After considerable effort, they finally dragged in the instigator, the mustachioed Guild Master, to vouch for them, clearing up the misunderstanding.
Learning that Altaïr's sudden promotion had indeed been an accident rather than some kind of "head start" dispelled Isis's anger and resentment, but that did not mean she no longer had strong feelings about it.
Nymera and Altaïr had both been promoted to 5★, leaving her as the only 4★ Hunter among the three of them.
Being left behind by her companions lit a fire under her!
She pushed all thoughts of food, drink, and fun to the back of her mind. When she had gone to the Quest Counter a couple of days earlier, she had still taken a wait-and-see approach, thinking she would "take a look and see if any suitable quests were available."
Now, however, she asked the guild receptionist to bring out every quest that could potentially serve as a 5★ promotion exam, determined to choose her target then and there! Loc Lac was a true major city, dwarfing the newly rebuilt Metapetatto in both population and scale.
As the only large human settlement in the Dead Sand Sea, Loc Lac eventually received at least half the quests from across the Great Desert.
The sheer volume of quest forms was astonishing. The most basic 1★ and 2★ quests numbered in the hundreds, and even the supposedly scarce 5★ quests filled a thick stack.
Isis's eyes blurred just looking at them.
"Is there a Monoblos?" Isis had long dreamed of Hunting one, and she gazed at the guild receptionist expectantly.
The guild receptionist's smile stiffened.
Because of the hero's legend, a Monoblos's crimson horn was also known among Hunters as the "Proof of a Hero."
Loc Lac was a rough-and-tumble city where people drank amid sand-laden winds, and countless Hunters hoped to prove their valor by accomplishing the same feat.
Every year, Hunters approaching promotion to 5★ requested a Monoblos as the target of their promotion exam, but very few succeeded.
Most challengers either died in battle out in the wastes or returned in disgrace with severe injuries.
After all, Hunters undertaking a promotion exam were only considered "quasi-5★." They lagged behind true 5★ Hunters in both experience fighting Large Flying Wyverns and the quality of their equipment.
Recklessly challenging a Monoblos, one of the strongest Monsters at the 5★ Threat Level, naturally resulted in a terrifyingly high casualty rate.
The Guild Master looked sick when he learned how many quasi-5★ Hunters were lost to Monoblos each year.
Hunters with the potential to reach 5★ were already rare. Any who were still in their prime could be considered promising High Rank Hunters. Who could afford to lose several of them every year?
"So the Guild Master issued strict orders forbidding Hunters from choosing a Monoblos as their promotion exam target," the guild receptionist said apologetically. Her gauzy, midriff-baring outfit gave her a strikingly different style from receptionists in other cities.
Beside her, Altaïr nodded firmly. That mustachioed man often did outrageous things, but he was always reliable when it came to serious matters.
Isis was bitterly disappointed and tried to argue, but the forthright guild receptionist cut her off with a wave. "Besides, I haven't found any quests to Hunt a Monoblos. Sorry!"
Isis choked.
Just because there was no quest did not mean there was no Monoblos. Catching the distinction, Altaïr gave the receptionist he had known for years a grateful look.
The receptionist kept a straight face and gave him a thumbs-up from an angle Isis could not see.
No need to thank her; they were buddies!
"What about a Diablos, then?" Isis had no choice but to settle for second best. "There's no shortage of Diablos in the Great Desert, right?"
"There are quests to Hunt a Diablos, but..." The guild receptionist looked troubled again.
Altaïr took over. "Unless it's absolutely necessary, don't go looking for trouble with a Diablos this season."
"Why?" Isis stamped her foot in frustration.
"It's still breeding season. Not every Diablos mates, but... you know how good they are at burrowing. Reconnaissance cannot reliably tell us what is happening underground.
Hunting a Diablos this season carries a high risk of a Black Diablos intruding..."
Isis fell silent.
Because of her combat style, she preferred fighting Monsters that were poor fliers and not too agile but extremely aggressive, the kind that would charge straight at her if she held her ground.
Diablos and Monoblos were prime examples.
"If Diablos won't work either, what about a Tigrex?" Isis asked wearily.
