The liaison ship in charge of this year's communications was docked at a small island that had been marked on the nautical charts and could be used to resupply fresh water and other resources.
However, when the hunters who had gone ashore with the ship returned, the fresh water resources they brought back were not much, to say nothing of edible fruits and similar supplies.
"Is it the same situation as on those previous islands again?"
The captain put down the monocular telescope in his hand, looked at the hunters whose expressions were ugly, and sighed, saying: "This is already the seventh island we've encountered where this kind of thing has happened."
"According to the Kingdom's current investigation, the only Elder Dragon suspected of Elder Crossing behavior and then having disappeared is that Lunastra, but what has happened on these islands is clearly completely different from the disasters caused by Lunastra. We did a rough investigation and found that the only things that have vanished are some trees and lakes; it feels as if they were forcibly ripped up from the ground and carried away by something."
The hunters replied.
"Forget it, this isn't something we should be thinking about. Since this matter has actually appeared along the Elder Crossing route, the other party's target is definitely the New World. We should leave professional matters to professional people; we just need to properly complete our twice-yearly communications."
The captain did not pursue it any further; the mission of their liaison ship was also extremely dangerous.
With no Elder Dragon of the Elder Crossing clearing the way ahead, being able to safely travel from the Old World to the New World relied entirely on the captain's outstanding sailing experience; the level of danger in their work was the kind where they had their lives hanging at their belts at all times.
Therefore, if they could manage to investigate along the way, then they would; if they could not find anything, they would not put any more energy into it.
"Captain, look!"
At this moment, a hunter at the side suddenly pointed at the sky and exclaimed.
The captain reacted very quickly and immediately raised his telescope to look in that direction.
He saw that high up in the sky, a black dot among the white clouds revealed its true form in his telescope.
It was like a small floating mountain peak, with swaying limb-like tentacles, slowly drifting toward the New World using the ocean currents and winds.
"What is that?"
...
At the port of Astera in the New World, the captain handed the paper on which he had recorded the image of the monster he had seen to the Commander and said earnestly, "That monster does not move very fast, but judging from its direction, it is very likely to make landfall near Astera, so you had better make preparations early."
After seeing the Commander nod, the captain let out a breath of relief and continued, "This time we won't hurry back; we'll stay behind to lend you a hand. When the time comes, just say the word if you need us to do anything."
Although, with the captain's breadth of knowledge, he could not tell what that monster actually was, from that massive body like a small mountain he knew that monster definitely could not be dealt with easily.
"Thanks!"
The Commander, whose messy short hair already had strands of white appearing in it, smiled and patted the captain on the shoulder. After saying a heavy word of thanks, he immediately began arranging their lodgings.
On the way, the captain looked at the somewhat empty Astera with some confusion and asked worriedly, "Have you had some big assignment recently or something? Why does it feel like there are far fewer people in the base than when I came last time? Can just this few people really hold back that big fellow?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he saw the Commander's originally slightly upturned mouth instantly droop.
A big assignment! What big assignment?
Hasn't nearly half of the missing manpower all run off to the Ancient Tree?
These past few years, after the Admiral went back to the Ancient Tree again, they had also very cooperatively posted many quests over there, bringing back a lot of funds.
Just when everything was starting to get back on the right track, a tribe of ancient Wyverians had unexpectedly joined over at the Ancient Tree.
To say nothing of that ancient alchemy they demonstrated, which was completely different from the Research Commission's and could forge higher-grade alchemical items, giving a tremendous boost to hunters' overall strength and thus attracting quite a few hunters to take up long-term residence at the Ancient Tree just to obtain first-hand alchemical accessories.
Moreover, their reasons for taking up long-term residence were all quite justifiable: completing ecological surveys in the depths of the forest and protecting the scholars as they carried out research on the New World's ancient civilizations.
That could still be tolerated; after all, from the hunters' point of view, the things produced by ancient Wyverian alchemy were indeed higher-grade, but the things the Research Commission's alchemy produced could still be made do with.
But as batch after batch of those documents in the ancient civilization ruins were unearthed, the ancient Wyverians on the Ancient Tree actually began doing paid translation and paid lectures, which directly attracted many scholars to take up long-term residence at the Ancient Tree.
Together with all sorts of other matters that also required people to go out on investigations, didn't that leave the base just like this, emptied out?
As for the base's defensive capability, even if Mother Chameleos was unreliable, the young Chameleos who was already nearly ten years old was enough to intimidate the vast majority of monsters.
It was just that, regarding this kind of matter, how could the Commander bring himself to tell the captain?
He could only laugh it off and brush past it.
Very soon, all the roughly ten people from the liaison ship were fully arranged. Just as the Commander was about to handle routine work, the director of the Ecological Research Center came over.
"Not too good. According to the manuscript you sent over, the monster on it is very likely the Elder Dragon with ancient lineage mentioned in legends—Yama Tsukami!"
"According to the Guild's records, its temperament counts as extremely gentle among Elder Dragons, but what is not good is that Astera is very likely on its movement route. According to its feeding habits, it is very possible that it will begin feeding as soon as it makes landfall, and the base is very likely to be affected."
"Oh?" The name of Yama Tsukami was something even the Commander had never heard of, since the traces and sighting reports of this Elder Dragon were truly far too few.
"And the danger-level assessment?"
"A super–giant Elder Dragon–class disaster!"
"Tss!!"
The Commander drew in a sharp breath. Without needing any display of power at all—only by moving—it could cause a wide-range disaster. That was a super–giant Elder Dragon–class disaster.
Originally still harboring a bit of lucky thinking and not planning to make extensive preparations, the Commander rubbed his brow in distress.
"I understand. Since that's the case, then recall all personnel who are out in the field and prepare both defensive and evacuation measures."
"I suggest that if the base is indeed within its disaster range, then aside from the hunters, after completing the preliminary preparations the other personnel should best withdraw toward the Ancient Tree and request protection from the Fire Wyvern clan of the Ancient Tree. Our combat personnel are truly too few; when facing a disaster of this level, we cannot still protect the logistics personnel while fighting." At this moment, the Huntsman who had been listening at the side suddenly interjected.
Seeing the Commander ponder for a few seconds and then nod in agreement, he continued, "In addition, perhaps we can also call for some reinforcements."
"Reinforcements? Those Fire Wyverns on the Ancient Tree?"
"The ordinary Fire Wyvern groups can only be said to fight for us! When facing a battle against an Elder Dragon, they may not accept our request, even if the price offered is high.
"So the ones we truly need to ask are that Fire Wyvern King, and also the one in the ancient ruins basin; as for the others, we can only say we will do our best~"
The Huntsman spoke in a low voice and did not mention Ahtal-Ka by name, for that name, to the Commander, already belonged to something that caused a headache the moment it was brought up.
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