Psionic Ascension Starting with The Witcher

"I don't know anything!"

Kayla looked completely innocent.

In her description, she intended to give Effensor an alchemical item she had just made, but before she could even knock on the door, she was suddenly pulled to this place.

Effensor sized her up; he knew this woman wasn't telling the truth and was definitely up to something. He had been worried that this woman had ulterior motives towards him, and now it seemed that was indeed the case.

Just like that feeling of exhaustion before, looking back now it seems to have come out of nowhere...

However, despite his doubts, he did not expel Kayla.

Perfect timing! As a sorcerer, Kayla certainly knows more about souls than he does, and Effensor needs a sorceres like her to protect him.

Kayla walked over at this moment, looking at Effensor and the Spirit in the Bottle with amazement, examining them as if they were some rare and precious object.

"Is this soul fusion? Such a dangerous act hasn't been seen in a long time. And you've fused so perfectly that you're inseparable, so now it must be the stage of... mutual devouring."

"This stage is very dangerous, and it is extremely easy to lose one's self-awareness."

Kayla looked over with a smile and said to Effensor, "Do you need my help, Witcher? Just tell me the whole story afterward."

"Well... thank you then."

Effensor nodded. Kayla could provide him with the help he desperately needed, so perhaps he could give it a try.

"What do you want to tell me?" He turned to look at the illusory body of the spirit in the bottle.

"Well... please allow me to say something unrelated first."

The soul in the bottle raised its hands high, as if holding up something unseen.

Do you believe that destiny arises with the birth of all living things, or is it that—

"He was actually a product of the convergence of the celestial spheres that came into this world."

Effensor and Kayla were both stunned.

This was a problem they had never even considered.

Fate... people always subconsciously assume that it is eternal.

But what if He isn't?

"This conjecture is not without basis. If fate is always on your side, you will eventually discover the same thing."

"However, one thing is certain: fate has already written the mission for everyone."

"And your mission, Affinso, White Eagle. You will rebuild a nation, create an empire, and save the world."

"You are... the chosen emperor."

"This is just a glimpse of fate, those fragments of words about the future. But though it's not the whole story, this is roughly your destiny."

"Sigh..." Effensor shook his head and sighed helplessly.

As expected, is the Kingdom of Arania really that important? Why must he be the one to rebuild it?

Effensor vaguely sensed that there seemed to be a pattern to it all.

He only wanted a peaceful life as a witcher, not to aspire to be a king or general. Therefore, he never took any action such as recruiting soldiers to prepare for rebuilding the kingdom.

Then one day, he inexplicably found a memory crystal, the memories recorded inside suggesting that he should rebuild the kingdom.

However, Effensor did not take it to heart.

Then, when he returned from Sintra and saw that he still hadn't taken any action, the Watcher summoned him and gave him the task of sealing the portal, though it was unclear what connection the portal had with the Kingdom of Arania.

Even after that, Effensor still didn't take the matter of rebuilding the kingdom to heart.

Now, the spirit in the bottle has revealed its hand, telling Effensor what he should do.

All of this seems to have unfolded naturally, but isn't that how fate unfolds? It just continues as it will...

Only when it is fully revealed will people realize that all the coincidences are simply destiny.

As Effensor thought about it, and looked at the Soul in the Bottle again, it seemed more and more like a substitute for fate.

"All right."

He is truly at his wit's end.

What else could he do? This mission, like a stubborn plaster, wouldn't let go and was impossible to get rid of...

I hate it, I hate it to ten points, even nine points.

"So how am I supposed to complete my mission?"

The spirit in the bottle nodded slightly and said with a smile, "Don't worry, the path has already been paved. The moment you asked this question, you were already on it."

"Tsk... So you said before that you would tell me your wish?"

"My wish is to see that ideal, original homeland."

The voice of the soul in the bottle was calm.

"My destiny cannot take me there, so I can only cling to your destiny to achieve this goal. Devour me, take my memories there."

"Just one look at that land with my memories is enough."

"As a part of the soul of Redeny, it is my mission to offer up my memories."

"Although this isn't the original plan, I think it's not much different from the original plan."

"etc."

