The Barroth, which had just stood up mere seconds ago, was once again sent tumbling to the ground.
This collision was far more severe than the previous fall. A large chunk of the massive rock had shattered upon impact, and the point of collision was riddled with cracks.
The Barroth was in even worse shape, its proud head crest now bore visible fractures as it lay on the ground, writhing and howling in agony.
Isis immediately turned back, locking onto the wound on the Barroth's leg and swinging her blade.
Spirit Combo!
As she pivoted and swept her sword horizontally, she executed a wide-arcing slash that carved a narrow, two-meter-long gash from the Barroth's thigh all the way to its tail.
Her entire aura intensified, and a faint, hazy white light coalesced around her blade.
"So this is raising the Spirit Gauge," Altaïr murmured to himself as he watched from a distance.
Although he could already sense the presence of "Spirit," he was still some way off from executing a Spirit Blade Slash in actual combat, let alone condensing sword energy to raise the Spirit Gauge.
Watching the scene unfold made his fingers itch with anticipation.
The battle had only been going on for a few minutes, yet Isis had suppressed the Barroth in an almost playful manner, using Flash Pods and her Slinger, combined with the terrain.
To hunters who purely relied on martial prowess, such tactics might seem "dirty," but he rather admired this approach to combat. After all, he too was the type of hunter who would "do whatever it takes to win."
If Isis could maintain this momentum, he might not get much of a chance to act.
Coming all this way for nothing yet still getting half the reward, should he be happy or disappointed?
While Altaïr was clicking his tongue in mixed admiration and frustration, Isis swung her Long Sword with all her might, relentlessly attacking the Barroth's hind leg.
The opening Flash Pod had indeed been part of her plan from the start.
But luring the visually impaired Barroth into launching a charge attack against the giant rock had been a spur-of-the-moment idea. She hadn't expected it to work so well, and with such unexpectedly excellent results.
Not only had it cracked the Barroth's head armor, but it also sent the monster tumbling again, providing a perfect opportunity to attack. She dealt significant damage to its hind leg while successfully raising her Spirit Gauge.
Never had she experienced such a flawless opening. This might truly be her best chance to solo a 3★ Monster!
"Roar...!"
The Barroth shook its dizzy head vigorously. Its vision was gradually returning to normal, and the searing pain from its hind leg made it realize that if it didn't get up quickly, things would only get worse.
Though it appeared disheveled, the Barroth was still brimming with stamina. It twisted its body, preparing to rise.
Isis, who had been rapidly swinging her blade and accumulating sword energy, immediately halted her attacks and leaped backward.
Don't get greedy with attacks, the more advantageous the situation, the more cautious one should be!
Altaïr, who had been watching, widened his eyes in disbelief.
What? You were just one or two strikes away from fully raising your Spirit Gauge after that Spirit Combo, and you just backed off like that?
Have you sworn off some kind of forbidden substance or something?
Of course, Isis couldn't hear Altaïr's inner thoughts. Her nerves were stretched taut, her gaze firmly locked on the rising Barroth.
The real battle was about to begin.
Barroth glared with crimson eyes, its repeated setbacks fueling its already volatile temper to a boiling point. Its mind could hold no other thought except crushing the opponent before it.
"Roarrr...!"
Amid its frenzied roar, Barroth launched another charge attack.
Facing the onrushing beast, Isis exhaled softly, sheathed her Long Sword, and assumed an Iai stance.
In their previous encounter, she had evaded Barroth's assault using Foresight Slash, but a momentary hesitation in executing the counter had left her exposed, sending her flying from the beast's impact.
Later, when fighting Barroth alone, she had suffered severe injuries for similar reasons.
Her hunting partner often criticized her, saying she lacked decisiveness when it mattered most. Techniques like Iai Slash and Foresight Slash didn't suit her, he claimed.
She knew this well.
