Miriam's Vanishing!
With Fast Travel across immense distances, Nolan vanished like a wisp of wind, only to reappear silently in the next instant.
On the other side, Seluvis reacted just as quickly. He once again took control of another mountain-sized Troll golem, which swung its Greatsword down at Nolan with brutal force.
Clang!!
The blades crashed together in midair, sparks bursting in all directions.
This time, Nolan didn't dodge. Power surged through his arms as a far greater force erupted from within, flipping the massive puppet onto the ground. He charged straight through.
What?
Seluvis's heart skipped. Before he could respond, a piercing cold glint was already right in front of him.
Instinctively, he stepped back half a pace and slammed his staff into the ground.
Shatter Earth!
Condensed magic formed a drill that bored into the earth at high speed. A shockwave roared up from below like a surging tide, rushing straight toward Nolan.
Nolan gripped the Carian Greatsword in his left hand and swept it upward in one smooth motion. The blade tore through the air, whipping up a violent current that instantly formed a small storm.
Storm Blade!
When the storm collided with the invisible shockwave, a sharp tearing sound rang out as a path was ripped open by force.
Nolan didn't slow his advance. He lowered his stance, raised the Claymore high in his right hand, and brought it down in a ferocious strike.
Seluvis, the magic preceptor, didn't dare hesitate. A long sword gleaming with cold light extended from his palm, braced horizontally in front of him.
Clang!!
Another crisp impact rang out, sparks flying and briefly lighting up the surrounding darkness.
Using the recoil from that strike, Seluvis swiftly drew back his staff and was flung backward through the air.
But in that moment, he suddenly realized something was terribly wrong.
Looking up, he saw six brilliant meteors tear through the pitch-black night sky, screaming in from every direction and slamming straight into him.
The blades of the Promised Claymore and the Carian Greatsword flared with golden and blue light. Two streaks flashed past, and both arms spun into the air.
Swish—
Severed arms fell with the swords, blood splashing across the magic preceptor's mask and twisting his face into something grotesque.
Sellen was the sorcerer closest to the preceptors within the academy, and she had no interest in any notion of fair play. She had no intention of letting that magic apprentice fight alone.
Seeing the Witch entangled once more by several puppets, Seluvis spat to the side.
Damn it!
The knight took another step forward, pressing the attack.
The Troll puppet staggered back to its feet. Its vertical slash collided with the incoming Greatsword, the impact forcing the massive body to stumble backward several steps.
At that moment, an iron boot slammed into Seluvis's chest.
Thud!!
The full-force kick sent him flying.
Nolan's expression twisted with ferocity. Both of this man's arms had already been cut off. How could he still have the strength to resist?
Pursue.
The loss of both arms brought more than just pain. With two limbs gone, Seluvis's movements were severely hindered. He simply had a heavily armored knight hoist him up onto its shoulders.
The knight was fast, but Nolan was faster, even leaving the pursuing four-armed puppet soldiers behind.
His feet traced the Bloodhound's Step, the Claymore in his hands flashing with a cold sheen.
Every swing carried a sharp arc of magical blade aura, easily forcing back the greatshield-bearing heavy knights who tried to block his way.
His goal was clear: there would be no escape, only death.
One fled, one pursued, and before long they were swallowed by a narrow alley. With only a single puppet left at his side, Seluvis had nowhere left to run.
Severe blood loss began to blur his consciousness, yet at that very moment, Nolan suddenly came to a halt.
At the corner at the end of the alley stood a tall, slightly gaunt figure who had appeared without warning.
The man looked disheveled. His golden eyes burned like open flame as they fixed on the brutal struggle unfolding in the alley.
There was no obvious hostility in him, but the faint arrogance in his gaze betrayed someone long accustomed to standing above others, a natural pride that was impossible to miss.
"Forgot to tell you. A big shot has arrived in Gatefront Town. He's also one of my candidates."
Seluvis leaned weakly against the wall, forcing himself to sit upright.
"Hahaha! That's the Demigod, Godrick the Golden. Kid, you still dare to kill me?"
The Preceptor tried to laugh aloud as he finished speaking.
He held nothing but disdain for that so-called descendant of gold, yet at the brink of death, the very man he despised had become his only lifeline.
But in the face of Seluvis's threats and mockery, Nolan showed no sign of hesitation. The thing Seluvis was counting on was already too busy to interfere.
Swordlight flashed cleanly through the air, swelling in Seluvis's pupils.
A clear ring of steel rang out as the blade cut forward like dawn tearing open the night.
Thud.
With a heavy sound, Seluvis's head was severed from his neck and sent flying, carrying with it rage, hatred, and confusion.
Nolan stood still, coldly watching Seluvis's lifeless body.
There was not a shred of pity for his fallen enemy.
He gave the Claymore a light shake, flinging off the blood clinging to its edge, then raised his head to the sky.
So what if it's Godrick? Sorry, but that really isn't frightening at all.
Moonlight poured down like liquid mercury, washing over the land.
...
What should have been a calm and peaceful night had become grim and unsettling because of the town shrouded in pale blue smoke.
The instant Seluvis died, every puppet collapsed to the ground.
Nolan and the Witch who had come to his side both stopped, frowning at the same time.
"That's… Finlay, and the Cleanrot Knight!?"
The scene before them was strange beyond belief.
The Cleanrot Knight Captain was locked in close combat with a red-armored knight, and more astonishing still, the latter showed no sign of being overwhelmed.
A crowned figure swung a golden Greataxe, while a heavily armored knight clad in orange-green robes guarded him closely.
Elsewhere, Banished Knights crossed paths with Cleanrot Knights, their weapons scraping and throwing sparks into the darkness.
Seluvis's confidence hadn't come from nowhere. To be blunt, just this handful of fighters could have wiped out the Cuckoo's army of thousands.
"Godrick has already escaped the Royal Capital? Then why are the Cleanrot Knights here instead of fighting over Godwyn's body in Leyndell?"
Nolan let out a quiet sigh. Knowing those two Demigods well, he quickly understood the Empyrean sisters' thinking.
"The only thing on Godrick that could catch their eye would be that central Great Rune."
Since they were already here, taking the Great Rune at the heart of the Elden Ring made perfect sense.
After all, in their eyes, this Promised Consort was nothing but a weakling. If there was any way to grow stronger, of course they would seize every chance.
Aside from that, Nolan could think of no other reason. This so-called golden descendant simply didn't seem to possess anything else worth scheming over.