章 114: Disposing of the Corpse
The system issued a new quest: Slay the Giant (Expert Difficulty).
After uncovering the truth about the green dragon, Wayne was surprised to learn that killing the giant was only an Expert-level task. It seemed his system was quite intelligent. Aware of the giant's weakened state, the system wouldn't allow him to exploit a high-level challenge.
Still, Wayne saw an opportunity for practice. Using the excuse of honing his skills, he convinced George to let him slay the giant. Armed with the refined steel sword gifted by Vesemir, Wayne climbed atop the unconscious giant. He aimed for the most vulnerable point – the eye socket – and plunged the sword in with a savage thrust.
Even in its comatose state, the giant reacted instinctively. Impaled through the eye, it thrashed wildly, shaking its head and nearly bucking Wayne off.
Undeterred, Wayne dug his feet in and furiously churned the blade, effectively destroying the brain tissue behind the giant's eye. This critical injury proved fatal, and the giant's struggles ceased as its life faded away.
"Excellent work, Wayne," George commended. "For massive creatures like giants, conventional physical wounds are rarely fatal. Only attacks targeting the brain, eyes, throat, or vulnerable underbelly can inflict sufficient damage."
With the steel sword in hand, George instructed Wayne on how to combat large monsters. He also explained the giant's anatomy and the potential uses of its organs and tissues.
Ding! [Slay the Giant] Quest Complete. Received: Expert-Level Treasure Chest, 32 Experience Points.
The system's reward notification made Wayne sigh internally. Just as his frustration grew, George exclaimed in surprise, "This giant is carrying a red mutagenic substance! And it's a remarkably large one!"
Red Mutagen? Wayne's initial shock was quickly replaced by interest. Mutation inducers are incredibly rare. The stronger the monster, the higher the chance it might possess one, but acquiring them overall is very difficult. Imagine them as the rarest and most valuable monster-derived materials, like the most potent herbs in alchemy. They offer exceptional benefits and have various applications. With the right recipes, they can be used to create powerful Witcher decoctions or for other purposes. Even within the Witcher schools, red mutagens are highly sought-after resources.
George, a true Griffin School Witcher, displayed remarkable integrity by offering the red mutagen to Wayne without hesitation. "Wayne," he explained, "you likely haven't used a mutagen inducer yet. When you return, bring it to your esteemed mentor and let him guide you on its use."
"Generally, the first use of a mutagen inducer significantly enhances a Witcher's physical capabilities. Each Witcher school has its own methods of application, and I'm certain the Wolf School has its own as well."
Hearing this, Wayne didn't decline. He graciously accepted the item, planning to seek Vesemir's instruction on its use when he returned to Kaer Morhen later that year.
"Thank you, George," Wayne said sincerely. "I'll make good use of this."
George waved his hand dismissively, a hint of emotion in his voice. "Seeing the Wolf School rise again with a talented heir like you brings me a sense of relief. However, I can't help but wonder if the Griffin School will have the opportunity to pass on its legacy in the future."
The inheritance of the Witcher profession is always a weighty topic. After a brief exchange that lightened the mood, Wayne finished preparing a blade to deal with any lingering threats from the giant's corpse. He then approached Borch, who was understandably anxious, and George. It was time to explore the giant's lair and search for the young dragon mentioned by the green dragon.
This giant was likely the valley's overlord and the harpy birds were probably its trained subjects. Having eliminated these two threats, Wayne, George, and Borch faced an unhindered path to the giant's lair. They encountered no resistance on their way and soon arrived at the massive cave entrance at the foot of the mountain.
However, before entering, a pungent stench of carrion and feces assailed them. Coupled with their heightened Witcher senses, the experience was truly nauseating. Even the battle-hardened George couldn't help but complain.
"You know, Wayne," George said with a grimace, "the giant's lair is one of the places I truly despise. These creatures have no sense of smell. Their method of dealing with parasites is similar to wild boars. They coat themselves in a special mixture of mud, grease, and carrion, forming a crude but surprisingly effective natural armor. That's why their defense is so formidable."
"I wouldn't be surprised if some giants go their entire lives without bathing after applying this 'armor,'" George added with a chuckle.
