After entering the camp, the man with the lance led Leon before the Commander.
After a short conversation, Leon was one hundred percent certain that he had been transported into the world of Monster Hunter: World.
This was because his current location was the Research Commission's first base of operations on the New World—
"Astera."
Located on the southern coast of the New World and adjacent to the Ancient Forest, it was a sprawling place that resembled a small town.
The current timeline was one month before the arrival of the Fifth Fleet, and the man with the lance was a five-star hunter from the Fourth Fleet named Vos.
Leon spent the better part of the day lying in his small hut, constantly pondering how he could return to his original world.
He knew the game's protagonist would arrive with the Fifth Fleet. Perhaps defeating Xeno'jiiva would be the key to going back?
Xeno'jiiva was the game's final boss...
Leon lay on the bed, staring blankly at the attribute panel floating before him. His level was only "one."
He wanted to defeat Xeno'jiiva at level one?
Heh, I might as well forget it...
But then again, does Monster Hunter even have levels?
Leon recalled that Hunter Rank (HR) only represented the difficulty of quests one could unlock; it didn't actually increase a hunter's attributes...
He rubbed his temples, trying to soothe his chaotic thoughts, when a soft voice suddenly drifted from beside his wooden bed.
"Hey, hey, hey, newbie! Can you still move?"
Leon froze for a moment.
He turned his head toward the sound, only to see a pair of fluffy white ears. Looking further down...
A white cat suddenly appeared before his eyes. Though it was a cat, it stood upright on two legs and wore a brown leather vest. Gray stripes were visible on the exposed parts of its fur.
"...A cat? Or... a cat-person?"
"How rude! Please call me—" The cat patted its chest and introduced itself proudly: "Dumpling!"
"Dumpling?!" Leon's mind raced. It was a Palico. Miraculously, he could understand what it was saying.
He asked curiously, "You can speak human language?"
"Of course, meow!" Dumpling straightened its back and flicked its clean white tail. "Don't confuse me with those unevolved wild cats. I am a properly trained hunter's partner, meow!"
"A hunter's partner..." Leon's brain stalled for a second before the realization hit him.
Right!
In the world of Monster Hunter, Palicoes were the players' hunting companions. They could fight, cook, gather, and even sing and dance to provide buffs...
But... I'm not a hunter. Why would a Palico come looking for me?
Is it the system again?
With these thoughts, Leon asked in confusion, "Where did you come from?"
"Me?" Dumpling pointed toward the door. "Through the front door, of course. Where else, meow?"
Looking at the Palico, Leon couldn't help but think of the pet dog he had back home.
Though he was a dog person, it was clear this world only had Palicoes, not "Palidogs."
Leon sat up, composed himself, and said, "Alright. I'll be in your care from now on."
"Hehe, leave it to me, meow!" Dumpling grinned, its white tail perking up even higher.
Just then, a system notification appeared before Leon's eyes.
[Dumpling (Palico) has joined the party]
[Specialties: Hunting Support, Cooking, Material Gathering, Creature Tracking]
[Skills: None]
[Hidden Trait: ?]
Looking at the system prompts, Leon realized that being transported here might not be as bad as he'd imagined, but he still wanted to go back to his original world.
He couldn't bear a dull life without electronics. Besides, his life back there was quite comfortable—he had a car, a house, a girlfriend...
There was no reason to stay in this primitive wilderness.
Leon got out of bed and asked, "Dumpling, can you show me around the camp?"
He wanted to confirm if Astera was the same as he remembered and if there were any differences from the game.
"Of course, meow!" Dumpling excitedly walked out of the hut, its tail swaying as it introduced the base. "This is Astera, the base established by the Research Commission to investigate the Elder Crossing, meow."
Leon observed Astera carefully. He found that it didn't seem much different from the game, except that the base was bustling with people and full of life.
Astera was a four-story structure built into a cliffside. The first floor had the Council Room, the Ecological Research Center, and the Botanical Research Center, and was also where items could be bought or sold...
The second floor was the Smithy, while the third floor was the Canteen. One could take the stairs or use the lifts to move between floors.
