Author’s Corner: HELLO HELLO! Extra long chapter with 5700+ words!

ANYWAY… CYGNASDAMIT SCARECROW! You were so freaking close to discover what would happen that I couldn’t even reply to you without spoiling what would happen. And please, let me finish the arc before you guys start to chastise me, ok?

ALSO, god, I wrote a lot this time. If I hadn’t started this yesterday, I would have died today…

ALSO(2), familiar scene is familiar.

ALSO (3), Sidestory MAY come out today. (pun not intended at first, but kept afterwards)

ALSO (4), what the hell was that last chapter? 53 comments in less than 24 hours? even removing my own we are still left with 35 or so! That's incredible!

Have a good read!

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I crouched down when I heard a soft whimper coming from somewhere inside the hollow tree bark. When I looked inside, in there was a red tail, coiled around itself while laying on the ground. Or at least was what I thought initially, when I looked a bit longer to the fox, I noticed that its fur was actually a really soft blue and navy, instead of the usual yellowish and red.

When I focused myself on him, the plaque appeared above him, and it said.

Blue Tail [lvl 12] (RARE)

(aggressive)HP: 12/650

-Ice ball

-Cooling arc

I blinked surprised at the window. Rare? As in a rare spawn, that gives extra good loot?

But… Why is his health so low? I mean, I didn’t even attack him, and I really doubt any other player came to this area before and found him.

When I tried to get a better look at him, what I saw left me speechless. The little guy was shivering. He was skinny, his ribs showing from beneath his skins. Lots of small injuries covered his whole body. They ranged from claws and bite markings, to burns and bruises.

And what’s strangest of this all, is that these markings all matched the size of the Red tails.

While I was wondering what happened, the small fox noticed me and tried to get up on all four legs, whimpering in pain in the process. Finally, he started to growl at me, his eyes burning with anger.

Now, I might be a little bit loot crazed, have a few screws loose and even some that already fell down some good time ago, and be close to a psycho from time to time. But trying to kill this little guy who was barely alive, and still wanted to defend himself? That was beyond even me.

I backed away slowly, giving him some more space. Seeing this, he seemed to calm himself for a moment, then he suddenly fell down with a loud whimper, then he started panting as the pain left him breathless.

Letting out a long sigh, I opened my inventory and saw what I had. I still had a few potions from when I bought from Argento, the new potion I had made a few hours ago and the dried jerky from the beginning of the game. I took one of them from the inventory and tried offering it to the Blue tail, however he refused to even get close to me. Seems like I’ll need a better bait.

Remembering this place from the minimap, I left out and started looking around for some critters. On the way I also found a couple of red tails, but since I was getting used to them, I made quick work of the foxes and went my way.

I found a squirrel hiding in a tree after some time, and I took my bow just so I could take him down quickly. After that, I took his body back to where the blue tail was hiding and started to skin it. With the help of a few sticks and a flame crystal, I made a makeshift bonfire where I slightly roasted the squirrel. The smell seemed to attract the Blue Tail attention, as it slowly came out of its hole.

His mouth was watering as he looked at the roasted squirrel, but his wariness made him avoid approaching me too much.

I sighed loudly while I took what I considered a well done squirrel in a stick and sprinkled it with one of my potions before dropping it in front of the fox and backing away. The blue tail looked at it with caution, then he looked back at me. I motioned him to the squirrel, and it slowly approached his meal.

It still sniffed the squirrel a few times, and the potion’s smell probably left him cautious and wary, but it seemed that his hunger was a lot stronger than his wariness, as he started to eat the squirrel. Slowly at first, then faster and faster.

While looking at him eating his meal so heartily, I couldn’t help but smile. It was somewhat heartwarming scene. But as an idea started to occur to me, my smile turned a bit wicked. Maybe, I can tame this little guy to be my pet!

GENIUS!

I patiently waited for it to finish it’s meal, and saw as the potion started to produce its effect, as his shallower wounds quickly closed and the swelling slowly started to disappear.

By the time it had finished, he was clearly in a better state than before, as he could easily stand up and his shivering had stopped. Afterwards, he looked at me for some time.

This is it. Now is the time when he slowly approaches me asking for me to take him with me, and I get my first pet!

Yes! Come to me! I won’t hurt you! I will (try to) be a good owner for you!

