After the Anjanath fell into the trap, all melee members immediately launched their attacks. Meanwhile, the archer Albert, who had been aiming from the treetops, also joined the assault.
This was a real world, so hunters didn't have the convenience of spatial backpacks like in games. The supplies they could carry were limited, and the same went for the arrows and bolts of ranged hunters.
Thus, skilled hunters made every shot count.
Now, standing atop the canopy, Albert was no exception. He had coated an arrow with a power-boosting Demondrug and swiftly let it fly.
As an elite hunter who had dealt with Anjanaths in the Ancient Forest many times before, Albert's arrow struck true, piercing the monster's heat-dispersing membranes on its back.
The arrow successfully penetrated the membranes, eliciting a piercing roar from the Anjanath.
The intense pain gave the trapped Anjanath a burst of strength, allowing it to leap out of the pit with its powerful hind legs.
Feeling the pain on its back, the Anjanath raised its nasal bone and two heat-dispersing wings high—a clear sign of its rage.
The enraged Anjanath's blood flowed rapidly, its body temperature rising sharply, activating its flame sac.
Seeing the flames leaking from the Anjanath's mouth, Jasper immediately shouted, "Watch out for the fire breath!"
As soon as Jasper finished speaking, the Anjanath unleashed a straight-line blast of fire from its mouth. Fortunately, it missed everyone, only setting a tree ablaze.
The Anjanath wasn't particularly adept at breathing fire from its mouth—it usually relied on its nostrils. Only when it had built up enough heat could it expel all the flames at once in a high-powered blast.
However, after this single breath attack, the Anjanath's body temperature dropped rapidly, leaving it unable to breathe fire again. It would need to build up heat once more through excitement and movement to stimulate its flame sac.
But Jasper and the others weren't about to give it that chance.
As elite hunters, they immediately seized the opportunity after the Anjanath's ultimate move, closing in to deal as much damage as possible, leaving wound after wound on the monster's body.
Without its fire breath, the Anjanath could only rely on its brute strength and powerful jaws.
Thus, as long as one was adept at dodging, hunting an Anjanath wasn't particularly difficult.
Moreover, the one they were facing was just a young Anjanath, not a formidable Tempered individual, making it relatively easy prey for the group.
As the Anjanath's wounds multiplied, its body grew weaker and weaker.
When Jasper seized the chance to hurl a few potent Tranq Bombs at the Anjanath's head, the massive beast was officially declared captured!
Watching the Anjanath fall into a deep slumber, Bai Mo—who had helped at the beginning but mostly observed the battle—quietly assessed his own strength.
He felt that he could probably go toe-to-toe with this Anjanath in a direct confrontation!
After firing the capture signal into the sky, Jasper and the others immediately got to work.
The support and transport team from the Research Base would take some time to arrive, so they first had to ensure the Anjanath remained sedated while also guarding against potential ambushes.
After all, there were always creatures eager to snatch an easy meal.
Moreover, the Anjanath's position in the Ancient Forest's ecosystem was only mid-tier. Creatures like the Rathalos couple, the forest's Nargacuga, Tobi-Kadachi, and Pukei-Pukei would all clash with the Anjanath.
After covering the Anjanath's body with leaves and debris as a temporary measure, Jasper noticed Bai Mo staring intently at the monster and asked curiously, "What's wrong, Bai? You're not scared after seeing a hunt like this, are you?"
"Of course not," Bai Mo shook his head. "As you've taught me before, hunters and monsters are all part of this world's ecosystem."
"Compared to the world I came from, this world is much simpler. That is—"
"Hunt, or be hunted!"
Jasper and the others laughed heartily in response to Bai Mo's realization.
"That's right! Although our Research Commission came to the New World to investigate the truth behind the Elder Crossing, the true theme of this world is exactly as you said—hunt or be hunted!"
"So, Bai, do you have the resolve to hunt monsters?"
Facing Jasper's serious expression, Bai Mo tightened his grip on his Charge Blade and grinned. "Isn't that obvious? I'm dying to find out what they taste like!"
Over the past two days, Bai Mo hadn't just been learning hunter techniques from Jasper—he'd also shared some of his own background.
After all, Bai Mo hadn't hidden the fact that he was a gourmet hunter.
After all, people with desires were easier to get along with, weren't they?
No doubt, by the time they returned to the Research Base, some of his information would end up on Commander Wasile's desk.
Even though they had successfully captured their squad's target, Jasper and the others remained vigilant.
They still held their weapons at the ready, staying alert. After all, a mission wasn't truly complete until they returned to the base safely—this was a rule written in the Hunter's Guild's code, paid for in blood by countless hunters.
Just as Bai Mo thought nothing unexpected would happen—the unexpected arrived.
Spotting a dark dot growing larger in the sky, Bai Mo drew his Charge Blade.
Damn it, intruders in games are one thing, but now you're pulling this in real life too?!
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T/N:
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