The Golden-Furred Behemoth

"Bang!"

Since it was just a training ground used to demarcate the area, the wooden fence of the training ground served no purpose as a barrier. It was knocked up by Aristo and crashed down on Vesemir along with it.

Immediately afterward, to Vesemir's astonishment, it struck him unexpectedly, slamming him against the city wall at the edge of the apprentice training ground.

To be honest...

Although Aristo was thrown back very quickly, he had time to dodge because he was not close to Vesemir and they made eye contact.

But considering that it would be too undignified to dodge under the gaze of such an apprentice.

Moreover, given Aristo's own strength, in a training session rather than a life-or-death duel, and without losing consciousness, he would certainly be able to regain his footing quickly.

This is a fundamental skill for a Witcher.

Otherwise, if you encounter a monster that excels in speed, like a vampire woman, wouldn't you be powerless to fight back after being knocked away, and could only wait to die?

Therefore, instead of dodging, Vesemir put his hands behind his back, looking unfathomable.

He stared at Aristo, who was knocked away, crashed into the fence, and rapidly magnified before his eyes.

By the time Vesemir realized something was wrong, it was too late.

"Bang!"

The shockwave from the shattering of the Quen Sign suddenly erupted, interrupting his instinctive, frantic dodge.

Before he could adjust his posture, Aristo's body was hit by the shockwave.

Vesemir was thrown off the ground with almost no resistance.

"Thump~"

Like a large bell being struck.

The heavy object slammed against the hard wall beside the training field.

Then, at the moment of impact, it emitted two muffled groans, split into three pieces, and landed on the ground.

"Cough cough~"

Vesemir coughed twice, brushed the wood chips off his body, stood up, and patted the dust and sawdust off his shoulders.

Aristo was still sitting on the ground, seemingly with no intention of getting up.

His eyes were vacant, and his brows were furrowed, as if he were thinking about something.

Fortunately, the Witcher Master were already in very high physical condition, and even without having time to apply the Quen Sign to their bodies, they were able to withstand such an impact with their bare bodies.

Otherwise, if it were an ordinary person, or even one of the apprentices present, they would have broken at least a few bones.

Just then.

"Aristo... Master Aristo has been knocked away!"

Amidst the sound of hurried, unsteady footsteps, an apprentice shouted in surprise.

Instantly.

Exclamations of surprise came from the direction of the training field.

The apprentices, who were too weak to see anything clearly during the entire battle, looked at each other in disbelief.

"So... it was... Commander Ailin who won?"

"Of course! You haven't witnessed the captain's strength, so you don't know. When I heard the captain say, 'I'm going to get serious too,' I knew this duel was in the bag!"

"Yes! The Essence Fluid of the water demon, the Trial of the Mountains, the new signs and potions... the captain has never let us down..."

Amid the commotion, Ernie and Klar, who had always supported Ailin, seized the opportunity to spread their message.

This reassured Vesemir, who had just stood up from the ground, but not long after, the scope of the apprentices' general discourse suddenly and inexplicably expanded.

"Not only Master Arethos, but even Master Vesemir was defeated by the captain..."

"Yes, I saw it too. Master Vesemir was also knocked away by Captain Ailin and crashed into the city wall. I didn't expect the captain to be so powerful, able to fight two Witcher Master who are dozens of times older than him..."

"Uh... this doesn't seem to count, does it? Master Vesemir didn't even participate in the duel..."

"But Master Vesemir was indeed blasted away, by the aftershocks of the battle..."

"Shh! Don't say anything, the Witcher Master have very keen senses..."

The deafening clamor suddenly subsided.

Yes.

Witcher Master do indeed have incredibly sharp senses.

This was evident from the dark expression on Vesemir's face.

But he clearly wasn't going to hold a grudge against a few apprentices. Instead, he looked down at Aristo, who seemed still reeling from his earlier defeat, and impatiently reached out to pull him up from the ground.

"Did you do that on purpose?"

"When you have the chance to stabilize your position and stand up with dignity, why do you have to drag me down with you and make me suffer and lose face?"

Aristo only came to his senses after hearing this.

He glanced at Vesemir, said nothing, and turned his head to look at the center of the training field.

The smoke and dust there have not yet dissipated.