Kayla couldn't help but interrupt the spirit in the bottle. Looking at it with utter confusion, she asked, "Leiden? The infamous Leiden? The first necromancer in history? The founder of necromancy? You mean him?"

The spirit in the bottle turned its head to look at Kayla, but shook its head.

"How can you be so sure I'll agree?" Effensor couldn't help but ask.

"You will say yes, fate has already shown it."

The spirit in the bottle nodded affirmatively, and then, like a candle flickering in the wind, its form began to flicker.

"However, the choice is yours." His voice faded into the distance. "No matter how fate arranges things, you always have the right to choose."

The next moment, the spirit in the bottle seemed to have completely vanished.

Before Effensor, only that fragment of soul remained, though its luster had dimmed and it had lost all its spirituality.

He held it in his palm, then turned to look at Kayla.

"How do you plan to help me?"

"Oh, I remember reading in a book that when souls merge, one experiences another person's entire life, from birth to the present. During this time, one is completely immersed in the other person's perspective, without recalling one's own memories or having one's own thoughts, and is also subject to interference from the other soul, vying for control of the merged personality."

"As a result, after the fusion, most people experienced mental confusion, personality splits, or simply began to see themselves as another person."

"Although that soul won't actively affect you, reading through a large amount of memories can still cause cognitive impairment."

"Generally speaking, when merging souls, the step of experiencing another person's memories cannot be interrupted... But as long as I enter your soul, I can awaken you at the right time." Kaira revealed her true intentions. "I can also make you recall your own memories while experiencing other people's lives, minimizing the impact."

Effensor nodded slowly.

"Alright," he said, looking at Kayla.

Soul fusion is now inevitable.

He will have to face this sooner or later.

Effensor could actually sense that Kayla had ulterior motives—you could tell from her shifty eyes.

However, to avoid the consequences he didn't want to see... such as having his personality or even character affected, Effensor decided to pay a price.

"You seem a little curious about me?"

Effensor smiled and suddenly raised his hand.

The light of the Axeshield flashed, but it affected him instead.

Some memories are better left unrevealed.

The next moment, Effensor pointed his hand at Kayla, instantly establishing a mental connection.

Kayla was overjoyed and couldn't wait to delve into Effensor's memories.

She has to read everything, big or small...

However, she soon stopped laughing.

Because she discovered that her memories were also being viewed. The Axeshi released by Effensor is bidirectional.

Kayla's face visibly flushed red, even though she wasn't the shy, conservative type... The thought of her private parts being exposed filled her with fear, shame, panic, and a little bit of... excitement?

She didn't have time to think any further.

As Effensor held the fragment of the soul in his hand, closed his eyes, and began to feel it, everything around him began to collapse.

Darkness enveloped Kayla, and she began to fall. Moments later, she was back on solid ground.

The world around her was bizarre and illogical, with fragments of disordered memories piecing together chaotic scenes. One second it was the sweltering heat of summer, and the next it was the bitter cold of winter.

Effensor carried Kayla's consciousness as they sank, directly detaching from the surface of the mental world and entering the depths of memory.

……

Rhaeden was born in the summer of 1066, during the Revolt of Aririan, when Elves and Men were at war everywhere. So his mother buried his father’s body and fled to Maripole with Rhaeden, who was less than a month old, to avoid being caught in the possible war.

At the age of eleven, he began to study under a sorcerer and gradually discovered his own talent.

Then, like an ordinary sorcerer's apprentice, he completed his studies step by step and began to provide magical services to royalty and nobility in order to earn their gold coins.

Only René Dennis himself knew that he had actually been on the run all along.

He remembers everything that has happened since he was born, and every scene is crystal clear in his mind.

The day his father died tragically, a hellish scene painted with blood and fire, would occasionally flash through his mind.

Redenny knew that he was just a pathetic wretch running away from the past, running away from his own memories.

Even more unfortunately, he fled for more than a decade, but still could not escape the fire that day.

He didn't know what to do... The only way he could think of was to keep running until he reached a place where his memories couldn't catch up with him.

Escape to a perfect world.

The people there are harmonious and friendly; there is no war or killing, no intrigue or scheming, no human ugliness, and no human tragedy.

This obsession with a "perfect world" gradually took root in René Dennis's heart over time.

