Moving at a speed unimaginable for an ordinary Long Sword user, Altaïr closed in on the Barroth and attempted to swing both arms to perform a Blade Dance.
But the moment his blade was swung, his movements faltered and he was forced to stop.
He had failed.
He could easily perform the Blade Dance with Sword and Shield, thanks not only to his own exceptional coordination but also because Sword and Shield and Dual Blades are both lightweight weapons and are used as primary and secondary weapons. This was crucial.
By coordinating the weight and swing path of the right-hand shield, he could perform a Blade Dance almost identical to that of the Dual Blades.
But the Long Sword was different. The large Long Sword, which must be wielded with both hands, is a completely different weapon from the Dual Blades, and there was no way to transfer the Dual Blades' Blade Dance movements to the Long Sword.
His original idea was to replace the Blade Dance with the "standard combo" of Step Slash, Overhead Slash, all the way to Side Fade Slash.
But when he actually tried it, he realized they were completely different.
The length and weight of the Long Sword made it nearly impossible to spin and dance as frequently and rapidly as with the Dual Blades. The muscles, hyperactive to the point of twitching in Demon Mode, were equally difficult to use to drive such a large weapon.
Dodging the Barroth's biting counter with a roll, Altaïr retreated a short distance.
Despite the failure, Altaïr showed no disappointment on his face; instead, he wore an expression that said, "As expected."
Back at the Val Habar guild training grounds, he had tried to perform the Blade Dance with the Long Sword, of course when Isis wasn't around, and the result was naturally a failure.
This time, he wanted to see if the pressure from a large Monster in actual combat could lead to a breakthrough, but it was still too much to ask.
However, unlike the fundamental conflict between the Great Sword's Charge and Demon Mode, he could sense that the inability to perform the Blade Dance with the Long Sword was mainly due to the unsuitability of the sword techniques and the size and weight of the Long Sword itself.
If he could further enhance his physical abilities and develop a suitable set of sword techniques, a Long Sword Blade Dance might not be so far out of reach.
"Huff..."
A massive tail capable of shattering rocks swept past his face. Altaïr leaped back once more, evading the Barroth's attack.
He hadn't given up on the idea of a Long Sword Blade Dance, but he wouldn't dwell on it during this hunt.
There were many things he needed to practice and verify through actual combat, and he couldn't afford to waste too much time on just one.
Altaïr accelerated into a sprint, circling around to the Barroth's rear.
This seemed to trigger some unpleasant memories for the Barroth. Its small, crimson eyes fixed intently on the rapidly moving hunter as it began to turn, trying to follow him.
Noticing the Barroth's reaction, Altaïr smirked. He hadn't actually planned to use the Charged Slash. Although it was simple and effective, a great way to suppress slower Monsters like the Barroth, he was here to practice new techniques. There was no need to repeatedly use something he had already mastered.
Leveraging the superhuman mobility of Demon Mode, Altaïr successfully circled behind the Barroth. The Barroth tried its utmost to turn its body but still couldn't match the hunter's agility.
In the two or three seconds it took for the Barroth to turn around, Altaïr swung the Long Sword repeatedly, adding several new wounds to its hind legs.
The Barroth roared, finally turning its front toward the hunter, but Altaïr abruptly halted his assault, crouching low and darting beneath the monster's body.
With no better options, the Barroth lowered its head, attempting to bite him, but the hunter's movements were always half a step ahead. Slipping through its legs, he once again emerged behind it.
Struggling to stabilize itself, the Barroth would need at least four to five seconds to turn around again.
That was more than enough time for him to act.
Following Isis's earlier guidance, he focused his mind, channeling the Spirit accumulated from his attacks into his weapon, then swung the blade with all his might!
Spirit Combo!
His form was impeccable, but the infusion and maintenance of Spirit were unstable. Halfway through the combo, the previously built-up Spirit Gauge dissipated entirely.
Yet, Altaïr's eyes shone with unexpected delight.
To enhance his mobility, he had maintained Demon Mode while circling the Barroth, only deactivating it just before launching his attack.
The instability and rapid dissipation of the Spirit Gauge during the Spirit Combo were directly linked to the unsettled Blood Rite agitation from Demon Mode not having fully subsided.
