Chapter 143: New Grudges and Old Hatreds!

After finishing their Felyne meal and packing supplementary supplies, the Corviknight carried the four of them into the air, flying toward the camp Suyi had established in the coastal forest.

Two handlers stood by at the camp, doubling as a relay station to transmit radio messages from the Astera base.

Meanwhile, Suyi and Aiden rode their Kulu-Ya-Ku and Tobi-Kadachi respectively toward the target location specified in the intelligence report.

According to the intelligence, during this time window, the Rathalos and Rathian couple would most likely not yet be out patrolling their territory or hunting, meaning the Corviknight could fly overhead to search for tracks.

...

In the early morning within the Ancient Forest, sunlight filtered through the dense branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows.

Clack, clack...

Leaves drifted, soil scattered, and sharp claws trampled over withered branches.

Relying on their exceptional footwork, the two Monsties wove through the complex terrain of the forest.

"Gah-ah!" The Corviknight in the sky cried out, guiding Suyi.

Soon, upon a large tree, scoutflies clung to a glob of mucus.

This was the mucus expelled from an Anjanath's nasal cavity, used as a territorial marker.

"We've found traces of an Anjanath," Suyi spoke into the radio.

"Understood. We're already patrolling the outer perimeter and haven't found any signs of other monsters. Go ahead and hunt with peace of mind," the Research Commission Leader's voice came through the radio.

"Then let's begin the tracking."

Suyi and his party began following the guidance of the scoutflies as they forged ahead through the forest.

...

According to the intelligence report, the Anjanath would first come to the coastline at the outer edge of the forest in the morning to sunbathe, and then enter the plains on the forest's periphery to hunt Aptonoth.

Suyi and his group aimed to capture the Anjanath before it could feed.

That specific time slot happened to miss the active hours of both the Fulgur Anjanath and the Rathalos pair.

If they waited until the Anjanath finished hunting and entered the depths of the forest, the surrounding environment would become far more complex and variables would multiply.

"We've reached the outer coastline." The view before them suddenly brightened as a sun-drenched beach came into sight.

"Gah-ah!" The Corviknight in the sky gave another warning.

"Have we found the Anjanath?"

Suyi wasn't surprised; the Corviknight had a vast field of vision from the sky, and combined with the sparse trees at the forest's edge, there were no obstructions to sight.

Suyi recalled his Monsties and Pokémon, then advanced cautiously alongside Aiden.

Passing through the trees and tall grass, they arrived at the edge of the coast.

On a protruding cliff, a tyrannosaur-like creature with black hide and pink skin squatted atop the coastal rocks.

The Anjanath spread its dorsal fin, narrowing its eyes as it contentedly soaked up the sunlight. It regulated its body temperature this way, kickstarting its vitality for the day.

"Looking at it basking so comfortably, it's almost cute," Aiden remarked.

"It won't be cute when it gets angry and chases you. These guys have an acute sense of smell and will lock onto you relentlessly," Suyi said with a twitch of his lip.

"And they are terribly persistent, meow," Meowscular Chef added.

The human and cat who had suffered the harrowing experience of being chased by an Anjanath early on were undoubtedly the most qualified to speak on this.

Of course, a sensitive sense of smell could sometimes be a weakness—dung bombs, for instance.

"It's moving!"

As they spoke, the Anjanath stood up, shaking its body as if stretching, and then began walking directly toward the plains.

"It's starting its hunt."

Suyi immediately followed. The wide-open plains were much more favorable for the Monsties to unleash their full potential.

The Anjanath was a monster with a strong sense of territoriality. Its domain was vast, and it marked its territory around thirty times a day.

Such frequent patrols demanded massive amounts of energy, forcing the Anjanath to hunt and drink at least five times a day.

Driven by hunger, the Anjanath quickened its pace, its heavy thuds crushing the shrubs beneath its feet.

