The heavy wooden sword made of Yukumo Wood smashed down from overhead.
Though it had no sharp edges or blades, from the sound of it tearing through the air alone, one could tell that being hit wouldn't just result in a bump on the head; it could easily crack the skull.
Altaïr's inner clothes and the tips of his hair were already soaked with sweat. He breathed heavily and, at the last moment before the wooden sword struck, pushed off with his foot, spun, and dodged backward.
Without any pause in his movement, he used the inertia from his turn and retreat to compress his leg muscles, then immediately bounced forward, simultaneously lifting his own wooden sword to slash.
Foresight Slash!
"Crack!"
Amos casually swung his wooden sword horizontally, deflecting Altaïr's countering Foresight Slash.
Then, he flipped his wrist, changed his stance, raised the wooden sword to his chest, pointed the tip forward, aimed directly at Altaïr's chest, and shifted his weight back to prepare.
This was the starting motion for Spirit Blade Thrust.
Altaïr, who had barely avoided falling behind in the previous exchange, dared not hesitate. He swiftly brought the wooden sword to his waist, adopting the Iai Spirit Slash posture.
Amos suddenly shifted his weight forward, as if about to thrust his wooden sword.
Altaïr, fully focused and locked onto his opponent, did not rashly react and was not fooled by this feint.
Seeing Altaïr's Iai posture had no flaws, Amos couldn't help but show a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
Sharp timing control, correct response choices, and most crucially, a calm and steady mindset facing attacks that could come at any moment.
This child's sword techniques had truly begun to take shape.
Amos pushed off from his feet, transforming into a blur as he dashed forward. Power transmitted from his legs to his waist, then finally his arms drove the wooden sword, cutting a straight path through the air.
Altaïr simultaneously bounced his blade out of its sheath, meeting the attack with Iai Slash.
"Crack!" The wooden swords collided, producing a crisp sound.
At that moment, the force transmitted through the handle nearly flung Altaïr's wooden sword from his hand. He gritted his teeth and exerted all his strength, only barely altering Amos's thrusting sword path. Their figures crossed past each other.
Exposing one's back to an opponent was extremely dangerous. Altaïr hurriedly turned around, but was half a beat too slow. Amos turned first and swung his sword, striking Altaïr's wrist, then flicking the wooden sword away.
Lost again...
Altaïr felt somewhat discouraged, but quickly regained his spirits. At least he lasted one move longer than before, wasn't that right?
"Thank you for your instruction." Altaïr swiftly adjusted his mindset and bowed to Amos in gratitude.
Amos nodded slightly. "Let's end here for today."
Altaïr rubbed his wrist and picked up the wooden Long Sword that had fallen to the ground.
Unlike other weapons, the Long Sword was one of the rare weapons whose techniques could be enhanced through person-to-person sparring.
Movements like Foresight Slash and Iai, which pursued timing control, these "breakthrough" techniques were especially suitable for honing through this method.
Of course, in sparring they didn't use Hunter-type weapons, but rather "ordinary" wooden swords less than one hundred fifty centimeters long.
Rules were one aspect; more importantly, it was safer...
Amos placed the wooden sword back on the rack and said, "Your Foresight Slash and Iai have also begun to look decent; you can try them in actual combat.
As for those more powerful sword move actions, you have basically learned them, but the truly core part of those moves lies in the use of Spirit energy and perfect grasp of timing.
To use those moves in real combat, you'll need longer polishing."
"Yes, I understand, Master Amos." Altaïr bowed again, expressing gratitude and respect.
Over a month had passed since arriving in Dundorma.
During this time, apart from sleeping, he spent at least half of each day in this basement training ground, receiving Amos's guidance.
Not only the completion of the Crimson Blade Slash's subsequent moves, the development of the Long Sword Charged Slash, and the learning of various high-difficulty sword techniques.
Amos also started from the most basic sword moves, gradually correcting the various incorrect habits he had accumulated from copying sword techniques from Isis.
A couple isolated points didn't feel obvious, even making one suspect Amos was overly nitpicking details.
But as time passed, he increasingly appreciated the importance of these details.
Not to mention anything else, after this month, the speed of his basic Overhead Slash had increased by nearly ten percent compared to when he first arrived in Dundorma.
It might not sound like much, but only those who truly experienced the difference knew how significant this improvement was.
Because of this, Altaïr's address for Amos changed from the initial "Mr. Amos" to the current "Master Amos."
Before this, the only person he genuinely addressed as "Teacher" was Karin.
Very conscientiously tidying up the training area, taking a cold shower to cool down and relax muscles tightened from prolonged training.
