Psionic Ascension Starting with The Witcher

The matter was ultimately settled.

Keira Metz will accompany the two witchers to the other side of the river to find the plague spirit suspected of spreading the plague and find a way to eliminate it. Triss Merigold will stay in Rivia to use magic to develop an antidote and try to cure the plague patients.

Cohen remained skeptical, subconsciously still believing that sorceresses were pampered vases, unsuitable for traversing muddy fields.

However, when Kayla came over carrying a box full of various magical items and gently placed it on the table, all his doubts vanished.

"The blood-regenerating potion means that unless someone cuts open your heart, you won't die no matter how much blood you lose."

Kayla picked up a small bottle containing a brown potion.

"Vitality potion." She picked up a wooden jug filled with an unidentified green liquid. "One sip will keep you energized all day, but you can't drink it for two days in a row, or you'll start hallucinating."

"And then there's this."

She placed a small, round crystal ball in her palm and presented it to Effensor.

The small sphere is transparent and contains a sizzling ball of light that occasionally explodes slightly. However, the stray lightning cannot escape the confines of the crystal sphere and quickly returns to the ball of light.

"Alchemy bomb, lightning in a bottle," she said with a charming smile. "It's modeled after your Witcher's alchemy bomb, but much more powerful. If you don't throw it far enough, you'll hurt yourself."

Kayla took out all the items from the box and lined them up in front of the two of them, introducing them as if they were her most treasured possessions.

Cohen and Effinso stared intently at these rare treasures. Normally, to obtain these things, one would either have to spend a lot of money to buy them or collect the materials and entrust a sorcerer to craft them.

And now, these rare items are laid out on a table in front of them as if they were free.

After Kayla finished her introduction, she generously said, "Take whatever you like."

"really?"

"real?"

Effensor and Cohen looked up at the same time, their eyes filled with undisguised longing.

"Hurry up and take it."

Kayla rolled her eyes slightly again.

She was actually quite distressed about the money she spent. As a sorcerer and court advisor, her annual income was actually quite considerable, but due to her excessive pursuit of a luxurious lifestyle, Keira didn't have much savings.

The expense of these gold-plated items directly resulted in her buying fewer pieces of jewelry.

Just as she finished speaking, Effensor reached into her pocket and pulled the bottle of lightning into her arms. Cohen, who was a step slower, stopped in mid-air and then grabbed a bottle of light blue potion instead.

In a few swift movements, the two devoured all the alchemical artifacts on the table.

Kayla yawned, smoothed her long hair, and then said lazily, "So, when do you plan to leave? I'm all ready, but if you have any other plans, I can wait."

I wouldn't dare keep you waiting.

This was Cohen's first reaction, but after carefully observing Kayla's expression, he realized that she seemed genuinely unconcerned about waiting.

"Tomorrow noon would be the best time. The Madni ferry crossing is currently used for transporting military supplies, and civilian transport will resume a day later."

"That's settled then."

She stretched, showing off her voluptuous figure, and then turned and left.

Effensor glanced at her retreating figure, then looked at Cohen.

"So how's the itinerary arranged? Is it the same as before?"

Cohen stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and replied, "Same. We'll go to Landorton first, and check out that mass grave you visited before. If there are no clues, we'll investigate the Sintra Royal Tombs and the city of Sintra. The crown on that wraith's head is definitely not meaningless; it must have some significance."

"It's just one more person, it's no big deal," he added. "Besides, with this lady here, our success rate has greatly increased."

Effensor nodded slowly.

"Let's go." Cohen stood up and pointed to the corridor behind him with his thumb. "Miss Merrigold said she would reimburse our food and lodging expenses for the next two days. So let's check in now. This is the first time I've ever stayed in a hotel like this."

"Guess how much it costs to stay one night?"

"I'd guess at least fifty Ducatiers..."

"Too few..."

The two left the place one after the other, and their voices gradually faded into the distance.

A moment later, a slender figure in a blue dress suddenly walked over, holding a glass cup containing an eerie blue orb in one hand, and waved it in front of the spot where Effensor and Cohen had been sitting.

Two bright spots of light and one dim spot of light appeared in the air.

"It seems my gut feeling was right."

Kayla's voice echoed through the area, then tinged with deep confusion and bewilderment.

"Two people, but three souls?"

"How is that possible..."

"Hmm, interesting."

……

A day passed in the blink of an eye.

