[Bonus Chapter for Powerstones}
The fall of an Elder Dragon releases an enormous amount of life energy.
That energy seeps into the ley lines of the New World and then spreads throughout the entire continent along those veins.
It becomes one of the most crucial nutrients required for the growth of all living things.
The most obvious effect is the astonishing growth speed of plants in the New World.
Other lifeforms also grow faster here—
not as explosively as plants, but still far quicker than in the Old World.
Especially for high-tier lifeforms like Elder Dragons, their growth rate in the New World far surpasses that of the Old World.
The Field Master spoke slowly.
│ "From that perspective, this place really is an ideal breeding ground. If those Elder Dragons came here for the sake of their offspring, it actually makes perfect sense."
Bai Chen, who knew the original storyline, knew that the Field Master was wrong.
The true cause of the Elder Crossing was a seal-broken, forbidden-class existence hidden in the New World.
That being released emitted a pheromone-like medium that irresistibly attracted dying Elder Dragons from the Old World, luring them to the New World to die.
The life energy released by those Elder Dragons was the key to its birth and growth.
However—
The Field Master's reasoning was not entirely incorrect.
She was describing the result, not the cause.
The cause was a forbidden-class being drawing in dying Elder Dragons.
The result was the Elder Crossing—and the attraction of Elder Dragons that were extremely hungry for energy.
The appearance of Shara Ishvalda in the New World was one such result.
Bai Chen had already basically confirmed that Shara Ishvalda had come here to reproduce.
│ "I don't think that's the real reason."
Bai Chen responded calmly.
│ "Oh?"
The Field Master and the Wyverian hunter Koen both looked at him.
│ "Do you have a different idea?"
"I wouldn't call it an idea—just a hypothesis."
Bai Chen continued.
"Two days ago, the Research Commission successfully captured the colossal Elder Dragon Zorah Magdaros."
The moment those words fell—
Shock froze both listeners.
│ "What did you say?! Zorah Magdaros was captured?!"
They had been deep in the field and hadn't received the news yet.
"That's right. It was captured just a few days ago."
The two inhaled sharply and exchanged looks filled with disbelief.
That was an Elder Dragon—
and a colossal one at that.
│ "If you want to investigate it later, I can have Cosmog give you a lift."
Bai Chen waved his hand lightly, then returned to the point.
│ "After capturing Zorah Magdaros, the Commission confirmed that it had already reached the end of its lifespan. Just as you speculated—it came to the New World to die."
The Field Master silently thought, As expected.
Bai Chen continued.
│ "But I can say this with certainty. While some Elder Dragons may come here for their offspring, those nearing the end of their lives definitely do not."
│ "Or rather, monsters do not possess the motivation to sacrifice themselves for the survival of others."
│ "If some Elder Dragons truly came for the abundant life energy here, then what about the very first dying Elder Dragon? And the ones that followed—what were they coming for?"
Bai Chen's tone was calm, but firm.
│ "The purer the bloodline, the higher the intelligence. Elder Dragons are at least as intelligent as humans—often more so."
│ "But their world is different from ours. Elder Dragons do not form complete societies."
│ "Humans, Wyverians, Felynes—creatures that live within societies—may choose self-sacrifice for the continuation of that society."
│ "Elder Dragons do not. Their existence is fragmented. They would never sacrifice themselves for another race."
Zorah Magdaros was like a whale from Bai Chen's previous world.
Its death resembled a whale fall—
a poetic phrase humans loved to romanticize.
"One whale falls, and all life thrives."
But that term was created by humans.
To the whale itself, it would obviously prefer to live as long as possible.
If you died and your corpse became nourishment for countless maggots—
Would you find that romantic?
The Field Master fell silent, thinking deeply, then asked:
│ "Do you have evidence for this?"
"The evidence is me."
Bai Chen answered plainly.
│ "I'm a knight. I can communicate with my companion beasts."
That alone was enough.
Neither of them could refute him.
Bai Chen thought inwardly—
This isn't really their fault. Humans and Wyverians know far too little about Elder Dragons. Their understanding of Elder Dragon ecology barely scratches the surface.
The Field Master looked at Bai Chen seriously.
│ "Then, in your opinion, what is the truth behind the Elder Crossing?"
"It's simple."
Bai Chen replied.
│ "If Elder Dragons lack social motivation, then the answer must lie in instinct."
│ "Isn't it possible that there exists a lifeform in nature that covets Elder Dragon life energy—and deliberately attracts dying Elder Dragons to the New World?"
│ "A lifeform… that attracts Elder Dragons?"
The Field Master repeated softly.
It was hard to imagine what kind of being could accomplish something like that.
But after eliminating possibilities in her mind, one answer surfaced.
│ "If what you're saying is true… then I know of such a being."
"Who?"
│ "The Elder Dragon recently discovered by the Commission—the true ruler of the Rotten Vale."
│ "Vaal Hazak."
Bai Chen fell silent.
In the original storyline, the Commission had pinned the blame for the Elder Crossing on Nergigante.
Now, under his subtle guidance, that blame had shifted to Vaal Hazak instead.
Bai Chen knew Vaal Hazak wasn't the final boss.
But he also couldn't say that outright.
After a brief pause, Bai Chen decided—
Let Vaal Hazak take the blame.
After all, that thing survived by feeding on corpses.
Carrying this black pot was… perfectly reasonable.
│ "It seems we'll need to conduct a much more thorough investigation into Vaal Hazak."
The Field Master murmured.
│ "And that Deviljho must be reported to the Commission as soon as possible."
Deviljho was one of the strongest monsters beneath Elder Dragons.
It was infamous for its overwhelming appetite—
It ate everything.
Every living creature was part of its food chain.
There were even rumors that all creatures—even docile herbivores—would instinctively kill a Deviljho hatchling on sight.
That alone demonstrated how catastrophic it was to an ecosystem.
│ "It must be hunted before it causes irreversible ecological damage."
Even Koen, a Wyverian known for advocating natural balance, nodded in agreement.
Bai Chen went quiet.
In the eyes of the Commission, he was already the strongest hunter.
If a Deviljho hunt were issued—
There was a ninety-percent chance it would land on him.
Please no…
Bai Chen screamed internally.
That thing's about as strong as that Bazelgeuse that crashed in before—level 60, a solid high-rank monster.
He had confidence in defeating Kirin.
But Deviljho?
Not yet.
│ "I'll help relay the information for you."
Bai Chen quickly took responsibility for reporting the situation, then immediately changed the subject.
│ "By the way—since you were investigating Kirin, did you happen to find any traces of it?"
│ "Yes."
The Field Master nodded.
│ "We found Kirin sheltering from the rain in a cave six kilometers north."
"A cave?"
Bai Chen suddenly understood.
No wonder he couldn't find it earlier.
The thing was hiding from the rain.
│ "That's right. It's a dark cavern. We encountered Deviljho near there as well."
The Field Master looked at Bai Chen curiously.
│ "Why ask all of a sudden? Did you accept a Kirin investigation quest?"
Not an investigation—
An extermination.
Bai Chen muttered silently to himself.
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