Night fell over Astera Outpost.
Inside the Gathering Hub, a group of Fifth Fleet hunters stared blankly at the receptionist in front of them.
│ "I… think I misheard.
│ Could you repeat that?"
The receptionist sighed as if she'd already said this too many times.
│ "All lower-rank quests have been taken.
│ You can wait for newly posted quests…
│ Or, if your authorization allows, you may take High Rank quests."
The entire hall fell silent.
Just yesterday, the board was full of four-star, five-star missions everywhere.
And overnight… all gone!?
Had Bai Chen already started clearing four- and five-star quests?
Everyone thought about it… Then shook their heads.
Those weren't simple delivery quests.
Most required prep work, tracking, exploration — days of effort.
Even five days to complete one was considered excellent.
There was no way Bai Chen could have finished so many within the time limit.
│ "This has to be a joke.
│ No way anyone completes that many quests."
The receptionist forced a wry smile.
│ "The truth is…
│ Bai Chen has already completed seven quests today.
│ Including two four-star and one five-star."
"…Seven quests… in one day??
Are you serious!?"
Air was sucked from every lung.
│ "Is he superhuman!? How is that possible!?"
│ "Impossible! Even a legend couldn't—"
They simply could not comprehend how.
The receptionist added calmly:
│ "One person may not be able to do it.
│ But with his partner beasts, he technically can."
That stunned them silent.
│ "…Wait. You mean Zinogre carries him around? Even then, traveling takes too long—"
│ "What if the partner beasts complete the hunts themselves?"
│ "Huh!?"
They froze again.
│ "You're telling me Bai Chen's monsters track, fight, and complete hunts on their own…?"
That sounded even more absurd than Bai Chen soloing seven missions.
│ "That is exactly what's happening."
│ The receptionist's tone had reached the same serene numbness as Ira's.
│ "They're operating in four separate teams. Efficiency increases accordingly."
Another collective gasp.
If monsters were really capable of intelligent cooperative hunts…
│ "…Just register them as hunters already!
│ Seriously! Stop making the kids suffer!!"
Their worldview was shattered again.
None of them had ever imagined such a possibility.
Meanwhile, in the Command Center—
The Commander reviewed a sealed report sent from the Research Commission.
He glanced at the TOP SECRET mark, folded the report, and locked it away.
No one else would ever see that document.
Turning to the next pile, he couldn't help chuckling.
│ "This kid…
│ He's giving the researchers a shock they'll never forget."
Letting monsters hunt on their own.
A concept so unthinkable that no one had ever dared imagine it.
But Bai Chen had proved it possible.
Zinogre and Basarios possessed intelligence rivaling humans.
The Commander filed the reports away, raising his eyebrows.
│ "With Bai Chen helping, the hunters can finally spare their manpower.
│ Time to release the Zorah Magdaros capture mission."
The order was issued instantly —
a mandatory urgent mission for the entire Outpost.
Hunters who moments ago were annoyed about losing quests suddenly understood.
│ "So that's why…
│ Zorah is a colossal Elder Dragon — this requires every last person."
They gathered in the Command Center.
Mission slips were handed out —
mostly collection, mining, reinforcement materials.
A massive operation required mountains of resources, and despite years of prep, they still weren't enough.
The Commander addressed them with resolution:
│ "In eight days, the Zorah Magdaros capture operation begins.
│ This is the key moment in uncovering the secret behind the Elder Crossing.
│ Everyone — stay sharp."
He didn't need a rousing speech.
The name Zorah Magdaros alone electrified the room.
How many hunters in the Old World ever fought an Elder Dragon?
How many even saw one?
This mission alone would make them legends.
The entire outpost mobilized.
Five days later.
Astera Outpost was overflowing with newly issued hunt requests.
Gear upgrades, material shortages — the Commission temporarily relaxed many requirements, allowing more hunt postings than usual.
And today, the Gathering Hub received a very unusual hunter.
Receptionists grew tense as the newcomer approached the counter.
Ira smiled brightly, completely at ease.
│ "Based on your strength, you're now eligible for High Rank missions.
│ If you'd like to take—"
Before she could finish, the hunter raised a claw and pressed it directly onto the five-star mission list.
Ira blinked.
│ "You want to take a five-star quest?"
The hunter nodded.
He clearly understood every word.
Ira pulled out four available five-star quests and laid them neatly before him.
He glanced once.
Then pushed all of them forward.
│ "You wish to take all four?"
Another nod.
│ "Very well. I'll process your registration."
