Hearing the Professor explain it this way, Altaïr understood the general idea.
When it came to powerful and dangerous creatures, the Guild's stance had always been conservative.
Take the example he was most familiar with: the Jhen Mohran that arrived with the seasonal winds every autumn to attack Loc Lac.
Was the Guild truly incapable of resolving the threat of such a creature?
It would be difficult, but not impossible.
Loc Lac had its Sandship fleet and the Hozan-maru.
To deal with attacks from the Dah'ren Mohran, Val Habar had constructed several Sand Jhen Mohran ships, the newest of which was even more powerful than the Hozan-maru.
Not to mention, there were massive airships like the Soaratorium that could soar high in the sky, far beyond the reach of a Jhen Mohran.
If these forces were concentrated, supported by elite Hunters and a massive supply of Anti-dragon Bombs, hunting a Jhen Mohran wouldn't be an insurmountable task, provided one was willing to pay the price.
But who told you there was only one Jhen Mohran in the depths of the sand sea?
Loc Lac had once successfully hunted a Jhen Mohran at the cost of losing over half its Sandship fleet, yet a new Jhen Mohran appeared the following year regardless.
Back then, because the fleet's combat strength had not yet fully recovered, the city was nearly breached.
Even if the Hunter's Guild headquarters deployed massive forces to help the Loc Lac Guild kill the Jhen Mohran again in the second year, what about the third?
What if two came at once, or even a whole herd?
Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, the Loc Lac Guild would never actively consider killing a Jhen Mohran.
Over many years, a certain mutual understanding had gradually formed between humanity and the Jhen Mohran.
Every year, as the Jhen Mohran migrated with the seasonal winds, it would make a pass near Loc Lac. The Sandship fleet would move out to repel it and drive it away from the city, catching a haul of Delex in the process. This cycle eventually evolved into what is now the Autumn Harvest Fest.
It was the same in other regions.
Humans were not the masters of this world; history had even seen entire civilizations destroyed by powerful Monsters. Thus, the Guild's policy had always been to maintain the status quo, prioritizing stability whenever possible.
It was by living in the gaps between countless powerful biological entities that modern civilization had managed to survive and slowly develop.
From this perspective, the Guild's reason for not proactively capturing or researching the Estrellian was easy to understand.
Ancient documents recorded the Estrellian as an "evil beast" that brought calamity.
But currently, the Estrellian remained obediently within Esther Lake; they didn't come out to harm people, nor did they roam aimlessly. Why, then, would the Guild risk looking for trouble?
Assemble a massive army, charge into Esther Lake, and slaughter all those docile young beasts? Perhaps that could be seen as a solution.
But no one could predict the consequences of such actions. Who was to say if the "evil beast" and "calamity" mentioned in the texts were born from exactly that kind of slaughter?
There were far too many similar incidents in history. Nations that tried to solve the Monster problem once and for all, only to be destroyed by them instead, were too numerous to count.
At the same time, Altaïr finally understood why the Hunter's Guild headquarters took this incident so seriously.
The Estrellian, which were supposed to stay quietly at the bottom of Esther Lake, had suddenly emerged. This was a situation far more dangerous and urgent than the mutation in the Jungle. Furthermore, he had a faint feeling that the two incidents were likely connected.
After giving Altaïr a brief explanation, the Professor resumed his communication with the Gajalaka. "We cannot promise to kill the Estrellian, the Star Beast, as you call it.
"However, we can find a way to deal with it. Methods include, but are not limited to, slaying it, driving it away, or luring it elsewhere.
"In exchange, we need you to provide every piece of information you have and assist us in every way possible."
The Gajalaka leader and the elder huddled together, whispering for a few moments before nodding firmly. "Acceptable. As long as it no longer affects these mountains and forests, we will provide all the help we can."
"Excellent." The Professor was pleased by the Gajalaka's straightforward attitude.
At the same time, a phrase the Gajalaka leader had just used caught his attention. "Let's first discuss what you know about the Estrellian. Tell me in detail about how it is 'affecting these mountains and forests.'"
This time, it was the elderly Gajalaka who spoke.
Its very first sentence left the Professor stunned. "The Star Beast does not attack us, but it makes other Monsters stronger."