Just as I was thinking that, the fox suddenly turned his back to me, and ran away.

Huh?

What?

WAIT! COME BACK HERE! I STILL HAVEN’T TAMED YOU!

I stood up and tried to chase after the fox, but he was faster than what I had expected, so he quickly got away from me and disappeared inside the forest.

I was… Stunned, for a good time, trying to understand what happened, and where I could have gone wrong.

However, no matter how much I simply stood there thinking, no idea came to my mind, so I gave up in a long sigh. Not only did I lose the pet, I also lost my chance for some good loot. If this isn’t disheartening, then I don’t know what is.

Actually, scratch that, it isn’t as bad as I make it look. Seeing that guy getting better felt very satisfying for me. But this doesn’t mean I’m just going to let him get away! I’m definitively making him my pet, be it sooner or later. With this mind-set, I set out to hunt while looking for the blue tail.

I had already decided that I would gather enough leather in here to make a decent set to me by the time I got back to the city, so I decided to use that as a timer. Should I fail to find the little guy, I would go to the city, gather some more supplies, then come back and farm for him. In the way I also started to gather some herbs I had recognized for the ones needed for potions, as well as a few others that looked interesting.

I kept going until the sun came up and stayed there for a good time. I even managed to hit 11 and put my one-handed sword mastery to level 9! However, I found nothing on him.

It was when I decided to pack up my things and go back to the city, that I finally noticed something on my mini-map. There was a clearing a bit ahead, and something about it just called me there. I don’t know whether it was a game function, or simply gamer instinct, but I KNEW that there was something within that area. What it was, I had no idea, but I still kept going. After all, this was going to be my final check on this area before going back to the city. What could go wrong?

Well, it wasn’t anything small, that I could tell you.

Laying right in the middle of the area, I saw it.

He was big. Much bigger than any of the others red tails I found earlier, however, the distance between us left me unable to actually size-him up. His fur had gone from yellowish and red to a beautiful golden and crimson. Its tails were also much bigger in relation to its own size, having almost the same length as the main body, as were they more numerous, being three in total.

The cute face the little ones had, was exchanged for a beautiful and dignified one, with sharper features and a slightly more feral appearance. The small gem that once was hidden by their hide, now showed itself in its forehead, being much bigger than what I saw.

I unconsciously approached that monster, trying to see a bit more of him, however, he saw me before I could get close enough. Lifting itself from the ground and raising its tail, it looked in my direction, before starting to growl.

As I stood there a bit in shock, it turned towards me and started to slowly advance towards me. While he walked, fire ignited from the crimson colored fur, giving him an even more menacing look.

Blazing Tail [lvl 18](BOSS)

Equivalent level: 21

(Attacking this enemy will apply a status debuff on you due to the difference in level)

(aggressive)HP: 2000/2000

-Inferno ball

-Blazing arcs

-Blazing claws

-Soul fire

-Blazing chargeBlazing tails are the equivalent to the alpha of the red tails. They boast an even greater strength, both physical and magical, than their smaller counterpart. It is unknown how a Blazing tail comes to be, but it’s unheard of two Blazing tails appearing in the same place at the same time, so It’s believed that they come from the normal Red Tails.

The time it took for me to read the window proved to be a bit too invaluable, as before I knew, the huge beast was already in front of me.

If there is one thing that isn’t very well transmitted when you are playing monster hunter in a handheld or console, is the intimidation of facing a large monster.

When you play the game, it’s not like you don’t notice the sheer difference in size, between you and the monster you are hunting, after all, you do have to jog a little if you want to go from it’s head to the tail. But, seeing it in third person, within a small screen, is nothing compared to the real thing.

Take a Rathalos, for example, the most iconic monster in the game. He’s a classical red wyvern. Big, spews fire balls, have poisonous claws and two huge red wings. How many times do you think I have hunted him down? My guess would be around two hundred or so, and that is only counting the classical one, not the sub or rare species, that are even stronger.

Now, how many times do you think I stopped to think about the sheer size of that guy, if he were to exist in real life? Few times, very few times. But now, after what happened to me here, it finally started to sink in to me. If I stopped to think about it, his head alone was the size of the character you play.

