Ancient Dragon in Arknights

Nesario was furious. He hadn't enjoyed a single day of the benefits and prestige of the Drak; but the troubles that came with this identity were endless.

However... a bold idea was born in his mind.

'Hehehe, Cumberland, you don't want to see Vina suffer either, do you?'

There are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests – this is a famous saying circulating in Colombian financial circles.

Many brilliant business battles have perfectly illustrated this point. Two companies that were attacking and smearing each other in the media one day may suddenly join forces and cooperate the next.

Draco and Athrun can get along peacefully—so, can't Athrun's henchmen also sit down and have a proper talk with Draco?

"By the way, Loserley. I don't think I told you what I actually stole from the Cumberland family?"

"You definitely didn't mention it."

Lothry's curiosity was piqued. If it were before, she might have guessed it was some valuable property; after all, back then, Neltharion was just a gangster in her eyes. But now it was different. What could be something that would make a Draco risk his life to seize?

"That's a scale, and it may have come from a real monster."

"...You don't want me to investigate its origin, do you?"

"It's dangerous, so I won't force you. You can try it, and if you don't succeed, that's fine too."

Nesario knew very well that although the Duke of Victoria was extremely noble, he was just an insignificant grain of sand in the long river of history; but if a monster that was tens of meters long, could fly, and could breathe fire really appeared in the world, it would probably shake the entire Terra.

Every research institution involved in technology, medicine, and biology would want to investigate this.

"Phew... In that case, I need photos and information about the samples."

"Come with me to the Glasgow Gang's hideout tomorrow. I've hidden that thing in the Sadion district."

"You have to treat me to Valerie's cake!"

"...Of course, no problem."

It was a deal, and Nesario and Losilie agreed on what to do the next day, as they had nothing else to do at the moment.

"..."

"Regarding the next large-scale exercise, what will the intelligence section's exercise format be?"

"It's not difficult. Our task is to gather intelligence—the combat plans of each class, the specific personnel allocation, and so on. To put it bluntly, each class is a force on the battlefield, and our goal is to collect this intelligence."

Wow, the Royal Guard Academy really knows how to have fun.

But in a sense, this does have the significance of a drill.

For example, if Nesario had been completely unaware of the situation, and Lothiri had chosen to inquire about their class's battle plan, he would likely have been at risk of leaking information.

"I suspect this intelligence will definitely be delivered to us in a special way. The class that is less discreet will suffer more, while those classes that know that silence is golden will gain an advantage from the start."

If someone discovers this intelligence in advance, they can even release false information as a smokescreen—the game has already begun before the exercise even starts.

"You don't seem worried at all?"

"What do I have to worry about? The highest level of strategy is overt strategy. I am the overt strategy of our class—other classes will definitely not be able to bypass me in their tactical arrangements. Even if I am eliminated, there is still Rita and the others. There is nothing to worry about."

Nesario doesn't believe he can truly be invincible; for example, if he uses traps and saturation attacks, he will be eliminated.

However, the effort the enemy expended on him was enough for Rita and the others to break through their defenses.

"We should be more worried about what happens outside of school than what happens inside. I failed to kill that guy last time, and I don't know when he'll come back."

Chapter Seventy-Two: Wendigo?!

Nesario felt his senses gradually rise, and his previously heavy body began to feel lighter, as if gravity could no longer bind him.

This feeling was familiar to him—it was the new world calling to him! The hunter's spirit was burning brightly!

He suddenly opened his eyes, and the dazzling sunlight made it hard for him to adjust. Nesario reached out to shield his eyes from the sun—the bracers on his arm were clearly reflected in his eyes, a mixture of crimson and azure, the color of a dragon slayer.

"Equipment made from dragon-slaying materials... This is a very popular type of armor among hunters."

The voice of the follower cat came from behind Neltharion, indicating that he had also been summoned.

"This is...the New World!?"

"Meow!? Weren't we sleeping in Londinium? Am I dreaming!?"

Besides the calm voice of the follower cat, two panicked voices rang out—the scholar cat and the craftsman cat.

"Oh? You two little ones got dragged in too?"

"Meow? Nesario meow, what's going on?"

"Is this... the 'world in a dream' that my Palico-senpai mentioned?"

Compared to the panic of the Artisan Cat, the Scholar Cat adapted much faster. Connecting this with the mutual recognition between the Follower Cat and Neltharion, he quickly realized his current predicament.

"What should we do? These two little guys aren't combatants, are they? It would be too dangerous to take them with us."

Nesario really wanted Scholar Meow and Craftsman Meow to explore freely. The former could observe the ecological environment, summarize botanical experience, and perhaps even promote the development of the Botany Research Institute; the latter, on the other hand, was good for crafting weapons and equipment. Perhaps Craftsman Meow could even forge a stronger set of equipment for Nesario on the spot.

