A high-frequency noise erupted.
The Yian Kut-Ku, whose entire body hadn't even fully emerged from the gate, was instantly stunned. It swayed on its feet, dizzy like a drunkard.
Isis, who had planned all this beforehand, immediately charged forward, closing in on the Yian Kut-Ku and launching a fierce assault.
"That's exactly how it should be!" Francesca cheered excitedly from the spectator stands, waving her tiny fists.
The Arena Challenge was a speed-based event. The organizers had already set many strict rules to prevent participants from "going wild" and ensure fairness in the competition.
Therefore, within the bounds of the rules, there was no need to be overly honorable. Doing everything possible to seize the initiative was the way to win!
Anyone who just stood there like an idiot after the timer started, waiting for the monster to come over, had no right to break records!
"Wyvern's Fire!"
Isis thrust the blade of her Gunlance into the gap in the Yian Kut-Ku's beak and immediately pulled the trigger.
Using Wyvern's Fire earlier meant the barrel would cool down sooner!
"Boom...!"
With a deafening roar, one side of the Yian Kut-Ku's semicircular earflaps, as conspicuous as a noble's scarf, was blown apart. Its head and face were covered with scorch marks from the explosion, and even its hard beak cracked slightly.
In fact, the Yian Kut-Ku's weak point wasn't its head.
About three-quarters of its head was covered by the huge spoon-shaped beak, which was quite hard. If the attack angle was wrong, it could bounce off.
Its true weak points were its wings, tail, and abdomen. These three areas weren't covered by heavy carapace and had relatively soft flesh.
Considering the Yian Kut-Ku's flight capabilities, attacking the wings was generally the best choice.
Isis focusing her attacks entirely on the Yian Kut-Ku's head resembled a reckless novice who unconditionally targeted monster heads without any research.
As a mentor, Amos should have been angry or displeased, but the old hunter on the stands instead showed a look of satisfaction, like "the child has grown up, her brain has finally fully developed."
In practical combat, a monster's weak point isn't necessarily the best target.
This was the Arena. To ensure spectator safety, the Yian Kut-Ku's wing membranes had been damaged beforehand, making flight almost impossible.
Thus, the priority of attacking the wings dropped considerably.
The tail had good flesh quality, but even cutting off a section wouldn't greatly affect the Yian Kut-Ku's movements. Due to Isis's own physique and weapon size, attacking the abdomen was difficult and had to be abandoned.
Overall, the head, which wasn't even a weak point, became the most suitable target.
Though the huge spoon-shaped beak was hard, the only attacks truly threatening Isis were its heavy peck and breath.
If this massive beak could be broken, the threat of both attacks would be drastically reduced.
Under the immense impact of Wyvern's Fire, the Yian Kut-Ku was knocked backward and stumbled. However, this attack also helped it recover faster from the Sonic Bomb's dizziness.
Shaking its dizzy head, it was about to roar, but Isis, who had slid back two meters from the recoil, took another big stride and pursued.
With her stride, the Gunlance swung with full force slammed into the Yian Kut-Ku's cheek.
This was an attack that could even stagger a Tigrex's head. The Yian Kut-Ku's slender neck couldn't absorb this impact. Its head jerked sideways like it had been hit by a heavy swing punch.
While swinging the Gunlance, Isis simultaneously pulled the trigger repeatedly.
Normal-type Shells at such close range were less powerful than Wide-type, but at zero distance, the shelling power wasn't diminished at all. It was completely absorbed by the monster, blasting several red-black wounds from its cheek to neck.
The Shells in the chamber were emptied. Isis couldn't reload quickly and delivered another full-force downward smash.
The Gunlance, enhanced by immense force, acted like an axe, hammering the Yian Kut-Ku's head down. The not-so-sharp blade cracked the carapace on its head, opening a bleeding wound.
Isis's attack wasn't over. Using her waist and legs to exert force, she lifted the Gunlance whose blade was embedded in the ground from the downward smash, then thrust diagonally upward while pulling another trigger on the handle.
Wyrmstake Cannon!
With a muffled "thud," a metal stake driven by explosive powder shot out from below the Gunlance muzzle.
Unfortunately, the Yian Kut-Ku, having suffered consecutive heavy blows, flapped its wings, lifted its upper body, and roared angrily, luckily dodging this finishing attack.