"Why do you say that? How did you reach that conclusion?" the Professor pressed, recovering from his shock.
"First, the lord of these mountains and forests was a Pink fatty."
The Professor raised a hand to interrupt the Gajalaka elder's narrative, gesturing for it to wait a moment.
While he could guess what they meant by "Pink fatty," the old scholar wanted to avoid any misunderstandings inherent in the Gajalaka language. He picked up a pen and paper from a nearby table and, in just ten seconds, sketched a quick drawing of a Congalala.
"This one?"
"Yes. The Fatty gradually became more vicious and active. It stopped lying around and sleeping, and its strength grew."
"That sounds a bit like the Hyper state..." the Professor murmured to himself.
"Later, the Green dragon came here. They fought. In the end, the Fatty was bitten to death, poisoned to death, and the Green dragon became the new lord of the area."
"Is it this one?" The Professor quickly sketched a Rathian.
"Yes. After the Green dragon took these mountains and forests, it also became violent and more active for a time. Then, a dozen days or nights ago, a dragon with a blade on its tail came here.
"The Green dragon attacked first. The dragon with a blade on its tail was killed."
"Symptoms of high activity and aggression appearing at the same time?" The Professor tapped his forehead lightly. "If it's truly as the Gajalaka say, the source of the anomaly in the Jungle might just be the Estrellian.
"Could the Estrellian have the ability to induce the Hyper state in other Monsters? This would be a major discovery."
"Our eyes saw it all. The spawn of the Star Beast fly through the Jungle. Attracted and influenced by them, Monsters become more violent.
"Soon, the dragon with a blade on its tail will also become different. We must stop the Star Beast.
"Otherwise, more and stronger Monsters will come here and become terrifying. Our home will be destroyed." The Gajalaka elder's tone was filled with unease.
After a brief silence, the Professor first offered some comfort. He drew a sketch of a Glavenus. "If you are referring to this, then do not worry. The Hunters dealt with it during the day. Those rations you were given came from its meat." Upon hearing the Professor's words, the Gajalaka elder and the leader were stunned for a moment before they began dancing with joy.
The Professor felt a secret pang of relief; had they arrived a week or two later, they might have run into a Glavenus in a Hyper state, which would have put the Hunters in grave danger.
"I have a question. How can you be so sure the Monsters were drawn to these mountains by the Estrellian, and how did you confirm their mutations were caused by its influence?" the Professor pressed once the two Gajalaka had calmed down slightly.
The Gajalaka elder replied, "Passed down by ancestors. Legend says, the Star Beast, color like the setting sun, will bring terror to the mountains."
The Professor hummed in acknowledgement.
An ancestral legend. It seemed similar incidents had occurred in the past.
It was a pity the information was so vague, but since the Gajalaka had no system for recording history, the fact that this information had survived through oral tradition was an achievement in itself.
As for the specific truth, they would have to uncover it themselves.
"Do you know where that Estrellian is?" the Professor asked the question the investigation team cared about most.
Regardless of the truth, finding that Estrellian first was the right move.
"We... do not know." The Gajalaka leader shook his mask, making a rhythmic clacking sound. "We tried to deal with those flying Starbugs, but could not destroy them all.
We have also seen the Star Beast, but it leaves immediately.
To find the Star Beast, you can track its offspring. Those flying Starbugs will eventually return to its side."
The Professor shared the information he had just gathered with Altaïr.
"Are you confident you can track it?" the Professor asked, staring at Altaïr.
Altaïr thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes. The Cohoot has scouted this area many times without ever finding a trace of the Estrellian, which means it is hiding intentionally.
However, since the Star Butterfly will return to the Estrellian's side, we can use that to our advantage.
According to the Gajalaka, the Estrellian is very cautious. Following the Star Butterfly directly might startle it too early.
My suggestion is to have Nymera snipe a Star Butterfly with a Paintball. The scent of the Paintberry will lead us right to it.
The only problem now is how to find a living Star Butterfly."
"Let's do it," the Professor said, expressing his satisfaction with Altaïr's strategy. "As for finding a Star Butterfly, we shall leave that to our Gajalaka friends."
(Translated by yourtl.app)