Monster Hunter: I can accept monster quests

Chen Yan led Flower Cat on a aimless wandering in the Ancient Tree Forest for a whole morning, but did not encounter the Poisonous Demon Bird he was longing for.

He had originally hoped to encounter a quest-giving Puck, complete which would reward him with something like venom resistance, and perhaps even surprise the Chameleon with a surprise...

But before he could find the Poisonous Bird, while resting under a few ordinary trees, he saw several fluffy, azure-blue feathers carrying tiny arcs of electricity drifting down from the sky.

In the instant he looked up, he only caught a glimpse of a huge shadow flashing across the sky. Despite the clear weather, he could clearly hear the noise of electricity surging and crackling.

Behind a dense forest, Chen Yan spotted a pair of sharp red eyes in the shadows.

Perhaps realizing it had been discovered, the hiding monster let out a sharp screech, bursting forth and flipping through the air, whipping its long, thorny tail, crackling with electricity, down on its head.

Even faster than Chen Yan's dodging was the white bubble that appeared in his mind.

[The Tobi-Kadachi issued a quest request: My claws are so numb.]

【I have a hang glider, but I just don't use it, not even when I jump from a very high place. What, you're asking if my feet get numb from jumping around like that?】

[Compensation for services: Skin glider/lightning resistance/static charge]

Chen Yan and Hua Miao dodged the lightning slap that came crashing down from the sky from the left and right sides of the Flying Thunder Dragon.

The Flower Cat drew its katana, its body tense, its fur slightly bristling. Unlike the large and small Jagras it had hunted before, it felt an indescribable sense of oppression from this monster it had never seen before.

"Chen Yan, fight or retreat?"

Chen Yan also drew his sword to confront it. He carefully examined the Flying Thunder Dragon and indeed saw folded flesh membranes under its forepaws. He also glanced at its forepaws, which were scratching at the rotten wood beneath it, and saw what looked like a layer of fleshy pads.

"Even with paw pads, won't your paws go numb from jumping so high...?"

Compared to the man and cat standing in front of him, the Flying Thunder Dragon was clearly more interested in the Flower Cat. It hissed at Chen Yan as if issuing a warning, while its eyes were full of hunger as it looked at the Flower Cat.

Chen Yan suddenly realized that it wasn't him who attracted the Flying Thunder Dragon, but the Flower Cat.

The Tobi-Kadachi is a carnivorous monster that also eats carrion. In the Ancient Forest, the Tobi-Kadachi has a higher ecological niche than the Jagras and Pukei-Pukei, making it one of the best among medium-sized monsters.

The small-sized Tobi-Kadachi is obviously no match for large and powerful monsters like Anjanath and Rathalos. They usually feed on small monsters, and the Detyl Lynx living in the Ancient Forest happens to be one of the prey that Tobi-Kadachi can easily catch.

Could it be that they mistook the tabby cat for a Dettel lynx with a different skin color?

Chen Yan was the first to charge towards the Flying Thunder Dragon.

"Hey, are your feet numb? If they are, lie down and I'll give you a set of Chen's Secret Foot Massage!"

Chapter 10: Start Boiling Water!

"Watch out, Flower Cat! It's going to charge at you with its dragon chariot and bite you. Watch whether it pulls its jaws back after the first bite. If it doesn't, it'll bite again!"

While Chen Yan was attacking the Flying Thunder Dragon from its flank, trying to shave and discharge as much electricity as possible, he kept a close eye on its movements. As the thorn-like electrode needles on its body rose and fell, it rushed out at an extremely fast speed, biting at the Flower Cat with sparks and lightning all the way.

Having received Chen Yan's warning, Hua Miao had already planted the tip of her knife in the ground, one paw holding the hilt and the other bracing against the back of the blade, forming a stable triangle with the ground as an anchor point. At the same time, she held her breath and lifted her buttocks, trying to make her soft, flabby body hard.

Despite being well-prepared, when the Flying Thunder Dragon actually charged at it, at the moment of contact, its fat trembled violently in a visible arc, and amidst the thunder and lightning, it was pushed back half a meter before coming to a stop.

Before the Flying Thunder Dragon could even raise its claws to scratch the Flower Cat, Chen Yan followed closely behind. He seized the opportunity perfectly, and the moment the Flying Thunder Dragon stopped its charge, he slashed down with his blade. The blade light grazed the scales on its waist, scraping away at least half a pound of fur with a crackling sound.

"Chen Yan, why are you shaving its fur? Go chop it up!"

The Floatre, which had been taking the brunt of the Tobi-Kadachi's attacks head-on, was furious. It was bad enough that its opponent was agile and its attacks were incredibly powerful and difficult to deal with, but why was its teammate so unhelpful? After fighting for so long, it hadn't even broken the monster's skin, its movements as gentle as if it were shaving its girlfriend's legs...

If Chen Yan had been attacked head-on while it was hacking wildly from the flanks, it would have already ripped off one of the Flying Thunder Dragon's legs.