This innate superhuman memory is both a gift from heaven, helping him stride forward on the path of a sorcerer, and an ominous curse, the source of all evil that haunts him throughout his life.

On a peaceful afternoon, in the tranquil countryside of Maripo, Redeni leaned against a tree with a book in his arms and gradually fell asleep.

In his dream, he seemed to see a white-haired warrior with two swords beside him.

He... seemed strangely familiar with this person?

"Wake up."

Redeni suddenly opened his eyes and saw a strange blonde woman in front of him, who was shaking his shoulders with a smile.

"Who are you?"

He was somewhat puzzled.

"I said, wake up."

The blonde woman did not answer, but continued to repeat with a smile.

"……Well."

Redonny's eyes gradually became clear, and then deepened.

Affinso is back online.

He immediately felt a wave of fear, for he had just experienced the entirety of someone else's life for over twenty years, without missing a single detail.

During this time, he was completely unaware that it was just a memory.

At first, he was still somewhat conscious and would occasionally have the thought that "all of this is an illusion," but he could never remember his true identity.

Kayla took his hand; their hearts were always connected.

Effensor's memories were replayed in segments, gradually freeing him from the influence of Redeni's memories.

Of course, none of those memories belong to the previous life.

Those memories are only for him to recall...

Kayla had actually discovered the memories that Effensor had deliberately blocked long ago, but she wasn't stupid; she knew what she could and couldn't do.

Although she was genuinely curious, this was Effensor's mental world, and she didn't have control over it. Moreover, Effensor's soul strength was exceptionally high...

Furthermore, soul fusion is an extremely risky procedure; what if something goes wrong because of her recklessness...?

Kayla was afraid that if she messed things up, she would be in deep trouble.

So she behaved herself for once, which was unusual for her.

A moment later, the light in Effensor's eyes gradually dimmed, and Kayla disappeared quietly with a gust of wind.

Redeny's memories continue.

Effensor is like a swimmer who needs to surface for air every now and then, otherwise he risks drowning.

However, the place he swam in was the ocean of memories, and the way he breathed was by savoring his original memories.

……

From adolescence to youth, and from youth to middle age, Redeni's age increased, but his heart remained trapped in the past.

He wanted revenge on his enemies—but how could an ordinary mage who only knew how to brew potions defeat the infamous Otannis, the slaughterer hailed as a hero?

His exceptional memory allowed him to work like a god in theoretical research, but the chaotic magic did not favor him, causing him to encounter obstacles everywhere in practice.

The turning point came when he was forty years old.

That year, his mentor passed away. Because he never married, had no children, and had no other relatives, his estate was inherited by his students.

Redonny wasn't very capable and couldn't compete with his classmates, so he only managed to get some odds and ends from his tutor.

For example, the clothes he wore and the toiletries he used during his lifetime... this is just a symbolic way of giving him some junk to send him on his way.

Among these worthless relics, Redeny accidentally discovered a tattered parchment hidden inside the clothing.

This parchment was enchanted; when Redeny painstakingly unwrapped it, it transformed into an ancient book.

It contains some taboo knowledge.

Human sacrifice, blood and flesh divination, summoning the dead... these are all ancient witchcraft. Before the northerners arrived on this continent, ancient humans used these witchcraft to mobilize chaotic magic.

René Dennis tried to learn it and discovered that he seemed to have an exceptional talent for these things that were considered black magic.

He mastered all these primitive witchcraft techniques in just a few days and integrated them into his knowledge.

Redeny was excited, and therefore went mad.

He saw the power within his grasp, and without hesitation, he seized it.

He began to study these dark magics day and night, integrating and improving them little by little, devoting himself completely to them.

Time flies, and five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

It only took Regoni five years to go from an unknown nobody to an unprecedented user of dark magic.

During this process, he seemed to have a sudden enlightenment, gaining a comprehensive understanding of other forms of magic and making rapid progress in all areas.

It seems that René has truly become a genius.

Then, he completely tore open his wounded heart.

In the peaceful city of Maripo, Redeni secretly sought out the elven blacksmith Sabas.

While the blacksmith was fast asleep, a dark figure quietly climbed into his bedroom through the window.

