"Alright, the chance to get close to a Mizutsune is indeed rare, meow," Dilu said, adjusting her little belt and mustering her courage.
Li Fan hopped off Guanguan's back and took out a rope from his backpack. One end was attached to the buckle on Dilu's belt, and the other was connected to the carrying harness.
"This is called a safety rope. If there's danger, Guanguan will bolt towards the cave entrance, and you'll be dragged away with him," Li Fan explained.
"Oh! My sense of security has greatly increased, meow," Dilu exclaimed, delighted.
"Kuku, open your mouth."
Kuku tilted its head at Li Fan's instruction, looking very curious.
"Stop playing dumb, your fish tail is already showing." Li Fan said, patting Kuku's massive beak.
Dilu then noticed a long fish tail hanging from the beak.
"Wow..." Kuku let out a dejected cry and reluctantly opened its beak. Li Fan took out a silver fish, unknown but longer than his arm, from inside.
"Dilu, this is a gift for appeasement."
Hearing this, Dilu struggled to hoist the fish tail onto her shoulder.
"I'm going, meow!"
"Go, you can do it."
Splash! Splash!....
Dilu dragged the large fish through the pool, slowly approaching the Mizutsune.
*Pop!*
A bubble burst. The Mizutsune, resting its head on its paws with its eyes about to close, suddenly became alert. It scanned its surroundings, noticed an Felyne dragging a large fish towards it, and then lowered its head to examine it.
"Hello, meow. Um... my name is Dilu. Let me be clear, I'm not a gift, I'm here to give one." Dilu stopped, nervously introducing herself.
Perhaps due to her low threat level, the Mizutsune merely grunted twice before lying down, lowering its guard. Dilu, mustering her courage, continued to approach. Even if Dilu burst more bubbles, the Mizutsune showed little reaction.
Dragging the silver fish to about ten meters away, Dilu slowly retreated. The Mizutsune propped itself up on its forelegs, its fox-like head swaying involuntarily, its gaze unfocused as it stared at the fish for a long time. It seemed to be deciding whether to eat it before sleeping. Ultimately, the Mizutsune lay back down in the water. Clearly, compared to hunger, fatigue and lack of energy were the more pressing needs.
Dilu took out a small seasoning bottle from her waist pouch and sprinkled it on the fish. The Mizutsune, wanting to avoid the disturbance, simply turned its head in another direction.
"It's not even tempted, meow..." Seeing that it was no use, Dilu took out her horn and began to blow it slowly.
The Mizutsune opened its eyes, revealing a fierce, murderous glare. Dilu quickly retreated, and after confirming that it wasn't going to attack, she turned to Li Fan, seeking help with her eyes. Li Fan gave an 'ok' gesture, indicating that he would handle it from now on. He stretched his wrist joints, took a few steps back for a running start, and with all his might, threw the prepared Poké Ball. The Poké Ball traced a long arc in the air, hitting the Mizutsune on its back.
*Whoosh!* The coiled Mizutsune vanished from its spot and was sucked into the Great Ball. The first tremor was almost imperceptible, but then the Poké Ball exploded without warning. The Mizutsune, reappearing, seemed bewildered, staring blankly at the seven-colored particles of light that scattered from the shattered Poké Ball.
Looking at it this way, its failure to escape capture the first time wasn't due to the Poké Ball's effect. It was simply that the Mizutsune hadn't realized what was happening, and by the time it sensed something was wrong, a slight resistance was enough to break free. Li Fan analyzed the situation. The Mizutsune still wanted to investigate, but after a moment of alertness, its eyes became unfocused again. At this moment, another Poké Ball flew towards it, but just as it was about to turn into a white light silhouette, the Poké Ball exploded.
What's going on? It exploded before it even went in? Li Fan hadn't expected that the true capture ability of the Great Ball was completely negligible against the Mizutsune. This time, the Mizutsune still stared at the shattered seven-colored particles, lost in thought. Li Fan remembered that this was a Mizutsune that liked to watch rainbows. The seven-colored particles from the exploding Poké Balls were also within its appreciation range. However, appreciating colorful sights without eating was a characteristic Li Fan didn't know about, so he could only define it as individual variation for now.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!* Poké Balls were thrown one after another. As long as the Mizutsune began to fall asleep uncontrollably, Li Fan would throw a Poké Ball to interrupt it, causing it to regain consciousness when it broke free from capture. The turning point came with the 14th Poké Ball. The previous two escapes were incredibly weak, with an instant explosion only occurring on the third attempt.
