One week later.
Somehow, Kael had gained a whole group of Deter "guards" for no clear reason. Even now, he didn't quite understand what he had been thinking when he agreed to it so easily.
Watching the Deters coming and going around his nest in pairs, grunting as they carried branches, while a mature-looking Deter stood above directing the placement, Kael felt that agreeing hadn't been a bad idea after all.
After learning that Kael and Ya Ji were outsiders who had earned nesting rights by defeating the resident couple, the Deter leader immediately declared that their nest would be built by the tribe.
And so, under his command, more than a dozen Deters went out to gather branches and began construction.
Though only the framework was visible for now, the interwoven structure and the neatly padded vine base already showed that this nest would be far more comfortable than the roughly built ones of other Rathalos.
As their "protector," all Kael had to provide was a bit of leftover food.
A gust of wind pressure swept over.
The Deters instinctively grabbed the ground, avoiding being blown away by Ya Ji's unconscious wingbeat.
Thud.
A herbivore corpse was tossed beside the nest.
Since arriving, Kael and Ya Ji had been taking turns hunting and familiarizing themselves with nearby grounds.
The one staying behind would mark territory by scratching trees or scattering molted scales.
The Deters swallowed as they stared at the massive carcass, but under the foreman's horn signals, they could only continue working.
After hunting, Ya Ji habitually rested nearby.
Kael devoured the belly and back meat, burped, then went out to patrol and maintain relations with the neighboring couple.
Once he left, the foreman eyed the remaining carcass, confirmed Ya Ji didn't care, and leapt down.
With bone knives, they began processing the body.
Soon, thick fresh cuts were stacked neatly.
Two strong Deters bundled the bones with vine ropes and tossed them down the gap.
Lower-layer creatures would clean them thoroughly.
Afterward, they only took two pieces for themselves.
The rest became Kael's reserves.
For their size, two slabs could feed them for two days.
And since Kael hunted daily, they never lacked food.
This low-risk life made them work even harder.
They now feared Kael leaving more than anything.
For New World creatures, stability was everything.
Except, of course, monsters like Rajang, Deviljho, and Bazelgeuse.
When Kael returned, he saw a bustling scene.
Relations with the neighboring couple were good.
After symbolically adding branches to the dam, they agreed to share water.
Definitely not because Kael implied he might fight in their nest otherwise.
In short, life on the Ancient Tree became orderly.
Meanwhile, at the Starship Base.
The burly Commander rallied everyone to head for the Wildspire Waste.
Under his charisma, cheers erupted.
After the meeting, Palicoes departed with supplies.
Hunters and editors followed.
Only scholars and logistics remained.
All others mobilized to uncover the unknown creature's secret.
At the same time, deep in the forest, Jagras expanding territory suddenly froze.
Their eyeliner-like eyes scanned around.
It was unnaturally quiet.
Soon, thick fog spread.
Their bodies grew heavy.
Pupils turned gray.
Sounds faded.
They tried to cry out, but no sound came.
One by one, they collapsed.
They died without knowing why.
In the fog, a Nitroshroom was lifted by something unseen and vanished.
Footsteps appeared beside a corpse.
The body was eaten by invisible jaws.
Blood hung in midair, dripping slowly.
Soon, the soft flesh was gone.
The footprints departed.
At the fog's edge, an enormous tempered Great Jagras stared warily.
After an unwilling roar, it led its pack away.
Not only Jagras.
All creatures fled.
Even the notoriously aggressive Yian Garuga joined the exodus.
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