The Witcher: Wolf School's Hunting Notes

"Yes, a griffin."

Since the person in question was a promising Source, Sunny provided a detailed explanation: "This information was only recently obtained from a few enemy soldiers who defected from the frontlines."

"However, because it sounded absurdly coincidental, we sent a sorcerer yesterday to verify it. He hasn't returned yet. When I heard you came back from Aedirn, I came straight to you."

"Is this important?"

"Very important!" Sunny sighed. "The academy now needs more sorcerers than ever."

Vilgefortz immediately understood.

Ban Ard Academy was trying to pull their sorcerers back from the frontlines to defend Ban Ard, but they lacked a valid excuse.

He frowned, pondering for a few seconds: "I only stayed in Vengerberg for less than ten minutes. As soon as I entered the city on horseback, I went straight to an inn."

"But now that you mention it…"

"Vengerberg did seem desolate, its defenses slack, and the streets were nearly empty. At the time, I thought it was due to the war…"

"As for the griffin…"

Vilgefortz paused, raised his staff, and chanted a few arcane words. A mist filled the room, and the environment around the two sorcerers transformed into a street scene in the city.

The perspective was high, with rhythmic jolts—likely from a horse's back.

The streets were sparsely populated. Those present appeared pale, their eyes filled with fear, moving hurriedly.

The illusion played out with the sound of a long gust of wind, but it suddenly vanished, replaced by faint whispers growing louder and louder.

The murmurs became so chaotic that it felt like standing in a bustling marketplace—yet, juxtaposed with the empty streets, the effect was eerie, like spirits whispering through the cracks in cobblestones.

Vilgefortz frowned and waved his staff again.

The chaotic noises were instantly filtered, leaving only a few clear voices:

"...When will this nightmare end?"

"...Mom, is the monster gone?"

"...The Hod family's house on the east side of the city was destroyed by that beast this morning…"

"...Why haven't they hired a Witcher yet…"

"When will Demavend II drive that griffin away? War and monsters together—how can anyone run a business like this?"

Before the sounds fully ceased, Sunny stood up in excitement, clapping enthusiastically:

"A brilliant spell, Vilgefortz. Is this the result of your research on ancient elven burial grounds?"

"The stone tablets excavated near the White Tomb of Aedd Gynvael, in the Kingdom of Kovir and Poviss. That was two years ago," Vilgefortz said, waving his staff and bowing slightly. The illusion and sounds immediately vanished.

"Ancient elven magic inscribed on stone tablets is profoundly complex, requiring exceptional elemental affinity and analysis. Only Sources like you can decipher it in just two years."

Sunny gazed at Vilgefortz's face, which, though weary, radiated confidence and vigor. He paused for a moment before remarking in a complicated tone, "It's truly enviable."

Vilgefortz shook his head with a smile. "Sunny, you're the one to envy. In just fifty years, you've risen from the Lower Council of Sorcerers to the High Council. By year's end, we'll likely be addressing you as Grand Councillor."

"Before the Red Fox's bloody seat, who can be entirely confident?"

"There's more than one seat. If even you can't secure one, what's the point of forming the Supreme Council?"

"You…" Sunny laughed heartily, pointing a finger at Vilgefortz without denying the compliment.

Vilgefortz smiled warmly, his brown eyes flickering with subtle calculation. He sighed regretfully:"It's a shame we narrowly missed capturing some Witchers two days ago. Otherwise…"

"No matter…" Sunny waved dismissively. "They're nothing more than experimental specimens doomed to extinction. Ants pose no threat to dragons."

"If encountered, crush them at your leisure. If out of sight, let them be."

"Right now, the academy is the priority."

After a brief pause, he glanced at Vilgefortz:"Don't worry, this won't affect our promise to you."

"You're a Source, like Dean Hen Gedymdeith, and you've been so proactive in the Brotherhood of Sorcerers' affairs. At the year-end council meeting, I'll cast my vote for you."

With that, Sunny didn't wait for Vilgefortz's thanks. He turned to glance out the window. "Since the reports of monsters harassing Vengerberg are true, a ceasefire is inevitable. There's no need for so many sorcerers on the frontlines."

"Vilgefortz, thank you for the intelligence."

He nodded to Vilgefortz and walked toward the door.

"Allow me to see you out."

