The Divine Hunter

group began to agree with that speculation.

 

“Soldier, raise your head!” The bearded man walked towards him sternly.
“State your name, age, and your designation.”

 

The skinny man raised his head shyly.

 

He looked very young and didn’t look like he was older than twenty, and he looked very ordinary, with a small nose and small eyes.
He had the face of someone that if you put in a crowd, you would forget his appearance if you didn’t pay attention.

 

His lips moved, but there was no voice.

 

The middle-aged knight saw his face and couldn’t help but frown as his tone became wrathful.
“I have some impression of most of the new recruits, but I have never seen you!”

 

“Speak! Who exactly are you?!”

 

Everyone was shocked.
They had only realized that someone unknown had snuck into their squad after the battle had finished.
There was no greater shame than this.

 

And all of them began to grow suspicious.

 

“We were steering towards Black Tern Island when the degenerated vodyanoi were supposed to be asleep, but instead, we were ambushed.
Did you tip them off that we were coming?!”

 

Clang…

 

The knights unsheathed the swords by their waist with a dark impression.

 

However, Roy was suspicious.
Through Observe, the man was completely normal.
There was no sign that he was transforming… And as a human, how was he supposed to communicate with the vodyanoi?

 

It didn’t make sense if he was a traitor.

 

The man merely showed his hands as everyone watched, and he shook his head calmly, signaling that he was no enemy.

 

And then, he turned to the young witcher that was Observing him and used his finger to beckon him…

 

“Kili Kala…”

 

In that instant, the soldiers, witchers, and even Princess Adda were surprised.

 

Why would a human speak in such a tone? Just like… he was a vodyanoy?

 

And the person who did that immediately started to run towards the swamp surrounding the lake, just when everyone was still stunned.

 

“Bastard, capture him!”

 

“He’s the spy, the traitor!”

 

The group of men chased after him, but the strange man was more agile than they had first thought.
In a flash, he was already very far away from his pursuers.

 

And the distance was still growing.
Other than the two witchers, no one could chase after him.

 

“Is he still a man? He ran faster than the horse.”

 

“Stop chasing! It might be a trap! All of you turn back to protect Princess Adda.
You, and you, follow me!”

 

*** 

 

The strange man was fleet of foot.
Despite the witchers being on his tail, he immediately ran into the wide swamps next to Lake Vizima. 

 

Then, without any sign, heavy mist suddenly rolled in from around them.
In just a short while, visibility had become extremely low.
Roy had immediately lost contact with Letho as he entered the mist.

 

Carefully, he used the Quen sign to form a shield around him as he scanned his surroundings with his dark, golden eyes, crossbow in hand, sword in the other.

 

Suddenly, a figure zoomed past in the dense mist.
It was the knight that had escaped earlier.

 

Roy chased after him.

 

Five minutes later, after an intense pursuit

 

The fake knight led him to the East of Lake Vizima.
He ran directly into the lake, but then stopped in his tracks and bowed dutifully towards the clear lake water.

 

Lights and shadows began to dance in front of Roy.
After a moment, the slender man who was wearing chainmail had disappeared.
Instead, a small and short vodyanoy wearing a brownish, ruined cloak stood in front of him.

 

His body was slightly crooked, and two very long and white whiskers grew to the side of his mouth.
The skin on his round eyes was all white and gave the half-man with the fish head a kind demeanor.

 

And inside his eyes, there was no hostility at all, unlike the degenerated vodyanoi.
Instead, there was the light of wisdom. 

 

‘Zeek

 

Age: 89

 

Gender: Male

 

Identity: Vodyanoy Hermit (A legend among the vodyanoi and has lived as a hermit in Lake Vizima for dozens of years.
Has witnessed the rise and fall of the vodyanoi tribes in Lake Vizima.)

 

Disciple of the Lady of the Lake (He served the goddess of Lake Vizima faithfully.
And by her grace, he has obtained some spellcasting abilities.)

