"So, Captain Shalan, what exactly is the efficiency of your low-altitude reconnaissance? For instance, how many square kilometers can you cover in how many hours?
We can arrange a more realistic reconnaissance plan based on your efficiency, perhaps scouting a quarter or a third of the region or something.
We are just a small investigation team, after all. There's really no need to overextend ourselves by trying to sweep the entire northwestern Jungle, even if you are a 9★ Palico..."
Altaïr tried to give Shalan a graceful way out.
"No meow!" Shalan snapped her head up. "It's just the Jungle! Watch me turn the whole place upside down meow!"
"..."
Facing an overexcited Erik and a stubborn Shalan, Altaïr realized that as the de facto leader of this investigation team, he seemed unable to control either of them.
The original investigation plan had lost all meaning. After a brief struggle, he could only admit he lacked the ability to steer the team back onto its original tracks, so he simply gave up trying.
Since Miss Shalan was obsessed with scouring the northwestern Jungle, he would just have to go along with it.
As for whether their supplies were sufficient to support a carpet-style reconnaissance, he wasn't sure. If they ran low, he would drag these two back even if he had to tie them up!
...
Riding the kite, Shalan was like a nimble, giant bird soaring over the sea of dark green.
Her whiskers quivered slightly, constantly catching information from the wind. Feeling a change in the air currents, Shalan leaned her body, tilting the large kite on her back in tandem.
Her altitude began to drop, and in just a few breaths, she landed smoothly on the ground.
She carefully detached the large kite from her back and folded it away.
Suddenly, she felt a slight itch beneath her feet. Shalan looked down; the pitch-black humus had covered her paws, and a millipede no longer than a finger was crawling over her foot.
With a look of pure disgust, she kicked her legs and sent the innocent passerby flying. Shalan let out a heavy sigh.
"Sigh meow..."
The damp, fertile humus of the Jungle nourished all life, but it also dirtied her lovely paws.
"My fur is getting all dusty and gray meow! Why on earth am I in the middle of the Jungle doing this during my hard-earned vacation meow..."
Despite the grumbling and complaints, she didn't neglect her duties. Shalan pulled out her map and, while the memory was still fresh, quickly began making annotations.
"Near this river bend, two Yian Kut-Ku have nested meow. They don't look like they're causing any trouble meow."
"Further west, there's a large pack of Velociprey meow. I didn't see a Velocidrome, but given the size of the pack, there should be a king meow."
"And at this spot even further west, there's a Rathian meow. She looks very old meow, and she doesn't seem to be a problem either meow."
"..."
Using a charcoal pencil, she marked down the Large Monsters she had discovered over the past few hours along with their information on the massive map. Then, she spread the map out fully to take a look.
This was already the fourth day of low-altitude reconnaissance, yet the map of the northwestern Jungle was only about a fifth of the way filled. Progress was even slower than she had anticipated. What annoyed her most was that Altaïr, Erik, and Sajji spent all day idling on the Airship while she was the only one flying all over the place.
"How did things end up like this, meow! I'm going back to give them a piece of my mind, meow!"
Angrily stowing her map and charcoal pencil, Shalan looked around and quickly found an exceptionally tall giant tree. Its crown rose significantly higher than the surrounding canopy, making it a perfect spot for takeoff.
Running to the base of the tree on all fours, Shalan was about to start her climb when a flash of golden light caught her eye.
"Meow?"
She looked up toward the source of the reflection.
Something was embedded in the trunk, was it a shard of metal?
Shalan tilted her head, then scurried and hopped up the trunk, quickly reaching the "metal shard."
The object was roughly diamond-shaped with edges as sharp as blades. It was buried nearly halfway into the wood, with twenty to thirty centimeters protruding. Sunlight filtered through the canopy and hit the surface, reflecting a brilliant golden light.
"What, meow? I thought it was gold, meow. It's just a pinecone chicken scale, meow." Shalan pouted initially, but then it hit her that something was wrong.
She snapped her head up, looking toward the dark, cloud-covered sky. "Oh no, meow! Those things are incredibly territorial, meow!"
As fast as she could, she assembled her kite and strapped it onto her back. Clinging to the trunk, she waited a few seconds until a strong gust of wind arrived, then leaped into the air and soared upward.
Meanwhile, above the thick layer of clouds, the Airship hovered.
Sajji was carefully piloting the vessel, while Erik, the original pilot, was organizing the intelligence Shalan had brought back over the last few days and planning the next low-altitude reconnaissance route.
Altaïr walked over. "At our current rate, how much longer will it take to finish the low-altitude reconnaissance phase?"
