Zeroth

♦ A New Era ♦ - A My Hero Academia RP

@pkkenI'd like to wait on @rechonq, if possible. Depending on how far along some of the other stuff is getting the gym thing may need to be put off until later though.

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

K A Z U K I

৴═══════ι▬▬

Guild Hall

---

The first rookie hunter who had greeted Kazuki left the table, no doubt to get his gear, but just as he was settling down and thankfully receiving one of the bowls of Pin Tuna Soup from the Chief, two more fellows walked in. The elder recognized one of them off the bat, so he was probably another rookie, and Kazuki recognized the big fellow from the boat--they had both boarded the trading galley at Port Tanzia, though he had only seen the man here and there and hadn't really interacted with him much. He too, it seemed, was a Hunter.

The Quest their predecessor intended to send them on was a simple culling quest; after they got their first taste of battle and learned the basics, most Hunters focused their efforts on the larger, stronger, and ultimately more valuable monsters. But small monsters--the ones his Master had always called trash--could be troublesome for the environment and for humans if they overpopulated. So Kazuki, Clara, this Edon, and the two others whose names he didn't know, would be off to hunt fifteen Ioprey...and if they felt confident enough, they could even try to take on the Iodrome.

But...wait...

"Um...isn't it against Guild regulations for a Hunting party to have more than four people, unless a full-scale subjugation has been commissioned?" Kazuki asked Cyrus. For some of the Elder Dragons, sometimes the Guild fielded entire armies or fleets of ships. But normally, to reduce the damage that Hunters did to the monster populations and keep the ecosystem stable, Hunters could normally only form parties of four at a time.

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

I'm if for a lot of work with this thread ain't I? Shivers as he imagines how fucking hard posting a monster fight scene will be Mother of god.

@LeamonZest89

Well I mean, unless you introduce custom/player created monsters (which might be cool) all you'd really have to do is maybe watch a few videos of monsters or think about how they attack in the games, and then just convert that to descriptive writing, right? Then it's up to the players to figure out what might be coming next and react accordingly--if "the mighty Barroth lowers its huge, armor plated head," and starts "scraping the ground with its back feet, kicking up thick clods of soil and uprooting the sparse grass" for instance, the players who move away or use their shields/weapons to block won't get hit or take as much damage. But the player who keeps attacking would probably get tossed by its Charging Attack in the next post and be damaged or left vulnerable.

And the great thing about MH is that it doesn't need a lot of guidance as far as Plot goes--Hunters hunt Monsters, who can appear anywhere at any time for any reason, and the peoples of the MH world use Monster parts for everything from food to clothing to construction. Hunt this Great Jaggi because its pack is tearing up Cantarco Farms. Hunt a Damiyo Hermitaur, with a Subquest for 6 Cephalos, because they all drop Large Monster Bones which can be used to help construct a "real" Guild Hall. Bring this person 2 Rathian Eggs because they're a gluttonous gourmet. And so on until we're ready to take on ancient beasts of nigh-godlike power!

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

@LeamonZest89Fine by me. And yeah I might have gotten a little carried away--introduction posts are always long since I feel like I need to describe the character and their take on events, and I like getting descriptive about environments. But this last one probably went too deep into all the preparation of hunting. I did it that way though because I've always loved those cutscenes at the beginning of the games where they show a team of Hunters setting up all their traps or making their camp and whatever before the actual hunt--like this one. It just makes the setting feel so much more alive to me.

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

I think 4U's the best too, although maybe my impression of Generations would have been better if the US had gotten Double Cross instead of the non-G-Rank version. But in addition to being generally unimpressed with Styles and Arts, even if some of them look really cool, after having 4U actually give us a decent story (which was basically non existent in MH before that, just different variations of "help our village,") and more lovable and--to a small extent, admittedly--deeper characters, Generations' cast felt like literal freakin' cardboard. Hell, seeing all the past characters from OTHER games is the highlight of Generations to me--I squealed like a schoolgirl when I got to meet all the peeps from Moga Village again and the other villagers I never met from earlier games, and when the Caravaneer and crew showed up I was like "Oh please take me back, I hate everyone in Bherna except the Moofas and the fat cheese cat."

Glavenus is now one of my all time favorite Monsters tho, so there's that.

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

K A Z U K I

৴═══════ι▬▬

Guild Hall

---

Kazuki raised an eyebrow as Cyrus seemed to read his thoughts like an open book. Not only had he deduced his nervousness about taking people under his own wing, the elder had even concluded he was a former apprenticed Hunter rather than one trained by the Guild. Kazuki hadn't even mentioned his Master yet, so how...

