The Witcher: Grinding Proficiency Starting with the Witcher

"A demon hunter commission?"

Ashleigh smirked, a tug at the scar on her right cheek. "Daniel, Ete, watch closely."

"A mere petrified chicken-snake is no match for the silver swords in my and Li Wei's hands."

"Ashel!"

Daniel's expression instantly turned serious. "The petrified chicken snake is not something that can be easily defeated like a water ghost! If you let your guard down even slightly, it will put you in a deadly situation."

Ashel turned his head and looked at Li Wei with his cat-like eyes.

Li Wei frowned and gave a wry smile.

"The petrified chicken-snake is a hybrid beast, which can also be considered a branch of the wyvern. Even experienced witchers would find it troublesome to deal with. Uncle Daniel, are you sure it's just Asher and me going to hunt it?"

To be honest, right now we don't have enough confidence to fight any other monsters except for water ghosts.

"Don't worry too much about that," Daniel explained. "From what Aite and I observed, that petrified chicken snake must have lost a fight during mating season and was badly injured. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been able to catch enough prey for winter for so long. It's a good opportunity for you to practice."

"Furthermore, Aite and I will be there to guide you and cover for you at all times."

Hearing this, Li Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

If you get injured, then you have a chance.

Ashel nudged Levi's arm with his shoulder.

Li Wei straightened up and said in a deep voice, "Alright, we'll take on this mission."

Ashel smiled.

Daniel and Et exchanged a glance after hearing Levi's words, and the former nodded in satisfaction.

"Then hurry up and get ready, and try to get back to the castle before dark."

……

The giant gate of the Witcher's Castle.

Li Wei, clad in thick leather armor, carrying two swords and a longbow on his back, and leading a black mare by the hand, strode heavily to this spot.

A whistle came from overhead.

Li Wei looked up and saw Brand waving at him from the city wall.

He nodded in response.

The gaze then fell upon the assembly tent ahead, where two brown horses were tethered to wooden stakes at the entrance, and Aite and Ash were already standing to the side fully armed.

"Ready?"

Aite asked with a smile.

Li Wei turned to the side, revealing the quiver at his waist.

The wooden arrows used for training have all been replaced with silver arrowheads used for bleeding.

Ai nodded.

"Hiss!"

A rapid, heavy thud of hooves approached.

Daniel wore studded leather armor, carried two swords on his back, and rode an exceptionally swift warhorse.

The warhorse was taller than Li Wei standing upright, with bulging muscles and a dense, smooth, silvery-gray mane.

Its four hooves pounded incessantly, and its scalding breath turned into white smoke, shooting out from its bull-shaped metal mask.

With Daniel's strong physique, he looked like a moving mammoth.

Mountain steeds are among the most beloved mounts for knights, and naturally, they come with a hefty price tag.

Li Wei looked at the black horse beside him again, and compared to Daniel's mount, it was like the difference between an adult and a baby.

Daniel opened the leather pouches on either side of the saddle, took out two oil jugs, and tossed them into the arms of the two men.

"This is dragon beast oil. It's extremely effective against petrified chicken snakes, and it's also very precious. Use it sparingly."

Aite then took a sealed wooden box from the tent and opened it.

The box was lined with fluffy licorice, and eight bluish-gray round objects were neatly arranged on top of it.

"Four honeycomb bombs each."

Equipment distribution was completed before the battle.

"Set off!"

Daniel gave a soft shout.

Brand on the city wall immediately pulled the lever, and the huge silver gate slowly rose.

Li Wei nimbly stepped into the stirrups, tightened the reins, and followed the main force out of the gate.

……

"Shh...shh..."

The sound of spiked boots breaking through the snow echoed through the forest.

Li Wei and Ashel led the horses ahead, their breaths constantly exhaling white steam.

Daniel and Ete followed behind.

They wouldn't make a move, or even offer a warning, until they saw the petrified chicken-snake.

"Plague reigns supreme!"

Ashel frowned, his cat-like eyes scanning his surroundings warily.

"There's snow everywhere. Are there really petrified chicken snakes? I can't even see a squirrel."

Li Wei looked around and saw nothing but towering pine trees.

Winter has arrived.

After trekking through the snow for another half hour, Li Wei noticed out of the corner of his eye that the snow on the right side of a pine tree not far away had clearly lessened, revealing the dark green pine needles.

He focused his gaze slightly and could see many broken branches beneath the snow.

"Ashel, look over there."

Upon hearing this, Ashel looked in the direction Li Wei was pointing, and his cat-like eyes immediately lit up with excitement.

"Let's go take a look."

The two men, leading their horses, quickened their pace.

Before they even reached the pine tree, they saw a circular open space.

The snow on the ground was compacted and mixed with mud, giving it a dirty color.

Ashel's nose twitched involuntarily, as if trying to distinguish some scent.

He rushed to the center of the open space, with Li Wei close behind.

My gaze swept across the ground, where a row of huge four-toed claw prints were clearly imprinted on the snow.

Li Wei raised his palm to compare, and the claw mark was a size larger than his palm.

Asher crouched down and beckoned to Li Wei, urging him to come over quickly.

A lump of monster dung melted the surrounding snow and pressed it firmly onto the low bushes.

"Such a huge pile of feces, and these footprints, it's definitely a petrified chicken snake!"

As Ashel spoke, he reached out, picked up a bit, and brought it to his nose to smell it.

"It's still a little warm; it just left not long ago."

After smelling it, he immediately frowned, hurriedly threw away the filth on his hands, and vigorously wiped them in the snow.

Li Wei subtly took a step back.

"Ashel, can you track it by its scent?"

Now he understands that the sensory enhancements from his mutation are still weaker than those of a normal Witcher.

Ashel frowned slightly, as if savoring the taste from just now.

"It's nearby, come with me."

The two men led their horses through a grove of trees.

Suddenly, Ashel raised his right hand into a fist and abruptly lowered his body.

Li Wei followed behind him and quickly squatted down as well.

Ashel raised his chin, gesturing to a huge rock face about forty meters ahead.

Beneath the rock lies a dark cave, with two rows of intricate claw marks around its entrance.

Daniel and Ete walked up silently, the former glancing up at the sun that had risen directly overhead.

"It took about two hours to track them down here, so I guess that's a passing grade. Come on over."

The four people stood in a circle.

"Before we begin the hunt, I'd like to reiterate the division of labor and key points."

Daniel glanced around at everyone.

"This hunt will be led by Levi and Ashel, with Aite and I assisting from the sidelines. We will only intervene if you encounter danger."

"The petrified chicken snake's weaknesses are its eyes on its head and the gizzard on its abdomen."

"Not only can it fly, but its eyesight is also far superior to that of ordinary monsters."

"Once it targets you, be especially careful of its sharp claws and beak. It will precisely tear open the weakest parts of your body, such as your chest and head."

"Furthermore, the wounds it causes often lead to severe bleeding, and only swallow medicine can quickly stop the bleeding."

"Check everything again. Did you bring all the medication?"