The Ancient Ritual

"Caw caw caw caw caw..."

When he used the Ice Lance Spell alone before, he didn't feel anything, but making that "crackling" sound in public like this made Ailin feel especially ashamed.

Especially when they see the twisted expressions of the witchers and Sorceress around them, wanting to laugh but too embarrassed to do so.

Etc!

What about Huus, Bont, and Fred?

Didn't they come back a long time ago?

Ailin stopped chanting and looked around.

When everyone saw Ailin stop chanting, they assumed he had failed and were about to comfort him when they suddenly heard Ailin ask:

"What about Huus, Bont, and Fred?"

"They should have come back before me!"

"Smack!"

The Witcher Master slapped their foreheads with their right hands almost simultaneously, then turned and ran toward a thick tree behind them.

Because of the tense standoff with the Sorceress and their curiosity about what Ailin was carrying, the witchers forgot that there were still three apprentices tied to the tree.

Vesemir was the closest and the fastest, so he was the first to reach the tree.

His face turned bright red with embarrassment.

After all, Huus and the others were his apprentices, and it would be a real shame to forget them like this.

Avoiding the resentful gazes of Huus and the others, Vesemir untied the knot of the rope.

After Huus and his companions removed the cloths from their mouths, they glanced at the several Witcher Master in front of them, who were bowing their heads and grinning sheepishly, and then didn't pursue the matter any further.

After humming, they all ran to Ailin and started jumping around him.

"Ailin, I knew you'd be alright."

Huus was the first to speak, and the first to be exposed.

"I don't know who it was, but their eyes were so red they looked like they were about to cry, and they wanted to run back to save Ailin. If you ask me, does Ailin even need us to save her?"

"Bont! Didn't you turn back too?"

"I... it was just a habitual action, I subconsciously followed you..."

The familiar chirping filled the area around Ailin, making it lively and noisy.

But at that moment, he only felt a warm feeling in his heart, as if he were soaking in a hot spring.

Vesemir, with her left wrist supporting her right elbow and her right hand propping up her chin, watched the little figures laughing and playing.

A gentle smile involuntarily appeared on her delicate and pretty face.

As they argued, the three of them suddenly focused their gazes on the heads of Old Spearhead and Drowners King.

Huus looked at Ailin with admiration and said excitedly, "Ailin, you are amazing! When I left the cave, I really thought I would never see you again. I never expected that you would kill Old Spearhead."

Bont and Fred looked at Ailin with the same gaze.

They trembled uncontrollably just looking at the Old Spearhead from afar.

But Ailin not only killed the Cyclops, he even killed the King of Ice, who seemed just as powerful.

"As expected of Ailin, a born witcher!"

Bont thought to himself, glancing at the Witcher Master around him, when suddenly an idea struck him, and he said:

"Ailin, are you Witcher Master now?"

Bont's words left the Witcher Master looking at each other in surprise, and then they realized what he meant.

They no longer seemed to need to debate whether or not to bestow the title of Witcher Master upon Ailin.

Old Spearhead's head alone would be enough, not to mention the head of the King of Ice.

As for the way Ailin hunted and profited from the fisherman's catch...

Most Witcher Master use similar methods when hunting large monsters.

Sometimes they would even use poison, a dishonorable practice in the eyes of the nobility.

Therefore, Ailin's hunting methods not only do not diminish his glory, but also make them admire him even more.

after all,

Being able to seize opportunities and turn danger into safety when life is threatened is a rare talent in itself.

It's even more difficult than directly hunting large monsters.

However, although they had already agreed in their hearts, the Witcher Master only exchanged glances and did not respond to Bont's words.

Bont glanced at the few Witcher Master, and seeing that they didn't react, he was only disappointed for a few seconds before joining in the amazement at Ailin's great achievements.

Ailin naturally noticed this scene, but he was not as disappointed as Bont.

The honor of the Witcher Master had already fallen to him the moment the heads of the Drowners King and the Old Spearhead fell to the ground.

However, what he didn't notice was that the Sorceress, who seemed like an outsider, had a gentler smile.

Even the most enthusiastic exchange can't last long when surrounded by seven or eight adults.

After calming down from their anger at being bound, Huus and the others slowly shut their mouths when they saw others gathering around.

"Ailin, continue demonstrating for us!"

After they finished expressing their emotions, Leto spoke up to remind them.

Huus and the others consciously stepped back, looking at Ailin with expectant expressions.

Although they were tied to the other side of the tree, the witchers' keen senses prevented them from missing what had just happened.

Ailin nodded upon hearing this and began to mobilize his magic power again.

"Croak~ Croak~ Croak croak..."

As a strange incantation was chanted, fluorescent blue light gathered in his right palm.

