The Witcher World: The Path to Domination Begins in Velen

Chapter 122 Kael'thas and Bloodaxe Uvien (4000 words)

The mudflats of the Marlin Coast gleamed greyish-white in the sunlight. Ron and Geralt had just descended the mountain path when they spotted Harma circling around a young regular soldier in the distance.

The soldier stood ramrod straight, but his eyes betrayed a deep sense of helplessness. Halma, however, was completely oblivious, occasionally reaching out to pat the soldier's armor plates and examining the seams of the chainmail, all the while asking questions incessantly.

"Are all your soldiers equipped with this kind of full-body lamellar armor?"

"There's even a layer of long chainmail underneath?"

"Is the bottom layer of armor for cushioning blunt force trauma?"

"Do you sell these armor sets to the public?"

"You call this weapon the Karad Staff? Why is it called the Karad Staff?"

The young soldier's mouth opened and closed, seemingly stunned by a barrage of questions. Just then, he caught sight of Ron approaching, and a look of relief instantly appeared on his face. He quickly ran to Ron, clenched his right fist, and saluted.

"My lord! The Giant Whale is ready and can set sail at any time!"

Ron noticed the lingering embarrassment on the soldier's face, smiled, and waved him back to the ship to make final preparations.

"Halma, what are you doing? You've scared my soldiers so much they're afraid to come near you," Ron teased as he walked up.

Halma grinned, hands on his hips, his red beard swaying in the wind.

"Ron, don't mind me, but I'm really envious of your soldiers' equipment! I'm thinking, if I could bring a bunch of Skellige warriors wearing that kind of gear, I'd dare to raid even the golden tower city of Nilfgaard!"

"Don't worry, there will be opportunities. As I said, I'm here to do business. I have hundreds of sets of this level of equipment in my ship's hold. As long as the trade contract is signed smoothly, I can provide you with armor and weapons on a regular basis."

Halma's eyes lit up, and she put her hand on Ron's shoulder. "That's settled then. Don't worry, even if my father disagrees, I'll definitely renegotiate the trade agreement with you once I ascend the throne."

His gaze swept behind Ron. "Is this Geralt of Rivia next to you? Uh...why is there a troll too?"

""

The troll puffed out his chest and declared in a gruff voice, "I'm the boss's lackey, my name is Hart!"

"Yes, this is Hart, and this is Geralt, my friend," Ron introduced. "You know him?"

Geralt turned his head and asked curiously, "This should be our first meeting. How do you know me?"

Harma looked at Geralt. "Of course I know you! Our bards sang songs about you. When I was little, my father often told me stories of your adventures. I remember them clearly. Even if you're not a witcher, you can still be a hero. The cold seawater, the salty sea breeze—those are the potions of the young people of Skellige!"

Floren, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed, his face full of surprise. "That ballad about witchers and sorceresses, is it about you?"

'

Geralt gave a helpless twitch of his lips and replied, "Halmar, your father sent me to find you. I just came from Kairis's place. It seems your challenge has been resolved. I didn't expect you to run into Ron."

Upon hearing the name Kairis, Floren frowned. "Kairis? How is she? Did she go to Spirug Island by herself?"

"Yes," Geralt replied briefly, "but I found her, and together we resolved the matter of Lord Udarik."

.

Floren turned to Halma, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger.

"Halma! Kerris went to Spirug Island on her own, but you couldn't sit still and had to sneak out, as if you were afraid someone else would kill the Titan first! What if something happens to Kerris?"

Halma scratched the back of his head. "Karis? So she also wants to compete for the throne?"

Floren glared at him, raising her voice, "Is that the point? She's your sister!!"

Halma's smile faded, and she became more serious. "It's precisely because she's my sister that I know her abilities. She'll be fine; that little challenge won't faze her. Of course, I won't give her the throne. At worst, we'll each prove ourselves."

Ron looked at Geralt with great interest. "Wow, siblings competing for the throne, I bet your friend Kratz must be having a real headache right now."

"Anyone would have a headache in this situation," Geralt sighed. "His son and daughter are both outstanding, and each has their own supporters. Kratz is truly caught in a dilemma..."

"Alright, let's get on the ship first and talk about these things," Ron gestured with his chin, indicating that everyone should board the ship.

The Whale slowly sailed away from the shallows, and the outline of Udvik Island gradually shrank in the field of vision. The troll Hart had just followed the team onto the deck when he was so frightened by the undulating sea that his legs went weak. Ron couldn't bear to watch him like that, so he sent him to the lower cargo hold to guard the cargo.

