Elden Ring: Atai vows to have a perfect ending

——Uncle?

——Hey, who are you calling uncle? I’m in my early twenties… No, I’m Ah Tai, who just got resurrected a month ago, who are you calling uncle? Change it back!

"Brother Ling, why are you standing there motionless? The roasted meat will not taste good if it gets cold!" Ishutopia called out from the dilapidated house.

I came to my senses and hurried over.

In order to ease the awkward atmosphere in the shabby house, I took the initiative to ask, "What were you talking about just now?"

"Nothing, just chatting."

——Senior Ishutopia, what you mean is that we didn’t discuss anything and you were just entertaining yourself just now!

——It’s hard for you to support this deserted scene by yourself.

However, I do have a question: "By the way, Senior Ishutopia, why are you here?"

After all, in the game, Ishtopia and Bernal should have no intersection at all.

Even in the later period, Bernal would cause trouble for the "White Wolf War Ghost" and "Rogue Magician" from the original generation of the Round Table Hall, who were friends of Ishtopia.

So it is not an exaggeration to say that there may be some resentment between the two.

Ishtopia explained cheerfully, "After leaving the Coastal Cave, I continued to look for my old brothers. Some of them are competitive, so I wondered if anyone would show up at the Nimgefu Arena... But it looks like even this arena hasn't been used for a long time."

It turned out to be the case.

So, in the later stage of the game, in the hunting mission given by the Volcano Mansion, A'ti also found Ishutopia in the arena of Nimgefu.

And the arena was nearby, so it was not surprising to pass by the dilapidated house of the warriors on the way.

"... After that, I plan to go to the arena in the royal city to take a look. However, now 'Storm City' is blocked by Queen Marica's offspring Greg, and it is not easy to get in." When Ishtopia mentioned Greg casually, Roderica trembled noticeably and buried her head even lower.

Ishutopia then asked, "By the way, Brother Ling, you came here to challenge that demigod as well?"

I scratched my face and said, "Yes, I did have this plan, but..."

"No, Master Zero, please don't go!" Roderica suddenly interrupted me, "... That person is really, really scary. Or, do you also want to become part of the spider?"

"Spider?" Ishutopia was a little confused.

Eh? Hasn't he ever met a noble who had a limb transplant?

However, it is also possible that not every fader started from the Chapel of the Kings.

Then I will pretend I don't know and help Ixutopia solve the confusion: "Rodlika, what happened in Storm City?"

"······" Roderica swallowed several times in embarrassment, closed her eyes in pain, and took several deep breaths.

Even Klurara used her tentacles to gently comfort Roderica.

Seeing this, Ishutopia advised with concern: "If she doesn't want to talk, we shouldn't embarrass her, brother Ling."

“No, please allow me to tell everyone everything that happened. At least... I hope to prevent the same thing from happening again.” Rodlika raised her eyes and whispered softly about her experience.

After the Elden Ring was broken, as a member of the royal family, Roderica naturally took on the mission of going out to find warriors, repair the Elden Ring, and save the border. The red cloak she wore was a symbol of her mission - once she set out, she could not return home unless she accomplished her mission.

Naturally, she had a few guards accompanying her as she wandered outside, and later, a few Faded Ones also joined her team.

But everything was broken because of a certain guy's kind words - "You want to repair the Elden Ring, right?... Well, very good, very good. I heard that the demigods who have received many blessings from the 'Eternal Queen' have the runes, a fragment of the Elden Ring, on them. That is the indispensable power to repair the ring... Now, in the 'Storm City' Stonewell, there is a golden heir, Greg... I see, isn't there a member of the royal family among you? Perhaps if you talk to him nicely, as a member of the golden family, he may be willing to hand over the Great Rune and repair the ring."

It just so happened that Roderica was in trouble because she could not see the guidance of the blessing. And because the light of blessing pointed to Stonewell, the faded ones believed the words of "White Mask" Van Lei.

So they entered Storm City, successfully met with the "Golden King" Greg, and explained their intentions.

