Su Yi, The Pokemon(?) Master (Pokemon X Monster Hunter Fanfic)

The arrival of an Elder Dragon would drive away nearly all creatures in the vicinity—except for a few daring ones and some true tough customers.

Now that the Steel Dragon had descended upon the Ancient Tree Forest, didn't that mean there would be no large monsters roaming around for the time being?

Wouldn't this be the perfect time to explore the map and gather materials on a large scale?!

"Rucao, now is the perfect time to set out and explore!" Su Yi's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"That Steel Dragon…" Rucao glanced at the massive figure resting on the plains and came to the same realization. "As long as the Kushala Daora stays here, meow…"

"That means we don't have to worry about large monsters attacking us, and we can freely explore and gather materials!" Su Yi grinned.

"Ancient Tree Forest free loot! Woohoo!"

Avoiding the plains where the Steel Dragon resided, Su Yi took the coastal path on the western side of the Ancient Tree Forest, heading north toward the seaside camp.

"Mushroom harvest!"

Under the trees, Su Yi eagerly gathered handfuls of rare local mushrooms, including several valuable Glowing Mushrooms and Moonlight Fungus, storing them in his Inventory.

The storm brought by Kushala Daora had drenched the forest with abundant rainfall. Fallen branches and decayed leaves provided nutrients, causing fungi and other plant life to thrive overnight.

Elder Dragons were a part of nature, and so were the disasters they brought. While they reshaped the environment, nature, in turn, flourished using the power they wielded.

This was the balance of nature.

"Did a landslide happen here?"

Continuing along the coastal path, Su Yi arrived at a slope overlooking the sea. The ground had collapsed, exposing layers of rock beneath.

"Wait… is that a mineral vein?"

His sharp eyes caught a glimmer of metal and crystal within the exposed rock face. Moving closer, he saw scoutflies gathering around the minerals, signaling a valuable resource deposit.

"Did the landslide reveal these mineral veins?"

Su Yi pulled out his pickaxe, eager to start mining.

"Here we go!" He swung his pickaxe, producing a rhythmic clinking sound—but the rock barely showed any signs of damage.

"Why am I still mining the traditional way at a time like this?" Frustrated, Su Yi tossed the pickaxe aside and pulled out a Poké Ball.

"Come out, Great Jagras!"

Now that they were far from Kushala Daora's immediate presence, its oppressive aura was weaker. With its newfound Pokémon traits, the Great Jagras was no longer as agitated as before.

"Roar!" The Great Jagras growled warily, scanning its surroundings.

"Use Dragon Claw on that mineral vein!" Su Yi commanded.

"Graaargh!" The Great Jagras slashed at the rock with its sharp claws.

Crack! Rumble!

Chunks of stone shattered, sending fragments tumbling down the slope.

"Oh wow, the yield is pretty good! Alright, Kulu-Ya-Ku, your turn!"

Summoning another expert miner, Su Yi released the Kulu-Ya-Ku.

"Use Fury Swipes on the mineral vein!"

"Gwaah!" The Kulu-Ya-Ku squawked in protest.

Su Yi sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Come on, don't be difficult. Help me mine this, and I'll take you to raid a Rathalos nest afterward."

"Kah!" At the mention of Rathalos eggs, the Kulu-Ya-Ku eagerly started digging.

Its flat, shovel-like claws were perfect for scooping up rocks and dirt, much like how it normally unearthed stones for combat.

With the combined efforts of both creatures, the mineral vein was thoroughly excavated.

They uncovered Iron Ore, Earth Crystals, Malachite Ore, and Bright Crystals—mostly iron ore, but still a decent haul.

"Looks like we can upgrade your gear, Rucao." Su Yi nodded in satisfaction.

Later, he held up a Larvesta, instructing it, "Use Ember!"

"Lar!"

The small fiery Pokémon spat out flames, driving away a swarm of bees guarding a honeycomb, allowing Su Yi to collect fresh honey.

With a swift motion, he cast a capture net, snagging Thunderbugs from the high branches.

Mushrooms, plants, insects, fruits—anything he spotted was quickly stored away. Without large monsters causing trouble, Su Yi looted the area like a kid in an unattended candy store.

"Oh? This area has a ton of plant varieties—Scatter Nuts, Blast Nuts, Adamant Seeds, Cotton Spore Grass, Poison Creeper…" Su Yi marveled at the biodiversity.

Then, a realization struck him.

"Wait! If the plant life is this rich… does that mean we're near a Pukei-Pukei nest?"

Pukei-Pukei loved the diverse fruits and plants of the Ancient Tree Forest. However, instead of eating them on the spot, they stored them in their expandable throats and brought them back to their nests.

Because of this habit, their nests were surrounded by an abundance of plant species.

This characteristic led scholars to believe that Pukei-Pukei had a deep, symbiotic relationship with the Ancient Tree Forest—perhaps even being one of its oldest native inhabitants.

"Let's check it out."

Su Yi ventured deeper into the lush area, climbing a vine-covered cliffside.

On a protruding platform, he found Pukei-Pukei feathers. He pulled out another feather from his bag—the same one he had collected from the Pukei-Pukei wounded by a Nargacuga.

Immediately, the scoutflies latched onto both feathers, confirming the match.

"Found its nest."

Opening his Hunting Guide, Su Yi marked the location with a nest symbol on the map.

"Hehehe…"

Satisfied, he silently slipped away.

Retracing his steps, Su Yi climbed the spiral tree staircase inside the Ancient Tree, reaching the tree canopy path—the same route where his Kulu-Ya-Ku had previously stolen a Rathalos egg.

The massive tree trunks formed a natural ramp leading to the canopy.

At the top, a vast nesting platform stretched before him, woven together by countless branches. Nearby lay a pile of bones, the remains of prey hunted by a Rathalos.

Su Yi gathered the best-quality bones into his Inventory.

However, the egg incubation nest was empty. Had the eggs been taken away? Or hidden elsewhere?

"Just as I expected."

A Rathalos wouldn't leave its eggs unprotected.

Summoning his egg-hunting expert, Su Yi released his Kulu-Ya-Ku. The bird eagerly began digging around the nest—only to grow more and more frustrated as it found nothing.

"Gahh…" The Kulu-Ya-Ku slumped, its crest drooping in disappointment.

Su Yi wasn't sure how to comfort it, so he simply patted its claw.

Standing at the edge of the Rathalos nest, he braced against the strong winds and gazed down at the Ancient Tree Forest below.

"Made it to the highest point—the Rathalos nest. What a view. Guess I'll check out the Wildspire Waste next, folks."

Just as he prepared to look for a route leading to the Wildspire Waste, something caught his eye—

A silver silhouette rose from the coastal plains, wreathed in powerful gales.

It soared gracefully, heading straight for the Ancient Tree canopy.

"Crap! I totally forgot—this is Kushala Daora's designated resting spot!"

Panicked, Su Yi quickly grabbed Rucao and the still-searching Kulu-Ya-Ku, retreating the way they came.