The azure pupils shifted slightly, turning to look at the protesting little Chameleos at the side, and in that instant the aura was released.
At once, the little Chameleos's pitiful chicken-like cry was cut short, as though the entire world were completely blanketed by those blue eyes, a despairing Pressure surging over its body in an instant.
Unconsciously, the little Chameleos activated its camouflage, instinctively trying to evade this fatal danger in such a way.
Its four short legs, as if each had its own will, flailed about uncontrollably in a frantic scramble.
Stumbling and tumbling, it rushed behind the Chameleos, attempting to use its mother's great tail to shield itself, seeking that faint, negligible sense of safety.
"Gwa!"
Hearing this trembling cry utterly lacking in majesty, the Chameleos didn't move a muscle, only rolling its large eyeballs back to glance at its disgraceful offspring.
Just a mere Elder Dragon's aura—look at that cowardly display! Such shame!
"Gwa…"
It had only just opened its mouth when Logan's hostile gaze turned toward the Chameleos, shifting his target.
At once, the sound at its throat was abruptly cut off.
Sometimes, giving in was also a kind of strategy—especially when faced with an equal, and one whose abilities restrained its own.
Without the slightest hesitation, the Chameleos immediately revealed the purpose of its coming.
Upon learning that the Chameleos had actually come here because it knew of the quest published by Astera, Logan's eyes grew strange.
So this fellow had truly nailed down its identity as a First Fleet Elder Dragon?
But what Logan wanted was a solution to the Fire Wyvern eggs' failure to hatch normally—what was this fellow barging in here for?
Besides releasing poison, could it really do research?
Logan instinctively felt this guy was simply here to watch the spectacle. He was somewhat familiar with the Chameleos's gossip-loving nature.
"Gwaa!" (What kind of look is that, gwa!)
Though Logan's facial scales revealed no change of expression, the Chameleos instantly caught the oddity in his gaze, and immediately protested in righteous indignation.
After all, it had rarely deigned to use its superlative intelligence, having actually thought up a feasible method before coming here. They had once fought side by side in carnage—was there really not even this bit of basic trust?
Truth be told, if it hadn't sensed that it itself had undergone some kind of mutation, the Chameleos that once only played with biotoxins would truly have had no solutions.
But now things were different. This was the strengthened version of Chameleos. After its poison glands mutated, it had already taken the first steps into the stage of "medicine is poison." The rare medicinal aromas of datura and the like within its hallucinogenic toxin mists were proof enough.
Thus, when it came to solving the current problem of the Fire Wyvern group at the Ancient Tree, the Chameleos was brimming with confidence—confident enough that Logan would even owe it a favor.
Unfortunately, Logan simply didn't believe it!
Without his cooperation, even if the Chameleos wanted to make a move, it couldn't prove anything.
Just as the Chameleos kept croaking to argue its case, the Admiral finally arrived at Logan's nest.
Assailed by the noisy gwa cries of the Chameleos, Logan—for once—welcomed the Admiral's arrival.
A First Fleet Elder Dragon, was it? Then go find your First Fleet Master to play with.
The Admiral stared blankly at the Chameleos that had revealed its form, ceaselessly croaking at Logan with an anxious look—especially when he saw the little Chameleos cowering behind it, a pitiful sight he recognized at once. He simply could not understand.
Why were the Chameleos mother and child, who ought to be in Astera, here at the Ancient Tree—and why did the Chameleos look as though it were quite familiar with Logan?
Though Logan had once mentioned helping a Chameleos that claimed to be a First Fleet member defeat another Elder Dragon, even giving him a scale as proof of identity, and though the Chameleos's later conduct in Astera did confirm they had indeed had contact—Logan had never said they were this close. Could Elder Dragons really get along so harmoniously?
The Admiral wasn't sure. As a legendary hunter, even back in the Old World this wasn't the first time he had encountered Elder Dragons.
One could even say, at his level of ability, most of the time the Hunter's Guild would dispatch him to resolve incidents caused by apex monsters and Elder Dragons.
In the Admiral's impression, wherever Elder Dragons appeared, all other life would retreat. Aside from family-type Elder Dragons like the Flame Dragons, whenever other Elder Dragons met—especially of different species—conflict would usually erupt until one side completely withdrew from the territory.
Thus, seeing the Chameleos chattering away on the side while Logan and Aki, that husband and wife pair, nestled together in the nest, utterly ignoring it—at this moment, the Admiral felt as if his worldview had once again been overturned.
