[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-hogwarts-john-wick":3,"chapter-hogwarts-john-wick-hogwarts-john-wick-chapter-404":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Hogwarts’ John Wick",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1646188,2109,"Chapter 404 404: 404: A Duel & Respect","hogwarts-john-wick-chapter-404",404,"\u003Cp>In the great hall of Kaer Morhen, more than twenty witchers sat drinking and sharing stories of their travels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The candlelight brought warmth and brightness to the otherwise cold and empty hall, and their presence made it feel like a home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A lively scene,\" John murmured as he watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the last to arrive—the white-haired witcher—embrace each of the others in turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, they were like a family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of them were outcasts, branded as monsters by the world. Only when they gathered together could they show the emotions that lay beneath the rumors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaning on the 1st-floor railing, John thought back on the days he'd spent here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll probably end up missing my sixth year,\" he muttered to himself. Assuming time flowed the same here as in his original world, he was probably considered a missing person by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yadani,\" Vesemir said as he came to stand beside John, patting him on the shoulder, \"come with me. I'll introduce you to the others.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment John had entered Kaer Morhen, Vesemir had treated him as one of his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Vesemir down the stairs, John noticed the respect in the witchers' eyes as they looked at their mentor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when their gazes shifted to John, curiosity and a trace of wariness replaced it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raising his silver goblet, Vesemir looked over the gathered witchers with quiet emotion. \"A toast—to your safe return home.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witchers raised their cups and drank together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To surviving another winter,\" one witcher said, raising his cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To being alive, still able to draw breath.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To our brothers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One after another, the witchers voiced their own heartfelt toasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the last of them had spoken, Vesemir lifted his cup in one hand and rested the other on John's shoulder. \"Let me introduce someone new to you. He is—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Black hair. And that sword.\" A tall witcher fixed his eyes on John's appearance and said each word slowly and with weight, \"The Black Witcher. Yadani.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems my name has reached your ears,\" John said with a small, easy smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mood in the hall, however, was no longer the warm camaraderie of a family meal. The witchers' gazes on John were wary, assessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You destroyed a city,\" the tall witcher said, his eyes flashing with a predatory glint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lambert,\" a dark-skinned witcher beside him murmured, a warning in his tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lambert only sneered and went on sharply, \"That wasn't all he did. The Black Witcher.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vesemir stayed silent, watching to see how John would handle it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired witcher finally spoke. \"Calm down, Lambert.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Calm down? Geralt, would you raze a city the way he did?\" Lambert shot back, as quick to ignite as a powder keg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geralt covered his face with one hand and let out a weary sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lambert shot John a cold snort. \"He only knows how to scare ordinary people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You think so?\" John let out a hoarse chuckle. He stepped toward Lambert, stopping right in front of him, and said softly, \"If you've got a problem with me, don't yap like an old crone—use your weapon and say it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gladly!\" Lambert snapped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes, fists—or blades—settled arguments better than words ever could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geralt put a hand on Lambert's shoulder, but Lambert shrugged it off, bristling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dark-skinned witcher, Coën, shook his head with a helpless sigh. \"You know how it is. That's what they call being young and hot-headed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lambert was the second-youngest among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yadani,\" Vesemir called out just as John was heading out. \"Don't go killing Lambert.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Relax, Vesemir,\" John said lightly, almost amused. \"I don't kill people without a reason.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their exchange drew strange looks from the witchers in the hall. Lambert might be young, but his strength was nothing to scoff at.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from a handful of the veterans, few among them would claim they could take Lambert in a straight fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John strode out of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group made their way to the same training ground where John had sparred with Vesemir before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lambert drew his sword and beckoned with a sharp gesture. \"Show me what you've got, Black Witcher.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John lazily unsheathed his own blade, his unhurried, almost indifferent manner clearly irritating Lambert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to admit—John had managed to get under his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment John's blade cleared its scabbard, Lambert lunged at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every witcher present turned their eyes to the fight. Geralt stepped up beside Vesemir and asked quietly, \"You trust him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geralt's gaze stayed on the two men squaring off, and he added, \"I can tell he's young. Truly young.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He's not a bad one,\" Vesemir replied, arms crossed, his tone casual. \"I met him in the Blue Mountains. He was in the middle of a fight with a griffin—and he killed it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A griffin?\" Geralt's brow furrowed. \"I haven't seen one of those in the Blue Mountains for a long time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's not a good sign. The world is changing, White Wolf,\" Vesemir said gravely. \"This boy is part of that change.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh Clanc!