"Master Zhang, your reputation has long preceded you," the quest maiden smiled. "You are a legendary Rider. We have all heard the stories."
"That's right," Kuro added. "Even in Bherna Village, I heard rumors of Lord Zhang."
"I see," Zhang nodded. "Let's go, Kuro. Time to find that Seregios." He beckoned and walked out of the guild hall.
"Wait for me, meow!" Kuro scurried after him, his own small Long Sword bouncing on his back.
The legendary Rider, even more powerful than the rumors, the quest maiden thought, watching him go. The stories said he had tamed a Rathalos and a Nargacuga. Now he was challenging a Seregios. His growth rate was truly terrifying.
In the Ancient Forest, Zhang arrived on the back of his Astalos. The moment he entered the area, a familiar prompt appeared.
Fair Duel Mission Triggered!
Mission Objective: Seregios
Mission Reward: 1 Glory Point
Of his flying monsters, the Astalos was now the fastest, having replaced the Rathalos as his new aerial mount.
"The Seregios is over there," Zhang said, consulting the map attached to the quest. "It's a little far. We'll have to hurry." He urged the Astalos forward.
"So high, meow!" Kuro desperately clung to the scales on the Astalos's back, terrified of falling.
"Kuro, don't be so afraid. You won't fall," Zhang said, a little exasperated.
"Master Zhang, I'm afraid of heights!" Kuro yelled, his eyes squeezed shut.
"Kuro, don't you want revenge?" Zhang asked pointedly. "Amatsu can fly. In the future, you will have to fight in the air. If you're afraid of heights, how will you get your revenge?"
"Revenge?" Kuro froze. "That's right... I'm going to get my revenge." He forced his eyes open, tears welling as he trembled and looked down at the tiny ground far below. The sight immediately made him go limp, and he collapsed back onto the Astalos's back, eyes shut tight.
"Can't be like this, meow!" he said, forcing his eyes open again.
"Come on, Kuro. Only you can help yourself with this," Zhang sighed. If Kuro couldn't overcome his fear of heights, he would be useless in many future battles. Most powerful monsters, and all Elder Dragons, could fly.
"Don't worry, Master Zhang! I will overcome it, meow!" Kuro gritted his teeth and forced himself to sit up straight, his body rigid.
"There you go," Zhang smiled. This was why he appreciated Kuro. He had courage. Ability could be learned, but courage was innate.
As Kuro began to adjust, Zhang took out a small notebook and started writing, researching training methods and skill development for his newly acquired monsters. He still hadn't forgotten the "Focus Punch Air Spiral" Bella's Mega Swampert had used. Powerful, creative skills were vital.
The Astalos streaked across the sky like a green meteor.
Deep inside the Ancient Forest, four hunters and their four Palicos were running for their lives. Behind them, a tall monster was in hot pursuit. It was 34 meters long, even larger than a Tigrex, with a frame like a Tyrannosaurus rex. Huge blue spikes ran down its head and back, its abdomen was yellow, and its body was covered in red scales. Its massive blue tail, shaped like a blade, looked incredibly sharp.
"Dammit, how did we get so unlucky? We ran into a Seregios!" the tall male hunter with a lance on his back yelled. "You go on ahead! I'll hold it off! Otherwise, we'll all die!"
"Captain, if you're staying, we stay together!" the woman with a light bowgun shouted back.
"It's better for one of us to die than all of us! Now go!" the tall hunter ordered, turning to face the Seregios. His companions hesitated, but were pulled away by the middle-aged woman with a greatsword.
"Don't stop! Don't let the captain's sacrifice be in vain!" the last young male hunter yelled, wiping tears from his eyes.
"Come on!" the captain roared, thrusting his lance at the charging Seregios. The monster's eyes held a trace of disdain. It sidestepped, and its massive tail swung out.
BANG!
The lance was knocked from the man's hands, and he was sent flying. The Seregios opened its mouth and shot a black, flaming explosive at him.
Am I going to die? the man thought, a bitter taste in his mouth. Suddenly, he felt a lightness at his back as he was lifted into the sky.
RUMBLE!
The explosive hit the ground where he had been, detonating like a bomb.
"Captain?" His three companions stared up at the sky, dumbfounded. A massive Astalos was holding their captain in its claws. It was the Astalos that had saved him. But what truly stunned them was the person on its back. How could someone be riding an Astalos, commanding it to save people? How could such a powerful monster be tamed?
