A/N: Thanks again to my friend qazse with help on the reactions and my brother Sai Kunai Blade for making the videos and giving me the script. If you haven't yet, check out the videos on Sai's channel: Sai Blade, the videos titled "The Weapons of Monster Hunter" Parts 1 and 2. And help him out by subscribing. He'll start playing Ace Attorney at 400 subs! I love that game!
Sai was seen walking towards a hunter slightly older than him, who had a greatsword on his back. "You wanted to see me, Field Team Leader?" Sai asked his superior.
"And this would be?" Ren asked.
"The Field Team Leader. He's the Commander's grandson and the guy who oversaw the activities of the hunters. Although, now he's basically the commander of Seliana." Razara explained.
"Wow. That's moving up in the world." Ilia said.
The other hunter quickly turned and greeted him. "Yes, Sai. Thank you so much for coming! You see, we've recently had to send out a request to the Guild for a Sixth Fleet, since many of our hunters have suddenly retired. I could understand a few of them at a time, but it seems like dozens of our hunters have just completely given up and moved on. I can't understand why." The Field Team Leader informed him.
"Maybe the constant threat of being eaten by monsters had something to do with it. I mean, people think they know what they're in for... They never really do..." Sai pointed out, shuddering at whatever thought creeped into his head.
"Okay, even though I'd love to fight all the monsters, Sai has a point here." Yang admitted.
"Yep. Fighting Grimm is fun and all, but it definitely wears you down after a while, especially if you do it for decades. And these monsters are probably the same, more than likely worse, since they're so much stronger than the Grimm." Qrow agreed.
"And clearly, it also affects their sanity, based on what we've seen from Fatalis." Glynda added.
"Are you still going to therapy for Fatalis?" The lead hunter asked.
"Oh, my therapist gave up. Anyway, what does the Sixth Fleet have to do with me?" Sai questioned.
Many students laughed at this while some adults were appalled. "What kind of therapist would give up treating their patient's trauma?!" Winter demanded.
"Any therapist that has heard how bad Fatalis messed him up." Cinder told her.
"Yeah, I don't think anyone is that good." Jaune agreed.
"Well, apparently, these hunters are pretty new to the career. Like, right out of training. Almost none of them have even been on a proper hunt before." The Field Team Leader explained.
Hearing this makes some of the cast, especially Yang and Coco, wince. "Yikes. Gotta feel bad for the newbies here." Coco said sympathetically.
"What? Did you forget Ozpin launched you all off a cliff before you even officially joined this school?" Emerald questioned.
"Yeah, but we graduated from schools like Signal and Sanctum before that, where we had encounters with Grimm before Beacon." Nora pointed out.
"Everyone has to start somewhere." Ironwood said.
The sound of crickets was heard as Sai was clearly deadpanning at the news. "So, I guess we'll need a Seventh Fleet to replace them in a week or two?" The demon questioned again.
"First of all, that's horrible. And second of all, no. I want you to train them when they get here. Make sure they can pick up and use any of the fourteen kinds of weapons like pros. Do you think you can do that?" The superior hunter asked him.
All the less mature members of the audience laughed at this, while the more mature members frowned. "How could he say something like that!?" Summer asked, appalled by what she heard.
"That was a horrible joke." Pyrrha agreed in disgust.
"Yeah, but he's not wrong." Qrow told them.
"Why would you joke about your colleagues dying? That's like something Cardin would do." Velvet insisted.
"It definitely lacks tact, but he's technically correct. If you put soldiers that just finished basic training out on the field, they're going to be the ones to die first." Weiss said. She then noticed everyone looking at her. "What?" She asked.
"It may be technically correct, but it's still wrong you agree with him, Weiss." Penny said disapprovingly.
Sai suddenly seemed a bit nervous at this, stepping away a bit, before turning back to his boss. "Um... Right. All fourteen weapons, I- I can... I'll manage that." He tried to say confidently, but was clearly the opposite.
This was something the Field Team Leader caught onto quickly. "You can't use all fourteen weapons can you?" He questioned.
"No. Absolutely not. Seven at most." Sai finally admitted.
Ruby's eyes immediately gained stars in them. "Fourteen weapons?! That's amazing! I bet they're all super cool! I wonder if any of them are mechashift weapons?!" She asked excitedly.
"I WOULD say that's a bit much, but that Flynt guy from Atlas uses a trumpet, so I guess we don't have any room to talk." Neo said.
"Based on how awkwardly he said that, he DEFINITELY can't use all fourteen weapons, though." Blake said. Then, many of them laughed when they got confirmation of this. "Called it." The Faunus princess said with a smirk.
"Still, being able to use seven different weapons is pretty impressive." Summer praised.