Why I’m talking about this? It is simple. In the game, you use a slightly high third person view, and this, makes everything look so much smaller than real life. But, in here, within Insania, there is no such a thing. You see everything in first person, so if the monster is bigger than you, you have to look up.

Do you know the difference, between you watching a predator looking at another character that is not you while you look from upwards, to when you have to look up and see the predator slowly closing in on you? With his eyes set on you?

Well. I know now.

I won’t say something like: I quickly got over it, I went and beat the heck out of him. Or that I gathered my courage to fight him. Nor that I simply ignored his gaze.

I was scared. I was damned scary, as the two meters high fox towered above me. I couldn’t even move myself at the time.

And I died. Just like that.

I did not see any moves, I did not see any attack, I simply died before I could understand what was happening. It is not like I simply *plop* and died. I was attacked, I was knocked around. I just did not have the mind to actually understand what happened.

…

The whole world turned grey, as I felt something pulling me out from my body.

I was dragged around by some force for some time, quickly speeding through the forest, as my body ignored any tree and boulders that were on the way. I must have been flying at something around fifty kilometer per hour for a couple of minutes, before I finally stopped.

Looking around, I noticed that this was that small shrine I had encountered earlier on the entry of the red tail area.

You have died. You lost 50% of your level experience. If your level dropped, you will be unable to add status points until you surpass your old level, and any equipment above your new level will be automatically unequipped.

Now, choose a resurrection method, or you can wait for another player to resurrect you.Resurrect at your body.

Walk to your body and resurrect nearby it. Causes minor equipment damage.Ressurrect here.

You instantly resurrect near the shrine. Causes moderate equipment damage and applies a five hours (in game) debuff to your stats.Ressurrect at the capital.

You instantly resurrect at the capital. Causes no equipment damage, but applies a 48 hours (in game) debuff to your status.

I absentmindedly stared at the window for some time. To think that there were so many resurrection methods. Each had it’s own advantages and disadvantages. Without thinking much, I chose the first, since it would be a bother if I had to wait some hours before hunting again.

A red arrow appeared at the top of my vision, probably indicating the direction of my body. I distractedly followed it, and was glad to see that I did not need to worry about dodging trees and rocks while dead.

Everything looked a bit smoky and spectral for me, and I had no body, or at least it was invisible, so this gave me quite a strange feeling. Is this how ghosts feel?

The travel was a bit boring, since all I did was walk in a straight line. Luckily, the MP3 player was walking just fine, so it wasn’t as bad as it could be.

It took me almost twenty minutes to reach my body in the clearing, and I revived the farthest from the boss as I could.

The first thing I did, was slowly circle around the boss on the outer edge of the clearing until I was at his back. The firs time, I approached him from the front, so he saw me before I could even formulate a plan.

As I crouched down on the ground and looked at him again, the scene from before started to replay on my head. His gaze on me, the way I was unable to even react.

My whole body started to shiver slightly, the longer the scene replayed. I gripped tightly at the sword on my hand to see if I could somehow control myself. Or at least get calm enough to think of a plan or something of the like.

But no matter what I did, I was getting too nervous, I could barely stop myself from running. In the end, I had to resort to using my mantra.

“Monster hunter… This is, Monster Hunter… This is, Monster hunter…”

After repeating that for almost a full minute, I finally calmed myself enough, and the smile I had all this time finally settled in.

I almost went running there to attack him mindlessly. I really need to avoid doing that, or else I will end up the same way as before!

How can I say it, somehow, after losing so miserably like that, I got really, really pumped up. I may have a few screws loose after all. I really wanted to go there and try to fight that huge guy one-on-one.

But I will probably die. I know next to nothing about him, and his attacks are clearly stronger than the ones the red tails use, I can tell by the name, and he has a couple more skills as well. Heck, there was even a description to it!

I breathed slowly for a couple of times.

Self-imposed rule of the hunter, number five. New monsters, new attacks. Do NOT go on the offensive.

I lifted myself from the ground and slowly approached the fox. It seemed that it didn’t hear me approaching, so I took my time to land a few strikes on it. I dropped my entire combo in it. Slash, slam, stab, slash, then I jumped back to gather some distance.

-15 -32 -21 -13

Combo! (x1.2)

-97 (1903/2000)

I jumped back as the fox roared in fury. What the hell was that? The damage is far too low I dealt a lot more damage on the red tails! Is this the effect of the status penalty?

