The River Pontal, also known as the River Ponta, is known to the elves as Avaion y Ponte Al Gvenelen, meaning the River of Alabaster Bridges, one of the largest rivers in the North.

Like the Yaluga River to the south, they originate in the Blue Mountains and flow from east to west, running through the Northern Kingdoms, joining the sea near Oxenford and Novigre.

The Ponta River, which flows through four countries, serves as the northern border between the southern states of Temeria and Aden, and the southern border between the two countries of Redania and Kodwin. The area where these four countries meet is known as the Pontal Valley, or simply "Pontal".

At the same time, the river was also one of the most prosperous canals for transportation and trade among the northern kingdoms.

Many scholars believe that if a country were able to fully occupy the river, it would become the richest nation in the entire North by relying solely on the trade taxes of the Pondal River.

Therefore, the struggle for control of the river was almost a daily task between successive northern kings.

Every few years, there will be some disputes and even bloody conflicts over the ownership of the Pontar River.

After leaving the inhuman stronghold of Torruville, Wayne and Geralt traveled all the way south, taking commissions and traveling, they had money on them, they didn't worry about eating and drinking, but they also lived quite stylishly.

In order to make their trip go smoothly, the two deliberately avoided the large human towns that were prone to trouble, and only took the demon hunting commissions in the small villages around the towns, bought supplies, and tried not to get into disputes with the Kodwins.

However, even with such care, the two were attacked and tricked by the savage Kodwin Mischievous people several times.

Although these ruffians with dung forks and sticks could not do any harm to the two swordsmen who could use magic.

But after each battle, they had to leave the place of the incident as soon as possible, so as not to get entangled by the soldiers who arrived and cause a bigger dispute.

This kind of encounter is undoubtedly very tiresome.

As a result, neither Wayne nor Geralt wanted to stay in the Kingdom of Codwin for long.

They rode to a port town near the banks of the Pontar River, found a merchant ship bound for Novigre, and prepared to take a boat directly to the floating port town of Temeria.

Luckily, after being rejected by some obviously biased businessmen, they met a captain who was willing to carry them.

It was a huge merchant ship, and the captain was a Skellig man named Wesker, with a strong body like a bear, a bald head, and a rugged appearance, but his eyes were bright, and he was not the kind of warrior who was naïve and simple.

The most impressive thing is the thick weed-like black beard on his chin, which is as distinctive as his nickname, the Black Beard.

For Geralt and Wayne's request to board the merchant ship, he only thought about it for ten seconds before agreeing.

However, he also demanded that Geralt and Wayne pay one hundred and fifty ducats each, in addition to helping the crew protect the ship in the event of a fight.

After all, two people and two horses, in addition to needing a lot of food and forage, must also be given a small room, which is already very generous.

It was only during the small talk that the two of them figured out why the captain of Skellig would treat them so favorably.

Blackbeard Wesker drank a large glass of dwarven beer in a bold, wiped the wine from his beard nonchalantly, and said in a rough voice:

"I know that there are many fools and farmers on the continent who are very hostile to witchers, thinking that they are thieves and freaks, and even shamelessly blame them for the disappearance of many children."

"But in our Skellig Islands, witchers are very respectable figures."

"They are all heroic warriors, fearless warriors, who have killed many powerful monsters, saved many islanders, and in many poems, their stories have been told."

Wesker's eyes were foggy, he touched his beard, and said with a sigh:

"When I was a teenager, I once met a master witcher, at that time, my family and I went out to sea to fish, and we were attacked by a group of human-faced demon birds on the beach, my brother and father were killed by monsters, and I had to flee for my life in order to protect my mother."

"In our most desperate times, it was the master who helped my mother and I to survive."

"It's a witcher with a griffon-like badge on his chest."

"I don't know his name, and after killing the monster, he left silently, without talking to us or asking for payment."

"But I know that he is a good man, and that he is a man of true chivalry compared to the hypocritical and despicable aristocratic knights."

After listening to the bearded Wesker's words, although Geralt had no expression on his face, Wayne could see his complicated mood from his eyes.

Yes, there may be many people in the world who have misconceptions and malicious intentions about witchers, but at least, those who have been helped by witchers will remember the kindness of witchers.

Like Martha, whom they had helped not so long ago, the old woman would have remembered who had received a paltry reward for helping her recover her two sons and continue the fate of their family.

The journey on the Pontar River was fairly smooth, except for a few unsightly water ghosts, who always liked to follow the ship and wanted to attack the outer plate of the bottom armor of the ship, but encountered no other threats along the way.

They sailed west along the river, passing through the large towns of Forjian and Haji, and finally on the afternoon of the eighth day, they came to the port of the town of Floating Harbor, which belonged to Temeria.

And in these days on the ship, there is also an interesting thing that happens.

Wayne and Geralt, who are serious patients of the Gwent brand, are resting on the ship when they accidentally discover that the ship, including Captain Blackbeard, along with many sailors, are all fans of the Gwent brand.

According to Wesker, this fun way of gambling is now well-known in the free city of Novigre.

The dwarven bankers there were all pushing for Gwent, wanting to take advantage of this new form of gambling instead of dice gambling in the past, and even spent money on a few small Gwent games.

And they, the sailors who travel from north to south, are inherently more receptive to new things than ordinary people who stay in one place and don't move their nests, let alone this kind of fun game of pastime.

The bearded Wesker patted his chest and said unashamedly that even in Novigre, he was a well-known GWENT card master and was not afraid of any challenge.

Unfortunately, what they met this time was a witcher who was blessed with luck and was very proficient in the game of Gwente.

In just one night, Wayne easily won back the ticket money for himself and Geralt through the Gwent cards in his hand, and even kept three hundred gold coins and a few rare cards in his pocket.

If it weren't for the fact that Wayne didn't want the good guy Captain Beard to lose his pants, he would be merciful.

Maybe just a few more days of gambling will make the merchant ship his property.

And Geralt, who also lost to Wayne's more than 200 Ducats, swore publicly.

Never play against this lucky junior again until you have collected a strong enough deck.

Wayne only shrugged his shoulders, and after winning so many people in a row, his Gwent card level had been upgraded to two levels, and he was blessed with two lucky points.

And in the long life ahead, his Gwent card skills will only get better and better, his luck will get stronger and stronger, and the decks he collects will become more and more powerful.

It is estimated that unless he is willing to let the water go, Geralt will never be able to beat him at the table.