In the bustling streets of Dundorma, a girl carrying a large cello case walked alone.
Her shoulders drooped, her arms dangling at her sides, her sandals scuffing along; she looked utterly listless, as if she might collapse at any moment.
The girl was actually quite beautiful, with delicate features and a slender, well-defined nose. Her jet-black hair made her skin appear somewhat pale.
But what was most striking was her thick, long eyelashes.
It wasn't just her upper lashes; even her lower lashes were the same. Yet, instead of enhancing her looks, it created a rather odd, counterproductive effect.
Usually, long eyelashes are a plus; they make the eyes look bigger and brighter, and a flutter can seem pitifully charming.
But the girl's lashes were too dense. At first glance, they looked like overly drawn eyeliner, and the shadow cast by her lower lashes resembled dark circles.
Combined with her slouched posture, slightly messy hair, and pale skin, she seemed unusually dispirited.
"See you, Lambert~!"
"Let's practice together again next time!"
Two girls her age, also carrying instruments, ran past her hand in hand. They even turned back to wave at her enthusiastically.
Their sunny, energetic appearance made her instinctively raise a hand to shield her eyes.
"Bye..." Out of basic politeness, the girl named Lambert replied softly.
But the two girls didn't seem to hear. Giggling and chasing each other, they quickly ran off into the distance.
"Sigh... how boring." The girl exhaled heavily.
It wasn't because of the girls' superficial friendliness; she didn't care about social niceties or relationships at all.
She just thought their music was utterly dull!
Playing exactly as written in the score, note for note, as if completing a task; so light and soft, without passion, without soul.
But wasn't she the same?
Holding a cello, praised as "the instrument with the deepest, richest tone," yet she could never play the kind of intense, fiery music she truly yearned for.
She wanted something more explosive!
Something that ignored pitch, pulled the strings with full force, ripped her throat raw with screaming, and then smashed the cello to pieces!
But in the end, she could only imagine it.
Both her parents were musicians with decent incomes, but they were still just an ordinary family. How could they ever let her smash an expensive cello for fun?
When she told them her thoughts, all she got were eye-rolls and angry glares, repeatedly warning her not to mess around with her instrument.
"Ahh..." Lambert sighed again.
In the future, was she really going to become a so-called musician like her parents or those two who just ran past; playing those tedious, complex, rigid symphonies just to please pretentious people?
Just thinking about it made her feel all her motivation draining away with every breath, her shoulders drooping even lower.
Like a mindless zombie, she wandered aimlessly until someone bumped into her, making her stumble. Looking up, she realized she was surrounded by a dense crowd.
Where was this?
The girl felt a bit disoriented. Just then, a staff member nearby glared at her impatiently.
"Get to the back of the line!"
"Huh?" Dazedly pulled to the rear of the queue, she didn't even get a chance to ask before the staff member hurried off.
Looking around, she realized she had ended up near the Arena.
"The Arena Challenge?"
Reading the text on the poster, Lambert muttered quietly.
Ah, that's the one where Hunters and Monsters fight together in an enclosed space, right? Seems quite intense.
Lambert checked her purse.
She had just received her allowance from home; should be enough for a ticket. And since she had no interest in practicing this afternoon, why not go in and take a look?
—--
In the Arena's preparation room, Isis was inspecting her gear before the battle.
Just as Francesca had predicted, after she and Altaïr went to the Guild Hall yesterday and spoke to the elderly Guild Supervisor, the latter readily agreed to let both of them join this Arena Challenge.
Never mind the appeal of "genius boy and girl"; just the fact that these two youngsters wanted to train themselves made the Guild Supervisor hard to refuse.
Honestly, he was overjoyed.
Last year, when Isis told him she was leaving Dundorma to gain experience, he had felt regretful for a long time.
A 3★ Hunter at seventeen; what did that mean? Even with relaxed promotion standards nowadays, she was a once-in-a-decade, or even decades, talent.
And then she just left...
But now! Not only had she returned, but she'd even brought another one back with her!
Joy! Arranging two Arena spots was nothing. If they were willing to stay in Dundorma, he'd let them live in the Arena itself!
Upon learning that Isis wanted to participate in the Arena Challenge as soon as possible, the Guild Supervisor even scheduled her for a match the very next day.
Out of an elder's caution, he didn't dare assign her something like a Yian Kut-Ku right from the start, as Isis had hoped.
For Isis's first match, her opponent was the lowest-tier Monster in the Arena Challenge, a Velocidrome.
