Chat group, if you have anything to say to my Holy Sword,

"boom--!!!"

An unimaginable force erupted! Monger was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through several stone walls before finally slamming heavily into the depths of the blood pool. The crimson liquid erupted into waves several meters high, and the entire Blood Dynasty trembled at this blow.

"Cough... Hahaha..."

Monger got up from the ground, spread his hands, and shouted, "Hahaha, brother, you finally used this power after all!"

The Faded One looked at Mongot, who stood before him, now transformed. His cursed sword had turned completely crimson, the runes on its blade writhing like living things. Even more terrifying was Mongot himself—dark red veins emerged beneath his skin, spreading like tree roots, and with each heartbeat, a mist of blood seeped from his pores.

cough cough cough.

Mongot coughed twice, looked down at the Faded One, and said, "I'm sorry, it was my mistake. I won't let him get near you again. Please continue to support me."

The faded one chuckled lightly, "Well, then I'll leave it to you."

"give it to me"

Just as the two were talking, a huge change occurred on Monger's side. A pair of wings suddenly bloomed from behind Monger, and at the same time, a dense sound of footsteps came from afar.

Monger hovered in mid-air, his hoarse voice echoing like muffled thunder:

"Give up... What you're facing is the entire Mungwen dynasty!"

At that very moment, countless soldiers appeared from afar, and Monger manipulated blood magic in the air to condense it into a massive spear.

“That’s quite a challenge,” the Faded One tilted his head and looked at Montgomery. “What do you think?”

Montgomery did not answer.

He simply closed his eyes gently.

The disappearance of the Golden Law forced Monger to use this power he loathed; he had no other choice. The thought of defeating Monger and protecting those behind him arose in his mind...

At this moment, the cursed blood surged wildly within his body, every blood vessel felt as if it were being scorched by lava, and the intense pain spread throughout his body, but it also brought unprecedented power.

not enough!

I need more!

As if responding to his desire, the cursed blood boiled once more! An even more violent power poured into his limbs and bones—and with it came excruciating pain that nearly drove him to the brink of collapse.

Just as his consciousness was about to be swallowed by the pain—

A cool sensation suddenly spread from my chest.

That was... the radiance of silver!

As the pain receded like a tide, Mungert suddenly opened his eyes and saw Munger's blood-red spear hurtling through the air!

In the hands of the Faded One, the magic of Comet Azrael had reached its peak, its dazzling light illuminating the entire underground—

But it's no longer needed.

"Whoosh—!"

A silvery-white sword light pierced the darkness.

The crimson spear shattered the moment it touched the sword's light, turning into a shower of blood. Monger stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the silvery sheen on the Mongert cursed sword—

"This is......"

His words stopped abruptly.

A flash of silver light, and the wings of blood shattered inch by inch. Monger's body plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily into the pool of blood, splashing up a crimson spray.

The entire Mungwen dynasty fell into a deathly silence.

And the royal city welcomed its first guest...

Sitting on the throne, Xiling looked at the enormous figure and the mark on the back of its hand.

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Black Sword Maricus [4k]

The silver moon hung high, its cool light falling upon the throne of Elden. The Silver Sacred Tree shimmered with a soft and pure silvery-white radiance. Its light was not dazzling, but it carried a strange power—it pierced through the air, through the dust, and even through the visitor's heavy, shackle-like killing intent and madness, reaching the depths of his soul and bringing a near-sacred peace and purification.

"The pilgrims of the Golden Law, devout and sincere, come from the other side of the border. Why are they in such a hurry? Why is their killing intent so strong?"

Xiling sat on the throne, which was cast in silver, not as cold metal, but as if it were some kind of solidified radiance. Xiling's gaze fell on the first "visitor" she had received that day.

That was not a ragged, wandering priest, but a terrifying embodiment that would make any being who knew its name tremble. Beneath the tattered cloak was a massive body, gnarled and craggy like a mountain, covered in thick, dark brown fur. Heavy iron chains were wrapped around it, and with each step, a dull metallic scraping sound echoed. The shadow cast by the lowered beast head was thicker than the deepest night...

Black Sword Maricus, the sealer of destined death, the priest of beasts... is also a crucial name on Xiling's waiting list.

Faced with Xiling's questioning, Maricus did not respond immediately. A deep, suppressed growl, characteristic of wild beasts, rolled from the depths of his throat. The sound was filled with primal restlessness and unspeakable anger, as if it were about to break through the cage of reason at any moment. However, the omnipresent light of the silvery-white sacred tree, like an invisible tide, illuminated it.

