The Drowners King Extermination

"Boom!"

The Ice Spike that Vesemir dodged shattered against the hard slate.

Gale-force winds, mixed with ice crystals and dust, whipped the Witcher Master's disheveled hair back behind him.

With Vesemir's strength, there was no need to deceive the Drowner King's senses like Ailin did.

This type of large, clumsy magic was more suited for siege warfare, or hunting large, slow-moving monsters.

Such slow speed couldn't possibly evade the Witcher Master's perception.

Easily dodging the Ice Spike, Vesemir rushed forward in a few steps while the Drowner King was still in its post-spell casting stiffness.

He spun and slashed.

In a flash of lightning, silver light glinted.

The blue magic shield flickered twice before shattering instantly.

Seizing the Drowner King's casting pattern, Vesemir quickly slashed twice more.

The outer skin of the Drowner King's heel tendons was cut open.

[Monster Hunting] progress 53%

"Gwaaah!"

With a roar, the magic shield regenerated.

"Still not quite enough."

Vesemir felt a pang of regret.

Although he trusted his apprentice, the Witcher Master was naturally unwilling to just wait idly.

Unfortunately, even though he had seized the Drowner King's casting opening, he still couldn't inflict significant damage.

"Swish!"

A webbed giant claw, filled with rage, swiped towards the Witcher Master's head.

Vesemir quickly ducked, raising his sword.

"Screeeech—"

A piercing scraping sound echoed, the blue shield flickering on and off.

The silver sword was deflected by the grab, but Vesemir paid it no mind, using the momentum to spin.

Slash!

The silver blade flashed again on the Drowner King's claws.

"Clang!"

With a light sound, the Drowner King's shield shattered once more.

[Monster Hunting] progress 62%

Ailin felt a strange sensation. His spirit was invading the monster's aura, yet his thoughts felt as if they had merged with Vesemir's.

The Drowner King's left leg kicked out. He should sidestep, counter-spin, and swing his sword...

Ailin thought this.

Vesemir seemed to be following his instructions, sidestepping, counter-spinning, and swinging his sword...

Finally, he perfectly shattered the blue shield again.

[Monster Hunting] progress 75%

Ailin felt as if the Witcher Master was his hand, and his sword was an extension of his attack range.

This wasn't a Witcher apprentice's delusion, nor was there only one place to attack or dodge. This seemed to be a special effect of the [Monster Hunting] skill.

The Witcher Master trusted him, so some of his aura aligned with a certain mental energy that Ailin had permeated.

Through the Monster Hunting state, Ailin could guide Vesemir to execute the optimal attack method.

"So this is the correct way to use [Monster Hunting]?"

The Witcher apprentice mused.

It seemed Vesemir hadn't noticed anything unusual.

The Witcher Master hadn't noticed anything unusual.

He just felt that his condition today was exceptionally good.

He could dodge the monster's attacks almost without thinking, as if by instinct, and could find the next best attack position with just a glance.

Just like now.

He sidestepped to avoid the monster's kicking right leg, then spun and swiftly slashed the shield four times.

In his past self, while dodging, he could have managed at most two slashes.

"After not hunting a suitable prey for so long, has my strength actually improved?"

Vesemir felt a mix of excitement and strangeness.

Aside from the brink of death, Witchers could mostly only rely on aging and the growth of Mutated Organs to enhance their strength.

Such progress was very slow.

But what Vesemir was feeling now was an almost breakneck improvement.

If he had encountered this monster before today, Vesemir would definitely not have dealt with it so easily.

Quickly retreating two steps to dodge the monster's right leg, the Witcher Master skillfully spun around and slashed.

"Bang!"

It wasn't a magic shield that shattered.

Vesemir looked at the broken silver blade in surprise.

After all, it was just a training sword and couldn't withstand such high-intensity combat.

With his weapon broken, Vesemir quickly made a gesture towards the Drowners King.

The Alde Sign.

The powerful shockwave caused the monster's grasping claws to come up empty.

The Witcher Master quickly retreated, about to ask Ailin to borrow his sword.

But he saw a familiar figure rush out from beside him.

It was Ailin.

At this moment, the Witcher apprentice paid no mind to Vesemir's surprise.

Once in Monster Hunting state, Ailin could barely feel emotional fluctuations, only the purest calculation of benefits and drawbacks.

Since he had integrated his own thoughts into Vesemir's actions, how could Ailin not have noticed the state of the silver sword in the Witcher Master's hand?

Or rather, it was precisely because Ailin noticed everything that Vesemir, who was fully immersed in the battle, had overlooked the condition of his weapon.

This was the most crucial information for a warrior.

Ailin hadn't reminded him simply because it wasn't necessary.

After all.

[Monster Hunting] progress 100%

Upon entering execution mode, Ailin realized he was wrong.

The upgraded [Monster Hunting] didn't just enhance the duration of the Monster Hunting state.

In Ailin's vision, a line of red, highlighted footprints led directly to the Drowners King's nape.

Some of these footprints even floated in the air, at heights impossible for him to reach from his current position.

However, in the Monster Hunting state, Ailin felt no fear and thus no hesitation.

"Ailin?"

The Witcher apprentice didn't reply; he was fully focused on stepping on the red footprints.

He took a step to the left, and the Drowners King's massive right foot kicked out, which the Witcher apprentice narrowly dodged.

He jumped to the right, landing precisely on the monster's leg as it retracted.

Moving along the monster's right leg, Ailin walked as if on level ground.

Step by step, treading on the red marks, the Witcher apprentice dodged all of the Drowners King's attacks.

Although his speed wasn't fast, in the blink of an eye, Ailin stood at the destination.

The red footprints he had stepped on disappeared, and a familiar red line appeared before his eyes.

Time seemed to freeze the moment the red line appeared, and everything before him turned into a still painting.

He saw the fear in the Drowners King's huge pupils, the disbelief on Vesemir's face, the ethereal dust motes in the air...

A red line appeared in this floating dust.

Following the familiar intuition, Ailin gripped Elsa and slashed along this line.

Then, A dreamlike silver light flashed.

Dust motes, blue light, flesh, and bone were all severed.

"Splat."

Bright red blood sprayed from the severed ends.

An indescribably fragrant aroma also wafted over.

"The Drowners King's blood smells good."

The Witcher apprentice, having just exited the Monster Hunting state, inexplicably cared about this detail.

Then his vision went black, and he began to fall.

It was obviously not a pleasant experience to have his 150 Stamina instantly depleted.

"Bang"

Ailin's weakened body was supported by a somewhat firm arm.

At the same time, a mechanical voice sounded in his ear.

"Ding"

[Monster "Drowners King" vanquished!]

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