Attack! King of the Skies!

Obviously.

Even the rocks are charred. Haven't seen anything like that since Blaze's arts.

And I'm sure she'd love to have a go at it.

Watch out! Here it comes!

Ngh!

It's no good!

Its movements are too large. Whenever we try to counterattack, it just pushes us away or flies out of range.

We're stuck on the defensive. We have to try to close the distance.

Watch out, Yato—

I'm fine.

Think about its movements... It whips its tail left and right while on the ground before charging forward to bite...

It also accelerates to charge, and flies up to breathe fire!

Tailspin, bite, charge, fire breath... here comes the tail, Corne!

Oof! Got it!

At the very least, we have to be able to close in.

You want to try that? The timing might be hard though.

I was thinking the same thing... over here!

It's cumbersome... Phew—it needs time to find its footing after movement.

We can take that opportunity to get in close.

Get me above its neck. I'll try to kill it in one blow.

Ready—dodge!

Here we go!

What?

My sword was deflected!

Look out!

It's taking off!

Ugh, that roar—

My head's buzzing—I can't move—

(It's preparing to breathe fire! Dodge to the side!)

Argh!

Yato!

You're hurt! Are you okay?

It just grazed my arm, I'm fine. I didn't expect it to dive like that all of a sudden.

Yato... you dropped your sword.

I... I can't keep a grip on it.

What... happened to my arm?

Seems like something else drew its attention. It's looking away.

Let's get out of here while we can!

Coming through! Here comes the cart!

Push!

Where to?

Don't ask meow! Just push!

Yato, those strange Felines are coming over with what looks like a bunch of scrap wood...

Hey, what are you doing? Get away from Yato!

I'm warning you! Don't even think about putting her on that thing!

Were mew trimming the Rathalos's claws, horned 'Hunter'?

Mew can't pawssibly win fur now! Hop on!

Can't pawssibly!

Stay away! I'm warning you!

Don't touch me! Hey, not there... put me down!

Get on!

No—

Smithy? Is this really how we're supposed to push? Why is the cart so rickety?

Mrow? So you've only ever seen other Felynes push their carts?

Where... where am I?

What's this? A cart... made of wood? Feels like it could fall apart any moment.

My head hurts... something hit me...

Yato... Yato! Where is she?

Hey, horned Hunter! Where are your herbs?

...Herbs? What herbs?

Then what about antidotes?

What are you talking about...?

Surely mew have Blue Mushrooms on mew? Good thing I have Antidote Herbs.

Mushrooms...? Why would I carry mushrooms with me?

That's not good. Are New World Hunters always so un-purr-pared?

Un-purr-pared?

Who are you? Local Felines?

Fel-INE? No, FEEL-yne! F-E-L-Y-N-E!

I'm a top researcher from Bherna Village, furmer Royal Purr-leontology Scrivener, a blue-blooded Felyne Scholar! I'm here to study the New World!

Mrow!

And this is Smithy from Purr-okke village! We met along the way.

Artisan! Felyne Artisan!

We're both Felynes!

Felyne!

So you're Felynes... but not Felines?

Never mew mind that! The girl's been purr-oisoned by the Rathalos. She needs an antidote, now!

W-What happened to Yato? You said she's poisoned?

She's unconscious fur now. I did some furst-aid, but the purr-oison's still there.

Rathalos poison's really dangerous. It can even kill a Rhenopurr-los this big!

I need to— Put me down!

I thought New World Hunters were the elite of the elite, but this one's not so smart.

They don't even have antidotes! What to do? The lass is pretty badly purr-oisoned, and there are no suitable mushrooms in the forest...

Village!

Right, the fastest way is to get some from a village! Remember the one that we saw from a distance?

The Hunters there can't pawssibly lack basic ingredients like these! I'm so smart!

Mrow?

Hey, dumb horned Hunter! We're going to go get Blue Mushrooms fur the antidote!

Find a camp to rest at and wait fur us!

Camp? Where? Hey!

No time to waste! Let's go!

Mrow!

That night, the sky was set on fire, and the great monster came down from the forest, trying to burn the village down with its flames!

The village hunter stepped forward and told the others, 'I'm a hunter, so I'll protect the village!'

'How dare you try to stop my flames of destruction, puny little hunter!'

'You won't take another step forward, monster!'

The hunter raises his weapon and fights the monster threatening the village.

Giant fireball!

Hnf! Haah!

(Wrestles)

Argh!

Ha!

I win!

I told you! The hunter always wins!

