Arwen swept his gaze around.
Twelve Drowners, plus the seven from before, made nineteen already.
According to The Book of Monsters, this number far exceeded the size of an ordinary Drowner pack.
Trial of Dreams.
The term instantly surfaced in his mind.
He also knew that getting help from Vesemir and the others was hardly possible.
The only one who could keep him alive was himself!
"Hah!"
A Drowner lunged first. Arwen raised his sword in both hands and charged forward, delivering a well-practiced slash.
The silver blade swept down, but the expected resistance of flesh never came.
As though it had suddenly gained some sense, the charging Drowner abruptly pulled back, dodging the strike.
"Whoosh, whoosh!"
A Drowner circled around from the side, its claws whistling through the air as it swiped at Arwen's opening.
Arwen hastily twisted aside, narrowly avoiding it.
Dodge, then parry!
He instinctively raised his sword across his body, only to discover that after its failed sneak attack, the Drowner had quickly retreated into the pack.
"This... how is this possible!"
Arwen looked shaken.
Everyone knew Drowners were brainless. That was precisely why the earlier fights had been easy to handle.
But now, they were practically trained soldiers, even capable of surrounding him to apply pressure and launching pincer attacks.
"No, these can't just be Drowners. There must be an even more terrifying monster here."
His gaze searched frantically.
In his sight, an orange-red heat source emerged from the water behind the Drowners.
It had two pairs of fins atop its head, visibly protruding cheekbones, and two rows of serrated fangs within its square lips.
A size larger than an ordinary Drowner, it gave a low cry, its cheeks pulsing and its pupils gleaming with an eerie red light.
Arwen cursed inwardly, What the hell is that thing!
Atop the cliff, Vesemir cried out in alarm.
"It's a Drowned Dead! A powerful Drowner species that can control other Drowners. This is bad!"
"Geralt!"
Before he had finished speaking, he discovered that the white-haired young man beside him had already drawn his silver sword and was sprinting toward the path down the mountain.
Viris frowned, and the ruby necklace on her chest flashed.
"Hah!"
The Drowners kept snarling, pressuring Arwen, trying to overwhelm him with their presence.
But bolstered by [Dual Souls], Arwen remained calm.
The standoff did not last long. The Drowned Dead climbed all the way out of the river, raised its lean right arm, and pointed a finger at Arwen.
"Hah!"
The twelve Drowners moved together, lunging at him from every direction.
Arwen dodged using the footwork of School of the Wolf Witcher Swordsmanship, spinning and rolling out of the way with the aid of the [Brown Owl] potion he had drunk.
Sweat mingled with swamp mud, coating his entire body and leaving him utterly bedraggled.
His breathing began to falter. Even with [Tawny Owl], his strength would eventually run out.
He knew he could not let this continue.
But the Drowners kept avoiding his silver sword, giving him no chance at all.
His gaze swept toward the Drowned Dead hiding in the rear.
Those dead, fishlike eyes actually glinted with cunning and greed that should not have belonged to a necrophage.
Like a cat watching a mouse beneath its paw, it intended to toy with its prey until it was exhausted, then deliver the final blow.
The corner of Arwen's mouth twitched viciously.
He bent slightly, raised his right heel, and drove against the ground, his body surging forward.
The Drowned Dead saw through Arwen's plan-to capture the bandits, first capture their leader-and let out a hoarse hiss.
Receiving its command, the twelve Drowners before it moved together to block his path.
Arwen roared and swung his sword. "Get out of my way!"
The Drowners in front avoided the blade, while those at his sides thrust out their claws.
This time, Arwen did not dodge. He forced his way through.
In an instant, several bloody lines appeared on his body, and the piercing pain made his teeth chatter.
But his catlike eyes remained fixed on the Drowned Dead as adrenaline surged through him in a desperate gamble.
The Drowned Dead took a step back, issuing urgent, low cries.
The twelve Drowners rushed forward one after another.
Eight meters!
Five meters!
Three meters...
A sharp gust struck his back, and blood sprayed.
No!
Arwen shouted inwardly, but his body was already pitching helplessly to the ground.
"Clang!"
The silver sword fell beside him. Agonizing pain traveled along his nerves into his brain, making his vision go black.
The Drowners made horrifying noises as they scrambled to pounce on him, eager to tear Arwen apart and devour him.
"Hah!"
The Drowned Dead spread its arms and roared.
Every Drowner stiffened, then began backing away.
The Drowned Dead walked to the bank, its blackened, rotting tongue protruding from its mouth, its eyes full of greed.
A cold breeze swept across the lake.
Arwen bit the tip of his tongue lightly to stay conscious, his nostrils filled with the smell of rust.
He tasted celandine in his blood.
He had drunk not only [Cat] and [Tawny Owl], but also a [Swallow] potion.
The potion's power welled up from his lower abdomen, spreading throughout his limbs and body.
The pain was rapidly suppressed.
Two meters...
Not enough...
One meter...
Half a meter...
Arwen felt the Drowned Dead's wet tongue lick across his black hair, making his scalp prickle.
This distance is enough!
He pushed up hard with both hands, picked up the silver sword beside him, and thrust abruptly.
Sword light filled the Drowned Dead's eyes. It hurriedly blocked with its right hand, and the silver blade pierced its dark-blue palm.
But the resistance also deflected the blade away from its neck.
Murky blood mixed with necrophage oil splashed onto its face, sizzling as though it were burning.
"Hah!"
The Drowned Dead let out a pained roar.
Arwen turned his wrist sideways, slicing off half of the Drowned Dead's right palm.
The Drowned Dead retreated swiftly, stepping back into the water.
Its eyes first held shock, then extreme fury.
It had never expected the despicable human before it to feign death and strike back.
Blood flowing from its right palm stained the river's surface, and its two rows of sharp teeth clacked together, making a teeth-grating sound.
"Hah!"
Before the roar had faded, Arwen charged forward, stepping into the river to cut off the Drowned Dead's head.
The Drowned Dead retreated steadily. Having just experienced the silver sword's power firsthand, it began to feel fear.
But as a king among Drowners, when had it ever suffered such humiliation?
It pushed off with both feet and leaped backward, plunging entirely beneath the surface like a fish entering the water.
Arwen searched with his eyes. A pale-yellow shape swam swiftly toward him beneath the surface.
With its arms and legs pressed together, the shape resembled a sinuous water snake, moving silently at an astonishing speed.
Seizing his chance, he thrust his silver sword into the water, only to pierce the Drowned Dead's reflection.
Suddenly, a hand seized his ankle fiercely, its blade-like claws sinking into his flesh.
Immense force surged from it, and his body sank.
This beast wants to drag me underwater.
Murky river water instantly flooded his nostrils.
Arwen gripped the sword hilt in both hands, and the panel appeared.
[Underwater Breathing], activate!