Elden Ring: The Shattering!

The sun leapt out of the sea, and the inner city, still covered in frost and mist, showed no signs of thawing. Kaelith wrapped himself in a thick blanket, standing at the top of the Magic Tower, looking outside. He saw that the once beautiful garden had completely collapsed, its original form torn apart and unable to withstand the destruction. The architecture was now just a pile of desolate ruins.

After enduring the passage of time, it wasn't just Tarnished who witnessed this scene of ruin.

Last night's memories came back one by one, finally halting at the top of the dark moon Magic, leading Kaelith to silently clench his fist.

The time wasn't long, and the process wasn't particularly complex, but it was good for him to learn this lesson, allowing Kaelith to understand that The Lands Between was full of monsters and evil creatures.

Mysterious assassins, incredibly powerful Trolls, colossal Royal Knight avatars, and that one who could be called a divine Magic phenomenon.

"As expected of The Lands Between, what I've done so far is just scratching the surface." Kaelith sighed bitterly. If he faced these beings head-on, he wouldn't be able to defeat a single one of them… and these were just a small part of the frozen wasteland of The Lands Between, far from the strongest.

Having been in The Lands Between for just over a month, Kaelith wasn't feeling inferior. It was simply expanding his horizons, while also giving him a sense of urgency:

There was no time to waste.

Dong dong dong...

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed, and a strange armored figure appeared at the window. Kaelith immediately gave a knightly salute: "Lord Iji, have you finished clearing the battlefield?"

"Yes, I buried those vile assassins." The giant's tone was warm, as if after a night of fierce battle, Kaelith had fully entered the core circle.

The battle with Cuckoo was related to the Carian matter, and Ranni's enemies were not their concern. Thus, Kaelith's involvement was of great significance.

"Is the katana I forged still useful to you?"

Kaelith drew out the three inches of his long sword from his side, gently caressing it, and replied: "The technique of forging is like a divine art; without Celestial Dew, I wouldn't survive."

"Haha, it's not that exaggerated. I'm just a little proud of my forging skills. There are many blacksmiths stronger than me."

Iji laughed heartily, clearly in a good mood. He then pointed to the messy patch of open ground behind him and asked: "Do you know who those people were?"

"Skilled assassins, enemies of Princess Ranni." Kaelith answered without hesitation, though in his heart, he already had the answer.

The Black Knives assassins were directly under the goddess Marika, specifically members of the Night of Black Knives, a major event in The Lands Between.

"Golden" Godwyn perished, breaking the concept of the Golden Order's "immortality," causing a system-wide bug, which could be said to be the Elden Ring shattering, an explosion that could not exist without the Night of Black Knives, and naturally, without them, there would be no Shattering of the Demi-Gods.

"They are the executors of a conspiracy, leaderless hounds of the hunt. There are very few people in The Lands Between who can escape the edge of a blade. You must be careful from now on." Iji didn't know Kaelith had already figured out the answer, continuing to explain the riddle.

Killing Godwyn, of course, was as easy as slaughtering a chicken for me.

Kaelith nodded solemnly, sighing and saying, "I don't even know how I offended these people."

"Do you think that after ruining someone's grand plan, you can still have a pleasant face? Anyway, yesterday I came to thank you, although with some hesitation... Consider it as a strategist's move. I don't want to risk the princess encountering danger... So, don't worry, the castle and camp are absolutely safe."

Perhaps I can't be a canary, the kind of power that grows too slowly—I'm afraid I won't even be able to wait for Tarnished to return. I'm still an elite soldier.

But if I'm not in the castle, should I find an excuse to go out and execute someone?

Kaelith was troubled. Iji, thinking Kaelith was just nervous, lightly knocked on the Magic Tower.

"Haha, you won't get bored in the castle. If you have the time, you could learn some forging techniques from me. Maybe in the future, you can make a living off this... Ah, and regarding Princess Ranni, you should go to her. She probably has something to assign you."

As he spoke, he turned and punched his waist, walking off toward the distance, like a senior out for a morning stroll. Kaelith stood frozen for a while before finally heading toward Ranni's Magic Tower.

There won't be any executioners, right?

The voice of "Your words made the demoness feel embarrassed" still echoed in his mind. He didn't even acknowledge the Glintstone Dragon's greeting as he entered the Magic Tower, stepping into the elevator. Soon, he arrived at the second floor and began climbing the spiral staircase that wrapped around the outside of the tower. As he absentmindedly glanced to the left...

The sky was clear, and half of Liurnia was visible to the eye. Ranni's Magic Tower was the highest point in the kingdom, and beyond the mountain was the core area of the Golden Kingdom, Altus Plateau.

Kaelith, arriving at Ranni's Magic Tower for the first time, couldn't help but stop. He felt the vastness of the world, filled with countless possibilities, standing in the northwestern corner of Liurnia, overwhelmed and uneasy.

His peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Raya Lucaria Academy, a huge structure that seemed extraordinarily small, something that shouldn't even be in his line of sight. Kaelith suddenly thought of something.

Ah, it seems like there's a wonderful opportunity.

With his thoughts shifting, Kaelith immediately quickened his pace. When he reached the last level of the staircase, the top of the Magic Tower had a small room. The furnishings were simple, with no bed in sight.

