Underwater Rift

Heeding Francesca's reminder, Wayne abandoned his initial plan to address the survivors directly. Instead, he maintained the illusion of being an obedient puppet knight, shrouded in the mist emanating from his armor.

The sorceress proved her capabilities once again. Even concealed beneath a cloak, her melodious Elvish soothed the traumatized hearts of the non-human survivors. Within minutes, the dwarves and elves, who had been gripped by fear and despair, were uplifted by her words. They followed Francesca down a road leading towards the forest outside the town.

Wayne stood silently amidst the carnage. Only after the last of the survivors had left the town center did he follow, maintaining a discreet distance. Half an hour later, the group vanished into the forest. Wayne surmised that Francesca had used a portal to transport them to a safe haven. As for their abandoned belongings, he figured it was a trivial matter for the wealthy sorceress.

Once the forest fell silent, Francesca reappeared before Wayne, her elegant purple-black dress restored. She curtsied gracefully, then spoke in a sincere tone.

"Thank you, Wayne, you have done me a great favor. I will remember this kindness, and do not hesitate to ask if you ever need my help."

Wayne waved a dismissive hand. "Say not a word, Lady Francesca. I believe anyone with a sense of justice would have done the same, faced with such evil." He paused, then added, "Besides, I am an elf myself, and this act brings me some measure of solace."

Francesca's gaze softened as she listened to Wayne's response. Her eyes then fell upon the blood and grime covering him. She frowned slightly and said, "Regardless, Wayne, I am in your debt. Meeting a brave soul such as yourself is the highlight of my recent days."

"You are quite soiled. Allow me to cleanse you with magic, if you will."

Wayne glanced down at the filth clinging to his armor, a mixture of blood and viscera. In the heat of battle, he had barely noticed. Now, with the sorceress's words, his witcher senses were overwhelmed by the stench. He nodded in agreement.

With a delicate gesture, Francesca conjured a stream of clear water, swirling around his body as if an unseen hand scrubbed him clean. The grime caught in the armor's crevices, the blood and gore, were swiftly washed away.

Once Wayne's armor gleamed as good as new, Francesca stepped closer, examining his gear with a discerning eye. A surprised smile spread across her face. "I am astounded by your strength, Wayne, especially the magical equipment you bear. Each piece radiates a potent aura. I have never encountered anything like it."

"I remember meeting you last year, you were still quite young. It seems you've experienced much in the past year."

Wayne met Francesca's gaze, a casual tone masking the weight of his words. "Indeed, we've had many adventures and claimed many trophies. Such is the life of a witcher. We are always en route to the next battlefield, never knowing which one will be our last."

"Danger and battle force us to mature quickly, for the losers often find themselves in an early grave."

"Well, it's growing late. If there's nothing else, allow me to take my leave."

"Ah, wait a moment," Francesca interjected, stopping Wayne in his tracks. She offered an apologetic smile as she met his puzzled look. "Wayne, did Toruviel mention that I wished to engage your services?"

Wayne paused, recalling that Toruviel had indeed mentioned it. However, he had intended to address the matter after the new year. The encounter with the sorceress had taken him by surprise, and he had forgotten. After a brief silence, he looked at Francesca and said, "You understand our principles. There are certain tasks we do not accept. However, you may tell me the nature of the task, and I will give you my answer."

Francesca bit her lip, a hint of vulnerability in her expression. "I have received news that King Henselt of Kaedwen is planning a large-scale expulsion of non-humans from their capital, and potentially other cities as well."

"However, many know that the his intentions go beyond mere expulsion. He is a vile racist. Perhaps he seeks to seize their wealth, or perhaps he simply wishes to indulge his twisted bloodlust."

"Though the Brotherhood of Sorcerers has pressured Henselt repeatedly, explicitly warning him against mass slaughter."

"But he is a shameless brute, and none can predict his true intentions."

Wayne frowned at this revelation. It seemed the sorceress wished him to confront the King of Kaedwen. Though he wouldn't mind putting the fool in his place, even killing him, their witcher code forbade them from openly defying a monarch.

"So, what manner of task do you wish to entrust to me?" Wayne asked cautiously.

Francesca's eyes flashed with sorrow as she sensed the warning in his tone. She reached out, gently taking Wayne's ungloved hand. "I wish to make a long-term arrangement with you, Wayne."

"Just as you did today, if you can rescue any elves from the blades of humans and bring them to safety, then notify me."

"You will receive a reward of ten crowns per elf. Of course, if you encounter any difficulties, you can discuss them with me, and I will share any information I have."

"Please, Wayne, help me. I only want more of my people to survive."

As Francesca finished speaking, the system's voice chimed in Wayne's ears:

Ding! Special commission triggered: [Save the Elves].

This task is a long-term commission. You will earn one point for each elf rescued. The host may terminate the task at any time. Every ten points can be exchanged for an ordinary treasure chest and three experience points.

Every one hundred points can be exchanged for an expert treasure chest and thirty experience points.

Every thousand points can be exchanged for a master treasure chest and three hundred experience points.

Every ten thousand points can be exchanged for an epic treasure chest and three thousand experience points. These points can be redeemed at any time until the host ends the mission.

Upon hearing the details of the commission, Wayne accepted without hesitation. The rewards were so generous, it felt like a gift from the gods.