"Don't panic, I've already shaved off quite a bit of its fur. I reckon after a few more electric shocks, it'll be drained and limp!"

Chen Yan was hoping to give the Flying Thunder Dragon a foot massage. If he really crippled and scared it, it might jump up a tree and run wildly, and they might not be able to catch up with it.

He dodged the Flying Thunder Dragon's shin kick with a sidestep, and as he closed in, he also scraped off a tuft of fur from its body. With much less fur left, the Flying Thunder Dragon's long underwear began to leak air, and it seemed to be turning its head to check the situation.

Although Hua Miao didn't know why Chen Yan was doing this, it still chose to do as he said, having fought alongside him countless times.

Flower Cat took a deep breath, tucked the knife under its armpit, leaving only the hilt in front of its eyes, and used all four limbs to perform a cat-cart charge.

Seeing that its prey, which usually trembled in fear when it encountered it, dared to come up and provoke it, the crimson color in the Flying Thunder Dragon's eyes intensified.

Anyway, the hunter behind it didn't hurt it at all, so let's continue dealing with this Dettel Lynx in front of us, which has a different color, is incredibly ugly, but is very fat, oily and meaty.

Faced with the ugly cat cart of the Floatre, the Tobi-Kadachi simply opened its mouth, waiting for it to offer itself to its mouth. However, it did not expect the Floatre to roll halfway through its charge, and when its hind legs touched the ground, it leaped up with force, and the Great Sword that was originally hidden under its armpit inexplicably appeared in its claws.

It let out an angry howl in mid-air, and as its fat trembled, it poured all the abundant power from its four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine into the knife.

"Aaaaah, take this Hidden Blade Slash!"

Flower Cat wielded its sword and cleaved Mount Hua with tremendous force. This powerful strike actually produced a whistling sound. Flying Thunder Dragon never dreamed that the black and white Dettel Lynx, which had previously been bitten and was only able to parry, was hiding such a fierce attack.

Even Chen Yan, who was constantly shaving the Tobi-Kadachi's fur, did not expect that the Flower Cat had this trick up its sleeve. Judging from its previous charging-up movements, it was clearly similar to the "Swallow Return" move that had been used against the Little Thief Dragon. Although the move was also a bit immature, its power was considerable.

Could it be that it wasn't exaggerating, and really is a feline genius on par with the head chef?

Faced with the Flower Cat's slash, the Flying Thunder Dragon was startled but not panicked. It was confident that it could dodge with its more agile movements.

But just as it was about to leap into the air to dodge and strike, it suddenly lost its balance as soon as it stood on tiptoe. When it hurriedly looked back, it found that there wasn't a single hair left on its beloved big tail.

The Flying Thunder Dragon let out a deafening shriek.

This is its big tail fur, which it uses to fan itself in the summer, keep warm in the winter, and use to attract mates in the spring!

It turned its head to go after Chen Yan, who had a smirking face, completely forgetting the powerful knife that was about to fall on its head.

The long, narrow katana of the flower cat shattered the scales on its head, and a burst of blood spurted from its left eye, almost blinding it in one eye.

The excruciating pain from the wound, the rage from the bald tail, and the blood-red blurring of its vision—these three factors caused the Flying Thunder Dragon to completely lose its mind. Its attacks became erratic, devoid of any fighting strategy, and it only knew to frantically pounce and bite at Chen Yan and Flower Cat.

The crazed monster is incredibly easy to deal with.

Chen Yan and Hua Miao fought and retreated, leading it step by step to a flat area outside the forest. There, they set up several traps according to the terrain. Although they were originally prepared for the Poison Bird, they were also sufficient to deal with a Flying Thunder Dragon that was about the same size as it.

As long as it's kept outside, whether Chen Yan kills it, tortures it, or touches or rubs it is entirely up to him.

After a fierce battle, Chen Yan and Hua Miao cooperated perfectly, switching freely between offense and defense. The Flying Thunder Dragon stepped straight into the trap like a silly roe deer. Dozens of tough vines sprang up and bound it tightly from left to right. Although it struggled frantically inside, it couldn't break free because it had already used up most of its strength in the battle.

Just as it was about to exhaust itself, Chen Yan took the opportunity to tap its head a few times with the back of his knife, neither too hard nor too soft. This did not hurt its brain but made it dizzy. The tormented Flying Thunder Dragon let out a wail, its tongue lolled out, its tense body relaxed, and it completely fainted on the vine trap.

Chen Yan carefully reached out and tugged at its little tongue. After confirming there was no reaction, he breathed a sigh of relief, finally managing to get it done.

Then, his gaze burned as he stared intently at the four adorable, chubby, red claws of the Flying Thunder Dragon through the gaps in the vines. He rubbed his hands together impatiently and pulled out fine salt for grilling, a steel wool pad for scrubbing fur, and a knife, fork, spatula, and chopsticks for eating from his pocket.

"Hua Miao, quickly fetch a basin of water. I'll light the fire and boil some water first. Before massaging his feet, he always needs to soak them to soften the dead skin so it's easier to rub. Luckily, I have half a bar of soap left from the bath a couple of days ago. That should be enough for Fei Lei Long's size 45 sweaty feet..."

