Finally, Haifa and the others finished eating. After a quick cleanup, the group headed out of the camp.
Although the primary goal of this mission was teaching Weapon Arts, since they were already here, Karin took the opportunity to teach Altaïr tips for operating in ice-covered regions, along with trace analysis and tracking techniques.
Altaïr knew he didn't possess a photographic memory, so he meticulously recorded these insights in his notebook for future review.
The hunting skills and experience of a High Rank Hunter were, after all, beyond what a young Hunter under twenty could hope to match on his own.
Karin and Haifa didn't even need to find footprints or fur; based solely on their analysis of the surrounding terrain and the target's behavioral habits, they essentially pinpointed the location of the Lagombi nest.
Altaïr followed behind the two women with a skeptical look. In less than half an hour, they discovered the plump, long-furred Fanged Beast on a flat, open snowfield.
Despite being named "Lagombi," this Monster actually had little to do with rabbits; it was more closely related to medium-sized Fanged Beast species like Arzuros and Caeserber.
At first glance, it looked like a white-furred bear with long ears.
Similar to its distant cousin the Arzuros, the Lagombi possessed an equally volatile temperament. Noticing the Hunters' approach, it first craned its neck and let out several defiant howls.
Seeing that the Hunters were unmoved and continued to draw closer, it gave a roar and pressed its fat belly, covered in pale purple keratinized hide, against the snow.
With a kick from its thick limbs, it glided toward the Hunters at high speed, moving exactly like a sled.
"Hah," Haifa grinned fiercely, drawing the Iron Sword from her back. "Instead of running away, you're actually approaching us?"
Karin quickly grabbed Haifa's belt and yanked her back.
Despite her cheerful everyday demeanor, this woman was unusually savage in combat.
If she were truly allowed to cut loose, even using the lowest-grade Iron Sword bought randomly from a shop, it would likely only take a few swings to beat this Lagombi to death.
"Don't use your full strength. Actually, try not to let the Lagombi feel pain at all. If it senses danger and turns to flee, we won't be able to catch up easily given its sliding speed."
"Huh?" Haifa stared blankly. What did she mean, try not to let the Monster feel pain?
This Iron Sword weighed dozens of kilograms; as long as she lifted it, even slapping the Lagombi with the flat of the blade would make it howl.
There were ways to hold back thirty percent, fifty percent, or even seventy percent of one's power, but holding back a full hundred percent? How was she supposed to demonstrate that? A Great Sword air-performance?
"Forget it, maybe I should go first." Karin made a "back off" gesture to Haifa, then drew her Dual Blades and moved to meet the rapidly approaching beast.
Striking her blades together, she entered Demon Mode. "Watch closely. The key lies in the timing of the evasion."
Altaïr immediately focused his mind, observing his teacher's movements with rapt attention.
The Lagombi drew closer and closer, its limbs continuously kicking the snow to maintain its accelerating sliding tackle. This was the Lagombi's signature sliding tackle. Given Karin's stature, if she were to be struck, she would be sent flying.
Of course, as a high-rank Hunter, there was no such thing as "if" when her focus was sharpened.
The moment the Lagombi was about to collide with her, Karin leaped into the air, spinning mid-flight to evade the sliding tackle before landing gracefully. She made it look as effortless as hopping over a spoon.
Evading a Monster's attack in such a manner wasn't normally worth mentioning, but Altaïr keenly noticed that after completing the dodge, Teacher Karin's aura had noticeably intensified.
The sensation was somewhat similar to how a Long Sword user's presence surged after using a Foresight Slash to bypass an attack.
Having missed its mark, the Lagombi carved through the snow, circling back around for another pass.
Facing the incoming beast once more, Karin called out, "I'll demonstrate it one more time. Pay attention to the timing."
Hearing Karin's reminder, a realization dawned on Altaïr. He stopped focusing solely on her movements and instead concentrated on the exact timing of her evasion.
Karin leaped and spun, hair-breadth close, evading the Lagombi's sliding strike for a second time.
Timing!
Teacher Karin clearly could have jumped half a second or even a full second earlier; that would undoubtedly have provided a higher margin for error and been much safer. Yet, she chose to leap and evade at the very instant the collision was about to happen, both times!
Why would Teacher Karin do this? Was it for the thrill of it? Of course not. She had to be utilizing that tension of dancing on a knife's edge.
The Long Sword's Foresight Slash operated on a similar principle. While evading early was safer, only by dodging at the final moment of the Monster's assault could one accelerate the concentration of the Spirit Gauge and heighten one's momentum!
"Haifa, pin that Lagombi down. Don't let it run all over the place," Karin said as she landed, deactivating her demonization state and sheathing her weapons. She called out to Haifa, "Be careful not to hurt it."