Ah. My clothes and behaviors are from Yukumo, but I'm not a native. I'm a two star hunter, but have never hunted with others. I bet Hunters that are formally trained by the Guild only use their local Guild Hall, rather than traveling to another village...and I bet they're trained in group tactics early on, since many Hunters prefer to hunt in four man cells. Therefore, I must have traveled and trained with a single Hunter, rather than in a Guild's classroom with other students.

He nodded to himself, cupping his chin in thought. This man was indeed a Veteran Hunter, to have such a sharp mind and eye for the smallest of details.

@LeamonZest89"My Master only ever told me one name, which was a nickname taken from his preferred weapon. Yukimonji. He wasn't a talkative sort, most of the time, so unfortunately I never learned a great deal about him, other than that he was a G-Rank Hunter but had gotten tired of...I suppose they must have been freelance groups, rather than close friends. He always called them 'randumbs.'" The swordsman sighed as he cast his mind back over those memories...

A much younger Kazuki screamed a battle cry as he jumped off the ledge, before smacking firmly into the Aptonoth's broad, scaly side. His scrabbling hands failed to find purchase as the animal turned to look at him, chewing its cud slowly, then it simply shook him off with a toss of its rump and went back to eating.

"M-Master, what did I do wrong?" he asked, as he picked himself up out of the dirt. The taller Hunter, dressed as always in his pristine white armor, coat, and long scarf, put one hand on his disciple's head. Then his grip tightened with a notable popping sound, and Kazuki gulped as his Master leaned down to look him in the eye. Somehow, under that helmet, there was a glowing red light from the man's glare.

"JE SUIS MONTE, MOTHERFUCKER!" shouted the G-Rank Hunter, before literally lifting and hurling the child at the monster. Kazuki screamed again as he soared, but this time he landed on the monster's back and immediately tried to wrap his legs around its broad sides. The Aptonoth, stunned by the impact, let out a low pitched rumble of consternation...but this time it couldn't shake him off.

"Ah! Thank you Master, I understand now!" Kazuki said, waving with one hand even as the herbivore tried unsuccessfully to buck him off. His teacher merely crossed his arms and nodded with an over exaggerated bobbing of the head in an oddly precise rhythm.

Ah yes. Good times.

@RennyAnother man, about Kazuki's age, emerged from one of the rooms and from the sweat on him Kazuki deduced he must have been training. The fellow waved half-heartedly before sating an itch beneath his shirt, and sat down to a hearty looking breakfast, though Kazuki hadn't noticed who had cooked it or brought it out. Perhaps the small Wyverian lady, though from the way she bustled about she seemed much more important than just a cook. Perhaps they had a Felyne kitchen somewhere in the back.

"Yo! Its nice to meet ya. Nice armor." said the newcomer, though really Kazuki supposed he was the newcomer and this fellow was one of the rookie hunters the veteran had mentioned. The Long Swordsman looked down at his robes, then back at the other fellow.

"Ah, this isn't my armor, though it has a similar style." He said, waving one hand lightly. "Speaking of which, however, I should probably get changed so we can begin our questing."

"Clara could you help this hunter with his things, you got another team mate!" Kazuki looked back at the elder, and the person he had just called out to as she entered the lobby; she had an impressive, though perhaps a little less feminine, build and a distinguishing eye patch. Even if she were new to it, she would probably do well as a Hunter, given the required size and weight of most of their equipment...

"No problem!" she said cheerily, though Kazuki noticed she seemed to go out of her way to avoid looking at the other man seated at the table. She smiled as she started to help him with his things. "Hi, I'm Clara, I guess we're working together!"

"I am Kazuki Akibayashi. It is a pleasure to meet you both." he said with a short bow to each of them. Not one to let a lady do all of the hard work, he took his own share of his luggage to the lodging room Cyrus pointed out, following Clara's broad shouldered form. Afterwards, he stayed in the room but leaned out of the doorway.

"I shall just be a moment--If you haven't already, make sure you eat heartily, Miss Clara. Something with...meat and fish, or a dish with fish and bread, would probably be suitable for you." Never hunt on an empty stomach; that rule, much like not getting hit and hitting the monster until it died, had been iron-clad to his Master. With that, he closed the door and began changing into his armor.

