At that moment, the air itself seemed to freeze.
The space around the two of them suddenly became strangely empty, as though everything else had been pushed far away.
On this battlefield, these were the two men who most needed to take each other's head. No one would dare step closer now.
Golden light bathed the earth, brightening heaven and land alike.
But Godrick's heart kept sinking, deeper and deeper, until it felt as though it had fallen into a bottomless abyss.
Everyone knew it well. The Stormveil army was already in a terrible position.
The rear camp had been torn apart and completely broken, and the front lines would not be able to hold much longer.
The fortress still had limited forces. If they could gather up the scattered remnants, they might still be able to strike again.
But no matter what they did, this battle was already headed for defeat.
A crushing sense of humiliation burned through Godrick like fire.
The torment twisted his once fairly handsome face, stripping it of what little grace it had left.
Sacred golden light fell across that rage-warped expression. Instead of lending him dignity, it only made him look more hideous.
"Damn that Ancient Dragon. Damn you lowly Tarnished. How dare you trample the supreme majesty of gold like this!"
Godrick ground the words out through clenched teeth.
But he still had not given up. If he cut off this man's head here and now, this battle might not be lost after all.
So he absolutely could not let this graceless wretch escape.
Nolan stood to the north, with the light of the Erdtree pouring down behind him and falling directly across his silver-white armor.
The armor shone so brightly it seemed almost fused with the light around it, painful to look at.
Godrick stared at him from afar, shock and fury surging in equal measure.
He narrowed his eyes instinctively, trying to see Nolan's face through that ornate visor.
But behind the metal mask, there seemed to be only a pair of deep, icy eyes.
"It's you!?"
Godrick's eyes widened, his voice thick with disbelief and hatred.
In that instant, old memories came flooding back, every past humiliation vivid in his mind.
If those damned Cleanrot Knights had not hounded him back then, he would have long since split this man's head with his golden greataxe.
"Godrick, Your Highness. I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Nolan showed no fear at all. He simply stared at him coldly.
In truth, they had no real personal grudge.
But by now, only one of them could live.
Godrick had originally wanted to settle accounts with this "sinner," only to realize that the two sinners in question were actually the same person. For a moment, he failed to react.
Clop, clop, clop…
Clear hoofbeats rang out.
The Lord of Cinder charged toward the Demigod wrapped in blazing light, shouting aloud:
"Demigod who bears the name of a Lord, don't run this time."
The cry exploded across the battlefield like thunder.
A fresh wave of humiliation slammed into Godrick, leaving him grinding his teeth in fury.
He gripped the golden greataxe tightly.
"I am a Demigod, the supreme Golden Lord! For this insult, you will pay!"
Godrick roared, rage surging out of him like fire.
He had been humiliated yet again, and by that insignificant Golden Needle Knight of all people.
In the next instant, Torrent burst forward like a bolt of lightning.
Almost at the same moment, Godrick roared:
"Die!"
But before the last of his words had even fallen, Nolan was already upon him at terrifying speed.
The Claymore in his hand shot forward like a flood dragon bursting from the sea, thrusting straight at Godrick.
Clang!
A deafening crash rang out as the greatsword and greataxe slammed into each other in midair, spraying sparks.
The force of the blow sent Godrick flying backward.
He hit the ground, staggered back several steps, then looked up with disbelief written all over his face.
"How is your strength this great!?"
Godrick's pupils shrank as he stared at Nolan, his voice carrying a trace of stunned confusion.
Nolan showed no sign of backing down. He shouted:
"Open your eyes. Stop living in your own fantasy. You're not the only one who's grown stronger."
With that, Nolan twisted his wrist, wrenching the greatsword in his grip and sweeping it sideways in a powerful arc.
Godrick didn't dare take it lightly. He tightened both hands around his greataxe and braced himself, blocking the strike with all his strength.
A harsh screech of grinding metal rang out, and deep cracks split open beneath Godrick's feet.
A violent gust roared past, whipping his massive cloak into the air.
As it flared open, it exposed the grotesque mass of grafted limbs covering his back.
Arms of every size were packed together, each gripping a different, misshapen weapon.
Nolan had expected something like this, but seeing it with his own eyes still made him pause for a split second.
What truly caught him off guard was what sat atop those broad shoulders.
Two enormous, grotesque crayfish heads.
And from his back spread a pair of massive wings, wide enough to blot out the sky.
Whether they came from a Storm Eagle or some winged Misbegotten, it was impossible to tell.
"Damn fool! Today you'll pay for your arrogance!"
Godrick was nearly consumed by rage, his fury burning out of control.
It was him who blocked my path in Liurnia.
And now it's him again, trampling the majesty of gold.
Why are you always standing in my way!?
Fury surged through Godrick as the crayfish heads on his shoulders opened their jaws, firing twin streams of pressurized water.
The power of the Crucible truly made no sense.
Brilliant blue torrents shot out like gemstones, slamming into the green earth.
In an instant, the ground was ripped open into deep, jagged trenches.
Everything in their path was shredded, tents torn apart like paper and scattered into the air.
Without a word from Nolan, Torrent dissolved into spirit particles beneath him.
The instant Nolan's feet touched the ground, he vanished.
Bloodhound's Step!
"Instead of grafting all that junk onto yourself, why not learn some incantations from the Crucible Knights? Or just graft them instead?"
As he spoke, Nolan kicked off the ground, launching himself forward like a cannonball straight at the Grafted Lord.