Bear School Astartes

”As for the reason...”

Aibo watched helplessly as the food disappeared under Lann’s knife and fork, his tone noticeably more downcast, yet he still dutifully performed his role as an accompanying investigator—making analyses and explanations.

”The energy environment of the New Continent is vastly different from the Old Continent.”

”Because of this, the habits, strengths, and even species characteristics of the monsters have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years of natural progression. In fact, on the New Continent, the wing bones of fire dragons have one more supporting bone than those on the Old Continent. The evolutionary differences are indeed significant.”

”When humans set foot on the New Continent, it’s like residents who have always lived on a plateau moving to live on a plain or even in a basin. They might not sense any change, but their bodies have already responded.”

”If these changes aren’t grasped during daily training, then when it comes time for hunting missions... Uh~ if you find your movements distorted and reactions sluggish then, it’s all over!”

At the end, Aibo seemed to imagine some terrifying scenes and shrunk his neck slightly.

”The route between the Old Continent and the New Continent is still fraught with dangers and unknowns, and every member of the investigation team that came here is an elite of the Old Continent. Therefore, personnel are very precious, and with the Commander’s thoroughness, he probably wouldn’t assign them any dangerous missions until accurately determining each person’s combat effectiveness on the New Continent.”

”But it’s different for you and the recommendation team.” Aiden smacked his lips, his tone making it feel like the beer in his cup was sour.

”Wende is the ace of aces of the guild, although we haven’t met before, your reputation is quite widespread. I heard that before you boarded the ship, you were completing some secret mission, and the entire fleet waited for you at the port for a week!”

Lann looked at Wende by his side with some surprise, he had long thought this guy was quite skillful, but didn’t expect him to be at the ’ultimate weapon’ level?

Making an entire investigation team wait at the port for a week, that’s quite a show.

While Wende himself only chuckled dryly, scratching his head in embarrassment.

Just from appearances, there wasn’t much of a demeanor of a great master.

”And you? The hunter from another world.” After complaining about Wende, Aiden spoke to Lann in a tone of envy.

”You almost took it down on your first encounter with an unheard-of monster! That’s of the same danger level as a female fire dragon, the Barbaric Jaws Dragon!”

”I took quite a while to go from a novice hunter to being qualified to take on tasks hunting female fire dragons, and on the New Continent, I have to start all over again... Ah~ so annoying!”

”At least all the skills are still there, adapting your body to the environment should be quick. Relax.”

Lann finally poured the last mouthful of creamy mushroom soup on the bread, then swallowed it all while chewing and comforting Aiden.

”Hope so...”

Aiden spread his hands helplessly and finished the last mouthful of beer in the large wooden cup.

”Time to go back and rest. By the way, Lann, has the Commander arranged a dormitory for you?”

Surprised by the words, the Demon Hunter replied, ”No, that hasn’t been mentioned...”

Wende immediately got excited and patted Lann’s shoulder, Aiden did the same.

”Then stay with the two of us, I guess the Commander forgot, but with the shortage of housing in the Star, it would probably be shared accommodation in the end. How about it?”

Staying in a dorm with two peers... this triggered a certain nerve in the mind of a hunter who was a step away from heading to college.

Sounds fun!

”I have no problem with it.”

A hearty meal and drink signaled the end of the banquet, and after waving goodbye to the culinary head with a strong boss aura, Lann, Wende, and Aiden arrived at their small lodging house.

As Aiden said, the current housing resources in the Star are not abundant. The dormitory originally meant for the two of them is only about twenty square meters, resembling a cabin. It seems to be a room dismantled from the ships of previous investigation teams.

They still have to store all sorts of equipment and supplies needed for hunting.

However, living with friends, the hardware conditions are not so much of a concern.

Due to his height and build, Lann refused Aiden and Wende’s offer to give up their beds.

Hunters don’t lack tarps for camping in the wild, so he just laid a double-layered tarp on the ground and used it as a bed.

Interestingly enough, the night he rested in Airetusa after the war, he lay on the world’s most comfortable and expensive bed, covered with blankets that used magic for mental comfort and constant temperature.

Yet, he didn’t feel a bit comfortable or at ease in this cramped room.

With the breathing sounds of two brawny hunters around and the smell of oil paste for weapon and armor maintenance mingling in the air.

For the first time since the war, Lann slept soundly.

-----------------

The next morning, the Star was already bustling.

In fact, even though personnel at the Star outpost are precious, there is still a shift system to ensure operation both day and night.

Because certain tasks require nighttime execution, like observing the growth of some bioluminescent fungi or the habits of certain nocturnal creatures...

So even during last night’s welcome banquet, there were still hunters coming and going in the circulation area.

”Yo! You’re up? You really had a good sleep.”

Upon opening his eyes in the morning, Lann felt extremely comfortable, as if something that had been stifling his chest had disappeared.

Perhaps it was the air of the New Continent, bordering a primeval forest, that felt unbelievably refreshing to Lann. You could feel it even in the small house.

Aiden spoke as he stretched his shoulders, knees, and other joints.

He had now changed into casual hunting gear, looking like he was planning to exercise.

”Today we start the adaptation training, first, we follow the investigation class captain for a drill.”

Watching Aiden who was stretching his legs, it took Lann a moment to recall that the investigation class captain was Little Jack.

”Wende is waiting for you in the workshop district on the second floor, the two of you should be able to go on tasks today... Ah~ I envy you guys getting to delve into the New Continent.”

”Gotta go!”

Aiden and the other members of the Fifth Period Team gathered near the main gate of the outpost, seemingly planning to have breakfast together after the morning exercise.

Lann looked in the mirror, and was initially stunned by his own messy silver hair in the reflection, without a hint of beauty.

Then he let out a chuckle.

The Sons of the Emperor would not abandon their demeanor even on the tensest battlefields.

Or rather, a perfect demeanor is actually the Sons of the Emperor’s way of expressing tension.

And Lann’s messy hair was enough to show how relaxed he was last night.