The arena tournament, held once every three months, drew a large crowd of hunters who came to participate or simply observe.
In addition to offering a chance to learn more hunting techniques, it served as a way to strengthen the unity of the Astera base.
The prizes for the top three were exceptionally generous: the Low Rank division awarded Commendations, while the High Rank division awarded Commendations G—both essential for crafting powerful equipment.
Even more enticing was the boost to one's prestige; hunters with higher reputations not only gained access to more varied quests but naturally earned significantly more money.
However, Leon had only one goal in mind: he needed to hunt that Nergigante as soon as possible.
As the break concluded, the final hunter stepped onto the field.
Leon recognized him at a glance—it was Vos.
The gong rang out once more.
"High Rank Group—Seventh Challenge!"
"Participating Hunter—Vos!"
When the name was announced, the stands fell silent for a moment before erupting into a wave of low-voiced chatter.
"It's him! The one they call 'immovable as a mountain'..."
"You mean that 'iron bucket' who never dodges?"
"He's not an iron bucket; he's a human fortress..."
'So that's the defensive-style monster,' Leon thought, his expression shifting slightly as he realized he still didn't know the full extent of Vos's strength.
Dumpling asked curiously, "Is he really that strong, meow?"
"I don't know," Leon said flatly. "But he likely prefers to let the monster strike first, then counters."
The iron gates at the edge of the arena slowly ground open.
A tall hunter clad in Bone Alpha armor stepped calmly into the arena. Without any wasted movement, he planted his massive lance into the earth and deployed his greatshield, standing his ground.
Seeing this, Leon added in a low voice, "However, relying solely on official-issue equipment, his hunting speed shouldn't be too fast..."
"Is he just going to be a target dummy?" Dumpling blinked suspiciously and asked, "Why isn't he moving at all, meow?"
Leon's eyes narrowed as he replied, "He doesn't need big movements; he just needs to catch the right timing."
Dumpling scratched his fur, only half-understanding.
At that moment, the opposite gate opened as well.
Whoosh!
A foul stench filled the arena. From a mist laced with poison, a Pukei-Pukei, larger than those in the previous rounds, rushed out while trailing its tail feathers.
Its wings spread wide and its claws gripped the ground as venom dripped from its beak.
It spotted Vos and let out a shrill screech.
The next instant—
It lunged straight forward!
No evasion.
Vos didn't budge!
The Pukei-Pukei spat venom!
—Shield raised!
Bang!!
The venom slammed into the shield, splashing everywhere, but Vos didn't move an inch; his feet didn't even shift.
The Pukei-Pukei reared up for a pounce!
Vos still didn't move; instead, he braced his foot against the ground and leveled his lance—
Swish!
A perfect Counter Thrust accurately pierced the scales on the side of the Pukei-Pukei's neck.
The Pukei-Pukei howled in pain, recoiling violently as its tail swept around!
Vos guarded against the blow, using his shield to neutralize the impact before advancing again.
The lance tip struck like a snake, thrusting three times in rapid succession!
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Three points beneath the Pukei-Pukei's belly were broken, spraying blood.
"That's brutal, meow!"
"His counter-play is extreme... he never initiates, but every thrust aims for a weak point."
The Pukei-Pukei entered an enraged state!
It stopped trying to create distance and chose to stay in close combat, spitting three consecutive clouds of poison.
Vos finally moved.
But he didn't dodge; he pressed forward.
Clang!
Shield bash!
The Pukei-Pukei stumbled. Just as it prepared a claw swipe, it was struck by a horizontal lance sweep.
Thump!
Its tail was knocked aside, and the Pukei-Pukei tumbled across the ground. In the moment before it could regain its footing—
Vos lowered his lance, his shoulder suddenly surging with power.
Lunging Thrust!
Squeltch!!
The lance tip drove into the Pukei-Pukei's chest, pinning it to the ground.
The Pukei-Pukei convulsed violently, its screeches fading as venom surged from its mouth. It finally collapsed, dead.
"Challenge Success!"
"Time: Five minutes and six seconds!"
The entire arena was dead silent for two full seconds before erupting into thunderous applause.
Flora watched the field, lightly pursing her lips.
Leon watched Vos retract his lance and said in disbelief, "Balancing damage and defense like that... impressive."
"So... so scary, meow..." Dumpling clung to the railing, trembling. "He moved less than ten times the whole fight, meow!"
The High Rank division matches concluded here, bringing the arena tournament to a temporary close. The audience was buzzing with excitement.
However, just as the crowd expected the final Master Class showdown, the announcer's voice suddenly rang out.
"The Master Rank hunters are away on official business for an emergency mission—the Master Class division for this tournament is cancelled."
"Next, we move to the awards ceremony. First place in the High Rank division—Vos! Second place—Ramsey! Third place—Flora! First place in the Low Rank division—Yuri..."
Immediately, the crowd was in an uproar.
"What!? The Master Class isn't happening?"
"What exactly happened?"
"This is ridiculous!"
Most of the audience felt it was a pity that the Master Class was cancelled, but Leon was more concerned about the reason.
What kind of emergency mission would require deploying all the Master Rank hunters?
The arena tournament thus came to an end.
The hunters gradually dispersed, and Vos didn't linger.
He left immediately after receiving his award, appearing indifferent to the title of champion.
But Leon knew that this steadiness and self-restraint were what made Vos truly terrifying.
Dumpling had already left with the crowd, scurrying back to their hut for who-knows-what.
Leon was also preparing to leave when a steady voice called out to him in the arena corridor.
He paused and turned to see Vos's hulking silhouette standing in the shadows, still wearing that Bone Alpha armor stained with venom and blood, his expression calm.
"Vos?" Leon looked at Vos with a slightly surprised expression. "Did you need something?"
Vos took two steps closer and said in a low voice, "I know you've been asking around for information on Nergigante."
Leon's eyes sharpened. He instinctively scanned the surroundings and asked quietly, "Do you know where it is?"
"I do." Vos reached up to wipe a smear of blood from his shoulder plate, speaking slowly. "The reason the Master Rank hunters left en masse is because someone discovered... the Elder's Recess. And they found traces of Nergigante there."
"The Elder's Recess?" Leon immediately realized the gravity of the situation, as that was the location of the final boss, Xeno'jiiva, and home to many powerful monsters.
'There are at least five or six types of Elder Dragons that could appear there...'
Vos nodded slightly and explained quietly, "Last month, while a research team was surveying an area with abnormal bioenergy activity, they accidentally discovered a massive canyon sealed by lava and crystals. There's a high concentration of energy there..."
Leon understood instantly. Keeping his voice as low as possible, he asked, "Nergigante is there?"
"It has been preliminarily confirmed." A flash of solemnity crossed Vos's eyes. "The appearance of Nergigante has caused the ecosystem of the Elder's Recess to lose its balance. Even the Rathalos and Bazelgeuse living there have become much more aggressive..."
"No wonder the Master Rank hunters were deployed together," Leon said deeply. "This is no longer just a standard hunt; it's an ecosystem-level crisis!"
"Indeed," Vos whispered. "That's why I came to find you. I have a quest..."
Hearing this, the corner of Leon's mouth curled up, immediately knowing the other's intention. He cut him off directly, "Let's talk further at the Canteen."
Since Vos was already an 8-star hunter, his quest permissions were higher. He likely had a quest related to the Elder's Recess.
Vos nodded. "Fine. Let's go."
With that, the two of them walked side by side toward the Canteen.
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