"Yeah, you got that right. And I should know, since my weapon has like five different forms." Qrow agreed.
"Yes, it takes an incredible amount of skill and discipline to use so many different weapons." Winter said.
"But just how different are these weapons? That makes all the difference." Ironwood wondered.
"But then, does that mean we're only seeing the seven weapons Sai can use?" Ruby asked, a bit disappointed.
"Oh, no. Don't worry, we'll see them all, it just means that Sai's gonna make a fool of himself with those seven weapons." Katana said.
"Yay! More weapons!" Ruby cheered.
"Just try not to get as excited as you did watching Iron Man, Ruby." Cinder whispered, Ruby blushing at the memory of her first "big O" during the first movie.
Sai was then seen facing off against a Deviljho. "Since time immemorial, hunters have faced off against monsters in order to ensure the safety of the innocent, so they can have some semblance of safe and happy lives in this crazy, dangerous world. But of course, we would never be able to do that without the proper weapons to face such deadly beast..." Sai began as he continued fighting, before he and his handler were seen in a volcano before a Rajang, which fired its lightning beam between them, slowly moving towards his handler. "Unless you're a physics defyingly strong like the Admiral and can lift and throw boulders at the monster." He added awkwardly as, indeed, the Admiral ran in from nowhere, picking up a massive boulder and slamming it into the ground to shield himself and Sai's handler from the lightning beam.
Yang whistled at this. "Dang, I knew he had muscles, but I didn't realize the Admiral was jacked enough to tear up the ground and lift huge boulders like that. Respect." Yang said, significantly impressed.
"I wouldn't mind testing my strength against him in an arm-wrestling match." Hazel agreed.
And this Rajang was now Sai's opponent. "But for those of us that can't lift roughly 5 ton boulders, we have actual weapons. And in the time since the beginning, we have made no less than fourteen different weapons to cover every possible method of fighting such unique and different creature, as well as ensuring that anyone who wishes to be a hunter has an option to fight with which they feel safe. For instance, not every hunter is willing to get as close as the dual blades or sword and shield require, or some may be squeamish about blood and prefer a blunt weapon that will only cause INTERNAL bleeding in the monster. And today, you shall see what all these weapons are capable of. They all have their uses, no one weapon being better or worse than the others, only down to personal preference." The host explained as he managed to break one of the Rajang's horns.
"Well, variety is certainly important. And Port would certainly agree about personal preference.." Ozpin said.
"But I wonder, what happens if your weapon is a bad match against a certain monster? I doubt it's easy to hit a speedy monster like Mizutsune or Tobi-Kadachi with a big, heavy weapon like Aylia seems to prefer." Adam wondered.
"That's what hunting parties are for. If the heavy hitters can't hit a monster, the speedsters go in and slow them down so the heavy hitter can land their hits. Or having to deal with four different hunters at once is sure to slow them down." Pyrrha said.
"That's really smart, Pyrrha. Even I didn't think of that." Jaune praised, causing his girlfriend to blush.
Our host was then seen back in Astera. "But before we get into the proper weapons, it's important to note the staple sidearm of almost every New World hunter, arguably just as important as our main weapon: the slinger." He explained as the focus was drawn to the miniature crossbow mounted on his left arm. "Perhaps pretty simple in appearance, the slinger is incredibly versatile and a true life-saver in dire situations. Very similar to a crossbow or slingshot, hence the name, it can fire a myriad of small, round objects that can be used to stun monsters, or set up traps." Sai informed as he was shown in the Ancient Forest, shooting a cluster of large rocks held in the air by vines, which came crashing down on on a Yian Garuga. "It also houses a grappling hook, strong enough to support the weight of two full-sized humans, perfect for latching onto the surprisingly strong Wedge Beetles found all throughout the New World, allowing a hunter to escape danger at a moment's notice." He added as he grappled to a beetle, narrowly avoiding an attack from a Jyuratodus.
Ruby gasped in awe at this. "Arm-mounted crossbows!? That's so cool! Cinder, you should totally get those!" Ruby said.
"Hm... Maybe. But then what would be the point of my bow?" Cinder questioned.
"Still, it's ingenious they developed it to be able to use all manner of small spherical objects found throughout the land. I'm also a fan of using it to set up environmental traps." Glynda said.
"And as someone who keeps a grappling hook cane, I can confirm they are incredibly useful and incredibly awesome." Roman said.
"I know, right!? That would be awesome!" Ruby said.
"Ruby... Why would you need a grappling hook? Your Semblance basically lets you fly." Blake pointed out.
Ruby's excitement died and she just glared at the Faunus girl. "Dream killer..." She muttered.
