"Our objective for this excursion is the Serpent-Hunter, kept within the Gelmir Hero's Grave. Without that spear, defeating the Great Serpent will be difficult in the extreme. We depart in fifteen minutes. The names of every warrior in this operation shall be sung by the world for generations to come!"
Having finished his address, Rykard strode toward the soldiers stationed at the Manor, likely to attend to final administrative matters.
Once Rykard was out of earshot, a knight suddenly spat on the ground.
"Tell me, why is there an Albinauric in our ranks? I saw him at the banquet last night and thought he was someone's pet." He stepped toward Ludi and reached out, as if to poke the Albinauric's bulbous frog-like head. "The thought of my heroic title being listed alongside a creature of such filthy blood makes me sick to my stomach."
Ludi wordlessly drew his knife.
"Got some spirit, have you?" The knight withdrew his hand with a sneer. "What do the rest of you say? Are we really letting a thing like this join the party?"
"I don't much care whose name is next to mine," a Kaiden mercenary shrugged. "But Lord Rykard promised that the countless treasures the Immortal Serpent has hoarded since ancient times would be divided equally among us once the hunt is over. I'm only here for the gold. Since when can just anyone jump in at the last minute and take a slice of the pie?"
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.
Raven furrowed his brow. While their hostility stemmed from prejudice against Albinaurics, it was also a calculated move to express their dissatisfaction with Raven's group joining the fray.
The warriors invited here were all renowned experts in their respective lands; even if they hadn't reached the status of 'Hero,' they possessed strength at least equal to that of an elite knight. Some were here for the glory of slaying the Serpent, but far more were driven by coin.
The Mt. Gelmir region was not prosperous. Most of the Manor's accumulated funds over the years had been spent on stockpiling grain and supplies, leaving little to actually hire such powerhouses. They had traveled from afar largely because of the promise of the Serpent's hoard mentioned in Rykard's invitations.
The original party consisted of about a hundred and fifty people. With the addition of Raven's thirty-odd followers, each person's potential share had dropped by a fifth, which naturally bred resentment.
"Ludi is one of mine," Raven said, steering his horse forward and fixing his gaze on the instigating knight. "If you have a problem, take it up with me."
The knight let out a dry cough. "Prince Raven, you're making too much of this..."
At that moment, Ludi pointed his knife at the knight. "Actions speak louder than words. If you have a problem with my strength, let our blades settle it!"
"Ha!" The knight barked a mocking laugh. "Fine by me—if that pathetic little tooth of yours can even be called a blade."
The crowd cleared a space, giving the two room for a duel.
"Are you not going to dismount?" Raven asked, looking at the knight who was fully equipped with lance, sword, armor, and steed. "A duel on foot would be far more equitable."
"He can borrow a horse from someone," the knight countered. "Assuming he can even climb onto one."
"There's no need to dismount," Ludi said, stuffing a piece of jerky into his mouth. "In a true battle, one must be allowed to use every means at their disposal."
"Well said! Come—taste my spear!" The knight laughed, spurred his horse, and lowered his lance into a charge toward Ludi.
Ludi stood perfectly still. Only when the knight was nearly upon him did he hurl a purple stone. Upon hitting the ground, it erupted into a circular shockwave of violet gravitational force.
"A Fan Gravity Stone!" Raven said, surprised.
The warhorse let out a pained neigh. Its front legs buckled, sending the heavily armored knight tumbling from his saddle. Ludi, gripping his knife, charged forward with agile speed; though he too was affected by the gravitational wave, his movements were barely hindered.
The sudden shift in gravity pulled the knight's lance toward the earth. Reacting quickly, the knight jammed the spearhead into the soil to arrest his forward momentum, ducking his head just as Ludi's blade scraped against his helmet instead of sinking into his eye slit. The knight performed a backward roll, drawing his sword mid-motion and unleashing an upward arc of steel that Ludi nimbly evaded.
"Tricks!" The knight scrambled to his feet, regaining his center. He drew a dagger with his left hand, adopting a dual-wielding stance. "I won't be careless again—you bastard!"
Before he could finish his sentence, an oil pot shattered against his head. In a flash, Ludi coated his own knife in Fire Grease.
Holding both sword and dagger, the knight did not rush in immediately, finally according the Albinauric the respect he deserved. The two circled each other for a moment, testing their reach with several feints. Suddenly, the knight lunged forward with a straight thrust.
Ludi ducked low, evading the arming sword. He curled into a ball and rolled into the blind spot of the knight's attack, leaping up to jab his flaming knife toward the eye slit again, only to be blocked by the knight's left-hand dagger.
"I have you now—AAUGH!" The knight was about to step back to reset his posture and cleave Ludi in two, but a sharp cry of agony escaped his lips as he dropped to one knee.
A poison throwing knife was lodged in the seam of the knight's boot. Ludi had followed up by stomping on the handle, effectively pinning the knight's foot to the ground.
Ludi spun his body half a turn, using the momentum to wrap an arm around the knight's neck and wrestle him to the dirt. The knight tried to struggle, but Ludi's short blade was already leveled at his eye slit. A few more centimeters, and it would be buried in his brain.
The knight lay stiff and motionless. After a long silence, he finally muttered dejectedly, "I yield."
Ludi stood up, pulled the poisoned knife from the knight's boot, and extended a hand to him.
"...You couldn't pull me up even if you tried," the knight grumbled. He ignored Ludi's hand and pushed himself off the ground.
He stood wobbling on one leg, saying with annoyance, "My skill was inferior; I have no face to continue with this operation. Farewell!"
"Wait," Ludi called out to the limping knight as he moved to lead his horse away.
"What?" The knight turned back, reflexively catching the small object Ludi tossed to him.
"That is a Neutralizing Bolus," Ludi said. "No one said the loser had to leave. You are strong; this hunt would be lesser without you."
The knight picked up the bolus and stared at it hesitantly for a long moment. Finally, he lifted his visor and swallowed it in one gulp.
"Fine. I am Leonard, from the Weeping Peninsula. What is your name?"
"Ludi. Ludi of Liurnia of the Lakes."
Sir Leonard tested his leg; the bolus had already begun to take effect. He mounted his horse and reached down toward Ludi. "I don't like owing favors. If you don't mind, you can ride behind me on the way to the Hero's Grave."
"Thank you." A simple, honest smile appeared on Ludi's frog-like face. "Leonard of the Weeping Peninsula, we shall share in the glory of the hunt."
"The treasures the Serpent has hoarded since ancient times must be staggering. There will be enough for everyone," the Kaiden mercenary noted. "To defeat the Serpent, we need unity."
"The hour of departure is upon us." Rykard rode over, pulling his reins. "Friends, enough talk. Let us march for the Gelmir Hero's Grave!"
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(114 Chapter - Ongoing)
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