Bear School Astartes

After the Extinct Dragon finally shot out the fragments of its bones from its body, it was utterly unable to resist the hypnotic gases accumulating inside it.

It staggered, actions sluggish, and crashed to the ground.

”Lann meow!”

Gaffi and Aiden were the first to run towards the spot where Lann was knocked away by the bone fragment, while Wende was a step slower due to the complex action of storing his shield axe.

When they brushed away the black volcanic ash stirred up by Lann’s crash to the ground, they finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the Demon Hunter lying there.

”It’s really something that you haven’t been turned into a sieve in such an urgent situation.”

Aiden stowed his one-handed sword and small shield on the hooks at the back of his waist, reaching out to pull Lann up.

The Demon Hunter clasped his left hand with Aiden’s and stood up, while his right hand covered the side of his neck.

Crimson blood was seeping out through his fingers.

Some of the bone fragments had been blocked by him or deflected slightly by the shattering explosion of the Quen Rune.

In the end, there was only one remaining piece that was difficult to manage, and he could only tilt his head with all his might.

But eventually, although it didn’t tear open his neck, it did leave a one-finger-long, not-too-deep cut.

Gaffi climbed onto Lann’s shoulder from the back, placing a piece of secret medicine into his mouth with a small paw.

This was a potion made from combining herbs and insects from the New Continent, said to be more complex in process than now, back in the Old Continent where the medicinal power was not as strong.

It possessed an immediate and powerful healing effect surpassing the commonly used Hunters’ ”Recovery Potion” or ”Mega Recovery Potion”.

In Lann’s research, the effect of this ”Secret Medicine” on hunters was similar to a Demon Hunter consuming ”Enhanced White Rapha”.

But it had zero toxicity and contained only nutrients, making it far superior to the Demon Hunter’s magic potion.

It was said that above the ”Secret Medicine” was the even more complex and precious ”Ancient Secret Medicine”.

”Crunch, thank you, Gaffi.”

Lann took a bite of the secret medicine, shaped like a small piece of porous cheese, and swallowed it down.

”You’re welcome meow.”

When Lann removed his hand from his neck, a shallow layer of fresh pink flesh had already formed and was no longer bleeding.

The Demon Hunter then shook his shoulders and legs, baring his teeth in a grimace.

”This guy, even when almost asleep, the bones he shoots out are still so powerful... impressive.”

He hadn’t been hit elsewhere on his body, only the armor prevented these bone fragments from directly harming the flesh, turning them into blunt impact injuries instead.

On the back of the Molten Mountain Dragon, the Extinct Dragon curled up and fell into a deep sleep.

The Demon Hunter looked at it and curled his lip, thinking that if his ”Murky Flow” had been a bit stronger, this guy wouldn’t have had the chance to get one last hit in.

The long sword technique, albeit flexible, was not what he intended for ”Murky Flow”, which was supposed to be used for ’fortress-breaking’.

Lann and the others approached the Extinct Dragon, discussing how to deal with it next.

”Shall we kill it?”

Lann placed his hands on his hips, looking around at the mysterious ancient dragon while suggesting uncertainly.

Immediately, Wende waved his hand, signaling him not to be so unrealistic.

”The battle to kill an ancient dragon and the battle to repel one... they’re not at all the same concept, you better cut it out.”

”Even though it’s sleeping like a kitten now, if even the weakest of us, Gaffi, were to attack with intent, this guy would instantly spring to life and start fighting with us anew.”

”So far...”

Wende scratched his face, thought for a moment, then said to Aiden, ”I remember the only ancient dragon clearly eradicated by hunters was that Celestial Dragon?”

Wende was not in a battle-ready state and hadn’t fully charged his shield axe yet, so he rarely sweet-talked.

And by the looks of Wende, it seemed that the ancient dragon that was clearly killed also had something to do with Aiden?

Lann thought to himself.

”Mm. The Frenzy Dragon virus... even after leaving the Head Hunter Team and coming to the New Continent, I still can’t forget that terrifying creature.”

Memories, emotions, and fears flashed in Aiden’s eyes, a complex expression overall.

”If it hadn’t been for that one hunter back then, probably all of the surrounding ecosystem would have been turned into Hell by the Celestial Dragon.”

”It’s already very difficult just to repel an ancient dragon. This time, we’re fortunate enough that the Extinct Dragon was obsessively focused on attacking you, otherwise, I reckon some of us would’ve been severely injured.”

”Killing an ancient dragon... is something we shouldn’t consider unless absolutely necessary, right?”

Lann nodded casually.

Given the life force, strength, and intelligence of the ancient dragons, if they didn’t inherently seek a death battle or weren’t trapped with no way out, it would be difficult to kill them even if hunters gained an advantage in battle.

Just like the Extinct Dragon before them.

Though it previously seemed a bit sluggish, and now is in a deep sleep.

Yet in Lann’s ”Aura Vision,” its life force appeared as if it had a void spring that continuously surged outward.

If it were to awaken, the battle would likely become more ferocious, with immense endurance.

”So shall we retreat, meow?”

Gaffi, showing surprising courage, asked while hopping around the Extinct Dragon.

”But there’s still a problem.” Wende crossed his arms, eyes flickering between Lann and the Extinct Dragon, puzzled. ”Why is this ancient dragon so focused on you?”

”Ancient dragons are apex predators in the ecosystem, such illogical behavior could almost be defined as an ecological anomaly.”

”Regarding that, maybe I have a bit of an understanding.”

Lann raised his hand under the gazes of the others, then, with a deep expression, pulled out his Roaring Bear Head Necklace from the collar of his armor.

At that moment, the necklace was trembling without any external forces causing it.

The Demon Hunter’s silver necklace sensed Chaos Magic Power.

The reason Lann hadn’t noticed before was that the Extinct Dragon had been maintaining its fierce offensive stance since the start of their encounter.

Facing the oppressive situation, even their armor was clattering incessantly, let alone noticing the necklace’s subtle tremor.

It wasn’t until the battle ended that Lann felt the vibration on his chest.

”Hmm? What’s going on here?”

Wende looked cluelessly at Lann’s pendant.

Upon the Demon Hunter explaining the necklace’s mechanism, they understood what Lann meant.

”So... there’s something or some kind of energy from your world entering our world?”

Wende summarized, pinching his chin.

”Some form of ecological invasion?”

”Although I have faith in the stability of the New Continent’s thriving ecosystem, such a major event... cannot be ignored.”

Ecological invasion and ecological anomaly.

Once these words were mentioned, even Gaffi, who was contemplating the Extinct Dragon, turned serious.

An intrinsic concern for and protection of nature is almost embedded in the bones of hunters.

At this moment, Lann crouched by the large horn of the curled-up sleeping Extinct Dragon.

Its right shoulder had a gash he had slashed, now exposed.

Lann stared into that wound and gradually squinted his eyes seriously.