He was then seen climbing a wall of vines in the Coral Highlands. "And, as a fun little bonus, if you can find an area with enough of them, you can swing around like a certain arachnid-themed superhero." He pointed out, before he was seen grappling from one beetle to another in a big circle at different elevations. "~Spider Dude~ Spider Dude~ Does whatever da spider do~ Spins a web~ to catch flies~ big enough~ to trap bad guys~" He sang as he continued to mess around while grappling all over the place. "And, if you really WANT a more serious note, they're perfect for shooting their small projectiles to kill Vespoids and Hornetaur while not dealing enough damage to destroy their fragile bodies." He added as he was indeed shown shooting down Vespoid in the Wildspire Waste, but not destroying their bodies.
Many were laughing at this. "Ha! Great Spider-Man reference!" Nora giggled.
"And THAT'S why I want a grappling hook, Blake. Because it's fun." Ruby insisted.
"You can still fly." Blake said, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, man. Imagine if you could get those beetles to follow you so could grapple anywhere." Velvet said in awe, not noticing Katana's daughters giggling to each other.
And then Sai somehow used the slinger to grapple onto a Brachydios' face in the Elder's Recess. "And after a recent upgrade, they now come equipped with a Clutch Claw, a large... Well, claw- on the end of the grappling device, allowing us to latch onto a monster and reel ourselves in, allowing us to deal some serious point-blank damage to weaken certain parts of a monster, or to smack a monster with the claw so hard, it turns the monster roughly sixty degrees. This can then be paired with the slinger's firing mechanism to shoot all of its ammo at once with full force, sending the monster stumbling forward. And if done properly in the right spot, you can even send the monster directly into a wall, crashing into it and falling to the ground in a daze." The host explained as he indeed sent the Crushing Wyvern crashing into a wall.
Many were impressed by the power the claw had behind it, Coco letting out a whistle. "Whoa. That thing must REALLY pack a punch to send monsters reeling or flying forward like that." She said with a nod of approval.
"Indeed. Quite impressive for an arm-mounted device. But I'm also impressed with hunters being able to use it to knock monsters into a wall. Very nice strategy and tactics at play here." Winter agreed.
"Not to mention, it's a great way to close the distance. You could probably use something like that, Jaune." Ren told his leader.
"Says the one who DID have grappling hooks installed in his weapons." Jaune grumbled.
"If anything, I think that proves my point. They're useful, so I use them." Ren countered.
Sai was then seen in the Wildspire again, fighting a Diablos. "So that is the slinger, an incredibly useful and versatile weapon, but at the end of the day, it's only a sidearm. You'd be hard-pressed to bring down a monster with just the slinger. Thankfully, we hunters have access to no less than 14 main weapons we can use. But it's important to remember we often hunt in teams of four. And the majority of these weapons are melee weapons, so even with 60-odd foot of monster to attack, there will be times when you are in close proximity to your allies, so it's important to watch where you're swinging, unless you have an unfortunate accident." The demonic as he knocked the beast to the ground.
Suddenly, Sai was shown swinging a huge sword in an upward diagonal arc, which sent an unfortunate hunter standing in front of him off the cliff behind him with a rather goofy scream. "Um... Now feels like a good time to mention he hunts Dodogamas." The Sapphire Star excused his actions as he sheathed his sword and quickly fled the scene.
Many members of the cast deadpanned at this. "Did he really just try to downplay the fact he sent a comrade flying off a cliff?" Weiss asked, unimpressed.
"Yeah! You don't even JOKE about people hunting Dodo!" Neo said.
"He's probably just saying that so everyone ignores the fact he almost killed his friend. If he doesn't have any proof, I don't believe it." Ilia agreed.
"Still, he has a point. One must always be careful so as not to harm their teammates on an assignment. Something I recall very nearly happening during initiation." Ozpin said, looking to Ruby and Weiss, who blushed and looked away nervously.
Once again, Sai was making his way through the Wildspire. "So without further ado, it's time to get into the main weapons that have let hunters fight on the level of Elder Dragons." He declared as he ventured off into the wasteland.
Greatsword
Sai continued to face off against the Brachydios, even with the interruption from an Azure Rathalos. "Now, one of the first things we as hunters must accept is that we are simply weaker than almost any monster we are going to encounter. They are bigger, more durable, often stronger and in a majority of cases, faster than us. The gap in power is simply too great for us to be on a level playing field against most monsters, especially against the Elder Dragons, who even heavy artillery seems to only tickle more than anything." Sai pointed out grimly as the hunter desperately evaded Anjanath's furious attacks.
"Well, that's not very inspiring." Velvet said, getting a little bit discouraged about facing monsters.