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clash on the field had already begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the watching crowd, Lambert closed in on John, his sword slicing through the snowflakes as he struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John moved at the same time, choosing not to use magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to test his swordsmanship against that of the witchers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their blades met with a sharp clang, sparks flashing where steel struck steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver gleam of their blades shone bright against the snow. Each of Lambert's strikes landed with heavy force, scattering the snow around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John's sword was no less sharp. After a dozen or so exchanges, he had a solid grasp of Lambert's skill level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A swordsman at Level 5, nearing Level 6.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Lambert thought he could defeat John relying on swordsmanship alone, he was only fooling himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having sized him up, John seized the opening as Lambert swung wide. With a precise flick of his blade, he knocked Lambert's sword aside, then closed the distance in two quick strides and leapt forward, driving his knee hard into Lambert's chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The taller witcher staggered back several steps before dropping to one knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John spun his sword in a smooth arc, the edge cutting through the cold air before coming to rest lightly against Lambert's neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where Lambert had once looked down on him, he now had to tilt his head up. John, calm and composed, stood over him like a king bestowing judgment. \"So?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lambert's face flushed from blue to purple, but at last he muttered through clenched teeth, \"I lost.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could have used a Sign to keep fighting—but he didn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because deep down, he knew his Signs couldn't bring down a city wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John raised an eyebrow and casually tossed his silver sword into the air before catching it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning to the gathered witchers, he spread his arms in a relaxed gesture. \"Anyone else want to step up and find justice for Balvic?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witchers exchanged uneasy glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geralt let out a low sigh. \"I believe it now. He really did kill that griffin by himself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vesemir chuckled and teased, \"You should've seen that griffin's head. It's still kept inside.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver sword that had been tossed into the air reached the peak of its arc and began to fall—straight toward where John was standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kohen, sharp-eyed, spotted it first and shouted, \"Move!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword plummeted at great speed, its sharp edge more than capable of piercing straight through a body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John merely shifted his waist slightly, and just before the blade could impale him, the silver gleam slid cleanly into the scabbard on his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geralt's pupils narrowed. That took nerve—along with impeccable control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever the strong went, their strength earned them the right to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John was soon accepted—Lambert was the first to acknowledge him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That winter, he received special training from Vesemir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Vesemir's surprise, John's knowledge of alchemy was astonishing—enough to leave even an old witcher like him in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When not training, John spent most of his time buried in the laboratory—once the very place where witchers had been created.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the relics of Kaer Morhen were old notebooks left behind by long-dead mages. Those became John's most frequent reading material.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ancient script forced him to brush the dust off his long-neglected knowledge of runes, and bit by bit his skill in reading them improved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alongside it, so did his grasp of alchemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once-gray symbols on his notes slowly began to gain color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John absorbed knowledge like a parched sponge soaking up every last drop of water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Vesemir sighed that it wouldn't be long before he had nothing more to teach the boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This youngster was unreasonable—his swordsmanship improved with every sparring session.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Vesemir could suppress him within twenty moves. Then it took fifty. Eventually, it took a hundred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Kaer Morhen, the two witchers John got along with best were Geralt and Eskel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially Geralt—who had always thought himself the hardest-working of them all—until he met someone even more relentless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For days on end, Geralt served as John's sparring partner. After eight hours of practice one day, he had barely managed two hours of rest before a bright-eyed, energetic John dragged him back up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, John was no longer called the Black Witcher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had earned a new name: the Devil, the Devil of the Night—Night Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost theatrically, that title began to spread among the witchers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At night, one could often glimpse that ghostlike figure flitting through the halls and courtyards of the castle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus the winter passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, the witchers departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John had just about wrung every last drop of knowledge he could from Vesemir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I suppose I can't keep you here any longer,\" Vesemir said, patting John's arm with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can't demand too much of you, but as a witcher, I hope you'll go out there and slay more monsters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clasped a silver wolf's-head medallion around John's neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John was now formally a witcher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A white glow seeped from the medallion and merged into his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sixth rune on the blade lit up, and the seventh began to flicker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John understood—it was urging him onward to face a new trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a small ring from his satchel and tossed it to Vesemir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As thanks for everything these past weeks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vesemir caught the ring, while John mounted his horse and rode away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>o(*￣▽￣*)ブSupport and Read 12 Chapters ahead: Patreon\u002FDragonel\u003C\u002Fp>",1748,"2026-06-06T11:45:53.362Z",1,"novelbin.me","8988c10d53ec1afba73be8e38c4cc84dd1ddff55079ff3f3c1f0b739ecd3776c","hogwarts-john-wick-chapter-405","hogwarts-john-wick-chapter-403",577,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhogwarts-john-wick-cover.jpg"]