At night, Isis was doing her pre-bedtime self-weight training in her room.
With her current muscle strength, this level of exercise had long ceased to serve any substantial training purpose, but it had become a habit for her; if she didn't go through a set before bed, she felt awkward lying down.
While she was doing a one-handed handstand, the door to her room was knocked on.
With a forceful push from her arm, Isis flipped upright and walked to the door, opening it, but saw no one. Looking down, she was somewhat surprised to find that the one knocking was Clawdia, who had avoided her all afternoon.
Her surprise wasn't because Clawdia came to her room, as they usually slept together, but because Clawdia actually knocked.
There was a small hole on her bedroom door; Clawdia usually crawled through on her own, never knocking.
Moreover, after she opened the door, Clawdia didn't climb onto her as usual, just silently standing there.
Even Isis, not very perceptive, could see that Clawdia had been hurt by Altaïr's words from noon.
Given Clawdia's previous actions, it wasn't possible that there was no resentment in her heart, but it wasn't to the level of anger or dislike.
It was more like a child being managed by a parent. You can do this, you can't do that.
Plus, Clawdia indeed had richer hunting experience, so she chose to comply.
So should she tell her it's okay? Or how should she comfort her?
Just as Isis hesitated, Clawdia spoke first.
"I'm sorry, meow." Her voice was very small; Isis had almost never seen her so weak.
Subconsciously squatting halfway down, extending both hands, wanting to pick Clawdia up, but Clawdia avoided her.
"I only know how to fight, and can't do anything else well, meow."
"It's okay..."
Isis sat cross-legged, wanting to comfort her, but was interrupted by Clawdia.
"It's not okay, meow." She lowered her head; her originally sharp, upright ears drooped down. "All along, I've been too willful, meow."
After being told those words by Altaïr in the noon, Clawdia specifically went to find Pawdrick. She indeed wasn't good at interpersonal interactions, but her flashy older brother was.
After hearing Clawdia talk about the noon incident and probing about her previous ways of interacting with Isis, Pawdrick's answer hit her hard.
"Isis tolerating you for over a year can only mean she has an extremely good temper, meow!"
"You're not suited to be her hunting partner, meow. Maybe you should just go join the Guild's Meownster Hunters, meow."
Later, Francesca comforted Clawdia a few words, telling her to come talk properly with Isis. Regardless of the final outcome, at least things should be spoken openly.
So she came to Isis's place in a daze.
If it really was like Pawdrick said, she wasn't suited to be Isis's hunting partner, not only unable to lead her forward but even interfering with her growth, then at least she should bid farewell face-to-face.
Realizing Clawdia's mood wasn't quite right, Isis somewhat forcefully extended her arms, lifted Clawdia up, and placed her between her knees. The person and cat sat at the room doorway, talking for a long time.
"Father said, once you make a resolution, you should be single-minded, fully assisting you, meow."
"When I knew you would become my hunting partner, I was so happy I couldn't sleep all night."
"..."
"..."
"I applied the ways Father taught me to you, thinking that was the best way, meow, but never considered that it wasn't suitable for you, meow..."
"I know you were doing it for my good, not wanting me to fall into danger, not wanting me to get hurt, but I've become stronger than before too, no longer needing you to protectively lead me. From now on, we can walk together, you know?"
"..."
"..."
"Can I still stay by your side, be your hunting partner, meow?"
"Of course, wasn't that decided before you were born?"
—--
At the breakfast table, seeing Clawdia sitting in Isis's lap, licking the milk from her cup, Altaïr knew their relationship had been repaired.
He smiled at Clawdia, "Do you feel like the relationship has become closer?"
Clawdia defiantly showed her fangs at him.
Whether because of yesterday's words or from the perspective of "Isis being taken partly away," her impression of Altaïr wasn't good, even carrying a slight hostility.
But Altaïr didn't mind.
Clawdia was Isis's hunting partner; they would surely act together in the future. Not being compatible in personality wasn't a big problem.
But Clawdia's previous self-centered, extreme attitude had to be corrected, otherwise it would become a hidden trouble sooner or later.
