Chapter 9: 1249 Years Passed, I Miss It
A riverbank, in the deep Blue Mountains.
A Drowner's scream and howl, broke the mountain's serenity.
The silver sword savagely hacked off a Drowner's head, then Lynn pulled his corpse back, evaded another Drowner's leaping attack.
Letting those sword-like sharp claws leap into empty space.
Lynn proceeded forward, both hands holding the silver sword tightly, held it aloft above his head, then savagely chopped downwards.
Thwack!
Blood splattered.
The silver sword opened the Drowner's head.
A third Drowner, from behind, approached the Witcher.
Perhaps because just now, too much force was used, the silver sword actually firmly stuck in the body of the Drowner's head.
For a short while, he actually couldn't pull it out.
But on Lynn's face, not even an iota of panic could be found.
He shifted around his body, towards the approaching Drowner from behind himself, extended his right hand.
"Igni."
Flames burst towards the Drowner's face.
The latter gave out a shriek, fell onto the earth, wildly clutched at the ground mud, put it onto its own face.
It looked as though to do this might save its singed face.
Lynn used his foot, stamped down at the body, pulled out the silver sword.
Then his arm flashed out.
The silver sword was like a shooting star which flashed by and pinned down the latter Drowner on the earth.
The last Drowner, as if this one too knew fear, truly human-like, flipped its legs to run.
Lynn didn't pursue, but examined the rewards of just now, this battle:
"Attribute Points: 4 (86%) → 5 (1%)"
"Attribute points, at last reached 5 points, truly not easy."
Lynn did some thinking, then decided that it should go to "Wolf School Swordsmanship."
Though Signs and Alchemy are very important too.
But those two skills can wait until later to level up.
And as for that, martial arts need to come first to be upgraded.
That's when Lynn imagined a finger, pointing to "Wolf School Swordsmanship."
"Wolf School Swordsmanship (Proficient) → Wolf School Swordsmanship (Master/Limit)"
"New perk: Full Enhancement (speed increased 20%, strength increased 20%, constitution increased 20%)"
A massive burst of swordsmanship memories filled Lynn's mind.
Different from before, nowadays, the swordsmanship memories that crowded his mind, were no longer mere training grounds, routine practice swordsmanship memories, but there were many killing experience memories in battle, memories, even blood lessons.
Kill with man, kill with beast.
One vs. one combat, combat with several men.
Harsh battles with adverse fortune.
Crisis counterattacks in desperation.
These valuable memories which, to others, it had taken a body full of scars to obtain, now, as if gratis, flowed into Lynn's head.
Once all the memories of swords were poured in, it wasn't done yet.
Lynn could sense, his body clearly had no external appearance modifications, but the interior of his body did have real improvements.
He pulled out the silver sword stuck in the body of the Drowner, spun it a few turns, then felt his speed and strength actually were two percent enhanced.
"Good."
Lynn's eyes glinted.
This is power!
Chaotic footsteps suddenly reverberated.
Lynn turned his head to look.
He saw that the Drowner which ran away earlier, actually returned.
Not only did it return, but also brought a Swamp Hag along.
"So, it went to call for reinforcements." Lynn smiled.
If he was him a minute ago, he would've run by now.
Swamp Hags, this kind of monster, even experienced Witchers facing them, would have a headache.
But after putting points into "Wolf School Swordsmanship" to "Master," not just in sword skill, he already could be placed along with experienced Witchers like Geralt.
The bonus "Full Enhancement" gave him strength, speed, and constitution each 20% boost, more still provided him with enough confidence.
Of course, he did not need to be like the past few months, battling a bit stronger monsters, he just needed to run away.
"Perfect to use you for practice."
As the last word left his mouth, the Witcher already ran out like an Icewind Wolf.
The kicked earth had not yet hit the ground, Lynn had already bridged the distance between them quickly.
The hazy eyes of the Swamp Hag suddenly narrowed sharply.
It grasped the nearby Drowner, brutally thrust it at the Witcher.
Lynn spun the silver sword, bisected the Drowner charging towards himself, right shoulder to left torso, into halves.
But before the blood and internal organs had even touched the ground.
The Swamp Hag, a dark shadow now, close on the heels of the Drowner, its scythe-like sharp claws already brutally fastened to Lynn's chest.
The Swamp Hag's sharp claws were able to tear through any armor, a flesh and blood body in front of it was as weak as paper.
As long as contact was maintained, Lynn would be cut into eight pieces in the blink of an eye.
Even though the Swamp Hag was not a thinking creature, its tactics of first throwing the Drowner out as bait and then jumping in and attacking totally were as brilliant as thinking creatures.
In fact.
Under normal circumstances, this distance, this velocity.
It was impossible to get there in time.
But with the "Full Enhancement" buff, Lynn released his left hand that gripped the sword, bare-handed faced the Swamp Hag.
"Aard."
The non-material air wave was like a war hammer, solidly struck the body of the Swamp Hag.
Bent fingers, cracked skin.
The body of the Swamp Hag as well, as if striking a wall head-on, was struck and staggered back.
Although this opening was merely for an instant.
Although it was only a few seconds, it might catch its balance.
But on the battlefield, a moment of distraction is enough to decide the win or defeat.
The silver sword cut the neck of the Swamp Hag, like hot slicing through butter.
The head of the Swamp Hag, with rage, unwillingness, surprise, and other complex feelings wrapped around it, shot up, fell into the turbid river, splashed the water into tiny waves.
.....
And when the time finally came at the close of 1249, before the snowy weight closed over the mountain, the Wolf School people once again made their way back to Kaer Morhen.
Everyone comfortably sat in the hall, fed on good victuals and wine, and swapped stories about their year-long adventures.
After eating and drinking to their heart's content, Lynn actively proposed, hoping before this winter ended, to conduct the last stage of the Witcher trials.
Which was the Medallion Trials.
Medallion Trials, or the Trials of the Mountain, was the third level of the Witcher trials.
All those who got through the Medallion Trials were the ones who could go out of school and walk down the mountain.
As soon as Lynn's words fell, the just now liveliness in atmosphere on the dinning table, at once came to silence.
Including Vesemir, everybody used a dumbfounded shocked look, fixed their eyes to Lynn.
After all, he was young, if he wished, he could very well stay at Kaer Morhen for another two years.
No one would say anything about this.
Witchers' lifespans are usually quite long.
Do not look at Eskel and Lambert looking like young men, who would have guessed, they were actually approximately as old as Yorinobu Arasaka.
And as for Vesemir, if Saburo Arasaka were to arrive, he would have to call him grandpa.
Although most Witchers are transformed from humans, Witchers who completed the Trial of the Grasses, in the concept of time, are actually closer to ancient races with long lifespans like elves and dwarves.
Of course, Lynn's reason for proposing to go down the mountain also had his own reasons.
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