"This is our first stop, the Hunter's Den."
Luno leaped lightly from the griffin's back and waved up at the great beast in the sky.
"Thanks, Aquila. Go get some rest now."
The griffin called Aquila let out a long cry, folded its wings, and vanished into the clouds.
Ray was the first to dismount, landing nimbly. He then turned and reached out a hand to Carlotta.
The Second Young Miss gave a slight nod, placing her fingertips lightly in his palm, and descended gracefully with his support, the griffin's back was far too high for her; without his help, maintaining her composure and elegance would have been impossible.
What can you say? Height is a real handicap.
Although, to be fair, the Second Young Miss had been working very hard at drinking her milk.
"Hunter's Den?"
"Yeah, this is the busiest gladiator outpost in the entire Sanguis Plateaus." Luno explained as they walked. "To ensure hunters can face the Dark Tide creations in top condition, the Senate invests heavily every year to build all kinds of facilities here blacksmiths, clinics, taverns, shops... just about everything you could need."
She led the group on a stroll through the camp.
Ray listened and nodded thoughtfully.
Perhaps because it was off-season for hunting, there weren't many gladiators or perhaps now they should be called hunters in the den. Only a few scattered individuals gathered in front of the blacksmith's, asking him to maintain their weapons.
Besides the hunters, the camp was also home to some adorable Echo creatures.
A few fluffy little things hopped over and stopped right in front of them. Lupa couldn't resist bending down to gently stroke their heads. "Hehe, they're so cute~"
Ray looked at them curiously. "What are these?"
"They're Otter Otters." Luno introduced them with a smile. "Besides weapons, they're the hunters' most reliable partners!"
"Reliable how?"
Ray tilted his head, carefully observing the group of fluffy little creatures before him.
Yes, they were adorable, no doubt.
But...
Reliable?
Sorry, this wasn't rudeness—he simply couldn't connect those two words with them, no matter how hard he tried.
Could it be that these little guys, like Abby, seemed weak but actually served some important purpose?
"Let's put it this way: Otter Otters are incredibly intelligent Echoes." Luno explained patiently. "They'd been living in the Sanguis Plateaus long before Septimont was even founded. Later, when the Dark Tide erupted, their survival was threatened, and they chose to fight alongside humans."
"Don't let their frail appearance fool you. These little ones are the backbone of the camp!"
Luno puffed out her chest proudly. "They handle all the camp's logistics, cooking, forging, repairs, gathering, any support task you can imagine, they can do it."
"Over centuries of hunting, Otter Otters have learned to coordinate with hunters. They don't directly participate in combat, but they provide all kinds of support. And when a hunter is mortally wounded, they'll use their special carts to transport them back to camp."
"See that cart over there? That's their tool."
Ray froze for a moment, why did this setup sound more and more familiar?
Wait... hunters, hunting, and these small, support-focused creatures?
Suddenly, it clicked.
Good grief, this is clearly...
Well, I'll be—it's Monster Hunter!
They even had palico carts.
"Long time no see, Oracle Maiden."
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice came from behind them.
The moment Luno heard that voice, undisguised disgust flickered across her face.
She crossed her arms and turned around to see a distinguished-looking blond man walking toward them.
"Tch, Avidius. What wind blows you here today?"
"The anomaly in the Hunting Grounds naturally drew the Senate's attention." Avidius maintained the typical composure of a gladiator, unfazed by Luno's blunt attitude. "I've been ordered by the Senate to investigate the matter. It's just an errand nothing more. Oracle Maiden needn't concern herself with such an insignificant figure as myself."
"Insignificant?" Luno gave a light huff and turned her face away. "You're the Senate's darling. Those old fossils ignore me, but they sure value you."
"After all you're the legend who has crossed the Marnie's Depths four times and been awarded the Oak Leaf Medal. Some even say you have a better chance than Augusta of becoming the King of Heroes."
"King of Heroes?" Ray asked, confused.
What, did Gilgamesh have something to do with this?
"That's the great hero prophesied to save Septimont from being swallowed by the Dark Tide." Luno explained quietly, pouting slightly.
"Oh, I see."
Avidius strolled up to the group. After sweeping his gaze over them, it finally settled on Ray. "You must be the warrior who dueled the Ephor yesterday. Though I didn't witness it myself, from what others have described, I can already sense your extraordinary skill."
Luno immediately stepped forward, frowning, placing herself protectively in front of Ray. "Don't you dare get any ideas about Ray. He's not about to throw in his lot with you and the Senate."
Avidius shook his head with a faint smile, denying the accusation. "It's merely admiration for a hero. Anyone who can hold their own against the Ephor, regardless of the reason I wanted to see them with my own eyes."
His words trailed off as his gaze shifted to Lupa beside them. "And even the recently rising star gladiator has come? What a pleasant surprise. I had assumed you would wait until after winning the Grand Tournament before setting foot on a Hunting Grounds expedition."
Lupa had long heard of Avidius's deeds.
But she'd never understood why this much-admired gladiator didn't participate in the Grand Tournament, instead pouring all his energy into hunting.
"My schedule happened to permit it, and besides..." Lupa maintained her usual bright smile. "As a child of Septimont, when our homeland is threatened, I naturally have to step forward."
Unlike Luno's undisguised disdain, Lupa always looked at everyone with warmth in her eyes.
In her innocent understanding, it seemed there were no truly evil people in this world.
If even someone like Lupa held a grudge against someone, that person must be irredeemably rotten.
"Exactly right. We're fighting for Septimont now." The corner of Avidius's mouth lifted slightly as he gave a standard gladiator's salute. "With that, I won't impose any further. I look forward to cooperating with all of you in the coming hunt."
After watching Avidius leave, Ray moved closer to Luno and lowered his voice. "You seem to have a problem with him? Did he offend you before?"
"No, not really. It's mainly that he's an ambitious schemer and always opposing Augusta. And besides..." Luno's brow suddenly furrowed, as if grasping at some elusive intuition. "I don't know why, but this guy just makes me uncomfortable. I can't put my finger on exactly what's wrong."
She shook her head, dismissing the doubt from her mind. "Anyway, forget him. Let's head back to the Tetragon Temple first. We need to ask Grandmother Lillibet about the anomaly in the Sanguis Plateaus."