Hey there hunters and welcome back to Monster (Girl?) Hunter World!
Now there's a good chance that a good portion of you all may have missed the chapter I uploaded last week, so in order for this to make a bit more sense, stop here and go read the previous chapter so that way you're all caught up and everything will fit together.
Now Other than that I don't really have much to say but I do hope you enjoy the newest chapter for the story!
Two's a Crowd
AJ and I walked out of the main gate of Astera, the very same one where I was chased by the Anjanath next to me not too long ago. The Scoutflies then flew off from the lantern from our belts and I gestured AJ to follow me, we tailed the Scoutflies and we came across skid marks on the ground which were lit up green.
"Well what do we have here?" I asked aloud.
"Definitely been this way, I recognise these marks anywhere. I always have to drive out this nuisance out of my territory". AJ muttered to herself as I got a good look at the tracks.
"They're fresh, meaning we just missed em. C'mon, Nathan and Morgan are probably not too far ahead". I said as we raced forward being led by the green glow that was tracking the monster, we followed the Scoutflies and according to the map in my notebook, we followed them through sector 11 all the way to sector 12 and we heard roaring nearby. It was the same area where I had fought AJ now that I look at it.
We then saw Nathan land in front of us wielding what looks like a defender Long Sword if the cooper shine was anything to go by.
AJ unsheathed her Switch Axe in preparation of the battle as I helped Nathan up.
"You alright pal?" I asked him and he nodded in response as he tried to catch his breath, the three of us looked up to see a Jagras that was 4 times bigger than the regular ones I've seen in my Hunter's Notes. This one had several distinct features then the others, this one had a mane on its head, spikes on its arms and to add it had claws much bigger than the normal small fry. It looked at us and roared, knowing that we were smaller than it.
-Great Jagras-
"Think you're so tough?" I said making it look at me. "Let's see how well you fight with all three of us?!" I taunted at the beast. Its response was charging directly at us making us move out of the way. Nathan was struggling to keep his blade up as he was panting for breath. "Nathan get out of here and recover while you can, AJ and I will keep it occupied until you get back, ok?" I said to him as he nodded in response, sheathed his sword and began running off to safety. I looked down to see my necklace glowing pink again just like last time. 'Again? No way this isn't a coincidence'. I thought to myself before looking at my Anjanath ally. "Reay AJ?"
"Born ready". She smirked.
The Jagras then tried again and charged at us only to be blocked by my Greatsword and whacked across the side of the head by AJ's Switch Axe making it recoil and roll due to the sheer power of the strike. Come to think of it, I've never seen a hunter hit a monster with a Switch Axe with that amount of force before.
'Was that AJ's natural strength?' I thought to myself before putting that thought to the side and focus on the fight at hand. The Jagras got back on its feet and changed its target to AJ but before it could get a single strike in, I quickly leapt off a rock and landed on the monster's back and gripped its mane. With the Jagras now more focused on getting me off its back AJ was able to get a few good strikes in with her Switch Axe in Sword mode leaving some burn slashes on its arms and its sides.
The Monster ran around the area before smashing into a hollow tree trunk making it shatter and slowing the monster down. The Jagras then began to stop thrashing about and was now out of breath.
"AJ NOW!" I called to her as she then began slashing the monster with the sword mode of her weapon as it then began to ignite and the blade was covered in fire and glowing red. I pulled my Blacksteel Chopper of my back and then brought it down on the monsters head making it topple over but it flung me off while doing so. AJ then began hacking away at the Great Jagras as it struggled to get back up, however the Jagras got back up and smacked AJ away from it sending her into a small bone pile. The Jagras then made a break for it as the two of got back up on our feet, I ran over to AJ and helped her up.
"Augh, is what it was like when you fought me?" She asked as she put her weapon back on her back while her hand was on the side of her head.
"Yea, but you hit just as hard as a Diablos". I chuckled and she chuckled with me. I pulled a mega potion out of bag and sculled it before wiping my mouth and began feeling the effects, An AJ had the same idea as she was taking the time to recover as well.
"I will admit, being able to heal wounds almost instantly within a single drink is something I can get used to". She said to me as I nodded with a smile.
"C'mon, we better follow the scout flies before we lose it". I said to her as we then began to follow the green glow.
We continued to stay on the Great Jagras's trail and managed to catch up to it and saw none other than Nathan slashing away at it with his Long Sword. AJ ran towards it and struck it on the side of the head while it was distracted fighting Nathan causing it to be knocked over on its side.
"Coming through guys!" I called as they moved out of the way for me to jump of a ledge and bring my Greatsword down on its stomach, meaning it hurt…a lot. It managed to get back on its feet but I swung my blade in wide slash directly it its head making it fall over but it didn't struggle, we all waited a few seconds for it to get back up, we cautiously approached the body and saw that it was now lifeless.
The Great Jagras was Slayed.
"Well. That was. Fun". AJ laughed trying to catch her breath, guess she isn't used to having a semi-human body quite yet. She looked at Nathan who smiled and nodded in appreciation, and she smiled back with a toothy grin.