The Wyrmstake Cannon stake, failing to pierce the target's body, ejected and fell to the ground.
"Groooaaarrr...!"
As if mere cries couldn't vent its fury, the Yian Kut-Ku shook its head and jumped a few times on the spot.
Its eyes bloodshot, sparks and flames flickered from the gap in its slightly malformed, hard-to-close beak. The hunter's attacks had thoroughly enraged it.
It lowered its head and pecked fiercely.
The word "peck" might seem gentle and weak, but it depends on who's doing it.
For a Yian Kut-Ku over nine meters long, with a hard, massive beak like a giant hammer, this peck could instantly crush an Aptonoth's spine.
Isis, prepared since the Yian Kut-Ku's angry stomping, immediately raised her Large Shield and entered Defensive Stance.
The Yian Kut-Ku's beak slammed onto the steel shield face like a pile driver, producing a loud "thump."
Isis slightly bent her thigh joints, muscles tensed, steadily absorbing the attack. Then, she shouted, pushing the shield open, thrusting the Yian Kut-Ku's head aside. With one hand swinging the Gunlance, she quickly completed Quick Reload.
—--
In a corner high on the stands, Fabius, invited by Amos to watch, frowned.
From charging forward at the start, using Sonic Bomb to stun the target, directly targeting the head with Wyvern's Fire, and launching suppression attacks, to entering Defensive Stance immediately when the monster became enraged.
Up to this point, Isis's judgment, attack technique, and most impressive strength and explosiveness satisfied him immensely.
Having such skill at seventeen or eighteen, given ten more years to grow, wouldn't she soar?
But when Isis raised the Large Shield, the old man's expression fell.
As a veteran hunter who had used Lance for fifty years, leader of the Guild's Heavy Knights, a top-tier heavily armored hunter who could steadily block even Elder Dragon breath attacks.
Isis's use of the Large Shield made his teeth ache.
He understood why Amos would lower his head to ask for help, insisting on inviting him to give pointers.
Was Isis's defensive technique really so bad it was completely unwatchable?
Yes, in his eyes, it truly was unwatchable.
Normally, a 3★ Hunter perfectly defending against a Yian Kut-Ku's peck could be called excellent.
But the problem was, Isis's perfect defense had nothing to do with her defensive technique. It was purely due to her astonishing strength holding firm.
Her core was tense, but her center of gravity wasn't low enough, her right arm shoulder and joints weren't stable enough, and the shield's angle facing the attack was wrong.
Her entire defensive stance leaned more toward the posture used with Sword and Shield's small arm shield.
Like those hunter trainees who just switched from Sword and Shield to Large Shield, whose instructors hadn't yet corrected their movements, directly applying small arm shield experience to a large shield.
He had seen too many youngsters like this, exactly the same.
Considering her age of seventeen or eighteen, reaching this level seemed not worth much criticism.
But taking her identity as a 3★ Hunter, comparing it with her offensive technique, and her physical fitness far beyond 3★ Hunter level... the shortcoming was just too glaring.
—--
In the Arena, Isis, having completed Quick Reload, was about to attack again, but saw the Yian Kut-Ku turn its body, whipping its slender yet powerful tail sideways.
She decisively halted her offense, raised her shield, leaned forward with her shoulder, blocking the attack while neutralizing the tail whip's impact.
—--
Fabius on the stands again held his forehead, rubbing his eyes with his palms.
Great, she even used Perfect Guard.
He didn't know whether to be happy or sad. Such a young Gunlance user performing Perfect Guard against a 3★ Monster's attack, neutralizing impact to avoid staggering; normally, he should clap vigorously and cheer loudly.
But that blocking motion, why did it look so much like a Great Sword...
(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.
CLASSIFICATIONS
Elder Dragon — The most dangerous tier of monster classification in the Monster Hunter world. Elder Dragons are typically solitary apex predators of immense power, capable of catastrophic environmental destruction. They resist conventional capture methods and often require specialized equipment and tactics to hunt.
EQUIPMENT
Lance — A weapon type pairing a long thrusting spear with a large shield. Built around sustained defensive combat, it allows hunters to block and counter-thrust continuously. Its blocking capability surpasses that of most other weapons, making it the preferred choice of guard-focused hunters like Fabius.