Chapter 234: Come Quickly, Let's Fence
"Sir Borch, if it's not too much trouble, may I ask you a question?"
Lynn recalled the earlier battle.
"If I'm not mistaken, you were using witcher combat techniques in the fight just now?"
The original novels never mentioned that Three Jackdaws knew how to wield a sword.
But then Lynn thought about it; it wasn't really something to be overly surprised about.
After all, Borch was a dragon.
As a golden dragon who had likely lived in this world longer than Regis.
Taking a few decades to learn a swordsmanship skill, wasn't that as reasonable as a car mechanic carrying a wrench?
What surprised Lynn, however, was that the skill he wielded wasn't ordinary swordsmanship.
It was the exact same swordsmanship as that used by Jad Karadin, the Cat School witcher who had died at the hands of Lynn and Geralt.
"Yes," since Lynn asked, Borch didn't hide it but spoke frankly. "That was many years ago."
A look of reminiscence appeared in his eyes: "I once saved a Cat School witcher named Gezras of Rivia, and helped him escape a human pursuit."
"In return, he taught me this Cat School swordsmanship."
Lynn was stunned upon hearing this.
Gezras of Rivia?
Of course, he knew that name.
Or rather.
Any witcher who had received systematic witcher training could not be unfamiliar with that name.
Because he was the founder of the Cat School.
And also the only witcher school among all of them that actively befriended the Aen Seidhe (Elves).
This founder even left a famous motto for the school's descendants:
—Always try to accept commissions from the Aen Seidhe, rather than humans, otherwise, you might get stabbed in the kidney before you even get paid.
Ever since he mastered Grandmaster Wolf School Swordsmanship, Lynn had been contemplating when he would get his hands on Cat School Swordsmanship and Bear School Swordsmanship.
He had already practiced Viper School Swordsmanship and Griffin School Swordsmanship with Letho and George on the way back north from Toussaint.
Regrettably, the swordsmanship of these two witcher schools was the same as the Wolf School's.
This detail was not recorded in the Kaer Morhen manuscripts.
Lynn only learned this from the elder Letho.
The swordsmanship of the Wolf School, Viper School, Griffin School, and the Manticore School (unknown to Northerners) all inherited the standard witcher swordsmanship from the Order era.
Only the Bear School and Cat School developed their own distinct swordsmanship styles.
Therefore, Lynn speculated that if he learned the swordsmanship of these two schools, he might gain additional specializations, just as he did when he mastered Grandmaster Wolf School Swordsmanship.
He just hadn't expected that the opportunity to learn Cat School Swordsmanship would be so close, yet seemed so far away.
"So that's how it is, Sir Borch. I have an impertinent request: would you be willing to teach me the Cat School swordsmanship you've learned?"
For the rest of the day, until nightfall, Lynn stayed on deck, listening to Three Jackdaws' explanations.
Since Cat School swordsmanship was originally a variant of witcher swordsmanship, Borch briefly touched upon techniques common to both, focusing only on the differences of the "diverged" Cat School swordsmanship.
After dinner, Lynn returned to his cabin.
He first mentally reviewed all the content he had learned that day.
Then he climbed onto his hammock, closed his eyes, and his breathing gradually became regular.
Perhaps it was due to the cleaner air in this pre-industrial society...
Or perhaps because, after his transmigration, he was free from the anxiety of mortgage payments and being "graduated" at thirty-five...
Every day since he arrived in this world, Lynn had never suffered from insomnia. Every night, he would close his eyes and sleep like a baby.
Unless...
The mutations bestowed upon witchers by the Trial of the Grasses not only made them immune to disease and potion toxicity but also caused them to emit a warning signal in case of unforeseen danger.
Lynn, lying in his hammock, suddenly reached out like lightning and gripped the uninvited guest's neck.
It was only then that his golden pupils, gleaming in the dark cabin, truly opened.
When the Zerrikanian girl's startled and nervous pretty face came into Lynn's view.
He then released Tea.
"You shouldn't sneak in."
Lynn got down from the hammock and lit the kerosene lamp.
The faint light pushed back some of the darkness.
Tea caressed her beautiful neck, where faint marks still remained.
If it hadn't been for the touch that made Lynn realize something was wrong, the Zerrikanian girl might already have perished, becoming a warm corpse.
"Is there something you need?"
Tea didn't answer.
Instead, the next moment, she pounced on him fiercely like a wildcat.
The kerosene lamp was extinguished.
The cabin plunged back into darkness.
Under the clear blue sky, two figures exchanged sword blows on the privateer ship's deck.
A group of sailors gathered around, occasionally letting out gasps of surprise.
Cat School swordsmanship emphasized speed, extreme speed.
Despite being a hand-and-a-half sword, it could achieve the effects of a rapier.
Borch suddenly parried Gwyhyr with a clang.
However, he didn't press his advantage. Instead, he stepped back and lowered his steel sword.
"Sir Lynn, how about a short break?"
The witcher had no objection and also lowered his weapon.
The surrounding sailors, seeing that there was no more excitement, dispersed to attend to their duties.
Borch was indeed a noble person.
During yesterday's boarding action, although Lynn hadn't observed Borch closely, the occasional glimpses he caught showed that Borch's Cat School swordsmanship definitely possessed the skill of a master.
But having promised yesterday to teach Lynn the Cat School swordsmanship, Borch not only patiently explained the key points of the sword techniques to Lynn but also deliberately kept his skill slightly above Lynn's level during practice.
A visible opponent who is also not far away is the easiest way to ignite one's fighting spirit and accelerate learning progress.
Borch returned his steel sword to its scabbard, walked forward, and smiled.
"It seems you've already seen Tea's abilities last night."
Lynn nodded slightly: "Yes, her performance on the battlefield is no less impressive than a man's."
However, Three Jackdaws' tone suddenly shifted.
"I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about her performance in bed."
"Cough! Cough, cough, cough—"
The witcher suddenly felt a tickle in his throat.
He coughed loudly.
"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I never sleep with those who protect me."
The witcher breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he wasn't sure why he felt relieved upon hearing that answer.
....
For advanced chapters:
Get early access to 120 advanced chapters before anyone else!
👉 Join now: patreon.com/Chaos_God