Event synopsis: A Flurry to the Flame
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Acting as a collaboration/crossover with Capcom's Monster Hunter, A Flurry to the Flame tells the story of Rhodes Island operators Yato and Noir Corne encountering some unfamiliar "visitors" and an old hunter in the remote Higashinese village of Roka whom they will team up together to fight against an otherworldly "monster" threatening the village.
Let the Hunt Begin!
Yato and Noir Corne arrived at the Higashinese village of Roka for an investigation concerning a local Oripathy outbreak. As they hike up to Mount Soubo to collect Originium samples, they notice some unusual remains. Not only they see trees being burnt by fire, but also, they uncover giant footprints and claw scratches that does not belonging to any local creature. To make the matter worse, they detect active Originium ores on those remains.
Just then, the two operators meet a white, talking, Feline-like being who warns them of the "Rathalos." Within a moment, the shadow of a giant red wyvern suddenly casts onto the forest as it roars furiously. Yato and Noir Corned try to take down this gargantuan being, but its sheer force and fiery breath proves that they're no match to them. Yato was even poisoned by the venom from the wyvern's wing claws. So, the Feline-like being summon his companion to take them away from the site on their crudely-made cart, and the gang have to retreat by force.
Along the way for hideout, the Feline-like beings introduce themselves to Noir Corne as "Felynes." One is the Felyne Scholar who is a former researcher of the "Royal Paleontology Scriveners" hailing from Bherna, and the orange fellow is the Felyne Artisan from Pokke. However, the two sides are unable to understand each other, causing the Felynes to realize that they are in a whole new world. Worst of all, they could not find a "blue mushroom" that could neutralize Yato's poison. Seeing time being precious, the gang hurry back to the village to seek for other alternative remedies.
With the help of Kazuya the village boy, the two temporarily rest inside the house of an old hunter named Kashiwau Yoshitaka while the Felynes are producing alternative remedies for Yato. However, the gang were met with hostility upon Yoshitaka's return from his "hunt." Making things worse, Yoshitaka chases them out of his house upon hearing the news concerning the Rathalos, and he seems to have a personal grudge with it by stating that it is his own prey.
Wrath of Nature
As Yato slowly recovers from her fever, she and Noir urges the evacuation of the villagers to flee from the Rathalos, which she deems it to be the source of the plague. However, they notice something abnormal in Roka. To begin with, the village chief, Takii Ataru, not only does not take heed of their warning, but also inform them not to dive too deep on this matter. Their investigation is constantly obstructed by the villagers, but as the village witnesses a sudden surge in the Oripathy patients, they couldn't cover their secrets anymore. So, a man named Ritou Hiroshi informs Yato that the villagers had been working inside a cave at a nearby mountain, but he does not elaborate further.
The gang hike up the mountain again to investigate the cave. Along the way, they are met with constant attack from rampaging animals, forcing them to leave the cave. Even as they enter the woods, they have to fend off these animals as well This causes the Felyne Scholar to suspect that the local ecology seems to be disrupted by some abnormal phenomenon.
As twilight descends, the gang find themselves lost in the woods. Fortunately, they discover some human activities nearby which lead them to a seemingly abandoned hunting camp. While the gang take the opportunity for a rest, the Felyne Artisan crafted new armors for Noir and Yato with materials they brought with them. Noir is given a brand-new red armor made of Rathalos scales, whereas Yato can finally overcome her light-sensitive skin thanks to her armors' magical ability.
The peace, however, is interrupted. It appears that the camp actually belongs to Yoshitaka, and the old hunter intends to expel them through force. Just then, the Rathalos suddenly descends from the night sky after being attracted by the campfire. As their fight against the monster continues, another Felyne with exotic costume, claimed to be the Feyline Palico from Kokoto, guides Noir to give a painful blow onto it with his sword. The attack works, but it also causes the Rathalos to escape into the sky while Noir and the Felyne Scholar are being stuck on their back.
Yato tries to calm Yoshitaka down who is furious for the Rathalos' escape. She is completely puzzled by his meaningless actions. Nevertheless, she manages to figure out the reason behind his intention. Yoshitaka actually lost his son Akira seven years ago who was killed in a wave of beast rampage. Due to his son's mysterious death and the villagers' attempt to hide the secret behind it, the old man has been plagued by psychological issues in which he aimlessly seeks prey to vent out his anger; the Rathalos is just one of his targets. Out of uncontrolled anger, Yoshitaka accidentally hurts Yato with his spear wounding her leg, causing him to run away in guilt.
