Chapter 9

Inside the tree ring.

The witch let out a faint sigh, seemingly filled with a sense of powerlessness, and said softly, "I am not necessarily a match for a witch hunter either."

"They are very familiar with us."

"They know everything about us, and they know our weaknesses."

The forest nymph raised her head, her voice mournful: "My lady is so powerful, dealing with that witch hunter should not be difficult."

"Do you really intend to sit by and watch us perish here?"

The witch showed a trace of reluctance, sighing softly: "Even if I kill that witch hunter, what then?"

"There will still be new missionaries, and more witch hunters will come here."

Having said this, the witch's sorrowfully beautiful face looked toward the direction of the church, gazing at the cross in the darkness, and she murmured, "The era that belonged to us has already ended..."

This powerful witch also felt a deep sense of powerlessness in the face of the era's drastic changes.

It was a great mountain.

Pressing down so hard that all those with supernatural powers could barely breathe.

Hearing the witch's words, the forest nymph also revealed a trace of despair. Like a withering flower, she rose dejectedly, bowed, and took her leave, as if prepared to accept the fate of death.

"Wait."

The witch suddenly called out to the forest nymph, who was about to vanish into the shadows of the oak tree. Her expression was hesitant, and after a moment of thought, she said, "I am currently pursuing a clue to a prophecy."

"If I succeed."

"I can take you away from here to settle in a peaceful land far from the continent."

The forest nymph's face was sorrowful, and she murmured, "The gods have been abandoned."

"What use is a prophecy?"

The witch was speechless for a moment. The future she foresaw was an endless inferno, countless of her kind wailing miserably amidst the flames, and burning crosses representing the ruthless judgment against them.

Heretics!

That was a tragic fate lasting nearly a thousand years; that was the Middle Ages, known as the 'Dark Ages.'

The darkness had already arrived.

The Middle Ages were about to descend!

She had to grasp the final glimmer of light in fate, for it represented their only remaining hope.

The witch said solemnly, "The prophecy tells me that the Church will initiate a judgment against 'heretics' lasting nearly a thousand years; the dark Middle Ages are coming soon."

"The Child of Destiny who will change everything has also descended."

"He may influence the future of the world, and in one of the trajectories of fate, he has pointed out the direction forward for us."

"On the other side of the distant ocean, there is a cold land."

"There, we can stay away from the secular world, avoid strife, and quietly wait for the light of enlightenment of the new era a thousand years later."

The forest nymph stopped in astonishment, her expression half-believing and half-doubting.

The witch said calmly, "I can cast a barrier over your habitat; this might be able to deceive that witch hunter."

The forest nymph showed a trace of joy and was just about to express her gratitude when she suddenly let out a sharp shriek.

——"Witch hunter!"

In the darkness, at the edge of the tree ring illuminated by moonlight, a figure wearing a gray hooded cloak slowly stepped out. The chainmail on his body reflected a faint light; he wore gray arm guards and black gauntlets. His hand gripped the hilt of the sword on his back, and a pair of cold eyes seemed devoid of emotion, with amber pupils that appeared as vertical, dragon-like slits.

The atmosphere seemed to freeze instantly.

The witch's expression was incomparably solemn, as if this monster hunter posed a great threat to her, while the forest nymph's face was filled with terror; in the last hundred years, she did not know how many of her kind had died at the hands of witch hunters.

There was a slight rustle in the forest.

Someone else?

The witch and the monster hunter looked surprised. In the darkness, under the moonlight, a handsome, gaunt side profile emerged. A tall, upright figure stepped out of the woods, drawing a Northern battle bow to a full moon, the cold arrow aimed at the monster hunter ahead.

Deng Ken emerged from the darkness expressionless. He did not walk toward the witch not far away, but stood still, his back to the witch, watching the monster hunter with a cold expression.

"It's you!" The witch's face lit up with surprise, and her expression eased slightly.

Three figures stood in a standoff. The monster hunter's expression was also incomparably solemn; he had thought he was tracking the witch, never expecting that after following for so long, it was someone else.

Child of Destiny?

Is it me?

A cold land on the other side of the distant ocean?

It shouldn't be Great Britain.

Bingdao?

Bingdao seems to have only started having colonists in the ninth century. If it's on the other side of the ocean, it should be Bingdao.

Is the divination magic of this world this powerful?

The monster hunter glanced at the witch, then at Deng Ken, completely ignoring the forest nymph in the shadow of the corner, as if he didn't care about her strength at all. He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse: "Raven Queen - Triss."

The witch stared into the other's vertical dragon eyes and said softly, "Dragon Slayer - Saint George."

Wait?!

Saint George slaying the dragon?

Deng Ken's expression became incomparably solemn instantly. He had not expected that the monster hunter would actually be a legendary figure.

No.

