Bear School Astartes

Lann also sat not far from Rong Buqiu and began organizing what he needed.

He placed some alchemy materials in his spatial expansion bag, but most of it was already prepared and replenished into magic potions, bombs, and sword oil.

He checked various inconspicuous but handy little devices, like small knives and ropes, as well as simple armor repair tools.

Additionally, the dry food and drinking water that need to be replaced before entering the Celestial Sphere Convergence Rift were also resupplied.

Considering the recent change in Qilin’s tastes, Lann also specially prepared a lot of the custom-made rations he eats after implanting the [Bone Enhancement Organ] in the spatial expansion bag carried on its back.

The sound of the tides continued, while Rong Buqiu and Lann each busied themselves in their ’rustling’ manner.

No one spoke, and the tasks at hand were not troublesome, yet the atmosphere was very comfortable.

In the New Continent, the hunters and their Companion Cats likely share a similar working atmosphere.

Soon, Qilin, who had run back on its own, appeared on the sea surface outside the cave.

And without any concern, it stepped onto the ground with hooves stained with seawater, greeting Rong Buqiu and Lann with a ’whinnying’ sound.

The azure horn on its head had completely regrown several days ago.

However, was it because the experience of broken horns was too frequent among the Qilin species?

Or was it because it regarded Lann’s custom rations for its bone development as snacks?

Anyway, after the horn on its head regrew, its body underwent some changes.

The azure horn itself didn’t change much, but on the scapula of the forelegs, as well as the bend of the hindlegs,

when Lann touched it, it felt a bit hard beneath the flesh and skin.

At first, he thought that it might be excessive intake of his custom rations leading to bone proliferation in Qilin?

But considering the physique and life state of Ancient Dragons... anything that could naturally make these creatures sick would be capable of slaughtering in the ordinary natural world, right?

Later, Lann and Qilin discussed it, then gently sliced open the scales on Qilin’s scapula with the blade of Aron Dite to take a look.

Ultimately drawing a conclusion that bewildered both the Demon Hunter and the Ancient Dragon.

The hardened areas beneath the skin were indeed not bone proliferation... but rather akin to the azure horn’s texture, resembling high-energy crystalline structures of a blue and purple hue.

These crystals appeared to be continuously accumulating and growing, perhaps eventually breaking through the tough scales of Qilin.

Lann was quite surprised, but Qilin itself, after the initial shock, felt nothing at all.

As per its expression: ”Phew~ Neigh.”

’I just eat and drink as usual, and feel nothing at all! No sensation means it’s unimportant! I’ve been living like this for nearly a decade, must be fine!’

Considering the experiences of the Ancient Dragon’s body, such reasoning seemed indeed reasonable.

Yet Lann still preferred rational thinking.

Reflecting on the evolution of the Barbaric Jaws Dragon, Fierce Claw, at that time, Lann reckoned that Qilin must have repeatedly broken the horn on its head, thereby disabling its control over thunder and lightning.

This caused its body to evolve a ’backup measure’.

That is, ’even if the horn on the head is lost, there are still other organs on the body that can maintain its thunder and lightning control power.’

It is unknown whether this control power was drawn from the original strength of the horn, or if it’s additionally strengthened.

Considering the absurdity of the New Continent creatures, Lann basically assumed the latter.

This also caused the Demon Hunter to often click his tongue when looking at Qilin recently.

He desired to become stronger, requiring down-to-earth learning of skills, scientific research, and innovations, even going under the knife.

Yet this creature just broke its easily regrown horn a few times, and it’s upgraded?!

”Tsk tsk tsk.”

Upon hearing this sound again, Qilin, chewing on a piece of seaweed like a capybara, tilted its head.

Its ruby-like eyes on its feline face glanced at Lann clicking his tongue.

Then it nonchalantly turned its head away.

Alright, this kid got cocky.

We’ll see if you can single-handedly take on the Golden Lion later on.

As the Chaos Magic tides approached, all three of them knew that the cross-world travel would begin once more.

Thus, they were all entering a state of rest and recuperation.

Lann sat on the bed in the secret cave, with [Muddy Stream·Destruction] planted on the ground, and blue-purple flames of the Fire of the Flame Empress Dragon silently burning on the sword’s blade.

Merely this small flame on the sword’s blade warmed up the semi-open cave by four or five degrees.

Lann then leaned the greatsword’s hilt against his shoulder, while a flickering flame burned in the palm of his left hand.

[Curse Fire]

As Lann felt the flame being absorbed into the greatsword, his [Curse Fire] could also manifest his understanding of this flame to the outside world.

