If it were a Mantis, the timing would be too coincidental.
Li Fan found it hard to comprehend.
Reality wasn't like a game, with attacks unfolding one after another, but three converging at once was too absurd.
Furthermore, regarding the motives, the Elder Dragon wasn't an actual attack.
It was simply migrating, and from the Elder Dragon's perspective, it was Doruma blocking its path.
As for the Steel Dragon, it generally only attacked human settlements when it intended to molt, using the large-scale cluster attacks of humans to damage and loosen the rusted shell on its body, aiding its molting process.
Although its body surface was close to light brown during the last observation, the overall rust corrosion wasn't severe.
This was why Li Fan wasn't staking out Doruma.
However, in the prophecies of the Dragon Cult, the Steel Dragon was said to visit Doruma soon, and judging by the Guild's reaction, they considered this prophecy to have strong reference value.
But in Li Fan's eyes, the Steel Dragon had no motive to attack at this particular time.
The Fatalis was even stranger.
Its habitat was a lost ancient city in the desert, and according to the map, it wasn't far from Doruma.
It also had a habit of collecting the remains of human city defenses and assembling them into a giant robot.
However, its Ruin Form had scale limitations and couldn't indiscriminately annex city defenses.
Even if the Fatalis enjoyed experimenting with various forms, the lost ancient city would suffice.
Therefore, Li Fan felt that the two prophecies, excluding the Elder Dragon, were the Dragon Cult manufacturing panic.
Yet, seeing how seriously the Guild took it, he vaguely felt that things weren't that simple.
"It's been many years since I last saw the Guild Master. I wonder if he can still lift that great black sword," the village elder said with emotion as the Hunter flies descended.
"Village Elder, does the Guild want the great black sword to use as a weapon?" Li Fan asked in surprise.
"Yes, the Guild Master and Pokke Village signed an agreement a long time ago. If Doruma faces a crisis, the great black sword can be requisitioned as a weapon at any time," the village elder replied.
"The Hunter flies are going to tow the great black sword. I need to go and watch. Li Fan... Eudora, I hope you can assist if the Guild issues a summons," Goxing said before running towards the Hunter flies.
*Screech! Rumble!*
Before long, with the combined efforts of the villagers and hunters, the ice cave where the great black sword was stored was broken open, and a large area of ice collapsed.
A giant hilt wrapped in dirty cotton cloth was exposed. The Hunter flies threw out more than a dozen grappling hooks into the ice cave.
*Clang, clang, clang!* A sound of chipping came from within.
Soon, under the shouts and guidance of everyone, the Hunter flies slowly rose in altitude.
Pulled by several taut ropes, the great black sword, over ten meters long, vertically rose from the top of the ice cave.
"It seems Goxing won't have time to say goodbye to us... Li Fan, what are your plans?" Eudora asked.
"Then let's return to Doruma..."
"That's great! That's how it should be! I'll go pack... uh, everything I need is at the ice cave camp. I need to hurry and find a way back."
Seeing Eudora's eagerness, Li Fan could only sigh helplessly.
He was actually very interested in the Fatalis. This monster not only possessed terrifying physical strength but was also highly intelligent.
Its ability to construct ruins had endless potential if guided correctly.
However, Doruma was currently struggling to defend itself, its intelligence was almost blank, and its motives hadn't even been investigated.
Capturing it at this time would likely fall solely on the team, not to mention dealing with a Steel Dragon.
Having received the important news, the two walked to the pine forest and rode their mounts, Little Fool and Naughty Neck, to the higher reaches of the snow mountain.
The ice cave camp, where they had lived for a month, had all its facilities perfectly set up. Dilu and Patchy were truly reluctant to leave so suddenly.
Yaya, who had experienced twelve heartbreaks, was surprisingly not sentimental and said her heart was frozen and she would never love again.
In just an hour, the team had packed up and was ready to leave.
"I feel like something's missing... Right! There's also that Tigrex!"
Mentioning the Tigrex, Li Fan couldn't help but frown.
Over the past month, he had tried various methods, but the creature only recognized combat and nothing else.
Without the Tigrex joining the guillotine, Li Fan felt it wasn't stable enough.
"Don't you often talk to it, meow? You can use the topic of leaving to make one last effort. After all, it's been waiting for its master for five years... Maybe it feels the same way I do," Patchy suggested.
