The disguise, which had been maintained until the end, seemed as if it could be shed upon encountering an opponent worthy of a fight at that moment.
He carefully untied the greatsword on his back, which had been used for decoration and to fit the "adventurer" persona.
Without looking, he casually tossed it to Geralt behind him and simultaneously called out: "Here, hold this for me for a while."
The two Zerrikanian girls were watching the golden dragon in the air with excited, almost adoring eyes.
Seeing Karl's sudden move, they couldn't help but look down and curiously watch this "Arn Vati," who was behaving strangely.
Hearing the shout, Geralt subconsciously turned and caught the hilt of the flying sword in the air.
However, the moment the greatsword landed in his hand, his arm suddenly dropped! A flicker of surprise passed through Geralt's cat-like pupils.
"It's so heavy!" He felt admiration in his heart; the weight of this sword far exceeded his expectations.
It was at least twice as heavy as an ordinary two-handed sword, looking like a weapon made for some kind of giant.
Then Karl dismounted and walked towards the wall of fire, still burning and radiating scorching heat a few meters ahead.
"Hey! Arn Vati! Have you gone mad?!" Dandelion watched nervously.
Seeing Karl's action, he was frightened and even threw his beloved lute into the carriage.
He jumped out of the vehicle and rushed towards Karl, grabbing his arm and trying to stop his seemingly suicidal behavior.
Dandelion turned his head and anxiously shouted to Geralt, who had also dismounted: "Geralt! Aren't you going to talk him out of it?! Your young friend, he's going to die!"
Even if Dandelion hadn't shouted, Geralt was ready to stop him.
He quickly stepped forward, standing before Karl, who was shorter than him.
His cat-like eyes looked seriously at Karl, and his deep voice advised: "Arn Vati, calm down."
"A golden dragon is not some monster we've faced before; it's a creature that even an army cannot contend with!"
"You don't have to take this risk. It's insane."
He paused and glanced at Yennefer nearby.
"Moreover, some people's requests don't have sufficient justification or legitimacy."
At that moment, Yennefer had sweat on her forehead and was breathing slightly heavily.
She propped up a spell shield and quickly moved her hands, trying to bind and hinder the golden dragon with atmospheric magic, forcing it to land.
But the golden dragon simply flapped its wings a few times casually, and the spell she had painstakingly crafted was easily shattered like spider silk.
The golden dragon's cold golden pupils looked at her with contempt and casually spat a small cloud of dragon breath near her.
The scorching heat wave and scattered sparks made the horses beneath her neigh and stand nervously.
Yennefer was so angry that she cursed quietly: "Damn!"
Hearing Geralt pointing at her, she glared at him angrily.
However, when she noticed that Karl seemed about to make a move, her violet eyes instantly lit up.
If he really was as powerful as the rumors said, his strength might be comparable to a dragon's.
Moreover, he was also a sorcerer with spells far superior to her own, which would be very helpful.
Karl clearly saw Geralt's anxiety, Dandelion's panic, and Yennefer's undisguised anticipation.
He chuckled, his gaze falling on Geralt, calm but full of confidence: "Geralt, I'm not doing this for her."
He slightly lifted his chin, looking at the golden dragon flying in the air, his eyes burning with a pure desire to fight.
"I just... want to find an opponent worth fighting. That's all."
"An opponent?" Geralt was stunned, almost thinking he had misheard.
He tried to make Karl realize the reality: "It's a dragon! Arn Vati! Not a Striga or a troll like we've faced before!"
"And you're not even wearing plate armor! The knight who was in full plate armor just now..."
Before Geralt finished, he was interrupted by Karl's smiling voice.
"You mean Eyck? Him? Even if he faced me, the outcome wouldn't be any different."
"No matter how thick the iron can, in the face of absolute power, it's just a slightly sturdier toy."
Karl shook his head, as if stating something ordinary.
He looked at the doubt still lingering in Geralt's eyes and added meaningfully: "Geralt, when you heard those rumors about me before,"
"did people just mention how many people I killed and how much damage I caused?"
"Has no one ever told me the details of my battles... the scenarios, right?"
Geralt's eyes suddenly flickered, his heart clenched. Karl's implication was crystal clear.
Those rumors, which sounded exaggerated enough, might not only be unexaggerated but might not even reflect his true combat ability.
Dandelion, standing by, heard this in a fog, raised his brows in confusion, and looked at Geralt: "What rumors?"
"Geralt, did you do something wrong that you didn't tell your best friend and biographer properly?"
Karl didn't explain further. He gently waved his hand, and his bio-field instantly enveloped Geralt in front of him and Dandelion, who was grabbing his arm.
"Ah!" They both felt an irresistible force approaching them and couldn't help but be "moved" by this force several meters to the side.
They stood firmly, without the slightest sign of staggering, as if they had just been blown by a particularly noticeable gust of wind.
Immediately after, Yennefer, Geralt, the two Zerrikanian girls, and everyone nearby who hadn't fully fled,
who happened to witness this scene, were extremely shocked and almost dumbfounded. Under their gazes, Karl's figure... slowly rose from the ground.
Defying common sense, he quickly soared into the air, immediately rising to the same altitude as the golden dragon flapping its wings.
Apart from Karl's own men like Dalton, Geralt and the others, this dragon hunting team was the second to see his ability to fly, albeit in disguise.
The effect of this scene, which defied cognitive thinking, momentarily suppressed everyone's fear of the dragon.
In the air, the golden dragon flapped its huge wings, its cold pupils scanning the panicking people below.
The unease in its heart, which had been faintly felt since it saw the man named "Arn Vati,"
suddenly intensified at this moment, and a strong danger warning sounded in its consciousness.
It stopped gliding, sharply turned its slender neck, and its sharp gaze looked around.
Finally, its gaze locked onto the man behind it.