Slan finished the story of their clan:
"To ensure future generations would not forget, the history of the Night Devil has been passed down through generations in the Bakiraka. I also heard about him from my father, the current patriarch of the Bakiraka."
"However, at that time, I was arrogant and conceited, boasting about my talent for killing. I didn't believe in the existence of the Night Devil, nor did I believe anyone could be better than me at killing. I just felt my father was exaggerating."
"Until that night, the Night Devil appeared, surrounded by me and the four Dabasha behind me. He calmly killed my employer, then retreated unharmed, deeply humiliating me and the Dabasha."
"After that, I understood that the Night Devil exists, and he is far more terrifying and powerful than I had imagined."
"This time, we traveled far and arrived in the Kingdom of Midland to conduct business for our employer. But we coincidentally encountered the Night Devil again, so we followed him all the way and came here."
"It seems one of the Night Devil's travel targets must be you, but he was defeated by you."
"This is all I know, everything about the Daredevil." Slan's viper-like eyes looked at Nidhogg again. "I wonder if you are satisfied with this and willing to exchange information with me?"
After witnessing Nidhogg's battle with the Daredevil, and more importantly, Nidhogg single-handedly did what the entire Bakiraka had never done—defeating the Daredevil—Slan and the Dabasha were quite surprised.
But Nidhogg said the Night Devil wasn't dead, which made it difficult for Slan and the others to leave. They had to come and clarify; otherwise, the centuries-old relationship between the Night Devil and the Bakiraka wouldn't end.
At this moment, Azan and Serpico understood that the man before them was actually the current young master of the Bakiraka clan, with an extremely high status. They were shocked and couldn't help but look at each other.
Seeing that Slan had said this, Nidhogg no longer hid it. He said, "The storm a hundred years ago was the ritual that transformed Rakshas into an Apostle and the Night Devil."
He briefly explained to everyone the concepts of the Abyss, the God Hand, Apostles, Beherits, and the demon-subduing ritual, and described the circumstances that should occur upon the death of Apostles.
This was his experience as an Apostle hunter. In addition to this experience, he feared that only the skeleton knight today could be better.
"Such things exist..." Slan was silent for a long time, his eyes narrowing slightly. "However, this could indeed explain many things: the Night Devil's inhuman lifespan and combat power, and this strange place..."
"Since you think he's alive, where has he gone now? Escaped?"
Nidhogg shook his head. Besides there being no traces of an Apostle's death at the scene, there was another reason he believed the Daredevil wasn't dead, but this reason couldn't be explained directly to everyone.
Because the Daredevil had indeed "died" once in the Berserk saga, killed by a point-blank shot from Rickert's hand cannon.
However, shortly after, the Night Devil erupted from within the body of a tribal chieftain during a secret summit of the "Kushan Empire's" leaders.
It just seemed he had lost all his memories from death to resurrection. At first, he didn't even understand why he was there or how he had resurrected.
At the same time, nearby, a storm of death descended, a dark realm appeared, and countless beastly spirits poured through the gates of the astral world, wreaking havoc everywhere.
Thus, the Night Devil either had the ability to resurrect after death, or at the moment of death, he invoked a demon-subduing ritual, similar to the Slug Count's ritual, witnessed by the God Hand.
However, the first option was more likely.
After all, the demon-subduing ritual could indeed fulfill an Apostle's wish in desperation, but it required sacrifices, which were very important to the Apostle.
The situation where the Daredevil died under Rickert's hand cannon clearly didn't fall into the latter category. He had no one to sacrifice nearby, and he shouldn't have lost his memories before and after resurrection.
Thus, the Night Devil's resurrection ability was most likely a "passive resurrection." He couldn't choose it himself, and he was naturally unconscious during death, hence he had no memory.
Even the situation of the Night Devil emerging from the tribal chieftain's body, judging by all signs, was probably controlled by the divine, even if he didn't want to do it.
Nidhogg didn't make such an uncertain and unknown conclusion. Instead, he said to Slan:
"I don't know that. I can only be sure that soon he will appear before us again. My fight with him is not over yet."
