"Zhang Tian?" Hinoa's cheerful smile widened. "I'll remember that. By the way, my name is Hinoa, and this is my sister, Minoto." She gestured to the quiet girl beside her.
"I'll remember your names as well. They're very nice names," Zhang Tian said with a nod and a smile.
"Thank you for the compliment," Hinoa replied with a slight bow. She gave her Palamute a gentle nudge, and it broke into a run toward Kamura Village.
"Wait for me, sister!" Minoto called out before quickly following.
"Kamura Village, here I come."
Zhang Tian gazed at the village in the distance, wreathed in cherry blossoms, and was reminded of his time playing the game.
"Let's go, Great Izuchi."
He rode his mount at a slower pace, following the sisters into the village.
"Welcome to Kamura Village, Zhang Tian," Hinoa said as he entered.
"You're too kind, Miss Hinoa," Zhang Tian replied with a friendly smile.
"There's no need for such politeness between us. Let's go into the village," Minoto said, her voice a soft whisper.
"Sister, you must be hungry." Hinoa glanced at Minoto with a helpless expression, then turned back to Zhang Tian. "Master Zhang Tian, please come with me." She knew her sister well; Minoto would never be so direct unless she was truly hungry.
Led by Hinoa and Minoto, Zhang Tian rode the Great Izuchi into the village proper.
"A Great Izuchi?"
"Can you really tame a Great Izuchi?"
The villagers stared and whispered amongst themselves. If Zhang Tian hadn't been sitting on its back, with Hinoa and Minoto leading the way, they would have likely scattered and called for hunters.
Hinoa led him to the center of the village, next to the smithy.
"Master Zhang Tian, please wait here for a moment. I'll be right back," Hinoa said with an apologetic glance.
"Okay, no problem," he nodded.
As for Minoto, she had already disappeared, having ridden her Palamute to the dango shop not far away. The beautiful Wyverian was clearly starving.
Zhang Tian waited patiently where he was. In the eyes of the villagers, the Great Izuchi was still a dangerous monster, and he didn't want to cause any trouble by wandering around.
A few moments later, Hinoa returned with a tall, elderly man. This was Elder Fugen, the village chief of Kamura, a hunter so powerful he could repel a Magnamalo. Although players affectionately called Magnamalo "Fat Tiger," making it sound less intimidating, it was actually an incredibly powerful monster at the apex of the ecosystem, with strength comparable to an ordinary Elder Dragon.
Fugen
Level: 89 (Sub-Legendary Tier)
"Just as I thought." Seeing Fugen's level, Zhang Tian nodded to himself. He had guessed that Elder Dragons would be around the sub-legendary tier, the same level as a legendary bird like Zapdos from the Pokémon world. Now, his theory was confirmed. If Fugen was at this level, then the Magnamalo he could fight on even terms and which sometimes even had the upper hand must also be at the sub-legendary tier.
"Welcome! Welcome!" Fugen boomed, walking toward Zhang Tian with a hearty laugh.
"Hello," Zhang Tian replied, dismounting the Great Izuchi and walking to meet him.
"My name is Fugen, the village chief of Kamura. We welcome your arrival, Your Excellency, Rider. I would like to invite you to become a resident hunter of our village. I wonder, would you be willing?" Fugen asked, getting straight to the point.
"I am certainly willing," Zhang Tian nodded, "but I would first like to hear about the benefits of becoming a resident hunter." He asked politely, a smile on his face.
"Of course there are benefits, and many of them!" Fugen wasn't offended by the question. After all, why would anyone help you for no reason?
"As a resident hunter, you will receive the following benefits: First, a fully furnished house, free of charge."
"Second, all equipment crafting is free, provided you supply the monster materials."
"Third, all pre-hunt meals that provide buffs are free."
"Fourth, your daily meals are also covered, though this is limited to the meat of ordinary monsters, not the powerful ones."
"Fifth, you will receive higher pay for completing village hunting quests."
"Sixth, use of the village training grounds is free."
"Seventh, we will provide you with a powerful Palamute, free of charge."
"Eighth, we will teach you hunting techniques and combat skills for free."
"Ninth, we will teach you Kamura's unique Wirebug techniques, also for free," Fugen listed, stroking his chin.
"And by the way," he added, suddenly remembering Zhang Tian was a Rider, "if you need monster eggs, we can provide some for you. Of course, we don't have every kind; it depends on the situation."
"Monster eggs?" Zhang Tian considered it. "Raising a monster from an egg would consume a massive amount of meat. Even raising a Magnamalo egg would be highly inefficient. The meat it would take to raise one Magnamalo could probably raise two other sub-legendary tier monsters. Moreover, monsters raised from birth lack the wildness and combat experience of those caught in their natural habitat. For me, capturing powerful wild monsters is the best option."
After thinking it through, he had almost no interest in the monster eggs. For him, they were a "chicken rib" a pity to discard, but tasteless to eat.
"So, Your Excellency, Rider, what do you think?" Fugen asked with a smile.
"I accept, Chief Fugen," Zhang Tian nodded.
"Excellent! What kind of monster eggs do you need? I can help you find some. As long as it's not an Elder Dragon, we can probably manage it," Fugen laughed, clearly pleased.
"I don't need any monster eggs, thank you. They are not easy to raise," Zhang Tian replied, shaking his head slightly.
"Very well," Fugen nodded. He clapped Zhang Tian on the shoulder. "Young man, I have high hopes for you. Keep up the good work!"
"You're too kind, Village Chief," Zhang Tian smiled.
"Hinoa, I'll leave the rest to you," Fugen said, looking over his shoulder.
"I know, Village Chief. Leave it to me," she nodded, then stepped in front of Zhang Tian. "Master Zhang Tian, please come with me. I'll take you to your residence." Hinoa smiled very politely.
"Miss Hinoa, you're being too formal. We'll be working together for a long time. There's no need to be so distant." Zhang Tian gestured for the Great Izuchi to follow and walked alongside her.
"Distant?" Hinoa shook her head slightly, her eyes holding a complex mix of hope and apprehension as she looked at him.
"Zhang Tian," she thought, "I hope you can become a legend, just like the Riders of old. If you can, perhaps Kamura Village can be saved."