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

Following the guiding insects, Su Yi climbed upward along the thick roots of the Ancient Tree, using vines growing on the tree to aid his ascent.

"This thing sure can run far, even after getting injured," Su Yi muttered.

With the help of his slinger, he launched a grappling hook and pulled himself up the trunk. The Ancient Tree had accumulated abundant rainwater over time, which flowed through its complex internal structure, forming countless small streams that coursed through the tree and soil, eventually feeding into the Ancient Forest and finally reaching the sea.

And right now, one such small stream was right before Su Yi's eyes.

The interior of the Ancient Tree was layered and intricate, creating a small world of its own where countless flora and fauna thrived within its structure. Various plant and insect materials could be seen everywhere.

"Something's coming, meow!" Rucao noticed that the guiding insects had suddenly retreated into their container at Su Yi's waist, and immediately gave a warning.

Su Yi, who had been following the stream deeper into the Ancient Tree, halted abruptly and took a few steps back, cold sweat trickling down his face.

A creature covered in pale blue scales and streaked with white fur, moving with the grace of a hunting leopard, padded silently from a tree tunnel nearby.

A Tobi-Kadachi!

Su Yi cursed his own carelessness but also felt a tinge of relief. Unlike some other monsters, Tobi-Kadachi typically didn't attack hunters unless provoked.

As they encountered each other at the crossing of tree paths, the Tobi-Kadachi, with its snake-like head, paused and fixed its slit-pupilled eyes on Su Yi, filled with caution.

Seeing Su Yi step back and make way, the Tobi-Kadachi kept watching him warily while it continued forward. Only after gaining some distance did it finally avert its gaze and disappear into the dense canopy of the Ancient Tree.

"That was close!" Su Yi let out a deep breath.

Although the game indicated that Tobi-Kadachi wouldn't attack unprovoked, reality wasn't always predictable. If it had suddenly lunged at him, he wouldn't have had time to react. Given its agility, escaping would have been nearly impossible.

Tobi-Kadachi had padded feet that absorbed sound and impact, allowing it to move silently like a jaguar stalking through the jungle. That was why Su Yi hadn't noticed it until it was nearly upon him.

Thankfully, it hadn't deemed him a threat.

After this tense encounter, Su Yi cautiously continued his ascent through the tree's pathways toward the midsection of the Ancient Tree.

The interior of the tree was hollow, with a massive spiral of wooden pathways leading all the way to the treetop, like a towering spiral staircase made of living wood.

Yet, the guiding insects continued tracking the trail of the Kulu-Ya-Ku even higher.

Su Yi frowned. "That's odd. A Kulu-Ya-Ku's nest shouldn't be this high up. This is Rathalos territory."

"Why would a Kulu-Ya-Ku risk coming this far up into the Ancient Forest? What is it trying to do?"

Unable to come up with an answer, Su Yi decided to keep going, but with even greater caution.

As the elevation increased, he spotted a few Mernos perched on the branches. Ahead, part of the tree wall had collapsed, revealing a panoramic view of the outside world.

"Rucao! Hurry! There's an incredible view up ahead!" Su Yi excitedly called out.

"Coming, meow!" Rucao eagerly ran over and stood beside Su Yi, eyes wide with wonder.

Beneath the vast blue sky, several Mernos glided gracefully through the air, calling out to one another. Below them stretched an endless emerald-green sea of trees, where herbivorous monsters grazed in small forest clearings. Streams meandered through the dense foliage, feeding into serene lakes.

To the south, the Ancient Forest met the vast, boundless ocean.

To the east, Su Yi could see the Astera Base, built among cliffs and reefs, constructed from the remains of great ships. A massive waterwheel turned steadily as waterfalls from the cliffs powered the settlement's various mechanisms.

Beyond Astera lay the Wildspire Waste, a barren desert filled with towering termite mounds and scattered oases.

To the north, jagged rock formations and deep ravines cut off the Ancient Forest from the rest of the world, enclosing the hidden Coral Highlands and the eerie Rotten Vale in their depths.

Squinting into the distance, Su Yi could just barely make out the most formidable of all hunting grounds—the Elder's Recess, a land of crystallized energy and the final resting place of the New World's most powerful monsters.

For the first time, he was seeing the world in its full expanse.

The vastness, the beauty, the sheer wonder of it all—it was overwhelming. Like standing atop a mountain, gazing upon the breathtaking scenery below, Su Yi felt the thrill of adventure coursing through his veins.

But this was no ordinary mountain.

This was a world unlike any other.

A world untainted by the gray steel jungles of civilization. A world teeming with life, mystery, and the unknown.

"Rucao, have you ever seen such a sight before?" Su Yi asked with a smile.

"Never, meow! I've always stayed in the lower forest and its outskirts, meow!" Rucao's large, gleaming eyes seemed to drink in the scenery, as if trying to memorize every detail.

"This is amazing, meow! So this is what the Ancient Forest looks like, meow!" Rucao cheered, hopping excitedly.

"That's Astera, meow!"

"And over there is the Wildspire Waste, meow!"

"And beyond that—what is that place, meow?" Rucao's gaze darted from landmark to landmark, his curiosity brimming with excitement, as if he wanted to race off and explore every corner of the world right now.

Su Yi chuckled. "This is only the beginning. I promised you, Rucao—we will see it all."

"Meow!" Rucao leaped high into the air, his enthusiasm boundless.

Yes.

This was only the beginning.

The termite-covered rock spires of the Wildspire Waste, the skeletal remains of ancient dragons in the Rotten Vale, the coral-like formations of the Coral Highlands, the glowing crystalline caverns of the Elder's Recess…

Even beyond that—

The icy tundras.

The mysterious Origin Isle.

One day, he would see everything.

Suppressing the surge of emotions, Su Yi turned his focus back to his original goal: tracking the Kulu-Ya-Ku.

Yet the bird wyvern's bizarre route made him hesitate.

If he kept going, he would be venturing directly into Rathalos territory.

"This Kulu-Ya-Ku… what the hell is it up to?" Su Yi muttered.

ROAR!

A thunderous, chilling roar shook the treetops.

Su Yi immediately pressed himself against the tree wall, peering through the opening. He spotted a Rathian soaring toward the treetops, roaring furiously.

"What's happening up there?"

ROAR!

Another deafening roar answered from above.

A thought struck Su Yi—one so ridiculous that he could hardly believe it.

"No way… this Kulu-Ya-Ku isn't trying to steal a Rathalos egg, is it?!"

The sheer audacity of the idea left Su Yi stunned.

No Kulu-Ya-Ku was that reckless… unless it was some battle-hardened veteran beyond all reason.

BOOM!

A fiery explosion erupted from the treetops, followed by another enraged Rathalos roar.

"Did it just get caught?!"

Just as Su Yi was about to retreat to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, a yellow-feathered figure suddenly dashed out from the tree tunnel ahead.

"Kulu-Ya-Ku?! Wait—is that an egg in its hands?!"

Su Yi could not believe his eyes.