If one were to rank every Hunter weapon by how difficult it was to master, the Insect Glaive would undoubtedly be near the top.
The weapon demanded even more flexibility and coordination from its user than the Dual Blades did.
On top of that, it required tremendous explosive strength from the core. Not just anyone could vault and twist through the air with nothing but a pole in their hands, staying aloft for what seemed like half a day.
"Wait, what? How many weapons have you mastered already?" Malika counted on her fingers. "Let's see... Long Sword, Great Sword, Dual Blades, Sword and Shield... That's four!"
"Plus the Hammer," Altaïr added.
"That makes five! And now you want to learn the Insect Glaive? How many hands do you have? Can you even keep up with all of them?"
She knew a few Hunters who were skilled with multiple weapons, but even they agreed that biting off more than you could chew was a mistake.
Malika crossed her arms, her expression turning serious. "Learning a weapon is one thing. Mastering it is another.
"With weapons like the Long Sword or Dual Blades, you can perform at a 6★ level. Switch to the Insect Glaive, though, and you might only be at a 4★ level or lower. The Monsters you face won't get any weaker, so wouldn't that be asking for death?
"Spreading yourself too thin won't do anyone any good, no matter how talented you are!
"Besides, an Insect Glaive user has to raise a Kinsect, and that takes a tremendous amount of time and effort. You..."
"..."
Seeing Malika grow agitated, Altaïr quickly sat down across from her and explained, "Senior Malika, you misunderstand. I only want to learn the Insect Glaive's techniques. I don't intend to use one in the field or add it to my repertoire."
Malika frowned. "You want to learn its techniques without actually using it? What does that mean?"
Altaïr explained, "For instance, I once sought advice from Madam Marydan and learned how to use the Hammer, but I've never actually taken one on a Hunt.
"My coordination is relatively strong. I learned the Hammer so I could isolate the techniques that make use of inertia and adapt them to other weapons.
"Take the Great Sword's Surge Slash Combo, for example. I picked it up very quickly because I already had a foundation in the Hammer's use of inertia.
"Studying it also improved my swordsmanship considerably, making the transitions between my attacks smoother and the way I applied force more precise. Weapon Arts are interconnected, after all, and techniques from one weapon can often inform how you use another."
Only then did Malika's expression ease. "So you want to study certain Insect Glaive techniques, isolate the useful parts as you did with the Hammer's use of inertia, and incorporate them into your existing repertoire of Weapon Arts?"
"Exactly! You summed it up perfectly!" Altaïr said, laying on the flattery.
Malika leaned back in her chair and raised two fingers. "The fundamentals of the Insect Glaive come down to two things.
"First, its aerial combat capabilities are unmatched by any other weapon. By repeatedly using leverage and twisting through the air, its user can remain airborne for long periods and strike targets at heights no other Blademaster can reach.
"Of course, the Insect Glaive can also be used on the ground, but it has no advantage over weapons like the Long Sword in that regard.
"Second, it allows the user to command a Kinsect in coordinated attacks and harvest extracts from Monsters to strengthen themselves.
"Judging by what you've said, you don't intend to raise a Kinsect, so there's no need to discuss that part."
"Correct." Altaïr nodded. "What I want to study is the Insect Glaive's aerial combat techniques, especially how its users exploit leverage and remain airborne."
"It's pointless. You can't learn them." Malika waved a hand and pushed the two expensive bottles of fine wine back across the table.
"Aerial combat and Kinsect command may seem like two independent systems, but they have been deeply intertwined since the weapon was first developed.
"Without the enhancements provided by Kinsect extract, many of the techniques used to gain leverage, shift position, and remain airborne are nearly impossible for a human to perform through physical ability alone.
"Unless you're willing to invest a great deal of time and effort into raising a Kinsect and becoming a true Insect Glaive user, you'll never master those techniques."
"Senior Malika, I've actually experienced what it feels like to be enhanced by Kinsect extract before..."