No way, could trying this really have a chance...? Li Fan, recording in his booklet, felt his heart pounding. At this moment, the half-asleep Mizutsune, watching the sky full of seven-colored particles, its consciousness was already blurring. The refraction of light by the water flow and bubbles made the cave shimmer with iridescence, like a phantom dream from another dimension descending upon the mortal world.
The 15th, 16th, 17th... The Mizutsune's resistance to the Poké Ball's capture grew weaker and weaker. Finally, the 21st Great Ball landed, and all three escape attempts failed.
"This..." Seeing the Poké Ball sink motionlessly into the water, Li Fan could hardly believe his eyes. After calming down, he took a deep breath to steady his nerves. For safety, Li Fan didn't approach immediately but recalled the Poké Ball. Instead, he took out his handheld device to check the Monster Field Guide for its status.
[Mizutsune] Male (Unnamed)
Health: 240/4790
Status: Critically Injured, Severely Fatigued, Severely Hungry, Severely Hallucinating, Dehydrated.
Level: 46
Strength: 182
Agility: 279
Intelligence: 210
Skills: [Warning Bubbles] Mizutsune is extremely sensitive to the bursting of bubbles. By generating bubbles that fill the surrounding space, any burst bubble provides Mizutsune with a clear directional indication.
[Bubble Slipping] Mizutsune can secrete a large amount of bubble fluid that adheres to the surface of any object it touches.
[Giant Bubble] Bubbles containing a large amount of bubble fluid, when burst, will splash the bubble fluid onto surrounding objects. If ingested with special ingredients and not fully digested, the fluid within giant bubbles may contain similar substances.
[Slime Sliding] Mizutsune can use its scales and limbs to slide at high speed on the bubble fluid.
[Water Beam] A high-pressure water jet, extremely sharp.
[Rainbow Craving] This Mizutsune is fond of colorful and vibrant sights.
Description: A uniquely evolved Piscine Wyvern monster that can survive on land. It excels at hunting, warning, and engaging enemies using bubbles and slime. Its agile and sharp movements are like a dancer when attacking, hence many hunters call it the "Glamorous Dance."
"This description is so long..." Li Fan exclaimed after reading it.
"Did it really succeed, meow!" Dilu asked incredulously.
"Yes."
"What do we do next, meow?"
"Let's hurry back and check on the guild's situation."
Li Fan was naturally excited to have caught a five-star monster for the first time. However, he had no idea how to utilize it. If the guild encountered problems, not only could Eudora be in danger, but Kara Village could also be destroyed. He fished out the submerged Poké Ball, thinking about how such a large Mizutsune fit inside and wondering about its internal structure. Under Dilu's guidance, Guanguan galloped along the mountain path. As they approached, broken trees, burning forests, and the smell of gunpowder in the air indicated that a fierce battle had just taken place. Li Fan arrived at the grass where he had previously been hiding. If it weren't for a pool of water as a reference, he wouldn't have been able to determine if the area ahead was the one he had been observing for so long.
"The destructive power of this Zinogre is truly terrifying." It had reduced an area to an unrecognizable state. Li Fan had thought only Elder Dragons possessed such destructive power. Dilu found a piece of diamond-shaped, blue-glowing material and asked Li Fan, "Li Fan, is this Zinogre's scale, meow?"
"Yes." Li Fan took it and confirmed after looking at it. There were many similar blue glowing spots in the grass, each one a Zinogre scale. If Li Fan had just arrived in the Monster Hunter world, he would have excitedly picked them up. Selling them for a high price or using them to craft equipment would have been good choices. However, through his understanding of the weapon and armor crafting process during this time, Li Fan knew very well that scales that broke off during battle were collectively called "shattered scales," and their value was limited, if any. The monster materials needed for crafting weapons and armor were generally cut from the monster's carcass as whole pieces. This was also the fundamental reason why high-star monster carcasses needed to be transported back to the village or town as a whole.
