"Sixty percent… how could there be that many? Is it because of us?"
This level of anomalous cases completely exceeded the Research Commission's initial expectations. In their view, once a large number of anomalous monsters were hunted down by hunters, the ones that remained, shrinking back into the marshlands, would be able to complete their own purification in time through nature's self-regulation.
Yet now, Logan had given a number that made the Admiral's heart tremble. After so many years as a hunter, even if he was not a scholar, the Admiral still understood what it meant for sixty percent of the monsters to be parasitized by these invariably fatal Qurio: the ecology of this marshland had already reached an irreversibly collapsed state.
And the Research Commission had not sensed any of this at all.
Back then, all they had needed was to hold out a little longer, to spend a bit more manpower entering the marshlands, instead of penning the monsters into the marshlands and then ignoring them, making such a foolish judgment based solely on "experience."
"Is there still… still any hope? Maybe… it doesn't have to be this extreme."
The Admiral's voice was hoarse, but when he raised his head and met Logan's cold vertical pupils, he instantly understood what Logan meant. Somewhat dejected, he sat down cross-legged on the ground and let out a long sigh.
Research into the Qurio had never stopped over in Astera. Even now, on the mobile research base, the research projects concerning the Qurio were all still ongoing.
Therefore, when it came to the ecology of the Qurio, the Research Commission was actually fairly well-informed.
These ever-mutating Qurio were not the sort of parasites that could be completely wiped out just by killing their source. Even if the Research Commission mobilized all of its strength, even if they urgently dispatched a liaison ship to invite over those true "monster" hunters from the Old World to carry out their most commonly used decapitation tactics, they still probably would not be able to stop the collapse of the marshland's ecology.
And Logan's actions were thus easy to understand. Since the collapse of the marshland's ecosystem was already a foregone conclusion, it was better to let Him accelerate this process, to let the marshlands enter their next ecological cycle sooner, even if this meant that the entire New World might suffer a certain degree of chain-reaction impact.
That was still better than dragging things out and letting the Qurio start spreading in large numbers to other regions, wasn't it?
When the Huntsman and the other two hunters arrived, they saw the Admiral's desolate back. For them, this was truly quite unbelievable.
After all, in their impression, the Admiral had always been full of vigor and spirit, carrying a personal charisma that could inspire others at any time. But seeing the Admiral like this now… could it be that the talks had fallen apart?
Yet when they looked at Sunblaze Dragon's calm demeanor, it did not seem that way.
For a moment, the few of them froze where they stood. With no idea what had actually happened, they decided to keep watching.
After a long time, the Admiral finally made up his mind.
He got to his feet and patted his pants, then looked down at the battle that had completely ended, at the Qurio corpses floating one after another on the crimson surface of the water, and took a deep breath.
"I understand. Astera will fully support this operation. Leave the outskirts of the marshlands and those dark, narrow caves to us. Also, on our way over here, we discovered traces of Nergigante. It's very likely He is heading for you. Do you need any help?"
Logan let out a low, deep growl, refusing the Admiral's offer of help.
Over the past few days, He had already come up with a few plans for dealing with Nergigante, provided that Nergigante's condition had not exceeded His expectations.
After all, judging from the situation right now, given Logan's understanding of the boss of nature, since no new Elder Dragon helpers had appeared, and even Mother Chameleos had shown no reaction at all, that meant that in the boss of nature's judgment, his own strength was sufficient to handle the situation inside the marshlands.
That was the real reason Logan had dared to settle on that somewhat "risky plan."
"I see. Understood. I'll contact Astera right away." The Admiral nodded and turned to walk over to the Huntsman.
"Old friend, I'm really glad you're still the leader I know!"
"Roar!"
The Huntsman looked at the Admiral, who had already returned to his usual self, and understood what decision he had made, and that his goal was definitely aligned with that of Sunblaze Dragon—or at the very least, did not conflict with it.
"It looks like we've managed to preserve our relationship with the Ancient Tree."
"Hmph! You must be joking. That's Boss Fire Wyvern, the Dragon of Creation and Order. All those worries we had before were unnecessary!" Since he had already made up his mind, the Admiral no longer hesitated and returned to his usual state.
"Come on, let's get ready. The base and all of us are going to be busy for quite a while."
The Huntsman sharply noticed the word "base" in what the Admiral said. It seemed the situation inside the marshlands had already deteriorated to that extent.
The Insect Glaive user, with a Radiant Crystal Butterfly perched on his shoulder, was not thinking that far ahead. His new Kinsect had survived, and the massive amount of investigation points he had spent over the past few days to exchange for those Terastal Buds had not gone to waste after all.
"Huh? Why have Sunblaze Dragon's wings gone back to their original form? Did all those Radiant Crystal Butterflies disguised as scales go off to join the battle?"
While stroking the warm, folded wings of the Radiant Crystal Butterfly, the Insect Glaive user swept his gaze over Logan's silver, dazzling form, and a trace of doubt surfaced in his mind.
After the Admiral and the others returned to the mobile research base, a hunter quickly left the base on a Wingdrake. Inside the mobile research base, hunters and logistics personnel immediately began preparing cold drinks.
In an environment of sixty-degree heat, even hunters could not endure for long. Thus, cold drinks that lowered body temperature and enhanced heat tolerance became absolutely essential. Moreover, with the information the Admiral brought back, the hunters in Astera would be deploying in large numbers, and the mobile research base would provide logistical support for them.
What had happened had already happened—finding a way to resolve it was the best approach. At this point, blaming the scholars or the people who had made the decision not to go deeper into the marshlands was meaningless.
As the sunset on the horizon gradually sank, Logan was finally able to clearly sense Nergigante's location, which meant the distance between them was already very close. Yet at this distance, Nergigante suddenly stopped.
Perhaps He was preparing for battle. After all, Logan had not suddenly concealed His presence. Since He could sense Nergigante, that big black hedgehog could not possibly fail to sense Him.
"Dragging out the time a little longer is good. The longer it drags on, the more Qurio I'll be able to wipe out in one go."
Just thinking of those grotesque Qurio he had seen in the marshlands over the past days—those that forcibly drained monsters' life force and forcibly hatched from within their bodies—filled Logan with a deep sense of disgust.
Setting aside the destruction they caused to the ecosystem, their very appearance alone gave a dragon no desire to appreciate them. Compared to the Radiant Crystal Butterflies, they were simply far too inferior!
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