Bear School Astartes

”Gulp, whew!”

After swallowing the last bite of roasted meat, Lann and Wende stood up from the stone table in front of the head chef, letting out a long breath.

Perhaps due to the growing environment, even the food on the new continent feels very... how to put it? Vibrant?

It’s something that can’t even be described as ’fresh’ anymore.

Lann could clearly feel that after eating, his ”second heart” became more active.

”It’s like every bite is full of life force.”

Mentos commented in his mind.

”With such abundant life force nourishing them, the exaggerated performance of these hunters’ and those monsters’ bodies actually seems acceptable to me now.”

Lann had the same feeling.

Usually, he only felt his body getting stronger after implanting the [Bone Enhancement Organ] and [Muscle Enhancement Organ], and consuming specially made nutrients.

Back then, just eating would make one stronger.

But after the enhancement was complete, eating was purely just to fill the stomach.

Yet on this new continent, Lann felt that just the life force in the food could extend his body’s endurance and explosive power by about half an hour, without needing further surgery.

”This is your first meal, so there’s no charge.”

The head chef first tidied his beard, then looked up, his furry cat face deliberately striking an intimidating pose at the two hunters.

”But if you come back empty-handed this time, hmm hmm...”

The New Continent Expedition Team adopted a dual-track economic system, whereby transactions could be settled both with the old continent’s currency [z] and the expedition team’s internal [Expedition Points].

[z] is money, which is easy to understand. [Expedition Points] are awarded after submitting knowledge of the ecosystem or monster behavior survey results to the expedition team for archiving.

It seemed that if they didn’t gain anything this time, their life at the base would be quite tight.

If it were another world, Lann would feel this was someone in charge giving them a hard time.

But in this world...

”It seems the Commander-in-Chief trusts our abilities, Lann!”

Both Wende and Gaffi, one person and one cat, struck a ’I’m fired up!’ pose, filled with vigor and ambition.

”We can’t let everyone down! Let’s start the hunt!”

One person and one cat looked eagerly at the Demon Hunter.

A series of ”...” played out in Mentos’ mind.

”It seems that to talk with the hunters here, this style is necessary, sir.”

Lann silently nodded, agreeing with Mentos’ observation.

Meanwhile, Aibo had long been waiting by the independent stone table in the dining area.

Incidentally, when Lann and Wende arrived, she was eating; now they’ve finished, and she’s still eating...

”Oh! Ready to go? First hunt on the new continent!”

Aibo jumped up, holding a big chicken leg, gnawing as she headed towards the base’s gate.

This time, both she and Wende had whistles to call for flying Wyverns.

Standing outside the base gate, they blew, and two Wyverns flew over from the stables inside the star.

It was the hunters’ tamed Wyverns that enabled them to move quickly and over long distances on the new continent.

”Um, let me confirm something first...”

Watching the two Wyverns fly out from the base, getting closer, Lann hesitated to speak.

”You two remember what it was like during our first flight, right?”

Aibo and Wende exchanged a smile, each taking one of Lann’s hands.

The Demon Hunter pressed his lips, expression calm.

”Alright, I see where you’re coming from. But could we talk it over? The way we fly always makes me feel like I’m...”

Before Lann could finish, the two Wyverns soared over their heads.

And at just the right moment, Aibo and Wende fired the grappling hooks from their arm launchers.

With two ”clack” sounds, the hooks latched onto the Wyverns’ saddles, dragging the three into the sky.

”And meow too!”

Gaffi then took a few running steps on all fours, finally hugging Lann’s leg as he lifted off the ground.

”Feels like being hung up like cured meat, sir.”

Mentos said earnestly in his mind.

”I guess that’s what you wanted to say just now.”

Suspended in the air, held by both hands by two people, Lann’s expression remained calm.

”...You didn’t have to say it, Mentos.”

”Understood, sir.”

Then Gaffi, clutching Lann’s leg, started climbing upward.

”Sorry meow, Lann. But I’m used to holding Wende’s leg meow, could you let me step on you?”

With a cat’s request like that, what else could Lann do?

He could only press his lips and nod.

Gaffi crawled all the way to his waist, then leapt to hug Wende’s leg.

The feeling of a cat stepping on him made the wind blowing on the Demon Hunter’s face feel cold...

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

The Wyverns landed following the trained trajectory.

This was a small camp built by the expedition team in the ancient tree forest, serving as a place for the hunters to rest briefly during missions.

”I must have a flying mount of my own.”

The first words Lann said after landing were these.

The tone was firm and heavy, like a seasoned warrior summing up his life.

”From what I see, that’s a bit of a long shot.”

Wende spoke lightly beside him.

”You’re too heavy, and I think only the king crowns (largest of their kind) among Wyverns could have a chance. Even my Shield Axe was delivered by another Wyvern.”

”Shut up, fake girl voice! I only believe man can triumph over nature! I will find a mount that can carry me!”

Faced with the Demon Hunter’s straightforward and blunt rebuke, the recommended group Hunter shrugged his shoulders.

”As long as you’re happy... But I think anything that can carry you probably can’t be tamed.”

Small creatures couldn’t manage it, only large monsters would do.

Although taming large monsters wasn’t unheard of, the difficulty and investment were very, very high.

It’s said on a certain continent in the world, there are people who fight alongside the monsters they tamed, known as ’knights.’

But Wende treated this rumor as just a story. He hadn’t seen anyone truly taming a large monster.

The fierce ’aura’ of those monsters wouldn’t yield to anything.

”This is the only camp built by the expedition team in the ancient tree forest.”

As soon as Aibo landed, she was eager to check the supplies in the camp, speaking with her head poking out of a large wooden box.

”There are plenty of supplies left by our predecessors... Good, I’ve also put the support items for this mission inside, if you need them, they’re here. Three emergency recovery potions, and three portable rations.”