On Noir's side, they manage to pinpoint the cave where the Rathalos is hiding. There, they rescued Takii Mirai, a nephew of Roka's chief Ataru, who is stuck inside a railroad cart for almost a month. Through Mirai's observation data, they find out that this Rathalos is indeed abnormal. The wyvern has been building its nest with Originium, and although it miraculously does not contact Oripathy, its whole body was covered with active Originium dust, causing it to be a walking Oripathy spreader. On the other hand, the influence of Originium also harms its body such as shards of inactive Originium growing on its skin as a by-product of its resistance against Oripathy and being unable to consume Terran animals due to the presence of Originium.
At the same time, the gang finally uncovers the villagers' secret. Roka was originally a hunting village which then shifted to Originium mining seven years ago due to the ongoing Higashi civil war that pressured their survival. However, the mining was done by massacring a large community of burrowing beasts, and in turn, those surviving animal drove others into rampage, hence disrupting the local ecology and causing that devastating beast rampage which cost Akira's life. Another terrifying fact is that the villagers' reckless mining without proper precautions and equipment had led to contamination of a nearby volcano by active Originium dust, turning the place into a ticking timebomb that will lead to a man-made Catastrophe. So, Mirai and Noir are finding ways to destroy the mine along with killing the Rathalos.
While Yato is treating her own wound, another wave of rampaging animals suddenly appears. Yoshitaka too tries to fend himself from the beasts' attack, but he is still drowned in his own guilt. Seeing Yato being in danger, Yoshitaka finally puts aside his haunting past to avoid repeating his mistake.
Meanwhile, while Noir, Mirai, and the Scholar Feyline are carefully observing the Rathalos, they suddenly wake the Rathalos from its slumber. The furious wyvern once again breathes out its fire that ignites explosions in the caves. Worst of all, it blasts the volcano, and a Catastrophe is about to happen. Upon reuniting with Yato, Noir and the rest hurriedly head back to the village for an immediate evacuation before both the Catastrophe and the rampaging animals arrive.
Kingsfall
The sudden disaster caused chaos among the villagers. No one expected it to arrive that early. In the meantime, the net that protects the village from the animals was intentionally destroyed, allowing the herds to swarm into the village. Everyone blames each other such as Ataru for allowing the mining and Hiroshi for the destroyed net and earning extravagant amount of profit from the business. Nevertheless, Yato, Noir, and Mirai persuade the people to cast aside their differences and fight against their common enemies. Being amazed by those outsiders' bravery, the villagers finally move on and take out their old hunting weapons in their storehouses. Just like its old days, Roka's hunting spirit is awoken again.
Yoshitaka and Ataru lead the people to expel the animals. Along the way, Ataru finally reveals the secret he has been hiding from Yoshitaka: Akira's death was because of his grand sacrifice by luring away the rampaging animals from the village during that disaster seven years ago. Despite his son's opposition in the mining activity, he is willing to give up his life for a brighter future for the village. The stubborn old hunter is touched by his son's decision, hence finally letting off the hindrance in his heart. With no regret, he sets his house on fire to erase his painful past while attracting the Rathalos to the village to finish the monster once and for all.
The Catastrophe slowly approaches the village through a massive forest fire, and Rathalos' flame only worsens the situation. Even then, Yoshitaka bravely charges towards the wyvern with his spear. He successful finds its Achilles's heel on its head, yet he is still too fragile in facing the Rathalos. Just when he is about to collapse, Kazuya arrives to bring him away from the battlefield to treat his injuries. It is now Yato's and Noir's turn to carry on the match.
Equipped with magical armors, the two operators are able to rival the Rathalos. The Felynes too, work together to distract the moster while they can reach its weak points. With his new talent, Noir strikes the Rathalos heavily that it broke its tail. Even though the Rathalos attempts to escape, a thrown flashbang stun its eyes, debilitating it. Yato then delivers a final blow onto its back through her newly-learnt "Demon Mode."
As Yato is about to put down the monster, Noir suddenly persuades her to spare it. She feels puzzled as she knows that letting it off will only create another victim. However, the Felyne Scholar points out that this Rathalos is already on the brink of death due to the negative influence of Originium on its body; putting it down is only meaningless. With that said, they let the monster to be reclaimed by the approaching Catastrophe.
Months later, reconstruction on Roka begins. Yoshitaka miraculously survives his injuries, and his story of bravery receives praises by the villagers. Mirai surprisingly persuades her uncle not to give up the village's mining business, and this time, she will help introduce better mining equipment to avoid repeating their same mistake. While Roka is destroyed, a bright future is still waiting onto them as life will returns to its normal ways.
Upon helping the three Felynes to settle down in Rhodes Island, Yato and Noir return to the ruins of Roka again to observe the Rathalos. Even though it survives the Catastrophe, it has reached its limit. As the two watch the old Rathalos falling from the sky after its last breath, they are amazed that even such a majestic being could not resist the everlasting curse of Terra.