No! I didn't lose!

Don't be a sore loser! I took you down!

The hunter never loses, no matter how scary the monster is!

No...

Dad told me that there aren't any hunters anymore.

You're lying! Old Kashiwau living on the south side of the village is a great hunter!

Dad says old Kashiwau is just a stubborn old man.

There aren't any hunters left because the village doesn't need them anymore. That's why the monster won't lose!

Wake up, Yato.

Those... Felynes... said you're poisoned. Do you remember? You need to stay awake.

Stop shaking me... I'm can hear you.

How do you feel?

My head feels heavy, and my arm's swollen. Must be the poison.

Their first aid treatment worked. I feel a little better.

That flying creature's claws were venomous. It's my fault for not dodging...

No, it's not.

Those two creatures... they call themselves Felynes. Might be a unique local Feline variant.

We shouldn't have let them go. They seemed to know about the creature. We should have learned everything we could from them first.

What was it they said... they're looking for an antidote? Sorry, I'll go after them. You rest here.

No, we need to go to the village, now.

What? But you're injured, and they told us to wait...

We need to go as soon as possible. There's a huge monster in the forest. We don't know if it'll threaten the village directly, but it was clearly responsible for those marks.

So it must have something to do with the Oripathy, and we have no way to prevent it from moving over a large area. That's what matters right now.

I don't know if the village is already aware of the creature, but our top priority is to communicate the situation to the villagers and organize an evacuation to prevent the infection from spreading.

But you need rest.

The mission comes first. We need to ensure the villagers' safety.

Fine... I remember the way. I'll carry you there.

Corne.

Yeah?

No need to carry me... I can walk on my own.

Don't mew think there's something odd about this village, Smithy?

Mrow?

I've traveled across the kingdom with the Scriveners.

I've climbed the walls of Castle Schrade, watched the waves at Moga Village, seen countless meowgnificent sights...

But I'm pawsitive I've never seen a village like this!

Did you see those villagers? They looked like humans, but had ears and tails like ours!

I'm sure there's no record of them in all the libraries of Dundorma.

Not to meowntion, we didn't see a single Hunter!

There's a Rathalos in the forest, but no Hunters in the village, no gathering hub. How are they supposed to deal with the meownster?

If this village wasn't founded by the Research Commission, then could this pawssibly not be the New World...? I don't understand. Where are we?

So excited!

W-What? Why?

Wait, Smithy! Do you remember the Rathalos that we ran into? The big guy that suddenly appeared in the forest and came after us?

Then there was a light! Could that have been...? Wait, Smithy?

Smithy? Where are you?

We're at the village. Are you okay?

I said I... *cough* I'm fine...

(She's running a high fever...)

Let's stop and rest here.

I'll find help.

Hey! Can anybody help? Someone's hurt!

Anybody? Hello?

(Far away) Chikushou! Catch it! That yellow thing!

(Far away) Hurry! It went that way!

Where is everybody?

(Far away) There! The thief went that way!

Corne...

I'm getting dizzy... Did you evacuate the villagers?

No, this wasn't me.

Thank you... *cough*

Stop talking. Save your strength.

Isn't it funny? We just started, but somehow this feels like the end...

D-D-Don't say stuff like that!

Yato... Yato! Say something!

Crap! Anyone?

Excuse me?

Do you guys need help?

Yes, yes! She's badly hurt.

Let me see... was it an animal that did this?

Yes!

There's a place that can help her. I'll take you there!

—! Thank you!

Over here!

So shiny!

Want this too!

So many new tools and meowterials! Yay!

Kuso! Where did that yellow thief get off to?

H-He just went that way! Zipped right past my feet!

After him!

Smithy! Over here!

What did mew do? Why are so many people after mew?

Look! So much new stuff!

Meow goodness! Don't take people's stuff like that!

He's here!

Hey, there's another one?

Oh whiskers— let's get to the forest!

The thief went that way!

The entrance to the forest is blocked! Hey, is that a Hunter's hut?

A Hunter Hut!

Stop running off like that!

Over here! There's a hole here!

Where did those Felines go?

Shh—

That's... the Kashiwau house. The old man would never let them in.

Ano yarou-domo... Let's look over there! Don't let them get away!

Are they gone? Whew!

Mrrowagh!

What is it this time?

Mrrowagh!

J-Just some furs hanging off the wall.

But this place really looks just like a Hunter's House...

Up there! Can! Mushrooms!

Where? Let me see... on the shelves? Oh, they do indeed appurr to be Blue Mushrooms.