But! He could distinctly feel that the execution of the Spirit Blade Slash had been slightly accelerated.
Compared to conventional slashing combos, the Spirit Combo seemed more suited to synergize with Demon Mode?
He hadn't intended to dwell on the Long Sword's Blade Dance during the fight, yet unexpectedly, he found some direction while practicing the Spirit Blade Slash.
But this path was built upon the Spirit Blade Slash, and his proficiency with it was far from skilled, he had barely learned the motions.
Excellent! For this battle, he wouldn't concern himself with anything else, no Demon Mode, no Charge attacks. All that could wait. This time, he would practice the Spirit Blade Slash relentlessly!
Sprinting a couple of steps to gain speed, he slid under the Barroth's turning counterattack, using the momentum to circle behind it once more.
Rising to his feet, he executed an awkward Sliding Slash, then continued swinging the Long Sword, reaccumulating the dissipated Spirit.
But before he could land more than a few strikes, the Barroth kicked out with its hind legs.
Such an attack wasn't particularly damaging, nor could it injure the hunter, but it could cause him to stumble. Failing to evade would lead to troublesome follow-up assaults.
Altaïr clicked his tongue in annoyance, forced to halt his offensive and roll away from the Barroth's kick.
This was the drawback of practicing techniques in live combat, monsters weren't training dummies; they wouldn't stand still idly for your attacks. The slightest misstep could spell disaster.
While diligently maneuvering around the Barroth, evading its assaults, he seized every opportunity to land a couple of strikes, building up the Spirit Gauge.
It took a long while to accumulate enough Spirit for another practice attempt at the Spirit Blade Slash, but the Barroth merely stomped or shifted its body slightly, forcing him to abort repeatedly, leaving Altaïr both frustrated and irritable.
Another opportunity arose.
Having built up his Spirit Gauge, Altaïr baited the Barroth into a charge from the front. Dodging at the last possible moment, he slid under the monster once more before it could regain its balance, ending up behind it again.
Without even fully straightening up, he immediately swung his arms, unleashing the Spirit Combo.
Good! Good! The off-balance Barroth couldn't turn around in time. There should be enough time, would he finally complete a full Spirit Combo and successfully perform his first raise of the Spirit Gauge?
Just as Altaïr was about to execute the final Spirit Roundslash, the Barroth, unable to turn in time, twisted its body and swung its massive tail, sweeping at the hunter behind it.
Dodge? Or continue attacking?
Faced with the approaching tail hammer, Altaïr hesitated briefly.
Dodging was naturally the safest option, but the Spirit Roundslash motion allowed him to lower his stance drastically, enough to slip beneath the Barroth's tail hammer.
He'd take the gamble!
Shifting his center of gravity as low as possible, his knees nearly scraping the ground, Altaïr prepared to unleash the highly risky Spirit Roundslash. In that instant, another figure closed in rapidly.
Thud!
A shield, propelled by a charging force, collided with the Barroth's oncoming tail hammer. With a sharp cry, the shield abruptly tilted upward, actually deflecting the Barroth's strike.
Seizing the opportunity, Altaïr struck. A flash of blade light swept horizontally across the Barroth's ankle, slicing open a wound deep enough to reveal bone.
The moment his attack landed, his spirit surged, like a dust-covered blade being sharpened to a gleam. His previously scattered Spirit Gauge solidified instantly.
Was this the feeling of 'raising the Spirit Gauge'?
"Thanks!"
Altaïr called out his gratitude to Isis, who had come to his aid, and prepared to withdraw from the fray.
He'd lost his composure earlier, gambling was the last thing one should do during a hunt. Winning a bet might only mean landing one extra strike on the Monster, but losing could cost him his life.
It was his mistake. As agreed, it was now Isis's turn.
"Keep going."
Just as Altaïr sheathed his Iron Katana and prepared to exit the fight, Isis suddenly spoke up. "I'll hold its attention from the front. You keep practicing your Spirit Blade Slash."
Altaïr froze for a moment, then noticed, Isis wasn't wielding her Bone Shotel, but his own Hunter's Dagger.
Was she creating more practice opportunities for him?
Unsure of what to say, Altaïr murmured another quiet "thank you," drew his blade once more, and charged at the Barroth.