No matter. Right now, my intention here is to test the waters and see its attacks and how they are. I’m already prepared to die here one more time before managing to kill him.

Putting some distance between us, I made a guarding stance with my shield in front and the sword behind. The fox looked at me in anger for a moment, then lifted its head while some cinders started to gather around it.

The motion was similar to the one made by the red tails when they used fire ball.

Except that this one was huge. Easily the size of my body!

I jumped aside as early as I could to avoid the attack, but the fox did not let me go so easily. It turned to me while growling and jumped forward. I lifted my shield and blocked it’s charge, however…

-3 (437/440)

Really? This attack deals more than 72 damage alone? And I’m pretty sure this isn’t even a skill!

This might also be because of the status penalty…

I gritted my teeth as I endured the attack, but in the end I was sent flying backwards for a few meters.

It seems I really need to start training using my nature’s bastion if I am to continue these mad hunts.

Also, I really need to stop smiling, I’m starting to creep myself out.

Okay, new strategy. Stop blocking, more dodging. Dodging ignores all the damage, so it’s a much safer option when hunting. Also, thinking about it, you only block on Monster Hunter when you have a lance or in dire situations, most of the time you spend dodging.

WAIT! I’VE BEEN HUNTING WRONG ALL THIS TIME?

I held myself back so I wouldn’t drop on all fours in the ground out of sheer depression.

Quickly recovering myself from the crippling depression, I took guard and readied myself for another attack from the fox. This time, it roared before jumping forward, and the flames from its paws and ears increased greatly, surrounding it.

I made a desperate jump to the side, as this charge was far faster than the previous one, and used roll to recover. Turning back to him, I readied for another attack.

Tightening my grip on the iron sword, I stared at him, trying to see if I could read his movements. I gulped loudly as the tension got to me, and couldn’t help but feel that this monster was looking at me with a mocking gaze. I prepared myself once again by lifting the shield and preparing for an attack.

He came fast to me, but he didn’t come in a straight line, he darted to the side before turning back to me and go for a bite. I had to use roll in a desperate move to avoid the bite, but the big guy was smart, and he used one of his tails to hit me before I could recover.

I was flung backwards for a few meters before finally hitting a tree.

-30 -10 -8

-48 (389/440)

I slid down from the tree as the pain made everything around me spin. But I barely managed to see him going for my neck once again, so I barely managed to block the attack with my shield, but my legs were unable to lift me from the ground.

-2 (387/440)

The blazing tail backed away slightly, noticing that his attacks weren’t having much of an effect, and looked at me while growling angrily. I saw as some cinders started to gather around his front claws and immediately knew that an attack was coming to me.

It lifted it’s right paw and brought it down in a diagonal motion. I barely managed to escape the attack by rolling beneath his claw, but this proved to be a bad idea, as he quickly used his other claw to attack me.

-30 -45

-75 (312/440)

Ghh. The damage, it’s too high!

I gritted my teeth as my body flew forwards due to the sudden impact, but using roll I quickly recovered myself and turned to the monster.

He still stood there, but he had raised his tails, whose fire were burning even brighter than before. I recognized this as the Blazing arcs skill, so I readied myself for whatever was about to come.

Instead of twisting it’s body like the red tails, the Blazing tail nimbly swung its tails without moving the body, and for each tail came a fire arc. I jumped forward barely dodging the first arc that came in a horizontal slash, then used roll to dodge the one that came on a vertical, but it left me right in front of the third one.

I raised my shield to block, but alas, my magical block is deplorable right now.

-83 (229/440)

I was flung backwards due to the impact, but before I could even put myself back on my feets, I heard it howl.

Foolishly, I looked at it in surprise for a second, trying to understand what it was doing. By the time I had noticed, the ground beneath me was shining brightly.

I sighed in self pity. Third self-imposed rule of the hunter. When the monster is doing something, do NOT stand still.

A pillar of fire appeared all around me, and before I could even move away, it damaged me.

-80 -80 -80

-240 (0/440)

And that is how I died.

Does this sound familiar?

Anyway, the attacks seems to be the kind that hits multiple times while you are standing in the area, but since I was a bit at loss, I lost my time to react and ended up dying. Pathetic, I know.