The [Curse Fire] on the Demon Hunter’s hand twisted and leaped, transforming from a small flame burning in mid-air into a spread across his palm.

Next, the color gradually changed, transitioning from red to blue-purple.

Eventually, the flame in Lann’s palm closely resembled the fire originally sprayed by the Flame Empress Dragon onto the arena grounds.

”[Fire of the Flame Empress Dragon], completed.”

Mentos completed the progress bar on Lann’s retina, meaning the Demon Hunter indeed mastered the ability to change the nature of the Curse Fire.

Ever since driving away the Flame Princess Dragon, Lann began researching that very day.

It’s only now considered completed.

With a grasp of his palm, the essence-still blue-violet flame of the Curse Fire instantly extinguishes according to his will.

At the same time, Lann held the hilt leaning against his shoulder, and the flames on the sword immediately weakened.

Since he learned, the slight flames remaining in the Greatsword can be infused into the Residual Fire.

It was already dark, and candles were lit in the secret cave.

The Qilin was lying on the ground, playing some unknown game with Rong Buqiu.

The sound of the waves outside continued, calming and extending one’s thoughts.

After Lann infused all the blue-violet flames into the Residual Fire, he was about to stand up with his Greatsword.

But the light changed as he withdrew the flames.

Those amber cat eyes suddenly squinted slightly due to the change in light.

”Ka~”

The sound of armor collision due to an abrupt halt, just like Lann’s gaze, was equally abrupt.

Previously, due to Margaret’s playful whims, not far from the bed in the secret cave was Lann’s display cabinet.

Inside was his adventure loot and mementos from various worlds.

Among them were books on Swordsmanship and hand-foot combat techniques, some small pieces of Fierce Claw’s Scale Armor material, and... a lifelike doll.

A doll obtained from the city obsessed with Ancient God’s Blood—Yan’an.

The doll quietly sat behind the glass of the display cabinet, unchanged since Lann brought it back.

Exquisite appearance.

The exquisiteness of its appearance not only came from the prototype individual’s beautiful face, but also from the doll maker’s attention to detail, pouring in what could be considered an obsessive, love-filled effort.

Tall and wrapped in complex clothes typical of the Victorian Era.

Its dress nested layer upon layer, with four or five layers just on the lace edges.

Now, with simply placing its palms on its knees and sitting quietly, it exudes a silent elegance.

Except for the spherical universal joints specially made in its fingers, no one could distinguish with the naked eye whether it’s a doll or a human.

Lann was already used to touching up the doll’s headpiece and hair casually while sorting items and restocking after each dimensional travel.

It gave him a feeling akin to handling a life-sized figure.

But now...

With the sudden change of light, Lann’s eyes caught a shift he hadn’t seen before.

Mentos instantly retrieved the most recent memory image, confirming this was indeed a recent change that hadn’t been present before.

Lann’s initially frozen movement resumed; he stood up from the bed edge, supported by , and leaned the massive sword against the cave wall.

”...Maria?”

The Demon Hunter softly, hesitantly uttered a name.

He stood in front of the display cabinet’s glass, where the reflection showed those severe eyes on the beautiful face.

He was looking at the doll’s headpiece.

On the silver sheet of that headpiece, this name was subtly engraved in ornate script.

The luxurious and intricate font matched the doll in every way, as if it had been left there all along.

But Lann knew, and the biological intelligence also knew: this was not something present early on.

The doll inside the display case lowered its gaze, as if tempting people to follow its gaze and meet its eyes.

”Margaret or Tishaya.” Lann’s fingers lightly tapped the glass door, ”Would either of them act like little girls and come here to play with the doll?”

”Given your understanding of them, that’s certainly impossible.” Mentos swiftly analyzed, ”Perhaps Lady Triss possesses this maiden-like whimsy? But undoubtedly, I don’t believe Lady Triss would tamper with things here without your consent.”

”So, did this name appear of its own accord?”

Lann opened the glass door, intending to reach in and examine the headpiece closely, but as his finger approach the doll’s pale hair.

The Demon Hunter seemed to remember something, and his hand hesitated.

He refrained from touching the doll or the headpiece, instead cautiously bent down, pressing his face closer to observe.

Slowly and carefully examining the headpiece and the doll.

”Did some Magic reveal this name? Why now? Why at this moment?”

”Is this name belonging to the doll’s prototype?”

A series of questions erupted in the Demon Hunter’s mind.

Yet, simultaneously, Mentos realized that a conjecture already lingered in the subject’s mind.

These questions didn’t need it to answer.

It’s not merely a ’conjecture’; a ’project’ had been added to its task list.