For Altaïr, today was a somewhat special day.
He would be stepping onto the arena for the Arena Challenge for the first time, facing a Monster he had never encountered before, proving the progress he had made in swordsmanship training over the past month.
At the same time, there was another thing he hadn't paid much attention to, today was his eighteenth birthday, marking his adulthood.
Desert nomads didn't have the custom of celebrating birthdays. It was only after Teacher Karin adopted him that he learned about "celebrating birthdays."
Every year on his birthday, Teacher Karin would take him to a nice restaurant for a big meal, and teacher Haifa often joined in to share the feast.
During his early teens, he did eagerly anticipate this day. However, as he grew older, his attitude toward birthdays gradually became more indifferent. Still, Teacher Karin and the others would prepare celebrations for him every year.
But this year, it wouldn't happen.
With a bit of sentimentality, he walked out of his room, completed his morning routine, and then headed to the guest dining area. He was somewhat surprised to find that everyone else was already seated at the table.
Francesca often came to share meals, that was true, but she never arrived so early. Isis, on the other hand, was an early riser, but usually by this time, she would have already left for the old Instructor's place to endure grueling training.
But now, both of them, along with Master Amos, were neatly seated at the dining table, as if waiting specifically for him.
Altaïr's footsteps stopped instinctively. "What's going on?"
"Happy birthday!" Francesca raised her hands high and shouted first, then vigorously applauded.
"Clap clap clap!" Isis quickly followed suit.
The scene of the two applauding was slightly awkward. Francesca soon stopped, leaving only Isis faithfully clapping incessantly.
Usually quite serious Amos also had a smile on his face: "We won't prepare anything too greasy for breakfast; you still have the Arena Challenge to participate in later, and eating too much isn't good.
We'll arrange the birthday celebration dinner and the victory celebration together tonight, so we can have a proper feast."
Seeing this familiar scene, Altaïr smiled, "Thank you all."
After a few simple words of blessing, Isis quickly dumped the food from her plate and bowl into her mouth, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"I'm full! I'm leaving now! I prepared a surprise, look forward to it!" As she said this, Isis ran out the door, presumably rushing to the old Instructor's home.
Altaïr, who had just sat down at the table, was still a bit unresponsive. Francesca, soaking bread in soup, laughed gleefully, "Little Isis actually knows how to prepare surprises for people now!"
"What surprise?" Altaïr couldn't help asking.
"I don't know."
Seeing Altaïr staring at her, Francesca spread her hands, "Don't look at me like that. I've trained specifically; you can't read anything from my expression, and I really don't know."
It seemed he couldn't get an answer from her.
Altaïr felt helpless in his heart. He was about to participate in the Arena Challenge soon, and Isis's sudden mention of a "surprise" had somewhat distracted his attention.
"Focus on what's ahead." Amos, slowly drinking tea, reminded him, "Everything else, consider after the battle ends."
"Okay, Master Amos." Altaïr sighed lightly, dismissing distracting thoughts from his mind, quickly finishing the breakfast before him, and stood up from the table.
"It's almost time; I'll head to the Arena first to prepare."
Amos nodded, about to offer some advice, when suddenly knocking sounds came from the entrance area.
"I'll open the door." Altaïr quickly walked towards the entrance.
The door opened. When Altaïr saw who was outside, he froze, mouth slightly open, his tone a bit strained.
"Teacher Karin, senior Haifa..."
"Call me teacher Haifa too!" The female Great Sword user, who originally had a full smile, stiffened her face and complained unhappily.
Beside her, the Dual Blades user clad in dark green light armor also showed a smile, "Altaïr, happy birthday."
"Wow!" Francesca, who loved to watch the excitement, ran over from the living room. "It's senior Karin and senior Haifa! Long time no see!"
"Ah! I remember you're White Wind's disciple, named Francesca, right? Still as cute as years ago!" The similarly outgoing Haifa waved, greeting Francesca.
Karin also smiled and nodded to her.
Francesca enthusiastically pulled the two into the house. Seeing Amos, the senior elder, there was another round of greetings.
Now everyone had a guess in mind: this should be the "surprise" Isis mentioned before leaving.
