The massive ship cutting through the waves flew a banner of red and yellow, emblazoned with a cross-shaped star emblem.
It symbolized the Sapphire Star of the Five Dragons Myth—both a beacon of hope and a guide for those who followed.
This so-called "Ship of the Star" carried elites from every field.
Besides investigating the mystery of the Elder Crossing, they had come as pioneers, bearing the responsibility of establishing an outpost in this completely unfamiliar New World.
"Captain, so you're here. Why aren't you inside drinking with everyone?"
With a leather satchel at his waist filled with books and notebooks, wearing gold-rimmed monocle glasses, a refined-looking young man found his target at the bow and walked over with a smile.
The man he addressed had jet-black hair reaching his waist, wore only a leather vest, and crossed his arms over his chest.
His exposed arms were packed with explosive muscle, his tall figure and resolute face giving off an unmistakably bold presence.
Hearing the young man's words, he laughed heartily without even turning his head.
"Ahahaha! I'll take the night watch today! Go tell those brats inside to eat and drink as much as they want. Let them relax properly! Once we reach the New World tomorrow, everyone better get fired up—let's start a grand adventure!"
"Meow!"
Beside him, an oversized Palico carrying a greatsword on its back struck the same pose.
Hearing this, it nodded vigorously in agreement.
The refined young man chuckled.
"That's not something I should be saying. You're the captain we all chose. You should be the one giving that kind of motivational speech."
After teasing his friend, he didn't return to the cabin.
Instead, he walked to the bow as well, leaned against the railing, and gazed toward their destination.
"The New World… an unknown land that's never been properly explored. I wonder how many strange and wonderful things it has compared to the Old World."
"Hmph, we'll only know after we get there. But tomorrow, we'd better choose our landing point carefully. The natives of the New World won't be welcoming us with open arms."
The captain grinned.
In the past, small private groups had occasionally come here to explore, but the information they brought back was pitifully scarce.
This time was different.
This was an official investigation initiated by the Hunter's Guild.
That meant conflict with the monsters of the New World was inevitable.
Establishing bases and outposts would certainly require battle.
The Guild had already considered this when forming the Commission.
Although there weren't many hunters in this expedition, every single one was an elite.
With everyone working together, no matter what problems they faced, they believed they could solve them with ease.
This was confidence born of strength.
What the captain didn't know was that, tomorrow, cruel reality would give this ambitious group a harsh slap in the face.
Recently, Aji's injuries had finally healed.
Yet both she and Kael felt restless.
Whether in the Wildspire Waste or the Ancient Forest, large numbers of creatures had begun migrating deeper inland over the past two days.
Although their nest was far from the coast, these abnormal movements among various species had caught their attention.
As time passed, an instinctive sense of pressure and fear crept into their hearts.
It was as if a voice deep within urged them:
Stay away from the coast.
Stay away from the outer edges of the forest.
Go anywhere.
Just go far, far away.
While absorbing leyline energy as usual, Kael noticed something strange.
For some reason, the leyline energy near the outer forest had become unusually active.
The moisture in the air grew heavier.
Even the Wildspire Waste bordering the forest began producing white mist in the mornings.
This was a desert.
And it was foggy.
That alone was abnormal.
All these anomalies made both dragons uneasy.
Without discussing it, they began hunting more frequently and stockpiling food in their nest.
In just two days, their nest filled with prey.
They drastically reduced their outings, staying inside and driving away any flying wyverns that tried to intrude.
Soon, on this very day, the Ship of the Star officially appeared near the shores of the New World.
And on this same day, thick white mist spread across the outer Ancient Forest and parts of the Wildspire Waste.
Gales.
Dark clouds.
Thunder.
A colossal dragon with a metallic sheen rode the hurricane, stirring the clouds as it moved, appearing and disappearing among lightning-filled storm clouds.
In an instant, the sun was covered.
The sky dimmed.
Along the coast, towering waves rose under the raging wind.
Inside the New World, dense moisture was scattered, and torrential rain poured down.
With a mere flap of its wings, endless gales gathered around the giant dragon, like a walking natural disaster.
Kael lay at the entrance of the cave, his eyes locked onto that figure in the storm.
It radiated pressure freely.
It altered the weather with ease.
It commanded the wind in complete defiance of natural law.
Like an emperor ruling the storm.
So this… was an Elder Dragon?
The moment he saw Kushala Daora, Kael understood why so many creatures had fled.
Seeking fortune and avoiding disaster was instinct.
When facing a natural catastrophe, escape was the only option.
Kushala Daora wasn't even deliberately using its power.
It was merely passing by.
Yet the gales born of its presence alone were enough to destroy everything.
At that moment, Kael finally understood why Teostra could burn down a village just by passing through.
Why Amatsu, merely by staying on a mountain, could force entire Zinogre populations to migrate.
Compared to such beings, creatures like them were nothing more than "small animals."
Who could possibly face a natural disaster head-on?
Their nest wasn't on Kushala Daora's migration route.
Even so, they were still affected by the storm.
At Aji's low growl, Kael slowly retreated into the depths of the cave.
Just as he prepared to wait it out until Kushala Daora left, the moisture that had been blown away by the storm suddenly rose again.
The pressure that had appeared with its arrival intensified once more.
The torrential rain brought by the storm seemed to lose control.
It began converging toward a specific area near the forest's edge.
The already raging sea level rose rapidly.
Before long, the coastal outskirts of the Ancient Forest and parts of the lower Wildspire Waste were swallowed by seawater.
Countless creatures that hadn't escaped in time were swept away.
In his previous life, Kael had witnessed flash floods.
But compared to what he was seeing now…
Even those disasters seemed insignificant.