But… I’m happy, you know? Really happy.

Each of his attacks easily took around 20% of my life. This is how it happened back at monster hunter. Is this how the hunter felt back at the game?

I revived myself like usual and gave a last look at the blazing tail.

“Hey! Don’t go thinking that I am giving up! I’ll be back later for your hide, you hear me?” I shouted defiantly at it. It lifted its head from the ground and looked at me a bit distractedly before resuming its resting position.

Then, I started to make my way back to the city. I needed to make some preparations for this fight if I want to have a chance at winning.

On the way back, I made sure to gather as much ores and herbs as I could before making my way. However, just as when I was about to leave the forest, I heard a cute sounding bark.

Looking back in surprise, I saw the blue tail, the same one as I had found before, looking at me from the distance. At its feet was the body of a rabbit.

I looked confused and surprised at it for a moment, until it slightly pushed the rabbit’s body in my direction. Is he… Repaying me?

I approached him slowly, and he slowly retreated the more I advanced. He still looked at me with ferocious eyes, leaving me a bit at loss on what to do. I crouched when I arrived at the carcass, but he kept watching me warily.

Now that I took a better look at him, all his wounds were now gone, and he didn’t seem as skinny as he was before. I smiled slightly while I took the rabbits body from the ground. The fox seemed to be satisfied, as it nodded slightly before turning back and running towards the forest once again.

I could go an chase him, but I had the feeling that I wouldn’t be able to reach him even if I wanted.

During the way back, I ran, since I was not feeling very patient. Making sure to change my boots for the travelers boot that reduces the satiety use for traveling, I did not need too many breaks. I reached the city in half the time it took for me to reach the forest, and as soon as I got there, I started to prepare myself. Firstly, I went to Sol’s alchemical (and crystals). Yes, she did add that since the last time in a childish looking had-writing. We didn’t talk much as she was lazing around in her night gown and I kept making as many potions as I could. I also took the book she promised me and asked if she could sell me some portable equipment so I could make the simple potions on the field.

Getting my equipment ready, I then ran towards Torg’s house.

“Oh, Gondorrer! It’s been some time!” Said the big guy when he saw me.

“Hi illus… Torg. Can you borrow me your forge once again?” Not like I haven’t used it without permission before, though.

“Sure. Go light it up.” He said pointing towards the forge. I quickly heated it up and started dropping my iron ore in it. “You know, recently there has been as strange smell in my forge…” He said striking a conversation.

“Strange smell? What do you mean?” I asked confused.

“Yeah. It smells like metal, but it’s completely different from what I know. But it does remember me of iron… I think someone has been using my forges to smelt something… Different.”

…

HOW THE HELL CAN HE KNOW THAT ONLY BY SMELL?

“That’s probably me…” I said awkwardly, surprising him.

Since that was my original idea anyway, I showed him as I made some Crystal-iron alloys.

And no, I wasn’t making arrows, before you guys ask.

I suffer from something I like to joke that I call, stupid pride. Basically, it means that if I fail while doing something, I will keep doing that the same way as before until I manage to accomplish it. This is specially true in games. Since I tried to fight the fox with sword and shield on the first time, I will keep at it until I kill it with the sword and shield.

What I was doing right now, wasn’t making arrows since this would go against that, but it’s not like I can’t improve my actual methods.

I was making throwing knifes, this way I can actually use the crystals even in a battle that don’t involves the bow.

After making myself a small stock of these throwing knifes, and quickly quenching Torg’s curiosity about the crystals, I put myself to train with the throwing knifes on some rabbits outside the city, until I earned the skill. Something surprisingly hard when half the times you hit with the handle, and the other you don’t even hit at all.

Due to repeated use of throwing weapons, you have learned the skill: Throwing weapons masterySkill: Throwing weapons mastery [lvl 1]

0%Increases damage done and ease of use of throwing weapons.

Bonus Damage: 1%

Strangely enough, I didn’t earn any subskills from this. Maybe because it’s more of an auxiliary weapon rather than a main weapon? By the way, throwing knifes are considered consumables items by the system, so you can’t exactly equip them.

Also, I only activated one of each knifes to see whether they were working properly. After that I kept throwing them without activating the crystal, as this would break them and leaving me unable to recover them.