She did not share Altaïr's particular obsession with Tigrex; she only suggested it because she had fought one before and had at least some relevant experience.
The guild receptionist gave a dry laugh. "For certain reasons, the Guild Master has just stopped issuing all Tigrex-related quests."
"Are you messing with me?!" Isis's eyes widened, convinced they were singling her out.
"We're not targeting you. There's a reason for it..." Altaïr rubbed the corner of his eye.
Aside from its larger build and deep azure foreclaws, the Grimclaw Tigrex was virtually indistinguishable from an ordinary Tigrex.
Without getting close, it was extremely difficult to tell them apart.
Now that they knew a Grimclaw Tigrex had appeared near Loc Lac, every Tigrex in the area could potentially be a Grimclaw mistaken for an ordinary specimen.
An ordinary 5★ Hunter who encountered it would not even have a chance to flee, so the Guild Master decisively suspended all Tigrex-related quests until the area could be thoroughly surveyed again.
After listening to Altaïr's hushed explanation, Isis fell silent for several seconds. Then she slumped over the counter and asked weakly, "What about a Glavenus, then? Is there a Glavenus?"
She had Hunted a Glavenus before. If she chose one as her target, her chances of a successful Hunt would be quite high.
"We do have Glavenus quests!" Having turned Isis down so many times in a row, the guild receptionist was beginning to feel embarrassed and hurriedly selected a few quest forms.
Isis had just reached for them when Altaïr pressed her hand down. "A Glavenus won't do."
This time, even the good-natured Isis could not contain her anger. She grabbed Altaïr by the shoulders and shook him violently. "Why? Are you just looking for a fight?!"
Altaïr looked helpless. "A Glavenus can breathe fire, and it uses that breath to heat its Tailblade to extreme temperatures.
And the Lagiacrus Armor Set you just switched to has extremely poor Fire Resistance (-15). Remember our Lagiacrus Hunt, when my Armor's poor Thunder Resistance put me in danger several times?
At least that was a team Hunt, with companions to cover me. A promotion exam has to be completed solo. Going after a Glavenus in Lagiacrus Armor would be far too dangerous."
"I concur." Nymera, standing beside them, nodded repeatedly. "The Lagiacrus Armor Set has glaring weaknesses. Against Monsters such as Glavenus or Rathalos, it performs worse than your original Basarios Armor Set."
"However, your Basarios Armor Set has already been sent back to Metapetatto with the caravan. It's currently in transit, and you can't possibly have them deliver it straight back." Altaïr dealt Isis another blow.
"Ee-ugh...!" Isis clenched her teeth and raised both fists. In her fury, that strangled cry was all she could muster before deflating like a punctured balloon and slumping back over the Quest Counter.
"Forget it. Do you have any recommendations? Anything's fine."
The guild receptionist hurriedly spread out the forms. "For a promotion exam, a Subspecies of one of the weaker Monsters is usually the best choice.
How about this Tigerstripe Zamtrios? Its attacks are faster than those of the original species, and it can spit paralytic toxin and jets of water. If you fight cautiously and use your Armor's Water Resistance to your advantage, it is at least safer than facing a Tigrex.
What about this Copper Blangonga? It's a Blangonga Subspecies. You need to watch out for its breath attack, which fires blasts of sand, but it should not be too difficult for a Hunter like you who has Hunted a Lagiacrus and a Glavenus.
And then there's this Terra Shogun Ceanataur. The hunting ground is fairly distant, so you would need to take an Airship to the Volcano, but defensive weapons such as the Lance and Gunlance are quite effective against it."
After comparing the hunting ground locations on the three quest forms, Isis chose the closest one.
They were all bizarre creatures anyway. She had given up trying to think it through.
"Speaking of which, what's the original species of a Tigerstripe Zamtrios again?" she muttered to herself.
"Zamtrios." Altaïr sighed. "But this isn't a bad choice. I recall that the Zamtrios Z Armor Set offers good Fire Resistance and protection from tremors. It could serve as your backup Armor.
It also covers the elemental weaknesses of the Lagiacrus Armor Set, so you won't have to deal with this headache again whenever you face a Fire Element Monster.
You stumbled into a decent choice after all."
(Translated by yourtl.app)