A gentle sea breeze blew as Ron leaned against the railing at the bow of the ship, flipping through a thick book in his hand. This was one of the luggage Erwin had prepared for him, titled "The Lonely World Guide to the Great Skellige Isle," supposedly an essential travelogue for anyone traveling to the archipelago.

"What time of year is best to visit Big Skellige? It's good all year round. Who should travel there? Anyone who loves adventure, seeks out wonders and beautiful scenery, or appreciates charming villages."

Great Skellige Island possesses all these advantages. It is the most densely populated island in the archipelago, but that doesn't mean it lacks pristine jungle and stunning landscapes. Particularly worth visiting are the villages of Lanvig, Alimpion, and Heimstan, one of the archipelago's most important ports.

Those fortunate enough to sail to Alimpion will surely notice the magnificent lighthouse guarding the harbor, built on the orders of the famous Lord Sjudal, and one of the island's most beautiful sights.

However, the most spectacular view on Great Skellige is undoubtedly Kael'thas Fortress, a fortress sculpted from a high mountain overlooking the bay, where the powerful Clayth family resided.

Legend has it that the mysterious Skellige hero and the elder of the Clayth family, Grimgar, dug the fortress out of their bare hands.

""

Ron closed the book, his gaze falling on the calm sea, a sense of anticipation growing as he looked forward to the journey ahead. Just then, Halma and Floren walked over side by side.

"Ron, we need to pass through Kael'thas Castle before we can reach Kael'dra Port. We need to be careful on this voyage," Floren reminded him solemnly.

"Kel'Ahu? What's that place?" Ron asked.

Fren leaned against the railing and pointed to the distant sea. "Kael'Ahu was originally built as the palace of the High King. However, since successive kings preferred to stay in their own family territories, the fortress was left idle for a long time after its completion and was never used as a royal palace. Later, people decided to convert it into a prison. Of course, it is now a dilapidated ruin. But recently, this island was occupied by a group of pirates. This group is exceptionally powerful and very dangerous, especially their leader, nicknamed Blood Axe. It is said that when he first occupied this sea area, he only had seven or eight men under his command, yet he dared to rob Nilfgaardian warships."

Looking at Ron's expression, Forren paused for a moment. "When you hear this, do you think he's gone mad? But what happened next surprised everyone. He led seven or eight men and slaughtered all the Nilfgaardians on the warship. That was at least fifty or sixty regular Nilfgaard soldiers!"

Since then, his reputation has spread throughout the archipelago, and many fierce pirates have chosen to join him. Now he has two Nilfgaardian warships converted into pirate ships, and he has gathered hundreds of pirates under his command. However, they don't raid ships from the archipelago itself; their main targets are Nilfgaardians, since they still need to resupply at Grand Skellige. But your ship is clearly not of the archipelago style...

'

Halma chimed in, "I've heard of this guy. He doesn't seem to be a Skellige, but he's exceptionally knowledgeable about naval warfare. The Madman Lugo, the leader of the Drummond family, once tried to recruit him, but he refused. Given Lugo's temperament, this situation would definitely have resulted in bloodshed, but for some reason, Lugo's men quietly left Kel'Ahu and never bothered them again. I'm quite interested in them and have always wanted to meet their leader."

Geralt raised an eyebrow. "Halma, you want to recruit them too?"

"Ha, of course!" Halma turned around, making no attempt to hide her admiration.

"It's rare to see guys who can go toe-to-toe with the Nilfgaardian navy. I'm not saying my brothers aren't good enough; they certainly have enough courage, but courage and combat power are not the same thing."

Floren exaggeratedly covered his forehead. "Wow, my God, by the goddess Freya! It's unbelievable that Halma can say something so humble."

Halma glared at him. "Florence, what kind of image do I have in your heart?"

Florian chuckled twice. "Hehe, for the sake of our brotherhood, I suggest you stay out of it."

"Enemy attack! Port direction!"

The lookout on the Giant Whale sounded the alarm, the urgent whistle tearing apart the calm of the sea.

The regular army soldiers quickly assembled, with gunners and shield bearers forming ranks on both sides of the ship's side, and crossbowmen rapidly cocking their weapons and aiming, their eyes peering through the gaps between the shields to lock onto the distant sea.