I don't know what Ailin is thinking. Even though they've already won, he hasn't used Ald to clear away the dust or come out of it.

"Did that move that just defeated me have any side effects?"

Recalling the ominous red light reflected in those sapphire-like Cat Eyes, Aristo made a guess in his mind.

But what exactly is it?

A golden-haired monster larger than a dragon... and an overwhelming, chilling aura...

What kind of monster is that? I've never seen one before...

Recalling the monsters he had hunted in the past, Aristo was absolutely certain of this.

Such a monster has never appeared in the entire history of the Northern Continent, or even in the entire world...

Could it be a new monster that Vesemir and his companions encountered after descending the mountain?

As one of the Witcher Master who takes hunting monsters as a hobby and considers hunting even more powerful and rare giant monsters as an honor, Aristo even forgot about his recent defeat for a moment.

All he wanted to know was the name of the majestic and beautiful monster he had just seen.

Where can I find it?

What preparations are needed if you want to hunt it?

If it weren't for the fact that he had already hunted down most of the monsters on the Northern Continent, and that the powerful monsters of the past had gradually become extinct, and even the dragons had disappeared without a trace for some unknown reason.

How could someone as warlike as him possibly willingly accept the chief's commission to take care of the child for more than half a year...?

Aristo turned his head to look at Vesemir, as if about to ask him a question.

after all.

Even if we don't know how Ailin was able to learn... or create and cast such a spell that can simulate monster illusions...

But that move just now was definitely closely related to the monster illusion that Aristo saw...

Vesemir, who had been with Ailin all the way, must have known something.

However, before he could speak...

Vesemir, who had been looking towards the training field, also turned his gaze away and asked him curiously:

How did you lose?

Upon hearing this, Aristo's face darkened and his brows furrowed.

Vesemir is still... just as annoying...

But it's understandable that he asked this question, since his fight with Ailin was relatively short, and the decisive moments were all in the smoke.

No matter how sharp a Witcher's senses are, they definitely can't see what's happening inside the smoke...

but...

As Aristo patiently reviewed what had just happened and prepared to reply to Vesemir, he discovered a problem...

He freaking doesn't even know how he lost...

The Spinning Slash struck him almost instantly but was inexplicably deflected; a powerful pressure and illusion appeared out of nowhere; and a sword strike inexplicably bypassed his senses and attacked from behind...

As Aristo recalled the battle just now, his face grew increasingly gloomy.

It's bad enough that they lost, but they don't even know how they were defeated...

This is truly a disgrace...

Even more shameful is...

As Aristo reflected on the matter, he suddenly realized a problem.

How could Vesemir, who has always followed Ailin, not know how I lost?

The strange phenomenon of the golden-haired behemoth and its furious roar were so obvious just now.

He was clearly doing it on purpose.

That damn bedwetting bastard is showing off to him that he's taken on a monster apprentice.

"Hmph~"

Aristo snorted coldly, glared at Vesemir, and decided not to ask him about the golden behemoth. He dusted off the dust and wood chips on his body and walked towards the training ground.

Vesemir was left alone, watching Aristo's retreating figure, scratching his head in bewilderment, and muttering something under his breath:

"Even if you lost five bottles of the usual amount, you don't have to give me this attitude."

After Aristo keenly caught this sentence, he stomped his feet even harder.

at the same time.

Amidst the smoke and dust filling the training ground, a figure hunched over, panting heavily with his face covered by the lining of his leather armor. It took him a while to gradually recover and straighten up.

"The weakened state of 'Beast Roar: Berserk' is really exaggerated..." Ailin let out a long breath.

This was his first time using "Beast Roar: Berserk," but not his first time using a skill like a roar.

When he first obtained "Beast Roar: Frenzy," the precursor to "Battle Cry: Frenzy," he had tried it out, but compared to the aftereffects he experienced today, it was hardly an extension of the same type of skill.

It took him nearly ten minutes to use the Battle Cry, and afterwards he was exhausted as if he had only run a kilometer in the body of an ordinary person from his previous life.

I'm exhausted, my limbs are so weak that it greatly affects my fighting ability, but at least in a crisis, I can still fight if I squeeze myself together.

Furthermore, using the Drowner Heart Essence Fluid, which can restore stamina, can also slow down the duration and effects of the weakened state.