Being satisfied with this, I decided to take a last look in the city and see whether I could find something more that could help me with this. Preferably, information.

I went to the silver gauntlet and looked for Goulder, but it seemed that he was away. El and Arcus were also somewhere else, apparently in a mission.

I sat on one of the tables and watched the scenery come and go distractedly for some time while waiting for the knight to come back. I even logged off to get something to eat and take a shower.

But what actually took me out of the guild, was when a group of four players came in and took a quest from the counter. On their way out, I hear one of them asking where they would find a Blazing Tail.

There were a few others who came and went in here but they were the only ones who actually got a quest related to that boss. Thinking that this might be a good chance, I decided to go and call out to them.

“I actually know where you can find these blazing tails.” I said when I reached them. The group looked surprised for a moment, and then a bit suspicious. In the end, the harpy girl spoke to me first.

“Would you mind telling us?” She quickly looked to her friends asking confirmation.

“On one condition.” I said to them.

“Of course, there is always a condition.” Said the beastman in a snark. He had chosen the tiger race and set his character to actually look like a walking tiger. “What do you want? Money? Items?”

I shook my head with an awkward smile.

“All that I want is to watch you guys fighting it.” The group looked confused for a moment. “Actually, I want to watch the boss and how he fights, and if I have the chance to see that without stepping on the front lines, then all the better.”

They looked confused, but in the end, the Jöntunn using heavy plate armor said.

“Well… If that’s all, I don’t really see much problem. What about you guys?” He looked to his friends. The Harpy nodded slightly, the tiger shrugged and the treant examined me for a moment before agreeing.

I had them follow me to the area and told them that we might take some time to reach, since it was fairly far. They said that they weren’t bothered by it and followed me.

Their reactions when they finally saw that I was the Wargon from the belt was priceless. At first the stared at me blankly, then their jaws almost dropped to the floor when they heard me saying that I was only level 10. Afterwards, they started to ask me to make them some gear, which I had to refuse since I wouldn’t craft any gear until I could take down the Blazing tail.

I took the time of the trip to learn more about the group.

The Jöntunn was called Sr. Yagver (yes that is his nickname, with sir and all) the leader of the group, being a tank with the knight class. He was surprisingly sociable despite looking so damn scary with his bluish skin and black armor.

The Beastman called himself Xredder, and was the melee dps using a pair of brass knuckles. It seems that his class is monk and that he actually trains martial arts in the real world. He was the cynical of the group.

The harpy was called L3nny and used a cross bow as a weapon, saying that bow deals too little damage. Despite looking cheerful, she was surprisingly calm and composed. When I asked, she said her class is marksman.

Lastly, there was the almost literal walking tree, Forgotten. He was the healer of the group with the druid class. He did not speak a single word the entire travel, but the others said that he was only a bit too immersed in roleplaying.

Overall, it seemed a very balanced party for me, and I was pretty sure they would be very strong, as all of them had around level 18 or so.

On the way back to the foxes forests, I ended up meeting someone slightly unexpected.

Lieutenant Colonel Whiskers McBallofur Maximilliamus the third!

He was napping in a tree branch when we passed nearby. I jokingly made him a salute when he saw me, which he quickly replied with one of his own, leaving the group surprised.

I wonder if I could tame him instead of the blue tail? He seemed to be a lot more sociable…

Sadly, I had already promised the group to take them to the blazing tail, so I would need to find it later.

Leaving him behind (for now) I took them down the foxes forest. They easily dispatched the red tails with a focused strike.

It looks so easy when not all of your fights are literally fights to the death with the opponent…

Sighing inwardly, we reached the clearing and I pointed them towards the boss and could hear all of them gulping loudly when they saw the huge fox laying patiently on the ground.

I wasn’t all that worried about they killing it, as I knew this guy would actually respaw after some time. How? Because various people could take the same quest back in the guild, so it meant that it would quickly respawn after some time.

“Are you sure you don’t want to join us? We don’t mind adding you to the party.” Said Sir Yagver.

“No, I’m fine. I have my weird reasons to be doing this, so no need to worry.” I said waving him off with my hand. He nodded once and called the party to gather.

Meanwhile I sat down on a nearby tree. For now, all I would do was watch on how this would unfold.

For now, at least.