Bear School Astartes-Chapter 697 - 680. News, ’thugs’ blocking the way

The old man of the Douding Dragon Race finally took away his "Taming Bubble Fox Dragon with Another Method."

After all, he’s really advanced in age... Although Lann thinks this Dragon-man elder can live for at least a few more decades, he certainly looks old enough.

Reading some beneficial little book for mental and physical health isn’t something anyone can complain about.

Even those responsible for shipping materials from the Old Continent didn’t say anything, right?

So, Lann resumed his study routine: managing book transport, classification, ecological records, and reading books that interest him.

He’s become quite familiar with the scholars at the ecological research institute during this time.

In a place like the Star Base, a gathering of elites, there are very few who possess both the martial skills of a hunter and the knowledge of a scholar.

And Lann clearly has a deep reservoir of knowledge, albeit in a different field from theirs.

So it’s not just these scholars solving Lann’s questions; they also gain something during the process.

Thus, through mutual exchange, they’ve become quite conversational.

And Lann seized the moment to ask the research institute director the question he had just pondered.

"Why was the expedition’s task progress so slow before the arrival of the Fifth Period Team?"

The old man of the Dragon-man Race raised his head from behind the book shielding his face and adjusted his glasses.

"Ah, you’re from another world, aren’t you? It’s normal to have such inquiries. There’s no need to feel awkward speaking about it; we simply couldn’t defeat the powerful monsters."

"Couldn’t defeat them?" Lann, holding a stack of books in one hand, moved them to a newly defined area.

"How come? That Sword Master seems incredibly formidable just by looking at him! Plus, there are legendary elites from the First Period Team—the Grand Commander, the Dragon-man Insect Manipulation Stick Hunter, the Master of the Wild... They all sound impressive."

"You’re absolutely right, but before the Fifth Period Team arrived, the New Continent Expedition Team’s highest hunting achievement was only the Barbaric Jaws Dragon and the Female Fire Dragon."

Facing Lann’s surprise and raised eyebrows, the research institute director spoke in the same unmoving tone as when he took away the small book.

"You must understand, Lann. The New Continent’s ’Ancient Dragon Crossing’ research is a decades-long large-scale project. Each of the five teams has its own tasks."

"The First Period Team gathered top talents in various fields to establish a foothold in the ecologically complex and unknown new continent."

"The Second Period Team’s technicians were responsible for constructing a base, the Third Period Team’s scholars started research, and the Fourth Period Team’s supply group expanded the base, making resources self-sufficient."

"As you now know, everything for these decades was just laying the foundation. Once the foundation was established, the Fifth Period Team, serving as the force, set foot on the new continent, ready to pierce through any obstacles to investigate factors."

"So do you think these teams specially for ’laying the foundation’ would have extraordinary hunters? It’s challenging to deal with the Barbaric Jaws Dragon and Female Fire Dragon."

"The First Period Team indeed had legendary hunters. Sword Master and Grand Commander were legendary figures of their time. That famous ’New Continent Biological Encyclopedia’ was a product of their active period and is the only significant survey report from the New Continent Expedition Team developed so far."

"But precisely because they are legendary figures, they often move unpredictably, as their goals were always ancient dragons."

"And after decades, although they might not admit aging, reality says otherwise..."

The research institute director shrugged.

"Maybe even now, if the Sword Master’s target appears before him, he might not be qualified to draw his sword against it?"

"The Sword Master’s... target?"

"The Flame King Dragon. He’s pursued this ancient dragon for a long time, reportedly because he desires to challenge this majesty akin to a scorching sun’s crown. It’s rumored that he once escaped from this ancient dragon’s clutches and desires a rematch."

The Flame King Dragon, scientifically named Theo Discator.

A species of ancient dragon with a common dragon skeletal structure—two wings and four legs, with some lion-like features.

Based on Lann’s study over this period, it’s rumored that ’if this ancient dragon remains in one place too long, it might even transform the surrounding environment into molten scorched earth.’

This power, which profoundly influences the surrounding environment simply by existing, is one of the traits of ancient dragons.

Lann pondered, somewhat entranced.

In this world, if you talk about which creatures catch his curiosity the most, making him eager to observe their ecological and anatomical traits, of course it’s the legendary ancient dragons.

In this world, ancient dragons are usually considered divine entities.

Humans in ancient times encapsulated their worship and fear of calamities and climate into these creature that embody the forces of nature.

Storms, tsunamis, wildfires, thunderstorms...

If learning about this world’s ecology has taught Lann that nearly all monsters have relatively ’scientific’ explanations.

Only ancient dragons... These entities seem like characters straight out of fantasy movies.

Their portrayal in books even adopts a different art style!

While Lann was lost in thought about ancient dragons, news seemed to come back from outside the Star Base, uplifting everyone.

These hunters perfectly aligned with Lann’s stereotypical impression, starting to cheer joyfully and enthusiastically, without suppression of emotions.

The joyous mood spread like contagion, quickly moving from the third-floor dining area to the second-floor forging area, and it seemed ready to reach the first-floor circulation area.

And when Lann returned to his senses, wishing to hear why the hunters were cheering...

The Commander-in-Chief and Little Jack beat the news spread, arriving in front of Lann amidst the book piles.

The Commander-in-Chief’s dark face rarely shows obvious emotions—this is one of his differences from ordinary hunters.

But Little Jack was much easier to understand.

His expression mixed surprise and anticipation.

"Is there news about the Molten Mountain Dragon?"

Before the Commander-in-Chief could speak, Lann made a calm guess. The expedition team had worked hard for this target for a long time.

Little Jack’s expression confirmed it without a doubt.

"The report just came in; the recommended team has identified the Molten Mountain Dragon’s movement patterns in the Great Ant Mound Wasteland and dispatched an investigation report via Winged Dragon."

The Commander-in-Chief first nodded, officially affirming Lann’s guess, then continued with the details.

"This is an unprecedented opportunity for us; we’re preparing to attempt intercepting its path during the Molten Mountain Dragon’s movement. Even if we fail to block it, we can gain invaluable ecological knowledge about it."

Concerning the ancient dragon, even the Commander-in-Chief’s darkened face showed some excitement with a reddish tint.

"Hmm, but the issue is...?"

Lann tilted his head, signaling the Commander-in-Chief to continue with the content following ’however.’

The Demon Hunter’s calm and astute demeanor helped the Commander-in-Chief regain his composure.

"But intercepting a moving volcanic mountain requires not only elite hunters but also large-scale weapons and resources. We’ll need to transport materials from the Star Base all the way to the Great Ant Mound Wasteland."

"But the issue is... We’ve recently discovered a Barbaric Jaws Dragon frequently hovering around the Star Base, obstructing material transport."

"We need to eliminate this ’Forest Bandit.’"

When the Commander-in-Chief mentioned ’there’s a Barbaric Jaws Dragon,’ an inexplicable sense of familiarity stirred within Lann’s heart.