 

HP: 80

 

Mana: 120

 

Attributes:

 

Strength: 6

 

Dexterity: 8

 

Constitution: 8

 

Perception: 6

 

Will: 9

 

Charisma: 8

 

Spirit: 12

 

Skills:

 

Slipstream LVL 5: Low-level water elemental magic.
Uses little mana.
Controls the flow of the water in the lake.

 

Water Arrow LVL 6: After performing a simple hand sign and a short incantation, summons a water elemental arrow to attack enemies.

 

Telepathic Link (Passive, permanent): A unique, natural ability.
It can be used to communicate with most intelligent creatures through telepathy.

 

*** 

 

Degenerated vodyanoy, vodyanoy, the altar on Black Tern Island, the Lady of the Lake…

 

Countless thoughts crossed in his mind, and he understood what was happening…

 

“You hadn’t degenerated… You’re a normal vodyanoy?”

 

The vodyanoy bowed to him with his webbed hand on his chest.

 

“Garu… Wuliwa… Hako…” (Don’t be afraid.
I mean you no harm.)

 

Roy was very sure he hadn’t learnt the vodyanoi language.
Despite every syllable from his mouth seeming very alien, he was able to understand what he was saying, surprisingly.

 

That was probably the effect of the Telepathic Link skill.

 

“Zeek, you need to give me an explanation…” The young witcher sheathed his weapon.
“Why did you sneak into our squad? Why did you try to draw me here?”

 

Zeek then stroked his two white whiskers and said, “Half a month ago, I received the goddess’s revelation.
She revealed to me that a group will be coming to dispatch the degenerated ones.
I snuck into your group to aid you.
If I hadn’t, other than you and the bald witcher, everyone else would have already transformed during your short stay on Black Tern Island…”

 

Roy nodded and asked, “Goddess? The deity that you serve?”

 

“The Lady of the Lake.”

 

The young witcher calmed down.
“You mean, other than the evil thing in the altar, there is another greater power in Lake Vizima? The Lady of the Lake?”

 

The vodyanoy nodded.

 

“My brethren all originally served the noble Lady Vivienne.”

PR/N: This Vivienne is different from the Vivien of the House of Cardell.

 

“But I remember the Lady of the Lake lived in Toussaint.

 

“The goddess is born of water.
She has many sisters.
The light of the goddess reaches anywhere the water ripples.”

 

“So that means Lake Vizima was originally the goddess’s domain.” A light appeared in Roy’s eyes.
“But it was invaded by the creature in the altar?”

 

The vodyanoy suddenly waved its arms furiously.

 

“Not only did the creature steal the goddess’s domain, but it also bewitched my brethren and destroyed my tribe.
There are less than ten normal vodyanoi left now!”

 

“I see… You want vengeance for the destruction of your tribe.
Then the reason you came for me is that you have a way to deal with it?”

 

“Uru!”

 

“But why me? I’m just a nameless disciple from the Viper School.
Letho is much better than I am, and Princess Adda had much more influence than I could ever command.”

 

The vodyanoy looked at him with a stern expression.

 

“You didn’t appear in the goddess’s revelation.
You are an anomaly in that group.
In the beginning, I was simply being curious.
I snuck into Black Tern Island, wanting to see just how much you could all accomplish.”

 

“And then, I received my goddess’s command.
There was one unique individual within that group…”

 

The vodyanoy crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at the young witcher in agreement.

 

“You, the witcher from the Viper School, Roy, have passed a series of harsh tests in the past year.”

 

The vodyanoy hermit then pointed his finger, which was as thick as a carrot stick, towards the clear lake water.

 

“Go.
The goddess is waiting for you in the lake.
She will personally tell you everything else… This is both a blessing and a test.
It is all in your hands…”

 

With that, Zeek the vodyanoy waved goodbye and jumped into Lake Vizima, disappearing underneath the ripples.

 

There was hesitation on his face.

 

“Could it be…?”

 

He had some guesses about what would happen next, but there was no reason for him to refuse this chance.
With that, he walked straight into the lake.