Ron looked toward the port side and saw two ships on the distant sea. The ships had a distinct Nilfgaardian style, but they had been completely modified.

The original Nilfgaardian sun emblem was erased, and the black hull was covered with dark blue and pure white patterns. A flag with a double-headed serpent and sword and shield emblem was hung on the mast.

Floren drew his longbow and stood sideways on the ship's side. "Ron, it seems we're out of luck. They've got our eyes on us. Today, a bloody battle is probably inevitable."

Geralt silently drew his steel sword and stood beside Ron, his gaze shifting between the two ships as if counting something.

Halma walked over to Ron. "Ron, I can try to negotiate first, on behalf of the Clayt family. Maybe we can avoid this conflict. We don't have the numbers, so it's best to avoid fighting if possible."

Ron didn't reply, his gaze fixed on the two-headed serpent banner, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

Titus strode over to Ron, a strange expression on his face. "My lord... the other side has used flag signals, hoping to communicate by boarding, but... that's the flag signal format of the Calard Empire."

Geralt raised an eyebrow and looked at Ron. "Ron, could it be...?"

Ron nodded slightly. "Yes, it is indeed a crest I am familiar with, but we need to meet in person to confirm the specifics."

Halma scratched his beard, looking bewildered. "Uh... wait, what time is it? You guys are still talking in riddles?"

Ron didn't answer him, turning towards the helmsman. "Slow down, board the enemy, suspend attacks and remain on alert!"

The Giant Whale slowly approached the other ship, the distance gradually decreasing. As several grappling hooks were thrown out and the gangplank was erected, the two ships were firmly connected.

Opposite them stood a group of tall warriors carrying giant round shields. They wore heavy full chainmail, with a reinforced leather overlay, and their fine iron helmets were similar in style to those of Skellige, but with slight differences in details.

These warriors, clad in thick leather cloaks etched with the rough marks of time, wielded heavy, broad-bladed battle axes. A single glance was enough to sense the aura of death and slaughter emanating from them.

Halma gripped his sword hilt, ready to speak, but found that the warriors' gazes passed over him, fixed on Ron, completely ignoring him.

Vicky, anxiously stamping his feet behind them, cried out, "What's wrong with them? Are they going to fight or not?"

At that moment, someone on the other side took off his helmet. He was a tall man who could be easily spotted even among a group of soldiers. His shoulders were much broader than those of the people next to him, his brown beard stood up, and there were several old scars on his face from swords. Yet, his eyes revealed an undisguised excitement.

Ron leaped onto the springboard and headed towards the other side, with Titus and Cassius following closely behind. Floren, Halma, and the others followed with tense expressions.

Ron looked at the scarred face, opened his arms, gave the middle-aged man a big hug, and patted him hard on the back twice.

"It really is you! Uvien! What are you doing here?"

Uvien did not reply immediately. He took a half step back, his right knee slamming heavily onto the deck. He clenched his fist and pounded his chest. Immediately afterward, the soldiers behind him bent down and knelt on one knee. The sound of armor plates clashing together in the wind became a short, heavy rumble.

"Your Highness!"

There was a moment of silence on the deck. Halma's hand was still on the hilt of his sword, seemingly still not quite understanding what had happened. Viggie blinked and turned to look at Floren. Both of them were clearly full of questions.

Ron helped them up one by one, patted them hard on the shoulder, and then turned to Uvien.

"When I first heard the name Blood Axe, it sounded familiar, but I didn't connect it to you until I saw your crest."

.

Uvien took a deep breath. "Your Highness, I did see the Imperial flag on your ship. I almost thought I was seeing things. To be honest, I'm still not sure if I'm dreaming."

"Come on, Uvien, tell me all about your experiences." Ron patted his arm. "I bet you have a lot of questions for me too."

Uvien nodded vigorously, his eyes regaining their sharpness. "Your Highness, I have taken over the abandoned castle of Kel'Ahu with eight Nord Royal Guards, and there are also many pirates who have joined me. I have trained them into qualified warriors these days. Let's dock there; it's safer there."

Ron nodded, turned and walked back towards the Whale. As he passed Halma, Halma still had her mouth open and her eyes wide open.

"Halma, haven't you always wanted to meet their leader?"

Halma closed her mouth, raised her hand and punched Ron on the shoulder. "Ron, you... seem to have been hiding quite a few things from me?"

Ron simply smiled, then looked at the helmsman. "I'll tell you later. Turn towards Kel'Ahu!"

©