On the coastal plains, herds of Aptonoth were enjoying the fresh, dew-kissed vegetation.

They strolled leisurely across the plains in small groups, representing easy pickings for the Anjanath.

Hoo!

The Anjanath snorted from its nostrils, a fierce craving for food flashing in its eyes.

Thud, thud, thud...

Impatients, the Anjanath charged forward, the commotion startling the herbivores.

The moment they looked toward the Anjanath, the brute let out a tyrannical roar, stunning several Aptonoth into place.

Next, it savagely plowed into an Aptonoth, flipping it over before sinking its powerful jaws into the prey with vicious bites. The Aptonoth perished instantly.

Just as the Anjanath was about to begin its fresh meat feast, a smoke bomb hurtled toward its face.

With a loud pop, a thick grayish-white smoke burst open, blanketing the Anjanath's field of vision.

"Garu-wah?!" The Anjanath shook its head in alarmed fury, trying to break out of the smoke, but more smoke bombs detonated one after another.

It roared in anger. At that very moment, a rushing sound approached from afar. Possessing rich combat experience, it relied on instinct to dodge to one side.

The next instant...

Swish!

A flash of ten-bladed talons tore through the smoke, slashing at the Anjanath's forelimb. Blood instantly splattered, and the severe wound caused the Anjanath to roar in intense pain.

Before the Anjanath could recover, a dragon-element energy wave punched through the smoke, accompanied by a hurled boulder.

Boom! Smash!

The consecutive heavy blows caused the Anjanath to stagger and reel backward, while the smoke dissipated from the force of the blasts.

"Roar!" The Anjanath let out a furious bellow, gazing ahead.

However, as the faint mist drifted away with the breeze, the scene before it left it utterly bewildered.

The Odogaron tensed its body, extending its lethal claws and baring its ivory-white fangs.

The Great Jagras let out a low growl, standing ready for battle.

The Kulu-Ya-Ku clutched a rock, its sly eyes darting toward vital weak points.

The Tobi-Kadachi fixed its gaze on the Anjanath, its large tail twitching rapidly in short bursts as it built up a static charge.

The Anjanath was baffled: Why had so many enemies appeared all at once?

"Remember us?" Suyi shouted loudly.

"Meow!" Meowscular Chef, wearing the Tobi-Kadachi armor, struck an ultra-ferocious pose.

"Roar-a-a-ah!" The Anjanath glared at Suyi and Meowscular Chef, roaring in aggravation.

"Then you probably remember them too," Suyi yelled.

The Great Jagras, Kulu-Ya-Ku, and Tobi-Kadachi all let out resounding roars.

The Great Jagras and Kulu-Ya-Ku had previously been beaten to near-death by this very Anjanath.

The Tobi-Kadachi had been driven out of its territory by it.

Not to mention Suyi himself—upon arriving in the New World, the Anjanath had been the one to give him a taste of the New World's passionate welcome.

Not to mention that there was also a Nargacuga tucked away in a sphere that had once clashed with the Anjanath.

Suffice it to say, well over half of the Monsties Suyi had tamed shared a history of bad blood with the Anjanath.

"Now, old grudges and new debts, we settle them all together!"

"Roar!" The Anjanath didn't care about any of that. The hunger of waking up in the morning drove it to feed, and now that these creatures were blocking its path, it would simply vent all its pent-up fury on them.

The Anjanath stepped back to wind up its energy, then leaped forward with a crushing stomp.

The Monsties quickly scattered in all directions.

Thud!

The moment the Anjanath landed, it was met squarely by the Great Jagras launching a heavy body slam.

Roar!

The Anjanath savagely swung its head to crash into it.

With a loud thud, the Great Jagras slid back two steps, and seizing the momentum, the Anjanath pressed the attack.

At that moment, the Odogaron leaped onto its back, its razor-sharp claws locking tightly into the hide while it snapped its jaws, its teeth instantly sinking deep into flesh and muscle.