Elden Ring, building a legion of ashes

Chapter 143 Stripping Away Greck's Memories

"What does this cunning old fox want from me? Trying to recruit me, right?"

Looking at Enxia's humble gesture, Xia Tong roughly guessed what the actual person in charge of the round table hall wanted to do.

Sir Gideon Ofnir, the Hundred-Minded Genius, is an ambitious man with extremely high intelligence, ruthlessness, and an almost pathological desire for the throne of Elden.

"Sure, please lead the way."

Xia Tong nodded gently to En Xia.

The latter did not speak, but immediately turned around, walked slowly ahead, and led Xia Tong into the depths of the round table hall.

After walking through a long wooden corridor, Enxia led Xiatong to a heavy oak door.

Then, Ensha stretched out his skeletal hands and pushed open the door.

"Squeak"

A strong scholarly atmosphere and the musty smell of ink hit you.

The mountain of books and scattered ancient scrolls occupied almost half of the room's space.

Sir Gideon Ophniel, the Hundred Wisdom, was sitting behind a large desk.

The old man slowly closed the heavy scroll in his hand. His gaze, hidden behind the metal mask, was extremely sharp, fixed on the spot on Xia Tong's chest that faintly revealed a dark gold luster.

"Oh—you got the Great Rune."

A hoarse voice echoed in the secret room, revealing an undisguised amazement and a hidden longing.

"Yes."

Xia Tong replied calmly.

"Every now and then, new fading talents join the Round Table, but—most are just passersby."

Gideon stood up, placed his hands on the table, and spoke with a hint of contempt.

"Some of them even use this place purely as a refuge, just drifting through life aimlessly."

"Those people—they don't deserve to be called 'faded ones' at all."

"Here it comes, here it comes, this awful worldview is starting to be displayed—"

Xia Tong couldn't help but secretly grumble in her heart after hearing Gideon Ofnier's words.

The reason this old schemer said that was because those ordinary faded beings were of no help or use to him in becoming the King of Elden.

Naturally, to him, those who faded were all "fakes".

To put it bluntly, the mission of the Faded Ones was forcibly imposed on them by Marika.

They were once ruthlessly driven out of the border region, wandering and dying in the outside world, but now they have been forcibly awakened and summoned back.

Many of those who faded away did so not voluntarily, but were forced to bear this heavy burden.

However, at the moment, Xia Tong is not about to have a direct falling out with Gideon Ofnier.

So he went along with it, casually agreeing: "Yes, some of the fading ones have indeed become too lazy. They spend their days doing swindling and cheating, having long forgotten the grand maxims they heard when they first received the blessing and guidance."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Gideon Ofnir's eyes flashed with surprise, then he sighed with satisfaction, "You still remember the initial guidance? That's truly remarkable."

"No wonder you can still see the blessing clearly; you are indeed different from those imposters who have faded away."

"No, no, no, I simply keep Queen Marika's words of wisdom in mind."

Xia Tong continued practicing Tai Chi.

"That's good, that's excellent."

Gideon nodded in satisfaction, then his tone became serious: "I am a Faded One, just like you."

"A man who wishes to have an audience with the Elden Ring and become the King of Elden."

97

"I thirst for knowledge—I yearn for 'omniscience'."

"Omniscient? You don't know as much as I do."

Xia Tong looked at the old man in front of her who called himself "Bai Zhi" and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

It's important to know that Xia Tong, as a veteran player, knows all the information that Sir Baizhi currently possesses.

The deeply hidden secrets that Xia Tong knew were completely unknown to Sir Bai Zhi.

For example, he didn't know where the Valkyrie Malenia was hiding, nor did he know Lani's true purpose and location, let alone the secrets of the Shadowlands.

Unaware of Xia Tong's inner thoughts, Sir Gideon continued in a superior manner, "I admire you, Xia Tong."

"However—you cannot yet be considered a true core member of the Round Table Hall."

"You also need to listen to the advice of the two fingers."

He sat back down in his chair and waved.

"Go see 'Unraveling the Finger' Enya; her doors are now open for you."

Led by Wang Haienxia, ​​Xia Tong once again arrived at the depths of the Round Table Hall—the location of Jie Zhienya.

Compared to Gideon Ofnier's cramped and crowded study, the room where Enya was located was significantly larger.