Then a magical chain suddenly appeared, binding him. Then a powerful magical shockwave struck, instantly tearing his flesh and blood off his body. Countless pieces of flesh were scattered all over the walls, leaving only a mess of bloody skeletons on the ground.

Finally, his soul was held in the palm of Redeny's hand.

René held the faint light in his palm, placed it in front of him, and quietly gazed at the fearful soul within.

Facing those calm eyes, Sabas felt an immense fear.

He was terrified... Even in death, he was still terrified to the extreme.

So he wept bitterly before Redeny and repented for his crimes of the past.

In addition, he also revealed Ortannis's current location.

What followed was a massacre just like it had been decades before.

……

Kayla patted Redeny on the shoulder, and he turned around abruptly, his eyes suddenly becoming unfocused. Effensor gradually regained his senses.

Before him lay a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

More than three thousand humans, elves, half-elves, and dwarves were slaughtered and their bodies were piled up into a mountain of corpses, which was placed in the center of the life-conversion magic circle.

Soon after, these corpses will come back to life and, under Redenni's control, become a group of immortal monsters.

"Wake up." Kayla shook Effensor's head, and a flood of memories replayed, allowing Effensor to quickly regain his senses.

Looking at the bloody scene before him, he couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder you call him the infamous Redney."

"That's not the reason." Kayla shook her head, then glanced at the mountain of corpses. "I never expected the truth of history to be like this."

"Historical records state that Ortannis and his town of Little Gardens, where multiple races lived in harmony, disappeared overnight, leaving only ruins. People have always believed that this was an accident caused by Ortannis's research on the conjunction of the celestial spheres."

……

On Ortannis's corpse, Rydenni pulled out the hero's sword, which contained an unknown power.

He tried to wake it, but failed.

The sword rejected him, just as it had rejected Otannis...

But Redeny didn't care.

He no longer needed the sword; it held a different, more important meaning for him.

Then he plopped down on his enemy's corpse and flipped through Otannis's research notes.

Today is truly a day of double happiness; not only have I resolved my inner conflict, but I've also found a direction to move forward.

Ortannis has been researching interdimensional portals, hoping to use them to save the elves from their declining future.

This is exactly what Redonny needs—a way to escape this world.

He firmly believed that beyond the distant stars, there must exist a perfect...new world.

After reviewing the notes, Redenni stood up and stood in the whistling wind.

The sun on the horizon suddenly darkened, as if it were obscured by a huge black circular object, leaving only a crescent-shaped outline.

The solar eclipse has arrived.

Redeni raised a magic circle, and the countless corpses within it instantly began to twist and mutate, transforming into immortal monsters.

An eternally burning spirit fire rose, dragging these monsters into endless depravity, turning them into his puppets.

Morality is no longer important; human relationships are nothing more than worthless weeds.

The decaying old world is insignificant, as long as he can eventually reach the other shore in his heart...

He wouldn't care even if the entire continent were burned.

……

For the rest of the time, Redeny continued his search for the portal.

However, most of these portals, once opened, release a strange, icy magical power that carries the power to imprison everything.

The exploration of these portals ultimately came to nothing, but he did unexpectedly use the sword of Otannis to develop a method to restrict and contain the Frost, and could use it as a weapon, though it was prone to going out of control.

But the sword's secrets were still not revealed to him...

He also found a few normal portals, but behind them were empty spaces, only ruins of civilization and primitive beasts, not the places Redonny wanted to go.

Until one day, during a resurrection of the dead, Redeny accidentally learned about the origins of the northern people.

From another continent?

Did it possess a flourishing civilization?

People value virtue and venerate saints?

Does a well-developed religion regulate people's conduct?

A powerful universal empire, a dynasty that unified half the continent?

No war, no king, only a stable bureaucracy?

Although the deceased was just an unknown nobody in life, he only heard this information from his ancestors. And although his ancestors came from across the sea, they were just commoners at the bottom of society, and their understanding of that continent was limited to "hearsay".

The authenticity of these materials is questionable.

But this did not stop Redonny from yearning for that world.

In his view, the place where he lived was already a cesspool, and even if these rumors were distorted, they were still better than this place.

