Elden Ring: Atai vows to have a perfect ending

Outside the foggy forest of Nimgefu, at the foot of the mountain behind the Third Church of Marika, in the lush bushes, "Hunting Death" D led us to the portal to the temple where the beast priest was.

"The Beast Priest, Lord Grunge, doesn't like too many people disturbing his temple, so you'd better arrange a few representatives to go there, so as not to displease Lord Grunge." D reminded us before we set off.

And Sir Baizhi agreed with his opinion: "If things go well, there is indeed no need for too many people to go and make a fuss."

After saying that, a finger witch and a man wearing a golden mask who looked like he came from the Royal City of Rodel walked out from behind him.

"Zero, if the Beast Priest promises to guide you to Fam Azra, you must bring this witch with you. When the time comes, light up the blessing nearby, and the witch will be able to guide this side and send help to assist you." Baizhi explained to me, "Also, this one is a prophet from the Royal City of Rodel, who is guided by the Master of the Golden Mask to meet with Gulang with you."

——So it was the help sent by the Master of the Golden Mask?

I extended my hand to the other party in a friendly manner: "Please give me your guidance."

The other party was silent, like a piece of wood, and did not react at all, which made me quite embarrassed, and I could only silently retract my hand.

But his golden eyes seemed to have been examining and measuring me since just now.

——What a weird person.

"Have you prepared everything? Ling." Baizhi reminded.

"Well, nine dead roots, plus one of Michaela's golden needles... If I can find Bernal, this time, I will really seal the crazy fire in his body." I was full of confidence.

“…Perhaps it’s not the insanity in Bernal that should be sealed.” Bai Zhi suddenly said something that puzzled me, but he didn’t go into details. “In short, you have to deal with everything on your own. The rest of us will protect the Royal City of Rodel and the Sacred Golden Tree and wait for your good news.”

"Leave it to me!" I patted my chest.

"Roar——" The pyroxenon Adura also roared, as if to cheer me up.

I curiously asked "Hunting Death" D: "By the way, can the portal accommodate Yadura? Can we go together?"

After all, if we really convince Gulang, I don't think we will ask Gulang to take us there all at once. We will probably have to rely on ourselves. Therefore, it is safer to ask Adula to go with us.

Before D could speak, Bai Zhi helped explain: "Don't worry about this. The speed of the flying dragon is no less than that of our Faded Ones' Blessing Teleport. General Latan has already told Adura the approximate location of the Beast Temple. After you set off, it will fly directly there. As for the specific location, Adura will naturally find it through the keen perception of the dragon after you land."

"Okay, let's go. Yadula, you should follow as soon as possible."

"Roar!"

Following D, we touched the portal together and were sucked into the magic vortex inside.

Before I opened my eyes again, the smell of Gallid's dust, tinged with scarlet corruption, had already filled my nostrils.

Before our eyes, the Beast Temple, with a square dome like a Western church, stands high on the northernmost cape of the land of Gaileyd, listening to the tide and gazing at the burning golden tree standing in the distance.

In front of the door, the huge gargoyle, the follower of the Black Sword, saw the person coming and immediately made a dull sound like the growl of a wild beast.

I immediately pulled out the Nightfire.

——How come I was teleported to the steps of the temple in real life? Can't I just land behind the Black Sword Follower like in the game and avoid him?

"Hunting Death" D stretched out his hand to stop me, and stepped forward and shouted: "My Lord Black Sword's followers, I am here to meet the Beast Priest on the orders of Lord Grunge to collect the dead roots that lure the border area into chaos!"

As he said that, D gave me a look, and I quickly took out a prepared dead root and raised it above my head.

As expected, the Black Sword followers did not warn us again.

Soon after, a powerful voice came from the temple: "Come in, hunters of death."

Having received the promise, "Hunting Death" D led us around the Black Sword followers and walked towards the temple.

There are many similar patterns on the gate, carved with tree branches, but also like branches growing out of animal heads, symbolizing the union of gold and beasts. But as for the animal face, whether it is a dragon, a wolf, or a deer, it is hard to tell, anyway, they all look similar.

Pushing open the door, under the beams that looked like elephant trunks, at the bottom of the pillars supporting the temple, there were handcuffs on a monster with a beast's body and a dragon's head, its hands and feet tied behind its back, as if it was being punished.

And in the deepest part of the hall, in the bright firelight, a huge beast wearing a robe and cloak was lying on the ground.

As soon as we entered the temple, a loud snort was heard. The beast priest Grunge took a deep breath and said, "I smell it... It's Death! Offer Death to me and let me swallow it! I am willing to grant you eyes and claws."

After I lit up the blessed light in the temple, I was about to go forward.

"Hunting Death" D pulled me and whispered, "Give them one by one."

-Oh, so, in the game, after giving Granger three or four dead roots, he will go crazy for a while because he can't control the power of death.

D might have encountered that kind of situation before, which reminded me of it.

I nodded as well, walked up to the beast priest Gulang, took out a dead root and offered it to him.

After Gulange reached out to take it, he couldn't wait to chew and swallow the dead root, as if he was a starving ghost who came across a steamed bun when he was hungry.

After eating, he shouted: "More! I need to repay more! Faded, bring more [Death]!"

I followed D's instructions and once again took out a dead root and handed it to him, and he gobbled it up as usual.

"More! You have more [Death], right, Faded One!" Gulang also realized that there were still many dead roots in my body.

At this time, I stopped and said, "Beast Priest, Grunge, I understand your desire to pay for the theft of the Death Rune, but I came here to make a deal with you using the Death Root."

“······You want power, right, Faded One. No problem!” Gulang reached into his pocket, probably preparing to give me the beast’s prayer and the eyes that could sense the power of the dead roots.

But I stopped him and said straight to the point: "I'm sorry, Grunge, what I need now is not power, but the way to Fam Azra."

“······Roar?” Gulang seemed to suspect that he had heard it wrongly.

And I repeated the content of the transaction word by word: "I hope to exchange the dead root with you for the road to the broken sky city, Fam Azra, which is where you are now, Gulang."