"He's telling the truth. Sugarcoating the situation makes it sound like it doesn't need to be taken seriously. And even with the Grimm, if you aren't serious and focused, it could be the death of you." Summer told the rabbit girl.
A Kushala Daora was then shown laying down in the Elder's Recess and looking out into the distance. "Look what they need to mimic a fraction of our power." A man spoke harshly as if the beast itself was looking down on an orange-haired female hunter firing a ballista at a Glavenus, only really succeeding in making the Brute Wyvern mad.
"Jeez, the dragon's pretty full of himself, ain't he?" Roman said, not liking the supposed smugness of the metal monster.
"Well, it is coated in almost indestructible metal armor, so it's almost impossible to hurt it. You're pretty cocky even after a bunch of schoolgirls kick your ass, so I'd say he's justified in that confidence." Emerald said, earning a growl from the former crime lord.
Sai was then shown in the Elder's Recess. "But there is one main weapon that almost allows us to stand on equal footing with these mighty beasts. Capable of doing the most damage of any weapon in one attack, capable of cleaving smaller monsters in half or knocking down larger monsters with one well-placed shot... the greatsword." The host declared as he pulled out his weapon: a massive... frozen swordfish?
Much like with Cotton's weapons, the Atlesians were in disbelief when they saw the comical Claymore. "Just when I thought we were done with the ridiculous weapons." Ironwood groaned.
"I have to agree, sir. Frozen or not, surely that swordfish isn't durable enough to be struck against monsters with scales harder than steel. Not to mention, it likely lacks any decent sharp edges to cut a monster like a sword can." Penny agreed, Winter nodding along with the gynoid.
"Is there no one out there who makes sure these weapons are practical and effective before the hunters use them?" Weiss questioned.
"If they are, they must be insane to give these weapons the green light." Cinder said.
The host was then seen fighting a Lunastra with this giant frozen fish. "As the largest and heaviest weapon available to hunters, the sheer weight behind the weapon causes immense damage upon contact, with the size allowing for greater range to stay at a safer distance. And strikes can be charged for greater damage. Unfortunately, that weight also limits your speed and agility, making you less maneuverable than other weapons. The blade is sturdy enough to block attacks, but this is far less reliable than the actual shields used with other weapons. Still, in terms of dealing heavy damage in only a few strikes, few other weapons can compete. And in a way, using this weapon is almost like playing chess with the monsters: reading the situation, anticipating your opponent's move, staying out of the danger zone and putting yourself in the right position to strike when it is your time. As powerful as the weapon is, it isn't just about the power, but about being smart as well." He explained as he managed to knock down the Empress of Flames.
"I'll admit, goofy weapon aside, this one feels like a perfect fit for me." Hazel said, admiring the weapon.
"Heck yeah! I bet I could use this weapon no problem! And I'd be chopping Grimm and monsters in half!" Yang agreed eagerly.
"I mean, I did basically give my sword a greatsword mode, so I could get behind this." Jaune agreed.
"No, you gave your sword a two-handed form. That made it slightly bigger and stronger, but a two-handed sword is not instantly a greatsword. Only a massive blade that takes all your effort to swing is worthy of being called a greatsword." Razara said, steadfastly defending her weapon of choice.
"Still, I quite like his chest metaphor, it does seem quite fitting." Ozpin said.
"Probably because you've been playing a planetary chess game with your ex for centuries." Qrow told him.
The fight with the Lunastra was shown once more, the monster having taken significant damage. "And so, that's the greatsword, lots of power at the cost of speed, but the level of damage it causes is well worth it, many hunters using this weapon for a quick and easy victory. But, power isn't everything. A good hunter also has skill. And the next weapon is all about skill." Sai declared, before finally defeating the Lunastra and walking off.
Longsword
Sai was now struggling against an Ebony Odogaron in the Coral Highlands, having to stay on the defensive by blocking or dodging. "As previously stated, power can only do so much for you. But all the power in the world is worth nothing if you can't land the attacks you throw." He explained as he was then seen in the Elder's Recess again with a different weapon on his back. "Strength must be tempered by skill and precision. And no weapon embodies these traits better than the longsword." He declared as he then produced a massive, but slender katana.
Winter nodded at Sai's explanation. "Wise words. All the strength in the world is useless without skill and discipline to use it properly." She agreed.
Then, many were impressed when they saw the glowing orange blade. "Wow! That katana is epic! Blake, I always thought you should use one!" Ruby said.
"I've never used one before... And I don't plan to start with one twice my size." Blake told her.