Flower Cat covered her ears as she ran to fetch water.

It was afraid that if it listened for a while longer, it would throw up its breakfast.

"The New World is your home. Your paws are so soft from the hot water. Today, I'll scrub off some dead skin and make a wine for you to try, Flower Cat~"

Chen Yan hummed a song, completely unaware of the few pairs of eyes secretly watching him from the bushes at the edge of the forest.

They heard the continuous roars of the Tobi-Thunder Dragon in the forest, and out of curiosity and unease, they ran from their nest to observe, just in time to see the Tobi-Thunder Dragon being defeated.

"Meow, boss, did you see that? That damn Tobi-Kadachi was defeated by the hunter and that ugly fat cat!"

Chapter 11 Rewards

"Awoooooo~ Roar!"

Still bound by vines and hanging halfway in the air, the Flying Thunder Dragon struggled weakly a few more times, letting out a howl that was neither a sound of enjoyment nor pain.

Following Chen Yan's instructions, Hua Miao immersed all four of its paws in pots of different sizes. The firewood under the pots was burning brightly, and the half-boiled water was already bubbling. A little steam rose up, and the heat spread from its paws throughout its body. As a cold-blooded animal, the Flying Thunder Dragon panted heavily with its tongue lolling out, just like a large greyhound.

"Hey, Flower Cat, turn off the heat! Can't you see its paws are practically cooked!"

Chen Yan, who was carrying a large bundle of herbs back, saw Hua Miao still frantically adding firewood and quickly tried to stop her.

"Why turn off the heat? I haven't even had boiled Flying Thunder Dragon claws yet..."

Flower Cat is very disappointed.

By removing a few pieces of firewood and reducing the fire's intensity, Chen Yan retrieved the Flying Thunder Dragon's forepaw and squeezed it. After soaking and boiling for more than half an hour, the hard calluses on the soles of the Flying Thunder Dragon's claws had turned into white, watery folds that crumbled easily with a gentle squeeze.

He then picked up the flying dragon's toes, pried open each of its claws, and carefully examined the gaps.

Just as he expected, his claws were full of small white bubbles of all sizes. This was normal, after all, the Ancient Tree Forest was extremely humid. Running and jumping around in mud and rotten wood with bare claws every day, it would be strange if he didn't get blisters.

However, the more bubbles there were, the more excited Chen Yan became.

"Come here, Flower Cat, let me teach you a claw recognition technique. Do you know what a genuine old claw looks like?"

Chen Yan was in high spirits. Even though he was holding the wrinkled and sticky claws of the Flying Thunder Dragon, he held them as if they were priceless treasures.

"The first step is to look at the color. Look at the skin of this claw. It's blue with a hint of red, red with a hint of pink, and pink with a hint of white. The color is simply perfect."

"The second step is to look at the texture. Feel it; it's soft yet firm, firm yet resilient, and it's also a little sticky. The texture is quite good."

"The third step is to smell it again..."

Hua Miao grabbed Chen Yan's head, which was lowered as if trying to breathe deeply.

"Brother, stop smelling it, I'm scared!"

He looked up with a hint of regret, then sighed as he gazed at the flower cat whose face seemed to say, "Are you having another episode?"

"My path is utterly solitary!"

With everything ready, Chen Yan spat a few times on his hands, then grabbed a handful of fine salt and rubbed it between his hands.

After coating his hands with a thick layer of snow-white salt, Chen Yan finally reached out his sinful hands to the Flying Thunder Dragon's claws, which were unable to move, filled with terror, and trembling all over.

"Come on, I've got the best way to deal with a real old hand like you. First, let's kill you with salt!"

"Awoooooo!"

The Flying Thunder Dragon's broken howl startled a flock of birds in the forest.

"Okay, a rub of salt will kill bacteria and add flavor. The second step is to use my carefully selected pumice stone to exfoliate your dead skin!"

Chen Yan scooped a stone covered in granular protrusions from the boiling pot and rubbed it hard between the claws of the Flying Thunder Dragon. As clumps of dead skin fell off, its delicate and sensitive soft white scales were finally exposed. Then he rolled it on the rough, hot pumice stone—

The entire body of the Flying Thunder Dragon, from the tip of its tongue to its tail, instantly stretched into a straight line. It couldn't even shout anymore, and could only make a few strange "clucking" sounds from its throat.

Just one front paw alone rubbed off more than half a pound of dead skin, completely transforming the front paw into a pink, soft, and smooth paw that was almost unrecognizable.

"Alright, the dead skin is all removed. Now for the main event: massaging the acupoints!"

Holding the Flying Thunder Dragon's clean white claws, Chen Yan, who was once a VVVIP of the Bathing Emperor, vaguely remembered the half-sentence of a mantra taught by the woman who was born unfortunate and was overwhelmed by her gambling father, sick mother, and younger brother who was in school.

"The first method is to touch, to diagnose illness by touching the feet."