"We might not be done quite yet guys". I said to them, they looked at me in confusion as I then took my knife and cut the stomach of the Jagras leaving a gap where its internal organs should be. Keyword 'Should'. And inside was the same scenario as AJ. There was a woman inside however she seemed a little bit smaller than AJ and had the Mane of the monster for her hair, along with the obvious features such as the tail and claws on the hands and feet.
"Is this the same as the time you had fought me?" AJ asked as she and Nathan looked inside.
"Yea, the very same". I said as I stepped inside the monster remains and looked at Nathan. You want any of the materials or?" I said as he held his hand up and shook his head saying 'no you may need it more'. I shrugged as I then began making some makeshift clothing as I started carving the remains.
"You're taking her with us?" AJ asked.
"You saying we should leave her?" I said not stopping my carving, and in the corner of my eye AJ looked down before speaking.
"She was a pest always trying to fight someone else stronger than her not to mention-," "Not to mention that you practically ruled the forest and fought her many times correct?" I interrupted and she nodded as I finished carving up the needed pieces.
"Not only that you didn't kill her…why?" I asked the Anjanath she struggled to find an answer before looking at me and saying.
"She wasn't worth my time to kill, another would just take her place and it gets to the point where I'm not even bothered". She answered.
"Well, she'll be worth having as an ally. And we Hunters don't kill without a good reason". I said to her while putting the clothing on the Jagras girl. "Besides killing her like this is something that I don't think Nathan or I would do, and you don't want to be the only one of your kind, being both human and Anjanath…don't you?" I asked AJ as I lifted the new Monster girl up in my arms. AJ didn't answer as hers was pretty clear. "I thought so". I stepped out of the remains and looked at my fellow Hunter. "Nathan think you can leads us back to the group you're with?" I asked him and he nodded in response and gestured to follow and we did so.
We followed Nathan and he had lead us back to Sarah and Mark, who the latter was shocked to see AJ and the new Jagras Girl in my arms, and he was going to ask me but I merely said to let the Commander fill him in on the details. We began to explore the forest a little more before we decided to head back, I lowered the new Monster girl on the ground and put her on my back so she was easier to carry and my arms won't give out later on. As we were walking the Scoutflies then lit up some feathers on the ground, Sarah picked one of them up to have a better look.
"I think we got a lead". She said to Mark.
"Maybe". The Field team leader replied. As we kept looking around to see if there were any more tacks. I looked to my left and both I and Nathan saw some purple mucus on the side of a tree and it had a really strange smell to it. Mark saw it too and pulled us back and gestured his head to where he was looking. We got behind the tree and saw the monster that had left behind the tracks, it was green and blue with a hint of purple scales and feathers, with a variety of colours on its tail, and judging by the tongue it was akin to some lizards or frogs, meaning it doesn't eat meat and mainly eats either the local flora or insects.
Nathan nudged my arm and pointed at the entry in his Hunters Notes. I looked at the creature as I now knew what it as called.
-Pukei-Pukei-
"Well you were right. There's our mark". The Team Leader said to us.
"They tend to cower in front of stronger creatures". AJ said which made me thing she was one of the stronger and that's what she was implying. We stayed out of sight of the monster until it began to spit that same purple mucus we saw earlier.
"Something's got it agitated". Mark stated as I looked down to see my Necklace glow pink a second time today.
'Definitely not a coincidence. That's a Female monster right there'. I thought to myself as we looked to see the Pukei-Pukei roaring at a hug smoking boulder of slag. "Think that's from Zorah Magdaros?" I asked the Commission members.
"I dunno I never seen anything like it". Mark answered.
"It's gotta be". Sarah said.
"I'd like to find out…but we'd better head back first. Alright?" Marks said to all of us as we agreed. With having another Monster like AJ, another potential one with the Pukei-Pukei as well as our first clue to the Elder Dragon Zorah Magdaros a lot has happened today, one thing at a time though. The Commander's gonna have quite the surprise when he hears about all this.
There we have it Hunters, the newest addition to the group is the Great Jagras!
Now I bet you're all wondering which monsters will get the treatment like AJ and the Jagras, I will give a list of all the Low Rank monsters we have yet to encounter. Now keep in mind this isn't all the monsters in the story, it's just the monsters that we've encountered in the Low Ranks before we fight Zorah Magdaros.
Pukei-Pukei
Tobi-Kadatchi
Barroth
kulu-Ya-ku
Jyuratodus
Legiana
Titzi-Ya-Ku
Odogaron
Rodobaan
Great Girros
Rathian
Black Diablos
So that's the list for all the Low Rank monsters before the final fight with Zorah Magdaros, High Rank monsters and Elder Dragons will fall in after that, and of course Iceborne exclusive monsters will come in however there are two rules to this, only female monsters will be added. So Monsters such as Diablos, Rathalos and Teostra will not be added, also final Elder Dragons like Zora Magdaros, Xeno'jiiva, Safi'jiiva and Shara Ishvalda will not be added due to them having a major impact on in the campaign of both the base game and Iceborne.
So I hope you enjoyed the story and are looking forward to the coming chapters, so be sure to leave e your thoughts on the story as a whole in the review section, a bit of feedback can go along way. So until then, I'll see ya next time!
Cronus Prime Out!