"About two weeks." Seeing Altaïr frown, he quickly added, "This is already very efficient. Carrying out a carpet-style reconnaissance of such a vast area in two or three weeks is something even the Royal Paleontology Scriveners wouldn't dream of."
"It's not a question of efficiency," Altaïr interrupted. "According to our original itinerary, we were supposed to return to Metapetatto within two weeks of departure.
I prepared fifty percent more supplies than the schedule required, but even so, we can stay in the field for three weeks at most.
The Airship's lightweight gas and fuel will only last about another week. Even with the strictest conservation, there's a limit if the Airship doesn't touch down.
In short, our supplies will run out before Miss Shalan finishes the low-altitude reconnaissance, and there won't be any time left for ground investigations. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Erik opened his mouth. "Then... then is there any other way to resupply? The intel Miss Shalan is bringing back could create a very detailed Monster distribution map.
But Monster territories shift constantly, which means this map has an expiration date. It would be such a waste to give up halfway!"
Altaïr took a deep breath. "This is a Jungle region. As long as we land, food and water aren't hard to find. The problem is the Airship's fuel and gas; there's no way to replenish those.
Don't forget, we still have the return trip to consider.
Sajji told me that, while leaving enough fuel for the return flight, the Airship can stay afloat for five more days at most. We can't cut it that close. We must head back in three days."
Erik opened his mouth to argue further, but an ear-piercing shriek suddenly tore through the air.
The sound approached with terrifying speed, rapidly closing the distance.
"What was that? A Flying Wyvern?!"
"Seven o'clock! Above the clouds, meow! It's diving down, meow!" the sharp-eyed Sajji screamed.
Altaïr lunged toward the railing in two giant strides, staring in the direction Sajji was pointing.
A Large Flying Wyvern clad in shimmering golden scales was hurtling downward. Its target was unmistakable: the Airship they were currently aboard.
"Get out of the way!" Erik roared. "A Seregios! It's a Large Flying Wyvern whose aerial combat capabilities surpass even those of a Rathalos! They're incredibly aggressive and fierce! Weak to thunder, then ice and water!"
"Meow–!" Sajji frantically yanked the Airship's helm all the way over.
The Airship began to tilt.
However, the vessel was drifting at a near-standstill; there was no way it could complete such a sharp turn in time.
The rapidly approaching golden Flying Wyvern had already entered its attack posture. Its raised, razor-sharp talons looked ready to tear both the crew and their Airship to shreds in the next heartbeat.
Thinking fast, Altaïr whipped out a Flash Pod at lightning speed, pulled the pin, and hurled it.
But the reaction window was simply too small. The fuse on a Flash Pod required a few seconds to burn, and this one failed to detonate in front of the Seregios, instead tumbling harmlessly behind it.
Just as they were on the brink of despair, another Flash Pod streaked in from a distance and exploded right beside the Seregios's head.
"SKREE-GAA!"
The blinding flash stripped the creature of its vision and shattered its equilibrium.
The golden beast, covered in sharp Bladescale Hone, skewed sideways and whistled past the Airship.
Yet, it didn't fall. Even though it was temporarily blinded and dizzy, its extraordinary flying prowess and sense of balance allowed it to quickly regain a flight posture. Its wings beat steadily as it hovered in the air not far from the Airship.
"It's Lady Shalan, meow!" Sajji cheered.
Shalan, having glided close on her kite, dropped directly onto the Seregios's back. She drew her Felyne Sword and began stabbing at the beast while meowing at the top of her lungs, "Descend quickly, meow! This guy is too strong in the air, meow!!"
Erik didn't hesitate. He rushed over to relieve the inexperienced Sajji and took control of the helm to bring the Airship down.
However, the Seregios clearly had no intention of letting them go so easily. With a violent lash of its long tail, several glinting Bladescale Hone shot toward them.
Thanks to Erik's quick maneuvering, the Airship avoided a direct hit, but one of the scales grazed the air sac, slicing a massive jagged hole through it with ease.
The Airship's descent, or rather, its fall, suddenly accelerated.
(Translated by yourtl.app)
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TL NOTES — LORE SECTION
Some terms and creatures referenced in this story may be unfamiliar to readers new to the Monster Hunter universe. The following entries provide additional context.
MONSTERS
Seregios — A fearsome Large Flying Wyvern known for its striking golden scales shaped like overlapping pinecone segments. Each scale is razor-sharp, and Seregios can fire them as high-velocity projectiles in combat, a move referred to as Bladescale Hone. Extremely aggressive and highly territorial, it is regarded as one of the most dangerous aerial combatants, rivaling even the Rathalos in the skies. Weak to Thunder, and secondarily to Ice and Water.