Almost every area was constructed from modified ships.
Leon followed behind Dumpling, listening to the introductions. Though he felt a bit overwhelmed, his heart was still racing with excitement.
After all, a real, breathing world was slowly unfolding before his very eyes.
Leon followed Dumpling to the third floor. Passing through a wooden corridor, the familiar Canteen came into view—
Wooden tables and chairs were neatly arranged, with a large roasting oven in the back. The aroma of food wafted through the air.
The most striking sight was the one-eyed Palico standing in the kitchen. It had exaggerated muscles, was exceptionally tall and sturdy, and possessed a fierce expression.
"This is the Canteen, meow!" Dumpling hopped onto a wooden table and puffed out its chest. "Come here when you're hungry. Even though you don't have money and the food won't be great, I can sneak an extra egg into your meal, meow—"
"Thanks..." Leon's gaze was drawn to a woman in a brown uniform nearby.
The receptionist was patiently explaining a quest to a hunter, holding a thick Hunter's Log, while the nearby notice board was pinned full of request slips.
Leon whispered, "Is that the Quest Counter?"
"That's right, meow!" Dumpling squinted with a grin. "Do you want to go hunting? Shall we see what quests are available, meow?"
At the same time, a familiar voice came from behind him.
"Leon!"
Leon turned around to see Vos, the man with the lance, walking toward him.
Vos approached Leon and handed him several items. "You're in luck; you've arrived during a gap in the hunters' ranks. I've helped you complete your temporary registration. You can't take on Large Monster hunts yet, but you can do basic requests and gathering quests. At least you'll be able to earn some money."
Leon took the items from Vos: a brand-new Hunter's Log, a map scroll of the New World, and a gleaming metal gauntlet.
"This..." Leon asked in surprise, "These are all for me?"
"Of course," Vos said flatly. "There is also a beginner quest inside the Hunter's Log. If you can't complete it, your temporary hunter status will be revoked."
"Thank you, I'll do my best." Leon looked at the hook in his hand; the cold metal felt heavy in his palm.
The Clutch Claw...
This wasn't a virtual item from a game anymore, but a real tool. Used well, it could save a life; used poorly...
Vos nodded and turned to leave, but stopped after a few steps to remind him, "By the way, remember to make all necessary preparations before heading out to hunt."
With that, he took the lift back down to the first floor.
Leon then opened the Hunter's Log—
[Quest Name: Driving Away the Forest Thieves]
[Quest Rank: 1★]
[Objective: Repel 5 Jagras]
[Required Items: Deliver 5 Jagras Tongues]
[Location: Ancient Forest, Area 2]
[Client: Commander]
[Quest Description: A beginner hunter certification quest issued personally by the Commander. Good luck, outsider!]
[Reward: 720z]
[Time Limit: One Day]
"Jagras... Aren't those just the green lizards I ran into when I first got here?" Leon looked at the Hunter's Log, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He recalled that when he first arrived this morning, he had already hunted a Jagras in the forest.
A total beginner monster.
"Killing five won't be hard." Leon attached the Clutch Claw to his arm and said with confidence, "Let's go, Dumpling! We're heading out right now!"
"Meow? Are you sure, meow?" Dumpling froze, then jumped off the table and followed quickly, sounding worried. "Don't you need to prepare items? Traps, potions, well-done steak, or something...?"
"It's fine," Leon waved him off. "The time limit is only one day, right? We should go and get back quickly while it's still light out. It'll be more dangerous at night."
Based on his game experience, dangerous monsters rarely appeared near the camp. His plan was simple: hunt around the outskirts of Astera, and if anything dangerous showed up, he would just run away.
"Sigh, newbies are so impulsive, meow..." Dumpling sighed, but still slung its small backpack over its shoulders and followed Leon, muttering, "I think I'll bring some mushrooms anyway. At least I can make soup if we get hungry, meow."
After registering with the receptionist, Leon and Dumpling took a small air transport to the Southwest Camp of the Ancient Forest.
From here, entering the forest ahead would lead them to the target location—Ancient Forest, Area 2.