"The same way? You?" Li Fan found the idea incredible.
"Uh... Anyway, I feel like its anticipation for its master's return is similar to mine, meow, just expressed differently," Patchy said.
"Alright, I'll try again. If not, I'll just consider it a farewell."
Li Fan made up his mind and told Eudora to go down the mountain first to meet with Fery. He would join them after one last conversation with the Tigrex.
About two hours later, Li Fan, sitting on the cliff edge of the snow mountain, sighed, "See, the way humans and monsters interact isn't just about fighting. Sitting together peacefully like this, talking about ideals and the future, isn't that also good?"
*Roar...*
The Tigrex, with its head pressed against the snow beside him, let out a suppressed growl.
"Uh... Uragaan, your claw is too far forward, pressing on the Tigrex so it can't roar," Li Fan said to Uragaan, who was stepping on the Tigrex's back.
Uragaan immediately lifted a claw that was pressing on its neck, and the Tigrex gasped for air.
*Roar... Roar...*
"There's not much fairness in this world. And look at Lei Ge, look what you've done to him," Li Fan said, pointing to Lei Ge.
Lei Ge was currently lifting his sharp claw, licking his wounds. Feeling blood surge in his chest, he tilted his head and spat onto the snow.
Mixed with the large amount of blood were a few shattered yellow fangs.
*Roar... Roar!*
"It's not that I'm afraid to fight you one-on-one, but there are more important missions to complete. Time is pressing," Li Fan informed him.
*Roar... Roar!*
The Tigrex continued to roar fiercely, expressing doubt and dissatisfaction.
"It doesn't matter. I'm mainly here to say goodbye this time. I hope you'll take care of yourself in the high snow mountains," Li Fan said helplessly.
*Roar...*
The Tigrex paused for a moment, then suddenly pushed off the ground with its claws and stood up forcefully.
Seeing that it couldn't suppress it, Uragaan had to backflip to the snow to maintain its balance.
*Roar!*
With a roar from the Tigrex, a large area of snow beneath it was blown away, forming a circle.
"Damn it... If you can't go, you can't go, why are you roaring so loud?" Li Fan knew what it was going to do when he saw this action. Although he dodged by rolling away, his ears were still ringing.
*Roar...*
The Tigrex let out a low growl.
"When will you come back... After I leave this time, I might not come back."
Hearing Li Fan's response, the Tigrex suddenly raised its head.
*Roar!*
"I know you've waited for me for a long time, but..."
*Roar!*
"You let me say something, okay? I'm not going to find a forbidden monster to die. I have an elder dragon to deal with, otherwise, it will be very troublesome. This matter is very important to me. I also need to track down someone's whereabouts, which concerns my own safety, and a promise to someone else."
After saying what he wanted to say, Li Fan felt instantly relieved.
*Roar...*
The Tigrex paused for a moment, then slowly lowered its head.
Li Fan observed and actually noticed a hint of sadness in its eyes.
But upon reflection, it was understandable. The arch-rival who returned after five years of waiting only had a casual fight.
The once desperate battles and mutual appreciation were gone.
Only a childish group attack remained, and now even that was gone.
The person who was waited for had returned, but not entirely, and now might be leaving permanently.
Even a monster would find this situation hard to accept.
"Don't be so dejected. When I become strong enough in the future, I'll come back to challenge you." Li Fan could understand the Tigrex's pain, but he didn't possess the terrifying strength of Patchy's master. Besides planning for the future, there was nothing else he could do.
As he turned to leave, a roar sounded again.
*Roar!*
"You're willing to follow me... But you must at least show me a move, an attack that convinces me, and we'll spar when we have time."
Was it because he was too different from Patchy's master that it doubted his identity?
"Can you change someone? I have a disciple named Eudora. If it's just one move, she can definitely perform an attack that convinces you."
*Roar!*
"Other hunters are not allowed... Then I have a monster friend named Hui Hui..."
*Roar!*
The Tigrex rejected again.
"Alright, an attack that convinces you, and you can't use a combined attack with external help... Fine, prepare yourself."
Frankly, this request was already very low.
Li Fan said, drew his Narukami Thunder God Blade, and used the pickaxe part to strike the ground, continuously gathering energy with his self-developed charging slash.
After raising it to the highest level, the red energy blade, Li Fan signaled Lei Ge and Uragaan to retreat.
