Nymera found a place to sit and pulled Isis down beside her. She could sense the other woman's anxiety, but she could not quite understand it.
"What are you in such a hurry about, anyway?"
Isis remained silent for several seconds before finally voicing her true thoughts. "Ms. Meow-It-All said that Taikun Zamuza had a solid 6★ danger rating. If its body weren't so fragile, it might even qualify as 7★. Altaïr hunted a Monster like that on his own, and I can't honestly say I could do the same. I can feel him gradually breaking through his current limits. Once he's finished reflecting on the hunt and consolidating what he learned, he should be able to apply for promotion to High Rank. But I... I still feel as though I'm missing something, as though I can't quite reach that threshold."
Nymera watched Isis lower her head and fidget with her fingers, unsure what to say.
Isis and Altaïr were only a few days apart in age and had practically grown up together; at first, Isis's family training had put her a step ahead of him, but that gap had gradually closed over time. In terms of talent, she was certainly no less gifted than Altaïr. Even in Kamura Village, with all its hidden talent, very few Hunters had mastered a reckless technique like Blast Dash. Isis had learned it through experimentation alone, then used it as the basis for the even more difficult shelling charge she had devised herself. Although Altaïr had mastered advanced techniques such as Instant Slash and Spirit Release Unsurpassed Slash, Isis remained right on his heels, showing no sign of falling behind.
Nymera, on the other hand, felt as though she was already struggling to keep up with the two of them.
In truth, Isis had been anxious for some time. Ever since Altaïr successfully hunted the Taikun Zamuza, she had been spending noticeably more time than usual in the Training Area and out hunting. Francesca had sent Altaïr back to Kamura Village for a checkup partly because the advance team had little to do lately, giving him time to rule out any lingering problems, and partly to divert Isis's attention and stop her from pushing herself so hard. The idea had been to let her accompany Altaïr on a relaxing vacation, but the plan seemed to have backfired...
The solution to Altaïr's lingering problem had turned out to be further training rather than medicine and rest. And who was teaching him? None other than Maki, the strongest Hunter in Kamura Village. Because she rarely ventured beyond the Kamura region, Maki was not well known in the Old World. Altaïr, for instance, had never heard of her before coming to the village. Isis was different. She had grown up hearing countless stories and legends about Maki.
Master Amos's assessment of Maki had left a particularly deep impression on her. He had once said, "If she hadn't pushed her body too hard in her younger years and left her physical condition just a little short of its peak, there would be three 9★ Hunters in the world today, not two."
What weapon did Maki specialize in? Dual Blades. They also happened to be one of Altaïr's favored weapons. With guidance from a Hunter of her caliber, it would have been stranger if his strength did not soar.
He had supposedly come here for medical treatment, yet that jerk had thrown himself straight into more training. If she spent the trip relaxing, wouldn't he leave her farther and farther behind?!
"So, Nymera, do you know any highly skilled veteran Gunlance users? I'd like to take this opportunity to improve too." Isis was shy about asking, and a faint blush colored her face.
Nymera looked down at the glutinous rice flour dusting the apron tied around her waist.
Well, now she knew why she could not catch up with those two. The moment one made even a small breakthrough, the other started searching for a way to close the gap. By constantly spurring each other on, they were already approaching High Rank.
Nymera was older than either of them and had reached 5★ first, yet she had not even begun making plans for her own advancement...
Nymera gave her a helpless look. "As far as I know, Kamura doesn't have any exceptional Gunlance users. At least, none stronger than you.
"There are plenty of Hunters in Kamura, but it is still only a village. It cannot compare with a major city.
"Besides, at our level, improving quickly is already extremely difficult. More than anything, it comes down to finding the right opportunity."
Isis understood that perfectly well. Despite her disappointment, she quickly composed herself. "Nymera, can you tell me where the Training Area is?
"I missed several days of training aboard the Airship. I want to make up for them."
Physical conditioning was certainly another way to grow stronger. The results came more slowly, but the method was dependable.
