At this moment, Altaïr had no idea that a "big trouble" was about to come knocking on his door.
Led by Karin and Haifa, he arrived at an unremarkable smithy within the city of Liber.
This smithy was small in scale, with no counter, service staff, or apprentices. There was only a solitary wyverian artisan standing by the forge, giving off the impression of a makeshift little workshop.
But Altaïr didn't doubt the craftsman's skill for a second.
Putting aside the endorsements from Teacher Karin and Haifa, it was common knowledge that whether they were craftsmen, alchemists, pharmacists, or any other skilled professionals, elderly Wyverians were practically synonymous with "master craftsmanship."
Even a wyverian artisan with mediocre talent would accumulate one or two centuries of work experience, reaching a level that ordinary human craftsmen simply couldn't compare to.
As for the purpose of their visit to the smithy, it was naturally to place an order for Altaïr's new weapon.
Since it had been a solo hunt and he hadn't used destructive items like Large Barrel Bombs, the amount of materials Altaïr harvested from the quest was quite substantial.
After inspecting them, the wyverian artisan stated that this pile of materials was enough to forge not just a weapon, but nearly an entire set of Armor.
The Zamtrios Armor Set was a relatively popular piece of equipment, and Altaïr knew a fair amount about it.
Its Defense performance was considered decent among armor of the same rank, but its most prominent advantage lay in its extremely excellent cold resistance. Wearing it meant you wouldn't feel the chill even in ice and snow (Cold Adaptation), and resistance to similar attacks would be greatly increased.
Beyond that, the specially designed structure made this armor completely waterproof. Paired with its transparent, full-coverage visor, the Zamtrios Armor series had become the absolute favorite equipment for Hunters skilled in underwater combat.
In short, it was a specialized armor set designed for extreme cold and underwater operations.
It was a good set of armor, but it didn't fit Altaïr's actual needs.
So, he decisively rejected the smith's suggestion to forge armor and requested that only a pair of Dual Blades be made.
After hearing Altaïr's requirements, the old smith inspected the materials once more. "Hmm, if that's your plan, then I can cut and select the highest quality parts from these materials.
By pairing them with some supplementary materials, I should be able to upgrade the original 'Cleaving Jaws' into the 'Cool Cleavers.'
However, I'll tell you upfront that the overall material utilization rate will be very low this way. You could say we're cherry-picking the materials from an entire Monster just to forge one pair of Dual Blades.
The leftover scraps won't be suitable for making equipment anymore; a lot of material will go to waste. Are you okay with that?"
"It's fine, please do whatever you need to do," Altaïr answered flatly.
He wasn't the type of hoarder who liked to keep good things tucked away in a chest; a high-quality ice/water dual-element weapon was exactly what he needed right now. As long as it could be successfully forged, that was all that mattered.
If he ever needed Zamtrios materials again in the future, he'd just go hunt another one.
"This kid is Karin's precious son, you know. Help us out and put a little extra heart into it, old man!" Haifa said with a chuckle, throwing an arm around Altaïr's shoulder.
The old smith shot Karin a look of surprise, his eyes seemingly asking: Aren't you a Wyverian? Is your son already this big?
Karin's cheek twitched slightly as she gave a brief explanation. "Adopted son. And disciple."
"Understood!"
The old smith was clearly an old acquaintance of Karin and Haifa, and he agreed readily. "Cleaving Jaws is easy enough, but reinforcing them into Cool Cleavers will take some effort. It'll take about three or four days. Just come pick them up then."
"Thank you for your trouble," Altaïr said, bowing slightly.
The old man waved them off with an indifferent expression that said he was busy and they should get going.
The three said their goodbyes to the smith.
Stepping out of the smithy, Haifa raised her arms high and gave her body a vigorous stretch.
The ceiling inside the small workshop was low and cluttered with various hanging objects; a woman of her large stature had to keep her head down and back bent the whole time, which felt stifling.
After stretching, she exhaled a sharp "Whew!" and looked at Altaïr. "You were planning on leaving as soon as you got your weapon, right?"
"Yes," Altaïr nodded.
Teacher Karin and Haifa had their own business to attend to, and he didn't intend to stay and bother them for too long.
"Well, that works out. We still have a few days of vacation left, and Karin and I discussed it; we'll spend these next few days teaching you some things."
"Teaching me some things?" Altaïr looked confused for a second before growing excited. "You mean new Weapon Arts techniques?!"
"Yes." A faint smile played on Karin's lips. "Whether self-taught or learned elsewhere, High Rank Hunters usually master a few unconventional techniques or moves.
Some of these techniques have extremely high physical requirements, while others require incredibly precise judgment as a prerequisite. They aren't suitable for beginners.