It is currently around 450 AD; many legendary figures probably haven't been born yet. If the time were a bit earlier, it would be an era where mythical figures were everywhere; after all, that was a time when humans and gods lived together.

If time were advanced by about five hundred years, one might even run into Jesus walking the earth.

In the shadows, the monster hunter said calmly, "I go by George Paul now."

"A wandering monster hunter."

The witch, Raven Queen Triss, looked quite puzzled. She said softly, "I am Triss Hathaway now, a reclusive forest witch."

Deng Ken interjected inappropriately at this moment: "Deng Ken, a farmer from Bran Village on the imperial border."

"No surname."

At a moment like this, which might be recorded in historical legends, he had to check in and force an interjection no matter what.

Just interjecting was enough.

Deng Ken's sudden interjection undoubtedly caused both of them to fall silent for a moment.

Finally, it was the monster hunter who first lowered his hand from the sword hilt. He stared at the witch opposite and said calmly, "I no longer serve the Inquisition for Heresy."

"A portion of the witch hunters have broken away from the Inquisition."

"We are monster hunters who freely serve the Lord, clearing away the threat of monsters for humanity."

This monster hunter held a very high status in the Church; he possessed the power to judge other archbishops (metropolitans) directly in the name of faith.

Under God's-eye view.

The monster hunter's marker changed back to the neutral yellow; his marker had never been the obviously hostile red.

Judging by his intent, the monster hunter he claimed to be was different from the Church's witch hunters. He did not belong to the Inquisition and had no intention of interfering in the disputes of heretics; he was more dedicated to resolving monsters that threatened ordinary people. They were likely various strange monsters that had survived from the ancient mythological era; after all, the other party might be the only dragon slayer in the world.

The witch's expression was half-believing and half-doubting.

The monster hunter didn't care. His gaze swept over the shivering forest nymph in the tree shadows, and he turned to leave the woods.

He had found Raven Queen Triss just to state his position.

From today on, he and his followers would have no connection with the Inquisition for Heresy. They would be independent of the Church, focusing on dealing with those evil creatures that truly threatened mortals.

The Monster Hunter Brotherhood.

Since the promulgation of the 'Edict of Milan,' the Church was no longer the Church in his eyes.

Power.

The Church's power was expanding rapidly; they had even proposed the concept of the 'Papal States.'

Deng Ken watched the monster hunter depart.

The witch beside him made no move, and he also lowered the Northern battle bow in his hand. After all, that departing figure was a true monster hunter, famous for slaying a dragon in the name of a saint; he might be the founding ancestor of monster hunters in this world in the future.

A breeze blew by.

The forest nymph had already quietly disappeared. Raven Queen Triss stared at Deng Ken before her and said softly, "You already knew?"

Deng Ken nodded slightly: "Yes."

Raven Queen Triss's expression was slightly puzzled: "Since when?"

Deng Ken thought for a moment and said, "When I was fighting the barbarian remnants, I could feel an arrow shot at me, but it suddenly veered off."

"Later, when I fought the scouts, I could be completely certain."

Raven Queen Triss showed an 'I see' expression. She said softly, "Your spirituality is very strong; you have the instincts of a warrior."

Deng Ken put the arrow back into the quiver and said calmly, "You suddenly asked me about Bran Village on the road."

"I thought of the stories the elders in the village told me when I was young. Legend has it that on the other side of the mountains, in the deepest part of the dense forest, there is a treehouse where a forest fairy lives. She once healed a wounded, lost hunter and led him out of that primeval forest."

The witch's gaze flickered slightly. She stared at Deng Ken before her and said slowly, "Is that why you helped me?"

Deng Ken nodded.

The two walked toward the outside of the forest. The witch put her mask back on and suddenly asked, "How much did you hear?"

Under God's-eye view.

The target was still a blue-marked unit. Deng Ken said calmly, "I heard almost all of it."

The witch remained silent. After a moment, she said, "Do not tell anyone else."

Deng Ken nodded.

As they walked out of the woods, Raven Queen Triss stared at Deng Ken's back. This man's five senses were extremely sharp, far exceeding the range of ordinary people, and his combat skills improved rapidly. It was only the effort of one battle, and he was already proficient in horseback riding and mounted archery. This talent made even her feel amazed, and she couldn't help but think of the human heroes of the mythological era.

Raven Queen Triss seemed somewhat hesitant, and she finally spoke: "What are your plans for the future?"

Deng Ken stood at the entrance of the inn, thought for a moment, and said, "I don't know."

"Take it one step at a time."

"In this world, I should first figure out a way to gain a foothold."

The witch's expression showed some movement. She said softly, "Would you like to come with me to Britannia first?"

Deng Ken's expression seemed to be in thought.

He said in a deep voice, "What to do on the island of Britain?"

Raven Queen Triss said slowly, "To visit another wizard."

Huh?

Another wizard? The island of Britain?

Deng Ken seemed to have thought of something and asked, "Who?"

