Rise of the Dark Witch

snort!

ha!

In the swordsmanship training ground, shouts and clashes of swords were heard one after another, as a group of teenagers wielded long swords.

This is the core swordsmanship training ground inside Nange Castle. Young people who can receive training in this training ground are either of noble birth or outstanding talent.

In this training ground where even the children of counts and dukes are present, there is one person who stands out.

Even the children of the earl and duke pale in front of that man.

The grandson of Paladin Roya, Jono Nangle.

Under the envious gaze of everyone, Jono was receiving one-on-one knowledge from Knight Rick.

Lord Rick is the eldest son of Lord Rick, the second son of Viscount Delhi, and the grandson of Viscount Delhi. He is from the same family as Jono and is one generation older than Jono.

Rick is one of the top five people in the Nange family. Before Jono appeared, Rick was the designated heir of the Nange family.

After all, Roja has no descendants.

Rick is the strongest and most knowledgeable in his young life, and is the first grandson of the Nangle family. It is natural for him to become the heir of the Nangle family, and no one will have any objection.

However, after Jono appeared, the heir to the Nangle family was transferred directly from Rick to Jono.

Naturally, no one would have any objection to this result.

It just doesn’t make sense on the surface, but does it really mean nothing on the inside?

People around him quietly observed Jono, who was receiving one-on-one guidance from Lord Rick.

"As the strongest knight in our Shenglan Kingdom, Knight Rick is expected to exist in the paladin realm. He actually spends three days a week to guide Master Jono?"

"Actually, Master Qiao Nuo hasn't even learned how to hold a sword, and he hasn't even mastered the most basic slashing of swordsmanship. There is no need to trouble Knight Rick with this kind of basic training."

"Who is the grandson of Paladin Roya? Master Qiao Nuo is now the heir of the Nange family. He is very favored in the Nange family. Even people from the earl and duke family will respectfully call him master when they see him."

"You just took away the position of heir that should have belonged to Lord Rick, and you also asked the busy Lord Rick to provide basic guidance. Don't you think it's too much?"

"He has been practicing for a month, and he obviously has the best resources and the best teacher... When I started holding a sword at the age of seven, I was at his level in less than ten days."

"As the grandson of Paladin Roya, there is no way he has inherited the talent of Paladin Roya."

"Hush! Are you desperate for your life? That is the grandson of Paladin Roya!"

Although Qiao Nuo in the distance couldn't hear the voices of other people talking and didn't know what those people were thinking, the sight of those people still made him feel as uncomfortable as being crawled by ants.

He turned his head and glanced at those people.

The crowd who were staring at him while discussing in low voices a second ago immediately turned their heads away with a guilty conscience and concentrated on their swordsmanship training, as if nothing had happened.

"Maybe it's just my imagination."

"Mostly it's because I haven't adapted to this life of being in the spotlight, so I feel uncomfortable."

"I have to work hard, I must not let grandpa down!"

Jono shook his head to get rid of the distracting thoughts in his mind, and continued to concentrate on accepting the guidance of Knight Rick.

An hour flew by.

It's time for guidance from Lord Rick.

Jono wiped the sweat from his forehead and said to Knight Rick: "Your one hour of guidance feels like I have made greater progress than I have made by practicing on my own for three days!"

Knight Rick smiled and said: "Because you have never been exposed to swordsmanship before, your progress will be faster at the beginning of practice, but it will slow down later."

"I have practiced swordsmanship with Buck, the most powerful swordsman in the village! Buck, the knight, even praised me for my talent in swordsmanship!" Jono said unconvinced.

"That would-be knight Buck is not good at swordsmanship, but his vision is quite good. It won't be long before your strength surpasses mine." Knight Rick patted Jono on the shoulder and said.

"Really?" Jono jumped up excitedly, but he quickly calmed down. "Stop making fun of me. How dare you compare with Knight Rick?"

"Qiao Nuo, don't underestimate yourself, you will become stronger than anyone else in the future!" Knight Rick said.

"Stronger than you?"

"certainly."

"Stronger than Luke Paladin, the vice-principal of Saint Lo Knight Academy?"