The host was fighting the Odogaron once again, but he was doing significantly better this time. "Just as long as the greatsword, but much more slender and therefor lighter, the longsword allows for much faster attacks in a far wider range of motion. Almost too wide of motion, since longsword has been condemned with the label of most irritating weapon to have a partner using, many hunters complaining about being tripped up by a careless longsword user. However, this does nothing to dampen a longsword users spirits... Like, seriously, something about the longsword awakens the true fighting spirit inside a hunter, allowing them to unleash incredibly ferocious attacks after a certain time, culminating into the devastating Spirit Helm Breaker." Sai declared, unleashing several swift and skillful strikes on the Odogaron, before he suddenly leapt high into the air, before coming down with a mighty downward slice from the sword.
"Wow. You would think something that long would be a bit unwieldy, but he's doing really well with it." Roman said.
"Well, you could argue the same with the greatsword." Ilia pointed out.
"True, but with the greatsword, the weapon's own weight was doing most of the work. With a longsword like that, you have to control the momentum, then reverse it and swing the blade back the other way." Pyrrha corrected.
"The spirit part sounds really interesting, though. I didn't think a specific weapon could change your spirit." Neo said, surprised.
"Yeah. And that Helm Breaker attack must be devastating. The speed of the hunter coming down and putting all that force behind the blade. I'm amazed it doesn't cleave a monster in half." Penny said.
Sai was now fighting a Tigrex with the longsword. "And while it is far too light to be used to block, it allows for quite a bit more maneuverability than the longsword, so you can quickly sidestep out of the danger zone. And, of course, there's no need to block when you can masterfully counter with a lightning-fast Iaido strike." The host explained, now stood in the classic Iaido stance as a Tigrex came rushing at him. "Ryujin no ken wo kurae!" He shouted out as, at the very last minute, he drew the blade and delivered a slash that easily knocked down the Pseudo-Wyvern.
"Impressive. It's almost like my Moonslice." Adam said, admiring the attack.
"And it's clever. Rather than exhaust himself with delivering a powerful strike, he's using the monster's speed and momentum to give the attack its force when the monster basically throws its enormous body into a strong, thin, sharp blade." Glynda noted.
"But I can't help but feel like he was referencing something when he said stuff in that different language." Yang said suspiciously.
The host then felt the need to pose with his weapon. "So, that's the longsword. It has speed and precision, with a level of skill and combos that will never leave its wielder without an option. Just be prepared for the groans, eye rolls and sighs you'll get from other hunters when you try to join their quests." He advised before starting to walk away. "Now, between these two weapons, you may be concerned that all weapons are insanely oversized for your average person. But worry not, because the next weapons are smaller, but stands as physical proof that size doesn't matter." He declared as he suddenly vanished by leaping high into the air.
"That was awesome! He was sidestepping attacks like nothing and slicing it up super fast." Nora said, mimicking the motions of Sai's attacks.
"I'm kind of wondering what that spirit sensation feels like." Emerald added.
"And I gotta say, I like the flow he has when he makes all these moves. Pretty elegant. So, all in all, ten out of ten. " Coco said.
"Indeed. It almost reminds me of a samurai's katana. That was a weapon my father thought I should consider using." Ren admitted.
Sword & Shield
Sai was now fighting a Brachydios again with a longsword. "So, you've seen a weapon that is powerful, but slow and another that is quick and precise, but lacks in defense and cannot be charged for stronger attacks. And they're both insanely long. And you may be wondering, is there a balance between the two factors, as well as being shorter. And as luck would have it, there is a weapon that is perfectly balanced, as all things should be. And this weapon is none other than the sword and shield." The host explained, brandishing a sword and shield.
"Oh, yeah. Back to the classics!" Jaune said, happy to see his weapon of choice.
"Classic. Or as most people call it, BORING!" Yang called out.
"Yang, you should respect everyone's choice of weapon, young lady. And the classics are amazing! My best friends at Beacon were a pair of twins who used swords and shields. They even let me give them a try and I found them very reliable weapons." Summer scolded.
The host was now fighting the Crushing Wyvern with the new weapon. "A straight-forward, yet reliable weapon used since medieval times, the sword and shield are the most balanced of all weapons. They are technically a 'jack of all trades' type weapon, being able to attack quickly, block attacks and focus power into them for more powerful attacks, the blunt shield can be used to bludgeon the monster and leave them stunned and helpless to further attacks, it can be used to launch its wielder into the air and land some decent aerial attacks and elemental swords will pretty quickly stack up their elemental damage on the target, which makes up for the relatively weak damage the weapon itself will deal. Also, most other weapon are either too large or take up both hands while being used, preventing hunters from using items while holding their weapons, but with the shield being strapped to the hunters arm, their second hand is freed up, letting them freely use weapons, making them incredible for support." Sai explained as he demonstrated the weapon's capabilities.
