Chapter 201 Great Jagras
The agreed-upon time arrived, and Aibo gathered punctually at the notice board.
Seeing Eudora floating over with a Wyvern, Aibo was momentarily unsure who was leading whom.
"Woo!"
Aibo whistled, and the newly acquired Wyvern swooped down.
Her skills weren't yet refined enough to precisely grab the pull rope on its claws for a swift takeoff, like the resident hunters in the stronghold.
So, she had to wait for the Wyvern to land before pulling out and gripping the rope.
"Oh! This Wyvern is so docile."
Aibo stroked its forehead, seeing no resistance. While praising it, she took a green pellet from her waist pouch and offered it to the Wyvern's pointed beak.
As the pointed beak quickly pecked, the pellet in her fingers vanished.
"Enjoy it. The next step is takeoff. We learned this in the fifth-term training class."
Aibo muttered, raising the large book she wore slung across her waist.
"Swing the rope to the left for a left turn, to the right for a right turn. Pull down once to ascend, pull down twice to descend. For landing... just let go. The pull wheel on its claws will automatically retract the rope. When there's no serious threat, the Wyvern will wait in the surrounding airspace, ready for pickup. If it gains enough recognition, even in extreme danger zones, the Wyvern will come to your aid. But until sufficient trust is established, please do not attempt anything rash."
After a moment of thought, Aibo prepared to attempt takeoff. But as she turned her head, she saw Eudora, who had appeared beside her at some point, also looking at the open book.
"Such detailed notes..."
Eudora exclaimed in admiration.
"It's alright. Let's go. I have crucial eyewitness information about this jungle and the Great Jagras contract."
Aibo said with confidence.
"That's great. To be honest, that jungle with its dense vines gives me a headache. And this is my first time partnering with a compiler. If I do anything wrong, please point it out."
"Same here."
Aibo replied, shouldering the large backpack filled with cooking utensils.
"Two, may I accompany you? I'd like to join."
Diyan asked as he approached.
"I don't have a problem, but given the ferocity of the Great Jagras, if Li Fan isn't present, I can't guarantee your safety."
Eudora said with some difficulty.
"Precisely because it's so dangerous, you need a guide familiar with the local conditions. What if something unfortunate happens right after you arrive..."
Diyan covered his mouth at this point, then sighed helplessly, "Actually, it's the elder's wish. He feels your contract acquisition is a bit hasty, so he wants me to guide you."
Eudora pondered for a moment and understood.
The arrival of the fifth-term group was a great boost to the Starfall Stronghold.
As research into the Ancient Dragon Passage deepened, it was also time for the investigation team to demonstrate their value.
However, casualties in hunts were common, especially on a new continent where humans were at a distinct disadvantage.
As Eudora, the chief hunter of the Dragon Calendar Institute, were to meet with an accident at this time, it would undoubtedly be a severe blow to the investigation team's morale.
It seemed that after receiving so much attention, every action had to be cautious.
Eudora vaguely sensed the pressure Li Fan bore as the team leader.
"Thank you for joining, Diyan. We need a guide like you."
The three flew out of the stronghold. Eudora's Wyvern, seeing the other flying ahead, seemed a bit lost.
Aibo, not yet proficient in controlling the Wyvern, often swayed left and right in the air, but she soon grasped the key points.
With Diyan guiding them ahead and Aibo's eyewitness report from her landing, they soon arrived at the jungle where the Great Jagras was active.
"I've collected its traces. Let your guiding insects attach to them, and you can track it."
*Bang!* Aibo pulled out the wooden stopper and handed over the bone tube emitting cloudy gas.
Although Eudora hadn't taken detailed notes, she had participated in the fifth-term training class. She immediately opened the guiding insect cage.
Diyan, even more so, as this tracking method was developed on the new continent.
*Chirr... Chirr...*
The guiding insects flew into the bone tube, attached a small sample, and then hovered in the air for several circles before all flying in one direction.
"The Ancient Forest is ahead. It's very easy to get lost. You two must keep close to me."
Diyan, who was leading the way, informed them.
"Mm."
Eudora and Aibo replied in unison.
In the dark and quiet jungle, the guiding insects did not stop. Diyan saw from the brightness of the green fluorescence that the target was nearby.
