Chapter 80: Another Encounter Beneath the Night

After a period of climbing and leaping, the Grimclaw Dragon deftly ascended the Coral Highlands. Night had fallen, and the sky was adorned with floating, luminous Skycap Mushrooms, sparkling in the moonlight—a breathtaking sight.

“Phew! Finally out,” Su Yi said, feeling a strange weakness whenever he saw the sickly yellow miasma. The Elder Dragon’s attacks were truly unusual, draining a creature’s stamina and life force directly through the haze—a sinister, unpredictable threat.

“Thank you, Grimclaw Dragon. Come back and rest for a while,” Su Yi said, recalling the creature.

“Would you like to rest at the Third Fleet’s research base with me?” Master Wilds asked.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Su Yi nodded, eager to see the inside of the airship and perhaps catch a glimpse of the Third Fleet’s commander.

“Then let’s set out,” Master Wilds said, orienting himself before leading Su Yi towards the airship’s landing site.

The coral forest beneath the night sky was tranquil. Master Wilds walked ahead, with Su Yi and Dewgrass following.

“The Coral Highlands are best for evening strolls,” Su Yi remarked, the silent atmosphere and dreamy glow of the bioluminescent creatures evoking a sense of stepping into a magical world.

“Have you explored the Coral Highlands before?” Master Wilds asked, curious.

“Yes, it’s quite a story,” Su Yi replied with a smile. “I was originally following the canyon walls on the outskirts of the Ancient Tree Forest, intending to head for the Great Ant Mound Wastes. But along the way, I encountered the Blackhorn Dragon and the Severing Dragon—then even the Explosive Scale Dragon.”

“In the end, they blasted a fissure in the rock wall, and quite by accident, I fell through the winding gap into the Valley of Miasma. With the Grimclaw Dragon’s help, I was able to climb up to the Coral Highlands,” he recounted.

“You really…,” Master Wilds hesitated, uncertain whether this was luck or misfortune. “But, Severing Dragon and Explosive Scale Dragon—both appeared?” she murmured, surprised. The Severing Dragon’s existence was only conjecture based on vague traces, while the Explosive Scale Dragon had merely been reported by eyewitnesses.

“It seems you truly have the makings of an adventurer, encountering so many monsters. Dangerous, though,” Master Wilds chuckled.

“All thanks to my companions,” Su Yi nodded.

“It’s so quiet around here, meow,” Dewgrass said. Only a soft, rustling sound could be heard—like wind stirring the plants.

No sooner had she spoken—

Buzz!

A swarm of glowing, firefly-like Scout Bugs suddenly darted out, illuminating the darkness and settling on a half-devoured corpse.

“It’s evidence of predation,” Su Yi hurried forward to inspect. “A corpse of a Fragrant Wing Dragon—been here for some time, likely killed around midday. No extensive bite marks, but these sharp tooth marks are sizeable—not from a Dazzle Bird.”

“The terrain here isn’t elevated, so it’s not the hunting ground of Windglider Dragon, but rather one for monsters like the Sakura Fire Dragon,” Su Yi analyzed. The predator was not the type to gorge like the Thunderjaw Dragon—or worse, the Terror Tyrant who would devour the prey until nothing remained.

“There are no obvious tracks nearby. Must have been a swift, agile hunter—skilled and precise,” Su Yi concluded.

Watching Su Yi expertly examine and analyze the monster traces, Master Wilds nodded in approval. Not quite a qualified hunter, perhaps, but as an explorer, he was gifted, his reasoning sharp. Most importantly, he seemed deeply knowledgeable about monster ecology—even about the recently discovered Sakura Fire Dragon.

Rrrrustle…

Dewgrass twitched her ears. “The rustling’s gotten louder, meow. But there’s no wind, meow?”

“Something’s not right. There might be something nearby,” Master Wilds instantly became alert.

“Who’s out for a stroll this time?” Su Yi reacted quickly, standing up with a capture ball ready in his hand.

Rrrrustle…

Listening carefully, the sound changed. The sly, furtive rustling now came from several directions within the coral forest.

“It’s too dark—can’t see a thing, meow!” Dewgrass, having lost her bone dagger, held Su Yi’s carving knife for protection.

“Silent as a shadow, blending with the darkness, stalking and observing, waiting for the perfect moment to strike,” Su Yi recalled the previously discovered linear cut marks, and an answer formed in his mind.

“Rotom Phone, turn on the flashlight—maximum brightness,” Su Yi hissed.

“Understood, Rotom!” The Rotom Phone, previously keeping a low profile, suddenly shot out from the side pouch, startling Master Wilds.

“Who’s speaking?! What kind of monster is that?!” Master Wilds exclaimed as a small orange rectangle zipped out, casting a brilliant beam of light.

The sudden illumination shone into the coral thicket, startling a pitch-black figure, which quickly retreated into the shadows. Yet in that instant, Su Yi caught a glimpse of wing blades gleaming coldly.

“It’s the Speed Dragon!” Su Yi exclaimed, tossing a capture ball. Grimclaw Dragon let out a low growl and crouched, instantly on guard.

Master Wilds was taken aback. “A Speed Dragon, here as well?”

“Rotom, return,” Su Yi ordered, knowing that visible targets would be attacked first.

The Rotom Phone zipped back into Su Yi’s side pouch. Seeing Master Wilds’ astonished face, Rotom cheerfully greeted, “Hello, I am Rotom Phone.”

Master Wilds was dumbfounded—a seemingly non-living object speaking? It was astonishing. But with a monster present, questions would have to wait.

“Grimclaw Dragon, have you found it?” Su Yi asked. The Grimclaw Dragon sniffed the air, then suddenly turned its head, growling towards one side.

“Fighting the Speed Dragon in the coral forest isn’t wise—let’s get out of here!” Su Yi said, then turned to run.

Master Wilds nodded, agreeing with Su Yi’s judgment, and quickly dashed toward the edge of the coral forest.

Grimclaw Dragon guarded Su Yi’s side as they ran, the rustling behind them growing urgent. The Speed Dragon, now exposed, was in hot pursuit.

The coral forest was not large. Soon, Su Yi and his companions burst out into the open, where moonlight bathed the plateau.

“Grrrrooow…” The Speed Dragon, draped in thick black fur, emerged step by step from the shadows, growling like a mountain lion. The wing blades on its forelimbs glinted coldly in the moonlight.

“Red Meteor, Speed Dragon! I never expected such a monster to live here in the New World,” Master Wilds exclaimed at the sight.

“Zizi, prepare the lights!” Su Yi pulled out the capture ball for Dazzle Bird, ready to throw. But the Speed Dragon eyed the ball in his hand, tensed, poised to move at any moment. Its growl became wary.

“Hm?” Su Yi paused, then swung his arm as if to throw. The Speed Dragon instantly shifted, ready to leap away, only to become furious when Su Yi held back.

“Don’t tell me… you’re the very Speed Dragon from the Ancient Tree Forest?!” Su Yi stood frozen, dumbstruck.