"No problem. I tend to talk a lot after I've been drinking, as long as you don't find it annoying."
Axel smiled and patted the Commander on the shoulder, making the older man shift awkwardly.
The two followed the crowd toward the dining area. By the time they arrived, Ciri was already seated.
"Beer!"
"Try this!"
"The desserts are ready, we're just finishing the main dishes!"
"Hey, honored guest, come sit down. Dinner will be ready soon!"
Surrounded by the people of Astera, Axel casually took a seat on a wooden stool.
The moment he sat down, the burly Felyne Chef standing behind the massive teppanyaki grill gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Behind the Chef, numerous Felyne cooks hurriedly prepared ingredients.
This time, however, the Chef wasn't leaving the cooking to his assistants. He personally took charge, handling the ingredients with meticulous care.
After preparing everything to his satisfaction, he turned around and flashed Axel another furry thumbs-up.
Beside Axel, the Commander watched eagerly.
"Haha! It's been a long time since the Chef personally cooked a meal. Usually, he's only responsible for adding the final touch to each dish. This old man is fortunate to benefit from the arrival of our guests.
"Come, let's drink while we enjoy the Chef's work. Watching him cook is an art in itself."
With that, the Commander raised his beer and clinked glasses with Axel.
Nearby, Ciri emptied her mug in one gulp before setting it heavily on the table.
"What's so interesting about watching someone cook? The best part of a meal is eating it.
"Speaking of which, are there a lot of dragons in your world? I see many people wearing armor made from scales. More importantly, those armor sets have almost no visible seams. The materials must come from enormous creatures, right?"
"That's correct."
The Commander nodded.
"I don't know what your worlds are like, but in ours, learning how to coexist with dragons and giant monsters is a challenge humanity has faced throughout its history.
"Even now, those creatures cause endless trouble. Still, we've managed to establish a basic balance with the ecosystem."
"Oh?"
Axel chuckled and raised his glass.
"Are you sure you've achieved balance?
"That would make things less interesting. I was considering helping out as a way of repaying your hospitality.
"But if everything is already balanced, perhaps you don't need my assistance.
"After all, if I start eliminating dragons, wouldn't I be disrupting that balance? Like that Rathian from earlier. You've worked hard to build your ecosystem. I'd hate to interfere."
He finished his beer in one long drink.
The Commander paused before smiling knowingly.
"What you say is true.
"While I may hope for help, help from others is never permanent and should never become something we depend upon.
"No matter how difficult life becomes, we must face our challenges ourselves.
"Every Hunter lives by that principle. A Hunter may only craft weapons and armor from monsters they have personally hunted.
"The hardships before us are real, but they are not a reason to place our burdens on our guests.
"Even if those hardships seem insignificant to someone as powerful as you, that doesn't justify transferring the risks to another."
His gaze sharpened as he spoke.
Axel listened carefully before nodding.
"In most worlds, words like that would only make me laugh. I've heard too many lofty speeches.
"But here? Hearing something like that actually feels refreshing.
"I like this world. It's straightforward. People don't abandon hope, and they're brave enough to face reality.
"More importantly, I like seeing everyone united against a common threat. Humans, Wyverians, Felynes, all of you stand together.
"That kind of unity shines brighter than the stars."
He took another satisfied drink.
Axel had visited many worlds.
Whether it was the DC Universe, Marvel, Cyberpunk, or countless others, every world possessed its own light.
Yet that light was usually overwhelmed by darkness.
The bright spots existed, but they were often isolated, like distant stars in an endless night.
The Monster Hunter world was different.
Life here was dangerous. Every intelligent race faced constant threats from giant monsters.
Even the monsters themselves lived under constant pressure. Elder Dragons stood at the top of the food chain, yet predators like Nergigante still hunted them.
Despite all that, the people remained remarkably optimistic.
Hunters died.
Expeditions failed.
Danger lurked everywhere.
Yet everyone continued moving forward because they believed they were working toward something greater than themselves.
In such an environment, even death seemed less frightening.
The shadows that thrived in other worlds found little room to exist here.
Arguments happened, but they were simple disagreements rather than bitter divisions.
Overall, the people were united, hopeful, and determined.
It was strangely intoxicating.
At that moment, Axel quietly added the Monster Hunter world to his list of retirement destinations.
A world free of endless conspiracies and power games sounded increasingly appealing.
The evening continued with laughter, food, and endless rounds of drinks.
As darkness settled over Astera, more Hunters returned from their assignments and joined the celebration.
By around ten o'clock, Ciri had finally lost the battle against alcohol and collapsed beneath the table.
After saying his farewells, Axel picked up the unconscious princess and left the banquet.