"Yes."

Although Knight Rick nodded seriously, Jono still felt that the other party was lying to him.

He thinks he is quite talented. After all, even Buck, the most powerful quasi-knight in the village, praises him. Grand Knight Rick also agrees with Buck's quasi-knight, so he thinks it is very possible for him to become a grand knight in the future.

But better than Luke the Paladin?

That's on the same level as his grandfather, the Holy Knight of Roya!

Although there are differences between Paladins, his grandfather, as the strongest Paladin in history, is definitely more powerful than Luke Paladin.

But as both Paladins, Paladin Luke should be two or three levels stronger than his grandfather, right? With five or six Luke Paladins joining forces, even his grandfather would have no choice but to run away, right?

As confident as Jono was, ever since he was a child, even in his dreams he didn't think he could become a paladin, let alone be stronger than Luke's paladin.

Things he never dreamed of before...

However, after coming to the Nange family, no matter whether they like him or hate him, whether they are a humble maid or a noble duke, they all think that he can become a paladin.

As if it was natural for him to become a Paladin.

And judging from the eyes, expressions and tone of those people, those people were not flattering him because of his status, but really felt that he could definitely become a Paladin.

The legendary Paladin, there are only single-digit Paladins in each generation of the Shenglan Kingdom. Is it so easy to become a Paladin, the ultimate goal of a knight?

Jono never believed it before.

But after staying in Nangle Castle for a long time, he was shaken.

Maybe, maybe, maybe... he can really become a Paladin?

While Jono was thinking.

Knight Rick said to Jono:

"I'm leaving. Instructor Val will be responsible for teaching you next."

"Instructor Val is a great knight like me. Although his strength is a little weaker than mine, his teaching experience is still above mine."

"You study hard with Instructor Val, and your progress will only be faster than when I taught you."

Knight Rick gave Jono a few words and left.

Before instructor Val arrived, Jono came to rest under the shade of a tree.

The breeze blew and the branches rustled.

Smelling the natural fragrance from the trees, Qiao Nuo felt his fatigue suddenly eased a lot.

"Jono——"

Familiar voices and familiar footsteps approached Jono.

Without turning around to look, Jono knew who was coming.

His childhood friend Doron.

Duolun, who is two years older than him, is his friend since childhood.

Maybe it's because they get along better. Even though Duolun is two years older than him, Duolun likes to follow him like a follower.

When playing knight games, Doron always plays the role of his knight retinue.

When he left the village and came to Nangle Castle.

When he wanted to take a companion with him, the first thing he thought of was Duolun.

Looking at Dolan, who was much taller than his peers and running towards him with a silly look on his face, Jono showed a mature expression that was not like that of a ten-year-old child, "I didn't expect you to really become my knight's retinue."

"Hehe, I've known for a long time that you are special, Qiao Nuo. I always thought you were the smartest person in our village." Duolun sat next to Qiao Nuo and smiled stupidly.

After chatting with an acquaintance named Duolun, Qiao Nuo's loneliness due to being far away from his relatives in his hometown was relieved a lot.

At this time, a gust of fragrant wind came.

Two cute girls wearing cute maid outfits came over carrying a tray each.

There is a bowl of soup on the tray, as well as some fruits and desserts.

"Master Qiao Nuo, Master Duolun, please enjoy it slowly."

In the past, only Qiao Nuo had the soup, but after Qiao Nuo noticed the envious look in his friend Duolun's eyes, he asked the maid if he could give Duolun a portion as well.

He originally thought the maid would be very embarrassed.

After all, as far as he knew, these decoctions were very expensive and rare. A bowl of decoctions alone was worth dozens of gold coins in raw materials.

You must know that in the past, one gold coin was enough for their family to survive for a year.

Even the village chief's family couldn't afford dozens of gold coins.

Unexpectedly, the maid agreed directly, and the soup she brought the next day was reduced from one portion to two portions.

After drinking the decoction, Qiao Nuo felt that the fatigue in his body was swept away, and all the body aches and pains disappeared. His whole body felt warm and comfortable.