But the roar of a beast is different.

Completely different.

He went berserk for less than ten seconds, and when it ended, he looked as if he had just died and been pulled out of the River Styx.

The berserk state had just been canceled.

Every muscle and fascia in my limbs was spasming wildly, and I felt dizzy and my vision went black for several seconds.

It's like a sudden, severe injury causing massive bleeding.

In this state, let alone fighting, it's difficult to even stand still.

After catching his breath, Ailin opened the Witcher's Handbook.

Name: Ailin

[HP: 70%, Stamina: 24/650, MP: 520/730]

[Attributes: Strength 61, Agility 60, Constitution 65, Perception 68, Mysticism 73]

Really!

Not only was his stamina completely depleted, but his health and mana also decreased by 30%.

"Damn, thank goodness I sensed something was wrong, otherwise if it had continued for another twenty seconds, I would have been dead..."

Ailin couldn't help but curse inwardly.

But to be honest, while "Beast Roar: Berserk" and "Battle Cry: Berserk" reduce the negative effects of status effects, their differences are huge.

However, the positive effects of the berserk state are also ridiculously strong.

Of the three syllables, Ailin only roared out two, and those were the two syllables that he deliberately held back, taking into account the warning in the skill notes. Yet, he still managed to defeat Aristo, whom he had previously struggled to resist, with overwhelming force.

Looking back.

The feeling of being filled with immense power increased my overall combat strength by at least four times.

Moreover, the protective effect, which is not even listed on the skill panel, is surprisingly good.

The repulsive effect that was originally only able to push enemies away in the Battle Cry actually sent a seasoned Witcher Master flying in the Beast Roar.

It's even more powerful than the Alde Sign used intentionally.

In general

Despite the risks, Ailin was very satisfied with the "Beast Roar: Berserk" skill.

"Unfortunately, the Beast Roar skill cannot be upgraded using Experience Orbs. Controlling the timing and power of the Beast Roar requires practice on your own..."

"Furthermore, there are no levels, and we don't know how to increase the duration of the berserk state..."

"Oh, right..."

Ailin suddenly remembered that "Beast Roar: Berserk" also had a passive maintenance state that could slowly increase strength, agility, and constitution attributes.

I tried it once yesterday morning when I first got this beast roar.

It's just that because its power operation is too difficult and complicated, and time is too short, and I'm in a hurry to return to Kaer Morhen, I haven't been able to use it in its entirety.

Of course.

I didn't expect the effect of "Beast Roar: Berserk" to be so amazing. The effect of "Battle Cry: Berserk" only increases combat power by 50%. Otherwise, I would have run the whole thing at least once.

"Perhaps this passive daily maintenance effect can extend the duration of Berserk?" Ailin wondered to himself.

pity.

As the dust kicked up by the battle gradually settled, the scene outside the training ground became clearer.

Obviously.

Now is not the time to familiarize yourself with new skills.

"Da da da~"

Footsteps mingled with the noise of the apprentices.

After making out the figure's outline, Ailin remembered that there was still a problem waiting for him to solve...

The day after returning to Kaer Morhen, he beat up the Witcher Company's vice-commander, a senior member of the school who had painstakingly trained him for six months, in front of all his students.

Isn't this... a little too much?

Thinking of this.

Ailin quickly took a few steps.

After emerging from the dust and mist, they indeed saw his vice commander Arethos with a dark face, stomping his feet heavily on the ground, looking menacing.

not good...

Ailin's heart skipped a beat.

To "knock away" a highly respected Witcher Master in front of everyone is indeed going too far.

But there was nothing he could do.

Having just used "Beast Roar: Berserk," which dramatically boosted his physical abilities, he was able to control his surging power.

Even after breaking through the Quen Sign, it was already quite an achievement to simply knock Aristo away.

Of course.

Even so, an apology is still necessary.

Otherwise, who will help him take care of his children in the future?

therefore.

After carefully considering his words, Ailin quickened his pace, went to meet him, and said sincerely:

"I'm sorry, Master Aristo..."

"It's nothing!" Before he could finish his apology, Aristo raised his hand to interrupt him.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he asked:

"Ai... Ailin, what kind of monster was that golden-haired behemoth just now?"