(Don't worry about how the Large Shuriken is carried.)
A powerful force, no less than a full-power strike from a heavy weapon, smashed into the Seregios's head, forcing it to lurch to the side and interrupting its imminent pounce.
After hitting its target and bouncing off, that Large Shuriken actually spun through the air and flew back, striking the top of the Seregios's head once more.
These two consecutive heavy blows left the Seregios dizzy and vision-blurred, its footing becoming unsteady and stumbling for a moment.
At the same time, a petite figure darted out from the shadows of the bushes, sprinting towards the bewildered Altaïr.
"What the meow are you staring for?! Hold down the wound already, meow! You're really giving me a lot of work, meow!"
"I'll draw its attention, meow!"
Following hot on the heels of Shalan, Sajji also leaped out from the brush.
Taking advantage of the Seregios's unstable footing, it dashed to the Monster's side and shouldered the bamboo cannon from its back, the one with a piece missing from its muzzle.
"Zinogre Model-2! Fire, meow!"
"Der~..."
With a soft, underwhelming sound, a cone-shaped object flickering with bright electrical arcs was launched.
Unlike the Rathalos series which used gunpowder propulsion, the Zinogre series utilized a tension mechanism to fire its Ammo; otherwise, that tattered bamboo cannon never would have withstood the pressure of the propellant.
The sharp cone, which used live Thunderbugs as its core and featured a structure largely identical to a Lightning Rod, traced a high arc through the air and landed on the Seregios's head.
The modified Lightning Rod, possessing no real force of its own, naturally couldn't penetrate the Seregios's incredibly hard Bladescale Hone. However, because the scales were flared out in its enraged state, the device became wedged perfectly between two large scales.
Arcs of electricity jumped between the metal-rich scales. The Seregios felt a numbing tingle from the current and couldn't help but shake its body.
"Rumble!!"
The sky was thick with dark clouds, and the faint sound of thunder echoed from above.
The Seregios instinctively raised its head.
Because its scales were highly conductive, the Seregios had a terrible resistance to lightning and possessed a natural instinct to avoid it.
It was just considering whether it should find a place to take cover, unaware that its single horn, now wreathed in electrical arcs, had superseded the Lightning Rod itself to become the perfect lightning conductor.
"Zzt–zzt–"
Influenced by the electrical charge in the air, the Thunderbugs inside the Lightning Rod became even more active, and the arcs dancing atop the Seregios's head grew brighter.
In the next second...
"BOOM!!"
Pale lightning crossed the distance of thousands of meters at a speed faster than the eye could track, snaking down to strike the Seregios's horn.
Midst the spray of electric sparks, the golden horn instantly turned glowing red.
The massive surge of current that followed engulfed the Seregios's gargantuan body. Flooded by the surging lightning, the Seregios, already terrified of electricity, didn't even have the strength to let out a cry. It was blasted directly to the ground, its muscles convulsing violently.
It looked exactly like a fish that had been hauled onto the shore and then walloped with a club.
"Beautiful!" Altaïr couldn't help but pump his fist and shout his praise.
Shalan, who was busy treating his wound, was also stunned. "It can actually draw lightning, meow? Youngsters these days are playing it that dangerous, meow?" Though her mouth grumbled, her hands didn't slow down one bit.
Threading and needles danced between her paws, weaving through the wound at a speed difficult for the average eye to track.
The gash was too deep; simply stitching the skin would be useless.
Damaged blood vessels and torn muscles were sewn back together layer by layer, aided by the Mega Potion he had just swallowed and Lifepowder, which worked even better on external trauma.
In less than a minute, she completed the treatment of a severe laceration that could have been fatal, and the fountain-like hemorrhaging finally ceased.
Wrapping several layers of bandages tightly using a specialized technique, Shalan patted Altaïr's thigh.
"All done, meow! As expected of me, meow, most people couldn't handle a laceration like this; you would've bled to death, meow."
