In the year or so since promoting to 3★, Altaïr had been hunting with the Long Sword. Combined with Master Amos's guidance in Dundorma, the Long Sword had leaped to become the weapon with which he had the most combat experience and the highest proficiency.
From an outsider's perspective, he was already a hunter who could be called a "Long Sword user" through and through; even Isis, who spent every day with him, thought so.
In reality, however, there were several weapons he had never stopped practicing: Dual Blades, Great Sword, Sword and Shield, and Hammer.
Among them, he practiced the Hammer and Great Sword relatively less.
For the Hammer, it was because he gradually discovered that the weapon didn't quite suit his combat style, and there would be few opportunities to actually hunt with it in the future.
However, the core technique of utilizing inertia with the Hammer was very versatile; mastering it offered a fundamental improvement to one's overall martial skills, so he never dropped it.
As for the Great Sword, it was because his absolute strength was still insufficient. Currently, he might be able to become a competent Great Sword user, but he could not yet become a truly excellent one.
Furthermore, he had yet to find a direction with the Great Sword that truly suited him. This would have to wait until his physical fitness and martial skills progressed further before he could consider it more deeply.
He practiced the Sword and Shield more often. After all, during the period when he had just become a hunter, the Sword and Shield had been his primary weapon, and he held a particular fondness for it.
Unfortunately, as a utility-oriented weapon, the Sword and Shield's defensive role was entirely redundant given the Large Shield in Isis's hands, and its offensive output wasn't sharp enough. Unless he found a breakthrough through certain means, it would be difficult for it to return to his primary rotation.
The Dual Blades were different. Similar to the Long Sword, though they leaned more toward agile skirmishing, they were also considered an offensive weapon that complemented his combat style. Consequently, the time he spent practicing the Dual Blades was hardly less than the time he spent on the Long Sword.
He had even begun to consider that in the future, when he found materials suitable for crafting elemental weapons, he would prioritize making Dual Blades, while sharp and keen materials suited for physical weapons would be used to craft Long Swords.
The reason he placed such importance on the Dual Blades, aside from the compatibility with his combat style, involved another even more significant factor.
It wasn't because Teacher Karin used Dual Blades, of course; that reason was at most a tiny bonus.
The true core factor lay in his discovery that in terms of condensing Spirit to enhance physical capabilities and weapon destructiveness, the Dual Blades and Long Sword shared a considerable degree of commonality.
The Crimson Blade Slash, developed under the inspiration of the Blade Dance, could efficiently condense Spirit and help the Long Sword raise the Spirit Gauge quickly.
So, conversely, could the Blade Dance itself potentially raise the Spirit Gauge for the Dual Blades?
Through repeated practice and experimentation, he discovered that it seemed feasible.
To confirm this, he had specifically written to Teacher Karin, far away in Loc Lac City in the northern part of the continent, to seek her guidance. The reply he received surprised him.
In truth, he was not the first person to discover that the Blade Dance could "raise the Spirit Gauge" for the Dual Blades.
The Wycademy recognized a Dual Blades style known as "Valor," and in a certain sense, that "Valor State" was somewhat similar to the gauge-raising technique Altaïr had discovered.
Furthermore, the Dual Blades users of the Research Commission in the New World had directly developed an advanced technique almost identical to the Long Sword's Spirit Gauge system; it was only the pride of those Dual Blades users that prevented them from naming the move "raising the Spirit Gauge."
Instead, they had given the technique a new name: Archdemon Mode.
The technique Altaïr had discovered, which resembled the Long Sword's gauge-raising, was in fact Archdemon Mode.
Even though he was currently holding two strange things that looked like Yian Kut-Ku dolls, as long as he had the sword in his heart, why couldn't these be two Long Swords!
Wrapped in the blood-red battle aura unique to Demon Mode, Altaïr closed in on the Nerscylla in an instant.
The Nerscylla's vision had not yet returned to normal, but these few short seconds were enough for it to barely regain its senses from the stunned state.
Sensing the approaching vibrations and killing intent, the Nerscylla's legs moved rapidly. With a twist of its bulbous body, it nimbly scrambled up from the ground.
Altaïr did not choose a direct frontal assault. His primary tactical objective right now was to use these Fire Element dual blades to destroy the Gypceros hide protecting the Nerscylla. Therefore, he locked his attack position onto the Nerscylla's flank, where it was relatively easy to strike the back draped in that hide.
Wielding the dual blades in a reverse grip, he swung them with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, the entire Sixfold Demon Slash, including the Backhand Slash and double slash, was unleashed.
Under the searing flames, a large section of the withered Gypceros hide on the Nerscylla's side was burned away.
