The Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian couple flew out of Astera carrying a basket nearly half full of various food and supplies.
Inside the basket, the Grimalkyne carefully recorded these items in his little notebook, his mouth never once closing from start to finish.
The amount of supplies had already far exceeded what the cats had expected.
Although most of the Ecological Research Institute members were scholars, and apart from the Chief and Deputy Chief their investigation points were not many, once the Chief first used his own points to purchase some supplies for the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian couple, the other members each bought a little as well. In this way, the couple naturally ended up with plenty of supplies to bring back.
"Never thought Lord Azure Rathalos and Lady Pink Rathian would be so well-liked among the Ecological Research Institute's members, meow!"
Closing the notebook and looking at the neatly stacked supplies in the basket, this Fire Wyvern Grimalkyne sitting inside let out a sigh.
After flying for several days, the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian finally reached the Ancient Tree region. From afar, they saw that familiar yet strangely foreign Ancient Tree. In unison, they beat their wings faster, speeding toward it.
But when they fully arrived at the Ancient Tree's crown layer, the returning couple were suddenly at a loss, each holding one side of the sling basket straps, staring at the male and female Fire Wyverns currently "confronting" each other at the canopy, with cats crowding around, circling in anxiety.
It was a confrontation both serious and not serious at the same time.
The cause of it all was that just two days earlier, the mate of the Tempered Azure Rathalos—the Pink Rathian—had become pregnant!!
That's right!
For a female Rathian to conceive during a non-breeding season had already violated the natural reproductive patterns of the Fire Wyverns.
Of course, the world is vast and full of wonders. All the more so with the New World, where leylines brim with energy—no matter how outrageous the event, it would hardly surprise the monsters here.
Pregnancy alone was nothing. With the Fire Wyvern group's established ecological niche around the Ancient Tree, and with most of the survival resources in the Ancient Forest already largely restored, whether there were a few more or a few fewer Fire Wyverns would not make any difference.
The key lay in the fact that the Pink Rathian had conceived precisely because the Tempered Azure Rathalos had eaten the cats' Fire Wyvern Vitality Cat Meal.
The higher a monster's place in the ecological niche, the greater the toll pregnancy and rearing offspring take on the female's body.
Thus, in her entire life, a female Fire Wyvern would at most produce three to five clutches of eggs, and during unsuitable breeding seasons, natural reproductive restrictions would instinctively appear.
But because the Tempered Azure Rathalos had eaten the Fire Wyvern Vitality Cat Meal prepared by the cats, not only had his desires greatly increased that very day, it had also broken the Rathian's reproductive limits, resulting in this unexpected pregnancy.
This alarmed the Rathian wives, who had only given birth two years prior and whose bodies had yet to fully recover.
One or two clutches were normal reproduction, but with three or four, they began depleting their own life force. If it went beyond that, it became outright suicidal!
So the wives collectively resisted the cats' Fire Wyvern Vitality Cat Meal, forbidding them from making it again.
But as for the Rathalos, they weren't having it!
A little blue pill with no side effects that replenished vigor—what male wouldn't love it?
And so, this "confrontation" spread from a small circle at first into a major issue involving the entire Ancient Tree Fire Wyvern group.
When in doubt, ask the leader!
With a complete social structure forming, the Fire Wyvern group had begun to develop this consciousness.
Thus, the matter eventually came to Logan, and before his decision had even been made, the Fire Wyverns were already blocking the canopy outside his dwelling in "confrontation," with the entire group taking part.
Of course, except for that one single wyvern whose fourth wing bone hadn't fully grown out yet and from whom not even word of a Rathian could be found.
At first, when Logan heard about this, he didn't feel much of anything. He even wondered if these female Rathians had nothing better to do—making such a fuss over such a trivial matter that it dragged in the entire group.
Besides, Logan himself had benefited from that Cat Meal. And at the start, he thought the Fire Wyvern group was already powerful enough, with no issue of being unable to raise more young, so he naturally stood on the side of the Rathalos, feeling the females were being unreasonable, maybe trying to seize some benefit.
But after thinking it over, he realized—no, that wasn't right!
They were Fire Wyverns, not humans. How could there be such convoluted schemes?
