"Greetings, Princess of the Moon." Sellen walked to the foot of the ruins and performed an elegant sorcerer's bow. Ranni stared at her, nodding slightly as a greeting, but as their gazes met, they saw the malice in each other. This had little to do with Throne; it was more a conflict between the Royal Family and the Primeval Sorcerers. After Throne's explanation earlier, neither side had any intention of fighting, but they certainly didn't like each other. One a demigod, the other the most talented sorcerer in history, both far from ordinary in strength and personality.
They locked eyes for a second before looking away. "Ms. Sellen, could you please go and rest? I have matters to discuss with Throne." Ranni's tone was calm and polite. I am the teacher, why should I go aside? Sellen raised an eyebrow, instinctively annoyed, and replied: "If you want to ask about his destination, then I can tell you: we are preparing to go to Caelid." Caelid? The topic returned to the previous point. Ranni had been wondering why they would continue forward when they clearly knew that killing General Radahn was impossible.
She had no intention of chatting with Sellen and turned her gaze to Throne: "Is that true?" "Yes, I intend to go to Caelid and give it a try." "To kill General Radahn?" "That would be best, of course. If I can't do it, I have to change something." Ranni fell silent. She couldn't guess the outcome of the battle between the Valkyrie and General Radahn, but she couldn't quite understand his reasoning. With the two armies at war, Throne's strength wouldn't be enough to accomplish anything, so why waste time? "That doesn't sound very rational." Ranni shook her head, but soon let it go: "No matter.
In any case, Liurnia has been sealed off by the academy. Since it's difficult to return, just do as you please." Throne's eyes widened slightly. He had expected Ranni to order him to return, but he hadn't expected her to be so understanding, so he bowed again. "As you command." "Hmm. As long as our goals align, Caria will not hinder your intentions." Ranni did not put on airs, but as a monarch, she still gestured toward Sellen. "By the way, is this sorceress traveling with you?" "Yes." "Is she someone you can trust with your back?"
Throne looked at Sellen and nodded without hesitation: "Of course. This trust has long been forged through life and death." Sellen, standing to the side, lifted her chin triumphantly, looking just as proud as she did when receiving applause at an academic seminar. Ranni's gaze was skeptical. She knew the Primeval Sorcerers too well; once they found a shortcut that didn't require killing General Radahn, they would walk down it without hesitation, no matter how dangerous it was or what consequences it caused.
However, this skepticism was seen by Sellen, whose eyes immediately turned fierce, but Ranni ignored her entirely, maintaining her calm expression. As the Princess of the Moon, she certainly wouldn't doubt Throne's word, but he was one of her most capable subordinates, and she couldn't let him be led astray by a Primeval Sorcerer for no reason. Putting aside personal feelings like curiosity, Throne had rendered distinguished service, turning the tide of the war in Liurnia in a near-miraculous way, and had been of great help in realizing her ideals.
In just two months, he had already found a clear path. 'Hmm, Thorne Wright is rare. Blaidd was right; such talent must not be lost.' Ranni clasped her fingers together and fell into deep thought. Throne's value was accumulated through piles of corpses; his battle record was significant. Moreover, being able to reject Malenia's recruitment could be called unmatched loyalty. How many talents like this were left in The Lands Between?
As a lord with ideals and ambitions, and a demigod who also had to complete an impossible path, Ranni could not tolerate Throne's fall, nor could she accept him stepping onto some forbidden path. "My knight." "Present." Seeing that Ranni had finally finished her contemplation, Throne's heart tightened. He knew this princess was no soft damsel. "This spirit projection cannot be maintained for too long. I apologize, I cannot provide you with much help." Ranni's face was full of apology; in essence, Throne was taking risks for her ideals. "You have already helped a lot in Liurnia.
Coming to see me in person, this attitude is already enough." Throne shook his head with a smile. He liked this aspect of Ranni's personality; if she were arrogant and felt everything was taken for granted, he wouldn't bother serving her. "It is not enough." Ranni showed no joy, spreading her hands. Azure particles gathered in her palms, soon forming two items. One was a bell with a long handle and an antique design, looking plain and unremarkable, but Throne's eyes went wide. The... spirit calling bell? He remembered the legend, the Elden Lord and his bell-ringing servant.
He had actually wanted to ask Ranni for it when he was at Caria Manor, but Throne couldn't explain how he knew of the spirit calling bell's existence, so he had given up. While stroking the bell in her hand, Ranni said calmly:
"In the heyday of the golden order, the elden ring was intact, the Erdtree was lush, and the Grace of Gold flowed endlessly. People were born with the golden grace in their eyes and returned to the tree upon death." "But there are exceptions to everything. Some lives, due to not being blessed or by their own choice, do not return to the Erdtree upon death.