"Slow down. The foliage here is very dense. We can sneak over."
Diyan crouched down, using the foliage for cover, and advanced slowly.
"What the training instructor said is true..."
Aibo exclaimed in realization.
She immediately understood that it wasn't that hiding in the foliage was impossible, but rather that her method of using it was flawed.
If you hide in front of a monster, it's a given you'll be noticed.
*Chirr! Chirr!*
Before long, the three groups of guiding insects suddenly became agitated, their color shifting from green to red, and their brightness reaching its peak.
The three looked down at the area where the guiding insects were circling. A Great Jagras with a straight, knife-like scar on its forehead was communicating with dozens of Jagras in low growls.
"Is that the Great Jagras? It doesn't seem very large. Is it an individual variation?"
Eudora asked curiously.
"Judging by its size, it's a relatively normal individual."
Diyan informed her.
"It doesn't seem very dangerous."
Eudora said uncertainly.
"Eudora, never underestimate the Great Jagras. When its massive jaws open to their limit, it can swallow a hunter whole."
Diyan's expression was grave.
"That makes sense. We can't be fooled by its appearance alone."
Eudora agreed.
The three continued to stealthily approach, quietly circling behind the Great Jagras and not far from the foliage.
*Rustle.*
Sensing a faint rustling sound, Diyan turned his head and saw Aibo furiously taking notes for her ecological observations.
"That won't work, Aibo. We'll be detected at this distance."
Diyan whispered.
"Sorry."
Aibo immediately stopped writing, but the rustling sound didn't cease even though her quill had stopped.
Diyan searched for a moment and realized the problem lay with Eudora's peculiar armor.
Whenever a slight breeze passed, the strange armor would absorb it, inflating small wind bags while also emitting air around it.
The sound was coming from the airflow that dispersed and rustled the foliage.
Diyan wanted to warn them, but a Jagras, seeing the foliage constantly shaking, had already sensed something was wrong and was rapidly crawling over to investigate.
"We've been discovered. It seems a surprise attack is impossible. We'll have to face them head-on."
Diyan said, reaching for the hilt of his bone greatsword.
"It's my fault. I'll make up for it."
Eudora, having forgotten that the Wind Serpent armor was entirely unsuitable for stealth, was also preparing to draw her sword.
Who would have thought that this Jagras, when less than ten meters away from the trembling foliage, suddenly stopped.
Its bright yellow eyes blinked, and then it quickly ran away.
"Strange, it clearly noticed me?"
Eudora, crouched with her hand on her sword hilt, was very curious.
"This Jagras with a missing foreclaw, I encountered it with Li Fan when we landed. It might have learned from its companion's tragic death, so it pretended not to see us."
Aibo explained.
"I see... However, this one isn't the pack leader, nor is it our target. Remembering individual characteristics after seeing them once, Aibo, your observation skills are amazing."
Eudora realized Aibo's extraordinary talent.
"As a compiler, one must possess strong observational skills."
Aibo stated.
*Roar! Roar!*
When the little deaf-blind Jagras, having narrowly escaped danger, returned to the pack, it immediately let out a warning roar. The entire Jagras pack instantly entered a combat state.
The Great Jagras at the front, full of menace, crawled forward rapidly.
However, about twenty meters away from the trembling foliage, the Great Jagras sensed an unusual aura, very similar to the one emitted by the human thugs who had injured it that morning.
*Roar! Roar! Roar!*
The subordinates, unaware of the danger, formed a surrounding formation and roared incessantly at the trembling foliage.
A drop of crystalline sweat trickled from the Great Jagras's mane, sliding down its face.
"We can't avoid it now. There are so many of them. You two retreat first, I'll hold them off."
Diyan suddenly said with resolute determination.
"No, absolutely not. First, I won't abandon my teammate. Second, the reason I came to the new continent is to hunt the Elder Dragon, and second, it's for the legendary Great Jagras."
Eudora responded firmly.
"Elder Dragon..."
Diyan's eyelids twitched.
He only knew of one person who targeted Elder Dragons, and that was the sword master who considered the Elder Flame Dragon his lifelong nemesis.
"I'm well-prepared. I won't lose."
Eudora closed her eyes and gathered her energy for a moment. A large amount of airflow visibly converged towards her armor.