Shalan lifted her chin triumphantly. "There was no time for anesthesia, so it'll probably hurt a bit, meow. Give it a few minutes for the Potion and Lifepowder to take effect, and you'll basically be able to move normally, meow.
The only problem is it might leave a nasty scar later, meow. But you're not a girl, so you shouldn't mind, meow-hee-hee!"
Of course he didn't mind. Compared to saving his life, were things like the pain of the stitching or a scar on his leg even worth mentioning?
"Thank you very much, Lady Shalan."
Altaïr stood up, bracing himself on his knees. After a solemn thanks, he added a heartfelt compliment: "You truly are the Legendary Palico. This stitching technique alone far surpasses that of professional doctors in the big cities!"
Unconsciously, his way of addressing Shalan had shifted from "Miss" to the more respectful "Lady."
Shalan became even more smug upon hearing this. "This is nothing, meow! As long as your head doesn't fall off, I can sew any other part back on for you, meow!
And medical skills are just the tip of the iceberg, meow, there's so much more I can do, meow!"
With that, she tossed aside the needles and bandages and pulled out a musical instrument that looked like a giant conch shell, playing while she danced.
The music contained a miraculous blessing. Altaïr could clearly feel his body, which had become weak and exhausted from heavy blood loss, surging with strength once more.
The sharp pain in his thigh wound began to dissipate, replaced by the itching and tingling sensation of rapidly healing muscle.
"This is..."
Before he could finish marveling at it, the movement Shalan was playing changed. The rhythm and sound became distinctly more heroic and clanging.
His heart rate quickened with the rhythm of the music. Altaïr felt as though he had taken a Might Pill; not only did his muscles swell, but his very emotions became bold and stirred.
The lingering fear from falling from the sky, the unease of facing a powerful foe, the dread of facing death; all negative emotions were dispelled by this music.
All he wanted to do now was howl and charge forward to tear that Seregios into a thousand pieces!
Finishing her inspiring performance and dance, Shalan casually threw two handfuls of Demon Powder and Hardhead Powder over Altaïr.
"That's about it, go get 'em, meow! I'm too lazy to personally deal with a Monster of this level, meow!"
Suppressing the urge to charge out immediately, Altaïr asked for confirmation, "It's possible to retreat directly now. Do you agree to continue the hunt?
Though it shouldn't violate the rules, the Guild might conduct an inquiry, you know. After all, the Seregios is a quite rare Monster..."
If, before setting out, he had harbored some petty thoughts of "I can go all out on his own since Shalan will take the heat," now, after having his life saved, he naturally wouldn't think of screwing her over.
"Inquiry my tail, meow! The Airship was shot down; leaving a guy like this around is just a hazard that'll hurt someone else sooner or later, meow.
Even His Immenseness wouldn't say a word about hunting this kind of Monster. Go ahead and carve it up with confidence, meow!" Shalan waved a paw grandly.
"Since you put it that way." Altaïr unsheathed his Dual Blades again and grinned, baring his teeth. "Understood."
He crossed the Dual Blades, drawing the blades against each other with force. With a sharp "Clang!", a blood-red battle aura, far more brilliant than before, flared up.
Demon Mode activated!
Holding the Dual Blades in a reverse grip, Altaïr kicked off the ground. He transformed into an afterimage, shooting toward his opponent who was wobbling to its feet.
He didn't know if it was because he had looked past life and death during that desperate clash, causing a breakthrough in his state of mind, or if the shout of "Get 'em, meow!" behind him had given him sufficient confidence.
At this moment, Altaïr inexplicably felt that the Seregios, which not long ago had exerted a suffocatingly powerful pressure on him, was still a formidable foe, but no longer one to be feared.
(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.
ITEMS
Demon Powder — A powder item that temporarily boosts the attack power of the Hunter and any nearby allies when thrown. Often used before engaging a difficult target.
Hardhead Powder — A powder item that temporarily increases the defense of the Hunter and nearby allies when thrown. Used in tandem with Demon Powder for pre-combat buffing.