She stamped each slip, updated the ledger — smoothly and professionally.
Then, with a soft thud, the hunter dropped a pouch of coins onto the counter.
Ira weighed it.
│ "Deposit verified.
│ There is extra — I'll return the difference."
She prepared his supply kit.
│ "How would you like to carry the supplies?"
The hunter tilted his head toward his waist pouch — custom-fitted.
Ira opened it and neatly packed the items inside.
│ "All set.
│ Your quests are registered, and supplies are packed."
"Rrgh."
The hunter nodded in gratitude.
Then turned…
…and walked away on four legs.
Ira bowed politely as she always did.
│ "Hunt safely."
As soon as he vanished down the stairs—
The other receptionists collapsed with relief.
They rushed to the railing and peeked down—
Just in time to watch Zinogre, now full-sized, leap gracefully from the platform.
│ "We're not dreaming, right!?
│ Bai Chen's Zinogre just came to take quests by himself!?"
Indeedee and Tinkatuff could easily register quests — they learned the written language astonishingly fast.
Among the monsters:
Basarios was… struggling.
Bai Chen taught him repeatedly, but reading was not his strong suit.
Nergigante, however…
Her intelligence crushed his completely.
Maps, symbols, writing — one month was all she needed.
Zinogre was somewhere in the middle.
He understood maps, symbols, drawings — but not actual text.
Most communication came from instinct and reading human expressions.
If Bai Chen hadn't drilled him on the entire process in advance — and if Ira weren't good at reading monster cues — today would've been impossible.
But Bai Chen wanted this.
If his partner beasts could accept quests themselves and complete hunts themselves,
He wouldn't need to return to the outpost every time.
Efficiency skyrockets.
And more importantly—
If Outpost staff and hunters grew accustomed to them… trusted them…
Bai Chen could let them roam the Outpost freely.
No more confinement to balls or the Arena.
So these past days, Bai Chen has always brought a mini-form Zinogre to the Hub.
At first, everyone was terrified.
But seeing Zinogre calmly follow rules and never lash out, they slowly relaxed.
Some hunters had even started greeting him like a colleague.
│ "But seriously… how is Ira so calm about this…?"
One hunter whispered.
When Bai Chen was present, they felt safer — he could restrain Zinogre if needed.
But today?
Bai Chen wasn't even here.
Yet Ira didn't blink.
She heard their murmurs and answered lightly:
│ "Stop treating them like ordinary monsters.
│ Zinogre is very intelligent."
Then she muttered to herself:
│ "…Maybe we should create a quest board specifically for monsters."
The others almost fainted.
Wasn't this too far ahead of its time!?
Below the Hub, Zinogre landed in the trade district.
Some staff froze.
Some nervously waved.
Some scholars were ecstatic, itching to interview him.
Zinogre ignored them all.
He had a job to do — and Bai Chen's rules to follow.
Exiting through the west gate, he reverted to full size.
The gate guards exchanged helpless looks.
Even after weeks, this sight still broke their sense of reality.
Meanwhile, in the Command Center—
The Commander burst into laughter.
│ "That boy never stops surprising us!"
The Swordmaster shook his head.
│ "He's rewriting history.
│ But… will monsters really accept human rules?"
Normally, monsters hunted whatever they wanted.
Why follow the Hunter's Guild system?
The Commander shrugged.
│ "They're Bai Chen's partner beasts.
│ If they hunt freely, it counts as poaching.
│ Bai Chen would be liable.
│ Since Zinogre can take quests, we can tailor missions for him."
The Swordmaster exhaled heavily.
│ "I feel like I can't keep up with this era anymore…"
│ "Don't cling to old thinking.
│ If we can harness monster power, our exploration benefits immensely."
│ "…True."
He still sounded unconvinced.
At that moment, footsteps approached.
A young man in full metal armor saluted.
│ "Commander, we've returned."
It was Aiden, another member of the Sponsored Group — same as Bai Chen.
Beside him stood his partner, the compiler Karin, her short, wavy black hair swaying as she bowed.
They had been investigating Kushala Daora.
Karin handed the report over.
│ "We arrived at the inner region, but the steel dragon had already departed by then."
The Commander nodded.
│ "Good work.
│ Rest for two days —
│ In three days, we begin the Zorah Magdaros operation."
Aiden was excited about that…
But another topic clearly burned hotter in his mind.
│ "Commander—
│ I heard a rumor on the way back…
│ A Zinogre came here by itself to accept quests and went out hunting.
│ Is that true!?"
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