It's too quiet. Did they all get wiped out? The Zinogre was gone, and the hunters were nowhere to be seen. The devastated battleground gave Li Fan a bad premonition. He hurried forward to search and suddenly stepped on a soft area.
"Hmm, it seems to be a person..."
"Uh... who's stepping on me?"
"It's really a person! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just a bit tired." Chu Yan, wearing thick-lensed glasses, sat up with a yawn.
"Investigator Chu Yan, where is three-star hunter Eudora?" Li Fan asked tentatively.
"Eudora... the female hunter who fought bravely with her greatsword, hacking at the Zinogre's hind legs?" Chu Yan recalled.
"Yes, that's her."
"She was injured and brought back to the village for treatment."
"Is she seriously injured?"
"Not seriously, just a fractured leg."
"Uh..." Li Fan was a bit speechless. However, for hunters who hunted in the wild for a long time, a fractured leg was indeed not a very serious injury.
"That's good. What about the Zinogre?"
"It was injured and fled. Halen took three people to pursue it. Sigh!" Chu Yan said, clutching his knee in pain.
"Dilu, come help!" Li Fan called out.
"It's okay, the guild's medical team has already treated me. If it weren't for the shortage of flatbed carts, I would have already been transported back to Kara Village." Li Fan breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the bandages around Chu Yan's knee.
"Then why did it suddenly start hurting?"
"Perhaps... someone stepped on the wound just now."
"I'm sorry, I thought there were no survivors, so I was too hasty."
"No need to apologize. I should thank you. Sleeping in a place like this in the wild while injured at night is no different from seeking death. If the medical team hadn't found me, I would have been added to the casualty list when the guild compiled it tomorrow." Hearing Chu Yan's explanation, Li Fan understood. In the wild, it wasn't just the Zinogre that posed a threat to hunters.
"Was the goal of the 'Moonlit Duet' plan achieved this time?" Li Fan asked tentatively.
"Yes, the goal of repelling the Zinogre and the Mizutsune has been achieved. If Halen can complete the hunt for the Zinogre, it would be even more perfect. However, in my opinion, the possibility is slim. I hope they can return safely... and I hope Chief Bazel is alright too." Chu Yan's tone shifted, expressing worry.
"What happened to Chief Bazel?" Li Fan asked in surprise. In his eyes, although Bazel used a longsword, his combat style was very steady.
"During the most intense part of the battle, to save a heavily injured hunter, Chief Bazel charged to the front, tying up the Zinogre for a long time, and was eventually knocked down." Li Fan imagined the scene of the elderly and frail Bazel fighting the Zinogre, and his heart couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
"Don't worry, the medical team was very well-prepared this time. I saw your performance in the hunter exam. How should I put it... I've never seen such a standard use of the longsword." Chu Yan pushed up her glasses and praised him.
"I used to observe longsword usage very intently, so I've accumulated some experience." Li Fan replied humbly.
"Indeed, only extraordinary experiences can lead to such talent. If you have the chance to train on the New World, you might even comprehend the 'Spirit of the Sword' there." Chu Yan sighed.
"Miss Chu Yan, have you been to the New World?"
"I was a supplementary member of the second expedition team and was transferred back a year ago."
"The second expedition... most of them were artisans and technical personnel, right?"
"That's right. How did you know?"
"The hunters in the village told me when they were chatting. By the way, has the fifth expedition team arrived long ago?" Li Fan had been unable to determine the timeline he was in. Now, encountering a hunter who had been to the New World, he wanted to try and confirm it.
"The fifth expedition team? I've never heard of it. Currently, there are only four expedition teams deployed within the Starry Base." Seeing Li Fan's solemn expression, Chu Yan asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing. I just realized I was terribly deceived by a boastful hunter." Shocked, Li Fan could only make up an excuse. After guarding Chu Yan for half an hour, a group of Felynes pushing flatbed carts appeared. Although their speed wasn't as fast as the black Felyne, these Felynes were neatly dressed, and their collective action of carrying the injured was gentle, giving a professional impression. Watching Chu Yan being taken away by the guild's medical rescue team, Li Fan finally felt relieved. However, another worry lingered in his mind. The fifth expedition team hadn't even been recruited yet, which was not good news. What if he accidentally altered the course of history and prevented the "Azure Star" from boarding the ship?