"Instead of fleeing, you actively approach that old geezer?"
"I really don't know what you're thinking. Asking him for guidance would be worse than directly flying on an Airship to Minagarde to find that bald guy!"
"Hey hey! Are you really not reconsidering? All the trainees taught by that old geezer call him a demon!"
As Isis led the way, Gael kept nagging incessantly.
Listening to Gael's description, Isis was indeed a bit scared at first. But as the former talked more, the typical rebellious temper of a teenager kicked in instead.
She became increasingly curious: what kind of person could be this "demon Instructor" who made Lady Gael so scared?
Besides, even if that old man's temper really was as bad as Lady Gael described, he still held the position of Head Instructor firmly and taught at the training camp for decades, proving his teaching ability was indeed extraordinary, right?
"Don't worry meow! I'll protect you meow!" Hearing Gael's frightening words, Clawdia, following Isis, puffed her chest out and said.
"You? What basket can you protect!" Gael scolded Clawdia mercilessly, without sparing any face. "Think you're awesome? Years ago, my hunting partner went to ask him for guidance and got beaten black and blue, even a little kitten like you?"
Clawdia stopped talking.
Lady Gael's hunting partner was a Grimalkyne from the Wildspire Waste Grimalkynes of the New World. Usually carrying a Shieldspire, its muscles bulging, strong enough not to look like a cat.
It was said that its close combat prowess was comparable to her legendary Palico father, and it was also one of the Palico predecessors she admired most.
If that one also went for guidance and got beaten, Clawdia's estimation of Altman suddenly rose.
"Speaking of which, is it not good to visit for guidance empty-handed? Should we buy some gifts?" Isis tentatively asked.
"No need." Gael refused decisively. "The old geezer doesn't accept this. He hates slick people. If you insist on preparing something..."
Gael stopped walking, turned, held Isis's shoulders, and scrutinized her carefully up and down.
"Tuck your shirt into your pants, tidy up. Tie your shoelaces and belt tight, don't let them hang loose. And your hair! Re-do it and tie it up!
Your messy hairstyle with all these curves, if he sees it, he'll hit you twice without a word!"
Isis, hearing this, quickly adjusted her appearance.
If she missed the chance to learn because of her appearance, it'd be too much a loss.
As if seeing through Isis's thoughts, Gael said, "Don't worry he won't teach you. That old geezer's temper is indeed bad, and he has many rules.
But if a young Hunter comes asking for guidance, regardless of his impression of you or whether he likes you, if you ask, he'll teach.
Even if his impression is poor, or you learn slowly, it's just a matter of getting beaten a few more times."
Hearing Gael say this, Isis immediately felt reassured. Her body was sturdy, she wasn't afraid of getting beaten.
"Oh, also, even though he'll teach anyway, leaving a good impression isn't bad. Be tactful in speaking, okay?
Don't foolishly say you're a Gunlance user with poor defense skills wanting to catch up.
Say you're a Long Sword user, accidentally discovered the charm of Gunlance, realized this is truly the weapon suited for you, full of admiration for defense, specially coming to learn from scratch. Got it?"
"Okay..."
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The two walked into the city, arriving at an ordinary residential area, before an inconspicuous house.
This place somewhat shattered Isis's imagination of "legendary Instructor's secluded dwelling."
She thought it'd be somewhere more special, like a cabin on an island in a lake, or a cave in the forest with hidden depths.
Why does it feel just like where she lives?
Lady Gael walked to the door, raised her hand to knock, thought again, retreated, and gave Isis a look.
You knock on the door.
"..."
Isis was a bit speechless. Rechecking her hem, collar, and hair, confirming no problems, she stepped forward and knocked on the door.
Waiting over ten seconds, no movement inside. She slightly increased force, knocked again, waited a bit, finally heard footsteps inside.
The footsteps were heavy and steady, totally unlike an eighty-year-old's footsteps. Isis stepped back half a step, nervously stood straight.
The door was pulled open. Isis somewhat dazedly raised her head.
As a girl over 190 cm tall, she hadn't felt this need to look up at someone for a long time.
Fabius was taller than her by a few centimeters, but basically within range for eye-level viewing. But this old man with neatly trimmed beard, height probably over 210 cm.
Humans aren't like Wyverians, whose physique changes significantly with age, but they still shrink somewhat.
