The sun sank below the horizon, and the lingering light scorched the edge of the sky a murky rust-red.
The wreckage of the high-speed Airship was still giving off wisps of smoke.
The air sac had long since burst. The long, narrow hull, so different from that of a conventional Airship, was wedged between the reefs, its keel already snapped in two.
Behind a reef not far away, Serl fought with all his strength to keep his breathing quiet.
His chest and abdomen churned as bloody froth welled up from deep in his throat. He tried to hold his breath and swallow it down, but the effort jarred his broken rib.
The sharp pain made him grimace, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
The slowly rising tide swallowed the reef-strewn coast inch by inch. Amid the waves slapping back and forth between the rocks came a strange sound, like bones scraping over sand and stone.
Is it coming...?
Serl carefully raised himself a little, then turned his head with agonizing slowness to peer around the edge of the reef.
A dragon formed entirely of bones slithered through the reefs with serpentine agility.
A ghostly, deep-blue light flickered within its draconic skull.
It quickly coiled around the Airship wreckage wedged between the rocks. In an instant, the hull, which had still largely retained its basic shape, was reduced to a twisted mass of metal bars and wooden splinters scattered across the ground.
When it failed to find what it wanted, the bone dragon seemed disappointed. It released the wreckage and resumed its patrol among the reefs.
A minute? No. Half a minute at most, and it would find him.
Serl turned to look at the companions beside him.
Buck was in slightly better shape and could still barely move. Brandley and the Airship pilot they had managed to rescue were both unconscious from the impact of the crash.
There was no other way.
Serl flashed Buck several hand signals.
Take them and run.
Then he drew his Sword and Shield and charged out from behind their hiding place.
—--
After waiting another full day in Metapetatto, they still had not seen the Vanguard Hunting Party return.
By then, everyone realized something might truly have gone wrong.
At the speed of a high-speed Airship, the journey from the planned reconnaissance area to Metapetatto should have taken only ten hours or so, about as long as a Carrier Pigeon would need.
If the Hunters had discovered something and decided to postpone their return, they should still have sent a Carrier Pigeon back with a message first.
Instead, neither the Hunters nor any message had arrived.
Even Francesca, who had spent the previous day reassuring everyone with "Don't worry. Serl is cautious and won't take risks lightly," "It's fine. Everything's under control," and "Don't panic!" was starting to panic.
She hurried to find the Professor, who was combing through records at the Guild. Once he understood the situation, he immediately issued a series of orders.
The Knowledge Seeker's complement was split into two groups. The scholars and civilian staff whose duties did not involve navigation or combat would remain in Metapetatto and continue gathering information.
Everyone else would depart aboard the Knowledge Seeker and make straight for the target area.
Since the high-speed Airship carrying the Vanguard Hunting Party had probably met with disaster, and no one knew what might have attacked it, the Professor refused to order the Knowledge Seeker to charge blindly into the target area.
Once clear of Metapetatto, he ordered the Knowledge Seeker to climb to a cruising altitude beyond the reach of most creatures, avoiding any potential attack.
The Knowledge Seeker stopped twenty kilometers short of the area the Vanguard Hunting Party had planned to investigate.
The small Airship secured aboard the Knowledge Seeker had been readied for launch, and the High Rank Hunters taking part in the search-and-rescue quest had already assembled on deck.
"The small Airship will carry you to the target area. Once it detaches from the mothership, it will descend to less than fifty meters above the ground and fly just above the treetops, minimizing the danger of a crash if attacked.
The moment you're attacked, everyone fast-rope to the ground immediately. This is the fastest and safest method I can think of." The Professor delivered the instructions at a rapid pace.
Taking the Knowledge Seeker itself directly there was another option, of course, but as the leader of the operation, he could not gamble with the lives of everyone aboard before they even knew what the target was.
The High Rank Hunters nodded and quickly boarded the small Airship now flying alongside the Knowledge Seeker.
"Wait! I'm going too!"
Francesca sprinted to the ship's railing and leaped. With agility far beyond that of an ordinary person, she landed on the small Airship that had just detached from the mothership.
"You..."
Altaïr was about to speak, but Francesca cut him off.
"Relax. I'm not the type to lose my head. I have a reason for going, and I have ways to help."
Francesca was clearly serious. Since the small Airship had already unhooked from the Knowledge Seeker and begun its descent, sending her back would waste too much time, so Altaïr said nothing more.
He only told Isis to keep a close eye on Francesca and stop her from running off.
The pilot was highly skilled. The small Airship plunged earthward at a heart-stopping speed, only pulling up and slowing when it was a few hundred meters above the ground. It ultimately descended to just above treetop height before speeding toward the target area.
When only a few kilometers remained before the rocky coast, the small Airship found a clearing in the forest and landed.
Under the agreed division of labor, Dylan, the strongest of them and the most experienced in coastal combat, headed straight for the coast with Olivia.
This was the search-and-rescue plan the Professor had devised.
If the Vanguard Hunting Party had indeed been attacked by some powerful Monster while investigating the coast, the Hunters certainly would not have fled into the sea. If they had escaped, they were most likely hiding in the nearby mountain forest.
Dylan, the strongest and most skilled at fighting in that terrain, would therefore enter the most dangerous coastal area, with Olivia supporting him.
Altaïr's group had more eyes at its disposal, including a cat, a dog, two birds, and a mink, all skilled scouts. They would remain in the mountain forest near the coast and spread out to search.
Mochi, Hakucho, and Sajji in his glider had already taken to the air and were searching in different directions.
Nymera had ridden off on Hibiki. The pair could move quickly over the ground, and Hibiki's keen nose would help locate targets in the dense, complex terrain of the Jungle.
Altaïr, Isis, and Morgan had no intention of wandering around at random.
They were not particularly efficient scouts on their own. Their primary role was to serve as a rapid-response force, ready to join a fight the moment trouble arose.
Francesca, guarded so closely by Isis that everyone else had almost forgotten about her, pulled a bone whistle from inside her collar. It was crudely made, but years of handling had polished it to a glossy sheen.
She put it to her lips and blew hard.
"Screee!" The piercing whistle echoed through the mountain forest.
Isis's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered something, shock and excitement mingling on her face. "Th-that... Could it be Aunt Gael's...?"
"It isn't my mother's. Hers wasn't much use in the Old World, so I gave it back to her long ago." Francesca lowered the bone whistle from her lips. "I've spent years running all over. My network doesn't stop at human society."
Altaïr and Morgan exchanged a glance.
Within minutes, rustling spread among the dark tree shadows and undergrowth of the Jungle.
Morgan grew wary and instinctively began unfolding the Heavy Bowgun in his hands, but Altaïr laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Easy. Stay quiet."
The sounds in the forest grew louder. Short figures wearing strange masks, their skin gray-green, emerged from the shadows and entered the Hunters' line of sight.
Some crouched on branches, tilting their heads. Others emerged from the bushes, clutching bone clubs and battered swords.
Somehow, Francesca had already produced a mask and put it on. She suddenly raised both hands high.
"Gaga-ya!"
"Gaga-ya! Kaba ga-ya!" A chaotic, cacophonous chorus echoed through the Jungle.
* * *
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