After having their physical measurements carefully taken, Altaïr and Isis intended to leave. However, they ultimately couldn't refuse the warm invitation from Balina's family and stayed for a home-cooked meal.
In front of people she wasn't particularly familiar with, Isis acted very politely, keeping her appetite within the range of a normal person to avoid the embarrassment of the hosts running out of food.
At the dinner table, Altaïr and the others met the previous owner of the workshop, the old smith who was also Balina's grandfather.
The old smith was in his late seventies, nearly eighty, and in high spirits. He could no longer swing a heavy Forging Hammer, but according to Balina, her grandfather's skill still far surpassed her father's.
Although he never earned the title of "Master Craftsman" due to his physical decline, he had crafted many pieces of High Rank equipment and was considered one of the most skilled old smiths in all of Metapetatto.
The old man remained jovial toward his granddaughter and their two guests, Altaïr and Isis, appearing kind and gentle. However, when facing his son and grandson, who were also smiths, he was exceptionally harsh and sharp-tongued.
One moment he was criticizing Arman for parts that weren't polished smooth or round enough, and the next he was mocking the workshop owner for his lack of progress in craftsmanship over the years, leaving the two of them looking dejected as they kept their heads down and focused on eating.
"Useless lot!" The old man let out a heavy snort. "That problem you mentioned last week, have you solved it yet?"
Arman stole a glance at his father and buried his head back into his food. Left with no escape, the workshop owner could only manage a dry laugh as he rubbed his large hands together. "Well, you see... we don't really have a lead yet..."
"Good-for-nothing!"
Spatle flew onto the workshop owner's face, but he could only accept the scolding sheepishly.
"Grandpa, what problem?" Balina asked curiously from the side.
Facing his granddaughter's question, the old man's stern expression softened instantly. "These two idiots were thinking about developing a new model of weapon to help put our family's name on the map.
They set their sights on the Hammer, since that's the weapon our family has been best at forging for all these years."
Arman added from the side, "And then we thought, since Metapetatto is a city in the Jungle, there's a certain Monster that really symbolizes the deep woods."
"Which Monster? A Yian Kut-Ku? A Congalala? A Rathian? But those are found in other places too, aren't they?" Balina interjected.
"We chose the Duramboros," Arman replied directly without beating around the bush. "It's a species unique to forested regions, and that tail really has the feel of a Hammer, doesn't it?"
"Uh, it's true that Duramboros usually only appear in forest-like areas like the Jungle and Misty Peaks, but hasn't a Duramboros Hammer already been designed? I think it's called 'Jupiter's Fist'?"
"Exactly." Balina's father crossed his muscular arms and nodded heavily. "But we feel that particular Hammer doesn't push the performance of Duramboros materials to their limit, so we want to redesign it!"
"That sounds great, and then?" Balina pressed.
Arman and the workshop owner fell silent.
The old man, watching them with cold eyes, let out a huff. "And then they got stuck at the very first step. To this day, they still haven't figured out where to even start the modifications."
"Eee..." Balina cast a look of utter disdain toward her father and brother. "How do you expect to make this shop world-famous acting like that?"
Then, she quickly shifted her tone. "So, Grandpa, why don't you give them a few pointers? Without your help, they won't come up with anything useful even in a year!"
Flattered by his granddaughter's fawning, the old man hummed with satisfaction, but eventually shook his head. "I have a few leads, and I could probably draw up a few rough drafts of the blueprints.
But I'm old now. If you want to make a name for this shop, relying on me is useless. If you two can't solve this puzzle yourselves, you'd be better off just honestly maintaining the status quo."
Silence fell over the dinner table. Seeing his son and grandson, who had taken over the shop, remain speechless, the old smith's expression grew darker and darker.
Just as Altaïr, who was quietly eating in the corner, thought the old man was about to explode in a fit of rage...
The old smith let out a weak, weary sigh. "Forget it. You're just not ready to take the next step yet."
With that, he stood up and left the table.
Now that the stern old smith was gone, the atmosphere at the table actually became even more stifling.
Unable to stomach such a dining environment, Isis missed Altaïr's warning glance and spoke up. "What if you took some inspiration from a Duramboros? That massive tail is basically a Hammer already!"
Arman's shoulders slumped slightly. "We tried that long ago. A Duramboros's tail is formed by a twisted combination of bone, moss, stones, and even wood.
It's heavy and possesses immense destructive power, but the structure itself isn't particularly stable. It's prone to chipping or breaking off.
A Duramboros can repeatedly repair its Tail Hammer by grinding it against the ground or trees, or by licking it to stick sand and soil to it. But for a hunter's weapon, that's obviously not an option.
We need a structure that is more stable and reliable..."
"No, wait." The workshop owner raised a hand, interrupting his son. "The hunter lady has a point. I've forged more than one Duramboros Hammer, but I've only ever handled carved materials.
As for a Tail Hammer in its complete state on a living creature, we've never actually encountered one.
All our information regarding the shape, growth patterns, and fighting style of the Tail Hammer comes from books.
Perhaps only by standing directly in front of a Duramboros can we gain truly intuitive inspiration!"