These spirits lose their thoughts and will, responding to the summons of the spirit calling bell to assist the summoner in battle." "I have heard of it. It can be seen as a type of spirit puppet that unconditionally obeys the commands of the bell-bearer. I didn't expect this magical item to be in your hands." Sellen interjected, looking eager to try. "Spirit Ashes are fundamentally different from a sorcerer's puppets." Ranni glanced at Sellen, ignoring the latter's raised eyebrows, and looked at Throne. "My knight, this bell is gifted to you.
You can find these Spirit Ashes in certain catacombs and summon them at specific locations in the future." Throne stepped forward, tiptoed, and accepted it with satisfaction. His face remained calm, but he was ecstatic inside. It's great to have the backing of a wealthy girl like Ranni; she gives away artifacts like they cost nothing. Come to think of it, his current growth is on four legs. The experience and swordsmanship brought from Ashina, the plundering of the mutated Dragon Heritage, the knowledge provided by Sellen, and the various items sent by Ranni.
Even the Tarnished probably don't get this kind of treatment. "Thank you, Your Highness." Throne thanked her solemnly while looking at the other item in Ranni's right hand. Before he could ask, Ranni spoke first. "This contains a portion of my power. It might save your life at a critical moment." It was a petite doll, the kind usually found in a little girl's room. Throne took it and looked; it was as exquisite as if made by a master, every strand of hair lifelike, and its clothing and appearance—
Were exactly the same as Ranni's. Wait, isn't this a Ranni doll? Throne was stunned.
He remembered that this thing wasn't just a simple 'amulet'; it contained Ranni's consciousness. Seeing his strange expression, Ranni warned: "By the way, do not do anything unnecessary. Just keep it in the spirit-calling ring." "Unnecessary things? What do you mean?" Ranni's eyes widened slightly, as if a bit annoyed: "Just do nothing! Just take it out at the critical moment!" "Oh." This knight's emotional intelligence really needs improvement. Ranni suppressed her annoyance and returned to tranquility.
She first glanced at Sellen, who wanted to come up and have an academic discussion with her, then her body dispersed with the wind like willow catkins, leaving only her calm voice carried by the breeze. "My knight, please take care on your journey. I will be waiting for your triumphant return at Caria Manor..." As her voice faded, she had completely disappeared into the wind. Only the bright moon in the sky remained, looking dreamlike and illusory. "She's gone?" Sellen walked to Throne's side with her arms crossed. "Demigods always come and go without a trace.
By the way, what do you think of Her Highness?" Sellen rubbed her chin, thought for a moment, and replied: "She's not bad for a demigod, but she is a member of the Royal Family, so I still don't like her." Throne tilted his head, thinking, isn't that statement contradictory? "Why?" "Stupid apprentice, how do you think the Primeval Sorcerers were exiled?" Sellen snorted, too lazy to explain, and reached out to grab the doll, but she was too slow and Throne dodged it nimbly. "Teacher, what are you doing?" "This is a peculiar material sent by a demigod! Give it here and let me study it!" Study?
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Throne felt the doll in his hand twitch slightly. Thinking of certain things, his scalp tingled, and he took off running toward the village. "I'm not coming back tonight. Teacher, go do your research." Sellen chased him for a few steps, but she couldn't catch Throne. She could only watch his back disappear into the night, and could only rub her chin and spit lightly:
"Tch, stingy."
In the small village tavern, candlelight flickered. No one in such a rural area could afford Glintstone lamps, but the dim light couldn't dampen the lively atmosphere of the tavern. Recently, many people had come over from Liurnia, flooding into various villages. They were willing to do any dirty or hard work, creating a kind of deformed prosperity. These refugees couldn't afford houses, so they couldn't settle down. They worked during the day and found ways to amuse themselves at night, so the money they worked so hard to earn returned to the hands of the people of Limgrave.
The tavern owner's face was smiling like a chrysanthemum. The air was filled with the smell of sweat and cheap alcohol. Under the dim candlelight, there were faint sounds of heavy breathing; it seemed some people didn't want to pay for a hotel room and had started their battle right there on the spot. It was very vulgar, but this was the working class. After all, not everyone had the chance to dance in a magnificent hall and express their achievements through poetry. Throne sat in the corner, having no intention of engaging in moral education.