The Fire Wyverns at the top of the ecological niche possessed intelligence, but not to the level of humans. At times, their bestial nature could even overwhelm reason. Placed in terms of historical texts, they were like savages whose minds had not yet fully awakened.
So, with the intellect of the Rathians, it shouldn't have been for some hidden motive that they caused a stir. Only by instinctively sensing something amiss—something threatening them—would they have such an intense reaction.
Once he calmed down, Logan's thoughts spread in all directions, considering many things.
If the Ancient Tree Fire Wyvern group ignored breeding rules and became like humans, able to reproduce year-round, would that truly be a good thing?
The answer was—no!
From a macro perspective, the ecological niche of ordinary Fire Wyverns was already too high. If they reproduced in great numbers, they would squeeze out the activity space of other creatures entirely, to the point of damaging the ecology of an entire region.
All the more so now, with the Ancient Tree Fire Wyvern group having received a great enhancement, stepping forward as a whole.
Once this breach opened, disrupting the ecological order would inevitably follow, and the Fire Wyvern group would surely suffer backlash from the world.
By then, as the leader of the Ancient Tree Fire Wyvern group, he would undoubtedly be one of the creatures subject to that reckoning.
Even if by then his own strength had grown enough not to fear such punishment, what about Aki? What about his offspring?
So, no matter how unwilling, no matter how reluctant he felt, he could only make a decision.
From today onward, the cats would no longer provide the Vitality Cat Meal to the Fire Wyvern group.
Unless the cats could eliminate the flaw wherein the males, after eating, broke biological restrictions and caused females to conceive—
Otherwise, the Cat Meal should be kept for the cats themselves, or left for the Research Commission.
Once they learned of Logan's decision, the Rathians all relaxed at once.
As for the Rathalos, they all hung their heads in dejection, unable to lift their spirits for a long while. Just when they had finally gained the strength to dominate at night, this order came down, and they had to return to the powerless days of before.
But this was the leader's command—they had no choice.
As for Logan's final decision, Aki was rather surprised. She even had a mind to oppose it, for if the Pink Rathian could break the breeding rules and still conceive successfully, then what about her?
The appearance of Chameleos earlier had already rekindled the sense of crisis in Aki, who once had brimming confidence.
Aki had always been possessive by nature, with a streak of jealousy as well. But ever since her evolution advanced, her inner perception toward ordinary Rathalos had grown increasingly faint. At times, she even felt as though she were no longer of the same species as them.
Flaws, no matter how you looked at them!
Even the tempered ones, with smooth scales and vibrant colors, failed to catch Aki's eye.
It was the same feeling as humans looking at monkeys.
Because of this, she placed complete trust in Logan, who was likewise evolving toward a higher ecological niche.
Within the entire Fire Wyvern group of the Ancient Tree, there was simply no one Logan would ever take a liking to.
And facts proved her right—not only did Logan look down on those ordinary Rathian, but those Rathian also had enough "self-awareness" not to provoke Logan.
Among all the Rathian in the Ancient Forest, only Aki herself was Logan's sole mate.
Therefore, with that mindset, Aki's possessiveness began to fade away without limit, and she gradually shaped herself into the role of a proper "virtuous wife and loving mother."
But the appearance of Chameleos shattered everything.
Though of a different species, that overwhelming Pressure from a higher ecological niche, the impact of a superior life level, and the way it interacted with Logan—all of it directly broke apart Aki's years of "pretense."
Her possessiveness erupted once more.
What gentle wife, what magnanimous first mate!
I'm done pretending!
And so, from that day on, Logan began living a life that was exhausting yet strangely joyful.
On top of being constantly squeezed dry, Aki also forbade any Rathian from lingering around Logan.
Even at the Fire Wyverns and Cats' Pavilion while eating cat meals, if any "married woman" lingered near Logan for just a little too long, she would immediately face Aki's death stare, and ultimately have no choice but to obediently leave with her meal.
It was as if Logan's days had returned to the time before going to the Wildspire Waste—sticking close with Aki every day, hunting together, patrolling their territory together.
No Rathian would remain long at Logan's side, and there was no place for other Rathalos beside Aki either.
It had to be said—Logan actually found such days even more comfortable. He even began to suspect whether he might have a slight masochistic streak.
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