his focus and began to introduce.

”As for ones like Gaffi, they are hunting cats in the tribe who possess curiosity and interest in hunting activities, forming contracts with excellent hunters, assisting them in battle while improving their own abilities.”

At this moment, the ginger-colored large orange cat was gnawing on a roasted fish skewered on a wooden stick beside Wende.

Logically, a cat’s tongue should be afraid of the heat, but Elu cats seem to have an advantage over cats in this aspect.

”Would the size difference within their tribe be as vast as this?”

Lann pointed to the chef.

The Commander-in-Chief’s face froze momentarily, then he shook his head and swiftly switched the topic.

”Ahem! Initially, I had some doubts, but seeing that you haven’t even seen an Elu cat, there seems to be only one possibility...”

”Are you an otherworldly person, Lann?”

Though phrased as a query, the Commander-in-Chief’s expression was undoubtedly certain.

”For this new continent, shouldn’t we all be considered otherworldly people?”

Lann lifted a large rustic wooden cup, took a sip of beer, and spoke lightly.

”Playing word games is meaningless.”

Lann’s hand paused holding the large wooden cup; seeing the Commander-in-Chief’s determined gaze, he smiled and nodded.

”It does seem like... I am an otherworldly person. Then? You don’t seem to intend to monitor me or do anything else.”

”You’ve misunderstood one thing.” The Commander-in-Chief, having received the answer, appeared somewhat relaxed and lifted his beer cup.

”We have encountered otherworldly people before and bear no hostility towards them... Conversely, I don’t understand why you wanted to act just now.”

”Aren’t you afraid that I might be a sort of invasion outpost?”

”We harbor no hostility, but that doesn’t mean we lack the will to resist. If friends, then otherworldly people can also be friends. If ill-intentioned, attempting to destroy or invade this natural world, neither we nor nature will agree. Moreover...”

The Commander-in-Chief looked at Lann and shook his head again.

”If it were an outpost, at the very least, it should be inconspicuous to get things done, shouldn’t it? As for you, forgive my bluntness... perhaps not.”

”In any case, the stars welcome all intelligent beings intent on exploring and protecting this natural world. Although I don’t know why your heart is filled with caution, I will still say this.”

The Commander-in-Chief stood up holding the large wooden cup, Little Jack following behind him. Wende, Aibo, and Gaffi were pulled over by other members of the Fifth Period Team to play.

The Commander-in-Chief slightly raised his hand holding the beer cup towards Lann and downed it in one gulp.

”Based on our past encounters with otherworldly people, you tend to stay here for a while and then naturally disappear.”

”During your stay, if you remain cautious and wish to leave, we will not stop you. But out of our humanitarian philosophy, we’ll prepare survival equipment for you in the wild, and if you encounter our people there, you may also seek their help.”

”And if you wish to operate within the Star base...”

The Commander-in-Chief said this while gradually rising, and before finishing, walked onto a nearby cableway, stepping onto the steel cable and descending below.

At this lively feast, only Lann and the elder clad in full armor remained at the table.

People here called him ’Sword Master’, rarely using his name.

His face beneath the armor was quite ordinary, except his eyes seemed sharp when glancing at the herbivore dragon in the grill.

”...Is life difficult in the otherworld?”

With the two sitting at opposite corners of the table, engaging sporadically in drinking, the Sword Master suddenly spoke.

Lann’s expression remained unchanged.

”Why do you say that?”

”From your demeanor.”

”My demeanor?”

”You appear to be...” The Sword Master took a sip of beer, seemingly organizing his words.

”Like a young predator, just driven out from its parents’ nest, having experienced a fierce battle, and before fully recovering, finding yet another enemy.”

”Every nerve of yours is tense right now.”

”Considering you are anxious inside the base facing us, it suggests your last ’fierce battle’ opponents... were also humans?”

At this point, the Sword Master sighed, with a hint of... pity in his eyes as he gazed at Lann.

”Most worlds are like this, where humans fight against humans. On the contrary, you all make me feel abnormal.”

