Just as a smile appeared on Karl's face, one that seemed relaxed but carried a slight hint of intrigue,
the unease that had made his heart beat faster receded like a tide, and a flicker of deep doubt and solemnity passed through Borch's eyes.
Deep down, he was suspicious: "Was it an illusion? He's just a more powerful human..."
"How could I feel this way? It's absolutely impossible..."
He clearly understood his true identity and power.
Ordinary people, even powerful sorcerers or warriors, wouldn't give him such a direct premonition of death.
With an intriguing smile on his face, Karl took the initiative to introduce himself: "Hey, man, my name is Arn Vati, and I'm a friend of Geralt's."
Borch forcibly suppressed the surprise and lingering unease in his heart and tried to maintain a smile.
He replied: "Arn Vati? A name meaning 'sun'? Very impressive."
"I am Three Jackdaws, but of course, you can call me Borch. It's easier to get along with. I'm from Zerrikania."
He signaled to the side, and the two silent but attentive girls beside him seemed afraid of being misunderstood, so he deliberately added in a relaxed tone.
"By the way, I don't use any weapons personally. These two are my 'weapons' and my guards."
...
The crowd traveled the entire way, crossing harsh mountain roads and deep into the misty mountains.
The journey was not smooth; they encountered stone trolls entrenched in dangerous places,
a band of bandits driven by greed, and local monsters agitated by the dragon's aura.
However, these obstacles did not pose much of a problem for this large, mixed dragon hunting team.
At least for Karl, Geralt, and the others, it wasn't even a warm-up, but they didn't make a move.
As they gradually penetrated deeper into the mountains, the smell of sulfur and the fishy odor characteristic of certain creatures grew stronger in the air.
Borch, who was supposed to be following along, slightly twitched his nose, catching the scent of the green dragon they were tracking in the air.
He knew in his heart that the end of this trip was near.
His eyes flickered complexly, and he looked intently at Geralt and Yennefer ahead.
And his gaze lingered on the figure of "Arn Vati" behind, who had made him feel inexplicably uneasy.
Immediately, taking advantage of the slight confusion and distraction of the team due to a complex gravel slope, he quietly snuck away without disturbing anyone.
He dismounted and slipped into the dense, dark taiga beside him, leaving only his two loyal Zerrikanian guard girls to blend in with the team and continue following.
However, the moment Borch's figure was consumed by the layers of dark green tree shadows,
Karl, who had been riding leisurely and enjoying the scenery, turned his head directly and looked in the direction where Borch had disappeared.
The corners of his mouth curled, and he laughed in a voice only he could hear: "Looking for a place to 'transform'?"
"The legendary golden dragon... How powerful is it? Don't let me down, Three Jackdaws."
Soon after, the dragon hunting group followed increasingly clear traces, large, pungent droppings,
trees easily slashed by claws, and deep paw prints on the ground.
Eventually, they discovered a deep, huge cave located on a mountainside.
The cave entrance was littered with animal bones, and the smell of sulfur in the air was almost suffocating.
However, what awaited them on the massive stone platform towering above the cave entrance
was not the weakened green dragon, but a larger dragon with a more majestic posture.
It was covered in scales forged like pure gold, reflecting a dazzling and noble light in the sunlight filtering through the mountain mist.
Its strong, powerful wings were tucked at its sides, and its thick, long tail slapped the stones with a fatal grace, producing a dull sound.
Its golden, upright pupils were already fixed on the group of uninvited guests below, with cold eyes, an undisguised gaze, and... a hint of pity?
For a while, the crowd seemed to explode, exclamations and discussions rising.
"What... what is this?!"
"Gods above! It's a golden dragon!"
"A golden dragon?! Weren't we here to hunt a weak green dragon? The information is wrong!"
"Never mind if it's a green dragon or a golden dragon! In short, it's a dragon! If it's a dragon, let's damn well fight it!"
"Its scales and keel are far more valuable than a green dragon's!" Greed instantly overcame the initial shock.
The dwarves were more pragmatic and stayed behind the line, taking cover from the crowd.
Moving carefully, the large bed crossbows specifically used for dragon hunting secretly adjusted their heavy arms and aiming direction.
At that moment, Yennefer looked up at the majestic golden dragon, her eyes unable to hide their excitement and agitation, her breathing slightly shortened.
She whispered to herself, her voice trembling: "Indeed... I saw rumors about golden dragons in ancient archives."
"They are far rarer and more powerful than green dragons... Finally, finally I have met one!"
She abruptly turned her head and grabbed Geralt beside her, her nails almost digging into his leather armor.
Her voice was filled with unprecedented fervor and plea: "Geralt! You have to help me! This golden dragon..."
"Its value, its power, or the materials it might contain, could be... enough to find me a cure... a solution to my problem!"
She didn't say it directly, but Geralt understood she was referring to her inability to have children after becoming a sorceress.
Geralt's already stoic face became even more tense after Yennefer's plea.
His brows furrowed, and his cat-like pupils looked directly into Yennefer's longing eyes, refusing categorically: "No, Yen."
"I would never hunt a dragon, especially one that hasn't attacked human settlements."
"Dragons, at least the ancient ones, do not pose a direct threat to humans themselves."
"It is humans who actively hunt them out of greed, fear, or something else."
"Look at the blatant greed they have shown for the dragon along the way, Yen, don't you see?"
Geralt's eyes swept over the dragon hunters, whose eyes gleamed with gold and whose faces were contorted with excitement.
"What right do we have to deprive such an intelligent life of its right to exist, to satisfy that greed, or... for our own personal desires?"
Yennefer's face instantly became extremely ugly; she hadn't expected Geralt to be so stubborn on this matter.