Kael felt terrifyingly strong.
The constantly accelerating blood flow, the rapidly pounding heart, and the surging power hidden within his body filled his nerves with exhilaration.
Flames burned ever brighter along his wings, tail, and the ridges on his head.
Like a satellite in orbit, he relied on his ever-increasing speed to circle around the Rathalos. The moment his opponent exposed a flaw, a fatal strike would follow.
Cute Star Crash (Rathalos Version).jpg
During the prolonged standoff, at one point, the Rathalos was once again affected by the flames on its cheek.
After being scorched at close range for so long, even its protective membrane had begun to dry out. With no other choice, it shut its eyes again.
That fleeting instant was captured perfectly by Kael's Mind's Eye.
Flames gathered around his body.
His entire form turned into a blazing orange fireball, stretching an arc through the sky before charging forward like a meteor from beyond the heavens, heading straight for the Rathalos's flank.
Sensing danger, the Rathalos hurriedly opened its eyes and adjusted its posture, flapping its wings desperately to widen the distance.
But under the pull of momentum, Kael's speed had already reached its current limit.
Even with its reaction, the Rathalos couldn't completely evade.
The flaming meteor tore through the sky and exploded against its side.
The blast echoed through the canopy of the Ancient Tree, startling countless birds into flight as they scattered in a dark swarm.
A mushroom cloud bloomed in the air.
From within the smoke, the massive Rathalos fell unconsciously.
Its right wing was clearly bent at an unnatural angle, half its body charred black as it crashed through branch after branch before slamming onto a platform.
Blood burst from its scorched scales, pooling on the ground.
It struggled weakly, unable to rise.
Its injuries were so severe that even a few Jagras could have taken its life at this point.
High above, Kael slowly emerged from the smoke, trailing wisps of black haze.
His eyes were bloodshot from exertion.
He spread his wings and hovered in place as faint flames seeped from the gaps between his scales, only to be absorbed again elsewhere.
His crimson scales reflected a silvery sheen.
Compared to his opponent, his youthful body looked small, yet he resembled a true king of the skies, gazing down from his throne upon a punished rebel.
Blood dripped from scales cracked by the recoil of impact.
Yet there was no sign of weakness.
If anything, his presence grew even more overwhelming.
Under Kael's cold gaze, the fallen Rathalos finally stopped struggling.
It curled up and let out a low whimper.
It had lost.
Completely.
What awaited it now was either exile from its nest—or submission.
Whenever it and Kael targeted the same hunting ground, it would have to retreat and wait until Kael was finished.
Of course, there was still a slim chance.
It had lost, but its mate's battle with Ya Ji wasn't over yet.
If she won, both families would hold equal status.
Even if Kael wanted their nest, he wouldn't be able to take it. At most, he would settle on the same level.
Reality, however, was cruel.
When a blood-soaked Ya Ji flew up to reunite with Kael, and the opposing Rathian could only limp over to lick her mate's wounds, the outcome was sealed.
The pair had been utterly defeated.
If Kael wanted their nest, they would have to move—with their injured bodies and their hatchlings—to find another place on the Ancient Tree.
Or leave entirely.
Everything now depended on Kael's choice.
Compared to him, Ya Ji looked miserable.
Pure close combat inevitably left wounds.
Yet in Kael's eyes, her mental state was excellent.
She was even exhilarated, her eyes still blazing with untamed battle lust.
She had clearly enjoyed herself, releasing all the wildness in her blood.
And it made sense.
Though Ya Ji was strong, her opponent had been no weakling either—a "main wife" who had fought her way to the Ancient Tree.
With the battle decided, the other Rathalos who had been watching returned to their nests.
The skies around the Ancient Tree grew quiet once more.
Kael and Ya Ji flew to inspect their spoils.
The defeated pair's nest sat on a broad platform.
Above it, branches intertwined, breaking sunlight into scattered fragments.
There was no water reservoir.
It was likely shared with neighboring families.
Inside the nest, several hatchlings stared at them wide-eyed.
A slightly larger juvenile, nearly four meters long, spread its wings in front of the others and roared defensively.
Kael ignored them.
After a quick look, he turned to Ya Ji.
Seeing her lack of interest, he knew she felt the same.
With a call, he left the nest and resumed circling the Ancient Tree.
The injured couple slowly returned to their entrance.
Seeing Kael and Ya Ji depart, they finally relaxed and retreated inside to recover.
With the dense life energy of the Ancient Tree and their strong regeneration, such wounds would heal in a few days.
And with stored prey, survival wasn't a concern.
After some searching, Kael and Ya Ji found a suitable place to build their nest.
Several thick branches and two layers of sturdy vines formed a small platform.
Above it stretched more branches, forming a natural roof.
There were only two entrances.
One led to the outer canopy.
Nearby, a large slope connected to another Rathalos couple's nest, beside which stood a small dam of mud and branches, filled with water.
The other entrance led inward, covered in hanging vines, connecting directly to the lower layers of the Ancient Tree.
Kael noticed that this passage was unusually smooth, with few leaves, as if something often passed through.
But he didn't think much of it.
The opening was small—even a Kulu-Ya-Ku couldn't squeeze through.
So he ignored it.
Having chosen their future home, exhausted from battle, Kael and Ya Ji leaned against each other.
They closed their eyes and gradually fell asleep.
As for building the nest—
That could wait until they recovered their strength.
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