This would ensure safety while also giving some indication of Isis's strength, helping him plan her next opponents accordingly.
Isis had no objections either. She had never fought in the Arena before, so starting with a weaker opponent would help her get familiar with the environment.
According to Arena Challenge rules, participating Hunters were prohibited from bringing their hunting partners and from using any personal armor, weapons, Talismans, or items.
All hunting equipment and items were uniformly provided by the Guild to ensure fairness.
The armor was the most basic Chainmail Set, forged from Iron Ore and lined with warm Anteka fur. It was only slightly better than the Hunter's Armor used by apprentice Hunters.
Defense-wise, there was little need for comparison. Its weight was less than half of her usual Barroth Armor, feeling light and airy on her body, making running and jumping noticeably quicker.
The weapon was also a standard ore-based one, an Iron Gunlance. In appearance and structure, it differed very little from the Defender Gunlance, making it comfortable to use without needing readjustment.
The items were also fairly basic: First-aid Med+, rations, Whetstones, Throwing Knives, and so on; not even a Paintball, since the Arena was small, and opponents couldn't run far anyway.
After repeatedly checking her gear and items, Isis ate two rations to fill her stomach. Then, a staff member came in to confirm she was ready and gestured outside.
Soon, a deep horn blast sounded, followed by the announcer's enthusiastic opening remarks and the cheers of the audience.
Isis paid no attention to the noise. To her, the horn blast was simply the signal that the battle was about to begin.
Hoisting her large shield and Gunlance, Isis walked out of the preparation room and into the Arena.
It was a circular arena spanning thousands of square meters, its ground covered in compacted yellow soil, perfectly level.
There were some steps, slopes, and other terrain features along the edges for Hunters to utilize if needed, but those didn't concern her.
Isis calmly stared at the massive iron-barred gate on the opposite side of the arena.
Through the steel bars, she could vaguely see the restless silhouette of a Monster.
Isis lowered her visor, recalling what Francesca had reminded her before she entered the Arena.
"Speed is key! The faster you finish the fight, the better the rewards! And if you can break a record, that's even better!"
Amidst the vague, chaotic shouting, the faint sound of a bell being struck could be heard.
At the same moment, the iron-barred gate across the arena lifted. After being confined for so long, the already ferocious Velocidrome roared as it charged out, rushing toward the sole target in the arena.
Isis didn't adopt a defensive stance like other heavily armored hunters, calmly waiting.
Instead, she dashed forward, charging straight toward the Velocidrome.
In almost the blink of an eye, the distance between them closed to less than ten meters, an awkward range for the Velocidrome.
Its strongest and most lethal move was to leap high using its powerful hind legs, then slash at enemies with its scythe-like claws.
Even Hunters in heavy armor could be grievously wounded instantly if struck by such an attack.
But the opponent had already closed in. Attempting such a powerful kick was now too late. The Velocidrome simply opened its blood-stained maw, lunging forward as if to bite off the Hunter's head in one snap.
Gasps echoed from the spectator stands.
At the final moment before the Monster's attack landed, Isis suddenly raised the iron large shield in her right hand and slammed it forward with all her might.
"Boom!"
A deafening impact reverberated throughout the arena.
In a corner of the spectator stands, Lambert, who had been staring blankly at the scene, felt her heart pounding uncontrollably along with the resounding crash.
(Translated by yourtl.app)
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TL NOTES — LORE SECTION
Some terms and creatures referenced in this story may be unfamiliar to readers new to the Monster Hunter universe. The following entries provide additional context.
MONSTERS
Velocidrome —
The alpha of a pack of small raptor-like creatures called Velociprey, the Velocidrome is a Bird Wyvern present since the earliest Monster Hunter titles. Faster and more aggressive than its pack members, it is distinguished by a prominent red crest and powerful hind legs capable of launching devastating leaping attacks. It is considered a low-tier threat and is often among the first large Monsters encountered by new hunters.
EQUIPMENT
Chainmail Set —A basic armor set crafted from iron ore and natural materials, representing one of the lowest tiers of hunter armor. Lightweight and offering minimal defense, it is typically worn by apprentice hunters or in contexts, such as Arena Challenges, where standardized gear is required.
ENDEMIC LIFE
Anteka — A deer-like herbivore found in cold, mountainous regions of the Monster Hunter world. Docile and non-threatening, Anteka are hunted primarily for their thick fur, which is used in crafting warm clothing and armor linings.