*Whoosh! Bang!*
The surrounding leaves were instantly blown away, and the strip-shaped wind bags on her armor flashed with dazzling blue and white light.
Feeling the immense pressure, the Great Jagras couldn't recall who it had offended to warrant such a terrifying pursuit and retaliation.
*Whoosh~*
When Eudora opened her eyes again, the world had inverted.
With her body inverted, Eudora's knees were slightly bent, and her hands gripped the Great Azure Wind Dragon Sword, poised for a charge attack.
"Great Jagras, this is a greeting from the Old Continent."
*Roar!* The Great Jagras could no longer bear it, let out a startled cry, turned its head, and began to flee.
*Boom!* A massive air explosion erupted in the jungle. Birds in the forest took flight and fled, and a large number of leaves were swept into the air.
At the top of the ancient giant tree, Dilu, who was setting up camp, noticed the loud noise and quickly ran to the edge, raising his binoculars to observe.
"Li Fan! It looks like Eudora's making a move! She used this Charged Wind Blast Slash when we rested on the island along the way!"
Dilu shouted.
"Let me see, that's Area 1..."
Li Fan looked at the exploration map he had drawn on the airship and suddenly thought of a possibility.
"Alas, having a reputation isn't always a good thing."
Li Fan sighed.
Eudora landed on her feet, looking at the Great Jagras, which was split down the middle on the ground, with a slightly bewildered expression.
Aibo and Diyan behind her were still in shock.
"This is the chief hunter of the Dragon Calendar Institute..."
A moment later, Diyan spoke.
Born on the new continent, he could only learn about hunters from the Old Continent through books and ancient texts. He never expected their combat abilities to be so far beyond his comprehension.
The fearsome legend of the Great Jagras was not without reason.
As Diyan had introduced earlier, it indeed possessed the ability to swallow humans whole, and if it couldn't digest them in one go, it would regurgitate them along with stomach acid.
This horrifying ecological habit, combined with the fact that it was a monster frequently sighted in the vicinity of strongholds, easily gave rise to terrifying legends.
"A corpse of a new continent pack leader! Wonderful!"
Aibo rushed to the Great Jagras's corpse and immediately began collecting ecological samples.
Diyan ran out of the jungle to fire a signal flare, guiding the transport team to come and carry away the carcass.
Upon their return, he couldn't help but exclaim.
"Miss Eudora, your swordsmanship has opened my eyes."
Eudora, resting on the ground, replied, "Li Fan taught me this move. He said since the Wind Serpent armor can draw in airflow, why not try compressing that airflow into a charged slash?"
"The fifth-term leader is also a genius who can develop sword techniques. I never saw that before."
Diyan said with some surprise.
"Uh, actually, it's also partly due to the long journey."
Eudora admitted.
Aside from daily training and meals, she had become so bored that she resorted to counting clouds.
Li Fan had monsters to care for, so those days were more fulfilling for him, but she remained incredibly bored.
Thus, the two began to research new moves and skills.
Electric Shock Slash, Headbutt Strike, Military Boxing, Starfall Strike...
Various strange and peculiar moves were continuously developed.
The Charged Wind Blast Slash, which highly compressed and condensed airflow, was considered the most practical among them.
*Bang! Bang!*
The sounds of two signal flares exploding came from not far away.
Since they couldn't see the color of the signal flares, the three couldn't confirm what was happening over there.
Fortunately, the distance was close enough, and the guiding insects could still provide direction, so they hurried towards the source of the sound.
Before long, a shout was heard.
"Drop the supplies! Get out of the Pukei-Pukei's pursuit range first!"
Eudora, rushing out from the foliage, saw three members of the supply team being chased by a large green bird.
The Pukei-Pukei had a wide distribution range on the Old Continent, so Eudora and Aibo could identify the monster with just a glance.
"Hunters! Run! It's just basic supplies for building the camp, not worth risking your lives for."
The middle-aged man leading the charge shouted.
Eudora suddenly remembered the camp advancement strategy proposed by Commander-in-Chief Fry at the war council.
Establishing new strongholds and observation points on the new continent to expand their control was unrealistic.
However, small camps that could be easily set up with minimal supplies were worth building and promoting.
This would not only reduce the burden of travel but also gradually explore a relatively safe route as the exploration progressed.
(End of this chapter)