Lord of Cinder in American Comics

When Clint woke up, he found himself covered with a leather blanket. He was leaning against a campfire, and three other people were drinking something around it.

Climbing out of the warm blanket, Clint overheard the three men talking.

"Have another sip. This is the water of life, the kind of drink men should have. Only sissies drink low-alcohol junk."

Shaking his head, which was still not fully awake after a deep sleep, Clint managed to make out a white-haired man in leather armor pouring something into the glasses of the other two.

After filling the bottle, the two drank it all in one gulp, and the white-haired man also drank the rest of the bottle clean.

"Oh, you're awake. It seems you're not in the best physical condition. Come, have a drink to warm yourself up."

The white-haired man handed over a metal cup, the liquid inside rippled slightly. Clint, who had just woken up, didn't pay any attention and drank it all in one gulp.

Puff~~~

Clint's tongue only reacted after some of the liquid had entered his stomach. The intense alcohol caused Clint to spray the liquid from his mouth everywhere.

The liquid sprayed into the campfire, piercing the flames and burning even more fiercely, even igniting the nearby land soaked in the liquid.

"what is this?"

"O water of life! What's wrong?"

"Water of life? That's pure liquor with an alcohol content of 96%, it's not something a normal person can drink?"

Hearing Clint's rebuttal, the white-haired man nonchalantly poured himself a full glass, took a sip, and let out a round burp.

"So you need to work on your physical fitness; it's really a bit weak."

The white-haired man's words drew agreement from the other two, who raised their glasses and asked him to fill them.

Where am I?

Clint's question piqued the white-haired man's curiosity, and the white-haired man retorted, "You were brought here by the porters, and you don't even know what you're supposed to be participating in?"

"No one told me this; they just told me that I had to pass the test of life and death to become a hunter."

"Come sit down and let me explain it to you properly. After you've heard it, you can make a decision. If you choose to leave, I will send you back."

Invited by the white-haired man, Clint sat down by the campfire. Only then, through the firelight, did he realize that the two men opposite him were clad in fully encased plate armor. An iron chain slung across their waists, with some small trinkets hanging from it.

The cloak worn by the plate armor was already soaked with dust and blood, and the armor itself was covered with large wounds, showing the countless battles it had endured.

Behind the two plate-armored warriors lay their weapons: an enormous curved sword and a club.

The white-haired man offered Clint a new drink, but Clint shook his head and refused.

"Don't worry, it's a normal drink for you."

Clint took it, tentatively sipped it, and found it to be normal, with a slight grassy aroma. After drinking it, Clint felt full of energy.

“I am Geralt, a hunter. These two are exiles. We are both hunters, and we are responsible for dealing with some troubles on the outskirts of the Abyss.”

As the white-haired man, Geralt, spoke, Clint also carefully observed Geralt's appearance.

Geralt, with his white hair tied back in a high wolf tail, exuded a captivating charm. His weathered and handsome face drew attention at all times, not to mention the scar on his left eye, which only added to his rugged allure.

"I only asked the Dragon Academy to see if there were any promising talents to supplement the number of hunters, but I didn't expect that you would be the only one sent today. Is there really no one willing to join the hunters?"

Geralt spoke with a sigh, as if the hunters had fallen on hard times.

"No, that's not true. Some of us participated in the trial, but the people before me were killed by the skeletons, and the others couldn't withstand the pressure and dropped out. In the end, only I made it through that path."

Clint's explanation, however, drew Geralt's surprised gaze and question: "You mean you gritted your teeth and went through the Shooting Drive?"

Not understanding why Geralt was acting this way, Clint said with a hint of pride, "If you're talking about that road where phantom knights are always shooting arrows, yes, I've walked through it."

"Didn't you ever think of dodging the first wave of arrows, then jumping down to the right, and going around to the platform below? You're not some immortal who can't bend his knees!"

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Author's Remarks

Welcome to the designated recuperation center for the Undead, Ashbringers, and Faded Ones. Group number: 483542220

2022-03-22 00:02

Chapter 129: Wanda and Pietro

'Go around via the platform at the bottom right...'

Geralt's words dealt a heavy blow to Clint. During the trial, Clint had indeed seen the platform on the right and that it extended behind the giant, but he had never imagined that it was actually possible to walk that path.

Geralt's surprise now is a blow to Clint, mocking his recklessness and stubbornness.

As if sensing Clint's embarrassment, Geralt patted Clint on the shoulder and said, "There's a first time for everything. Just let it go. You won't experience the blast of the highway a second time anyway."

Faced with Geralt's words of comfort, Clint could only manage a forced smile to convey his inner embarrassment.

"Alright, let me introduce you to the hunter. After you hear it, see if you really want to stay."

Sitting by the campfire, Geralt poured half a bottle of Life into his mouth, then smacked his lips with lingering satisfaction and began to tell the hunter's story.

"We are the organization responsible for guarding the outer perimeter of Farron Fortress. We usually clear out the undead that have fallen into the darkness, as well as those giant monsters, so the weapons we usually use are quite large."

As he spoke, Geralt pointed to the massive weapon behind the exile.

"Farran Fortress is guarded by the undead legions who swore an oath to the blood of the wolf to defend the abyss and prevent its spread. We usually don't have any misunderstandings in communication, and we regularly venture into the catacombs of Carthus to clear out some monsters."

