All my hunting commissions come from another world?

"no problem."

To Patch's surprise, Zhou Si agreed to his request almost without hesitation, and he quickly added.

"I need those silver dragon scales."

Wow, you've got a good eye for choosing.

Zhou Si remained expressionless, broke off a piece of the Sky Comet scale from his arm, and handed it directly to Patch.

Patch took the scale and quickly tapped it with his spider legs to make sure there was nothing wrong with it before putting it away.

"Then old Patch won't disturb your journey any longer, I'll be going now... ga!"

Just as Spider Patch was about to slip away, a dark blue insect club was stuck into the ground in front of him.

“Mr. Patch, after careful consideration, I realize that what you said makes a lot of sense.”

"Since the traps and monsters inside could pose a threat to my companions, wouldn't an experienced guide be a better way to increase our chances of survival than a map?"

What a joke! You think you can escape after leaving out so much information?

Zhou Si looked at the spider Patch on the ground with a forced smile, not to mention that he didn't trust Patch's so-called map at all.

Secondly, Patch revealed so much intriguing information in order to get closer to him.

Is it too late to think about running away now?

A large hand grasped old Patch's bald head and stroked it around his smooth scalp.

Spider Patch could only tremble, daring not to utter a word of anger.

He now seems to understand why he was so hostile when he first met Zhou Si.

But now that things have come to this, right and wrong are of no use. I, old Patch, have no choice but to sacrifice myself and lead you through this dark cavern.

Patch stood at the entrance to the underground palace, his face filled with determination.

If you ignore the insect club stuck in Patch's back, the scene is actually quite exciting.

......

The group finally entered the underground palace.

The outer perimeter of the underground palace is covered with signs of development. Byrenvis has been studying the ruins of Sumer for many years, and a large part of the map in Patch's hand was copied from Byrenvis's Great Archives.

A faint miasma spread through the underground palace, proving that Zhou Si and his companions were on the right track.

But why is the miasma so thin? The blood miasma in the Forbidden Forest is already quite solidified.

With these questions in mind, Zhou Si and his group continued their exploration.

Soon, they arrived at the depths of the underground palace.

The miasma here is still not very strong, but the ancient buildings are already covered with red flowers.

Before them lay the very spot where William had found the Greater Grail and the traces of the Supreme Being. A small opening peeked through the heavy stone door, and a strange fragrance wafted from the crack.

Lone Bird and Azure Star immediately prepared medicine to remove the abnormal status.

Zhou Sixian threw Patch inside, then slipped sideways and crawled through the stone door himself.

A gigantic fleshy bud was growing on the altar built by the Sumerians. Tendons and blood vessels, translucent pink flesh, pulsated on the bud. The gigantic bud rose and fell as if breathing, and the top of the bud opened in rhythm with the breath.

Red spores kept spewing out from that small hole.

Zhou Si gripped the insect stick in his hand; he could see what was being nurtured within the flower bud.

"Got you."

Chapter Thirty-Three: You are not from Azure Star, so who are you?

"Mr. Patch, thank you for showing us the way. Please wait here for a moment."

As Zhou Si spoke, he had the guide insect memorize Patch's scent, and then he held the insect stick in his hand.

The ancient dragon inside the flower bud was still asleep, but the surrounding blood flowers had awakened, swaying their bodies freely in the windless depths of the underground palace.

Gradually, the swaying movements of the blood flowers became synchronized, and the amplitude and speed of the swaying began to be consistent.

The tip of the flower bud that was nurturing the ancient dragon seemed to have cracked open a bit. Then, a large amount of air was drawn into the flower bud, and the next moment, blood miasma as thick as paint gushed out from the flower bud.

At this moment, the 'flower field' finally truly awakened, and the beasts that had been sleeping underground for an unknown period of time opened their eyes again under the stimulation of the blood flowers.

But this time they have truly become mindless monsters, their only goal being to tear all the invaders apart and protect the birth of the ancient dragon.

Zhou Si glanced to the side, but Patch had already disappeared somewhere.

Ludwig gripped the Moonsword with unwavering determination; he was prepared to die here.

Neither Lone Bird nor Azure Star are the type to talk a lot when they're fighting; they're both quietly taking their medication and working on their condition.

Just as Zhou Si was about to speak, he heard Azure Star speak.

"Lone Bird, you hold off the beasts from the front, and I'll support you from the side."

"Zhou, you're free to do as you please. Try to destroy that flower bud. You don't need to worry about these monsters."

"As for you... just live well."

Azure Star looked at Ludwig with a hint of hesitation in her eyes. Ludwig wasn't exactly weak, it depended on who he was compared to.

If he were only facing two or three beasts enhanced by the blood miasma, he could certainly handle them easily.

However, the number of monsters in front of them was at least three digits, and even they had no experience facing so many monsters at once, so Ludwig only needed to try his best to survive.

The original purpose of having him come along was to give directions.

"clear."

Ludwig was well aware of how powerless he was on such a battlefield, and that his stubbornness would only cause trouble for Lord Zhou Si and the others.

Zhou Si and Lone Bird looked at Azure Star in great surprise, as if they were seeing some unfamiliar entity.

But it must be said that Azure Star is indeed the one with the most team hunting experience among them.

Although she had not previously held a primary command position, under the influence of the Grand Commander and the Commander-in-Chief, her analysis and judgment of the battle situation were quite accurate.

Zhou Si and Lone Bird are both lone hunters with extremely strong individual combat capabilities. Although their teamwork is quite good, if Azure Star were to rashly join in, it would only disrupt their coordinated rhythm.

However, it is unlikely that these two could be forced to accept complex instructions.