All who see this tree will feel peace from the bottom of their hearts; it is a purification of the soul. The black sword Maricus gazes at the silver tree, and strands of silver light seep into the cracks in its soul, dispelling the long-standing gloom.

It was not a forced suppression, but a strange dissolution and sublimation. Its shattered and chaotic consciousness began to clear as if gently combed by an invisible hand. Its gaze, which had been blinded by endless pain, regained its long-lost sharpness and focus; it even subconsciously grinned, revealing its menacing and sharp fangs—this was no longer a symbol of mad threats, but proof that instincts had been awakened and power had begun to focus.

It looked at Xiling, or rather, at the interior of the Silver Sacred Tree behind Xiling, where the white-haired girl in the wheelchair was sitting. It could sense that the Elden Ring was inside her body. So where was the former host?

Marika, the Eternal Queen who once ruled the Golden Age and was the original and most perfect vessel of the Elden Ring? Where is she now, the most core symbol of the Golden Law and the one it once swore to protect? Maricus doesn't know, but he does know one thing: the law has changed, the Golden Law has ended, and a new era has begun.

Maricus withdrew its gaze from Remian and looked at Xiling, who was blocking its way. Without needing to say a word or test, it could tell from Xiling's posture that Xiling was terrifyingly strong.

A deep, rumbling sound, like the grinding of rocks, rolled from Maricus's throat, breaking the tranquility beneath the silver light: "Are you a king?"

The silver throne vanished, and Xiling stood ramrod straight, her hands resting firmly on the hilt of the holy sword. Xiling stared directly at Maricakas, as if she could see through his eyes beneath his tattered clothes.

Xiling spoke, "Silver Law, First King Xiling."

A low, enigmatic hum emanated from beneath the tattered cloak. "...The Silver Law, is it?" Its voice rolled like muffled thunder. "A rather fitting term. So...what does it represent?"

"If the Golden Law represents eternity..."

"So the Silver Law represents progress."

"...Progress?" Maricus's confusion almost materialized.

Xiling reached out her hand, and like a teacher, began to instruct Maricus: "We are no longer fixated on the core of the seemingly perfect but ultimately stagnant 'eternal' Silver Law, but rather on pursuing 'further progress'."

"It is about never being satisfied with the status quo, embracing change, bravely embarking on unknown paths, and constantly innovating—breaking with convention and creating unprecedented possibilities and forms."

"It is a continuous process of growth—whether it is an individual, a group, or even the law itself, all will be transformed and sublimated through trials and explorations."

"The ultimate goal is transcendence—transcending our own limitations, transcending past glories and shackles, transcending all established boundaries of cognition..."

"With this continuous 'progress,' we will ultimately bring a...new future to this land and to all living beings!"

After listening to Xiling's words, Maricus shook its head. The huge skull moved heavily and slowly, with an almost sorrowful stubbornness. The grand vision that Xiling spoke of—"transcending everything"—was too abstract and too distant for its mind, like gazing at an incomprehensible starscape.

But Marycus doesn't need to understand.

It only needs to know one thing.

"Sizzle—" As if burning from the inside out, thick, blood-like, and death-infused black-red flames burst forth from Maricus's massive body without warning! These were no ordinary flames, but the manifestation of "Destined Death," the roar of its true nature as a shadow beast. Its tattered and decaying clothes turned to ashes the moment they touched these terrifying flames, revealing the gnarled and strong, pitch-black beast body beneath, covered with old scars and twisted marks. Every muscle was like burning obsidian, bulging and throbbing under the flames.

With a low, guttural roar that seemed to tear space apart, Maricus extended its claws, probing into the boiling core of the flames. When it withdrew its claws, a grotesque, terrifyingly long black greatsword was firmly gripped in its grasp. The sword itself was like solidified pain and end, its blade flowing with a viscous, dark red sheen, devouring the light cast by the surrounding silver trees, and radiating a chilling aura that could freeze one's soul.

At this moment, it completely shed the brief peace soothed by the silver tree and revealed its true form as the Eternal Queen Shadow Beast, guarding the "Destined Death". Ancient, wild, and filled with a sense of destructive power spread out like a tangible shockwave, even the soft light of the silver giant tree seemed to be pushed away for a moment.

It truly did not understand what Xiling meant, and perhaps not many people in the entire border region could understand Xiling's meaning, but Maricus did not need to understand these things. It only recognized one iron law engraved in its soul: it was an ancient beast, a believer in the Golden Law, and the irreplaceable shadow beast and sworn brother of the Eternal Queen Marika!

