Chapter 131: Beasts Converging Here

Roar!

An Anjanath, its hide covered in a tapestry of old and new scars, stepped into the forest clearing. It let out a ferocious roar, yet its demeanor was exceptionally cautious.

Upon spotting the Anjanath, the Tobi-Kadachi’s fur stood on end. Electricity crackled across its body; it appeared enraged, yet clearly fearful.

The Anjanath glanced at the Tobi-Kadachi, emitting a threatening growl. It then raised its snout to sniff the air, before turning its gaze toward Su Yi, its eyes sharpening instantly.

"It’s that same Anjanath from when we first met, meow!" Navirou exclaimed.

"So, that fellow still remembers me," Su Yi mused, finding it strangely amusing.

From the way the Anjanath had locked onto him the moment it caught his scent, Su Yi knew it was the very same beast that had given him such a "warm welcome" when he first arrived in this world.

ROAR!

The Fulgur Anjanath, annoyed by the Anjanath’s decision to ignore it, let out an angry bellow.

The Anjanath immediately shifted its attention away from Su Yi and the Tobi-Kadachi, responding to the Fulgur Anjanath with a furious roar of its own.

"These two must have clashed more than once," Su Yi thought, pieces of information clicking into place in his mind.

Long ago, Su Yi had witnessed the Anjanath and the Fulgur Anjanath vying for control of this forest. Given the fresh wounds on the Anjanath, it wasn't hard to guess it had been the loser of that struggle. Having lost its territory, the Anjanath had likely wandered into the Tobi-Kadachi’s domain, sparking a new conflict. Squeezed out of its territory by the two larger monsters, the Tobi-Kadachi had been forced to the forest's outskirts. Combined with the recent chain of events triggered by the arrival of Zorah Magdaros, the Tobi-Kadachi had likely clashed with members of the Research Commission.

The pressure and anxiety of survival, coupled with its injuries, had caused the Tobi-Kadachi to abandon its usual caution and attack Su Yi’s party. Now, all the parties involved in these conflicts were gathered in this single forest clearing.

Fate, it seemed, was truly unpredictable.

"Should we retreat for now?" Aiden suggested. A battle in such chaotic conditions was far too dangerous.

Su Yi sighed. "We have no other choice."

Driven by the resentment of losing its territory, the Anjanath completely ignored the Tobi-Kadachi and Su Yi, charging straight at the Fulgur Anjanath. The Fulgur Anjanath, refusing to back down, charged forward to meet it.

BOOM!

The two massive beasts collided with brutal force, the impact sending both reeling back a few steps. The Anjanath growled low, flames igniting in its throat and licking out from between its serrated teeth. Across the Fulgur Anjanath’s body, lightning began to coil; patterns glowed along its wing membranes, and sparks of electricity crackled within its jaws.

In a contest of brute strength, the Fulgur Anjanath undoubtedly held the advantage; its electrified state reinforced its muscles, significantly boosting its power. It was truly a monster worthy of surviving across the New World and even the Hoarfrost Reach—its adaptability and strength were exceptional.

This was no time to watch the show. Su Yi commanded his Odogaron to quietly retreat. The heavily injured Tobi-Kadachi also slipped away into the shadows.

Back in the clearing, fire and lightning illuminated the forest, the air filled with the relentless sounds of roars and collisions as the two monsters fought with everything they had for the resources to survive.

"You two take your time," Su Yi said, letting out a breath of relief once they were safely back in the woods.

"Are we still tracking the Tobi-Kadachi?" Aiden asked.

"We can," Su Yi replied. "The Scoutflies have locked onto its scent." Thanks to the fur the Odogaron had torn off during their previous encounter, tracking the beast would be no problem.

"If possible, I suggest we subdue it," the Handler analyzed. "The state the Tobi-Kadachi is in, it clearly views humans as threats now. Since we're on the outskirts of the forest, close to the base, it's bound to run into the Research Commission again. It’s a ticking time bomb."

"Then let's keep tracking it while those two are busy tearing each other apart," Su Yi decided. This was their window of opportunity.

He used the Tobi-Kadachi's fur to focus the Scoutflies, then mounted his Odogaron to give chase. Guided by the glowing insects, they began finding traces of the Tobi-Kadachi—footprints, tufts of fur, and more.

HUM!

The *Hunter’s Guide* at Su Yi’s waist vibrated slightly. He knew this meant a long-awaited investigation quest had been triggered, though now was hardly the time to check it.

Soon, the group followed the trail to the base of an Ancient Forest root. Though it was technically a root, it was enormous—a wooden wall spanning the earth, symbiotic with countless other plants. Without looking closely, one might mistake it for a small hill overgrown with vegetation.

If his intuition was correct, the Tobi-Kadachi’s nest was nearby.

"Wait," Su Yi halted, observing the surroundings. If the Tobi-Kadachi escaped back into the dense forest, tracking it again would be a nightmare. He identified several potential escape routes around the root and began pulling items from his pack.

"What is that?" the Handler asked, watching as Su Yi pulled out several iron boxes.

Su Yi grinned. "These are some handy tools we'll be needing."

He handed out shock traps to Navirou and Aiden, instructing them to place them along the likely paths of escape. Since they could now purchase trap kits at the base for a reasonable price, there was no need to be stingy.

In no time, every viable exit was covered in a web of traps—a true nightmare for the beast.

Su Yi recalled his Odogaron and crept toward the target, following the Scoutflies. In a hollow at the top of the root, lined with vines and branches, the Tobi-Kadachi lay curled up, eyes closed in rest.

Su Yi threw three specialized balls. As they flew, the Tobi-Kadachi, its sleep light, snapped awake, eyes darting in alarm. Suddenly, the Odogaron, Great Jagras, and Kulu-Ya-Ku appeared around the nest. The Tobi-Kadachi shrieked in panic, but its fear quickly boiled over into fury as it entered its electrified state. Its fur and quills stood on end, electric currents dancing like vipers across its back.

The three accompanying monsters didn't wait for orders; they unleashed their attacks at once. The Odogaron, swiftest of them all, struck first with a flurry of claws.

SLASH!

The razor-sharp talons tore through hide and scale, drawing blood and leaving jagged wounds on the Tobi-Kadachi. Staggering back in pain, the Tobi-Kadachi was met by the Great Jagras, which lunged forward, slamming its massive belly into the beast.

HISSS!

Enraged, the Tobi-Kadachi jabbed back with its electrified quills. The Great Jagras recoiled, its assault halted. From behind, the Kulu-Ya-Ku hurled a massive rock at the Tobi-Kadachi.

Caught between enemies, the Tobi-Kadachi leaped into the air, bringing its electrified tail down onto the Kulu-Ya-Ku.

"Odogaron, suppress it!" Su Yi shouted.

The Odogaron’s claws blurred, forcing the Tobi-Kadachi to retreat step by step. Suffering from grievous wounds, the beast dropped out of its electrified state, lunged backward, and deployed its gliding membranes, soaring down toward the base of the root.

"One," Su Yi sprinted to the edge of the root.

"Two," he looked down, spotting the Tobi-Kadachi landing on a wooden platform.

"Three!" Su Yi scrambled down the vines in pursuit.

At that exact moment, the Tobi-Kadachi’s shrill cry echoed through the air, followed immediately by the sharp crackle of electricity.