Qiao Nuo held the fruit in one hand and the dessert in the other, and ate it with big mouthfuls.

Qiao Nuo, who finished the food in a few seconds, looked at Duolun, who looked dull, and looked at the dessert fruit in his hand, "Give it to me if you don't want to eat it."

"Eat! Of course I'll eat it!" Duolun, who was afraid that Qiao Nuo would really grab it, quickly stuffed the food into his mouth.

"What are you looking at? Are you looking so absorbed?" Qiao Nuo asked doubtfully.

"Ahem." Duolun's face turned red as he looked at the beautiful figure of the maid who twisted her waist to leave, and whispered in Qiao Nuo's ear: "Don't you think those two maids are beautiful? I really envy you for being like that every day. Beautiful maid in attendance.”

"It is indeed beautiful, but she is still far behind Miss Fanny." Qiao Nuo said seriously.

"What? How is that possible?" Duolun looked at Qiao Nuo speechlessly, wondering if Qiao Nuo's eyes were broken.

Miss Fanny is the daughter of the baron of the town where they used to live, and is the number one beauty in their town.

I don’t know how many men want to marry Miss Fannie.

But Miss Fanny, the most beautiful woman in town, is far less beautiful than even the maid in Nangle Castle.

Qiao Nuo actually said that Miss Fanny is more beautiful?

"When I was eight years old and followed my father to the town to sell wild animal skins, I met Miss Fannie by chance."

Qiao Nuo looked intoxicated as he recalled her, "Although I no longer remember her appearance, the amazing feeling at that time made me know the beauty of a woman for the first time."

Just thinking of the beautiful figure he saw that day, Qiao Nuo's body couldn't help but tremble.

"I'm sure Miss Fannie is the most beautiful woman in the world!"

Jono said while clenching his fists.

"Really? I've met Miss Fannie a few times, and I think..." Doron tilted his head and doubted.

"After I become the Grand Knight, I must go back and marry Miss Fanny!" Qiao Nuo didn't listen to Doron's words at all. All he thought about now was the figure of Miss Fanny, the most beautiful beauty in town.

…

"Doron, see you tomorrow."

After completing a day of practice and study, Qiao Nuo lost all energy when he thought of what was going to happen next.

Looking at the people walking towards him, Qiao Nuo retreated in fear, "Oh, it's time for the vitality cultivation once every seven days again."

Although vitality cultivation can bring him great benefits, it is too uncomfortable and disgusting.

He wanted to refuse, but couldn't.

A seductive woman with a medicinal smell all over her body came to Qiao Nuo, the most powerful potion master in the Nange family, Ila potion master.

Looking at Ila's potion master's dark purple lips that looked like they were coated with poison, Qiao Nuo said tremblingly: "Can you not do it?"

Ila, the potion master, knelt down in front of Qiao Nuo and said respectfully: "Vitality cultivation can improve your physique, Master Qiao Nuo, and increase your upper limit of potential. Others can only dream of it."

"I've done it so many times, doesn't it matter if I lose it once? Since everyone else wants it, how about giving it to others, Duolun?" Qiao Nuo's eyes lit up.

"Your friend Master Duolun? If he also does it together, would you be willing to do it?" Magician Ila asked with a smile.

"Uh..." Qiao Nuo, who knew he couldn't refuse, thought it would be better to find a companion to suffer alone. "That's right, if you want me to accept the so-called vitality cultivation, I must bring Duolun with me."

"Okay." Ila thought for a moment and nodded.

…

In a room with a strong medicinal smell.

More than a dozen potion masters, who are rarely seen in normal times, gathered here and were busy working on the next thing.

"Qiao Nuo, what's going on?" Doron asked in a low voice while looking around in fear.

"We are going to carry out organic cultivation next." In order to prevent Duolun from seeing his true thoughts, Jono replied with a straight face.

"Vitality cultivation, what is that?" Duolun asked doubtfully.

"Vitality cultivation can improve physical fitness and increase the upper limit of potential. Simply put, it allows us to go higher and further on the road to knighthood."

"real?"

"Yes, for example, with your talent, becoming a quasi-knight would be the limit in the future, but after the vitality training, becoming a great knight is no longer a problem."