But you have completely moved past the rookie stage now, so we can teach you a few.
However, what suits us might not necessarily suit you. You can take the parts that are useful to you based on your own needs and gradually transform them into your own style."
"What kind of techniques? Are we going to the Training Area right now?" Altaïr asked impatiently.
Haifa reached out and ruffled his hair vigorously. "What's the rush? You just got back from a hunt; at least let yourself relax for a night.
Some things aren't easy to demonstrate in a Training Area. Tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll pick up a simple quest and head to the hunting grounds for the lesson."
Altaïr wanted to say he wasn't tired, but he knew deep down that this was just a physical illusion brought on by his high spirits.
Rather than forcing himself to push through now on sheer adrenaline, it was better to rest up and begin his training in a better state of mind.
His pace involuntarily quickened.
"Hey! Where are you going in such a rush, kid?"
"Going back to lie down early, so we can set out early tomorrow!"
Karin and Haifa exchanged a glance and helplessly chased after him.
Early the next morning, the weather was exceptionally clear.
The three of them picked up a random quest at the Guild Hall to hunt a Lagombi.
When they went to register, the guild receptionist on duty looked like she'd seen a ghost again as she processed the three Hunter's Notes handed to her: two 6★ and one 4★. Following that poor Zamtrios, was it a Lagombi's turn to defy the heavens this time?
Since the opponent was a Lagombi and the destination was the lowest-danger hunting grounds nearest to Liber, the three naturally saw no need for excessive preparation.
Karin and Haifa even went as far as specifically switching to basic beginner weapons, lest the Lagombi die too quickly and disrupt the teaching process.
Under the strange gazes of many Hunters, the three left the Guild Hall and set off by sled.
Altaïr had never driven a sled before, but the sand sleds commonly used in the Desert were essentially the same thing. He quickly mastered the vehicle, cracking the whip to drive the pulling Anteka at high speed.
In just an hour, they reached the Hunter's Camp near the target's habitual territory.
After parking the sled and tethering the Anteka, Altaïr wanted to set out immediately, but Haifa pulled him back.
She grinned and pointed toward the campfire inside the camp. Her meaning was clear: go prepare breakfast.
Altaïr felt helpless; if it were just himself, he would have settled for a ration, but he considered that his teacher and Haifa were using their time off specifically to guide his training.
Preparing a meal for them was only right.
Rubbing his cheeks, which were red from the cold wind, Altaïr sat by the campfire, set up the stove, took out his utensils, and began to cook.
Haifa had bought the ingredients in advance; he was only responsible for the cooking.
Grilled steaks, seared sea fish, butter pancakes... Huh? There were even winter flower buds? Haifa never liked vegetables, so Teacher Karin must have bought these. He decided to grill them all together.
Altaïr shook the frying pan, controlling the distance between the bottom and the flames to avoid burning the food, while asking Haifa for the countless-th time.
"So, exactly what kind of technique are you two planning to teach me?"
Haifa wanted to keep acting mysterious and brush him off with "You'll find out in a bit," but Karin spoke first with a smile.
"Do you remember writing to me months ago, asking about 'refined sword aura' for the Dual Blades?"
"Of course. You mean Archdemon Mode?"
"Yes. What I plan to teach you is an advanced technique for Demon Mode and Archdemon Mode. You're good at dodging, so this move should suit you."
Haifa felt that since Karin had spoken up, it would be boring to keep teasing him alone. She took over the conversation, saying, "As for what I'm going to teach you... well, how should I put it? It's a Great Sword style that doesn't really suit me.
I learned it years ago from a loud, dark-skinned big sis in Kamura Village. I've almost never used it in actual combat; I just couldn't get used to it.
But this style might just suit you. I'm only responsible for teaching it; as for whether you use it or how you use it, you'll have to judge for yourself."
(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.
EQUIPMENT
Zamtrios Armor Set — A full armor set crafted from Zamtrios materials, prized for its exceptional cold resistance and complete waterproofing. Its transparent full-coverage visor and sealed construction make it the preferred choice for hunters who operate in arctic or underwater environments.
Cleaving Jaws / Cool Cleavers — A line of Dual Blades forged from Zamtrios materials, carrying ice and water elemental properties. "Cleaving Jaws" is the base form; "Cool Cleavers" is the upgraded version, requiring cherry-picked high-quality parts and additional materials to achieve its full elemental potential.
SKILLS & TECHNIQUES
Cold Adaptation — An armor skill that negates the stamina drain and movement penalties caused by extreme cold environments. Hunters equipped with this skill can operate freely in icy terrain and endure freezing breath attacks with greater resilience, eliminating the need to constantly consume Hot Drinks.