The Tigrex pressed its claws heavily on the ground, and the ice and soil immediately cracked and sank.
"You need to lean against the ice wall for this move to work," Li Fan instructed.
The Tigrex did not question him and immediately complied.
Li Fan took a deep breath and began to ponder.
My energy blade slash practice is extensive and has been honed through actual combat experience. It is currently the strongest single-target killing move I can unleash.
Coupled with Weakness Exploit, the accuracy is also guaranteed to be extremely high.
The Tigrex looked like it was preparing to take the hit.
The most ideal state, combined with my strongest attack.
If even this cannot shake the Tigrex, then it must be that we truly have no fate.
As Li Fan pondered, he took out a glowing orange-yellow bud from his Narukami Chestplate.
When the petals were placed in his palm, they bloomed as if alive.
Li Fan angled his blade and took out the orange-yellow round jade stone from the bud.
*Click! Click!*...
The Abyssal Gale Gem was stuck in the socket, only halfway in. Li Fan, through constantly assembling and disassembling decorations, was quite skilled.
He raised his fist and hammered it hard.
*Click!* The Abyssal Gale Gem was perfectly embedded.
*Sizzle! Sizzle!*....
Surging golden electricity continuously overflowed from the Narukami Thunder God Blade.
Seeing this, the Tigrex not only wasn't afraid but a hint of excitement flashed in its eyes.
"Here it comes!"
*Roar!*
Li Fan approached quickly with his blade. After a short sprint to accelerate, he pushed off the ice and rock wall on the side with his feet, ascending almost vertically.
When he felt he had reached the appropriate distance, Li Fan leaped up, twisted his body, and the Narukami Thunder God Blade slashed down.
*Boom!*
Pokke Village Airfield.
Eudora, who was carrying supply crates on the Fire Flame, heard a thunderous roar from the high snow mountain area and quickly turned her head to look.
Above the snow mountain, surrounded by thin clouds, a golden lightning bolt was striking down, connecting heaven and earth.
A moment later, as the golden lightning dissipated, more dense rumbling thunderclaps were heard.
"He even used that move. Did they really start fighting..." Eudora couldn't help but worry.
However, when she thought about the monster lineup Li Fan brought for farewell, she immediately felt she was overthinking it.
Before long, a strange person appeared in Pokke Village.
With peculiar armor, a tilted neck, crackling electric sparks all over, and two Felynes whose outer fur was scorched by electricity, followed him.
"This... I've long heard that the Strange Dragon in the snow mountain area is terrifying, but I didn't expect it to be true." A hunter team leader, looking at the Strange Dragon hunt contract he had just accepted, immediately had thoughts of retreating.
"It's... it's Patchy, meow!"
Treasure dropped the trash can he was holding and ran towards Patchy.
"You can recognize me, meow..." Patchy opened his mouth, and a puff of black smoke emerged.
"What did you guys go through, meow?" Treasure asked with concern.
"Nothing much, just a small incident," Li Fan waved his hand, looking nonchalant.
"I have good news for you, Treasure, meow. The contract with an absolute powerhouse has been reached, meow. You can restart the treasure hunting team with the funds," Patchy excitedly informed him.
"What nonsense are you talking about, Patchy, meow? Even if the contract is reached, the reward will only be paid to the hunter team, and according to the contract terms, you'll only receive half of the total amount until your master is found." Treasure then touched Patchy's forehead, suspecting he had been electrocuted into foolishness.
"No, meow. The team can receive the reward, but it will be the full amount, and after that, it will all be invested in the treasure hunting team." Patchy explained.
"Really, meow!"
"Treasure, meow! Don't pinch my face! I won't lie to you, meow!" Patchy said while struggling to break free from Treasure's grip on his face.
"That's great, meow! I want to buy a treasure hunting ship, a submarine, a small airship... Patchy! Shall we go to the Forest Hill area together first?" Treasure said excitedly.
"Uh... I'm sorry, Treasure, meow. I have other things to do, meow. The journey to find my master has just begun." Patchy lowered his head.
Treasure's smile froze, and he said sadly, "Okay, meow. I wish you find your master soon. When I become a world-renowned treasure hunting team leader, we'll meet again."
"Mmm... Thank you for supporting me, meow! Only you believe in me!" Patchy hugged Treasure and burst into tears.