The entrance is an extremely heavy double oak door.

At this moment, because Xia Tong possessed the Great Rune, this tightly closed door had already been opened for him.

Xia Tong stepped over the high stone threshold.

As one steps through this invisible barrier, all the noise from the distant hall is instantly shut out.

He felt as if he had entered a secluded and tranquil sanctuary.

The flickering, dim firelight divided the space into alternating light and shadow, exuding an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.

In the center of the room stands a large, old wooden platform.

However, what truly occupied the core of the entire room, even making the surrounding air viscous, was the enormous creature lurking behind the wooden platform—Two Fingers.

That was no ordinary flesh and blood body, but two terrifying limbs as thick as towering pillars, their massive knuckles displaying a grayish-brown color somewhere between withered wood and rock.

Its surface is covered with deep wrinkles and rough bristles, as if it has gone through countless eras.

And in front of those two fingers, perched like a withered leaf on the edge of the wooden platform, was Enya, the sole interpreter of this divine will.

"Indeed, the two living fingers and the two dead fingers do feel different."

Xia Tong felt the heart-pounding fluctuations. Compared to the two-finger remains he had seen at the top of the Divine Tower of Ninmughford, the oppressive aura emanating from the living two-finger in the Round Table Hall was immeasurably greater.

"Newcomer to the faded realm—you've had a long and arduous journey."

"I am Enya, the 'Unraveling Finger'."

Xia Tong looked towards the sound.

Jie Zhi Enya's emaciated body was almost completely swallowed up by the large, tattered, and rough cloak she was wearing.

Time has mercilessly stripped her of her vitality as a human being.

Her face was like a withered tree weathered for a thousand years, with deep wrinkles crisscrossing her features.

Those hollow eye sockets seemed to see right through a person's soul. At this moment, her withered hands were tightly gripping a rough cane carved from exotic wood.

"Your voice is so gentle and kind."

Xia Tong offered a polite compliment.

"Oh? Really? Hahahaha————"

Jie Zhi Enya laughed, her voice dry but sounding very happy.

"You've probably noticed, haven't you? Lord Finger is right behind me."

"Lord Finger is the messenger of the supreme will."

"Look, it's trembling slightly—it's welcoming you."

"Oh? Why are you welcoming me?"

Xia Tong asked the question knowing the answer already.

"Because you are the holder of the Great Rune."

Enya's tone became more serious.

"It's just luck."

Xia Tong made a modest remark before getting to the point: "Lord Baizhi sent me here to hear Shuangzhi's advice."

"Alright, alright—then this old woman will tell you all about it."

Enya cleared her throat, her voice becoming distant and sacred: "The great Elden Ring is the embodiment of the Golden Law."

"It brings stability and order to the world, and brings blessings and well-being to life."

"However, the Elden Ring has already shattered—"

"Breaking the law is a heinous crime, and the consequences are unavoidable."

"The world and life have been utterly destroyed, and curses and misfortune are spreading everywhere —"

'

""

Even so, the supreme will will not abandon the world and life.

"Therefore, you who have faded away will be guided again and given a sacred mission."

Enya's blind eyes seemed to be looking at the large rune on Xia Tong's chest.

"The Great Rune you possess is a large fragment of the Elden Ring."

"Let's go get another one!"

"Become the King of Elden and restore the Golden Law!"

"Don't forget what Master Finger said—"

"...

'

He talked a lot, mostly about the game's background settings that Xia Tong already knew from her previous life.

This should complete the process of "listening to the advice of two fingers".

Just as Xia Tong was about to bow and take her leave, En Ya called her back.

"Wait a minute, the faded one."

"You still bear the 'memories' of a demigod."

Xia Tong then realized what had happened, slapped her forehead, and realized she had almost forgotten about it.

Defeating a demigod does indeed grant you memories containing that demigod's power.

Xia Tong originally thought that Grek's memories were not of much use to him now.

After all, he had actually arrived at the border.

Like the memories of Grek, you can exchange them for "Grek's King Axe" and "Leg-Breaking Wyvern" in the game.

But the reality is that when he picked up the King's Axe from Greke's body, it was as huge and heavy as a pillar.

With Xia Tong's current size and strength, she simply cannot wield the weapon as freely as Grek.

So he threw the giant axe directly to the leader of the mountain demon tribe.

