Altaïr's attack target was very clear, the wounds left by the unfamiliar Long Sword user.
There had always been debate about whether the Long Sword should be classified as a heavy weapon or a light weapon. In truth, aside from its inability to be used for defense, this weapon was remarkably balanced in all aspects.
In the hands of an experienced Long Sword user, it maintained the attack frequency and agility of light weapons while delivering destructive power that rivaled heavy weapons.
Slashing wounds like these narrow, elongated cuts on the Barroth's legs wouldn't be so easily achieved even with a Sword and Shield, even one with higher sharpness.
What he needed to do now was further deepen these existing wounds, cutting through more leg muscles until they critically impaired the Barroth's movement.
He had to admit, having a frontliner to contain the Monster made things much easier for hunters responsible for guerrilla tactics.
Like now, Altaïr could alternate between releasing Charged Slashes and Blade Dances, repeatedly cutting into the wounds on the Barroth's legs, while still sparing some attention to observe the situation on the main battlefield.
By examining the other's equipment, he realized he might have misjudged one thing; this Long Sword user's strength might not be as formidable as he initially thought.
Her armor was a mix of Jaggi Armor and Bulldrome Armor, commonly known as the 'Pig-Dog Set' among hunters.
This armor set was quite popular among 2★ hunters since it was easy to obtain and offered remarkable performance, possibly even half a tier better than the Genprey Armor he was wearing.
Her weapon was a Bone Shotel forged from collected Monster Bones, roughly equivalent in grade to his enhanced Hunter's Dagger.
Such equipment seemed slightly modest for a 3★ hunter, but was just right for the 2★ level.
However, this Long Sword user's swordsmanship was quite exquisite. She consistently managed to strike certain key points just before the Barroth launched its attacks, interrupting them prematurely, leaving the Barroth feeling like it had immense strength but couldn't utilize it effectively.
An outstanding 2★ Long Sword user with exceptional swordsmanship might have just been promoted to 3★ but hadn't had time to upgrade her equipment yet.
Altaïr formed this speculation in his mind.
He refocused his attention, concentrating his energy for a Charge. When his muscles tensed to their limit and the gathered power within him was about to dissipate from loss of control, he swung his Sword and Shield fiercely.
The blade precisely cut into the Barroth's leg, right into the bloody wound that had been repeatedly attacked.
Feeling the resistance of muscles clamping down on his blade, Altaïr growled and pulled with all his strength.
The hilt transmitted the sensation of severing certain tendons, and the Barroth's leg immediately buckled, causing it to stagger forward several steps before regaining its footing.
"ROOOOARRRR!"
A pained howl echoed through the night.
The excruciating pain from behind ignited the Barroth's rage. It abandoned its current opponent, turned around, and glared viciously at Altaïr behind it.
Seeing this, Altaïr immediately created some distance, feeling somewhat amused inwardly.
You're actually exposing your wounded weak point to the more offensive Long Sword? Isn't that asking for trouble?
All he needed to do was cautiously hold off the Barroth from the front for a while, and that Long Sword user would certainly be able to inflict even greater damage to the wound. Then he saw the Long Sword user abandon this prime attacking opportunity and circle back to the front, attempting to resume the vanguard position.
Altaïr's expression stiffened momentarily.
Was she worried he couldn't withstand the Barroth's assault from the front? Or did she believe their previous formation was more stable and needed maintaining?
Regardless, now wasn't the time for debate. Tactics often had no clear right or wrong; they were simply matters of personal style.
Since her style leaned toward caution, he'd follow her lead for now.
Leveraging his own agility and flexibility, Altaïr slipped back behind the Barroth and launched another fierce assault on its wounds.
Meanwhile, the Long Sword user at the front countered move for move, continuously neutralizing the Barroth's retaliatory strikes.
Feeling increasingly pressured, the Barroth let out a low growl and began shaking its body, causing large clumps of mud to fall from its form.
"Fall back!"
"Retreat!"
Altaïr and the Long Sword user shouted simultaneously.
Though this was his first encounter with a Barroth, he'd heard about this signature move.