Francesca shook her head, "I never imagined that that silly little Isis would also pull such a surprise, calling someone's mom from thousands of miles away..."
Altaïr smiled sincerely. During this year away from home, he gradually understood Teacher Karin's thoughtful intentions, and those rebellious feelings he had back then were gone from his heart.
For him, this was truly the best birthday gift.
Amos's eyes also showed contentment, for Altaïr, and even more for Isis.
Arranging such a birthday surprise, that child really had grown up.
But right then, one sentence from Haifa made everyone's expressions turn strange.
"Eh? Who is Isis?"
"...Ah?"
Francesca was stunned for a moment, gesturing back and forth, "Um, wasn't it... she contacted you to come?"
"No." Haifa shook her head, saying, "Karin planned to come back for Altaïr's birthday long ago; after all, it's an important milestone of adulthood.
We returned to Loc Lac two weeks ago and found Altaïr's letter saying he went to Val Habar.
We rushed to Val Habar and heard from the guild receptionist there that you had come to Dundorma. We took the Airship over, then learned your address from Dundorma's Guild Hall tavern."
Saying this, Haifa extended her muscular arm, hooking Altaïr's neck and squeezing, "You really can run around!
Hey, haven't answered my earlier question yet, who is Isis? Sounds like a girl's name, could it be..."
Haifa nudged Altaïr's ribs with her elbow, winking mischievously, "You're quite good at this, huh? Not long after leaving home, already hooked up with a little girl!
So, is she cute? Bring her out to let us see; we'll vet her for you!"
"That's my granddaughter." Amos nearby said expressionlessly, "They are ordinary teammate relations."
"...Cough, sorry, just joking." The teasing on Haifa's face turned into awkwardness.
Altaïr rolled his eyes, moving aside the arm of this unscrupulous older young woman, "I need to go now. The Arena Challenge is about to start; if I'm late, I won't have time to prepare."
"Arena Challenge?" Karin beside him, who had been smiling, showed a surprised expression.
She certainly knew what an Arena Challenge was, given how famous Dundorma's Guild Hall tavern was.
She just hadn't expected that her foster son and disciple, who had only recently become an official hunter, was already qualified to participate in an Arena Challenge.
"Hunting what? Velocidrome?"
"Khezu."
"Khezu?!" Karin's voice suddenly rose several degrees.
Realizing that if he didn't leave now, he'd be subjected to nagging, Altaïr dropped the sentence "I've been 3★ for ages!" and hurriedly dashed out the door.
After sprinting a distance, he looked back and didn't see Teacher Karin chasing him, so he relaxed.
With Francesca and Master Amos helping explain, it should be fine. But this way, Teacher Karin and the others would probably watch the Arena Challenge.
Thinking of this, Altaïr felt even more motivated.
He wanted Teacher Karin and them to see his growth!
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Altaïr walked briskly all the way to the Arena. After staff checked his credentials and belongings, he entered the fighter's preparation room.
The equipment provided by the event was Genprey Armor and Bone Katana "Wolf".
Genprey Armor he had been using until recently, so very familiar; Bone Katana "Wolf" was also a classic weapon design, with standard weight, size, and balance, requiring little adaptation.
Overall evaluation, not great equipment, but more or adequate.
He placed hunting items one by one into his Item Pouch, carefully checked the equipment several times, then began warming up.
Just then, the preparation room door was forcefully pushed open.
Altaïr frowned.
To allow participants to prepare calmly, except for staff announcing the start, others were prohibited from entering the fighter's preparation room before the event began.
Currently, there should still be some time before the Arena Challenge began, so who was coming?
He looked back, then his eyes widened.
"Isis?! How did you get here?"
Isis, also fully armed, stood with hands on hips, grinning, "I specifically asked Dundorma's Guild Hall tavern to arrange a two-player arena quest with two Khezus!
The Guild Manager was super strict. Although he agreed eventually, he demanded the arena be divided left and right with iron fences, meaning one person per side, each hunting one Khezu."
Saying this, Isis gave a thumbs-up, "A full-throttle contest; this is the birthday surprise I prepared for you!"
"...?"
(Translated by yourtl.app)