The leader was enormous, almost identical to Grik, and when he wielded the King's Axe, he was incredibly powerful and formidable.

As for the dragon head that Grek had reattached, it was blasted into a pile of mangled flesh by a comet during the battle, making it impossible to extract as a weapon.

"Grandma Enya, how do I retrieve this memory?"

"I can sense the aura of remembrance emanating from you—it's right there."

As she spoke, Granny Enya's withered fingers slowly pointed to the soul-summoning bell at Xia Tong's waist.

Xia Tong's heart stirred, and she took off the Soul Summoning Bell and gently shook it.

"bite"

A violent blue streak shot out from the bell, crashing wildly through the air.

However, he had already been subdued by Xia Tong, an invisible force binding him tightly, preventing him from escaping.

"This is Grek's spirit."

Xia Tong said with a hint of helplessness.

He originally intended to use this spirit to directly convert Grik into ashes for summoning, perhaps providing him with a powerful tank in future battles.

But he later discovered that the contract was impossible to fulfill, and the other party refused outright.

This was the first time Xia Tong had been explicitly rejected by the ashes.

Although Grek's physical body died, as a demigod, his remaining intelligence and obsession were too high.

Every time Xia Tong tried to forcefully summon him, he would resist fiercely, even cursing and insulting her in his mind with all sorts of vicious language.

Xia Tong was so angry that her face turned black, so she simply sealed him in the Soul Summoning Bell and ignored him.

Unexpectedly, coming to Jie Zhi En Ya's place brought an opportunity to deal with this trouble.

Seeing the frenzied spirit, Enya said directly, "Give it to me, I'll help you extract it."

Although her voice was old, it carried an undeniable authority.

Then, only Enya slowly stood up.

The withered old woman, who had existed for countless years, raised the heavy ancient wooden staff in her hand.

The several large, round bells at the top of the staff collided with each other in the air, producing a deep, ethereal sound.

"Clang clang"

A crisp yet eerie bell rang out in the empty inner room.

Each time the bell rang, it was as if an invisible hammer of the soul was slamming into the raging blue light.

In the dim light, the blue light materialized into Grek's distorted face.

He was convulsing painfully and violently.

Xia Tong could clearly hear his roar: "You lowly faded one!! I am a descendant of gold!! How dare you—"

However, before Greke could finish speaking, he was abruptly interrupted.

Enya rang the bell again.

With her eyes closed, she murmured softly, "Listen to the guidance of your two fingers—poor limb extender."

Enya's withered lips twitched slightly, her pupil-less eye sockets fixed intently on that blue shimmering light.

With her other finger, she slowly traced some kind of ancient rune in the air.

The bell at the top of the staff rang more and more rapidly.

A pale, holy light poured down from the massive remains of the two fingers behind, then transformed into a sharp sword that pierced the core of Grik's spirit!

"Aaaaaah!!"

As the divine light pierced in.

The fear, greed, and morbid obsession with power that belonged to Greck personally within his soul were forcibly extracted and shattered bit by bit.

These jumbled negative memories and consciousness evaporated in the air.

In the end, the frenzied soul transformed into a dazzling, peaceful, and serene ball of pure gold light.

That was Grek's recollection of the "extendum" after all the impurities had been removed.

The ferocious roar abruptly ceased.

"Grandma Enya, what can I exchange this bundle of memories for?"

Xia Tong looked at the ball of pure energy and asked a question.

Enya's kind voice rang out again: "It cannot be confirmed at the moment; it requires Master Finger's interpretation."

"You need to leave this memory with me."

"I can tell you exactly what kind of power it can manifest in two days."

"Okay, thank you, Grandma Enya."

Xia Tong nodded in agreement.

"Oh, right————"

Enya added, "Once you've shed your obsession, you'll be able to directly summon Grik's ashes with the Summoning Bell."

"It has lost its intelligence and become a pure combat puppet, but fortunately, it still retains some of its demigod status."

"What you need to be especially careful about is that you may not be able to handle summoning his spirit right now."

"Forcibly summoning someone may cause irreversible damage to your mental health. Remember to act within your limits."

Xia Tong felt a chill run down her spine and secretly made a mental note of it.

"in addition----"

Grandma Enya continued, her tone carrying a hint of caution: "Even if its former authority can be manifested from the memories two days later, it will still require an enormous amount of energy."