"No need," Sunny replied with a friendly smile. "Get some rest. The academy needs another Source now more than ever."

"Vilgefortz, you have a bright future ahead!"

Bang—

The elegant wooden door opened and closed again.

The room fell into a long silence.

"Experimental specimens doomed to extinction?"

Vilgefortz sniffed at the faint scent of blood in the air and shook his head with a smile that was not quite a smile.

------------------------

After leaving Vilgefortz's tower, Sunny did not follow through on his earlier statement about notifying the frontlines to recall the sorcerers confronting Aedirn. Instead, he headed directly to a ruin located in the southwestern corner of the Ban Ard Academy near its main gate.

Waving his staff, he shifted the surface rubble aside, revealing a deep, hollow spiral staircase.

As Sunny stepped into the corridor, one by one, wall-mounted lamps lit up, casting their glow along the spiraling descent, like a coiled serpent.

He moved with purpose, descending the corridor in steady spirals.

Tap, tap, tap—

The eerie echoes of his footsteps reverberated in the empty space, while the dim light behind him extinguished in his wake.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally stopped midway down the spiral staircase, facing what seemed to be a blank wall. Chanting a few incantations, he waved his staff.

Boom—

Suddenly, the seemingly blank stone wall manifested a brass door.

As he pushed the door open—

Rustle, rustle—

An unusual sound of countless pages flipping surged forth.

Under the soft purple glow of magical lamps, countless ancient tomes floated through the air, scattering decades of accumulated dust as they fluttered around the three-to-four-story-tall shelves.

Fourteen robed sorcerers stood beneath the shelves, rapidly flipping through these seemingly winged books.

This was Ban Ard's library, one of the few places on the Northern Continent that could boast such a comprehensive collection of texts. In specific domains—such as magic, elves, and alchemy—it was arguably unrivaled in the world, even in the realm of witchers.

Nestled underground and fortified by enchanted brass plating, the library had endured the destruction of the Academy's outer structures. Though the surface had been damaged, the library itself remained intact.

"Have you found it?"

Sunny, his face grim, let his gaze sweep across the sorcerers before approaching an elderly, green-robed sorcerer. "What is the 'Gate of Ad Gaeth' those skeletal monsters demanded from us?"

The elderly sorcerer snapped out of his focus, hurriedly turned, and bowed in greeting. "Master."

"Spare me the pleasantries!" Sunny waved impatiently. "Get to the point!"

"Yes." The sorcerer hastily responded, "So far, we've indexed six hundred and fifty volumes, and we've only managed to determine that 'Ad Gaeth' translates to 'Grand Gate' or 'Great Gate' in Elder Speech. It likely pertains... pertains to the elves."

"Elves? The ones hiding in the Blue Mountains?"

"Yes, Master."

"What about the elven texts? No power on this continent holds more ancient tomes written in Elder Speech than Ban Ard. Is there no clue at all?"

"'Grand Gate' and 'Great Gate' are conclusions drawn from indexing the elven texts. The phrase originates from an epic poem praising warriors returning from a distant expedition..."

"Nothing else?" Sunny interrupted.

"Using indexing spells will inevitably miss details, but to conduct a thorough examination..." The elderly sorcerer glanced upward.

Sunny followed his gaze, his face darkening.

Above them, a "sea of books" had formed from the floating tomes.

"Master, even with reading spells, this cannot be done quickly."

"Accelerate the process."

"Yes, Master." The elderly sorcerer immediately waved his worn staff, summoning another book down from the sea.

Sunny's face remained grim, the soft purple glow from the magical lamps making his expression appear both somber and menacing.

It was unclear how much time had passed.

Click.

The solid brass door opened again, revealing a sorcerer clad in a black robe adorned with stars.

Sunny's expression shifted instantly. He strode out quickly, shutting the door behind him.

Without the rustling of pages, the spiral staircase became as silent as a barren wilderness at night.

"Shh~"

Sunny raised a finger to his lips as the black-robed sorcerer was about to speak, signaling for silence.

After carefully surveying their surroundings, he walked to the edge of the stairs, looking up and down before waving his staff.

A faint red soundproof barrier enveloped the two sorcerers.

"Well? Miguel? Have you figured out what the Wild Hunt took?" Sunny impatiently asked even before the barrier fully closed.