But after calming down, thinking it over, Logan was an Elder Dragon who coexisted with the Fire Wyvern group and had even shown powerful rationality, while the Chameleos could swagger about outside under the banner of the Research Commission.
With such stable emotions and intelligence no less than humans, perhaps—maybe—it was acceptable that they might develop into friends across species?
"Yo, quite the lively scene."
Perhaps because he hadn't quite figured out the Chameleos's temperament yet, the Admiral didn't stride right in as he usually would, but first called out a greeting, then feigned a casual air as he walked in slowly.
Logan glanced at him, and with the aid of his mind's eye immediately discerned the Admiral's current state. Though he appeared relaxed, his muscles were taut all over—clearly ready to draw his shield at the first sign of trouble.
So it seemed, this Chameleos fellow wasn't all that familiar with the Research Commission either.
"Roar~"
With a low growl, at once a cat came scampering in to serve as interpreter.
"Meow, Boss Fire Wyvern says, Admiral, you should take this member of yours back meow." The cat scratched its head, its big eyes full of question marks.
"Huh? Me?"
Following Logan's gaze, the Admiral looked toward the listless Chameleos mother and child at the side, pointing first at them and then at himself.
Though Logan had said before that the Chameleos claimed to be a First Fleet member, to the Admiral it had sounded like nothing more than an excuse the Chameleos used at the time to request Logan's help.
For an Elder Dragon to entrust its young to the Research Commission for temporary rearing, and then to live in peace with the Commission for so many years, was already incredible enough. He had never truly regarded the other as any sort of First Fleet member.
At this moment, the Admiral still did not know of the Chameleos's actions at Astera a few days ago, and thus, at Logan's request, he could only respond with a wry smile.
"Well, old friend, you misunderstand, it—"
"Gwa!"
Before the Admiral could finish, the Chameleos's eyes rolled twice, and at once it changed strategy, cutting him off on its own initiative.
Lowering its head, it rummaged about the plates of its chest, soon producing the attachment that the quest desk girl had given as confirmation of the quest's acceptance.
Using its flexible tongue to stick to it, it carefully handed it to the Admiral.
Puzzled, the Admiral took that familiar piece of beast-hide parchment, and when he saw the contents—especially the words marked "quest acceptance dragon"—his mind went blank with a buzz.
How long had he been away from the Research Commission? Why had things suddenly turned out like this?
What else had he missed? Why had the Chameleos suddenly become a First Fleet member officially recognized by Astera?
Why was he always missing all kinds of things?
"Clearly I was the first to know the news that the Chameleos called itself a First Fleet member, the first to confirm its identity, the first to communicate face-to-face with an Elder Dragon… Clearly I was first. Why did it turn out like this?"
Falling suddenly into self-doubt, the Admiral failed to notice the increasingly strange look the Chameleos was giving him.
"This guy has already seen the acceptance proof—why is he standing there dumbfounded, gwa? Hurry up and vouch for me, gwa!"
An impatient croak jolted the Admiral awake. With some bitterness, he placed the confirmation slip back onto the Chameleos's still-extended tongue, then steadied himself and looked back at Logan.
It was obvious that the Chameleos was showing him this slip now precisely to make him vouch for it. Although he did not know how the Chameleos had been able to accept such a quest, as the Admiral of the New World Elder Dragon Research First Fleet, when a member of the fleet required aid, he naturally could not shirk his duty.
At once, through the cat, he translated the information on that quest slip to Logan, and further stated that the Chameleos had accepted the quest through legitimate channels of the Research Commission. By an Elder Dragon's pride, it would never come all this way just to idle about and do nothing. Since it had accepted this quest, there had to be a reason.
"An Elder Dragon's pride."
Logan glanced at the Chameleos mother and child sprawled listlessly to the side, deeply skeptical—did this fellow really have such a thing?
He certainly hadn't seen it.
But one thing the Admiral had said was reasonable: if the Chameleos only wanted to come watch the show, it would have had no need to completely expose itself before the Commission and pointlessly accept a quest before coming here.
Since it had come this far, it might as well be given a try. Whether it worked or not, only trying would tell.
Thinking this through, Logan rose to his feet under Aki's astonished gaze and walked toward the outside of the nest.
"Roar?"
Seeing the Chameleos gleefully scamper along after him, with the little Chameleos anxiously clinging close behind, Aki, for some reason, found the sight of their backs unbearably irritating. She too stood at once and gave chase.
She would absolutely never give the Chameleos any chance to be alone with Logan!
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