The Lands Between was already miserable enough; everyone wanted some psychological comfort. Whether they went to church to pray or just muddied through their days, he had no interest in interfering. So he bought a bottle of ale and sat quietly reading under the candlelight in the corner. This book was the Storm Art sent by Cleanrot Knight Ivan, the specialty of the Banished Knights. He had been studying it for several days since leaving Stormveil. He had average aptitude for magic, but he was definitely a genius in martial arts.
He possessed a rich theoretical foundation and sufficient practical experience. He had even mastered Bloodhounds Step without a skill book, and after studying intently for a few days, he had gained some ideas. "Instantaneous burst, fierce and unparalleled, is it?" Throne raised his hand like a blade, closed his eyes, and contemplated for a few seconds. Then, his eyes widened, and he slashed down fiercely. Several streams of white air swirled in his hand, then exploded the moment they touched the tabletop.
Whoosh—
A strong wind filled the tavern, clearing away the unpleasant odors and causing all the candles to extinguish instantly. Women's screams, men's complaints, and the tavern owner's attempts to smooth things over erupted immediately. Only the swordsman in the corner sat silently, recalling the feeling from just a moment ago over and over. After a long while, he picked up the wine glass on the table and downed it in one gulp. Puh-ha! With the slightly sweet and cloying strong liquor going down his throat, Throne opened his eyes and revealed a satisfied smile.
"Finally, I've entered the gate." This was crucial, yet not so crucial. Martial arts weren't like in novels where one could become a master in a single moment of enlightenment. From entering the gate to knowing how to use it, and from knowing how to use it to being proficient, it required thousands of boring, tedious drills to eventually form muscle memory. "But every beginning is hard. Now that I understand the characteristics of Storm Art, I can slowly learn those moves and finally integrate them into the Ashina Style to become an important component."
While thinking, Throne tapped his fingers on the book. He had a clear train of thought in his head, and he wasn't in a hurry. As the candles were relit one by one, he calculated the cards in his hand. For armor, he had the Banished Knight set; for weapons, he had 'star-frost' and the Cleanrot Rapier; for items, he had the spirit calling bell, the spirit-calling ring, and the petite Ranni. This equipment didn't make him fully geared with artifacts, but at least he had some assets. Of course, these external objects were just icing on the cake; the key was internal strength.
"Putting aside the Ashina Style swordsmanship, for martial arts, I have Bloodhounds Step and the Frost Slash that comes with star-frost. I've also integrated them to create the secret sword move'Starlight Pierce'. As for magic—"
He hadn't felt it usually, but now that he calmed down and thought carefully, Throne suddenly realized that he had learned many spells without knowing it. Glintstone Arc, Crystal Burst, and other Glintstone Sorceries, as well as Greatblade Phalanx, Carian Piercer, and other Carian Sorceries. With Sellen by his side, he had learned almost all mid-tier sorceries.
He could even perform flashy moves on this foundation by changing the mana frequency, and he was becoming increasingly proficient in using them. Of course, among the many spells, two were quite special. One was Thopss Barrier, the other was Starlight movement. Not to say how powerful they were, but at least their growth potential was a magnitude higher than other spells. "If Thopss Barrier is completely finished, I can be invincible against various energy attacks. But Starlight movement is too slow right now, far from achieving the effect of teleportation."
Dispersion and reconstitution both have a process. The current interval of less than two seconds is fine for a knight, but if facing a hero-level expert, he would likely be stabbed through the chest the moment he reconstituted. Regardless, relying on the cards in his hand, he could get by in The Lands Between. At least dealing with one or two ordinary Banished Knights wasn't a problem. Moreover, there was a death aura inside that Throne didn't understand. But when thinking of the enemies he might face, Throne couldn't feel any pride at all.
That was General Radahn. Morgott. Black Blade Maliketh. The two Elden Lords, Godfrey and Radagon. Even the Two Fingers and the Greater Will.
Throne stood like a climber who'd reached a ridge only to find the true peak still towering above, wreathed in cloud, its shape indistinct. The sight didn't daunt him—it lit a fire in his veins. What beauty would there be in skipping the climb? What victory in cheating the ascent?
Gurgle. Another cup drained. The liquor seared his throat, stoking the embers of his blood until they roared.
Vision and grit. For this mountain called The Lands Between, he could see the path and fix his eyes on the summit. "Sellen's research will serve me well. Ranni's spirit-calling bell tilts the odds. With such advantages, what right do I have to complain?"
He set the glass down. Luck favored him. Others labored to build his ladder—all he had to do was pour everything into what he did best.
Martial arts. Slaughter.
Maybe he'd start with the Storm Art tonight.