Hearing this, Arman's eyes lit up. "You're right! We won't come up with anything practical just burying our heads in the workshop!
We should go to the Jungle! We should see the power of 'Nature's Iron Hammer' with our own eyes!"
Just as Altaïr was about to speak up and warn them of the risks involved, someone beat him to it.
Balina's mother, the gentle woman who had barely spoken, slammed her bowl onto the table and barked, "Have you two lost your minds?!"
The father and son looked sheepish and didn't dare say another word, but the excitement in their eyes revealed they hadn't entirely abandoned that dangerous notion.
Altaïr could see it, and Balina's mother, as both mother and wife, could see it even more clearly. There was now a trace of coldness in her gaze as she looked toward Isis.
Altaïr hurriedly added, "A Duramboros is a 4★ threat level Monster, after all. Even if it's a herbivore, it's extremely territorial. Going to see one in person is simply too dangerous.
How about this? You could go to the Guild Hall and post a request to hunt a Duramboros, then add a sub-condition that the tail must be broken and the entire Tail Hammer brought back.
It will cost some Zenny, but at least it's safe."
Altaïr's suggestion received enthusiastic support from the woman. It pained her to see her husband and son looking so miserable lately; if the problem could be solved by paying for a commission, it would be the best of both worlds.
The father and son exchanged a look, clearly tempted by Altaïr's proposal.
While not being able to see the Duramboros with their own eyes took away some of the excitement, they were self-aware enough to know that for civilians like them, venturing deep into the Jungle was a death sentence.
As for hiring hunters as bodyguards, they might as well just hire them to hunt the Duramboros and bring the tail back.
While the two were still hesitating, the woman was already moving to finalize the matter.
"Balina, go to the Guild Hall in a little while to post the quest. By the way, isn't the hunting group your teacher belongs to quite famous? Can we invite them to accept the commission?"
Balina shook her head. "Teacher and Serl are away hunting other Monsters; they probably won't be back anytime soon.
Besides, a Duramboros has incredibly thick hide and flesh. They say it's very hard to kill, so I don't know if we can find a team willing to accept the request... Huh?"
Suddenly remembering something, Balina looked up. "Isis! Altaïr! I heard you two have also been promoted to 4★? Would you be willing to take this commission?"
Altaïr's smile became somewhat stiff.
While he and Isis had the strength to hunt a Duramboros, to be honest, he didn't really want to take this quest.
He hadn't dealt with a Duramboros before, but he was very familiar with its subspecies, the Rust Duramboros.
When he was a child, his nomadic tribe had regarded a Rust Duramboros as a guardian deity that protected them from other Monsters (ref chap 26), and they had lived alongside it for a long time.
Because of this, his understanding of the creature was quite deep.
As Balina had mentioned, a Duramboros had thick hide and immense vitality. They were notoriously difficult to kill, and almost no hunter would choose to hunt one alone.
Even when hunting as a team, the battle would last a long time, and bringing a Gunner was mandatory.
A Duramboros possessed infinite strength, and its weakness was on its back. The hitzones were very high; for a Blademaster, it was a hellish hunting experience, but in the eyes of a Gunner, it was a prime target.
The most troublesome part was that both he and Isis were Blademasters. They had no Gunner, a Gunlance certainly couldn't be counted as a ranged weapon, could it?
But every coin had two sides.
Hunting a Duramboros was indeed a grueling chore, but if he and Isis accepted this commission, they could put this family of smiths in their debt.
He and Isis had already decided to use Metapetatto as their base of operations for a while. Having a familiar, reliable workshop would be very convenient...
Under the expectant gazes of Balina's family and the ever-eager Isis, Altaïr finally nodded.
"Alright... Go post the request first. We'll see if we can recruit a temporary Gunner to join us."
(Translated by yourtl.app)
─────────────────────────────────────────
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
Duramboros — A massive herbivorous Brute Wyvern found primarily in forested environments such as the Jungle and Misty Peaks. Despite its peaceful diet, it is fiercely territorial and one of the most physically imposing creatures a hunter can face. Its most distinctive feature is its enormous tail, a dense composite of bone, moss, stone, and compressed organic matter that it uses as a devastating hammer in combat. The Duramboros can repair and reshape this Tail Hammer by grinding it against rocks or trees, or by licking debris onto it. Its thick hide and exceptional vitality make it notoriously difficult to bring down, particularly for Blademasters whose weapons struggle against its tough exterior. Rated 4★ threat level.
Rust Duramboros — A subspecies of Duramboros distinguished by its heavily oxidized, rust-colored carapace. Behaviorally similar to the standard Duramboros but with distinct material properties. Altaïr's nomadic tribe revered a Rust Duramboros as a guardian deity, a relationship that informs his reluctance to hunt the species.
CONCEPTS
Hitzone — A combat term referring to the damage multiplier applied to different body parts of a monster. High hitzones indicate vulnerable areas where weapons deal increased damage; low hitzones indicate tough surfaces that resist cutting or impact. The Duramboros's back has high hitzones favored by Gunners, while its heavily armored sides and legs are resistant, making it a poor matchup for most Blademaster weapons at close range.