"The border area is in chaos now. To repair the Elden Ring, we need supreme power, my friend from the royal family." The other party promised Roderica that he would give her the powerful power that the royal family deserved and help her regain the power of the Great Rune from other demigods.

But she didn't expect that what was waiting for her was a cruel hell.

"... everyone's heads, hands and feet were chopped off, and they turned into pupae. Their powers will be pieced together and become the appearance of the spider." Roderica rubbed a corner of her cloak while recounting the story, tears quietly sliding down her eyes, "Grek told me that it was supposed to be me who inherited everyone's power and went to the border to repair the Elden Ring... But, but I was too cowardly, cutting off my hands and feet... It was too painful, I couldn't do it no matter what, so I escaped from Stonewell."

——So this is how the limb-transplanting nobles came about.

This guy Xiao Ge deceived royal members like Roderica and used their bodies and those of his men to create crazy monsters.

“…Or, perhaps it was because I could not feel the guidance of the blessing, and I was afraid of the ritual of increasing power from the bottom of my heart, so I gave up my mission… I’m sorry, everyone. I am such a coward that I cannot continue to fight with you.”

The simple-minded Roderica was still lost in Greg's crazy mental control, and firmly believed that it was her own cowardice that made all her companions' efforts in vain.

"This is not your fault, Roderica!" Ishtopia could no longer bear it and interrupted Roderica loudly, "Cut off your hands and feet? Attach them to a person to increase your strength? Those who think this kind of evil ritual is normal are the ones who are crazy!"

I also comforted her: "Yes, Roderica. In order to prevent more tragedies from happening, you have the courage to speak out these things. You are strong enough, not a coward."

"That's right, that's right!" Ishtopia said passionately, "I was wondering why Nimgefu was hunting us Faded Ones everywhere. So this is what's going on... Can this guy Greg still be called the 'Golden King'?!"

But at this moment, someone poured cold water on the situation: "... Isn't this good? Anyway, there's nothing we can do. Let's try another method. Maybe it will work."

"What? Bernal! Brother, do you actually think that what Greg did was right?" Ixutopang stood up angrily.

But Bernal still looked indifferent: "Whether it's repairing the Elden Ring or saving the border, what are we doing now? Is there really any meaning? In the end, it's all in vain."

“But even so, we, the knights of the Round Table Hall, cannot abandon our oath to the Queen. We must do our utmost to help restore normal order in the border areas!” Ishtopia was so righteous that even I couldn’t help but admire him.

Bernard was silent for a moment, then he sighed with a wry smile: "... You are truly a role model for the Faded, Ishtopia. I was wrong just now, I'm sorry."

"...It's also my fault that I'm too excited. I hope you don't mind, brother Bernal." Ixutopon sat back and roasted pieces of wild boar meat.

For a moment, the shabby house was silent, and even the air seemed to be heavier.

And I looked at Bernal.

······I always feel that he is different from the Faded One with great potential that I have seen in the game.

What on earth had happened to cause him to have such a change?

"Brother Zero!" Ixutopia suddenly spoke to me, "Are you planning to go to Storm City? When are you leaving? I'll go with you!"

Oh, that's unexpected.

but······

"Thank you for your kindness, but I have a more important favor to ask of you, Senior Ishutopia." I said solemnly.

"Oh? You said."

"Rodlika... She is being hunted by the Grek soldiers. I am worried about her safety." I looked at Rodlika, and she raised her head just as she heard my name. "You know, this place is quite far from the coastal cave, and there is no safe place nearby."

——Besides, given Bernal’s current condition, it’s hard for me to safely hand over Roderica to him.

Ixutopia quickly understood what I meant: "Then leave it to me and Brother Bernal. But is it really okay for you to go to Stonewell alone?"

"I will treat it with caution, and I have made sufficient preparations." After all, Nimgfu has basically explored everything, and if he wants to become stronger, he has to overcome some difficulties.

Looking at me, Ixutopia smiled slightly and patted my shoulder: "Okay, then I will wait for your good news with peace of mind, Brother Zero."