Elden Ring: Atai vows to have a perfect ending

——"Zero, you're amazing! Well done!"

——"Does Zero not like being patted on the head like this?"

——"Hehehe, I also like it the most when Lady Tanis touches my head and praises me~"

puff--

The blood was surging before my eyes, and my consciousness was in a trance, like a kaleidoscope of light and shadow, as if I was recalling the moments of light and shadow from the past.

Then, a sharp, piercing pain came from the right shoulder to the chest, as if the body was being torn in half.

——It was indeed almost torn apart.

In my eyes, Laya's big head was biting me viciously.

——An attack that took me by surprise.

——If it weren’t for Ishutopia’s timely gravity combat skills that pulled her lower snake body, I’m afraid the little snake would have just dragged me like this and performed the snake man’s throwing skills.

I dodged my head from under her big mouth. At that time, it was my limit reaction.

"······Laya." Feeling a little weak, I sighed softly, and couldn't help but stretch out my left hand and slowly touch her smooth and warm head like jade, "I'm sorry, I... I'm sorry, Laya, I clearly promised you..."

"······" Laya had stood up again. She used the ground to exert her strength, swung her waist and neck violently, and threw me out.

"Brother Zero!" Ixutopang's voice sounded somewhat frightened, and his hurried footsteps could be heard in his ears.

My consciousness was a little hazy, and even when I fell to the ground, I didn't feel much pain.

It was a bit cold, so cold that it made people want to curl up and fall asleep.

However, there was a little bit of warmth that covered my body like a quilt, and it was like ice and snow melting and seeping into my body.

“·······You can’t fall down yet, warrior named Zero······Please continue to fight. I will fight with you until the last moment.”

——Who?

A gentle voice awakens my consciousness.

Dew drops flowed into my mouth, and as the warmth in my body spread, my vision returned to normal.

I saw a brown figure standing firmly and dignifiedly in front of me. She said loudly: "Please stop, Lady Zelayas!"

—Mei, Melina?

Her appearance was completely unexpected to everyone, and even Ishutopia couldn't help but stop.

Melina didn't seem to notice that I had woken up, and continued to say to Laya, "Mad Fire, you use sweet words and treacherous schemes to deceive people. Please don't be consumed by the rage of revenge. Please open your eyes and take a closer look. Lady Laya... Lady Zero, Lady Zero has no intention of fighting with you."

"..."

"You should have seen it with your own eyes in that corrupt church. The madness of the Madman... It is a power that wants to burn everything and annihilate everything. Every word and action is hypocritical..."

"Melina, maybe Laya can't remember anything about the corrupt church." I couldn't help but stand up and reminded her.

Melina was also slightly startled, and then she asked with concern: "Master Ling, are you okay?"

"Well, thanks to you for buying me some time to recover." I shook the holy grail bottle that had been drunk to the last drop and patted her shoulder gently. "Leave it to me from now on."

Melina seemed to be planning to say something else. She moved her lips slightly twice, but chose to bow and bless him: "Okay, I wish you good luck in martial arts."

I nodded and shouted loudly: "Knight Paris, Senior Ixutopia, and... Next, I want to fight Laya one-on-one, so please don't interfere."

——Where is Brother Teardrop?

——Never mind, maybe he’s hiding somewhere showing off his chicken legs again.

Ishutopia naturally chose to agree and stepped back to the side.

Paris, the opponent, did not say much, but he did not seem to have any intention of raising his sword and shield to attack.

And Laya didn't know why, but she just stood there in a daze.

I heaved a sigh of relief, held up the Night Star in both hands, and said to Laya sternly: "Come on, Zelayas... I will never be killed by you, because this is not the fate you should bear!"

“Why?” Laya seemed to say something softly, but she quickly shook her head and held the Blasphemy Holy Sword again. Her tears dissipated in the scorching flames, and she was once again replaced by a dazzling golden color. “I am the daughter of the Volcano Mansion, Zelayas, the Faded One. Accept judgment for your crimes.”

After saying that, Laya rushed over at a speed comparable to that of Torrett.

She dragged the holy sword of blasphemy, drawing a streak of blazing molten lava, in which countless resentful souls wailed and screamed, complaining.

——Perhaps she learned it from Paris. No wonder her sword moves are so precise.

I call upon the Thunder of Lance Shanks.

When Laya was about to swing her sword, the Starfire of Night swung directly at her Blasphemous Holy Sword.

when--

A violent collision.

Laya and I couldn't help but step back half a step. After standing firmly, she suddenly stretched her body, and with a condescending momentum, she held the holy sword in one hand and kept hitting me below.

I neither dodged nor evaded. Every time the opponent chopped vertically, I would meet the attack with an upward swing.

The contest of strength alone was a little strenuous, and it made my base of the palm of my hand more and more painful, as if it had been torn apart.

Moreover, every attack of the Blasphemous Holy Sword was accompanied by splashes of crimson blood, which fell on the body like raindrops, and then turned into scorching needles that pierced into the bone marrow.

——But I can’t fall down yet.

——Laya!!!

As if she heard my thoughts, Laya suddenly asked, "Why?"

"Ok?"

"Why don't you fight back?!" Laya roared in anger, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes again. She grasped the holy sword with both hands and slashed at me with all her strength.

I still swung my sword to block without hesitation, but this time, I was completely no match for his opponent and was knocked back by the blow.

Laya did not immediately pursue him, but instead shouted and demanded, "Why?! You even defeated Uncle Paris, why did you take all my attacks?!"

“... Just as you said, this is a punishment, Laya.” I was tired and in pain, and my mind was in a mess again, but I had to drag myself to my feet and hold the Night Star again. “After all, I said that I would come back to find you no matter what, even if you had forgotten me... But I was late, later than that crazy guy, so you suffered such injustice, Laya.”

"No, no, no, no - it was you, obviously you, who killed Lady Tanis! Hiss!" Laya suddenly covered her head, and she dropped her sword to the ground in so much pain.

"Laya." I subconsciously took a step forward.

"Don't come over! No, no, that person is not you, it won't be yours..."

I didn't stop, but instead quickened my pace and rushed towards Laya.

"I told you, don't come over here!" She suddenly raised her sword.

But in my eyes, what I saw was just a crying and helpless girl. She was a poor girl who suddenly lost her mother, her support, and almost everything in one day.

——My Laya.

Without stopping, I put down the Night Starfire and extended my left hand to her: "I'm sorry, Laya, I'm late."

Seeing my figure getting closer and closer, Laya gritted her teeth and suddenly slashed down with the sword.

but--

The sword didn't even fall on me.

There was no sound of the wails of the vengeful spirits in my ears. Instead, there was only the girl's head falling on my shoulder and a confused question in my ear: "·······Zero······Are you really the person called Zero?"

"Yes, Laya, I'm here to see you."

“······Wuwuwuwu, wuwuwuwu, Zero, Zero, Zero, My Lord, Lady Tanis, she, she was·····”

"I know. I won't let them go. Never."

Amid the scorching lava, only the girl's wailing remained.

And I couldn't help but hold the Night Star tightly, looking at the vague and illusory sneering shadow in the rising flames of the molten lava.