Wayne nodded in agreement, thoroughly disgusted. Honestly, the smell was unbearable. Having lived a comfortable life in Vizima City for most of his time, Master Wayne wasn't accustomed to such harsh conditions.
Being Witchers, enduring foul conditions is part of the job. They located a few fire torches near the lair entrance and used the Igni sign to ignite them. With torches in hand, they ventured into the giant's lair, and Wayne's next leg of the journey became a near nightmare.
Giants have vastly different habits compared to dragons. They have no interest in shiny objects, and some even claim their lack of smell makes them favor messy environments. As any Witcher knows, wild animals don't have the concept of restrooms. With no designated areas, their waste goes… everywhere. The dim torchlight did little to mask the overpowering stench. The floor and walls were a disgusting collage of indescribable carrion, rotting meat, and feces, making Wayne strongly consider a hasty retreat.
For most people, the giant's lair wouldn't just be devoid of treasure – the filthy environment could lead to serious illness. Thankfully, after half an hour of searching this cesspool, they finally found what they were looking for: a young green dragon, bound with vines, in a sewage pit.
This three-to-four-year-old dragon was roughly the size of a foal. Entangled in the vines, it had been dumped into this putrid pit overflowing with sewage and feces. Half-submerged, it could only raise its head and let out pathetic cries towards the torch-wielding figures.
The sight instantly melted Borch's heart. Ignoring the filth, he drew a knife and approached the young dragon, using the Dragon Tongue to comfort the distressed creature. While Borch focused on rescuing the young dragon, Wayne shared his thoughts with George.
"George," Wayne asserted, "there's definitely a mastermind behind this. This individual kidnapped the young dragon, transported it all the way here, and hid it in the giant's lair. This ultimately triggered the fight between the green dragon and the giant."
"If the motive was simply stealing the young dragon or acquiring wealth, there wouldn't have been a need for such complexity. They wouldn't have needed to reveal the young dragon's location to the green dragon, causing it to attack Lower Velen Village."
George stroked his mustache, pondering for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Indeed, based on Borch's account, the green dragon has resided in Velen for many years, coexisting peacefully. It's only in the past two years that reports of attacks on people surfaced. It's highly likely someone is deliberately provoking him."
Wayne likely had a suspect in mind. After all, in the Velen area, whenever there's trouble, the blame invariably falls on the Lady of the Forest. While these ancient monsters maintain a semblance of order and sometimes even assist villagers, they're far from benevolent. The price they demand for their "services" far outweighs their contributions.
So, after some deliberation, Wayne shared with George some information he knew about Lady of the Forest. "These ancient monsters are deeply hidden, making them nearly impossible to find through conventional means. The three sisters wield various spells and curses, and they can even summon other monsters to act as their eyes and ears, along with having dedicated followers."
"Dealing with them might be quite challenging."
Despite Wayne's warning, George displayed no fear. "As Witchers," he declared resolutely, "we are not daunted by difficulty or danger. If they are indeed evil, I will spare no effort to track them down, eliminate them, and protect the people of this land."
Despite his reservations about such unconditional selflessness, Wayne couldn't help but offer a silent thumbs up. It warmed his heart to know such good people still existed in the world.
Borch finally managed to free the young dragon. He gently pulled the creature from the muck, speaking to her in soothing tones of the Dragon Tongue while conveying the tragic news of her father's demise. The young one, though grieving, was still too young to fully grasp the concept of loss. After much persuasion from Borch, the two dragons finally reached an agreement. He informed Wayne that he would adopt the young female dragon, named Celia, and take her to Zerrikania to be raised by him and his mate.
With such a young dragon in tow, it would be difficult for Borch to continue adventuring with Wayne. So, after expressing his gratitude to Wayne, Borch bid his farewells. He also generously declared the remains of the male green dragon to be Wayne and George's spoils.
After the two humans and the two dragons emerged from the giant's lair, they found a clean water source and washed away the grime. Under Wayne and George's watchful gaze, the golden dragon Borch, cradling the young Celia in his claws, spread his wings and vanished into the azure expanse. As they were left standing there, the two Witchers couldn't help but feel a newfound joy mixed with a touch of melancholy upon seeing the colossal green dragon carcass.
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