From this, the old man's height when young should have been around 220 cm...
The old man lowered his gaze, looking down at Isis. No expression on his face, didn't speak, but Isis genuinely felt something that could be called "aura."
Gael, standing behind Isis, peeked out a bit.
No longer with the earlier arrogance calling him "old geezer," she smiled flatteringly, waved her hand, "Instructor Altman, I came to see you."
Altman's gaze swept over the Defender Gunlance behind Isis, lingered on her arms, shoulders, waist, legs for a few seconds, then glanced sidelong at Gael, said nothing, turned and walked back inside.
Isis was a bit stunned. Gael pushed her behind, whispering, "Quickly follow in, he didn't close the door, meaning isn't obvious?
Ask directly if there's any problem, don't hesitate timidly, Instructor Altman hates cowardly people.
You do well, there's much work waiting at the training camp, I withdraw, bye!"
Gael quickly finished speaking, turned and left, steps fast like fleeing.
Isis curled her lips. For this elder who mostly wasn't serious, she was already used to it. She walked alone toward the unclosed door.
Entering, she instinctively lowered her head to avoid her head and weapon behind hitting the doorframe, but she quickly realized no need for this.
Perhaps considering the house owner's physique, the doorframe was far higher and wider than ordinary homes. She could easily walk in.
Inside furnishings simple, besides some necessary furniture, no decorations, yet extremely tidy, could say spotless.
Tables, chairs, cabinets also larger than ordinary homes, materials thick. The chairs beside the dining table were even metal-made. Even a Hunter in full heavy armor sitting wouldn't worry about breaking them.
Flooring wasn't the common wood flooring of ordinary homes, but polished stone tiles. No worry about battle boots scratching or stomping a hole.
This made Isis quite relaxed, a bit happy. Whenever visiting others' homes, she had to be careful not to break things.
In the living room, Altman, arms crossed, waiting, didn't even ask Isis's purpose, raised his finger pointing to a relatively spacious area beside the dining table.
"Show me a defensive stance."
"Ah! Yes!" Isis somewhat nervously raised her large shield, unfolded the Gunlance, assumed a barely passable defensive stance.
She felt slightly relieved. Last night, Fabius corrected her movements a bit during teaching; otherwise, it might look even worse.
But the old Hunter's face darkened. Without sparing face, he scolded harshly:
"Center of gravity position not stable enough, movements stiff and rigid. Muscles that should be tense not tense, joints that should relax not relaxed, nowhere decent.
Who taught you this defensive stance? Who's your instructor?"
The long-retired old Instructor appeared stern, not only scolding her but also scolding whoever taught her.
"No... no one taught me..." Isis shrank her neck. She understood why Aunt Gael fled so quickly.
If she hadn't fled, now the scolding would surely include her share.
Altman frowned, his gray-white eyebrows knitted together. "No one taught? Self-taught newcomer? Wrong, your body clearly professionally trained, that Gunlance doesn't look like beginner-level weapon.
You shouldn't be a trainee anymore, what Hunter rank?"
"3★..."
"3★ and even the most basic defensive stance not understood? Who allowed you to graduate?!" Altman's voice suddenly rose.
Isis was somewhat frightened by the old Instructor's roar, but luckily she remembered Gael's advice, stammering:
"I... I originally used Long Sword, recently... recently felt Gunlance suits me better, changed to Gunlance... but defense basics poor, so... so came to seek guidance."
"Practiced Long Sword before, recently changed to Gunlance?"
The old Instructor's expression visibly improved. "Indeed, then it's necessary to learn from scratch."
(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
Wildspire Waste — A sun-scorched region of the New World combining arid rocky terrain with marshy lowlands. One of the major hunting grounds introduced in Monster Hunter: World, known for its harsh contrasts of environment and the diverse monster population it supports.
PEOPLES
Palico — The trained Felyne companions who partner directly with hunters in the field. While all Palicos are Felynes, the term specifically denotes those who have taken on a formal support role alongside a hunter, capable of using specialized equipment, baiting monsters, and performing various combat-support actions.
EQUIPMENT
Shieldspire — A large tower-shield style weapon used by certain Palico companions. Primarily a defensive tool rather than an offensive one, it can be planted in the ground to draw monster attention away from the hunter, functioning as a taunt device in coordinated hunts.