Though it might look like cloth, the Yukumo style Dogi--a sleeveless shirt--and Hakama--the billowing pants--were actually made of thick plant fibers, specifically from Ivy vines and woven strips of Yukumo Wood so thin they were practically ribbon shavings. Still, this weave produced a tough material on par with leather for its protectiveness, yet much more flexible to allow freedom of movement. The belt, or Obi, and waistcloth were made from the same, but required buckles here and there made from plain Iron Ore and delicately hammered out by a proper Smith. The gauntlets, known as Kote, only came up just past the elbows, leaving Kazuki's upper arms exposed. The lack of large shoulder pads actually had a function, however--traditionally, the Yukumo people had a thing for Long Swords, which had a distinctive way of drawing and attacking at once like the Great Sword. If the Great Sword's forte was power, however, the Long Sword's was speed, and thus without anything in the way of an over-shoulder draw the blade could come to bear that much faster.

Kazuki put back on the white scarf, his momento of his Master, and its wide folds fell over his shoulders somewhat. Then he donned the last piece, the flat brimmed hat--Kasa--made from thicker overlapping strips of Yukumo Wood and finished off with a distinctive Gargwa feather.

From his luggage he grabbed a single pack that he had loaded beforehand--after each and every Hunt he always made sure it was stocked fully and well-organized. It contained ten Potions, the glass jars carefully inserted into a leather, box-like pouch with several slots before its front flap was buckled closed; a cloth sack with a lining made from an insulating monster's hide and filled with preserved, well done steaks before the drawstring was pulled tight and tied into a knot that, while it wouldn't come undone from any hustle or bustle, could easily be opened with a yank on one of the loops; a portable barbecue pit, currently folded down into a large metal disk with the spit and crank strapped to its back; a couple of sturdy iron pickaxes and bug nets, kept in separate leather tubes that looked a bit like the quiver for a bow; another small box filled with rectangular metallic plates, whetstones that could be used to sharpen a weapon; and finally, a smaller, regular cloth drawstring pouch with several small, almost egg-like shells filled with a pink liquid. These paintballs had a distinctive color and smell that allowed a Hunter to track a monster for miles before it wore off.

As he double checked that everything was in it place, he remembered that they would likely be hunting in the Magma Highlands near the village. Thus he searched through his luggage until he found one more addition, though he only had two of them at the moment: jars about the same size as the potions, but filled with a milky white liquid. They were cold to the touch, having been kept in a portable ice-box up until now. These cool drinks not only literally cooled the body down, but helped temporarily increase one's resistance to fire and heat, although they didn't last long.

Armed, armored, and prepared to the best of his current knowledge, Kazuki left his room and headed back into the main hall, sitting down at the table to eat with the others.

"So, what Quests are available, sir?" he called to Cyrus.

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

K A Z U K I

৴═══════ι▬▬

Guild Hall

---

@LeamonZest89"Yes sir, though I'm not a native." His family lived in an area across the Misty Peaks from Yukumo, though they were close enough geographically that they shared certain naming conventions and other things. But his Master had been a Yukumo native, and that was where Kazuki had trained for nearly fourteen years, so it might as well have been his second home. Most of his fashion choice and mannerisms, however, had been purposely chosen to try and emulate his Master, or at least the idealized version of him that Kazuki saw as the perfect Hunter. But then the man said that he would have Kazuki look after some other rookie hunters. The Long Swordsman's mouth quirked downward at the corners just a bit as he sat some of his bags down.

"Ah..." He cupped a hand over his mouth for a moment as he cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I must admit, sir, that I've never Hunted in a group before." Except for a few Quests with his Master before his training had been completed, Kazuki had always gone solo. And he hadn't yet come up against something he couldn't defeat, even if he wasn't anywhere near his Master's level. What was more, he was only a two-star Hunter; he certainly didn't feel qualified to train an apprentice of his own, much less two of them at once.

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

@LeamonZest89 Well, rather than thinking of their adaptations as an "evolution" like Pokemon, think of it more like how working out a muscle damages it, but when that muscle heals it becomes stronger. Maybe a Damiyo Hermitaur just naturally grows one claw larger than the other as it ages, like a fiddler crab, but because Hunters are used to succeeding when they hunt them, or because most of the ones that get hunted are younger, that size difference isn't always readily apparent. Or maybe that claw is one that got its shell broken a few times by Hunters, but the Damiyo survived and got away, and its claw healed up stronger. Maybe the only reason Deviants don't have individualized features--for instance, a Damiyo with a Duramboros skull instead of a Monoblos' as its shell, because Hunters broke that one--is due to game-limitations and thus not all Deviant Hermitaurs are Stonefist Hermitaurs. Plus it's pretty clear some of them are just really old--Silverwind Nargacuga, for instance, just seems like its fur has gone white with age like a real-life silverback gorilla or something.