"Well, when he puts it like that, I can admit that it sounds like an excellent choice of weapon." Ironwood said.
"Coverage in as many areas is essential for a well-rounded fighting style." Ozpin agreed.
"Yeah. And we all remember from Captain America that a shield makes a pretty good weapon, too." Qrow added with a smirk.
With all the damage Sai put the Brachydios through, the Brute Wyvern could take no more and made a full retreat. "Unfortunately, while the sword and shield is a jack of all trades weapon, it is sadly the master of none as well, as it's lower damage and less options in certain roles compared to other weapons. It may be able to extend beyond a niche method of combat, but it struggles to compete with the weapons that do fill these niches. Still, it is a solid weapon that allows for excellent team support by using items while being able to attack and with this, it allows its wielder to put down traps in an instant, allowing them to exploit chances for free damage by immediately attacking their target right after. But, that is the sword and shield. A weapon with range in every aspect of combat, but that range is limited in every area. But like the old saying 'two heads are better than one', what happens when you use two swords?" Sai questioned as he chased after the Brachydios.
"He has a point. Having coverage in every area is important, but most people like a weapon that really excels in one particular area. You SHOULD try to be as well-rounded as you can, but everyone has certain areas they're stronger in than others." Summer admitted.
"But, since most hunters and certainly our students and Huntsmen or Huntresses usually fight in groups, I suppose it is fine to focus on a singular area as long as your allies can cover other areas to make up for the ones you may be lacking in." Glynda said.
"Still, it's nice to see a weapon that can perform in all areas. And, like he said, it's useful to have someone who can lay
Dual Blades
Sai was seen in combat with several different monsters using several different weapons. "The longsword. Sword and Shield. The Insect Glaive. And The Switch Axe. All these weapons are decently fast and allow for a good range of motion, but none of them truly embody speed and agility quite as much... As the Dual Blades." He declared as he suddenly brandished a pair of... three mugs of ale tied together.
Many facepalmed when they saw the particular Dual Blades Sai chose to show off. "Did he seriously tie a bunch of mugs together and call it a weapon?" Ironwood groaned.
"That's something I'd expect from you, Qrow." Winter said with a look to the former drunk, who simply shrugged in response.
"Hey, you'd be surprised. Those mugs can do a lot of damage." Neo said, remembering a few bar fights her and Roman had been a part of in Mistral, where they used those types of mugs. Neo knocked out several patrons with those mugs, which survived being smashed against several skulls.
"And they're even filled with something. I can only pray he doesn't actually drink from them while on a hunt." Weiss said, massaging her forehead.
"I believe, much like with the monsters, we should stop questioning the logic of these weapons for the sake of our sanity." Penny said.
Despite how ridiculous the weapon was, a Nergigante was shown letting out a scream of fear with text reading "Run, fam!", before the beast fled from the silver-haired swordsman.
"Whoa. Sai must really be good with the Dual Blades if Nergigante is scared of him when he's using them." Velvet said in surprise.
"That has to be a joke. He probably fought it first and now its injured. It's not just running because it's scared." Coco tried to convince her girlfriend and herself.
The Sapphire Star was now fighting the spiky Elder Dragon, attacking swiftly while dodging Nergigante's attacks. "Two small and light blades wielded together, the dual blades are unparalleled for their lightning-fast striking efficiency. While they can't deal nearly as much damage as bigger weapons in single strikes, they obviously aren't used with single strikes, instead used to unleash a devastating flurry of rapid strikes in a matter of seconds. And they are unmatched in the amount of elemental damage they inflict on a monster with their rapid strikes. Their light nature also allows to user to be much lighter on their feet in exchange for being unable to block and defend. Evade the monster's attacks and go in for your own when you have the opening. In a way, it's almost like a dance of death, using your moves to outpace and defeat your opponent, with the slightest misstep spelling your doom." He explained as he ran up a crystal spire and launched off with a spinning attack, dodging Nergigante's attacks once again.
"And that's why I like them. Quick, efficient and devastating." Cinder said with a nod.
"His technique is a bit wild and lacks a real form, but I suppose it works. That makes it harder to predict." Winter noted.
"I like the dance of death metaphor. Maybe you should take up Dual Blades, Uncle Qrow." Ruby suggested, knowing her uncle's fighting style involves a number of moves that almost look like ballet.
"Hm... I'll consider it." Qrow said.