Having experienced the lifestyle enjoyed only by the elite, Affinso had to give a thumbs up and lavish praise on this corrupting temptation.

The room was filled with all sorts of delicacies, and even the drinking water was distilled and had a fruity aroma. The velvet beds were so soft that lying on them for a while would make your back feel weak, and the room was so soundproofed that you could be completely isolated from the world once the door was closed.

So much so that when it was time to leave, Effensor felt a pang of reluctance.

Although it was only for a moment and was quickly forgotten, as he left the hotel and rode his Walker, the memory of the delicious steak dinner he had the night before inexplicably popped into his mind.

"What are you waiting for?"

Cohen looked at Effensor with some curiosity. He noticed that ever since entering the city of Livia, Effensor had been frequently spacing out, inexplicably drifting off into thought.

This... is strange, Cohen doesn't quite understand it.

Hearing the sound, Effensor snapped out of his daze and quickly spurred his horse forward, catching up with Cohen and Kayla ahead.

Kayla had already changed out of her blue dress and put on a durable leather jacket.

She wore a leather jacket over a shirt, leather trousers with leather knee-high boots, and a small leather hat to shield her from the sun. She looked like a blonde woman from the Wild West, elegant yet with a hint of wildness and a touch of cunning, always wearing a faint, polite smile.

She nodded to Effensor as if nothing had happened.

Led by Cohen, the three left through the west gate of Livia City, bypassed the forest, and headed straight for the Yaruga River.

Just as Cohen had predicted, they spent a day traveling the route from Livia to Madney Ferry. The journey was uneventful, consisting of nothing more than a repetitive cycle of traveling, resting, and continuing on their way.

Contrary to Cohen's fears, Kayla wasn't spoiled and incapable of enduring the elements; she didn't show the slightest complaint or procrastination. However, she did indeed shock Cohen and Effensor, due to Kayla's morbid obsession with her image.

She needs to cleanse herself with magic every thirty minutes on average, style her hair every hour, and redo her makeup every half day.

What's amazing is that her movements are extremely natural; even while riding a horse, she can still do these things without any problems.

In short, Kayla was almost constantly maintaining her appearance.

Her explanation was that if the wilderness environment weren't so harsh, she would only need to groom herself three times a day...

Cohen quietly scratched his beard, pinched a louse, and flicked it away; Effensor casually touched his greasy hair, realizing that they had already returned to their smelly state after only one day.

Only Kayla remained completely untouched by the world.

For some reason, Effensor felt a strange anticipation of seeing Kayla become as filthy and smelly as they were. Kayla's devastated and desperate expression at that moment would be hilarious… No, he shouldn't think about it too much, lest he be mind-read.

As evening approached, the three of them finally arrived near the Yaluga River and could hear the mighty sound of the river flowing by from afar.

It is now late spring and early summer, and the glaciers on the Blue Mountains have finally begun to melt on a large scale. This snowmelt makes the Yaluga River flow more rapidly and the water level gradually rises. When the summer rains arrive, the Yaluga River will enter its flood season.

At that moment, Effensor listened with a frown and discovered that the Yaruga River in early summer was not only making the sound of water, but also the sounds of battle cries.

He turned and met Cohen's gaze; clearly, he wasn't the only one who had heard the sound, and it wasn't an illusion.

Cohen drew his sword first, and after a moment of silence, Effensor nodded.

"Something might have happened up ahead."

Effensor turned to Kayla and said, as he drew his Brock Rhine sword; the gleam of the blade momentarily blinded Kayla.

Kayla rubbed her eyes and casually said, "So what should we do? I mean, what do you guys want to do?"

"Let's go see if we can help," Cohen said, drawing his sword. "The upper reaches of the Yaruga River are in a lot of trouble lately. Either there are bandits made up of deserters robbing people ahead, or there are actually two armies fighting each other."

"And right now, only the Sintra Homeland Army and the Nilfgaardians are locked in fierce fighting on the upper reaches of the Yaruga..."

"Alright, alright." Kayla waved her hand. "My orders are to assist Sokonia. I can't just stand by and watch his people fight the men in black."

"But you guys have to protect me."

Kayla smiled and seemed harmless, but neither Effensor nor Cohen dared to underestimate her.

Sorceresses do indeed need protection, because they must concentrate without being disturbed when they want to cast spells. And once they unleash their magic, dozens or even hundreds of battle-hardened soldiers can be devoured by magic in the blink of an eye.