The Seregios didn't pursue. It warily watched its back, where a beautiful monster wreathed in bubbles was slowly approaching. It was Zhang's Mizutsune. Seregios was weak to water, so Zhang had sent it in.
"Are you alright?" Zhang asked, having the Astalos deposit the captain next to his team.
"We're fine. Thank you," the woman with the light bowgun said gratefully.
"Since you're okay, you should leave quickly. It's about to get dangerous here," Zhang said, before flying back up into the sky.
"Let's go!" the captain ordered, and the four hunters and their Palicos fled.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The Seregios stepped lightly, its bladed tail wagging slowly as it circled the Mizutsune, a picture of leisurely confidence. Even a powerful monster like Mizutsune didn't seem to faze it.
This one's good. Experienced, Zhang thought, a satisfied smile on his face. The Seregios was a special kind of monster, a "swordsman" among beasts. While other monsters used their tails as crude bludgeons, the Seregios wielded its tail like a master swordsman, each movement precise and deliberate. That was why Zhang liked it so much. It wasn't just a crazed beast; it was a warrior.
They're gone. You can begin, Mizutsune, Zhang commanded telepathically.
"Roar!"
Leaping Slipstream!
The Mizutsune, already in its Bubble State, leaped towards the Seregios. It landed halfway between them, closing the distance without getting too close. It knew its melee abilities were no match for the Seregios.
The moment Mizutsune jumped, the Seregios moved, closing the remaining distance in a few heavy steps. It was now just 100 meters away—practically point-blank range for a 34-meter-long monster.
SWISH!
The Seregios jumped, its huge tail slashing down.
RUSH!
The Mizutsune's footsteps slipped, and it drifted behind the Seregios with impossible speed. Leaping Slipstream was an incredibly versatile move, integrating displacement, a 100% speed boost for dodging, and a water spray for attacking.
BOOM!
The Seregios's tail split the air where the Mizutsune had been.
"Roar!" Mizutsune opened its mouth and fired a sharp jet of water. At the same time, the Seregios twisted its body, using the gravity of its downward slash to whip its tail back around. It was like watching a master of a greatsword, using the weapon's weight to increase its power. The Seregios's tail was not just flesh and bone; it was honed with minerals, making it as heavy and hard as steel.
BOOM! The tail slammed into the water jet with a violent bang. The water jet cut into the tail, but only managed to carve a small pit into the incredibly hard surface. The force of the impact pushed both monsters back, and they were now separated by five hundred meters.
This time, the Seregios didn't rush to attack. It had felt the power of the Mizutsune's water jet, stronger than any it had encountered before. It curled its tail, bringing the bladed tip to its mouth and began to grind it against its scales.
CALL!
Terrifying flames erupted along the tail, heating it until it glowed red-hot, like a newly forged sword.
In response, the Mizutsune began to spin in circles, using its Circle skill. Countless small bubbles rose into the air, spreading out to cover a thousand-meter radius and obscuring the Seregios's vision. The bubbles also coated the ground in a slick film of water, allowing the Mizutsune to slide effortlessly, as if on an ice rink.
Drift! Mizutsune used the skill, and its speed instantly increased by another 200%. It appeared at the Seregios's side in a flash.
"Cross Water Jet!" it roared, firing its pressurized water cutter.
The Seregios moved, its red-hot tail swinging out in a wave of flame.
BANG!
The water jet hit the flames and instantly evaporated, filling the forest with a thick white mist. The Mizutsune tried to aim its attack at the Seregios's body, but the Seregios moved with it, always keeping its tail between itself and the water jet. When the attack ended, the Seregios's tail was no longer red-hot, but it immediately brought it back to its mouth and began grinding it again, reheating the blade.
Good experience, Zhang thought, impressed. Even with low visibility, it easily blocked the attack. It must have sharp intuition or keen hearing. He was getting more and more excited to see what this Seregios's skills and abilities would be like after Pokémonization.
Mizutsune, Surf! Use your full power! he commanded. The Mizutsune had been relying on its innate monster skills, but now it was time to use a Pokémon move. The Seregios was powerful, but it had a major weakness: a lack of wide-range attacks and defensive options. A large-scale attack would be impossible for it to block.
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