"That means we need a large amount of runes—at least ten thousand runes or more."

"Holy crap?! So many?!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Tong's mouth dropped open, and she almost swore.

Enya seemed to sense Xia Tong's embarrassment and said with a smile, "If you don't want to materialize their former authority through recollection..."

"You can also simply shatter these memories."

"Then they can be transformed into the purest life energy, which is a massive amount of runes."

"It's all up to you to choose."

Xia Tong gritted her teeth and said firmly, "I choose to materialize their former authority through memories."

Runes can be farmed again, but the exclusive equipment or prayer magic obtained from the Demigod's Recollection are unique items.

"Okay, I'll help you."

Grandma Enya nodded.

"Come see me in two days."

"It's alright, I'll try my best to accumulate runes. Thank you, Grandma Enya."

Xia Tong nodded her thanks gently, then turned and left.

The moment Xia Tong stepped out the door.

"Bang-"

The heavy oak double doors behind him slammed shut, once again isolating the sacredness and oppressive aura of the two fingers.

When Xia Tong appeared at the entrance of the corridor.

But she found a petite figure already there, quietly waiting for her.

It was none other than Rodrika, who had entered the Round Table Hall.

But at this moment, Rodrik had already removed the red hood that she had always worn on her head.

Without the red cloth covering her, the girl's long, light golden hair, as radiant as sunlight, was clearly visible, flowing smoothly over her shoulders.

Although her shoulders still appeared somewhat thin.

However, the timidity and confusion that had been lingering around her seemed to have vanished along with the hood.

Instead, there is a kind of resilience.

Hearing heavy footsteps, Rodrika turned around and saw Xia Tong, who had just come out of the two-finger inner room.

She nervously clasped her hands together in front of her and bowed slightly.

"Lord Xia Tong————"

"I really saw you in the Round Table Hall, that's wonderful."

Rodrika's face lit up with a genuine smile of joy.

Xia Tong walked up to her, his gaze calmly resting on her dazzling blonde hair, his voice low and even: "The original red hood—is gone?"

Upon hearing this, Rodrika unconsciously touched the strands of hair by her ear.

She lowered her eyes, a faint, yet utterly relieved, bitter smile tugging at the corners of her lips: "Mm."

'

"I buried it under a tree in Stoneville."

"It can be seen as a farewell to my cowardly past self."

Rodrik's voice was soft, yet carried an unprecedented calmness and determination.

She raised her head, her clear, emerald-like eyes looking directly at Xia Tong.

"This is my final farewell to those who once believed in me."

Xia Tong looked at her, nodded slightly, and a serious expression of approval flashed in her eyes.

"They will understand."

Xia Tong turned around.

"Let's go, I'll take you to see the ancient cultivation master I told you about before."

"Wait a moment, Lady Xia Tong."

Rodrigo suddenly stopped and reached out to gently tug at Xia Tong's clothes.

"Lord Xia Tong————"

"If it weren't for you bringing their belongings to me."

"I'll probably still be a coward, staying in that shabby hut in Stormhill, wallowing in self-pity, until I die."

""

"Although you can see that I'm in much better shape than before, I'm actually still in a lot of pain and scared inside."

"But now—it's different."

"I will no longer betray the expectations they earned with their lives."

Rodrigo lowered her head and took out a golden seed that emitted a warm golden light from her bosom.

"This is the only way I can express my gratitude."

Please accept this.

Xia Tong looked at the precious golden seed, and without refusing, silently accepted it and put it into her pocket.

Then, he led Rodríguez along the edge of the hall to the corridor where the blacksmith, Shugu, was located.

"Ding! Clang!"

"Ding! Clang!"

Upon entering the blacksmith's shop in the corridor, one is immediately greeted by the scorching smell of rust and the rhythmic sound of hammering.

The blacksmith Xiu Gu, with his ferocious face and body covered in hard scales, was still the same as before.

His ankle was tightly chained to the wall.

He was wielding a hammer, tirelessly pounding the red-hot steel.

Hearing footsteps, Xiu Gu stopped what he was doing.

"Long time no see—you seem even stronger now."

The blacksmith Xiu Gu looked at Xia Tong, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy eyes, and then casually asked, "Did you bring any good weapons for me to hammer this time?"

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