Of course, the dignified Ranni didn't need a bed. She sat high in a chair, head lowered, seemingly busy with something, while another familiar figure stood beside her.

It was Blaidd, his cloak drenched in dew, clearly having rushed back in a frenzy. Kaelith, feigning surprise, immediately reached for the hilt of his sword.

"Are you serious?!"

The Werewolf turned around to look. If not for the black fur covering his body, one might expect his veins to burst. He gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Of course, I'm serious!"

"Do you have any evidence?"

Are you deliberately trying to cause trouble?

Blaidd almost wanted to leap forward and tear Kaelith apart, immediately grabbing the hilt of his sword. "Come, let's go down together, I'll give you the evidence."

"Hmm, seems like it's true." Kaelith immediately smiled, knowing better than to allow Blaidd to vent his frustration on him.

Looking at the frustrated Werewolf, Kaelith felt a bit of satisfaction inside. This guy was usually so arrogant, but now he had met his match.

The short exchange caught Ranni's attention, causing her to look up and, a little confused, ask, "What are you two talking about?"

"It's nothing important, just some aftereffects from last night," Kaelith said with a serious expression, knowing how to maintain composure. "Your Highness, you called me here for something?"

"Don't worry, it's nothing urgent. The events from last night should have already given you some clues about what I need to say." Ranni sat up straighter, her blue eyes revealing a mysterious aura.

"Kaelith Light, do you know which direction I intend to go?"

Kaelith didn't answer immediately. Of course, he knew Ranni's ideals... but as a proud knight, he couldn't have too much insight into matters that weren't meant for him. If he said anything that couldn't be explained, it would be disastrous.

"You mentioned before that you wished to control your own fate, to break free from the Golden Order's shackles."

"I've done that, but there's still so much more to be done."

"Yes, the Erdtree still stands, and the broken 'Elden Ring' will eventually be rebuilt. Once they exhale their last breath, The Lands Between will have no place for you to set foot."

Kaelith paused for a moment, then continued, "Last night was clear proof. The Golden Order will never forgive your existence... Before the Elden Ring is healed, you need to fully break free from its chains."

His words were flawless, completely based on the knowledge at hand, and Ranni had no reason to doubt. She nodded lightly.

"The shadow of the Two Fingers has loomed over me from the beginning. While resolving the previous dangers, I had no way of finding a new path."

Kaelith had already come into contact with the core secret, and Ranni also acknowledged his courage and wisdom. At this moment, there was no need for further concealment.

She briefly explained what the Two Fingers were. The so-called "Two Fingers" were emissaries of The Greater Will, a strange form of life. Each Demigod would have a "Two Fingers" accompanying them, acting as the ultimate creator and supervisor of blessings.

However, Ranni had not followed the original plan and had instead veered off course, making her intentions clear.

"The Two Fingers are immortal, and because of that, I cannot obtain freedom. Without freedom, there is no way to seek a new path."

"Then, would you like to use some fabric and draw them out to deal with them?" Kaelith leaned forward, knowingly asking.

"The Two Fingers cannot be killed, as they are the apostles of The Greater Will. Even Destined Death cannot be used on them."

Ranni gently shook her head and then looked at the Werewolf beside her. "Blaidd is looking for a way to kill the Two Fingers for me. There has been no result so far."

"Oh? So you haven't found the 'Eternal City' Nokron yet?"

Kaelith had almost spoken those words aloud but stopped himself. A mere Magic student couldn't possibly know about Nokron, nor should they know about the Noxians who were exploiting the divine weapons for sacrifice. It wasn't as if Marika had appeared in his dreams to tell him about it.

He quickly found a reason to redirect the conversation.

Kaelith's eyes shifted, and he bowed like a knight: "Your Highness, I am also willing to help you find a way to kill the Two Fingers."

Although his previous words were intended for this outcome, Ranni was still a little surprised. Kaelith Light truly had the heart of a nobleman raised in the land of gold.

"This is in direct opposition to the Erdtree. You need to think carefully, and the Black Knives are watching you. It's dangerous outside."

"Your Highness, I am not merely helping you," Kaelith raised his head, speaking in an open tone. "Fate can only be controlled by oneself. What right does the Erdtree have to decide my life or death? And what is the true nature of this object in its eyes—blessing or curse?"

Setting aside loyalty, Kaelith himself was fighting for his livelihood against the Erdtree. Without Ranni, he would still be opposing the Golden Order.

But how would he oppose it? Would he hide in the Royal City and cheer on from the sidelines?

"You are indeed a knight, and you truly possess extraordinary courage." Ranni smiled faintly. Perhaps at this moment, Kaelith was finally considered part of the "family."

"But there's no need to rush. Wait for the Black Knives to shift their focus, and I will let you step into the journey."

"A thousand years is too long, I only seek the opportunity in the moment." Kaelith firmly shook his head and said to the somewhat surprised princess: "Right now, there's an opportunity. First, it can hide my whereabouts; second, it might provide clues."

"What opportunity?"

Kaelith leaned forward mysteriously, then whispered the words he had been holding onto: "The Raya Lucaria Academy is where the Sorcerers are summoned. I want to sneak in!"