The moment he saw the quest, Zhang's eyes lit up. He had wanted to capture a Nargacuga for a long time. This was a case of a pillow being delivered to a sleepy man, a perfectly timed opportunity.
"Hinoa, if I subdue the Nargacuga instead of killing it, does it still count as a successful hunt?" Zhang asked.
"Yes," Hinoa nodded, confirming. "Unlike hunting in the wilds, there's only one Nargacuga around Qingyu Village, which makes it very easy to verify."
"Good. I'm taking this one," Zhang said with a happy nod. The Nargacuga had a sleek design and was one of his favorite monsters.
"Are you sure?" Hinoa looked at him with serious concern. "A Nargacuga's ecological niche is no lower than a Rathalos's. It's extremely dangerous."
"Don't worry, Hinoa. I've already subdued a Rathalos," Zhang said with a confident wave of his hand. "A Nargacuga will be a piece of cake for me."
Besides his Rathalos, both his Brute Dragon and Crimsondog Beast had reached the quasi-Elite Four tier. A three-on-one fight was no contest, not to mention he had a whole team of Gym-tier fighters in reserve.
Seeing that Zhang was strong enough for the task, Hinoa relaxed. "In that case, go ahead. When you come back, I'll treat you to dinner."
"Alright. I'll be back quickly," Zhang smiled. "And this time, I want to eat something even tastier." He picked up the quest posting and strode away.
Outside a village nestled within a dense bamboo forest, Zhang arrived riding his Arcanine. Having mastered Extreme Speed, the Arcanine was incredibly fast. Even though it was only at the Gym Leader tier, its speed surpassed that of his quasi-Elite Four Rathalos, making it Zhang's primary mount for travel.
At this moment, Qingyu Village was heavily guarded, its main gate shut tight. The villagers were clearly taking precautions against the Nargacuga.
"Who are you?" a middle-aged man called down from atop the village wall. He was clad in a full set of Great Wroggi armor and carried a heavy crossbow.
"I'm a hunter from Kamura Village, here to hunt the Nargacuga," Zhang announced loudly. "Do you know where it is?"
"A hunter from Kamura!" The man's eyes lit up, and he jumped down from the wall. He glanced at the Arcanine in amazement before asking, "The Nargacuga is up on the mountain. Do you want me to guide you?"
Zhang's Arcanine stood at an imposing 2.3 meters tall, larger than an average one, giving it a powerful and majestic presence.
"No need. Just point me to the right mountain," Zhang said, shaking his head.
Although this man was also a hunter, his equipment suggested he was at most Elite tier, capable of hunting monsters like the Great Wroggi. Against a Nargacuga, he would be instantly defeated. For Zhang, the man would only be a burden.
"It's right on that mountain," the middle-aged man said, pointing to a tall, bamboo-covered peak nearby.
"Got it. Thanks." After a nod, Zhang rode his Arcanine toward the mountain.
"Such a young hunter," the man muttered to himself, a bitter smile touching his lips as he thought of his own strength. "Compared to him, I'm truly useless." He was well into his middle years and could only just manage to hunt monsters like the Great Wroggi. Yet this young man was taking on a powerful Nargacuga. The comparison was truly demoralizing.
After riding into the bamboo forest, Zhang stopped. He recalled his Arcanine and released the Brute Dragon, Rathalos, and Crimsondog Beast.
"Rathalos, Brute Dragon, use Dragon Dance! Crimsondog Beast, use Bulk Up!" Zhang commanded, having his three powerhouses stack their buffing moves.
On the mountainside, in a large clearing, a black monster was basking in the sun. It was twenty-three meters long with sleek, black fur, its size no less than that of a Rathalos. Like the Rathalos, it was a Flying Wyvern. However, this monster's wings had somewhat degenerated; it could not truly fly, only glide. But in another sense, its wings had evolved, becoming incredibly sharp blades, much like a scythe.
This was the Nargacuga, a predator of extreme speed, with a strength and ecological niche equal to that of the Rathalos.
Nargacuga
Level: 59 (Quasi-Elite Four Tier)
Suddenly, the Nargacuga rolled to its feet and looked behind it. It had smelled the dangerous scent of blood.
Bang! Bang!
Heavy footsteps echoed as bamboo stalks were snapped and pushed aside. Zhang emerged from the forest, riding atop the Brute Dragon. The Crimsondog Beast followed closely behind, almost hidden from view. As for the Rathalos, it was soaring high in the sky, still unnoticed by the Nargacuga.
The Nargacuga looked at the Brute Dragon and the Crimsondog Beast with confusion. Its ecological rank was a level higher than theirs. How did they dare appear before it? Were they not afraid of death? It had killed both Brute Dragons and Crimsondog Beasts before, so this encounter was baffling.
Thump! Zhang leaped off the Brute Dragon's back.
"Roar!" The moment Zhang landed, the Brute Dragon charged toward the Nargacuga, unleashing Dragon Rush. At the same time, the Crimsondog Beast also charged, staying sneakily behind the Brute Dragon.
"Roar!" Seeing the Brute Dragon dare to attack it, the Nargacuga grew furious. With a guttural roar, it launched its own charge to meet the challenger head-on.
Bang! Bang!
With thundering footsteps, the Brute Dragon and the Nargacuga closed the distance. After six Dragon Dances, the Brute Dragon's attack and speed were four times their normal levels, far surpassing the Nargacuga's.
Boom!
The two behemoths collided. The Brute Dragon was knocked back six or seven steps, but the Nargacuga was sent flying as if hit by a truck, crashing violently one or two hundred meters away, clearly injured. The Brute Dragon's attack power was now far superior, allowing it to easily overpower the Nargacuga despite the nine-level difference.
The instant the Nargacuga hit the ground, the Crimsondog Beast, which had been trailing behind, leaped forward. It hurled the exploding pinecones in its paws, which soared over a hundred meters and smashed into the Nargacuga's body.
Rumble! Rumble!
The explosions were like two high-yield bombs detonating, engulfing the Nargacuga in flames. It suffered severe injuries, and its fur was even set ablaze.
Just as the Nargacuga tried to roll over and escape, the Rathalos descended from the sky, diving straight for its head.
Bang!
The Rathalos's talons gripped the Nargacuga's head and slammed it into the ground with a powerful flying pounce. The blow made the Nargacuga feel as if its skull was about to split, nearly knocking it unconscious.
"Roar!" The Rathalos soared back up, dragging the dazed Nargacuga hundreds of meters into the sky before letting it fall.
Boom! The Nargacuga crashed headfirst into the ground and was instantly knocked out cold.
"That was easy," Zhang said with a smile as he walked over to the unconscious monster and threw a Poké Ball.
In terms of raw power, the Rathalos, Brute Dragon, and Crimsondog Beast were all stronger than the Nargacuga, especially with the advantage of powerful Pokémon skills. Add in the three-on-one advantage and pre-battle buffs, and the victory was naturally a foregone conclusion.
If he hadn't used buffs and had fought it one-on-one, Zhang estimated it would have been a much tougher battle. But this was a life-or-death hunt, not a formal Pokémon battle. There was no need for fairness.