Screeching, the Nerscylla swung its scythe-like claws, tearing at the hunter beside it. But Altaïr, having completed his first flurry of attacks, had no intention of overextending.
The moment the Nerscylla showed the slightest inclination to counterattack, he spun his blades and adjusted his footwork, whirling back several meters like the wind.
Demon Flurry Rush!
Even though this move was named for "rushing" and "slashing," who said it couldn't be used for positioning and evasion?
Having dodged the Nerscylla's counter, Altaïr utilized the incredible movement speed of Demon Mode to continue flanking behind the monster.
In most cases, a monster will choose to face its opponent head-on. If a hunter circles to its rear, it easily induces the beast to turn. A large monster's turn is not instantaneous, and those two or three short seconds are the attack windows hunters crave.
After a few more quick slashes, Altaïr resumed his sprint. He hadn't used the Blade Dance, the iconic hallmark of Dual Blades users, even once, because he knew the time wasn't right yet.
Turning to find its strike hitting nothing once again, the Nerscylla was thoroughly enraged. It swung its sharp claws repeatedly, desperate to tear the loathsome creature before it into shreds.
Altaïr continued to avoid a head-on clash with the monster. That style was Isis's specialty, not his.
Lowering his center of gravity, he spun his body, once again evading the Nerscylla's sharp claws with a Demon Flurry Rush. This time, however, he did not retreat; he lunged forward.
As his body rotated, his twin blades slashed repeatedly across the limbs on the Nerscylla's flank. The flames surging from the edges scorched the monster, forcing out bursts of pained shrieks.
Its aching legs buckled under the searing heat, and its repeated attempts to turn further destabilized its balance. The Nerscylla stumbled, exposing a breakthrough.
Now!
Altaïr seized the moment. He closed the distance with a quick step, his dual blades blurring into silhouettes. Flying flames and sparks nearly enveloped his form, making him look like a great mass of roaring fire relentlessly assaulting the Nerscylla's vulnerable abdomen.
Blade Dance!
"Gieeeyah!" the Nerscylla screeched in rage. It finally realized that engaging in close-quarters combat with a Hunter far more agile than itself was utter folly.
Its six legs bent and then pushed off with sudden force, putting nearly thirty meters of distance between them in a single leap.
Altaïr's breathing was heavy.
He hadn't taken any stamina-boosting draughts like Dash Juice. Keeping Demon Mode active placed a massive strain on the body, especially the heart, and could not be maintained for long.
For a Dual Blades user, both mobility and offensive capability dropped by at least two tiers when not in a Demon state.
Balancing energy consumption by knowing when to switch between the powerful Demon Mode and the more efficient normal state was a vital consideration for any Dual Blades user.
To steady his breath and recover his energy, Altaïr calmed his blood and deactivated Demon Mode.
The Nerscylla keenly sensed the "decline" in the Hunter's aura, identifying it as fatigue.
The monster, which had initially pulled back to observe, immediately changed tactics and spat a mass of silk at the Hunter.
Altaïr instantly shifted sideways to avoid it; the silk landed on the ground barely a meter away.
Using the silk as a tether to pull itself forward, the Nerscylla lunged with incredible speed. In its mind, an exhausted opponent had no chance of escaping this pounce.
However, it failed to notice that Altaïr's twin blades were now coated in a hazy white glow, much like a Long Sword that had successfully raised its Spirit Gauge.
Facing the rapidly approaching Nerscylla, Altaïr took a deep breath. With an agility rarely seen outside of Demon Mode, he spun forward, his twin blades carving through the Nerscylla's body like a whirlwind.
The two combatants crossed paths in a mid-air blur.
(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.
SKILLS & TECHNIQUES
Sixfold Demon Slash — A core Dual Blades technique executed in Demon Mode, consisting of a rapid sequence of six alternating strikes delivered at extreme speed. It is one of the foundational combos of the weapon, prized for its ability to apply continuous pressure and elemental damage across a wide area of a monster's body.
Demon Flurry Rush — A Demon Mode technique in which the hunter dashes forward or to the side while delivering a flurrying slash. Though typically used offensively to close distance or reposition mid-combo, its high movement speed also makes it effective as an evasive tool in the hands of an experienced fighter.
Archdemon Mode — An advanced Dual Blades technique developed by hunters of the Research Commission. By building up a reserve of condensed fighting spirit through sustained Demon Mode attacks, the hunter can enter a state similar in concept to the Long Sword's red Spirit Gauge, temporarily enhancing physical capabilities and attack power even after Demon Mode has been deactivated. The Wycademy recognizes a related style under the name "Valor."