By the time the morning sun crept above the horizon, it was already 9 a.m.
The scholars — those indefatigable maniacs — finally called an end to their overnight research.
Bai Chen could only sigh as he watched them drag their exhausted bodies out of the arena.
"Do they even sleep? Ten straight hours… insane."
Still, it wasn't all for nothing. The scholars, overjoyed by their findings, were more than willing to feed Basarios with their rare minerals during their study.
Once they finally dispersed, Bai Chen walked over to where the massive creature had half-buried itself in the ground.
He raised his system interface and spent 3,000 Skill XP upgrading [Rock-Digesting Bacteria] to Master level.
That ability was the cornerstone of the wyvern's growth — and of something even more important: its metal synthesis function.
After all, Tinkatuff had been waiting for a new batch of alloy to forge weapons.
From a distance came a familiar voice —
"Yamaa~"
Tinkatuff herself was tugging along a small cart loaded with food… and a gleaming two-meter-tall shield.
She quickly handed out the meals to Zinogre and Nergigante, then turned to Bai Chen with a proud smile.
"Your order's ready."
He reached for the massive object resting atop the cart.
[Name]: Thunderjaw Greatshield
[Rarity]: ★★★★ (4)
[Attributes]: Lightning Resistance +60 | Defense +100
[Gem Slot]: Thunder Resistance Jewel [1]
[Weight]: 23kg
[Appraisal]: A fine, hand-forged shield crafted with Turtonator's Fire Core, refined for pure defense. Infused with Thunderjaw materials and a resistance gem, it boasts exceptional resistance against electric attacks.
The "jewels" — small stones imbued with condensed power — were a hunter's secret weapon.
Embed an Attack Jewel, and your blows struck harder.
Embed a Thunder Resistance Jewel, and lightning lost its sting.
This shield had been built from limited materials salvaged off the Thunderjaw's hide and scales — hardly a full hunt's worth — but for Bai Chen, that was enough.
He tested the weight, tightening the straps over his arm.
"Good craftsmanship as always. It'll do just fine — even if it's a one-time use piece."
The balance was perfect, the grip molded for his hand.
As expected from the Master Smith's work.
He slung the shield across his back, nodding in approval.
"You did well. Eat up and get some rest. Once we're done, we head out for the Lagiacrus."
"Yamaa~."
She plopped down beside Zinogre with her meal in hand, happily munching while the electric beast tore into its own.
Meanwhile, Bai Chen began running the numbers.
He still had 44,000 Skill XP left to distribute — and a battle with a map-level boss looming ahead.
First, he spent 17,000 XP upgrading Nergigante's [Power Incarnation] to Master.
Then another 12,500 XP to raise her [Regenerating Spikes] to Master as well.
Remaining XP: 27,000.
Next came Zinogre's turn —
7,000 XP to upgrade [Elder Dragon's Blood] to Master,
and 7,500 XP to bring [Overcharged State] to Master.
When he finally closed the interface, every drop of XP had been invested.
Now, his team stood stronger than ever.
Zinogre, at Level 40, was without question the squad's ace — wielding four Master-tier abilities:
[Overcharged State], [Lightning Incarnation], [Elder Dragon's Blood], and [High-Voltage Storage].
Bai Chen himself was Level 37, with three Master-level skills — [Titan's Body], [Nature's Force], and [Qi Empowerment].
And Nergigante, Level 36, carried three of her own — [Power Incarnation], [Nature's Force], and [Regenerating Spikes].
But the most remarkable change was in Zinogre's arsenal.
After defeating the Tobi-Kadach, Bai Chen had quietly stolen one of its rare materials — the [Charge Sack] (Rarity 4) — and used it to upgrade Zinogre's old [Charge Storage] skill into [High-Voltage Storage].
The difference was dramatic.
Before, Zinogre had to generate electricity through combat, discharging it twice before it could activate the Thunderbugs and enter Overcharged State.
Now?
Once. Just once.
He could enter the state in two minutes instead of five, doubling his tempo and cutting downtime in half.
Bai Chen smiled faintly.
"Good. You'll be the main spear this time."
For the coming hunt — the battle against the Lagiacrus — Zinogre would be their vanguard.
Nergigante would take a secondary assault position, and Bai Chen himself would coordinate with Tinkatuff at range, handling control and support.
Basarios, as usual, would act as a moving fortress and perimeter guard — a deterrent for any uninvited beasts.
Throwing multiple monsters into one battle wasn't ideal anyway. Their sheer size made coordination difficult; three was the practical limit before they began hindering one another.
One man, two beasts — that was the perfect formation.
If they could achieve synergy greater than the sum of their parts — 1 + 1 + 1 > 3 — victory would be theirs.
Breakfast ended quickly.
Before departure, Bai Chen stopped by the trade area to stock up on healing potions, stamina boosters, and smoke bombs.
This wasn't just another mission — it was their first official hunt against a territory-level apex.
Everything had to be perfect.
By afternoon, at the western gate of the Astera-like Star Base, preparations were complete.
Bai Chen loaded bags of supplies onto the basarios's broad back.
He'd only returned yesterday, and now he was already heading out again.
Few hunters matched his work ethic — or his recklessness.
The scholars, upon seeing him, begged him to leave the Rock wyvern behind for further study.
Bai Chen refused with a calm smile.
The creature's presence was essential — not for direct combat, but as a living shield.
If any beast dared interfere, its roar alone would scatter them.
He mounted up, raising his hand in farewell.
"I'll be back once it's done."
The crowd of hunters and researchers watched as he rode off toward the dense green horizon.
Their next target lay beyond the Ancient Forest, in the unmapped western sector, far past the boundaries set by the Commander.
Out there, even the Palico rescue teams took half an hour — sometimes an hour — to reach the field.
But Bai Chen only chuckled.
"Doesn't matter. I've never relied on rescue cats anyway."
If he fell, Nergigante and Zinogre would carry him home.
He gave the signal, voice low but resolute.
"Let's go. From here to the sighting point… half a day's ride."
The Rock wyvern rumbled, the forest trembling under its weight.
And as the morning light shimmered on the metal of his new thunder shield, Bai Chen's eyes gleamed with battle-ready calm.
The hunt for the Sea Wyvern had begun.
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