"My Lord, our preliminary survey of the area below is complete. We can confirm that this site was once a burial ground. We've found numerous inscriptions and murals, as well as a dedicated chamber for funerary offerings. There are many books there, though unfortunately, some have already crumbled to dust."
"As expected. Secure that area for now and leave it be. Hand the research over to Pillar. Since he hails from that era, he should be familiar with the languages used here."
"Understood. Shall I arrange for our brothers to begin crossing through the blood pool now?"
"Yes, go ahead. We need more hands to coordinate the operations here."
As he spoke, Mohg turned his gaze toward the forest below. He could sense powerful beasts lurking within the shadows. He wasn't entirely sure of their exact strength yet, but having more manpower would make the next steps—clearing the area and beginning reconstruction—much smoother. He couldn't do everything himself. Before, he'd had no choice, but now that he had subordinates, he intended to use them.
I've been fighting my whole life; surely I can start delegating a little now?
Well, he wasn't quite at the "leisure" stage yet. He was still very much the workhorse of the operation.
With a series of ripples and splashes, figures began to emerge from the blood pool. This time, Mohg didn't show himself, leaving the coordination entirely to Nibla. He also sent Horuf back to swap places with Pillar.
"My Lord."
"Mm. I assume Horuf briefed you?"
"He did. Regarding the ruins here, I will do my utmost to decipher everything for you, my Lord."
"Just do your best. These items are ancient. If you encounter script that is currently indecipherable, simply set it aside for now."
"Understood." Pillar nodded, offering no empty boasts. He had lived through that era, but he wasn't its oldest inhabitant; it was entirely possible he would encounter writing beyond his knowledge.
Meanwhile, the newly arrived soldiers of the Blood Dynasty looked around at their surroundings in a mix of awe and confusion. They had never seen anything like this place and had no idea where they were. The unknown brought a natural fear, but Nibla quickly stepped forward to calm them and assign their tasks with veteran efficiency.
Watching the troops organize themselves with such discipline, Mohg nodded. Poaching Nibla had undoubtedly been one of his best decisions.
"You really do have remarkable luck."
Mohg glanced at Lansseax as she walked up beside him. "Why do you say that?"
"Finding so many capable subordinates, even poaching a general from under the Storm Lord's nose... is that not luck?"
"What kind of talk is that? It's called having a keen eye for talent," Mohg replied with feigned indignation. In truth, he didn't deny the role of luck; he knew he was incredibly fortunate. If his luck had been any worse, he wouldn't have even had the chance to exist in this world.
"Lansseax."
"Yeah?"
"Are there any particularly powerful creatures in that forest?"
"Oh, you're asking me that? Yes, there are. They aren't a huge threat to me, but for you... they might be a bit much." Lansseax looked him up and down as she spoke.
"I see..."
Mohg's brow furrowed. While he intended for his men to handle the clearing of the forest and the establishment of the stronghold, he had no intention of sending them to their deaths. He ended the conversation with Lansseax and spread his wings, flying down toward Nibla.
WHOOSH.
Feeling the rush of wind from above, Nibla looked up and saw Mohg descending.
"My Lord."
"Halt the exploration of the forest for now. You're coming with me to scout it first. Lansseax says there are powerful beasts inside. If we don't deal with them early, the troops could suffer heavy losses."
"I see. Understood." Nibla nodded and moved quickly to the troops. The order to pause the exploration was relayed with lightning speed.
When Nibla returned, he was accompanied by three well-armored soldiers.
"And these are?"
"These are some of the more capable soldiers in the army, serving as squad leaders. They are familiar with scouting techniques, so I believe they will be useful in our upcoming actions. I hope you can forgive my presumption, my Lord," Nibla said, bowing his head slightly.
Mohg looked at the three men. They stood at attention, appearing slightly nervous under his gaze, but eager to prove themselves.
"Very well. Bring them along. If they perform well, I shall not be stingy with my blessings."
"Our thanks, my Lord!"
"Let's go. We've wasted enough time. Once we clear this area, I have other matters to attend to."
"Yes, sir!"
Upon entering the forest, Mohg signaled for Nibla and the three soldiers to fan out and search for signs of large predators. Mohg, however, followed his nose, heading straight for the deepest part of the woods where the scent was strongest.
He knew the three soldiers were hungry for merit; as long as they were responsible for their own safety, he wouldn't stop them from trying to advance. He brought Nibla primarily as backup to ensure he didn't get caught off guard.
Hmm... this smell is familiar...
Mohg narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings while searching his memory for the source of the scent. He quickly locked onto the identity: a Rune Bear!
The scent dominating the forest belonged to a Rune Bear; nearly the entire forest was its hunting ground. There was no avoiding it—the "Alpha" of this forest was a massive bear.
Transforming into a blood shadow, Mohg blurred toward the densest part of the scent. He covered hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye, and before long, a massive cave appeared before him. It wasn't particularly deep; Mohg could see the enormous Rune Bear resting inside with a single glance.
But when he saw its fur, his lip twitched. The fur was... red.