Lann lowered his eyes, set down the beer cup.

”When talking purely about survival difficulties, I think we might be more challenging than many other worlds.”

The Sword Master spoke softly.

”Powerful monsters emerge endlessly, existing and reproducing in the vast world. The Barbaric Jaws Dragon you encountered is marked as a four-star on the hunting mission, but if it’s just gathering ecological information, the mission level is only three stars. Our difficulty system for tasks goes up to nine stars at the most.”

Weighing dozens of tons, incredibly fierce, with muscles so strong that they can leap with both feet off the ground effortlessly.

Even the sparks sprayed from its nose can reach temperatures high enough to scorch a piece of land.

This level of monster, in the magical medieval times, would require hundreds of tin cans equipped with war machinery-grade siege crossbows, magic chains, enchanted great axes, enchanted warhammers to possibly take down.

Or dozens of warriors along with a somewhat skilled warlock.

This must be with humans ambushing the monster, not being surprised like Lann was at that time.

But in this world, this wondrous nature... the Barbaric Jaws Dragon is merely a mid-tier hunting target.

”Numerous and mighty monsters, and inexplicable creatures above all monster ecology - Elder Dragons.”

”Some of them can ignite unending fires just by passing through, or stir winds and storms enough to alter landscapes, the Molten Mountain Dragon you saw is one of them.”

”Life is really hard...”

The Sword Master sighed, his tone somewhat heavy.

But after raising his glass and taking a sip, amidst the release of beer bubbles, it seemed he cast away even that bit of heaviness.

”However, as long as we unite as one, explore the rules of nature and respect its ecology, there’s nothing that can make us fail! Haha!”

”I dare not say all humans in our world think this way, but in the stars! In the New Continent Expedition Team! Everyone here thinks this way!”

”If humans must fight amongst themselves, isn’t that... too sad?”

After drinking, the Sword Master left on his own accord.

Lann rested his head on the table, drawing circles with his finger around the rim of the glass.

In other words, even though the humans here are struggling materially, they are filled with contentment spiritually.

Fighting hard in nature, trusting among companions, exploring natural laws, and working purely and cleanly for everyone’s survival...

The goal is the survival and continuity of individuals and species in nature, no objective higher or purer than this.

”Honestly... the healthiest mental state for humans is no better than this, right?”

Lann mumbled in his mouth.

Among all present at the banquet, Lann should be the tallest and strongest.

But that’s just the physical state; mentally... Lann felt that he might be the one with the biggest issues among this group.

Nothing else to think about.

”I’m heading out now!”

Lann stood up, waved towards Aibo and Wende, who also raised their glasses and replied with big smiles.

The Demon Hunter chuckled softly, truly a bunch of incorrigible optimists.

He descended from the cableway, heading to the first layer’s material circulation area.

Here is also where the Commander-in-Chief convenes combat meetings and handles routine work.

Unquestionably, this dark-faced old man was still working, and seemed unsurprised by Lann’s visit.

”Looks like you’ve made up your mind?” he said without looking up, his hands constantly writing and drawing.

”What else can I do?” Lann said with his arms crossed, leaning his back against the railing with a smile.

”If you want to stay in the stars, there’s no place for freeloaders here.”

”Well, that’s indeed a problem. But back where I was, I made a living hunting monsters, should be able to find something here?”

Lann said a bit distressedly.

Before he finished, a Shield Emblem flew towards him, which Lann caught effortlessly.

Looking down, he saw a mark on the Shield Emblem, an abstract white wind pattern.

”Special recruitment of hunters for the Fifth Period Team... how does this title sound to you, outsider?”

This insignia had appeared on Aibo and Wende too, presumably the emblem of the Fifth Period Team.

Lann hung the Shield Emblem on his belt, patted it with a smile.

”Sounds good.”

”Well then...” The Commander-in-Chief finally lifted his head from the drawings, looking solemnly at Lann.

”May the Azure Star guide your path, Lann.”

”Starting tomorrow, I’ll treat you equally with the Fifth Period Team and assign tasks.”