Actually, Lancer didn't react immediately upon seeing the egg. But then, hearing that 'familiar' roar, he finally knew which world he was in ————— the world of MH.
Immediately after, Lancer showed an excited expression.
The first time he came here, he was a total noose. He'd basically just relied on speed to bully low-rank Hermitaurs, and he'd even given up on the Snowy Mountains because a Tigrex might show up. But this time was different. If he ran into one again, Lancer would definitely 'clear his name.'
As for that familiar roar, it was the cry of a 'Rath' widely distributed across various regions. Lancer had heard it several times while hunting Yian Kut-Ku, but since he'd never seen one with his own eyes, he couldn't tell if it was a Rathalos or a Rathian.
But looking at the three cats holding the Wyvern Egg like a precious treasure, Lancer felt there was a high chance it was a Rathian.
He wasn't mad at the three cats, though. After all, they had completed the task he set perfectly.
Clack~
With a crisp sound, the suitcase Lancer was carrying was opened. A sleep-deprived 'Zero' rubbed her eyes and looked at Lancer in a daze.
"Is it time to eat?"
Seeing Lancer shake his head, she lowered her head in disappointment and obediently transformed into her true form. She knew that when Lancer called her for no reason, it was either to eat or to fight—and the answer right now was obvious.
He turned to look at Olga Marie, who still hadn't realized what was happening.
"Olga, a 'Flying Wyvern' is probably about to attack. You might not be familiar with how these guys fight, so take the egg and hide for a bit while you watch how we handle it."
Although she was very interested in the 'Flying Wyvern' Lancer mentioned, she noticed something strange in his words.
"Lancer, have you fought a 'Flying Wyvern' before?"
Lancer didn't answer Olga Marie's question directly. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, the black spear in his hand turned into a lance over two meters long. Meanwhile, the three cats who had handed over the egg began changing their gear, donning small sets of armor and brandishing weapons they had maintained for a long time.
After checking all the equipment, Lancer smiled, tightened his 'scarf,' and extended his right fist toward the ground.
"Because of my strength level back then, I never fought one. But my 'partners' and I met in this world. Being back here really gets our blood pumping! Right, partners?"
"Meow~!!" X 3
Even the usually lazy Aru was holding a Large Barrel Bomb G with a look of high spirits. Hearing Lancer's words, the three cats responded with voices that sounded just like old times, each extending a paw pad to lightly bump Lancer's fist.
Obviously, though they had accompanied Lancer in hunting many monsters from other worlds—from legendary magical beasts down to ordinary Danger Species—these familiar 'Flying Wyverns' were still the ones that got them most excited.
While the group was talking, the angry roars drew closer. Lancer and the three cats wiped the smiles off their faces. Although they were all confident in defeating an ordinary Rathian, as true hunters, they would always be fully prepared regardless of the enemy. After all, plenty of hunters have died at the hands of small monsters.
After signaling Olga Marie to leave first, the man and three cats drew their weapons and watched the yellow-green figure diving from the sky with serious expressions.
The creature detected the scent of its own egg on the three cats, so its first wave of attacks was launched at them without hesitation. However, the nimble cats easily dodged the surprise assault. During the evasion, the stirring sound of a hunting horn rang out simultaneously.
Jack, meanwhile, used a sheathing stance to nimbly spin away from a giant claw coming his way, instantly flashing to the creature's feet.
"Meow~!"
With a cat's cry, an X-shaped wound suddenly appeared on the Rathian's thick leg.
Crack~
The heavy leg plating was instantly torn. Whether it was because its egg was stolen or the shock of being attacked, a massive cry of pain erupted from its mouth. Right at that moment, a bomb with a lit fuse was shoved underneath it.
"BOOM!!"
Accompanied by a massive explosion, the creature lost its balance and toppled sideways. Almost at the exact moment the explosion rang out, a figure suddenly charged from the side.
The pitch-black lance, carrying a vivid red blood aura, thrust violently toward the creature's wing.
Squeltch~
With a sickening sound, the Rathian's wing membrane was instantly shredded.
In the game, hunters usually attack the head or tail first—one because the head has better hitzones, the other to cut the tail. But in a real hunt, things aren't quite like that.
When facing a monster that can fly, the first target is always the wings. Only by doing that can you cripple the enemy's mobility. For those that can't fly, you go for the legs.
Limbs are vital when trying to move a massive body.
There was no doubt that with Lancer's current strength, he didn't need to be as cautious with a Rathian as he used to be; he could honestly just unga-bunga through it. But he enjoyed the feeling of being a hunter.
Hunting a monster stronger than oneself with minimum cost!
That was what truly got the blood pumping.
Short-term failures might be annoying, but the thrill of hunting a monster after a hard-fought battle is something ordinary people can't experience.
This hunt by the man and three cats could be called a 'textbook operation.' Olga Marie, who had long since hidden herself, clutched the Wyvern Egg with both hands while watching the distant battle with wide-eyed curiosity.
In her world, 'Dragons' were incredibly terrifying existences. In fact, with the decline of Mystery in the modern era, she had never seen such a terrifying creature with her own eyes. But seeing Lancer and the others conduct the hunt so methodically, her eyes couldn't help but sparkle.
If Lancer hadn't told her to hide earlier, she would have loved to rush out and grab the downed Rathian to start researching it. Fortunately, she didn't forget her job.
"I really want one..."
A Rathian took Lancer and the others less than five minutes—and that was only because the creature forced itself into the air midway, and they had to wait for it to land.
Just as Lancer was excitedly wiping non-existent sweat with his gauntlet, Olga Marie appeared by his side with glowing eyes. It gave him quite a start. Before he could even ask, Olga Marie shoved the Wyvern Egg into his hands and began using a knife made of magical energy to dissect the 'corpse' in front of her.
For some reason, seeing her holding that blood-stained magical knife, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
The three cats who had just hunted the Rathian together looked at Lancer strangely.
"Meow?"
They didn't seem to understand why Lancer was shivering.
But how could Lancer explain? Should he say he was mentally picturing himself in the Rathian's place?
Forget it, forget it.
After scratching the chins of the three cats, the matter was finally dropped for now...