In the end, Altaïr still managed to convince everyone.
Of course, it was not because of his rather absurd argument that he was bound to be infected anyway, but for one more immediate reason.
He was a Blademaster.
The operation's goal was to retrieve blood and tissue from infected Monsters as quickly as possible so the scholars could study the samples and refine more of the new Wystones needed to combat the outbreak. That made Gunners poor candidates, especially the heavy-firepower enthusiasts in the Cluster Heavy Bowgun Squad.
Bowgun fire was comparatively difficult to control. Flaming Ammo, in particular, was effective against infected Monsters but could easily char their flesh, while the gunpowder and projectiles could contaminate the samples.
As a rule, solo Hunts were safer and more efficient for Blademasters than for Gunners.
There were exceptions, of course. Traps paired with point-blank Rapid Fire Spread Ammo, or Barrel Bombs combined with powerful Bowgun volleys, could produce remarkably efficient Hunts.
But that brought them right back to the same problem. They needed fresh tissue from infected Monsters, not heaps of charred meat riddled with shrapnel.
There were actually several High Rank Blademasters present. Setting aside Maki, Ayame, and the others who had just hurried back to the village and desperately needed rest before the coming pursuit...
That left Altaïr, Isis, and Minoto.
Minoto was a Lance user, so she would not finish the Hunt especially quickly.
Isis was even less suitable. Her fighting style relied on constant shelling and explosions, making her arguably a worse choice than the Cluster Heavy Bowgun Squad.
All things considered, Altaïr was the most suitable candidate.
Some of his arguments were sound, while others contained a fair amount of nonsense, but together they were logical enough to sway the Hunters for the moment.
By the time Isis realized what had happened and thought to object that she could simply fight with her Gunlance's blade without firing a single shell, or that Minoto, a 7★ Lance user, surely knew offensive Hunter Arts, Altaïr had already accepted the quest and ridden out of the village with Sajji on Hibiki.
Maki, usually the first to set out herself, shook her head helplessly. She raised one hand, and a Meowcenaries Felyne immediately appeared from some unknown corner and knelt before her to await orders.
"Assign some personnel to follow him and support the operation. Have them bring back as many materials as possible too."
"Understood, meow." The Meowcenaries Felyne swiftly departed.
"Lady Maki, if he gets infected with the Frenzy Virus... will he be in great danger?" Unable to hide the worry on her face, Isis moved closer to Maki. "Mr. Alva and the Institute Director both said his constitution is very similar to yours. He was only recently infected with all sorts of strange things...
"For most people, yes. For him... he should be fine, I think?" Maki stroked her chin as she considered the question. "It also takes time for a Frenzy Virus infection to cause symptoms, which should give the scholars enough time to refine a Wystone and medicine to suppress the virus.
"Even if they do not finish in time, I can teach him how to overcome the Frenzy Virus and turn its power into his own..."
Maki suddenly stopped short. Her expression turned strange.
Wait. Was that what the kid was after?
—--
A man and a Felyne raced through the nighttime forest on a Palamute.
Sitting behind Altaïr, Sajji suddenly spoke. "Boss, tell me the truth, meow. Did you come out here specifically to get infected with the Frenzy Virus, meow?"
Altaïr chuckled softly. "I would not quite put it that way. I am a little envious of the Frenzy Virus's power, but I am not in that much of a hurry. I mainly wanted to help shoulder some of the burden. Guiding my training, teaching me the Hunter Art of Beast Soul Possession, giving me a chance to challenge an Espinas... Lady Maki has helped me a great deal. I have to repay her somehow. Her group needs to focus on hunting the Shagaru Magala. That is the top priority. We can take care of the other tasks along the way."
Sajji let out a quiet "meow" and dropped the subject. "We left in such a rush, and you told me not to bring anything with too much firepower, Boss, so I only prepared the Rakna-Kadaki Model-5 (One-shot Binder) and the Yian Kut-Ku Model-5 (glider), meow. I might not be much help in a fight, meow."