Raven Queen Triss said with quite a respectful expression, "Merlin. One of the most powerful wizards in the world today!"

Merlin?!

I have indeed descended into an era close to the end of the mythological age.

What about King Arthur?

He seems to be a figure from around 500 AD. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the barbarian crisis spread to the England region. During this period, one of the branches of the Germanic peoples, the Saxons, invaded on a large scale; they are the main population composition of modern Britain.

King Arthur was a Celt, and the representative peoples are the Irish, Scots, and Welsh. In ancient British mythology, King Arthur repeatedly repelled the Saxon invasion with Merlin's help.

But in the end, the Saxons still conquered and ruled the island of Britain.

At this moment, I don't know if King Arthur has been born, but Merlin should already be active and possess a resounding reputation in the world of supernatural powers.

In legend.

Merlin is a Cambion (half-human, half-demon), born from the union of an Incubus and a mortal woman. The demonic bloodline allowed Merlin to inherit supernatural powers and wisdom that surpassed mortals. 【Note: The prototype of the succubus, a nightmare nymph who seduces men and makes them submit to her will, is widely known, while the male succubus is an Incubus, a demon that likes to prey on women and longs to breed Cambions who are half-human and half-demon.】

Seeing Deng Ken seemed moved, Raven Queen Triss immediately said, "I can give you a large sum of money."

Deng Ken's expression was hesitant: "I will consider it."

Raven Queen Triss did not force him. In order to pursue the trajectory of fate in the prophecy, she was determined to travel across the entire continent to find the Child of Destiny, avoiding the tragic fate of her kind in the next thousand years.

For this great ideal, she was willing to pay anything, even if it meant sacrificing herself.

She needed to find that peaceful land that could shelter witches and other innocent people with supernatural powers in the dark future era; only then could their heritage welcome the glimmer of the Age of Enlightenment a thousand years later.

The witch was, after all, also flesh and blood.

Although Raven Queen Triss was very powerful, traveling the continent alone was still very inconvenient. Deng Ken's strength was obvious to all; in many cases, swords were easier to solve problems with than witchcraft.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, before Deng Ken had decided how to answer the witch, his door was knocked upon.

Outside the door was the injured guard leader, with another person supporting him.

This guard leader was named Catus, who was actually a private armed force raised by imperial nobles, existing in the form of a caravan guard, and incidentally protecting his own interests in the chamber of commerce trade.

Catus's face was pale. He sat down with the support of the other person and looked at Deng Ken with a sincere expression: "Lord Deng Ken."

"I wonder what your plans are for the future?"

Deng Ken's expression was slightly strange, and he said softly, "I haven't decided yet."

Catus glanced at him and struck while the iron was hot: "The Empire has become increasingly turbulent in recent years, with frequent barbarian invasions, and the Asia region is also in jeopardy."

"There are constant factional disputes within the Empire, and the barbarians are becoming increasingly powerful in the military!"

"Has Lord Deng Ken ever thought about making a name for yourself in these chaotic times?"

As soon as the other party spoke, Deng Ken knew what he was going to do.

It's just that he didn't know which great noble he worked for, whether it was an old-school imperial noble or a newly promoted barbarian dignitary. One must know that the assimilated 'tame barbarians' of the Empire also viewed other tribal peoples as barbarians, and even the barbarians assimilated by the early Empire despised the batch of barbarians accepted by Constantine I.

The contempt chain of the barbarians iterated layer by layer.

Not joking at all.

The orthodoxy of the Empire really lay with the barbarians.

If Deng Ken had been a 'Romanophile' in his previous life, he might have agreed, but at this moment, he had indeed not considered standing on the side of the Empire; after all, he hadn't seen the Empire do a few decent things along the way.

The Empire is collapsing.

With his ability, forcing himself to turn the tide would probably be tough, but the name 'Augustus,' the Emperor of the Empire, indeed had enough attraction.

Just like it is hard for Easterners to understand the attraction of the One Ring, but if you were to engrave 'Received from Heaven, May You Live Forever and Prosper' on the One Ring, they would understand instantly.

Deng Ken pondered: "I will consider it."

Traveling with Raven Queen Triss undoubtedly meant coming into contact with the supernatural world here, while choosing the mercenary Catus was the path of a mortal making a name for himself. Most of his energy in the future would probably have to be prepared to welcome the coming turbulent times; after all, the collapse of the Empire marked the official beginning of the Middle Ages.

Want longevity, magic, and a beautiful witch? Or want the name of Augustus?

The era of mortals has begun.

The final myth is also about to come to an end, and supernatural power is destined to hide in the darkness.

Deng Ken sent the other party away.

He fell into deep thought, and after a long time without an answer, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and decided to enter meditation, preparing to see the causality settlement of the God's-eye view.

Now he should have reached a certain turning point of fate, and the causality of the dimensional space would surely change.

………………