Sai managed to knock the Eater of Elders down and continued to attack. "But, in a similar manner to the longsword, dual blade users have a unique ferocity, almost as if the spirit of a demon takes over them. This 'demon mode' affords even greater speed and agility, letting the hunters easily evade monster attacks and strike back with even more insane flurries of blows, but at the cost of quickly wearing the user out. Thankfully, this can be countered with dash juice or eating a Wiggly Litchi, greatly increasing a hunter's endurance and allowing them to fight far longer without tiring out." Sai explained, raising his blades with a flash and attacking Nergigante with doubled ferocity. "And this mode allows hunters to unleash the dual blades' ultimate technique: when leaping off a ledge, become a human sawblade and tear your way down a monster's back, dealing massive damage. The bigger the monster, the more damage... And a longer ride! It's like a violent roller coaster." He explained as he spun down a giant red dragon's back with a buzz saw sound effect.
Many of them were intrigued when they saw Sai's movements change with this new "Demon Mode" he had entered. "Huh. So, in other words, it's like Yang when you piss her off?" Emerald asked with a smirk.
"You wanna be on the list of things that piss me off, Em?" Yang questioned.
Then, they were all amazed at the buzzsaw technique. "WHOA! THAT'S SO COOL!" All the teens gushed.
"I bet that's so much fun! He even compared it to a roller coaster!" Nora said.
Sai was posing once again with his dual blades crossed in front of him. "So that is the dual blades, the unrivaled champions of speed and agility, as well as the definition of death by a thousand cuts. Plus, arguably, the weapons with the most variety of shapes." He explained, showing off several different dual blades: cleavers, axes, gauntlets, claws and even nunchaku. "But, of course, with all these razor sharp weapons, there is often a lot of blood flying around, which I understand not everyone is a fan of. Thankfully, there are a couple of blunt weapons that may not bring the blood, but they do bring the pain." He declared as whistled for a Wingdrake and flew off once again.
"I can agree with that. I'm happy to avoid seeing blood as much as possible." Pyrrha said, shuttering a little bit as she turned slightly green.
A shade of green shared by Velvet. "Same here. Definitely not a fan of blood." The Rabbit girl agreed, gagging a bit.
Hammer
The Sapphire Star was using his dual blades again to fend off a Barroth. "Bladed weapons have many advantages. Obviously, they can slice through a monster, either severing an extra appendage such as a tail, or simply leaving deep cutis in the monster to bleed from, slowly but surely weakening the target over time. However, some monsters have insanely thick shells even the strongest of blades cannot pierce." He explained as his weapons kept bouncing off the Landslide Wyvern. Once again, he was now facing the camera with a different weapon on his back. "In times like these, a different type of damage is needed to do damage through the tough shell. Blunt damage. And no weapon does this better than the mighty hammer." He declared, brandishing the bludgeoning weapon... a giant, cooked turkey leg.
Once again, many were dumbfounded by the host's choice to show off this particular hammer, with the Atlesians groaning. "Make it stop... Please..." Weiss groaned.
Nora even looked upset at this. "Why would he use such a large drumstick for a weapon. He could be eating it instead!" She cried out.
"Not to mention, cooked meat is softer than raw meat because the connective tissues and fibers have been gelatinized. So he would've been better off using a raw drumstick." Cinder pointed out.
Many looked to the Half-Maiden at this. "How do you know that?" Blake asked.
"Child labor slave, remember? I cleaned AND cooked." Cinder reminded them.
Sai was now hitting the Barroth with the oversized drumstick. "Quite a powerful weapon, second only to the greatsword, but slightly faster, the hammer specializes in breaking through the tougher shell blades struggle to cut through and, although it obviously can't sever pieces off a monster like bladed weapon, they are capable of breaking off certain parts of other monsters bladed weapons cannot get through, such as the head crest of a Barroth. Although this is another weapon that cannot be used to block, it allows a good bit of maneuverability, allowing you to still get out of danger quickly. And, of course, they are the best weapon for stunning a monster with massive head trauma." He explained as he managed to break off Barroth's head crest, knocking the beast down. "And in addition, much like the greatsword, power can be charged into the hammer for greater attacks, plus this weapon offers great aerial control when leaping from a ledge." He added, leaping from a ledge, completely changing direction midair, then doing it again upon swinging the weapon.
"Oh, yeah! Fear the power of the bonk!" Nora declared, lightly tapping on Ren's head with the balloon hammer Jaune "tempers" Crocea Mors with.
"No, please. Have mercy~" Ren said sarcastically.
"Still, it's quite impressive just how much can be done with the hammer. I would've never expected it to offer such a level of aerial control." Ozpin said, impressed.
"And it's cool it breaks parts sharp weapons can't." Jaune said.
"Neo, remind me we'll need sharp and blunt weapons to gather monster parts to sell." Roman whispered to her, the former mute rolling her eyes.
