After receiving the amplification from Mother Chameleos, Darren completely changed his previous fighting style. Any attack that did not absolutely require evasion—where failure to dodge would result in severe injury—was met head-on, relying entirely on weapon guards and armor to take it directly.
The special medicinal enhancement provided by Mother Chameleos not only had a high retention rate, but also further strengthened a hunter's physique, reduced damage to the joints, and possessed a certain degree of slow healing effect.
On top of Darren's armor, prior to setting out to hunt the owner of the mysterious song, the Research Commission had urgently convened a meeting. In order to increase the probability of a successful hunt, they allowed Darren to advance a considerable amount of future investigation points, with the Research Commission covering the cost, successfully exchanging them for the materials left behind after Logan's unsealing.
Supplemented by additional materials from Aki and young Loren, and using high-concentration Terastal crystals collected from deep within the Ancient Tree as an energy source, this full set of "crystal" armor was successfully forged.
It was said that after this armor set was completed, both the Second Fleet Master and the Alchemy Granny sighed in admiration, calling it the greatest masterpiece they had produced in all these years.
Sheathing his blade, the dense Terastal energy seeped from the armor into the Blazing Wing. After nimbly evading the attacks of the now-frenzied Rajang, and sensing the searing heat at his back, Darren immediately leapt, drawing his blade from its sheath.
His entire body radiated a blazing white light as the Calamity Flame, amplified by Terastal energy, completely transformed into white fire that enveloped the blade.
Rajang raised its arm to block, but the muscle, saturated with battle aura, was effortlessly torn apart by this ultra-high-temperature strike. The blade sank deeply into the flesh, colliding with the internal bone and producing a chilling grinding sound.
The intense pain, coupled with the loss of control caused by the tearing of its arm muscles, threw Rajang into panic. It instinctively rolled wildly across the ground, breaking free from the blade while simultaneously tumbling out of Darren's attack range.
Letting out a painful wail, it deactivated its battle aura transformation, dragged its immobile arm, and fled the area at top speed.
Darren's fired Clutch Claw grasped only empty air. Watching the retreating figure of Rajang fleeing in its battle aura state, he ultimately abandoned the idea of continuing the pursuit.
A fight like that could happen at any time—but right now, there were more important matters.
Turning back and seeing that Mother Chameleos's illusory body seemed to be on the verge of leaving, Darren hurriedly called out to stop her.
It turned out that back when they encountered Rajang, the Admiral—trying to save Mia, who had no time to dodge—had forcibly gouged a stone slab out of the ground. With no armor to serve as a brace, he had still taken Rajang's breath attack head-on.
Although when they withdrew, Darren hadn't found any injuries on the Admiral aside from exhaustion, there had been no armor support at the time. Even Darren himself wasn't confident he could withstand it that way, so he worried the other party might have some unseen internal injuries.
In the Guiding Lands, it was only a small camp to begin with, and all kinds of resources were extremely scarce.
Now it was fine—having Mother Chameleos here, the Research Commission's strongest physician, meant there was nothing to worry about.
Hearing Darren's request, Mother Chameleos stared at him with a flat, lifeless gaze, speechless.
If she had come to the Guiding Lands so readily, aside from having Logan as her backing, wasn't it precisely because at the Research Commission, injured people were being carried to her nest every few days?
With her temperament of "if I can lie down, I absolutely won't sit up; if I can snack and watch the fun, I absolutely won't go on the field myself," being able to endure it for ten years had already been her limit!
Even though her relationship with the Research Commission was mutually beneficial, she had diligently worked for ten years, and had even handed over her beloved child to the Research Commission!
Why, now that they were already here, were they still unwilling to let her go?
While Mother Chameleos kept complaining to herself, she also followed closely behind Darren. Even as Darren repeatedly used the Clutch Claw to travel, she did not fall behind in the slightest.
Very soon, amid the rapid movement of one man and one dragon, they arrived at the entrance to a fissure located in the center of the forest environment, enclosed by steep cliffs and giant trees.
Mother Chameleos rolled her eyes in exasperation and quietly looked at Darren, as if to say, Do you think I can squeeze into a crack this small?
Darren awkwardly rubbed his head. After soothing Mother Chameleos's mood, he quickly climbed into the fissure.
Before long, the weakened Admiral was helped out by Mia and a Felyne together.
Seeing Mother Chameleos sprawled on the ground like a platter, tongue lolling out as she scavenged honey in the distance, the Admiral's pale face showed a trace of ashamed smile.
"I'm sorry—for troubling you even after coming here."
As for Mother Chameleos "retiring," that had already been conveyed by the little Chameleos. The Research Commission's upper ranks all knew the inside story behind Mother Chameleos's departure, so although they felt some regret and reluctance, they still accepted the result.
Since most of the First Fleet had already retired, it was only natural and reasonable for this special member of the First Fleet to want to rest as well.
Hearing the Admiral's words, Mother Chameleos let out a weak croak. She actually held a fairly good impression of this Admiral who resembled Rajang—within Astera, aside from the former Provisions Manager, he was the one she was closest to.
Thus, after responding, Mother Chameleos rarely roused her spirits, fully opening her dull, lifeless gaze to carefully examine the Admiral's condition.
Based on what she observed of his current state, she assessed his physical condition and then carried out precise adjustments. A specially prepared medicinal mist seeped from her scales, covering the Admiral's outstretched wrist.
After allowing it to permeate the blood vessels and confirming the Admiral's current drug tolerance, she then began producing the medicinal mist in large quantities.
This entire procedure was something Mother Chameleos had painstakingly developed—combining the treatment workflows used by the Research Commission's medical staff with the latest medical diagnostic methods brought back from the Old World by transport personnel, and then integrating her own unique traits. The final result could be called the fastest and most optimal treatment method with virtually no side effects.
As the specially prepared medicinal mist poured into his body in large amounts, the Admiral's exhausted body began to recover. Muscle tears, concealed internal injuries, and the residual elemental energy damage left behind from repeated battles during investigations in the Guiding Lands were all completely healed under this meticulous treatment.
Raising his arm and looking at his proud biceps, the Admiral nodded in satisfaction. Subconsciously, he took out some freshly harvested medicinal herbs from his pack and fed them to Mother Chameleos.
After expressing his thanks, he then returned into the fissure to put on his equipment.
Mother Chameleos looked at the small fissure before her, and the image of Logan—who had been missing for a long time—surfaced in her mind, only to be quickly overwritten by the scene of the Admiral offering her food.
After a brief internal struggle, she soon made her decision!
"The environment above this fissure seems pretty nice, gwa! It's well connected and very suitable for wandering around, gwa! It seems like a pretty good spot for a nest, gwa!"
After rattling off three excuses in a row, Mother Chameleos felt perfectly at ease. She flapped her small wings and flew into the air, forcibly carving out a nest at the smooth top of the fissure, happily fantasizing about a future life of complete idleness.