"Don't we need weapons?" Altaïr asked tentatively.
"No." Fabius led the two holding large shields to an empty corner.
"Defense, like offense, is a vast and profound discipline. Its intricacies couldn't be covered in this class alone; not even in days, weeks, or months.
"So today, I won't teach you too many basics, nor is there time. I'll just help you grasp a bit of what the way of defense entails."
Altaïr and Isis nodded together.
"Defense" is a concept far broader than the use of any specific weapon, difficult to express in a few words.
Like if a hunter trainee asked them "how do you attack?" Even though both were skilled in offense, they wouldn't know where to start.
You couldn't just say "attack means killing the monster." Similarly, defense could be summarized as "defense means blocking the monster's attacks," but that's no different from saying nothing.
"You two, separate ten meters, hold your large shields, and collide with each other." Fabius pointed at them.
"Is that... okay?" Isis asked cautiously.
Training hunter weapons are still hunter weapons, and the Guild's iron rule forbids using them against people, with no exceptions.
Fabius glanced at her. "So I only gave you large shields, not weapons."
"Oh!"
Isis nodded understandingly, then stepped back a few paces with her shield, indicating she was ready.
Altaïr stood opposite her.
Seeing Isis eager, feet scraping the ground, Altaïr felt a chill. If they collided head-on honestly, he'd probably be sent flying.
Before they could think further, Fabius announced the start.
"Hyaaaa!" Isis pushed off, charging like a frenzied Bulldrome.
Altaïr also stepped forward symbolically, then at the moment of collision, turned sideways with his shield raised, and they passed each other.
Isis ran another five or six meters before barely stopping.
As she prepared to launch another "human charge," Fabius raised his hand.
"Alright, stop."
Isis pouted and stood still, while Altaïr secretly swallowed. He was sure Isis had genuinely wanted to knock him and his shield flying.
What grudge...
"See the problem?" Fabius walked over, pointing at Isis. "What you just did is called offense."
Then he pointed at Altaïr. "And what you did is called evasion."
He gave them a few seconds to think, then took the large shield from Altaïr. "Isis, charge at me, like before."
Isis nodded vigorously, the human Bulldrome sprinted out again.
Altaïr focused intently, observing Fabius's movements. Initially, Fabius's posture was casual, muscles and joints relaxed.
But at the moment of collision, his body instantly tightened, the shield loosely held at his side was brought forward.
"Bang!" A loud crash as two large shields collided heavily.
Fabius didn't retreat a step, his body didn't even sway.
As the attacker, Isis felt like she'd hit a wall. The recoil through the shield pushed her to sit down on the ground.
"This is called defense." Fabius released his defensive stance, said solemnly, then addressed Isis:
"Continue."
Isis obeyed, got up from the ground, shook her sore, numb arm, then lifted her shield again and charged.
Altaïr keenly noticed that at the moment of the second collision, Fabius lowered his center of gravity further and tilted the shield at a subtle angle.
He immediately realized Fabius intended to demonstrate force dissipation.
Yet what happened next was unexpected. In this second collision, Isis completely lost balance, flying sideways.
Isis rubbed her painfully bumped head, stood up, and before she could catch her breath, Fabius said:
"Again."
"Ugh..."
Isis returned to face Fabius again, took a deep breath, and began her third charge.
Having fallen painfully twice, this third charge, she unconsciously reduced her force by a fraction.
Altaïr noticed this, Fabius certainly did too. He subtly pushed the shield forward slightly.
"Thud!" After a muffled sound, Isis didn't fly out again but stood firmly in place, face full of confusion.
She felt her charging force completely neutralized. Though her arm was numb again from the shock, her body didn't sway at all, standing completely steady.
Fabius lowered his shield. "Holding firm, dissipating force, neutralizing; these are very common defensive techniques. There are many similar skills.
"But mastering any one isn't achievable short-term. It requires extensive training and countless real combat experiences.
"From one perspective, defense is harder than offense. How to hold your ground against monsters dozens or hundreds of times your size is a complex discipline."
Isis and Altaïr nodded rapidly.
What Fabius just demonstrated was far more astonishing than splitting a wooden dummy with a sword, completely reshaping their understanding of "defense."
"Altaïr, disliking defensive weapons is fine. Focusing on offense is a correct path. Evasion or some counter techniques might suit you better than defense.
"But Isis, you're different. Your chosen weapon is the Gunlance. There's a reason the Gunlance pairs with a large shield. Balancing offense and defense is the core of this weapon.
"Emphasizing offense is a personal style, not a big issue. But if you completely abandon defense, only knowing offense, then as a Gunlance user, you're destined to be inadequate.
"Take today's battle as an example. If you were also skilled in defense, many opportunities existed to use less effort, create bigger openings, even flip the Yian Kut-Ku directly.
"But because you lack these skills, you could only use the most brute, mindless way, relying solely on your strength to resist.
"This opponent was a Yian Kut-Ku, so it didn't feel too strenuous. But if your opponent were a Diablos, or a Tigrex? Or those more terrifying monsters your parents faced?
"With only strength, no technique, could you still block their attacks?"
Isis's face twisted with conflict and confusion. After a period of silence, she uneasily said: "Teacher Fabius, I understand your meaning. I'll properly improve my defensive skills, but..."
"But what I say differs from what Amos says, right?" Fabius asked with a smile.
"Let me guess, did he say: even though you chose the Gunlance, don't confine yourself to a defender's role. You can still focus on offense, defense just makes your offense smoother, something like that?"
"How do you know?!"
"Because he uses a Long Sword."
"..."
The other two "Long Sword users" present looked at each other speechlessly.
"The underlying logic of the Long Sword is offense. Evasion is for offense, parrying is for offense, blocking is for offense; it seems only things existing for offense have meaning.
"Some even say offense is the best defense, hahaha..."
Fabius leaned on his large shield, snorted coldly. "If you wield a Long Sword, I have nothing to say.
"But now you hold a Gunlance! A Gunlance that balances offense and defense!
"As a Gunlance user, not understanding defense, how can you attack?!"
(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
Bulldrome — The alpha variant of the Bullfango, a stocky boar-like creature found in temperate regions. Bulldrome leads a pack of smaller Bullfango and is easily provoked into headlong charges. Its name is used here informally to describe Isis's reckless charging style.
Diablos — A large, aggressive Flying Wyvern found in arid desert regions. Diablos is distinguished by its two massive curved horns and notorious for its explosive charges and exceptional physical power. It is considered a serious threat even for experienced hunters, and is often used as a benchmark for dangerous encounters.