The scholars' reactions were not beyond the Commander's expectations. After exchanging a glance with the Admiral, he followed the draft he had prepared beforehand to calm these overly excited scholars.
This time, the additional ship's worth of scholar slots for the Third Fleet had not only been based on their knowledge reserves, but had also included certain tests of physical capability.
The New World's exceedingly favorable research conditions had made many scholars scramble desperately for a place—so much so that it caused a sensation not only in the Old World, but even the subsequent messages brought back by the contact ships from the New World had specifically mentioned the matter.
Therefore, the current scene before him was nothing problematic for the well-prepared Commander.
Amid the rarely bustling atmosphere in Astera, atop the Ancient Tree—
Spice walked out of the forge with his head hanging low. At the edge of the cliff, though heat-resistant, the fire-averse Ahtal-Ka tilted her head slightly, unable to comprehend Spice's current mood.
Ahtal-Ka's coming to the Ancient Tree this time had originally been at Spice and the others' request—to help fight battles in this area. The assistance at the forge in processing the walking fortress' components had been part of her reward.
Yet now, because she had arrived a bit late, that original "reward" had turned into something that required Spice and the others to pay out of their own pockets, covering the labor costs themselves.
The forge was not a facility independently run by the Grimalkynes. Even the mutated cats were ill-suited for forging work; heat tolerance was one thing, but the main issues lay in strength and skill.
Hence, the forge atop the Ancient Tree was an institution established primarily by the artisans of the Research Commission, with Grimalkynes assisting. As such, it also adopted Astera's cross-operation model using both zenny and research points.
Besides overseeing the construction of the various buildings on the Ancient Tree, one of the forge's main tasks was also the maintenance and repair of weapons and armor for hunters and cats alike.
Although most of the metallic components Ahtal-Ka had brought from the walking fortress only required rough processing, there were simply too many of them—and they were huge.
A rough calculation showed that the resource-gathering team's research points were far from enough to cover the expenses. This left Spice feeling rather ashamed, momentarily unsure how to explain the situation to Ahtal-Ka.
Just as he gathered his courage and prepared to speak to her, two scholars slid swiftly down the vine. Upon spotting Ahtal-Ka, they froze for a moment—then, remembering the purpose of their visit, hurriedly rushed into the forge, shouting loudly as they ran.
"Dragonator—where's the ancient Dragonator mentioned in the Grimalkyne's message?!"
Seeing the two scholars rush inside in excitement, Spice suddenly felt that the situation might have taken a favorable turn. After greeting the puzzled Ahtal-Ka, he too ran into the forge.
Beside the roaring furnace, the two scholars—eyes shining with excitement—reached out to touch the uneven surface of the ancient Dragonator, whose tip still remained sharp. As they observed, they took careful notes.
"Yes, it really is a Dragonator from the ancient period. Though its exterior differs somewhat from the Dragonators unearthed in the Old World, the primary structure is identical. This proves that the New World also once possessed an ancient civilization, perhaps even connected to that of the Old World. If we can fully study the alchemical techniques and activation structures on this, our defensive capabilities at the New World base will see a tremendous leap forward."
The two Wyverian scholars were ecstatic. Indeed, for the long-lived Wyverians, choosing the path of scholarship was a natural advantage. Possessing high intellect and long lifespans, they could delve into countless fields of study—each elderly Wyverian scholar could be said to be a walking library, knowledgeable in all manner of disciplines.
"Where was this Dragonator obtained? Is there any additional information?"
After a while, the scholars finally came back to their senses and solemnly questioned the artisans of the forge. Then they saw an adorable Grimalkyne hopping up and down, raising its paws.
"Meow, I know, meow!"
The scholars exchanged glances and then walked toward Spice.
After a round of friendly negotiation, a report addressed to Astera was quickly prepared and sent off along with the day's resource transport team. The processing costs for all the walking fortress components Ahtal-Ka had brought this time now had someone to cover them. Of course, the cats of the resource-gathering team, when venturing out to collect materials, were also asked to keep an eye out for any ancient relics that might contain remnants of mechanical weapons or similar devices.
"Meow~ Sister Mantis probably isn't comfortable with others investigating her, and that place is already her territory, meow. I'm not sure I can persuade Sister Mantis to agree to everyone going there for archaeology, meow. But if there's a gift, it should be possible, meow."