Miguel shook his head. "The research projects of other colleagues are all sealed by Dean Hen Gedymdeith. Without his authorization, no one can access them."

"And the Dean?" Sunny pressed on. "Whatever is stored in the Chapter of the Gift and the Art's 'Hazardous Experimental Artifact Vault,' he wouldn't just leave it alone."

Miguel chuckled bitterly. "I haven't seen the Dean."

"What?" Sunny's eyes widened in disbelief. "You've always stayed out of trouble, unlike me..."

"It's not just me."

Miguel glanced nervously around, his eyes darting to the shadowed corners where the dim candlelight couldn't reach. He lowered his voice further.

"Dean Hen Gedymdeith hasn't seen anyone or sent any messages. His office is sealed by powerful wards..."

"What!" Sunny exclaimed.

"To cast magic of that magnitude... it must come at a cost," Miguel replied.

Recalling the unprecedented magical phenomena of two nights ago, Miguel still felt a lingering dizziness, needing to steady himself against the wall.

"Of course. The Dean is quite old," Sunny nodded in realization.

Then, within the crimson barrier, he began pacing. His expression shifted with each step—fear, excitement, anxiety, ambition...

Miguel, watching Sunny's shifting demeanor, felt a strange sense of fear. He quickly changed the subject. "But I didn't come back empty-handed."

"Go on."

"Although the records and artifacts are sealed, I learned from Dru, the sorcerer who has been assisting the Dean, that the stolen object was tied to a project from someone we know."

"Who?" Sunny froze and stared at him intently.

Facing Sunny's bloodshot eyes, Miguel dared not prolong the suspense.

"Former Vice Dean of Ban Ard under the last king's reign... it was Genes's project..."

Bang!

Just then, a loud impact came from above.

"Who's there!"

The two sorcerers, startled, instantly surrounded themselves with glowing magical shields.

Thud~

The empty space echoed, but no one responded.

Sunny and Miguel exchanged glances before cautiously ascending. After a long climb, they reached the entrance of the staircase.

There, lying a short distance away, was a black-robed sorcerer, gravely injured.

He clutched a broken redwood staff in his right hand, pointing it toward the spiral staircase.

Seeing the staff, Sunny rushed forward immediately.

"Who?" Miguel asked as he followed.

"Lyon," Sunny replied darkly. "I sent him to track the Wild Hunt and retrieve the stolen artifact..."

------------------------------

A ruined tower encased in a crystal sphere.

That was Allen's first impression as he carefully navigated through thick smoke and saw Ban Ard.

The familiar blue spherical barrier encased the towering structures of the sorcerer's academy.

Beyond the barrier lay ruins—burning ruins.

Yes.

Two days had passed, and nearly a quarter of Ban Ard still burned. Were it not for the blue barrier in the center, Allen might have thought the entire academy had been annihilated.

The massive ruin spread across the land like a grievous wound, hideously marring the landscape.

Allen squinted into the distance, trying to spot any familiar structures. Yet, apart from Ban Ard Academy, he could not even discern where the city gates once stood. Virtually every building was in ruins.

Even within the academy, the distortion of light by the blue barrier revealed that at least half the towers within had been destroyed.

"No sign of the Wild Hunt," Allen observed, sweeping his gaze over the scene. "Yet the academy has raised its defensive shield. No effort has been made to assist the city's residents or extinguish the fires ravaging the ruins."

"Is this apathy, or has the devastation left them too short-handed?"

The blue barrier distorted his view of the tower's pinnacles, making it difficult to discern the sorcerers' movements within.

Allen considered descending for a closer look, but after the recent aerial assault, the sorcerers would undoubtedly be on high alert.

Too risky.

Still, even without taking additional risks, his initial objective had been achieved.

The Wild Hunt was powerful—enough to reduce a city of nearly ten thousand people, guarded by skilled sorcerers, to ruins.

Yet they were not invincible. At least Ban Ard Academy's blue magical barrier remained intact.

This realization bolstered Allen's resolve. They could be defeated.

Only one question remained...

Should he leave now or take the risk of staying?

.....

📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢

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366. While two dogs are fighting for a bone, a third runs away with it?

367. The Guiding Hand of Fate.

368. Hunting the Wild Hunt.

369. The First Battle with the Wild Hunt.

370. A Grand Welcome Ceremony for the Sorcerers from Afar.