Altaïr returned to the guest room he was borrowing, opened his equipment box, changed into the Skalda S Armor he hadn't worn for a while, and strapped on the Iron Gospel placed horizontally on the weapon rack, fully armed.
Armor was a Hunter's formal attire; this was also something Amos taught him.
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Greeting Amos, who was leisurely drinking tea in the living room, Altaïr walked out alone, heading towards the Guild Hall tavern.
Entering the tavern door, ignoring the boisterous atmosphere of heavy drinking in the People's Tavern and the curious, probing glances from a few Hunters, Altaïr walked straight to the Quest Counter.
"Hello, I wish to participate in the Arena Challenge. Here is my identification." After politely greeting the guild receptionist first, Altaïr straightforwardly stated his purpose and handed over his Hunter's Notes.
The guild receptionist looked somewhat surprised at this overly young Hunter, took the notes, and checked the information.
"Mr. Altaïr, correct? Your eligibility to participate has been confirmed. Based on your current Hunter rank, you can accept Arena Challenge quests of 2★ or 3★ difficulty. You may choose." The guild receptionist handed a booklet to Altaïr.
"Thank you." Expressing gratitude habitually, Altaïr began confirming the Arena Challenge quests listed in the register.
There were quite a number of optional quests. The 2★ ones included Velocidrome, Bulldrome, Arzuros, and Volvidon. Velocidrome and Bulldrome were fine, both monsters distributed near Dundorma.
But Arzuros and Volvidon... it could only be said Dundorma truly was the heart of the Old World. Holding an Arena Challenge, they could transport monsters from other regions over great distances.
The 3★ targets offered more choices. Besides the Yian Kut-Ku, Gypceros, and Congalala found in Dentrade Wetlands.
There were also many "foreign monsters" like Barroth, Khezu, Kecha Wacha, and even many monsters he didn't know came from where, like Malfestio, Hypnocatrice, etc.
He momentarily couldn't decide.
"Young man, dazzled by choices?" An aged voice sounded beside him.
Altaïr raised his head and saw an elderly Wyverian looking at him with a kindly expression. "I am the Guild Manager of Dundorma Hunter's Guild. You are Altaïr from Loc Lac, correct?
Isis's friend? She told me about you." Though Isis only said at the time, "He's Altaïr, from Loc Lac."
"Hello, Guild Manager." Altaïr nodded politely. "May I ask if you have any good suggestions?"
"That depends on your goal for participating in the Arena Challenge." The Guild Manager smiled kindly. "To gain fame? Obtain materials from a certain Monster? Or to hone yourself?"
"To hone sword techniques." Altaïr answered very straightforwardly.
"If it's just for honing, wouldn't taking an Expedition Quest and going to the wilderness to practice against monsters be more free? As long as you don't rashly slaughter, it doesn't violate the rules either." The Guild Manager smiled.
"No." Altaïr's expression became serious. "Between life and death, it's hard to restrain oneself. Such behavior could easily turn into actual poaching."
Hearing this, the Guild Manager's smile became even kinder.
Serious, polite, outstanding talent, hardworking and progressive, and understands the rules, much more worry-free than those problem children.
And a promising seedling slipped out from that small-bearded man in Loc Lac. Little Isis did well!
The Guild Manager nodded approvingly, while seriously advising: "If you want to hone yourself, Yian Kut-Ku is a good choice. Its strength is considerable among 3★ Monsters.
It can provide pressure, isn't overly dangerous, and can also lay groundwork for future Flying Wyvern hunts."
"Laying groundwork for future Flying Wyvern hunts... Your reasoning is quite sound." Altaïr pondered thoughtfully, casually flipping two pages back. "Hmm, there's even a quest with two Khezu simultaneously. Can I choose this?"
Guild Manager: "..."
Had his conclusion been made a bit too early?
(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
Arzuros — A Bear Wyvern native to the Old World's wetland and forested regions. Despite its somewhat docile appearance, it is an aggressive creature with a fondness for Honey, and its powerful forearms make it a deceptively dangerous target for low-rank hunters.
Barroth — A Brute Wyvern that inhabits arid desert zones. It rolls in mud to coat its body as protection against the intense heat and as a defensive layer in combat. Its crown-like head structure is used for powerful ramming attacks.
Malfestio — An Owl-like Bird Wyvern capable of disorienting hunters with sleep-inducing scales and a peculiar attack that reverses the directional controls of its target. Its unusual abilities make it one of the more unpredictable Bird Wyverns to face.
Hypnocatrice — A Bird Wyvern with vibrant plumage and the ability to inflict Sleep on hunters using its specialized feathers and scales. Swift and agile, it combines speed with its sleep-inducing techniques to leave prey vulnerable.