Slan listened, thought for a long time, and nodded approvingly.
At this moment, Rogier, who had been listening and silent, suddenly smiled and said, "The Apostles you speak of, especially the situation with this Daredevil, have a slight resemblance to 'Those Who Live in Death.'"
"Those Who Live in Death?" Slan, Azan, Serpico, and the four Dabasha cast puzzled glances at Rogier.
Rogier carefully assessed everyone's reactions and continued with a smile, "It seems none of you are 'Tarnished.' And you, my friend, are a Tarnished, just like me, right?"
The spellblade's target was, naturally, Nidhogg.
Nidhogg didn't speak, which was considered silent acknowledgment.
The so-called Tarnished are a group of people who were stripped of the Erdtree's grace with Godfrey. When Marika exiled the "First Elden Lord" Godfrey from the Junction, they later evolved into all those who had lost their grace.
However, after the Shattering, this group of Tarnished was summoned back to the Junction to become the new Elden Lord. This undoubtedly revealed all kinds of schemes.
As for Those Who Live in Death, they appeared during the "Night of the Black Knives" due to the improper death of a demigod and a loophole in the Golden Order.
After their death, their bodies would continue to be resurrected, and their souls couldn't return to the Erdtree, becoming beings not recognized by the boundaries.
Rogier didn't explain to the others what Those Who Live in Death meant, but said to Nidhogg, who clearly knew the whole story: "You should know, right? The incantation for resurrecting the dead, hunting Those Who Live in Death?"
Nidhogg raised his eyebrows.
"It seems you know." Rogier smiled. "That's simple. Although these two concepts cannot be equated, this kind of incantation can indeed be directed at 'resurrection' and can have a certain effect on the Night Devil."
"Of course, I don't pray like that. But I have an old friend who was once like-minded, and he prays like that."
"Later, we parted ways due to a dispute over ideas. But I still paid a lot of attention to him and knew that he had infiltrated Stormveil City to investigate something, which coincided with my intentions."
"If nothing else, I will soon see him in Stormveil City and might introduce him to you. Whether you can win his trust and learn to pray from him is up to you."
Hearing this from Rogier, Nidhogg practically guessed who this person was.
At first, he suspected that one of the three assassins who had infiltrated Stormveil City was Rogier. But Rogier had clearly just arrived with Slan and the others, so the number wasn't quite right.
It wasn't until Rogier said this now that Nidhogg suddenly realized there was still another person in this city who shouldn't have appeared, and the number of three assassins was once again correct.
"I probably know what you two are investigating." Nidhogg pointed at the soles of his feet, and Rogier smiled knowingly. "Since you've told me this information, I'll also tell you something."
Rogier asked curiously, "You speak."
"There are traps down there. Be careful not to fall victim to 'sudden death,'" Nidhogg reminded.
Rogier was momentarily stunned, then his expression changed, and he frowned:
"Such a possibility does indeed exist, since it's nearby... You've given me very important information. If so, I must find my old friend as soon as possible. I don't want either him or me to die suddenly."
Then Nidhogg pointed to the end of the tunnel, at the huge bridge in the bright area.
The bridge was in ruins. Much weaponry was abandoned there. An indescribable oppression hung in the air, as if something was about to come at any moment.
"It seems we now share common interests. So, to enter Stormveil City as soon as possible, why don't we continue to unite?"
Rogier had apparently studied the situation in Stormveil City in advance. He knew what obstacles lay ahead. He thought about it and agreed:
"A good idea. Joining forces, the two of us might have a chance. If not, it's not too late to find another way."
Slan, Azan, Serpico, and the four Dabasha, listening to the encrypted conversation between these two men, felt like they were in the clouds and didn't understand. At this moment, they were even more puzzled upon hearing that they were going to unite.
However, they had traveled with Nidhogg and Rogier and had never seen them so serious, not even when they encountered the "Flying Dragon" Agheel and the Daredevil Rakshas. These two behaved differently.
Each was also a person who had participated in battles for a long time. They soon realized the meaning contained within, and then understood that ahead might lie a fierce enemy, a rather terrifying one.
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