Let's try them. They could make a good antidote!

Shh... pawsteps! Get down!

Let's scampurr!

Mrow! The entrance's boarded up!

What to do... Is there somewhere we can hide?

(Swings a hammer) Meow!

I-I suppose that's one way to do it...

The pawsteps are getting closer! We have to do this...

Listen, Smithy, when they come in, jump onto the nearest purr-son's head.

Then do THIS with the hammer!

I'll run past them while they're distracted, and you follow. Understand?

So excited!

On meow mark!

Three!

Two!

One!

Mrow!

Almost there... that's the one. It's old Kashiwau's house.

He's the village hunter. A good man.

He has a lot of things in his house for treating injuries caused by beasts. He can help you.

Thank you so much...

No need to thank me. By the way, my name's Kazuya.

Old Kashiwau often goes into the mountains to hunt and comes back with lots of stuff. He's amazing.

He also spent a lot of time building a fence around the village so the animals can't get in. He really cares for everyone.

Sounds like quite the guy!

Hang in there, Yato. We're almost there.

*cough*...

Oh, he seems to be out. Just pull that stick down to open the door.

But the owner's out...

Don't worry, he likes to help people. He'd let you rest if he was here, I guarantee it.

Alright then.

Wait here, Yato. I'll get the door.

Is it this one? There... ouch!

Mrow!

Ow! My head!

Smithy! Stop!

It's... the horned Hunter?

The F-Felines?

With a Y! And don't you dare furget it!

Shake a couple of times... there we go.

Here, have the lass drink this.

What is it?

An antidote, of course... I think. There weren't any Blue Mushrooms, so I used something I found here that looked similar. I'm sure it'll work. Just drink it.

I remember!

You remember what?

The newest antidote recipe... doesn't use Blue Mushrooms.

What? Why didn't you say— Mrow! Well, my recipe uses mushrooms. You shut up!

Will Yato get better?

A horned weirdo who doesn't even gnaw what an antidote herb is...

Mew wouldn't ask questions like that if mew had a brain under that horn.

I've just never heard of anything called an antidote herb growing in Terra... Oh, Yato's fever is dropping. Thank goodness.

So you're saying... this place is called Terra? It's not the New World?

And you're not a Hunter like the ones we're furmiliar with...

Oh yeah, and stop calling me horned weirdo! I'm here on a mission.

Could this pawssibly be... not the New World, but an entirely diffurent world?

No... my plans to research the New World!

I would have become the greatest scholar there, respurr-cted by everyone... I'm done fur!

Done fur!

Er... maybe we should introduce ourselves.

I'm Noir Corne. And she's...

Yato. Mew've said it so many times now, I can't even get the name out of my fur.

So you aren't Felines, but... Felynes? And you used to live with creatures that look very much like us, before you came here.

In a world where Hunters and monsters exist.

Completely diffurent from here.

So did that flying, firebreathing creature come from your world?

The Rathalos? I couldn't say if anything similar lives here, but I am pawsitive this one came with us.

In our world, they live with Rathians near volcanos and forests. They're really scary wyverns!

So you were yelling at us that the creature was coming. What was the name again? Rath-something...

Are your ears just fur show?!

It's a Rathalos.

Rathalos... the name does sound impressive.

It could fly so high, breathe huge fireballs, not to mention the venomous claws and a hide so tough it could stop swords... I guess it deserves a scary name.

Purr-cisely, but we have ways of handling them.

What did you say?

However, you're too weak, and your weapons are useless. Mew shouldn't even think about fighting a Rathalos.

If it were the legendary Hunter from Bherna Village, he would go 'Eh!' and 'Hmph!'

And the Rathalos would be dead.

Just like that?

Just like that?

You must have Hunters capable of hunting a Rathalos in your village too, Smithy. Purr-haps you just didn't see them.

Anyway, let's set the Rathalos aside and think about how to send meow and Smithy home!

Corne...

I'm here. Are you feeling better?

I've been awake for a while. I was listening to your conversation... Have the villagers been evacuated?

I... I haven't told them yet.

......

Here's what I'm thinking. We only fought the Rathalos once. We don't know what connection it has to the Originium.

...The chaos caused by a panic or a large-scale evacuation could make it even harder to track the true source of the Originium particles.

Not a bad point. But taking countermeasures is always the priority whenever there is risk of Oripathy infection. Never forget that.

Do you still have a fever? I have a towel here.

I'm fine.