"With Hakucho away, can you get airborne to scout?"
"I can, meow. Without Hakucho, I cannot fly very high or fast, but scouting will not be a problem, meow."
"That is more than enough." Altaïr grinned teasingly. "Did Clawdia not just give you special training in close-quarters combat? This is the perfect chance to see the results. If the first infected Monster we encounter belongs to a species with a Danger Rating of 4★ or lower, how about I leave it to you?"
"..." Sajji glanced back at the multipurpose Felyne hammer strapped behind him, a tool intended mainly for mechanical work, and felt a powerful urge to leap up and whack Altaïr over the head with it.
Hibiki had not had a chance to run freely in days, and his speed was almost frightening. Even over rough forest terrain, he easily maintained an average speed of more than fifty kilometers per hour. They had set out at night and traveled without stopping, reaching the Flooded Forest region, several hundred kilometers from Kamura Village, by noon the following day. This was one reason Kamura Hunters rarely used Airships. Once allowed to run freely, a well-trained Palamute was not necessarily any slower.
Altaïr pulled out his map and could not help grinning. They had reached the southern edge of the Flooded Forest. If they kept racing north and crossed the entire region, they would nearly reach the famous hot spring settlement of Yukumo Village by nightfall.
Teacher Karin's hometown... Maybe I should bring Isis and the others here for a soak in the hot springs once this quest is over. Mm, better save those idle thoughts until the whole incident is resolved.
Altaïr patted Hibiki's neck, noticing that his breathing had grown heavy and his pace had begun to slow. "Hang in there a little longer. We are only a few kilometers from camp. Once we arrive, we will take a short break and begin the Hunt. When the Hunt is over and we are back in Kamura Village, I will cook you something good. How about a whole roasted Mosswine?"
"Woof?!" Hibiki's ears, which had been drooping with fatigue, immediately perked up. He certainly never went hungry in Kamura Village. Compared with anything his master Nymera made, Iori's Palamute rations were in another league. They were nutritious and perfectly balanced, came in precisely the right portions, and tasted far better. Under Iori's meticulous dietary management, Hibiki's muscles had filled out, his excess fat had diminished, and his coat had grown glossy and sleek. But who would not want to gorge on a greasy, delicious, spice-laden roast that did not need to be so healthy? At the thought, his flagging pace quickened again, and they reached camp almost in the blink of an eye.
Altaïr knew exactly what the panting, tongue-lolling dog was so eager for. Amused, he ruffled Hibiki's head and told him to forage nearby and fill his stomach for now. Altaïr then found a stone stool, sat down, and gnawed on a ration while pulling out the quest form.
Slaying Quest: Infected Evil Wolf (★★★★★)
Quest Objective: Hunt 1 Zinogre infected with the Frenzy Virus. Quest Location: Flooded Forest. Quest Duration: 3 days. Reward: 14,000z.
Possible Monsters: Nargacuga, Jaggi, Ludroth. Frenzy Virus Research Institute Director: Monsters infected with the Frenzy Virus become more aggressive but tire more quickly. Exercise extreme caution.
"A Zinogre... This really will be my first time Hunting one." Altaïr muttered to himself.
Just as he was considering letting Sajji rest before sending him up to scout for the target, a dark-gray Felyne descended from the sky and landed in front of him. The newcomer belonged to the Meowcenaries.
"Lord Altaïr, the target's location has been confirmed, meow. We have also scouted the surrounding area, meow. There are no Large Monsters nearby that might interfere with the Hunt, and the Small Monsters have already been cleared out, meow. You may begin the Hunt whenever you are ready, meow."
Altaïr tipped his head back to look up. He suddenly found himself a little envious of Maki. Was it really this convenient?
* * *
Warhammer: Wait, Do I Have to Sit on the Golden Throne Too? is also available here on Webnovel. Thank you for reading.