But letting two non-combatant Palicoes roam freely... I'm sure the monsters wouldn't mind trying the taste of Palico meat.

Although they won't die, it will cause serious psychological damage to the two little ones.

“Look for a place that can serve as a camp, where primary school children and artisans are active.”

"Okay meow!"

"I'll try my best, meow!"

With the help of the experienced cat companions, the three of them quickly found a valley that could serve as a campsite. The entrance was narrow, making it difficult for monsters to enter, and the location was secluded, making it less likely for fierce predators to target them.

"Then, you two can begin your research around here. I look forward to your results."

After settling the two non-combatants, Nesario and his follower began to move quickly.

"Follower Cat, do you remember what we were thinking before?"

"Of course—come with me."

According to the follower cat, this world is no different from the "real world" he is familiar with. So, does the New World Survey Team that originally existed still exist?

"Nesario, you're not from this world. So you don't know about this, do you?"

"I have absolutely no idea. I just hope the other hunters won't kill me."

While searching for the way, the follower cat explained to Nesario about hunters, the Hunter's Guild, the New World Research Commission, Elder Dragons, and so on.

"From what you're saying, everyone on the investigation team is a noble person with dreams?"

"Yes, I can assure you. Once you're part of the investigation team, you won't want to leave."

"Haha... But I'm not from this world after all. We'll see when the time comes."

"..."

The follower cat didn't know what to say next. He used to be a member of the survey team, assisting the hunters in their hunts, but he encountered a strange fluctuation and was transported to the continent of Terra.

Now—it seems he can't return to the investigation team either.

'Perhaps the scholars on the investigation team will have some ideas. And everyone will definitely be interested in him.'

The follower cat looked at Neltharion beside him. He knew very well what made this young hunter special, able to evolve features like a dragon; this was something that had never happened before in the entire history of hunters.

The two, a human and a cat, swiftly traversed the forest. According to the cat companion, the research team's base was located not far from the coast, and their towering buildings could be seen as soon as they left the forest.

"My cat... don't you feel like it's too dark around here?"

"That's true... No matter how lush the branches and leaves are, the sunlight can't be that weak."

Neltharion quickly stood back-to-back with his cat companion, the two wary of each other's surroundings.

A rustling sound rang out as several figures burst out from the bushes.

With their tiny bodies, lizard-like heads, and yellow and blue scales, these little monsters didn't seem threatening at all.

"It's a thief dragon... the most common creature in the forest, not much of a threat. But it's very bold, it will check every little sound."

The follower cat lowered its guard, thinking that some dangerous monster had come, but it turned out to be just a small thief dragon.

"No...look into their eyes."

Neltharion's beastly instincts were kicking in frantically; he knew this wasn't something a thief dragon could bring—there was something else all around!

The eyes of the thieves were bulging and bloodshot, with their entire eyeballs filled with blood red – this was definitely not normal!

"careful!"

Just as the man and the cat were on guard, countless branches suddenly sprang out from behind the bushes. They intertwined and broke through the soil, eventually binding Neltharion and his companion cat.

With a flick of its tail, the steel tail severed most of the attacking tree branch, and the remaining branch was powerless to restrain the person and cat that had been carried away.

"What is this!?"

"I don't know!"

When in doubt, use a flashbang—Nesario simply raised the projectile in his left hand and fired it into the bushes.

As the dazzling flash exploded, the bushes that had been obscuring the view were suddenly illuminated—and a tall, thin, and terrifying shadow was revealed within them.

It has human-like limbs, but their proportions are completely out of balance, making it appear extremely thin. Its body is wrapped in tattered cloth, and what is revealed from behind the tattered cloth is not flesh and blood, but skin that looks like wood bark.

What is even more terrifying are its hands—a pair of sharp, bony claws stained with blood; its head is not human, but a deer's head that resembles white bones, with a pair of huge, wide white antlers growing on the skull.

This appearance is absolutely terrifying enough to stop a child from crying.

"Wendigo?"

Neltharion remembered the military knowledge he had learned—the section on the Ursus Empire, which highlighted a force, a desperate army composed of Sarkaz.

That army was composed of a branch of the Sarkaz—the Wendigo.

Nesario had never seen the Wendigo, but from the endless descriptions of "horrible" and "nightmare" in the books, he knew that the Wendigo must look absolutely terrifying.

Just like the guy in front of me.

Seventy-third Deer Head Spirit

"My companion cat! What kind of monster is that?!"

"I don't recognize it. It's a monster I've never heard of before."