The falling mud clumps themselves weren't particularly dangerous, but if they stuck to a hunter, they could clog armor joints and severely hinder movement.
If followed by a headbutt or charge attack, there would likely be no chance to evade.
The countermeasure was simple enough: create distance. The mud couldn't be flung more than a few meters, and as long as one didn't get greedy with attacks, they generally wouldn't get hit.
Having shed much of its mud coating, the Barroth seemed to move more nimbly. Its gaze locked onto Altaïr once more as it lowered its head and charged toward him.
Altaïr executed consecutive backsteps, maintaining a safe distance while preparing to dodge and counter at the last possible moment.
Yet at that moment, the Long Sword user once again intervened from the side, positioning herself directly in the Barroth's charge path.
For a second, Altaïr nearly blurted out: Dear Long Sword user, might I remind you that I'm the one with the shield?
Where does a Long Sword user get such strong protective instincts? Your exquisite swordsmanship doesn't look like it was learned from a Lance user!
Wait...
Altaïr considered another possibility.
His mentor had mentioned that Long Sword users possessed a technique called 'Foresight Slash', an advanced maneuver that involved precisely timing a dodge against a Monster's attack moment, then immediately following with a counterattack.
The probability of a 2★ Long Sword user mastering this technique was low, but given her refined swordsmanship, she might have received instruction from a master. Early mastery wasn't impossible.
Was that why she deliberately placed herself before the Monster, waiting for that fleeting moment of danger to seize the opportunity?
Altaïr took a deep breath and crossed his sword and shield, activating Demon Mode.
If she successfully identified the opening and forced the Barroth into a longer stagger or even toppled it completely with a precise counter...
He would absolutely capitalize on that attack opportunity, not wasting half a second!
The distance between the Barroth and the Long Sword user rapidly closed. The latter steadied her breathing and gently swung her blade, seemingly relaxing her body.
The instant the attack reached her, her body transformed from complete stillness into explosive motion. She spun with her blade as if in a dance, sliding backward a considerable distance and perfectly evading the Barroth's charge.
Foresight Slash!
"Beautiful!" Altaïr exclaimed under his breath. This Long Sword user is truly extraordinary! The greatest challenge of Foresight Slash lies in that precise moment of evasion; once the foresight succeeds, the subsequent Foresight Slash follows naturally!
Yet for some reason, just as the Foresight Slash was about to be executed, the Long Sword user's movement hesitated slightly, causing the counterattack aimed at the eye weak point to be delayed by a split second.
The blade landed on the Barroth's hardest head plate. As the Barroth raised its head, the sword was deflected upward, forcing the Long Sword user herself to expose an opening instead.
"Roar!"
The Barroth smoothly rotated its body, its raised carapace forming a hammer-like bulge as its thick tail swept forward.
By now, Altaïr had no time for emergency support. Just as the dangerous tail strike was about to connect, the Long Sword user gritted her teeth and tightened her arms, using the portion of the blade near the hilt to block the dragon's tail while struggling to push it upward.
This blocking maneuver was quite timely, overturning Altaïr's understanding that "Long Swords cannot defend," but it was ultimately too sudden.
Unable to dissipate the subsequent impact, the Long Sword user was sent flying by the tail hammer, her Long Sword slipping from her grasp and landing nearby.
To prevent the Monster from continuing its pursuit of his companion, Altaïr quickly positioned himself between the Barroth.
"Hey! Are you alright?!" he called out loudly over his shoulder.
The Long Sword user's condition seemed dire. Having been knocked far away, she attempted to rise but couldn't stand up immediately.
Facing the aggressive, steadily advancing Barroth, beads of cold sweat formed on Altaïr's forehead.
While he could manage to evade and engage the Barroth with his Sword and Shield, stopping the Barroth's forward momentum head-on was truly asking too much of this lightweight one-handed sword and this small shield that barely covered half his body.
Why hadn't he thought to switch to a Great Sword before heading out!
His mind filled with pointless regrets, Altaïr's gaze inadvertently fell upon the Long Sword lying nearby.
"..."