Therefore, the most suitable strategy for the three of them is the current one: split Zhou Si and Gu Niao up to fight separately, and then let her, who has more experience in teamwork, act as a bridge to link the team.

The only downside to doing this is that the pressure on Azure Star will be immense.

but...

She is the Azure Star that points the way forward!

Azure Star's sudden announcement of taking command startled both Zhou Si and Lonely Bird, as it was quite unlike her usual taciturn demeanor.

However, they had no objections to the arrangements made for Azure Star.

Zhou Si, in particular, had originally planned to shout, "Brothers, grab your weapons and get going!"

Thank goodness he shut up.

Under their gaze, Azure Star's cheeks gradually flushed red, and she quickly took out a bottle of stamina-enhancing drugs from her prop bag and drank it all in one gulp.

She really went all out this time; she'll definitely ask the Commander-in-Chief for reimbursement for the medicines she used when she gets back.

Having spent so much time in this dream, she had already used up an entire set of Oni armor to enhance her movement speed and potion-making abilities...

Before Azure Star had finished his rambling, the monster horde had already adapted to their stiff bodies and began charging towards them.

Just as Azure Star had arranged, Lone Bird raised its sword and shield and bravely stood at the forefront, its defense (GP) blocking the attack of the fastest-charging monster.

The monster's claws struck the lone bird's shield and bounced off. In the next instant, the dual-wielding hunter, his body glowing red, leaped into the air, spun around, and instantly severed the monster's head.

"The next ones are coming!"

Lone Bird was well aware of this. As soon as Azure Star's voice rang out, she slid to the side and slashed back at the monsters that were following her.

The second monster's body also crashed to the ground.

Their first collaboration clearly started off on a very positive note.

Seeing this, Zhou Si stopped worrying and, with a whooshing sound, took off into the air. At this moment, one of the three lights on his insect guillotine was off, and the remaining energy was only enough for the next burst, far from enough to fly close to the flower bud.

But he's no ordinary insect glaive hunter.

The pure source stone he had swallowed in advance began to exert its power, and crimson dragon energy spewed out from the spear wings. Zhou Si's body transformed into a crimson comet and flew towards the giant flower bud.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Si flew above the flower bud. The huge vine tendrils had been waiting for a long time, and the thick vines tried to knock Zhou Si away.

But for Zhou Si's agility, the speed of the vines was no different from that of an old lady crossing the street.

After dodging and weaving through the air a few times, he avoided all the vine attacks, and the blood flames once again gathered in his throat.

"He, tui~"

As Zhou Si made a spitting motion, a huge, blood-red fireball, as tall as a person, was instantly spat out of his mouth and smashed into the flower bud.

Thick smoke billowed from the underground palace.

Zhou Si knew the principle that smoke can be harmless, so the moment the thick black smoke rose, he spat out two more fireballs, which landed on the fleshy flower bud.

Zhou Si stopped after firing two more shots, not because his caution had reached its limit.

It's just that my body can't withstand continuing to use Blood Flame; my neck is about to burn off.

But as is written in all adventure stories, the final boss obviously won't be defeated so easily.

Zhou Si's three consecutive fireballs left three huge marks on the flesh and blood bud, but these wounds had not yet touched the body of the ancient dragon being nurtured inside the bud.

However, the monsters that had been drawn to the Lone Bird Azure Star seemed to receive some kind of command and turned their heads back at the same time.

They began to move in Zhou Si's direction.

"Zhou, let's switch strategies!"

Azure Star's voice echoed through the empty underground palace, and Zhou Si and Lone Bird instantly understood her meaning.

Since the monster's attention has been diverted by Zhou Si, well then, sorry.

Zhou Si turned his gun wings and flew a short distance in the opposite direction from Lone Bird and Azure Star.

Sure enough, almost all the monsters followed Zhou Si in that direction.

Azure Star seized the opportunity and swung her flying claw, carrying her and the lone bird towards the flower bud.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Blooming

The grappling hook gripped the giant flower bud tightly, and Azure Star grabbed the lone bird's wrist, letting the grappling hook carry them both away.

But just as it was about to reach the flower bud, Azure Star suddenly exerted force with its right hand, sending the lone bird flying.

The lone bird soaring high in the air truly resembled a bird in flight. She grasped the shield axe, now fully charged with energy, and transformed it into its axe form in mid-air.

Abundant ice-elemental energy flowed across the axe blade, combined with gravity.

With an unstoppable momentum, the Lone Bird's shield and axe crashed to the ground, and ice energy erupted instantly, freezing the lower half of the entire flower bud.

Just as the Azure Star was about to touch the flower bud.

She suddenly released the grappling hook from the flower bud, and then, relying on her superb physical abilities, changed her posture in mid-air, like a bladed spinning top, cutting along the curve of the flower bud.

Until it lands.

A huge bloodstain appeared on the flower bud, splitting it in two.

Unfortunately, the twin blades were still too short; the wound only reached the surface of the flower bud and couldn't touch its core at all.

Meanwhile, Zhou Si was already unstoppable among the beasts. Every swing of his Sea Insect Glaive brought down a wild beast, and every attack from the Tide Hunter brought peace to the former Sumerians.

Perhaps Lone Bird and Azure Star have far more skill and experience in dealing with powerful monsters than Zhou Si.

But when it comes to dominating weaker opponents and clearing out weaker ones?

Zhou Si said that even combined, their efficiency was not as high as mine.

This can't go on...

Having escaped the monsters' encirclement, Azure Star quickly retreated and came to the Lone Bird's side, carefully observing the condition of the giant flower bud.