"So powerful?"

"Of course, there are only a few people in the entire Nange family who are qualified for vitality cultivation, because you are my good friend, Duolun, and it was only after my repeated requests that Ila Potion Master included you as a special case."

"Thank you so much! Jono, you are indeed my best friend!" Doron held Jono's hands and shook them vigorously.

"It's easy to talk about." Qiao Nuo turned his head away guiltily.

After the potion masters completed their preparations, vitality cultivation officially began.

Qiao Nuo and Duolun took off their clothes and lay on a jade bed made of jade.

Jono's vitality cultivation was carried out by the magician Ila.

Duolun's vitality cultivation was carried out by another potion master.

After administering local anesthesia to the body.

The potion master Ila took out silver needles the size of hairs.

If you have good eyesight, you can see that there is a small insect egg that is invisible to the naked eye placed on the top of the silver needle.

The magician Ila gently inserted the silver needle into Qiao Nuo's body, then pulled it out, leaving the eggs in Qiao Nuo's body.

After placing thousands of insect eggs inside and outside Qiao Nuo's body, the magician Ila took out bottles of magic potion, opened the potion and dripped it on Qiao Nuo's body drop by drop in a certain order.

There were more than ten people wearing strange clothes around, dancing weird dances around Qiao Nuo's jade bed.

Qiao Nuo, who felt his body was numb and numb, knew that something he hated was about to happen.

The eggs buried in his body began to hatch.

The hatched bugs gnawed at his flesh and grew inside him.

Even in the eyeballs, you can see bugs crawling around.

Jono felt as if his body had become a nest of bugs, with countless bugs using his body as a nest to continue to grow and multiply.

Jono felt like he was going crazy!

What on earth is this vitality cultivation?

Why is it so weird? Does it feel like the evil witch's tricks from fairy tales you've seen before?

Are you sure Ila the Potion Master is not an evil witch?

Are you sure that the vitality cultivation was not done secretly by the magician Ila without telling his grandfather, the Paladin Roya?

Qiao Nuo wanted to open his mouth and scream.

But his throat, lips, and teeth were all covered with squirming insects, and he couldn't make a sound at all.

"What if there is a bug left in my body?" Qiao Nuo gestured like Ila's magician with his eyes.

"Don't worry, these broodworms are harmless. After eating away the impurities in your body, they will be absorbed by your body and become part of your body's flesh and blood." Ila, the magician who guessed what Jono was thinking, said He said comfortingly.

The organic cultivation lasted for a full three hours.

Qiao Nuo and Duo Lun, who had finished their vitality cultivation, were sitting on the soft sofa with dull expressions and resting. They had no intention of eating the fruit dessert on the table in front of them.

After a long time.

The two of them slowly came back to their senses.

"Is this vital cultivation?" Duolun's tone was trembling.

"This was done by many potion masters under my grandfather's orders to help us improve our physique. Others have not had the chance to do it," Qiao Nuo said.

"Can I refuse?" After just one experience, Duolun was going crazy.

"Are you sure? If you don't improve your qualifications, your life as a quasi-knight will be over." Jono said.

Duolun fell silent for a moment.

When he was in the village before, he thought he could become a quasi-knight, which made him laugh out loud in his dreams.

After all, the strongest man in the village, Buck, who once served as a guard for the Baron, was only a quasi-knight.

only--

He thought of those people at the sword training ground.

Those who are the same age as him or even younger than him are already official knights.

As the grandson of Paladin Roya, with the blood of Paladin Roya flowing in his body, Jono must be very talented. He will be at least a great knight in the future, right?

By that time, he was just a quasi-knight, and he wasn't even qualified to be a knight's retinue for Jono, right?

"Since you, such a smart and powerful Qiao Nuo, need to undergo vital training and you are not afraid, what do I have to be afraid of?" Duolun clenched his fists and cheered himself up.

"Hey, I knew you wouldn't let me down, Duolun." After patting his friend Duolun's shoulder, Qiao Nuo picked up an attractive red apple from the table and ate it.

Click, click...

"Delicious!"