There were likely tens of thousands of elves scattered throughout the Northern Kingdoms. He might just barely manage to save a hundred thousand. If he could convert all those lives into points, it would be equivalent to completing ten epic missions and earning thirty thousand experience points.

That was enough for him to acquire numerous artifacts and level up tenfold. It was a shame the system's task wasn't to kill those who perpetrated the massacres, but to save lives—a more troublesome endeavor. Otherwise, he might have transformed into a vengeful wraith, slaughtering tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands.

What surprised him was the sorceress's generosity. Even if he saved ten thousand elves, a fraction of the total, the reward would still amount to one hundred thousand crowns—a princely sum, more than the coffers of some small kingdoms.

Perhaps Francesca underestimated his abilities, or simply didn't expect him to save more than a few hundred. It seemed this elf needed a lesson in the true extent of Wayne's power. Once she was indebted to him, perhaps she could repay him in other ways.

After accepting the task, Wayne feigned contemplation for a few moments. Then, with a reluctant expression, he nodded. "Lady Francesca, I will accept this commission, but only under the condition of absolute secrecy. I cannot reveal my identity as a witcher."

"Furthermore, I expect no leaks from your end. Should any information be compromised, our friendship will end, and we may even become enemies."

Francesca seemed unfazed by the veiled threat in his tone. Instead, she smiled sweetly. "Wayne, thank you for your assistance. Keep the communicator with you. I will create a device capable of longer-distance communication as soon as possible. This will allow us to coordinate our efforts more effectively."

"And rest assured, I understand your concern for your witcher identity. I will gather information that may be of use to you. Should you require the aid of a sorceress, you need only ask."

.....

With the commission completed, Wayne received thirty-five experience points and an expert-level treasure chest as a reward. But the true gains went beyond that. A bond of trust had been forged between him and Francesca, paving the way for deeper cooperation.

The prospect of the long-term commission excited him even more. Once he left Kaer Morhen, he would test its potential. Whether he rescued elves personally or employed other methods, he would earn points. If the latter proved viable, the task would become significantly easier, allowing him to rapidly level up and increase his strength.

With these thoughts in mind, Wayne continued his journey after parting ways with Francesca. He piloted the magic flying carpet towards the next magic node marked on his map. Fortunately, the journey was uneventful. After approximately two hours, he reached a valley twenty kilometers from Ban Ard, following the map's guidance.

Upon arrival, he discovered the node was located within a pool beneath a waterfall. Had it not been for the map, finding this secluded spot would have been nearly impossible, similar to the spatial rift he had encountered in the bear cave. He wondered who had discovered these hidden magical locations.

Without delay, Wayne reached the shore below the waterfall, shed his clothes, and stored his armor and belongings within his spatial bracelet. The Hekena Amulet granted him extended underwater breathing and enhanced swimming speed. Within minutes, he reached the bottom of the pool and found the faintly glowing blue node.

To his surprise, the abundance of Chaos Magic Power near the node had attracted a group of drowners. They swarmed Wayne like hungry students at dinnertime, sensing a delectable meal.

Fortunately, his power had grown considerably. Even underwater, his Axii sign was unrestricted. With his current abilities, he could control three or four drowners simultaneously. Combined with the crossbow he could summon from his bracelet, he quickly dispatched the underwater nuisances.

As he reached the glowing node, the familiar system chime sounded in his ears.

Ding! Magic node detected. Do you wish to absorb it?

After a brief hesitation, Wayne chose "yes." With the system's aid, the immense magical energy within the node surged into him at an unimaginable speed, as if being drawn into a black hole. More accurately, it was absorbed by something unknown within his body.

In less than two minutes, the once brightly glowing node cracked visibly. The magic that sustained it had been drained entirely, leaving a fissure from which a trace of otherworldly energy seeped in. Thanks to his "Magical Conversion" skill, which allowed him to absorb such energy, Wayne's senses were heightened. He felt a vague familiarity in the power emanating from the crack.

Ding! Magic node absorbed. 3 ability points gained.

Current ability points: 4.

Ignoring the system prompt, Wayne focused his senses on the otherworldly energy seeping through the rift. It was a sinister aura, stronger than any light, reeking of death, brimstone, damnation, and corruption. The world on the other side seemed far from peaceful, consumed by evil and chaos.

After several minutes, Wayne opened his eyes, a thoughtful expression on his face. He retrieved a mana potion from his spatial bracelet—a Diablo-themed potion from an ordinary treasure chest. He had four bottles left.

He closed his eyes and poured the mana potion into his mouth, savoring the taste. It carried the same aura of death, sulfur, corruption, and curses as the energy seeping from the spatial rift. This gave Wayne 90% certainty that the world on the other side was indeed the world of Diablo.

However, he didn't know how far that world had progressed in its timeline, or where this particular rift led. Unlike his previous ventures into Middle-earth and Azeroth, he lacked the courage to step directly into this apocalyptic realm. After careful consideration, he decided against using his rudimentary spatial rift sealing ritual on this one. The rift was too small and insignificant. Even if a demon lord discovered it, it would take years to widen it enough for them to pass through.

Furthermore, Wayne understood that demons, while powerful in their own realms, were subject to strict limitations. In their native planes, they wielded immense power and could act with impunity. However, upon entering other worlds or planes, they faced powerful suppression from the plane itself, losing most of their strength and the support of their home realm. This was a primary reason why many demon lords had been defeated by heroes after leaving their own planes.