In a moment, it solidified into an ice spear as thick as a thumb, its right hand pointing at the large tree that bound Huus and the others.

"Whoosh~"

The ice spear struck the tree in the blink of an eye.

The thick tree that the two people could barely encircle was pierced by the ice spear, revealing a small hole through which the Killer Lake could be seen.

From the moment Ailin began chanting the incantation, Vesemir gradually shifted from being nonchalant to a state of mixed seriousness and joy.

The reason is simple.

She sensed the magic surrounding Ailin, gathering and diminishing in a regular pattern—a characteristic of casting spells.

The Witcher's Signs consume the magic power of their Mutated Organ, so they don't produce this phenomenon.

"When did Ailin gain the ability to cast spells?"

This was her only thought at that moment. As her own child, the Sorceress had tested Ailin's talent countless times.

The result each time was the same: no Casting Talent.

However, because there were other people around, the Sorceress was surprised but did not ask directly.

The other witchers were speechless with shock.

Is this a spell or a hand seal?

Wrong!

Since Ailin can use it, it must be a sign!

so.

Can they learn it?

Long-range attacks have always been a weakness for witchers. Although they may prepare a long-range crossbow, it is obviously not as useful as their own signs.

Moreover, in special circumstances, external possessions often prove ineffective.

Of course, most importantly, although this Ice Lance Spell has a casting time, it only lasts a few seconds.

Although its destructive power is weakened when facing monsters, it is still quite considerable.

Thinking of this, the Witcher Master all turned their burning gazes toward Ailin.

"Ailin, is your Ice Lance Spell a spell or a sign? Can we learn it? What's the price?"

The Witcher Master might still be a little reserved, Leto, seeing such outstanding results, turned around and asked directly.

After thinking for a moment, Ailin smiled and said:

"You can use it as a mudra."

"No price is required, just help me move the bodies of the King of Ice and the Old Spearhead to Kaer Morhen."

"Master Vesemir also has this condition."

Although part of the magic power of the Ice Lance Spell comes from the outside world.

However, most of them originate from Mutated Organ within the body, so ordinary witchers can naturally learn them as well.

Upon hearing this, the Witcher Master looked at Ailin with even greater fervor.

Especially when they recalled the effects of the Ice Lance Spell when Ailin recounted the hunt for the Old Spearhead and the King of Ice, their eager gazes practically ignited Ailin's fire.

However, Ailin pretended not to see it.

Want to get something for free?

Where would such a good thing come from?

He was just an ordinary witcher, not the School Head, so there was no need for him to selflessly dedicate himself to people he didn't know.

His many experiences from his past life had given him a profound understanding.

Selflessness that goes unrespected will not earn you respect, but rather endless demands.

Fortunately, the Witcher Master understood what was going on when they saw Ailin's expression, and did not take advantage of their seniority to make demands.

after all,

Even if the client is extremely poor, a witcher will still receive payment for completing a quest.

Ailin's approach is very much like that of a Witcher.

Since he's willing to teach Leto and Vesemir, it's just a matter of how the benefits are distributed.

So they all looked at the Chief of the School of the Wolf.

"I'll discuss the Ice Lance Spell with Ailin tomorrow."

The chief nodded, changing the subject.

He then glanced at the sky and walked up to Ailin.

The expressions of the other witchers also turned serious at the same time.

They formed a circle, with the apprentices and the chief in the middle.

Following closely behind,

The chief took out Ailin's School Emblem, drew blood from the sharp wolf fangs with his right thumb, and then drew a bloody line down Ailin's forehead.

Then he walked up to the next apprentice and made the same bloody mark.

The other witchers present also took turns smearing the blood from their thumbs onto the foreheads of Ailin and the others.

This seems to be an ancient tradition among the Wolf School Witchers.

However, Ailin has never seen this ritual in the game.

Throughout the entire ceremony, no one spoke, and everyone's expression was solemn and respectful.

The witchers were attending someone's funeral, or perhaps witnessing the birth of a newborn.

Whether it was a coincidence or the ritual was truly effective, it is unclear.

After the chief smeared the blood, the dense dark clouds dispersed.

Golden sunlight shone on the witcher and cast shadows on the snow.

Light and darkness intertwine at this moment.

After all the witchers had smeared themselves with blood, the chief announced in a loud voice:

"The sun has already set in the west, and the wolf pack of Kaer Morhen has been replenished with new blood today."

"Let's bring the good news back to the Ancient Sea Fortress, light a bonfire, and drink until we drop!"

"Aye! Aye! Aye!"

The demon hunters rhythmically patted their chests, responding with a vast, ancient melody:

"Let's light a bonfire and drink until we're drunk!"

"Let's light a bonfire and drink until we're drunk!"

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