Oh, you're awake! Hm?

Oh, so you two are...

I-It's not like that! Shut up!

Huh? What are you talking about?

......

......

......

Who are you?

Speak, or I'll have to clean bloodstains off my floor today.

Wait! Hold on!

They got hurt in the mountains. I brought them here.

Hurt?

I took a scratch from a venomous claw. We used some of the ingredients here to make an antidote.

Thank you, and we apologize for bothering you. We'll be leaving now.

Ano kemono-domo...

Lie down if you're injured.

Oh...

Yoshitaka Kashiwau.

That's my name. You can call me whatever you please.

I'm a hunter. There are many beasts in the forests here. Amateurs should avoid them.

Thank you for your assistance. We're—

I don't need to know who you are.

And you, over here.

Me?

The girl's hurt. Boil some water for her.

And put that rag down.

...Sure, right away!

Kazuya, grind this up. Dissolve it in water and apply it to the wound.

Right.

Felyne Scholar, are you trying to return to your world?

Pawbviously.

I don't know how you and the Rathalos got here, but do you know how to get back?

Good question. I was looking around with Smithy, but there were nothing but trees. We can't go back the way we came, but there might be some other way in the forest.

We can try the forest, but the odds aren't good.

So how about making an agreement with us?

Mrow?

I know a place that may be able to help you return to where you came from.

Where is that?

Rhodes Island, the company Noir Corne and I work for. We often deal with... anomalous events.

Even if there's no immediate way home, it can still provide a safe refuge. Corne and I are in a similar situation ourselves.

In return, we'll need your knowledge in case we encounter the Rathalos again.

We... may even need to kill it, as you mentioned.

Rathalos hunt!

Mrow... I can't make any purr-omises right now. I need some time.

You have villages where you came from, don't you? Would you just turn a blind eye when there's a threat nearby?

We fought the Rathalos, a creature that has never been seen in these lands before. We know it's not something we can just leave alone.

More importantly... it may also be linked to another crisis, one that's more familiar to Terra.

Maybe you don't understand what I'm talking about, but we have evidence that we can't afford to waste any time in dealing with the situation.

Oripathy aside... a creature of that size that breathes fire and has venomous claws is a threat simply by virtue of existing so close to a village.

What did you say?

Flying... firebreathing... venomous claws? You saw the beast?

You've seen the Rathalos before too?

We encountered it in the forest, and believe it to be a non-native creature that is highly dangerous. We will continue to investigate and take appropriate measures as needed.

It's my quarry.

Perfect. As an experienced local hunter who knows these forests, we could really use your skills.

We share a common goal. We should work together. We'll ensure your safety.

Did you not hear me? I said it's my quarry.

I'm afraid I don't quite understand. Are you concerned about our combat abilities?

Rhodes Island operators are well-trained and experienced in responding to emergencies. Dealing with anomalous creatures is part of our job.

We were caught by surprise this time, but next time we'll be fully prepared.

Aho! It's my quarry, and I will hunt it... alone.

How dare you disrespect my claim!

This Rathalos is an unknown creature that we can't underestimate. It doesn't belong to you.

Ha! Look at the state you got yourself into. And you speak of combat ability?

Weak, worthless worms... Lower than an Originium Slug...

What are you thinking? No, don't dare even—

No offense, but you have no right to stop us from investigating the Rathalos. It's our job.

I'm warning you, don't let me see your face in the forest! I don't care who you are!

Just stay away from my quarry!

If you interfere with our mission, we will be forced to consider you a threat and respond accordingly.

I can only hope it doesn't come to that.

Damare!

...Get out!

Out of my house! Now!

Out!

I got the water! Huh? What happened?

Mr. Kashiwau, why...

Let's go, Corne.

Wait! Hold on!

D-Don't throw that! You take care too... E-Excuse us!

Mrow!

Wait!

I'm sorry, I don't know what came over him all of a sudden.

He's really a very nice person. That wasn't like him at all.

Thank you for your help, Kazuya.

But we're fine. Go keep the old man company.

Alright...

I don't understand why he was so upset. Just because we're also looking for the Rathalos?

He lives by himself with no family, far away from the rest of the village, and everything in there looked old and ragged.

Do you remember the hunter statue in the village? I thought it'd be a respected profession here.

Don't worry about it. It won't affect our mission.

We should learn more about this village and look for clues about the Originium contamination.

I'm sorry... I just wanted to help them.

Are they gone?

Uh-huh...

The girl seemed to be getting better.

*sigh*...