G-rank Quest monsters, whether they're the normal G1-G3 monsters or the special Everwood quests, are considered stronger simply because they or their environments are much tougher than normal. Same reason not every human being is Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, or Bruce Lee--some monsters are just born with talents others don't have, or over the course of their lives they develop differently. Like the Deviants, they've probably survived a few Hunts, and if they share their territories with things like Deviljho then the weak ones will all either be run out of the area or culled from the genepool.

Your understanding of the Apex condition is pretty much on-point--Monsters and Humans react to it differently, probably for the same reason real life diseases don't always affect two separate species in the same way. But the fact that Humans, if they deal enough damage while under its affects, also get a Boost and not just a debuff, implies to me that the Apex State is just that same concept working for the Monsters. In their case it's permanent, and what's more they often add the Frenzy Virus's effects to their own attacks. That probably means that the Frenzy Virus is still actually inside them--like a Human who's carrying an STD but isn't showing any symptoms of it at the moment. So if the Frenzy is still circulating in their blood stream, and we assume that the virus can multiply itself like normal virus cells or bacterial infections, then their Apex state never wears off because they've become aggressive enough to overcome it like Humans, but their immune systems either aren't strong enough to purge it or don't react to it the same way a Human's does. According to the Wiki, monsters that are known to be able to be affected by the Apex State are Deviljho, Diablos, Gravios, Rajang, Seregios, Tidal Najarala, Tigrex and Zinogre, so your hypothesis that only stronger monsters can survive the Berserk nature or the Healing Debuff long enough to go Apex is probably right too.

Personally the thrill of the games to me is overcoming each and every challenge, even if I do ragequit sometimes if a particularly difficult Quest gives me too much trouble. So the idea of including all this in the RP, along with things like the Burst Species or other rare variants, appeals to me just like fighting them in the games.

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

K A Z U K I

৴═══════ι▬▬

Cantarco Port > Guild Hall

---

((I assumed since the last few posts were wrapping up the evening it would be okay for me to start out on the next morning. Let me know if there are any problems.))

The ship listed with each passing wave under its long keel, and as its weight shifted the salt sprayed planks creaked like the bones of a stubborn old man. Every so often, one of the crates in the cargo hold would slide across the floor or bump into a wall; but, nothing thus far had broken or bruised. Like as not, the catches of dried Sushifish, the clinking jars of Moga Honey, and the various other goods and tools would make Cantarco's small inlet port just fine. As the first rays of the morning sun spilled over the upper decks, the burly bronzed crew went to work bringing in the sails, deploying the oars, and preparing the trading galley to enter the much shallower shores near the mouth of the river. A motley collection of docks and piers, some surrounded by the smaller boats of the villagers, awaited to greet the much larger vessel; the port's landings had been constructed of what little quality lumber could be gathered on a volcanic island. Despite the fertile soil, the forested patches were limited to the edges of the ocean, pools, and rivers and could only stretch so far before the choking ash and smoke, and the heat from still-cooling flows of lava, twisted and dried them into little more than gnarled matchsticks. Aside from a few dark plumes near the fiery mountain's peaks, however, the sky was a clear and vast expanse so blue it could confuse the senses if one stared too long at the place where the heavens met the seas.

Yet none of this could be seen from a particular bunk, down in the passengers' hold. The porthole had been covered with the small cot's blanket, and the door to the outer hall remained closed. The spartan interior revealed itself only by the light of a single tall, fat candle that burned with a calming scent of spring cherries. By its light, so too did another figure appear in flickering shadows. A young man, his dark colored hair tied into a tail that fell like water between his shoulders, sat on his heels in front of the candle. Both hands upon his knees, back straight, and eyes closed, he took in a deep breath and savored the incense as the tiny flame danced in a draft of ocean-scented air. His loose, dark colored, flowing robes rippled in the breeze, and then all was still.

Kazuki opened his eyes, and steel flashed in the darkness. In one sweeping motion he drew the blade from his back. Its length was such that he had to use one hand to grasp the hilt up high, near the guard over his shoulder, and the other to pull its sheath from the opposite side down past his waist. But in that same instant he rose to one knee and turned his hips, further aiding in the movement of the sword and adding to its speed. The strike cut through the air with a whistle, and at the end of its arc its tip hung frozen in the air. A heartbeat passed, and Kazuki glanced along the blade's gleaming edge.

