"It's a Nargacuga…!"
Su Yi's pupils shrank violently.
"Damn it… I just escaped that forest tyrant—Anjanath—and now I've run into the Crimson Shooting Star?!"
He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to endure the burning pain tearing through his back.
This forest—
Had once again shown him just how cruel this world truly was.
This wasn't a game.
There was no level scaling.
No "appropriate enemies."
Anything that existed here—
Could appear.
Anjanath was dangerous, yes—
But it was still a brute.
Predictable. Overwhelming—but simple.
A monster hunters could escape with skill and a bit of luck.
But Nargacuga…?
Fast.
Cunning.
Lethal.
A born predator.
There was no tricking it.
No escaping it.
"I'm out of Dung Pods, meow!" Lushui cried, panic creeping into his voice.
A low growl echoed through the forest.
From the shadows—
It stepped forward.
Jet-black fur.
A sleek, lethal body.
Crimson eyes glowing beneath dark markings—
Radiating pure killing intent.
It was unmistakable.
A Nargacuga.
A nightmare made flesh.
SHING!
Lushui drew a short bone dagger from his waist—barely longer than a kitchen knife—and tossed Su Yi a small potion bottle marked with a paw print.
"Drink the potion and run with everything you've got! I'll hold it off, meow!"
For a moment—
That small figure looked impossibly tall.
"No."
Su Yi shook his head.
"I dragged you into this. I'm not leaving you behind."
His grip tightened around the Capture Ball.
"And… I still have a chance."
In the game—
Hunters and Palicoes didn't truly die.
But that—
Was just a mechanic.
Lushui's simple leather gear said everything.
He was just a rookie.
Against a Nargacuga—
He wouldn't survive.
"Go—!"
Su Yi suddenly activated the Capture Ball—
And hurled it straight at the Nargacuga.
The beast reacted instantly.
Its claw flashed out—
To swat it away.
But the moment it made contact—
Click!
The ball snapped open.
A beam of white light burst out—
Engulfing the monster—
Dragging it inside.
Of course—
Su Yi never believed it would be that easy.
"What just happened, meow?!" Lushui shouted as the Nargacuga vanished.
"No time!"
Su Yi pulled out another Capture Ball.
His gaze locked onto Lushui.
His first partner.
Who could be more reliable—
Than a Palico?
Shake…!
The ball containing the Nargacuga trembled violently.
"Su Yi…?"
Lushui looked confused.
Su Yi smiled faintly—
Then his eyes hardened.
"My skills right now are a mess."
"But I want you to help me."
"I want you as my partner."
"I'll help you too!"
Without hesitation—
Lushui nodded.
Trust shining in his eyes.
"Then don't resist, meow! Let's become partners—aibo!"
Su Yi extended the Capture Ball.
"…Partner? Then—okay!"
Not even a second of hesitation.
Lushui placed his paw on the button.
Click!
A flash of light—
The Palico disappeared into the ball.
BOOM!!
At that exact moment—
The Nargacuga's Capture Ball shattered.
The monster burst out—
Shaking its head violently—
Crimson eyes locking onto Su Yi with pure fury.
[Quest Completed. Rewards delivered to inventory.][Return immediately or continue exploring?]
Su Yi's lips curled into a bloodstained grin.
"If I survive this… I'm definitely coming back to catch you."
ROAR!!
Enraged—
The Nargacuga spread its blade-like wings—
And lunged.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Return!"
FLASH!
Just as those razor edges were about to slice him apart—
Su Yi vanished.
"…?!"
The Nargacuga froze mid-motion.
It scanned the surroundings.
Nothing.
No scent.
No trace.
After a long moment—
It slowly retreated into the forest.
…
"…Why is it still a forest?!"
Su Yi staggered as his vision cleared.
He was standing on solid ground again—
But when he looked around—
Trees.
Still trees.
Just—
No Nargacuga.
"…Did I just get moved somewhere else?"
He had expected a camp.
A base.
Something safe.
Not—
Another forest.
"…Please don't tell me something else is going to jump out…"
Fresh from the brink of death—
His nerves were stretched to the limit.
Click.
The Capture Ball opened.
Lushui dropped out, dagger already in hand.
"Su Yi!"
"I'm here—relax. We're safe… for now."
Seeing the panic on Lushui's face, Su Yi quickly reassured him.
After a careful scan—
No danger.
Lushui finally exhaled.
"That was amazing, meow! How did you escape?!"
"…Luck."
Su Yi scratched his head.
"If I guessed wrong, I'd be dead. I still don't even know where we are."
And that was the truth.
If "Return" had been even a fraction slower—
He'd be dead.
He gambled everything—
And survived.
"Since this is a forest… let me check direction, meow."
Lushui pulled out a compass—
Then looked up—
Searching for the towering Ancient Tree.
But—
Nothing.
No giant tree.
No dense canopy.
Just ordinary forest.
Shorter trees.
Clear sky.
Different.
"…Su Yi."
"Where are we, meow?"
"…I don't know."
Su Yi scanned the surroundings—
Then froze.
Something—
Was watching them.
"…Huh?!"
"Monster?!" Lushui spun instantly.
Behind a tree—
A round, pink creature peeked out.
Soft.
Gentle.
About a meter tall.
Eyes full of curiosity.
Not hostile.
Not aggressive.
Completely different—
From any monster.
"…Chansey…?"
Su Yi's voice trembled.
Not from fear.
But shock.
That—
Was a Pokémon.
A real Pokémon.
"What kind of world did I end up in…?"
His thoughts spiraled.
"No… wait… am I even still in the Monster Hunter world?"
"Did 'Return' send me into a Pokémon world?"
He pulled out the book again.
The cover still bore—
The Sapphire Star.
The Fifth Fleet emblem.
Clearly Monster Hunter.
But—
Capture Balls?
That was pure Pokémon.
"…Monster Hunter New World… Pokémon world…"
"…This is basically a crossover dream."
His eyes lit up.
Both worlds—
Combined.
Double potential.
Infinite possibilities.
"Lucky…?"
The Chansey stepped out slowly—
Looking at him with concern.
"Su Yi—there's so much blood, meow!"
Lushui's voice trembled.
He turned—
And froze.
Blood.
A large pool spreading beneath Su Yi.
The spike from the Nargacuga had torn a deep wound across his back.
Before—
Adrenaline had numbed everything.
But now—
It hit all at once.
"…My head…"
"…feels dizzy…"
His vision blurred.
His body swayed—
Then collapsed.
"Lucky!!"
"Su Yi!!"