The host was fighting the Barroth with the oversized drumstick again. "So that's the hammer, a beast of blunt force trauma with a solid mix of speed and power and a lot more skill than many give it credit for. But there is one more heavy hitter that delivers not only impressive concussive damage, but also some musical mayhem." The host declared as the Barroth was defeated and the hunter flew off with a Wingdrake.
Everyone looked at each other in confusion at this. "Music?" They all asked at once.
Hunting Horn
Sai was now dancing in the middle of Astera. "Music. One of the most ancient and treasured arts humanity has to offer. Not only is it simply enjoyable, but humans have been using music to power through adversity since time immemorial, like listening to an inspirational song to amp yourself and power through an intense workout, or a hard rock beat to make an arduous task even a bit more bearable. And hunters have taken this to the extreme to combine devastating blunt force trauma with empowering music to create the ultimate weapon of mass percussion... The Hunting Horn." The host declared, drawing a giant guitar made out of a dragon's scales and horns.
"Dang. Sai's got moves." Jaune said, impressed by the dance moves the host was showing off.
"Very impressive. Too bad we couldn't get him to teach Pyrrha some moves before the dance." Ren said, giving a small glare to Mistral's champion, causing Pyrrha to shrink in her seat a bit.
"Oh, I'm sure he would've taught her plenty of things." Tekko said with a smirk, knowing the relationship between Sai and Pyrrha in a different timeline.
"He's not wrong, though. Some good tunes can get you through the roughest of things." Yang said, thinking of all the times she would listen to chores to make them fly by.
But then, the group was in awe of the guitar-like weapon Sai pulled out. "That's so cool..." Yang, Qrow, Coco and Roman said as they all marveled at the weapon.
"That's a sick-looking guitar." Ilia praised.
"And it looks like it's made out of scales and horns. He made that thing out of a dragon." Hazel said, impressed.
The Sapphire Star was now swinging this guitar to make music, before fighting a Tigrex with it. "Most often labeled as little more than a support weapon, the Hunting Horn is a heavy blunt weapon that can do high damage at the cost of speed and being unable to block. But whether it be simply a placebo from hearing energizing music, or the dormant power in the materials of the monsters used to create the weapon, the Hunting Horn is capable of unleashing melodies that literally empowers those that hear it, bestowing enhanced abilities as if receiving a buff in a video game, with different horns playing different songs." Sai declared, appearing to briefly flash at certain moments while swinging the hunting horn.
"Empowering yourself and your teammates with music. Interesting." Adam said, intrigued.
"That sounds epic! I've always wished I could get buffs like in a video game." Nora said in amazement.
"He uses some interesting movements with the weapon, too." Blake noted.
"He's fighting a monster with music... That is so awesome! Imagine using music against the Grimm! That would be amazing!" Ruby cheered.
The host once again held the weapon up, unleashing loud music, before swinging it. "By swinging the horn in a certain way, the weapon unleashes musical notes that can be matched in different ways to play songs to bestow enhancements onto the wielder and their teammates, from increasing physical attributes, to being able to negate the cripplingly load roars of monsters to even increasing elemental resistances. Plus, it's just cool to see how a deadly monster can be turned into an instrument." Sai declared as he fought against the brutal Pseudo-Wyvern.
Sai was now posing with his weapon to show it off in all it's glory. "This is a guitar... made out of Fatalis materials... I turned the god of ALL monsters... into a guitar. A god-tar, if you will." He said jokingly, before swinging the weapon to make music.
Everyone, minus the Atlas crew, was in awe at the statement the host just made. "He turned a god monster into a guitar!" Ruby gushed.
"I know, right?! That is so epic!" Emerald cried out.
"I want that guitar SO BAD now!" Yang said longingly.
The host was now playing the hunting horn again while stood beside the captured Tigrex. "So, that is the Hunting Horn, a powerful blunt force weapon that can be used to benefit the entire hunting party, empowering the hunters while the wielder delivers some extreme damage to the target, all while jamming out to some epic music." Sai explained, now back in Astera, posing with his deadly music making weapon. "So, one thing you may have noticed with this first handful of weapons is that while these weapons yield great OFFENSIVE power, their DEFENSIVE power is rather lacking, some being completely unable to block any oncoming damage. That's where the next weapon comes in, allowing you to become the immovable object to any monster's unstoppable force." He declared, before leaping into the sky once again.
"Well, I think we can all agree that is an awesome weapon." Coco said.
"Yeah. And it would be amazing for a lot of Huntsmen and Huntresses that hunt in groups." Velvet agreed.
"Right? Being able to buff people with music! That's just awesome! And it looks like it does some heavy damage, too." Neo agreed.
"Now the only thing that could make it better would be if it could DEBUFF the enemies." Ilia said.
"Well, that's the first half, but there's still quite a few where those came from." Katana said, switching to the next video.