"Where did you experience that?" Malika could not help interrupting him, then quickly realized the answer. "Oh, I almost forgot about that young lady named Kagetsu.
"She has an Elscarad, the famous 'Kinsect that gets around'..."
"Mm... Based on what I experienced, the white Kinsect extract that enhances mobility mainly improves the user's coordination, reaction speed, and sense of balance, right?
"It certainly enhances physical ability too, but not as dramatically as red extract does for attack power."
"Correct."
"I think my coordination is already good enough. As for reaction speed, balance, and physical enhancement, isn't that more or less what Demon Mode provides to a Dual Blades user?
"I feel as though I could wield an Insect Glaive, activate Demon Mode, and at least manage those aerial techniques, right?"
Malika opened her mouth, but for a moment, no words came out.
"To be clear, I don't intend to use this makeshift approach to perfectly replicate the aerial techniques of an Insect Glaive user, and I certainly wouldn't fool around like that on a real hunt.
"I only want to experience what it feels like to repeatedly gain leverage and maneuver through the air, then incorporate the parts that suit me into my current Weapon Arts."
Altaïr pushed the two bottles back in front of Malika, his expression sincere. "I'm a quick study. Senior Malika, just give me a few pointers so I can grasp the basics. I can figure out the rest on my own."
Malika's mouth twitched.
Was the kid's idea ridiculous? Absolutely. Then again, the world of Hunters had never lacked for ridiculous people.
People had tried similar things long ago, and the approach had even been developed into what was now known as "Aerial Style."
In her view, though, so-called Aerial Style was little more than a collection of imitations borrowing the name of aerial combat.
How could they call it aerial combat if they could not even remain airborne for long?!
After hesitating for a few seconds, Malika grabbed a bottle, bit off the cap, took several long gulps, wiped her mouth, and stood.
"I've got nothing better to do anyway. Let's see what you can pull off, kid. Go to the Smithy and buy an iron training Insect Glaive, then follow me to the Training Area!"
"Got it... Wait, Senior Malika, Harth doesn't have a Training Area, does it?"
"Uh, I suppose not. Then we'll use the place where that bald fellow is training Isis. We'll squeeze in."
—--
At an abandoned mine not far from Harth, Isis was trying out some new techniques under Ted's guidance.
"Stop obsessing over shelling recoil as a way to reposition. That's a special technique. Focus on the fundamentals of sliding steps and backsteps!" Ted scolded with a glare.
Back in Minegarde, he had often been invited to the training camp to guide newcomers. When he grew serious, he carried himself with all the authority of an Instructor.
Isis drove hard with her legs and executed a textbook-perfect backstep.
"Brute force isn't the answer to everything. When you dodge with a backstep or sliding step, don't rely solely on your leg muscles. Think of other ways to generate leverage."
Ted took the training Gunlance from Isis. As he hopped backward, he pushed with the shield, sending his entire body sliding a good three or four meters.
That distance was far beyond what an ordinary backstep could achieve.
"See that?" Ted asked with a hint of pride as he handed the weapon back to Isis.
"I saw it! You pushed off with the shield! You used the reaction force!" Isis eagerly took back the weapon and tried to imitate him.
Instead of jumping farther, however, she stumbled as the weight of the Large Shield pulled her off balance.
Ted's face darkened. "What did you understand? Nothing at all! What good is pushing against thin air? You have to brace the bottom of the shield against the ground before you push. Otherwise, where is the leverage supposed to come from?!"
"Oh... right..."
Just as Isis was earnestly attempting the new technique, a shout came from the distance.
"Hey, still training? Mind if we squeeze in?" Malika approached with a smile, a bottle in hand and Altaïr beside her.
"Dragon Slayer Daiginjo? Damn, where did you get booze that good?" Ted's eyes locked onto the bottle in Malika's hand.
Isis's gaze, however, fell on the Insect Glaive in Altaïr's hands.
"You?!"
Altaïr spun the glaive between his hands in a flourish. "Just practicing with a new weapon."