Over the next two days, Altaïr and Isis spent their time adapting to their new equipment.
Since the Jungle was not far from the city, they specifically took a quest to subjugate a nearby pack of Velociprey, putting the reliability of their new Armor and the power of their new Weapons to the test against those poor creatures.
As it turned out, whether it was Isis's Basarios Armor Set or Altaïr's Blood Cry and Nerscylla Shield & Sword, using them against Velociprey was a massive case of overkill.
Both Blood Cry and the Nerscylla Shield & Sword could take off a Velociprey's head with ease, while Isis took advantage of the thick plating of her Basarios Armor Set to practically engage the Velociprey in a boxing match.
If there hadn't been a Velocidrome leading the pack, Altaïr suspected she truly might have strangled a Velocidrome to death with her bare hands...
—--
Having easily dealt with the forest bandits threatening the city's safety, the two returned to the Guild Hall. Just as they were heading toward the tavern area, they saw the guild receptionist, the Guildmarm, waving them over.
The two exchanged a glance and walked over.
"Is the review process for the Duramboros hunt finished?" Altaïr asked immediately, not one for beating around the bush.
Miss Noya opened her mouth, looking a bit awkward. "It's not that. To be honest, the review hit a few snags.
The Duramboros inhabiting the hunting grounds near Metapetatto are all quite docile, with no records of harming anyone, and their population is in balance with the environment. Therefore, the review was rejected.
So..."
So they didn't have to hunt a Duramboros anymore? Altaïr thought, his heart leaping with joy.
"So, I sent the Quest Commission application to a place a bit further away. In the southernmost part of the Jungle, near the Ancestral Steppe, there seems to be a Duramboros that broke into a village and devoured wooden houses, causing casualties.
If it's that one, the Guild should approve the hunt. If all goes well, the reply should arrive in another two days, and then you can take the quest and head out!" Miss Noya said with her hands on her hips, her tone sounding like she was seeking credit for her hard work.
"...Then, thank you very much," Altaïr said with a forced smile.
The southernmost edge of the Jungle, near the Ancestral Steppe? You call that 'a bit further away'? Why didn't you just send the application to Val Habar while you were at it?
"Don't mention it! It's the least we can do!" Miss Noya puffed out her chest with pride.
Seeing that the conversation had veered off course for quite some time, the young receptionist Lillian raised her small hand. "A letter! Noya called you over because of a letter! There's a letter for Miss Isis!"
"It must be from Francesca!" Upon hearing this, Isis happily took the letter from Lillian's hand, tore open the envelope, and began reading it carefully.
Altaïr had no choice but to push aside his annoyance for the moment. "What does it say?"
They had previously asked Francesca for help introducing them to some compatible Gunners, and Isis had voiced this in a letter; the reply should be about that matter.
"She says there's a Gunner active in Geo Wandreo, and they sound really good!" Isis looked quite excited as she handed Francesca's letter directly to Altaïr.
Altaïr scanned it quickly. Since the letter had been delivered by a carrier pigeon, the content was concise and clear.
Hehe, my network of contacts is quite broad, a 4★ Gunner, right?
I happen to know one! Her name is Nymera. Her skills are solid, and she has a great personality. She can use both the Light Bowgun and the Heavy Bowgun, and she is currently based in Geo Wandreo.
According to Nymera, she doesn't have a fixed team, and Geo Wandreo isn't her hometown either. There should be a good chance if you go and invite her.
Also, she's a Hunter from Kamura Village and is very good at making sweets. If you get the chance, you must try her Bunny Dango! Supposedly she learned the recipe from her teacher, and the flavor is amazing! (`·ω·´)
Altaïr: "..."
He had every reason to suspect that the only reason Isis thought she was a good fit was because of that last sentence.
"What is it, what is it?"
The Guildmarm also leaned in, her eyes sparkling. "Are you talking about that search for a Gunner teammate from before? Since you couldn't find a suitable one in Metapetatto, you're planning to headhunt someone from another city?"
Altaïr folded the letter and tucked it away, while simultaneously leaning back to create some distance from her.
Noya didn't care in the slightest about Altaïr's somewhat rude gesture. At this moment, she just wanted to grab these two young people and give them a kiss!
Huge potential, diligent at quests, and if there were no high-difficulty quests that "caught their eye," they would go out and drum up business for the Guild, they were even going to help poach talent from other city Guilds!
How could such wonderful cat... people exist in this world!
"Geo Wandreo, is it? I'll arrange a round-trip Airship for you! When you meet that Gunner, tell her that whatever conditions that Guild can offer, we can match, and what they can't offer, we can provide too!
I'm telling you, this isn't me being unscrupulous. Since ancient times, the three cities of Dundorma, Metapetatto, and Geo Wandreo have always been the most important and prosperous cities along the coast of the inner sea.
After the disaster back then, Geo Wandreo absorbed many of our talents, which is how they managed to leapfrog ahead of us in one go!