In order to learn more, Redeni embarked on a path of tomb raiding, divination, and resurrecting the dead without hesitation.

He made no attempt to conceal his tomb raiding activities—after all, no one in the world could kill him anymore.

As a result, his reputation gradually began to tarnish...

Redenni didn't care at all.

Once he finds a way to reach that continent of his dreams, all these past events will naturally be forgotten.

Even though his reputation is ruined, there are still people who are willing to believe in him and who also intend to leave this world.

That man was named Rousseau de Sylavi Prinslav.

……

Kayla appeared for the third time, but before she could even start shaking Effensor's shoulders, Effensor grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently.

"What's wrong with you?" Kayla asked in surprise.

"I'm fully awake now." Effensor's eyes were clear. He had gradually broken free from Redenny's life and fully integrated the two sets of memories.

Theoretically, this is impossible, but in practice, Effensor discovered that the key is willpower.

The reason is simple: this is not reality, but a purely spiritual world.

Here, the power of the mind surpasses all objective factors, disregards all logic of reality, and is utterly...the mind triumphs over matter.

The power of the mind is manifested through willpower.

"With enough willpower, you can turn the impossible into the possible," Effensor said to Kayla.

Kayla nodded, then suddenly said to Effensor, "Your experience is quite interesting."

"There really is a continent on the other side of the sea? And you drifted here from there?"

"You've already seen it." Effensor nodded.

"Hmph... That little princess of Sintra is still alive? Not only is she alive, but she's going to become a witcher?"

"Cohen knows about it, you know about it, Triss knows about it, Gitov Sokonia... he knows half of it."

"I'm the only one who doesn't know."

Her tone was sarcastic and ambiguous.

"Now you know."

Effensor smiled, then his smile froze.

He saw Kayla's eyes darting around, and at the same time, a thousand, ten thousand chaotic thoughts surged through his mind, all about how she could use this to climb the social ladder or seize more power...

This somewhat clever woman clumsily planned to turn everyone into pawns, but her plan was exposed before it even took shape in her mind.

"Hmm!"

Suddenly, Effensor reached out and pinched Kayla's face, making her pout, and forced her to look him in the eye.

"Behave yourself."

Effensor said earnestly but helplessly that he could also see Kayla's memories, and he knew very well what kind of person she was.

"snort!"

Kayla was unhappy; she felt it was such a pity.

However, she did give up any thoughts of causing trouble, because she could read Effensor's true thoughts and knew the consequences of doing so.

Offending a group of demon hunters from the Wolf School would mean offending a general with a large army, and even his own friend...

The gains simply couldn't keep up with the losses.

But she quickly wondered if she could find a way to make use of Effensor.

After all, she knew a lot of his little secrets...

"But I also know your secret."

Effensor interrupted Kayla's open conspiracy.

"So what?" Kayla casually smoothed her hair. "I'm not afraid if you leak it out."

"Well……"

Effensor discovered that Kayla was truly unafraid.

No, surely we can handle her?

Or should we just kill her? Right here! Right now!

Such an idea arose in Effensor's mind, and it was extremely strong.

"ah!?"

Kayla was startled, her body trembled, and then she read Effensor's true thoughts.

"Just kidding."

She first breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately became angry, raising her hand to cast a spell on Effensor, but failed. She then reached out to try and pinch Effensor's flesh.

Effensor laughed and dodged away; Kayla's figure gradually became blurry and eventually disappeared.

The memory continues.

……

Can that be called love?

Redenny didn't know.

He knew the girl had fallen in love with him, but he didn't know how to respond.

He was determined to go to the new world—even if his fate prevented him from reaching it, he wanted to witness it through the eyes of others.

But why can't he refuse every act of care from the other person?

His infamy, despicable acts, and cruel methods could not stop her from taking action.

Redon found himself becoming indecisive, unable to sever ties with a relationship that seemed destined to end.

Those hurtful words, no matter what, I just couldn't bring myself to say them.

That warm voice, I never tire of hearing it.

René looked at the girl named Annie, pondered for a long time, and finally made a decision.

Mortals cannot keep up with his pace; only those who can also wield the power of chaos are qualified.

He needs to find a way to make Annie a mage.