"Cassas Cemetery? You've mentioned that twice?"

"Oh, this? Carthus's tomb belongs to Wolnir, the last King of the Dead. He was once a tyrant who went mad after acquiring the power of the Abyss. Out of fear, he slaughtered the clergy and stole the four artifacts that belonged to them."

Wolnir's fall into the abyss also attracted the attention of the Undead Legion, and a fierce battle broke out between the two sides. Although the Undead Legion gained control of the surface, Carthus's forces were able to survive thanks to the labyrinthine underground catacombs.

Now, the Undead Legion is responsible for guarding Farron Keep and preventing the Abyss from spreading. If there is even the slightest leak, these young people will wipe everything out.

We regularly ventured into the cemetery to clean up Carthus's henchmen. When things weren't so busy, we'd take on outside jobs, clearing out vampires, werewolves, and evil spirits to earn some extra money.

When Geralt mentioned Carthus, the solemnity in his tone sent a chill down Clint's spine, and even the two plate-armored warriors beside him involuntarily gripped their weapons.

The somber atmosphere and the soldiers' reactions constantly reminded Clint that this was a dangerous situation.

But having come this far, Clint has no intention of giving up now.

Clint finished his drink, nodded to Geralt, and said, "I'm ready now."

Upon receiving Clint's affirmative answer, Geralt clapped his hands happily and said to the two warriors beside him, "We have another comrade joining the fight against the Abyss. Let's go catch a crab, and we'll celebrate with grilled crab today."

The two exiles nodded, picked up their weapons, and walked outside.

Geralt happily poured Clint a new drink, and seeing the Water of Life in Geralt's hand, Clint seized an opportunity to pour the liquid from his cup into the campfire.

Except that the bonfire was burning even more fiercely, this place was no different from a bonfire party in an ordinary household.

Geralt even started telling Clint about their surroundings.

"This is Luban Village, connecting the Forest of Crucifixion and the Road of Sacrifices, while Faran Fortress is located behind the Forest of Crucifixion. As for the Road of Sacrifices, I don't recommend you go there; besides the Arakkoa, there's only a madwoman left, and that woman won't listen to anything..."

Just as Geralt was rambling on about the surroundings to the newcomer Clint, the exiles who had gone out to hunt crabs returned.

Two exiles, carrying a huge crab, walked step by step from the Forest of Crucifixion to the Halfway Village.

As the two soldiers placed the crabs they were holding on the ground, comparing their own heights, it was clear that the crabs were probably over five meters tall when they were alive.

Seeing the enormous size of the food, Clint stammered, "Is this a crab?"

"Otherwise what? We use these giant weapons precisely to face giant enemies. Besides, giant weapons can take down small guys one by one, so why not?"

Is it too late for me to quit now?

What do you think?

At that moment, the laughter of Geralt and the exiles echoed over the halfway point of the village, along with Clint's subtle, bitter smile.

After parting ways with the students, Constantine arrived at the lowest level of the Ringed City, the location of Midil, the Devourer of the Abyss.

Just as he leaped from the sky and before he could even land, Constantine was caught by the flying Midil.

At this moment, Constantine transformed into a true dragon rider mage, flying around the Ringed City under the guidance of Midil.

The speed at which dragons fly is beyond the observation of ordinary people, let alone the speed of the Midir, who are descendants of ancient dragons and raised by the gods.

Therefore, at this moment, apart from the storm caused by Midil's flight, only a few people in the Ringed City could see Constantine on Midil's back.

Seeing Constantine laughing happily on the dragon's back, Orbeck in his study also smiled. After all, he had rarely seen his student so happy since the Lord of Cinder meeting.

Obek wrote down some documents and handed them to the Ringed Knight guarding the door, saying, "Give these to the Ashes as soon as they return to the surface."

After responding to Orbeck's request, the Ringed Knight went out to wait for Midil to land in the sky.

That night, after finally separating from Midil, who was clinging to him, Constantine received a letter from Obek.

Upon seeing Obek's demands in the letter, Constantine's good mood vanished instantly.

Why did they make me substitute for the teacher? I just want to play with Mibao!

Pushing open the door to his room, and seeing how Orbeck had decorated it to resemble his study, Constantine couldn't help but feel a pang of pain, like the distant past when he had been forced to study.

However, before I could even prepare the lesson content, there was a knock on the back of the room door.

"Come in."

After receiving Constantine's reply, Wanda and her brother came in from outside.

“Mr. Constantine, we are here to thank you for your help and to return your jewels.”

Wanda, as the younger sister, spoke first, expressing how Constantine had helped her in making her previous choices, and about the gem that Constantine had given them at the beginning.

When Constantine handed the gem to Wanda and her siblings, he told them they could come to him with it. This obvious favoritism drew the attention of all the trainees.

But at this moment, Wanda is preparing to return the gem to Constantine, which means they are abandoning Constantine's teachings.

In Dragon Academy, a true magic academy, it is unimaginable to give up the teaching of a magician. No one knows how much this decision will change their lives.

"Sir, we are not worth it..."

Pietro added to Wanda's words, though he didn't explain how unworthy he was.

However, Constantine's words prompted Wanda and her siblings to prepare to run away.

"Take it. I have no interest whatsoever in your intentions, or even in the Hydra behind you."

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Author's Remarks