A fishing boat rode the wind toward a remote island in the South Sea and entered the shallow coastal waters.
Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of islands dotted the South Sea. The largest were the size of subcontinents, while some of the smallest covered less than a square kilometer and barely qualified as anything more than reefs.
This particular deserted island was of moderate size, covering less than one hundred square kilometers. Frequent rainfall provided abundant fresh water, the vegetation was lush, and the natural environment was quite pleasant.
Although the island could not be called a waypoint, trading ships and deep-sea fishing boats still occasionally anchored there to shelter from storms and replenish their fresh water.
After a pair of Mizutsune occupied the island, claimed it as their territory, and began repeatedly attacking approaching vessels as intruders, shipowners working the nearby routes found themselves with a serious problem.
They discussed the matter and pooled their money to commission a quest, hoping Hunters would slay the pair.
The Guild had warned them, however, that quests involving two Large Monsters at once were extremely difficult and would not be accepted by ordinary Hunters. Yet the two Mizutsune did not pose enough of a threat for the Guild to assign a High Rank Hunter directly, so the quest had languished for several months.
When word came that two passing High Rank Hunters were willing to take the quest, a fishing boat owner immediately volunteered to carry them to the island and even treated them to a feast of freshly caught seafood along the way.
Isis and Nymera jumped from the fishing boat into water that reached their thighs.
The boatman waved both arms and shouted to them, "We'll drop anchor in the waters nearby! Send up a signal when you're finished, and we'll come right back to pick you up!"
"All right! We're counting on you!" Isis waved back, then waded toward the nearby shore with Nymera.
The seawater was as clear as glass. Fish of every size darted between the coral reefs and seagrass as if flying beneath the surface.
It was the sort of beautiful scene that would have made tourists cheer, but the Hunters had no time to admire it.
Shallow waters like these were difficult terrain for Hunters, yet they were where amphibious Leviathans such as Mizutsune were most active. An attack at that moment would not necessarily put the Hunters at a disadvantage, but it would certainly create many complications.
The Hunters crossed the shallows as quickly as possible and breathed a little easier once they reached the shore.
—--
Isis signaled Nymera to stand guard, then took out a map of Deserted Island and confirmed their current position.
No Hunter's Camp had been established on Deserted Island, but fortunately, the island was not very large. The boat ride had left them with plenty of energy, so they had no need to rest first.
After quickly checking their equipment, items, and Ammo, the two prepared to begin the Hunt immediately.
Nymera released Mochi, the scouting Cohoot.
Given Mochi's reconnaissance abilities and the island's size, Nymera did not even need to mount a Palamute and follow Mochi. The Cohoot could simply fly a circuit alone; as long as both Mizutsune were active above ground, Mochi would soon pinpoint their locations.
Nymera and Isis remained where they were. Most Large Monsters had keen senses, and a careless approach that startled the targets could cost the Hunters the initiative.
The two waited quietly. After a dozen minutes or so, Mochi returned, landed on Nymera's shoulder, and cooed softly.
Surprise crossed Nymera's face before her expression quickly turned serious.
Noticing the change, Isis pressed for details. "What happened? Did both Mizutsune vanish? Or is something else going on?"
"Mochi found the corpse of one Mizutsune. There is no sign of the other one yet. The missing Mizutsune may be hiding in a river, cave, lake, or somewhere similar, beyond the Cohoot's view."
"A Mizutsune corpse?" Isis frowned. "From what the sailors told us, those two Mizutsune always appeared together, which was what made them so difficult to deal with.
"Facing two Mizutsune at once and killing one of them... it looks like a powerful intruder has come to this island."
"That appears to be the case. Should we go back and report the situation, or continue investigating?" Nymera asked.
When Altaïr was absent, Isis usually made the decisions for their squad.
For some reason, whenever Altaïr was not around, Isis, who was normally so carefree that she could seem a little scatterbrained, became remarkably reliable...
After a moment's thought, Isis said, "If a Monster really killed one Mizutsune while fighting both at once, then we can safely conclude the creature's threat level is above Low Rank standards.
"Even if we return and report this, the Guild at Port Tanzia will still have to send a High Rank Hunter to investigate."
By then, Isis's intention was perfectly clear.
She planned to continue the investigation.
This was not strictly their responsibility. If they turned back now and reported what they had learned to the Guild at Port Tanzia, leaving the matter for the Guild to handle, no one could fault them.
But Isis was not the sort of person who would find a hole in the middle of the road, walk around it, then go back and tell someone else to fill it.
She would fill the hole herself, just as she was doing now.
Meeting Isis's questioning gaze, Nymera smiled and nodded. "In that case, let us find whoever is responsible."
Isis smiled in return. She tightened the straps on her weapon, then grew serious. "Have Mochi patrol overhead and keep a close watch on everything within several hundred meters, minimizing the chance of an ambush.
"First, let's examine the corpse and find out exactly what could kill a Large Leviathan of Mizutsune's caliber."
The two followed the direction Mochi had indicated and advanced cautiously.
—--
Before long, they reached the corpse.
A sickening stench hung in the air. The corpse was in an advanced state of decay and had been dead for at least a week.
Most of its flesh was already gone. There was no mystery as to where it had gone; the island's Jaggi and the Ludroth common throughout the South Sea islands were responsible.
Isis gestured for Nymera to keep watch, then braved the stench and approached the corpse alone.
With Palamutes and Cohoots available in Kamura Village, Hunters there rarely needed to analyze tracks, so the practice had always been a weak point for them.
Old World Hunters, by contrast, were far more skilled at it.
"The scales are vivid, and the finlike spines are broad and prominent. The deceased was male," Isis murmured as she examined the body. "There are multiple claw marks across the back and abdomen. Based on their size and shape, they closely resemble marks left by a Mizutsune. Could this have been a domestic dispute, with the female Mizutsune killing the male?"
That seemed unlikely, but the possibility could not be ruled out entirely...
Isis continued her examination. "The fatal wound was probably here, on the head. The skull was shattered. Judging by the marks, a tail strike likely caused it."
Mizutsune tail strikes were certainly powerful, but crushing another Mizutsune's skull with a single blow... wasn't that a little absurd?
"And these marks on the body... burns? Do Mizutsune have any fire-related abilities?"
The corpse was too badly decayed and damaged for Isis to find any more clues, so she shared her findings with Nymera, who was keeping watch nearby.
Nymera appeared to remember something and frowned deeply. "Burn marks? Could it be that?"
"Do you know something, Nymera?"
"I can't be certain." Nymera gently shook her head. "But in recent years, a Rare Species of Mizutsune has been discovered in the Kamura region.
"Violet Mizutsune secrete a body fluid that resembles fuel oil and is extremely flammable, allowing the Monsters to set the ground ablaze with their bubbles. They are extremely dangerous, and scholars named the Rare Species Violet Mizutsune."
A Monster like that could certainly kill an ordinary Mizutsune with ease...
"Are Violet Mizutsune immensely strong? Strong enough to smash another Mizutsune's skull with a single tail swipe?"
"I have not heard anything like that..."
The two continued exchanging information while remaining vigilant. Just then, the Cohoot circling overhead let out a series of sharp cries.
"What's happening?"
"Mochi says the female Mizutsune is hiding in a pool not far from here and appears to be injured."
"Hiding in a pool? No wonder we didn't find her earlier. Let's go take a look!"