Chapter 132: Capturing the Tobi-Kadachi

The carefully laid trap ensnared the target, and Su Yi and his companion monsters quickly descended to the base of the tree.

At this moment, the Tobi-Kadachi stood with one claw on the shock trap, its body flickering with electrical discharges as it convulsed. However, because it was a creature that dealt with electricity itself, the Tobi-Kadachi soon showed signs of breaking free.

Seeing this, Su Yi immediately commanded: "Great Jagras, Dragon Pulse!"

The Great Jagras opened its maw and released a surge of dragon-element energy with all its might. A powerful bolt of energy surged forth, striking the Tobi-Kadachi with a thunderous blast just as it was about to escape the paralysis.

Boom!

The Tobi-Kadachi fell to the side. The Odogaron leaped down and charged forward like a hunting leopard. The Tobi-Kadachi scrambled to its feet, stumbling toward the woods.

*Tobi-Kadachi: I just need to reach that place!*

Whoosh!

A capture ball was fired at high speed from a slinger, opening with a loud pop right in front of the Tobi-Kadachi.

*Skree!*

The Tobi-Kadachi shrieked in shock and rage. In front of it, the Tzitzi-Ya-Ku flared its light-emitting crest, immediately beginning to charge up.

*Tzitzi-Ya-Ku: [Click, click].*

Seeing the gathering flash, the Tobi-Kadachi’s serpent-like pupils constricted, sensing imminent danger.

The next instant!

*Flash!*

The blinding light hit at point-blank range. The Tobi-Kadachi squeezed its eyes shut, howling in pain as it bowed its head. The pursuing Odogaron let out a wild roar, its sharp claws lashing out in succession, beating the temporarily blinded Tobi-Kadachi to the ground.

*Whimper...*

The Tobi-Kadachi collapsed, struggling weakly.

*Thud!*

The Odogaron pressed its claws onto the Tobi-Kadachi’s head, emitting a threatening growl. The Tobi-Kadachi ceased its struggles as if accepting its fate, letting out only faint, listless breaths.

"Go, capture ball!" Su Yi seized the opportunity and threw the ball.

Before the astonished eyes of the Aibo and Aiden, the ten-meter-long Tobi-Kadachi was sucked into the fist-sized sphere.

*Hum!*

The capture ball vibrated violently, then continued to shake. The Aibo and Aiden were caught up in the tension of the capture, their expressions becoming anxious and uncertain.

*Click!*

With a flash of light, the ball stopped shaking and lay still on the ground.

"Did we succeed?" the Aibo asked uncertainly.

Su Yi breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to pick up the capture ball.

"Tobi-Kadachi, get!" Su Yi held the ball high, a radiant smile on his face.

"We did it!" the Aibo and Aiden cheered in delight.

Aiden marveled, "Su Yi, the coordination between you and your monster partners is incredible."

From the Tobi-Kadachi’s ambush to the chase through the woods and the final capture, only half a day had passed. If it were him, he would have spent a massive amount of time just tracking the creature, let alone subduing it so quickly. Such efficient hunting could only be achieved through cooperation with monsters.

"Hahaha, it’s mostly because the Tobi-Kadachi isn't high in the ecological hierarchy. If it were another monster, it wouldn't be this easy," Su Yi said with a laugh.

If the Tobi-Kadachi hadn't had the terrain advantage of the forest to dodge and weave, its fate would likely have been the same as the Paolumu from before—taken down by a single combo from two or three companion monsters.

After successfully capturing the Tobi-Kadachi, the group immediately returned to the base.

"Caw~" Outside the base gates, the Corviknight greeted them happily upon their return.

At the Astera command center:

"I'm glad you've returned safely." The Commander maintained his steady composure, though a clear sense of relief showed in his eyes.

"A close call, but a fruitful harvest," Su Yi smiled.

"Indeed, the Corviknight brought back precious materials, and the researchers are already impatient to begin their work. But did you encounter anything unusual on your way back from the forest?" the Commander asked.

"Did something happen?" Aiden asked.

The Commander’s gaze darkened. "When our hunters were clearing out unstable elements in the Ancient Forest, an Anjanath and its subspecies, the Fulgur Anjanath, crashed into the battle, causing quite a bit of trouble for the hunters."

The Aibo and Su Yi exchanged a look, and the Aibo said, "On our way back to the base from the Ancient Forest, we were attacked by a Tobi-Kadachi."

"A monster that usually wouldn't attack hunters proactively not only launched a retaliatory-like strike against us but also lured us into the territory dispute between the Anjanath and the Fulgur Anjanath."

"A Tobi-Kadachi?"

"If I recall correctly, that was a target for one of our hunting teams. The creature had become increasingly agitated over the past few days, causing significant trouble for our researchers and gatherers," the Commander noted. "But this series of events..." He frowned.

Su Yi stepped forward. "Let me share my findings first."

All eyes in the command center turned to him.

"About a month ago, a Kushala Daora visited the Ancient Forest." His words left everyone in shock.

"A Kushala Daora in the Ancient Forest? A month ago?" The Field Team Leader was astonished.

"A month ago? Was that the sudden, violent storm? I see," the Commander realized.

Because of that storm, the monsters in the Ancient Forest had suddenly become aggressive, making investigation and exploration difficult. Because they were short-handed at the time, they hadn't been able to track the Elder Dragon's arrival in time. Although they had initial suspicions, the matter had eventually been shelved.

"By the way, were you already in the Ancient Forest a month ago?" the Commander asked, surprised.

"Ahem, that’s not the point." Su Yi quickly changed the subject. "After that strange weather brought by the Elder Dragon, the ecology of the Ancient Forest shifted."

"A Azure Rathalos arrived and clashed with the Rathian, and a Fulgur Anjanath appeared and began fighting for territory with the Anjanath."

"This time, we witnessed their struggle again. From various signs, it’s clear that after the Anjanath failed its initial territorial dispute, it invaded the Tobi-Kadachi's range. After that, the Tobi-Kadachi’s territory was squeezed by both the Anjanath and the Fulgur Anjanath."

"Furthermore, the arrival of Zorah Magdaros put further strain on the forest's ecology, threatening the Tobi-Kadachi's habitat even more, which made it increasingly volatile and aggressive."

As previously mentioned, every visit from an Elder Dragon causes unease among monsters. Their way of coping is to hunt, claim territory, or expel rivals—behaviors that increase their chances of survival and resource acquisition. In other words, every Elder Dragon arrival reshuffles the hierarchy of territory and resources.

The weak suffer in such transitions, eventually either being driven out or dying in the conflict. The Tobi-Kadachi was unfortunately caught between the Anjanath and the Fulgur Anjanath, placing it under immense survival pressure. If not for its ability to leap through the trees to maneuver, it would have been driven away or killed long ago.