Our Hunter Training Camp hasn't been finished yet, and since Geo Wandreo is the nearest major city to us, teenagers aspiring to become Hunters have no choice but to go there to study, only to have many of them detained by that Guild Master using despicable methods..."
Starting with excitement and ending with gnashing teeth, Miss Noya grew angrier the more she spoke.
Altaïr rolled his eyes, not believing a word of this nonsense.
When the city of Metapetatto was destroyed years ago, it would have been impossible to organize everyone to stay and rebuild. A pile of ruins couldn't support that many people, so a portion of the refugees were inevitably sent to cities like Dundorma and Geo Wandreo that were relatively close by.
Once Metapetatto was gradually rebuilt, many chose to return home, but there were also many who had grown accustomed to their new environment and did not want to return to that place of sorrow.
The same went for the training camp. The framework of the Metapetatto Guild had only recently been set up, and there weren't many veteran Hunters to guide newcomers. It was only natural for some rookie Hunters to choose to stay there; calling it "despicable methods" was a stretch.
Of course, a certain person whose primary job was a guild receptionist and whose side hustle was running the Guild certainly wouldn't see it that way.
Of the three cities of the inner sea, Dundorma was out of the question; it was the Hunter's Guild headquarters and the center of the continent. Metapetatto couldn't compare to it in any regard.
But Geo Wandreo was different; back in the day, Metapetatto had relied on the resources of the Jungle to develop even better than the former, only falling behind after a disaster struck over a decade ago.
Therefore, the person she resented most was the master of the Geo Wandreo Guild, viewing them as a sworn rival and naturally finding everything about them irritating.
"In short, dig in with confidence! Our Metapetatto Guild will always be your strongest support!" Miss Noya leaned forward, patting their shoulders to emphasize her point.
Altaïr glanced at her sideways. "What if we choose to stay in Geo Wandreo with them?"
Noya choked on her words at that. "You can't do that! Seriously, this place is much better than over there! It's close to the Jungle, rich in resources, and the air is fresh!
Unlike that place, built on a land bridge right near the volcanic region. When Tirio Volcano erupts, they probably get covered in ash, and with all those ships coming and going all day, the constant clanging of the Mist Bell is enough to drive anyone crazy!
And the facilities in their Guild Hall are also–"
"Alright, it was just a joke." Altaïr interrupted the guild receptionist master's long-winded smear campaign. "We won't be leaving here in the short term, but who knows about the future."
Miss Noya squeezed out a sweet, fawning smile; she was becoming increasingly reluctant to let these two go.
Maybe she should ask the city council to approve a plot of land for them to build a house? She had heard that once humans owned property, their urge to wander off diminished...
Altaïr naturally couldn't guess what she was thinking. "Anyway, we'll give it a try. Does your previous offer to arrange an Airship still stand?"
"It stands! Of course it stands! When do you plan to set off? Tonight? Tomorrow morning?"
Altaïr turned back to discuss it with Isis for a moment. "Let's make it tonight. The straight-line distance from here to Geo Wandreo isn't too far. If we leave in the evening, we should arrive before noon tomorrow."
"No problem!" Noya gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "I'll keep an eye on the review process for you here, and try to get all the paperwork finished before you return with the newcomer!
Then you can go hunt a Duramboros with that newcomer to deepen your bond!"
Altaïr remained silent for a moment before saying gloomily, "Don't you think the risk of the team disbanding on the spot is higher than deepening our bond?"
(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.
PLACES
Geo Wandreo — A major maritime city built upon the Land Bridge separating the Inland Sea from the Wardre Sea. Over generations, its inhabitants carved a canal through the rock connecting the two bodies of water, transforming Geo Wandreo into the most critical hub for maritime trade in the Old World. Even cargo departing from Dundorma Harbor must pass through its canal, and the transit taxes alone sustain the city's prosperity. Its Guild holds a long-standing reputation for repelling Sea Monsters and keeping the shipping lanes safe.
Kamura Village — A secluded, close-knit village with a proud hunting tradition and a warm, perennial spring climate. Its inhabitants, human and Felyne alike, are trained from an early age in the art of combat, and the village is known for producing highly capable individual hunters. Kamura has weathered cyclical calamities across its history, events that have shaped its people into resilient and resourceful fighters. The village is also home to skilled craftspeople and food artisans whose creations, such as Bunny Dango, have become something of a local legend.
ITEMS
Bunny Dango — A traditional sweet from Kamura Village, made from glutinous rice flour shaped into round dumplings roughly the size of an egg, served on bamboo skewers and often decorated with sesame seeds and red bean paste. The proper way to eat them is to place a whole piece in one's mouth at once, allowing the layered sweetness and chewy texture to bloom fully. Eating only half at a time is considered something close to heresy by those who know the treat well. Bunny Dango are deeply associated with Kamura culture and are often enjoyed as a comfort food before or after a hunt.