"A Red Bear? This feels like trouble..."
Mohg squinted. In his memory, Red Bears were creatures primarily found in the Land of Shadow. Rugalea the Great Red Bear was a beast that transcended the limits of a standard Rune Bear. Its body teemed with spiritual energy, and its head bore the mark of the Crucible: a horn.
The massive bear before him already showed signs of "budding horns"—a small protrusion was visible in the center of its forehead. It was subtle; only someone as sensitive to spiritual energy as Mohg would have noticed it.
After checking the surroundings and realizing there was little cover for an ambush, Mohg slowly backed away. To be safe, he decided to find Nibla and coordinate an attack.
But then, a light breeze shifted. Mohg's expression changed instantly. What happens when a creature with an incredibly keen sense of smell catches a scent downwind? The answer was obvious.
ROAR!
An ear-splitting roar erupted from the cave, causing loose rocks to tumble down the cliffside. The massive Red Bear burst from the shadows, its eyes burning with primal fury. Having its slumber disturbed by an intruder who had stepped so deep into its territory was the ultimate provocation.
Seeing that combat was unavoidable, Mohg didn't retreat. He reverted to his true form, his muscles bulging as he reached into the void. A weapon he hadn't used in a long time appeared in his hand: the Death's Rite Bird's Poker.
Channeling his magic into the weapon, he unleashed a trail of bone-chilling Ghostflame that raced toward the charging bear.
The Red Bear had never seen such a technique, but the spiritual fire on the ground triggered a deep sense of danger. With another roar, it slammed its paws into the earth, its muscles tensing as it tore up a massive slab of terrain and hurled it at Mohg.
BLOOD!
Mohg's gaze sharpened. He slashed through the air, tearing a terrifying rift in reality that revealed the sigil of the Blood Dynasty. A tide of blood surged from the rift, flooding the surrounding ground. Mohg's form vanished into the tide, reappearing instantly a short distance from the bear.
A staff appeared in his hand.
Icefall Meteor! Bloodflame!
As he cast the spell, his robes whipped violently in the surging mana. A massive sphere of ice materialized in the air, its surface wreathed in a layer of terrifying crimson fire. From a distance, it looked like a brilliant, burning meteorite falling from the sky.
Seeing the incoming projectile, the Red Bear's fur stood on end. It lunged at Mohg with insane speed, clearly trying to close the distance to prevent him from casting further. But Mohg's blood tide allowed him to dissolve into liquid and move away instantly.
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the earth, leaving a smoking crater filled with traces of frost and bloodflame. Mohg's figure reformed at the edge of the clearing. Just as he was about to move in to finish it, a massive claw surged from the smoke, trailing a terrifying wake of white air as it slammed down toward him.
Aspect of the Crucible: Claw!
CRASH!
The two claws collided with a deafening impact. Mohg was sent flying like a cannonball, sliding for a dozen meters before he used his wings to stabilize himself. Wiping blood from his mouth, he looked back at the crater.
The Red Bear was crawling out, its eyes glowing a manic red. It was a gruesome sight; its body was covered in frostbite, charred fur, and deep, bleeding gashes.
ROAR!!!!
With a roar even more powerful than the last, Mohg felt the bear's pure, murderous intent. The beast had likely never been so badly hurt in its life.
But Mohg had no intention of letting the fight drag on.
Gurgle.
Blood flowed down Mohg's arm, solidifying into a long spear wreathed in bloodflame. Crucible incantations gathered around his body: Aspect of the Crucible: Tail, Scales, Wings, and Horns.
Countless beams of golden light erupted from Mohg. Sensing the danger, the Red Bear lunged forward with a speed that defied its massive size, turning into a blur of fur and muscle.
As the golden light around Mohg faded, a centaur-like figure, covered in scales like those of an Ancient Dragon and wreathed in crimson flames, appeared on the battlefield. Horns of the Crucible jutted from his joints.
BOOM!
As his eight legs exerted their full force, the ground beneath him shattered. The blood spear in his hand became a streak of terrifying light, aimed straight for the Red Bear's chest. The spear was enveloped in a shimmering blue glow—the mark of a magic-infused weapon.
ROAR—!
With the thud of a massive weight hitting the ground, Mohg came to a halt dozens of meters away, his hooves having crushed the earth in his path. His chest heaved as he breathed heavily.
Finally letting out a long sigh, the various Crucible aspects faded into light, and Mohg returned to his original form.
Aside from his Faith energy, he had truly played every card in his hand. His physical stamina was completely drained. If a moderately skilled soldier appeared now, they might actually be able to take him down.
Of course, that wasn't likely. He still had one final trump card—the empowerment of Faith—though he preferred not to use it unless necessary.
The Mimic Tear on his body writhed, covering his Omen features and returning him to his human disguise. Only then did Mohg sit down on the ground to rest. As for bathing in the bear's blood... that would have to wait until he recovered some strength.
It was only then that Nibla and the others finally arrived. Looking at the scene of absolute devastation, Nibla couldn't help but click his tongue in silent amazement.
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (459 Chapters – Full)
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