The candle, its upper half resting flat atop the sword, still flickered. The barest hint of a smoke trail lingered, tracing a path back to the cleanly severed base. Kazuki tilted his wrist to bring it before him, and with the first breath he had let out for several long moments he extinguished the flame and plunged the room into total darkness. Not a moment too early, the door opened and a brighter light spilled into his room.

"Yo, young fella." hailed one of the sailors. "We've dropped anchor at last! Welcome to Cantarco!"

Kazuki nodded as he took the half-candle from where it had balanced on his weapon, and set it down next to its other half. From inside one sleeve he produced a white cloth that smelled faintly of oil, and wiped the wax from the sword before he returned it to the sheath. Though he blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light, he gave a slight but genuine smile of gratitude to the sailor as he rose up from the floor solely by using the balls of his feet. Moments later, his large beige-colored bag slung over his shoulder and numerous other bundles hanging from his belt, he disembarked and felt almost too heavy as he set foot once again on firm, unmoving land. He gazed around like any curious tourist as he made his way from the port to the village proper, but what really drew the townspeople's stares was the Long Sword on his back and the confident way he carried himself. He reached into the front of his robe and made sure his Guild Card still rested inside his breast pocket; it certainly was, with all his information freshly updated from before the ship had left Port Tanzia.

Unlike the docks, the village was built of sturdier materials; stone and bone, much more resistant to the heat, featured far more prominently in the construction of various shaped and sized huts, though their roofs were often of tanned hides stretched tight across frames and treated with water repelling oils. Kazuki had never been to Moga Village, at least not yet, but he imagined that it might be very similar to this place--small, out of the way, almost but not quite isolated from the rest of the world. Yet, perhaps because of these same qualities, it had a homey feel; the people who lived here probably considered all of their neighbors to be their extended family. He hoped an outsider like himself wouldn't be too ill-received.

With a few directions from helpful villagers, he made his way to the local Guild Hall, though really it looked like it might be a town hall in general. That wasn't unusual, as tiny places like this didn't really have any need for the spacious guild halls you would see in Val Habar, much less the monstrous Hunting communes around places like Loc Lac City. As he entered, shifting his bag over to the other shoulder so he could push the door open, his eyes quickly darted around. A Hunter had to take stock of everything in an environment the moment they entered it, whether it was a forest glade, a frozen cave, or the local pub. Especially that last one, depending on how much had been drunk that night.

A small Wyverian woman with an energetic nature belying her age struck him as either the Guild Master, or perhaps a local elder of some sort--she buzzed about as if everything was her business and she had a right to know all of it, so Kazuki guessed she probably did. An older man, still carrying around muscle that hadn't yet given way to age and bearing more than a few scars--though some had grown old enough to fade against his tanned hide--was sitting near the fire. Kazuki noted that his leg seemed most scarred of all, and from the way he sat the elder didn't seem to put much weight on it. A career-ending injury, then. Could this be the retiring hunter?

There were others as well, but though he took note of them Kazuki's senses didn't mark them as particularly notable--or at least, not as notable as the two old-timers. One had to follow the hierarchy, after all, and it was clear that a newcomer should probably introduce themselves to these two before ever presuming to announce their own presence and intentions as a Hunter.

@LeamonZest89"Good morning." Kazuki said as he approached Cyrus. He bowed at the waist, just deep enough that he wouldn't be disrespectful but not quite so deep as to lose his balance with all of his luggage. With his free hand he produced his Guild Card and held it out for the older man. "I am Kazuki of the Akibayashi family, a two-star Hunter. I heard that this village was in need, and came to offer my services. May I ask, is this the Guild Hall?"

Monster hunter: Story of Cantarco village.