As Spice finished speaking, the two scholars also realized they had acted a bit impulsively. That insect-type monster resembling a mantis was not a Fire Wyvern, and although judging from its interaction with the Grimalkynes it seemed relatively friendly, in terms of safety, they knew nothing about this monster. Naturally, they couldn't recklessly approach it like that.
Everything would have to be carefully planned—better to wait until the support personnel from Astera arrived.
Having thought it through, the scholars no longer dwelled on the matter. In the name of the Ecological Research Center of the Ancient Tree, they paid the required research points, and the forge began its work. However, according to their agreement with Spice, the scholars were to conduct their Dragonator research inside the forge itself, to avoid causing any misunderstanding with Ahtal-Ka.
When Ahtal-Ka once again saw Spice coming out of the forge, her mood was clearly different from before.
After Spice's explanation, Ahtal-Ka understood that processing her materials would take considerable time. To be honest, had she not seen with her own eyes how those scraps Spice once took away had truly been transformed, Ahtal-Ka would never have felt at ease leaving her walking fortress components in the forge.
Even so, Ahtal-Ka still planned to settle for a while in front of the forge.
Fortunately, under Spice's persistent persuasion, she gave up the idea. Bringing Spice along, she returned to the base of the Ancient Tree, gathered up the parts she had piled among the ferns, and within the massive roots of the Ancient Tree—between its lower and middle layers—she spread silk and built herself a temporary home at the entrance of a tunnel.
Thus, for a long period afterward, a peculiar sight appeared atop the Ancient Tree.
Beneath the Fire Wyvern flocks flying back and forth across the sky, there was an Ahtal-Ka who, aside from occasionally going out to hunt, would often spend the entire day sitting in a daze at the cliffside near the forge. Around her, a group of young Grimalkynes—apparently unafraid of anything—would gleefully play with balls of insect thread that, in the eyes of the Research Commission, were highly valuable materials.
...
In the Ancient Tree region, the Anjanath, which had originally planned to head for an open area to bask in the sun and warm its body, suddenly felt the temperature in the air begin to rise in distinct sections. It immediately changed its slow, leisurely steps and began running on its two thick legs.
Soon, as the temperature in the air stabilized, the Anjanath arrived at a small stream in an open area.
At this time, several monsters such as Great Jagras and Nargacuga were already there, keeping wary of one another, each finding its own suitable spot to lie down, clearly divided in territory.
The Anjanath let out a low, resonant growl that made the Great Jagras panic and flee in haste.
Then, it comfortably lay down on the patch of grass the Great Jagras had just warmed, opening its nasal membranes and heat-dissipation membranes, contentedly absorbing the rare warmth of this winter day.
High above in the sky, Logan had entered his Sunlight Form, soaring freely above the clouds. The light and heat brought by the Sunlight Trait poured down without restraint upon the forest ground below, which had been severely damaged by the Elder Dragon battle.
The surviving and newly sprouting trees greedily absorbed the nutrients of the soil, and with the favorable temperature, they grew rapidly.
Logan himself did not know why—after repelling Kushala Daora, when he looked upon the tattered surroundings of the Ancient Tree, his instincts had triggered his Ancient Vitality. Standing high in the sky, he caused the Ancient Tree region to warm out of season, accelerating the ecological recovery of the entire area.
At this moment, soaring above the heavens, Logan felt as though he had become a part of the ecosystem itself, as if merged with nature. Layer upon layer of invisible armor seemed to overlap around his body, and both body and mind felt greatly at ease.
After three hours passed, that feeling gradually began to fade; by the fourth hour, it had completely disappeared. Logan naturally ended his Sunlight Form.
As the warmth dissipated, the monsters that had come out to bask in the sun once again grew wary of each other and retreated into the forest. The sudden drop in temperature made them somewhat uncomfortable, but fortunately, their fur and scales provided sufficient insulation to sustain them until they returned to their nests.
In the shadows, the members of the Research Commission who had observed this scene clicked their tongues in amazement. A group of scholars quickly began taking notes in their journals—especially after hearing from the accompanying Admiral that this abnormal phenomenon was most likely related to the Elder Dragon newly named Sunblaze Dragon outside the Ancient Tree. Each of them felt even more grateful for having applied to join the Ancient Tree Research Base.
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