Haifa, who was already running toward the Lagombi, stumbled at the request. She turned back to flash Karin a rude gesture, cursing under her breath. "Dammit! You want me to pin it down but not let it get hurt? What, you want me to go wrestle the damn Lagombi?"
Karin didn't engage.
Whether she used her fists or something else, Karin believed that with Haifa's strength, restraining a single Lagombi wouldn't be an issue.
Ignoring the sounds of "Hrah!", "Thump!", and "Awoo!" from the struggle nearby, Karin walked over to the pensive Altaïr. "Well? Did you see the trick to it?"
"I think so." Altaïr snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. "Similar to the Long Sword's Foresight Slash, does evading in a critical state force oneself into a more 'focused' condition?"
"Exactly." A smile touched Karin's face; having a disciple with high comprehension made her job as a teacher much easier. "This technique is utilized across various weapons. It belongs to a school of thought that combines 'Spirit' with 'Willpower.'
Using external danger to stimulate the mind, thereby indirectly increasing one's strength and resolve, is a relatively advanced skill.
If you dig deeper into this technique, you find what's known as 'Valor.' Have you heard of the Valor Style?"
"Yes, I've heard a bit about it from Isis." "That young lady, hm? It makes sense; her understanding of 'Valor' should be quite deep. You should seek her guidance when you have the chance."
After offering that vague advice, Karin continued, "I never specifically studied the so-called Valor Style because my own combat style leans more toward suppression and guerrilla tactics.
But as for you, if you get the opportunity in the future, that path should suit you quite well.
Now, back to the main point. You probably noticed earlier that after I precisely evaded the Lagombi's attack, my aura intensified, right?"
"I noticed! It felt just like a Long Sword's Spirit Gauge being raised!"
"Don't say that in front of other Dual Blades users. It's an easy way to make people angry."
After a helpless word of criticism, Karin continued, "This state is commonly known as 'blue demon mode.' As for why it's called that, it's because under conditions of extreme mental focus, one's fighting spirit takes on a deep blue hue.
Those Blademasters who specialize in the Valor Style exhibit a similar phenomenon when entering the Valor State. After all, the principles behind the two are largely the same."
"So, can this 'blue demon mode' only be used while in the demonization state?" Altaïr hurried to ask a question he was very concerned about.
"Not just in demonization state. While in Archdemon Mode, you can similarly activate 'blue demon mode' through precise evasion."
"I see!" Altaïr said excitedly. "If that's the case, then the practicality of 'blue demon mode' is greatly increased. After all, it's difficult to maintain the demonization state for a long time.
But since demonization state and Archdemon Mode can cycle back and forth, pairing them with this 'blue demon mode' will take the Dual Blades' sustained combat capabilities to a whole new level!"
"Exactly. That's it." The smile on Karin's face grew more prominent; she was satisfied with her disciple's ability to pull from different concepts.
"It feels even more like the Long Sword now! Archdemon Mode is like having the gauge raised, and blue demon mode is like using Foresight Slash... I mean, using precise evasion to quickly reach Red Blade!"
Karin's expression suddenly darkened.
She wasn't a jack-of-all-trades like Altaïr; she was a pure Dual Blades user. Comparing Dual Blades to the Long Sword...
Have you even asked the Dual Blades how they feel about that!
"Hey! Are you two finished chatting yet!"
Haifa's exasperated voice drifted over from nearby. "If you keep talking, I'm gonna end up beating this Lagombi to death myself!"
"..."
Karin adjusted her expression. "Go on. What Haifa is going to teach you is a bit niche. It's said to be a branch style created by the first generation of Long Sword users back when they were still using Great Swords, before the Long Sword and Great Sword had completely diverged into two different weapons.
It replaces the Charged Slash with more fluid combos; it's somewhere between a Long Sword and a Great Sword. Since you use both, you should find it rewarding."
"Combos replacing the Charged Slash? Somewhere between a Long Sword and a Great Sword?" Altaïr repeated to himself. "Why does that sound like it would suit Isis better?"
(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.
CONCEPTS
Valor Style / Valor State — A Hunting Style in which the hunter deliberately delays evasions until the last possible instant before an incoming attack. This calculated brinkmanship triggers a surge of focused willpower, pushing the hunter into the "Valor State," a heightened mode that grants enhanced mobility and access to powerful follow-up techniques. The underlying principle, using physical danger to sharpen mental focus, is shared across multiple weapon types.
Blue Demon Mode — The author's term for an advanced state available to Dual Blades users who execute a precisely timed last-instant evasion while in Demon Mode or Archdemon Mode. The feat triggers an intensified surge of fighting spirit that manifests as a deep blue aura. It parallels the Spirit Gauge boost granted to Long Sword users by the Foresight Slash, and significantly amplifies the Dual Blades' sustained offensive output when cycled in combination with Archdemon Mode.