_{"Self control is strength. Right thought is mastery. Calmness is power."}

---

Name:
Kazuki Akibayashi

Age:
24

Gender:
Male

Height:
~ 6 ft / 183 cm

Appearance:
In the right lighting, Kazuki's hair can seem to have a purple or blue sheen, but its natural color is black; his eyes are a distinct shade of blue that can sometimes be taken for gray. He appears to have a slender build, especially in longer or looser garments, but in reality his muscles are toned from long hours of training and he can bring forth considerable strength and speed when necessary. When not donning any armor he prefers loose fitting, eastern styled robes, but no matter his state of dress he almost always wears a white scarf. His natural expression is very neutral, and he often keeps his state of mind under tight control--his smiles will often be soft and his anger will only be evidenced by a furrowing of the brow. When not tied back, his hair comes down to about the middle of his back, but more often than not he keeps it neatly tied. If a helmet requires a tight fit, he'll put it up into a traditional samurai's topknot. When he walks, he has a long gait due to his height but his steps are very light and smooth; it's quite easy for him to accidentally surprise someone when he walks behind them with nary a sound. Most other movements are very similar; they all have a calculated, meticulous quality, with little wasted energy.

Kazuki's current armor is known as the Yukumo Set, and is a traditional attire from that region. His Master is a native of the area, and it is where he learned his hunting techniques and his favored Long Sword.

Preferred weapon:
Long Sword; Currently using the Iron Gospel.

Likes:
Training, Theatre, Reading and Writing of all kinds, and Painting

Dislikes:
Lack of respect, Ignorance, Dishonesty, Unnecessary violence or destruction

Personality:
Kazuki is calm and collected, and often seems aloof or detached from the people and events around him. In reality, he is merely observing; he watches, listens, and waits until he feels he has enough information before making his own opinion heard or coming to a decision. Despite his seemingly standoffish nature, he isn't too hard to get along with so long as one gives him his space and his time. He often finds it hard to have lengthy conversations with others unless they are the ones initiating, as many of the subjects he prefers to talk about are beyond the scope of daily life. Nonetheless, there are many ways in which his intelligence can be appreciated by those around him, and if you need someone to formulate a strategy he's an excellent tactician and quite knowledgeable of monster habits.

Kazuki keeps a tight lid on his emotions most of the time, but the closer one becomes to him the more this control begins to slip. A sure sign that he's comfortable around someone to some degree, even if they're not on the best of terms as friends, is if he actually shouts when he gets angry or talks more often around them.

Short backstory:
Even though he was born to a noble family, Kazuki wasn't as removed from the outside world as one might think. Indeed, his father admired Hunters a great deal, and often funded Quests in order to obtain rare gemstones or other decorative "parts" from the Monsters they hunted, give his family a feast on the rarest of monster delicacies, or capture a specimen for personal study or entertainment in the Arena. Naturally, as Kazuki grew up on the tales of their heroics, he considered trying to become a Hunter himself, but had no idea how other than what he read from many reference books and adventure novels.

When he was ten years old, his family decided to take a trip to the famous Yukumo Hot Springs. On their way through the Misty Peaks, however, their carriage was attacked by a Mizutsune driven berserk by the mating season. Kazuki's father had hired a Hunter to accompany them for this very reason, but up until now Kazuki had written off the silent, stoic man as an incompetent who didn't even know how to speak, and probably took an easy job like caravan guarding because he couldn't hunt real monsters.

How wrong he was. Without hestitation the Hunter leaped into battle, and though Kazuki had to watch through the small window of the carriage while his mother clutched him tightly, what he saw mesmerized him. There was no wasted motion, and no rough exchanging of blows--the adept Hunter flowed from one strike to the next with precision and grace, and moved as if he knew every move the monster was going to make before it had even begun the attack. Not a single blow touched his armor, and in less than a quarter-hour the Mizutsune fell slain. The Hunter had sheathed that long, elegant blade before the monster's corpse even hit the ground. When Kazuki asked the man how he too, could become a Hunter like that, the man said two simple things:

"Don't get hit. And hit it til it dies."

So began his apprenticeship under this Hunter, and when he turned twenty his master declared him fit to begin his own career. Kazuki left his home and, seeking a trade hub where there would be plenty of work, found himself among the caravans in Val Habar. He breezed through the traditional beginner's rituals like Mushroom Gathering and Delivering Kelbi Horns, and even fought the likes of Kut-Ku, Seltas, and the Great Jaggi (Though his Master had always called such creatures "trash-tier").

As a 2* Hunter, he now felt he needed to test himself with greater challenges, and continue his training until he attains the Zen-like state his Master displayed over ten years ago. A perfect opportunity to do so came to him when the Guild announced that a village called Cantarco was in need of Hunters. Its volcanic surroundings seemed a bit unusual compared to the usual progression of a Hunter through plains, forests, swamps, and mountains...but wasn't that exactly what he needed? Some place that would keep him on his toes, where danger lurked at every step? So he packed up, and set off...