Yet she had already abandoned the Great Sword for similar reasons. If she kept retreating step by step just because something didn't come naturally, would she eventually give up the Long Sword, or even the hunter's profession itself?
She wanted to try again.
The charging Barroth was upon her. At the critical moment, Isis drew her blade.
In a flash of steel, she passed by the beast.
The tremendous force of the charge traveled through the sword, nearly wrenching it from her grasp, but Isis clung tightly to the hilt, turned, and swung forward.
The Spirit energy enveloping the blade erupted, carving a series of intricate wounds along Barroth's flank.
Success!
Though her hands trembled slightly from the impact, unconcealable joy spread across her face.
Barroth, having missed its target, staggered to a halt further ahead before turning around.
It breathed heavily, its boiling rage threatening to burst its heart.
Ignoring the pain in its leg, Barroth roared once more and surprisingly launched another charge attack.
"What?!"
Isis was stunned. Barroth shouldn't have the stamina for consecutive charges under normal circumstances.
But nothing was absolute. Continuously wounded and frustrated, its rationality nearly consumed by fury, Barroth had broken through its limits driven by pure rage.
Facing the renewed onslaught, Isis gritted her teeth, preparing to risk a Foresight Slash.
Just then, a Flash Pod landed before Barroth. After a brief delay, intense light erupted.
The sudden disorientation shattered Barroth's balance, interrupting its already strained charge. It stumbled, struggling to stay upright.
"You slipped up," said Altaïr, wielding his Iron Katana as he entered the fray, positioning himself before Isis. "That Foresight Slash was too forced. A simple dodge-roll would've been better."
Without waiting for her response, he charged straight at the still-dazed Barroth.
Isis opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately remained silent and sheathed her weapon.
Altaïr was right, she had lost her composure facing Barroth's second charge.
While her earlier Iai Slash had succeeded, the recoil had left her arms momentarily weakened.
Such minor shockwaves didn't even qualify as injury and would fade in half a minute, making temporary retreat the wisest choice.
However, when facing the Barroth's second charge attack, she still chose to confront it head-on.
Given her poor condition, even with perfect timing, there was a high probability she would lose in the clash. Even if she succeeded, it would be a fluke, hardly a correct choice.
She had gotten a bit carried away, despite such a smooth start.
"Haa..."
Exhaling slowly to suppress the indescribable disappointment in her heart, Isis retreated to a distance.
After drinking a Potion, she took out a Whetstone to sharpen her blade while keeping an eye on the situation in the battlefield.
"That guy really went straight for the Long Sword," Isis muttered to herself, glancing sideways at the Sword and Shield Altaïr had placed beside a large rock. "How can he switch so easily to an unfamiliar weapon?"
After a few more quiet words, her gaze returned to the center of the battlefield.
Upon reaching the Barroth's side, Altaïr immediately launched a fierce assault, starting with a standard combo.
He didn't hoist the Long Sword for some messy Charged Slash or anything like that. Instead, he looked like a perfectly standard Long Sword user, which greatly pleased Isis, who had taught him how to use the Long Sword.
Being hit by Flash Pods twice in a short time had given the Barroth some tolerance to bright light. The dizziness from the second flash was noticeably weaker than before.
Shaking its head to regain clarity, the Barroth growled and turned its body, swinging its hammer-like tail toward the hunter.
Facing the Barroth's counterattack, Altaïr swiftly dodged backward.
Unlike Isis, who preferred to react to her opponent's moves and strike later, he favored taking the initiative and controlling the pace of the battle.
Senior Serl had once warned him not to attempt unfamiliar moves in actual combat.
But with a companion watching his back, it should be fine to be a bit more aggressive, right?
A flicker of excitement in his eyes, Altaïr swung the Long Sword, stirred his Spirit, and activated Demon Mode. His entire form turned into a blur as he charged rapidly toward his prey.
?
A question mark popped up above Isis's head in the distance, where she had just been feeling pleased.