Effensor dismounted, sword in one hand and horse in the other, and led Walker to the edge of the woods, where he tied the reins to a tree trunk.

Cohen did the same, and he even tied a knot in Kayla's rope.

They hurried through the forest, their steps quickening as the light ahead grew brighter.

As the forest gradually thinned out, the three were suddenly greeted by a bright and beautiful scene: the dim sunlight and the shimmering Yaruga River appeared simultaneously.

A few bodies, washed ashore by the river, lay scattered on the nearby riverbank, while the opposite bank was densely packed with people.

Thousands of heads jostled about, their clamor echoing across the sky, drowning out the ceaseless rushing of the river.

Effensor sheathed his sword.

Separated by a river, and a wide one at that, they were powerless to intervene in the fighting on the other side.

"It seems we can't help you." Cohen shook his head and continued to watch the fighting on the other side of the river.

Effensor also began watching the game.

The two sides fighting on the opposite bank of the river were naturally the Nilfgaardians and the Cintra Homeland Army, and they were quite easy to distinguish. Those wearing black clothes and black armor were the Nilfgaardians, while those wearing mixed-race equipment and yellow ribbons tied around their bodies were the Cintra Homeland Army.

It's too early to tell who has the upper hand, but the situation on the other side has already entered a close-quarters combat phase. Both sides' formations have been broken up, and it's a brutal, meat-grinding battle with people packed together.

However, it was probably only in such chaotic battles that the Nilfgaardians' advantages of being well-trained and well-equipped could be offset by the Sintra people's fearless courage.

"I see the Helinid Brigade," Cohen said suddenly, frowning. "That's Menno Kuhorn's direct forces."

"That Nilfgaardian Marshal?" Effinso thought for a moment before remembering who he was, and asked with some doubt, "I heard he's the governor of Sintra, but this isn't Sintra, is it?"

"It seems you don't know much about it."

Kayla suddenly leaned closer, looking across the river and said calmly, "Menno Kuhun is the governor of Sintra, but that's only one of his positions. Besides overseeing the political and military affairs of the province of Sintra, he also has the authority to give orders to the troops on the entire northern front of Nilfgaard."

"However, it seems he holds considerable power..."

Kayla smiled mysteriously, leaving Effensor with a thought that sparked his imagination: "But if someone undermines his power, it's just a castle in the air."

Suddenly, a muffled bugle call sounded from the opposite bank of the river.

A Nilfgaardian cavalry force roared in from afar, carrying the golden sun banner and lances. As they approached the battlefield, they lowered their towering lances, and the riders on horseback bent down, pressing themselves tightly against their horses.

The black torrent, like a river surging in summer crashing against a dam, appeared in the distance and rushed towards us in an instant.

"Ted Steiner".

Cohen recognized the unit's designation again.

"How...how could this be?"

He stared in disbelief, frozen in place.

Kayla, equally shocked, gaped, letting the river breeze in.

Only Effensor was completely baffled, unable to grasp the logical connection between them.

So he turned to look at Kayla, waiting for her to explain herself as she had before.

Kayla gradually came to her senses, clutching her chest as she took a few breaths, her brow furrowed and a worried expression on her face. She radiated anxiety and unease, tinged with a sense of agitation.

She looked up at Effensor and saw the confusion in his eyes, then suddenly smiled.

When she discovered that there were still people who were kept in the dark, she suddenly felt much better, though she couldn't explain why.

Effensor was even more confused.

What does this mean? Is she... mocking me? But he didn't sense any malice.

"Ahem..." Kayla coughed twice, smiled at Effensor, and began to explain.

"Emhir Emreis is the Emperor, but Nilfgaard is not his sole domain, so he has many opponents. The Battle of Thorden was the Empire's greatest defeat, so Emhir must confront some... rebellions and uprisings within the Empire."

"Menno Kuhun was his confidant, so he was sent to the north. The only explanation for the presence of the Ted Steiner Division, an important force responsible for protecting the capital, is that Emhyr has resolved his domestic troubles and is now at ease, which is why he dared to send this army back to provide support."

"Of course, it's also possible that Emhyr has gone mad, ignoring the sword that's about to cut his neck and continuing to channel his power outwards, completely disregarding his own safety..."

"Just kidding, that's absolutely impossible."