Nymera badly wanted to tell Isis to relax and give herself a few days off. Altaïr was not going to leave her hopelessly behind overnight. In the end, however, Nymera could not bring herself to say anything that might hold her back. She simply gave Isis directions to the Training Area.
As Isis walked out the door, Clawdia and Sajji ran out as well.
To Nymera's surprise, Clawdia did not follow Isis. Sajji showed no intention of seeking out Altaïr either. Instead, he tugged at Nymera's trouser leg.
"Do you know where the Meowcenaries are, meow?"
"More or less. What are you two planning to do?"
Clawdia extended her claws. "Combat training, meow!"
"You're going to train too?" Nymera gave Sajji an odd look.
"I wanted to ask them about something else, meow." Sajji carried a small toolbox on his back. "Lady Shalan said this was where she first learned about the technology behind the portable Dragonator, meow. I want to compare notes with them, meow."
"They aren't joking when they say Felynes take after their Hunters." Nymera muttered under her breath. "Go to the Buddy Plaza. You should be able to find Chief Kogarashi, the leader of the Meowcenaries.
"If you can't find him, ask Master Iori. He knows Chief Kogarashi well."
With the information they needed, the two Felynes ran out as well, leaving Nymera alone with her thoughts.
Altaïr worked hard. Sajji worked hard. Isis trained relentlessly. So did Clawdia...
Nymera looked up. Mochi was perched on a roof beam, dozing. She looked down. Hibiki lay sprawled motionless across the floor, well fed and perfectly content.
So, was she the problem?
—--
Several days later, in the mountain forest near the Shrine Ruins.
Altaïr pictured the Imperial Conqueror Dragon roaring and lashing out with its claws. He swung the iron Long Sword in his hands and unleashed a hoarse roar at the Monster before him.
Pitch-black fighting spirit flared around him, shrouding his face until only two ominous points of red light gleamed where his eyes should have been.
Fear flickered in the Great Izuchi's eyes, but as the leader of its pack, it could not simply retreat.
It crouched low with a hiss, then sprang forward, slashing its sharp, sickle-shaped tail blade viciously toward the Hunter's chest and abdomen.
Wreathed in black fighting spirit, Altaïr swept his Long Sword diagonally and knocked the Great Izuchi's tail blade aside as a black arc of energy flashed out, snapping its long tail cleanly in two.
The Great Izuchi sensed the danger and tried to flee, but it was already too late. The Hunter flashed into its path, knocked aside the foreclaws guarding its chest with two swift strokes, then severed its head with a Spirit Roundslash.
When they saw their leader fall, the few Izuchi circling nearby scattered in panic.
Altaïr had no time to pursue them. He frowned and stared down at his hands gripping the sword.
The black fighting spirit had already burned itself out and faded, not because Altaïr had actively reined it in, but because the energy could not sustain itself for more than those few seconds. Maki, by contrast, could maintain it effortlessly for a full two minutes.
Maki, who had been watching from the top of a nearby tree, jumped down with an equally puzzled look on her face.
She could not decide whether Altaïr's Beast Soul Possession training was progressing smoothly or poorly.
She could hardly call it poor. After only three or four days, he could already activate Beast Soul Possession reliably without losing consciousness or flying into a frenzy; that rate of progress rivaled Maki's own.
Then there was the terrifying offensive power of that black fighting spirit; with nothing more than an ordinary iron Long Sword, he had sheared straight through the Great Izuchi's blade-like tail.
But she could hardly call his progress smooth, either. Each activation lasted no more than six or seven seconds, and even if greater proficiency eventually doubled that duration, it would still be far too short.
In truth, two distinct Hunter Arts fell under the name "Beast Soul Possession."
One was Lion's Maw, a Great Sword Hunter Art that reverse-channeled fighting spirit to empower a single strike with overwhelming force.
The other was Wolf's Maw, a Dual Blades Hunter Art that called upon a Monster's ferocity to further rouse the user's blood and fighting spirit, creating a sustained state similar to Demon Mode, but even stronger.
Maki had taught Altaïr the second form, but what he had ultimately produced seemed rather different from Wolf's Maw...
(Translated by yourtl.app)