From the current situation, the correction effect was quite good; this one listened to nobody's words but cared greatly about Isis's views, and only Isis could truly manage her.
After breakfast, Altaïr directly went to the basement training ground.
Over these few days, Amos, based on "Crimson Blade Slash I," had worked out Crimson Blade Slash's second and third stages.
Both were through splitting one sword strike into two, even three, doubling attack frequency.
Through actual testing confirmation, this set of sword techniques in the red Spirit Gauge state attacked faster than spirit blade combo, with minimal flaws, very suitable to replace basic sword moves for opportunistic hits.
Anyone with passable coordination could basically learn this move, and the Long Sword as a weapon inherently didn't require low coordination. Plus, Long Sword users who could stably open the red Spirit Gauge certainly weren't beginners, completely meaningful for widespread adoption.
For Altaïr, whose coordination was so good it could be called "abnormal," the Crimson Blade Slash combo had even more important functions.
For Long Sword users, how to quickly gather fighting spirit, raise momentum (Spirit Gauge level), was always key among keys.
Altaïr, who could use Crimson Blade Slash in demonization state, could completely use this method to gather fighting spirit with extremely high efficiency, thus quickly completing gauge raising.
Thus, he could use those high-level sword techniques requiring consumption of large amounts of fighting spirit more frequently than other Long Sword users.
Such results naturally excited Altaïr greatly.
Besides eating, sleeping, and necessary rest times these few days, he almost always stayed in the training ground, repeatedly honing the Crimson Blade Slash triple combo.
He wanted to engrave this Crimson Blade Slash combo into muscle memory, like Dual Blades users' Blade Dance: once demonization state opened, without thinking, limb muscles themselves could complete actions at highest efficiency.
Altaïr's progress made Isis feel a sense of crisis.
She wasn't someone who would feel jealousy seeing companions become stronger than herself, narrow-minded, but her self-esteem wouldn't allow herself to lag too far behind companions.
So, carrying her Gunlance and Large Shield, she came to the small courtyard before the house, swinging them stroke by stroke.
The Steel Gunlance difficult for ordinary people to lift even with both hands tore through air, issuing successive scalp-tingling whistles; even grass scraps on the ground flew up with the fierce winds stirred by her forceful Gunlance swings.
Amos stood behind the curtains, through the curtain gap, quietly watching Isis autonomously training in the front yard.
Five minutes, ten minutes... one hour passed, Isis still there, like practicing basic swings, fiercely swinging Gunlance incessantly.
Clawdia still patted claws beside, helping count strokes while cheering.
Amos rubbed his temples.
After being pointed out the essence of "attacker," that Large Shield on your right hand, you're not planning to practice it at all, right?
Previously telling you to go to the training camp to ask the Gunlance Instructor for advice, seems you didn't take it to heart either, huh? Yesterday running to the training camp, just thinking about asking about Great Sword matters, right?
More worrisome than your mother...
Amos sighed, pushed the door open and went out; he didn't say much to Isis, just briefly said "I'm going out," and walked out the courtyard gate.
Following the Residential District streets, straight forward, soon arriving before those huge stairs leading to the Core District.
"Luckily it's not the leg broken."
Looking at those stairs with over a thousand steps, Amos muttered to himself, then followed the steps, upward step by step, until reaching that huge building located at the edge of the Core District.
The Dundorma's Guild Hall tavern, praised as "the People's Tavern."
(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.
CONCEPTS & SYSTEMS
Meownster Hunters — A Guild program exclusive to Felynes (cat-like humanoids) in which groups of Felynes are dispatched on independent expeditions to gather materials, complete tasks, and earn rewards. Hunters can send their Felyne companions on these missions between hunts. The name is a deliberate pun on "Monster Hunters."
SKILLS & TECHNIQUES
Blade Dance — A signature technique of Dual Blades users. When activated in Demon Mode, the hunter unleashes a rapid, spinning flurry of slashes, striking the target repeatedly at high speed. It is considered one of the most visually distinctive and damage-efficient moves in the Dual Blades repertoire.