In addition, it seems that Annie has some misunderstanding with her father...

René discovered that Annie was an extremely contradictory person.

On the one hand, she loved him wholeheartedly despite knowing all his terrible behavior.

On the other hand, she was extremely opposed to her father's collaboration with Redonny, as if she were schizophrenic.

How can a person be so complicated? What is she thinking?

But Redennick resisted the urge to read minds.

This time, he was unwilling to use magic to uncover the truth.

"Is this perhaps a conflict between love and reality?" Redeny thought to himself, his resolve growing stronger.

Once we reach that perfect world, all problems will be solved.

In his daily research, Redeny finally made a mistake one day.

He made that prediction.

He glimpsed that... future he shouldn't have seen.

A white eagle flew past him, crossing the sea.

He saw the white eagle transform into a human, announcing the restoration of a kingdom amidst cheers, and declaring that they would establish a great empire.

The scene then shifts, and the white-haired figure stands beneath the broken white city gate, proclaiming loudly, "Smash it, burn it, turn it to ashes, and throw it into the sea! But it will return!"

"I am your king. The true king of Arania. And a true king needs no blood-red eyes."

"I am king because I have the power to save you."

Beside him, another white-haired figure weakly raised his hand, full of resentment as he tried to stop him.

Behind him, a one-armed, black-haired man stared blankly at the scene.

Immediately afterwards, everything vanished into thin air.

And in the misty white clouds, he saw many more things.

A vast empire rose up, ruling over all the lands from the Wyvern Mountains to Nilfgaard.

An unprecedentedly great conqueror stands at the top of the world; he is both the god worshipped by the people, the embodiment of the sun, and the emperor of the empire.

Everyone was carrying out his will, and everyone was praising his achievements.

The great emperor and his daughter strolled through the palace, which resembled a fairyland.

In the blink of an eye, everything was reduced to ashes once again.

This time, René saw the white-haired figure again, riding his horse along a muddy path.

But behind him, several black threads swayed gently in the wind, and those black threads seemed to lead to…

Redeni looked up at the sky and found that the clouds had somehow turned into the shape of a spider.

The next moment, Redenni felt an unprecedented fear.

Something... is angry and is approaching his location.

It was an indescribable behemoth, connected to all things in the world. When Redonny first discovered it, he almost died.

He lurks like a shadow, manipulating like a spider.

If he hadn't escaped quickly, he would have surely died.

But He hasn't gone far; He's still closing in...

Redeni changed his plans at the last minute. When he was making the potion, he replaced the original Chaos Crystal with a fragment of his own soul, so that Annie would have more powerful spellcasting abilities.

That white eagle… Redonni was certain that one day, the white eagle would appear before Annie and awaken her.

In the future he saw, Annie's figure was blurry, and she seemed to be holding something in her arms, but her face was crystal clear.

She looked very calm, with her eyes closed, as if she were asleep.

Leideni only hoped that Annie could carry her memories and travel with the White Eagle to their original homeland.

The memory abruptly ended.

The memories belonging to the soul within the bottle have come to an end.

The world in René Dennis's eyes was frozen at the moment he pressed his fingers to his temples.

However, what followed...

The stagnant world slowly began to flow again, and the frozen scene started to move once more.

Everything in the world, in all its colors, was sucked into a vortex.

Amidst this chaos, even more abstract and indescribable information flew in as fragments.

Even though it was sealed inside a bottle, even though it had no facial features and couldn't perceive the outside world normally...

But the spirit within the bottle still managed to glimpse many things.

I've also thought about it a lot.

In reality, Redonny's life wasn't that dramatic.

To the world, he was a madman who suddenly appeared, commanding an army of monsters that was impossible to kill. Wherever he went, extreme ice storms would appear, as if he were being followed by these storms.

Furthermore, Redeny's wanton grave-digging behavior, as well as his unpredictable temper and disregard for rules, are both frightening and frustrating.

However, just as he rose to prominence suddenly, his downfall was equally abrupt, disappearing without a trace.

In historical records, he is a notorious and legendary figure, but in reality, he was just an ordinary person.

This is probably a universal truth: no matter how powerful a person is, they are essentially just an ordinary person; no matter how famous they are, there is actually no difference between people.