The Commander and several High-Rank Hunters waved as he departed.
Then, before their eyes, Axel and Ciri vanished within a burst of flames.
The gathered Hunters stared in astonishment.
Moments later, they returned to drinking while enthusiastically discussing Axel's exploits.
Meanwhile, Axel carried Ciri back to his manor in Gotham.
Using Alfred as his destination point, he appeared directly in front of the butler.
Alfred looked up from the security monitors displaying Arkham Asylum and froze.
"Master, who is this?"
"Oh, this is Ciri, a princess from another world.
"As you can see, she's had far too much to drink. Let her stay here tonight."
"Very good."
Alfred nodded.
"I'll prepare a room immediately and assign attendants to assist her.
"Rest assured, Master Axel, our staff are professionals. Even a princess will receive flawless service."
He examined Ciri more closely.
"Although, if I may say so, she doesn't look much like a traditional European princess.
"Her clothing resembles medieval Polish fashion, but she appears more like a hunter or a swordswoman."
Axel laughed.
"I should have been more specific. She's a rebellious princess."
"Ah."
Alfred smiled knowingly.
"Now that makes perfect sense.
"Most princesses eventually grow tired of formal gowns. Adventure stories and practical clothing become much more appealing."
After finalizing the room assignment, Alfred sent staff to prepare everything.
Axel deposited the unconscious Ciri in her room.
Soon, several maids arrived to help her clean up after the banquet.
Meanwhile, Axel returned to his own quarters.
The moment he entered, he found Selina reclining on the bed with both legs still encased in casts.
She immediately raised a middle finger.
"You smell like another woman, and not a particularly pleasant one."
"Haha, you're absolutely right, my lady."
Axel walked over and gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Selina inhaled deeply before abandoning her verbal assault.
Instead, she lazily traced a finger across his chest.
The night passed peacefully.
The following morning, Selina finally woke around eleven.
Remembering the previous evening, she rolled her eyes and muttered a complaint before checking the time.
As for Axel, he was already gone.
Far away, in the New World's Coral Highlands, Axel and Ciri walked across the colorful terrain.
Ciri, now dressed in a modern stealth suit, rubbed her temples while trying to recover from the previous night's drinking.
"If I remember correctly, the Commander and his people never actually asked us for help."
"They didn't."
Axel nodded.
"But not everything requires a formal request.
"We ate their food, drank their alcohol, and enjoyed their hospitality.
"In most worlds, I wouldn't care. In this one, I do.
"When you accept someone's generosity, it's only fair to return the favor when you can."
He pointed toward a distant area where a powerful roar echoed through the Highlands.
"Yesterday, the Commander mentioned that the Commission's Commander had been pursuing an Elder Dragon for days.
"So I figured we'd handle the Teostra and send the old man home."
"What do I think?"
Ciri sighed.
"I think I need experience.
"An Elder Dragon sounds well beyond my abilities. Honestly, I'm not sure I could even handle that Rathian from yesterday.
"You're the one doing the fighting, so you make the decisions."
After speaking, she hopped onto a higher coral platform.
Axel nodded.
"Then it's settled.
"Let's move faster. Once Teostra is dealt with, I'll take you home."
Before Ciri could protest, Axel grabbed her and launched into the air.
Together, they sped toward the distant pursuit.
Meanwhile, deep within the Coral Highlands, the Commission's Commander continued tracking Teostra.
The situation had baffled him for days.
More than ten days earlier, this Teostra had unexpectedly crossed from the Old World to the New World outside the normal Elder Crossing cycle.
Naturally, the Commander had begun investigating.
What followed made no sense.
Teostra were notorious for their violent tempers.
With their leonine appearance and explosive abilities, they ranked among the most aggressive Elder Dragons known to Hunters.
Yet this particular Teostra behaved completely differently.
It showed almost no territorial aggression.
Even when the Commander attacked it to provoke a response, the dragon reacted with little more than annoyance.
Rather than retaliating, it simply moved farther away.
The chase had continued from the Ancient Forest all the way to the Coral Highlands.
Was this really an Elder Dragon?
At times, it behaved more like an irritated Felyne than a legendary monster.
Even stranger, the Commander noticed signs of weakness in its hind legs.
Whenever the dragon stopped to rest, its rear limbs occasionally trembled.
Was it sick?
That theory didn't fit either.
Its scales gleamed with health.
Its teeth were strong.
Its wings were perfectly maintained.
Everything about the creature suggested it was in its prime.
Yet it remained strangely lethargic, with inexplicably weak hind legs.
The mystery only grew deeper.
And somewhere above the Highlands, Axel was rapidly closing in on the answer.
===
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