This world is just a makeshift operation.

Only they themselves know the truth.

So only René Dennis himself knows how painful his life has been.

He kept telling himself that he was not affected by the dark magic and that his mind had not been warped.

He was not a puppet of magic, and even though his goal gradually shifted from revenge against an individual to a massacre, it was still his own desire.

After a while, even Redeny himself started to believe it.

It wasn't until he met Annie that he felt the warmth of human connection again after a long time.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

The spirit in the bottle became aware of the problem after it was removed.

Why did his magical talent mysteriously and continuously improve after he opened that book?

He was just an ordinary, mediocre mage, so why was he so adept at these evil sorceries?

Why did his mentor carry that book so carefully with him at all times? And why did he use powerful Transfiguration to protect it?

The moment he opened that book, it was probably already completely corrupted.

His soul may have already changed; his personality may have already become distorted.

He is no longer himself.

However, Redeny's conviction was strong enough.

That obsession transcended the pursuit of wealth, freedom, power, and love, and even transcended life and death. He silently resisted the erosion of magic with his unwavering will.

The obsession with finding a perfect new world, the corrosive influence of dark magic, and Redoni's own will—which truly dominates his soul... no one can say for sure.

A hazy fragment of memory from the soul within the bottle flickered, and time flowed by.

Redeny, who used to rob graves everywhere, had his tomb dug up by another group of grave robbers.

The once quiet Tannenberg is now completely gone, not even a single broken tile can be found.

Annie came and never left, quietly leaning against the wall and starving herself to death.

Redonny… or rather, the shadow. He looked at Annie, and with a wave of his hand, froze the events of her past life in that moment.

After he left, another weathered old man arrived. His armor was tattered, he was short and hunched over, and he rode a skinny horse, looking like an old knight.

He reached out a trembling hand, touched Annie's face, and closed his eyes in anguish.

He held Annie in his arms, gently stroking her back, muttering something indistinctly, but his voice was choked with sobs and completely unintelligible.

The old knight pressed his forehead against Annie's, trying to feel a trace of warmth from the cold corpse, but the only warmth he could feel was the hot tears streaming down his face.

He picked up an unfinished letter from the table, crumpled it into a ball without even looking at it, and then burned it to ashes with a fire tumbler.

He turned and left, only to return some time later.

The old knight somehow acquired a cheap golem to guard what he considered Annie's grave. Then, he sealed the laboratory door, mounted his skinny horse, and vanished into the night, never to return.

The shadowy figure reappeared, silently watching everything unfold, standing there for a day and a night.

Finally, he waved his hand, and time here slowed down again, almost freezing.

But after doing all that, he was stunned again.

He stared blankly at that peaceful face, at Annie who seemed to be asleep...

He seemed to remember something, or realize something.

Then he looked up at the sky and remained silent for a long time.

Until shadows rose from the earth and bound him back to that throne.

Then came several hundred years, but that was only a blink of an eye.

The room, which had been closed for so long, finally welcomed a breath of fresh air one day.

A sliver of light fell in, and the door was slowly pushed open, revealing an intruder entering the scene frozen in time by magic.

The man bent down and picked up the bottle.

He had a handsome face, but it showed signs of age.

He had a head of white hair and a robust physique.

He carried a long sword, his eyes like those of a snake.

He examined the bottle, recalling his life over and over again. Scenes, both real and imagined, flashed through his mind, making his heart more resolute.

He had never realized that his heart was so strong, and his will so firm.

The white-haired man stroked his chin, gradually savoring his own life.

He gradually noticed something unusual—he seemed to be born knowing a lot of things and understanding many strange and wonderful principles.

A vast amount of knowledge that doesn't exist in this world took root and sprouted in his mind...

Gradually, he began to remember something.

Those memories that did not belong to this world flooded over his heart like a burst dam.

Most of them have become blurred like old phantoms, with only a few memorable fragments still clearly visible.

He remembered.

"who I am?"

He muttered to himself.

"I am not some... necromancer from hundreds of years ago."

"I think I was once an ordinary person living in the steel jungle."

"But now—I'm still alive, still here, living in the present."

"My name is Effensor, and I am a witcher."

He smiled.

He turned and left.