And standing before it at this moment was the initial king of the Silver Age—Xiling! A new king who proclaimed the end of the old order and trampled "eternity" underfoot! Behind Xiling, seated at the core of the Silver Tree, was the new deity bearing the newborn Elden Ring—Remian! No matter the process, no matter how appealing the idea of ​​"progress" sounded, in the eyes of Maricus, burning with hatred and the fire of protection, they were usurpers! They had stolen the supreme authority that belonged to Marika and defiled everything it protected! It understood nothing of the tides of time; it only understood the oath of blood and fire.

A terrifying killing intent, mixed with the deathly aura of black and red flames, instantly locked onto Xiling ahead like countless icy chains! Without probing or hesitation, Maricus adopted an offensive stance, its massive body slightly lowered. It had made its choice: either use this black sword to send the usurper and its new laws to their end, or face its end as a shadow beast here and be granted utter death by its opponent!

Faced with this lock-on and overwhelming killing intent that would make even a demigod tremble, Xiling chuckled and suddenly exerted force with her right hand, which had been steadily resting on the hilt of the Holy Sword!

"Clang—Buzz—!"

The sound of the holy sword being drawn drowned out the crackling of the black flames.

The bleak night wind ruffled the hair of the two women, and silvery light scattered in the air. Remy and Luo Tianyi seemed to be witnesses to this battle, watching the two opposing figures in front of them.

"Will we win?" Luo Tianyi's voice trembled slightly, her small hands gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, her clear eyes filled with worry.

Remien chuckled softly, her voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable firmness: "We will win."

As if in response to her words, or as if to provide the final footnote to this inevitable showdown—a faint glimmer of light, like the last leaf clinging to the branch in early winter, quietly detached itself from the silvery glow cascading from the giant tree. It floated lightly and slowly in the tense, almost frozen air, its trajectory unpredictable, carrying an almost sacred leisure.

A gentle breeze, seemingly appearing out of nowhere but perfectly timed, swept by. The drop of light, carrying the will of the law, was gently propelled forward, floating precisely in the void directly in front of the confronting Xiling and Maricus. There, it swayed slightly, as if examining or confirming something.

Immediately, it lost all its levitation power and gently, silently, fell to the ground.

The moment the silver light touched the ground—

"boom!!!"

There was no roar of a signal flare, nor any shouts from anyone, yet the air itself seemed to be shattered by an invisible giant hammer! A shockwave of energy, compressed to its limit and then suddenly bursting forth, swept outwards!

What was struck was the trigger of fate!

"call out--!"

"Roar--!"

Two figures, one silver-white and the other pitch black, transformed into two streams of light that tore through space the instant the light touched the ground, shooting towards each other without reservation, like deadly arrows shot from a bowstring!

"Clang!!! Clang—Rumble!!!"

A deafening clang of metal clashing resounded through the heavens! The massive, grotesque sword in Maricus's hand, emanating a viscous aura of death, clashed fiercely with the holy sword gleaming in Xiling's hand, carrying the power of a landslide and a tsunami! Each impact erupted with blinding sparks and ripples of energy!

The black sword Maricus, engulfed in a raging black-red flame, surged and roared like a living storm of destruction, carrying a deathly will that devoured all life. In an instant, it completely swallowed and enveloped the silver light shining around Xiling! From Luo Tianyi's perspective, only a terrifying black-red flame, violently churning and flashing with blinding light, remained in the center of the battlefield. Figures flickered within, and the explosions of clashing blades were as dense as a torrential downpour!

Unable to see how the battle was unfolding inside, Luo Tianyi stomped her feet in frustration.

Beside her, Remian's clear eyes reflected every detail of the battlefield. This wasn't due to her former "Eye of the Stars" ability; the moment she became the vessel of the Elden Ring, her very essence underwent a radical transformation. She was the core of the new law, coexisting with the Silver Law! Every rustle of wind, every flow of energy, every clash of wills in this space was as clearly perceptible to her as her own nerve endings. She was the embodiment of the new order in this borderland, a deity in the eyes of her believers!

Just as Luo Tianyi nervously opened her small mouth, seemingly wanting to ask again or exclaim in surprise—

A sudden change has occurred on the battlefield!

"boom--!!!"

A deep, heart-stopping roar erupted from the churning black and red flames!

The next moment, a massive, oppressive black figure was struck head-on by a battering ram and was sent flying backward from the core of the destructive flames in a disheveled state!

It's Marykas!

Its massive body traced an out-of-control trajectory through the air before crashing heavily to the ground! The immense inertia prevented it from stopping immediately, and the black sword gripped by its right claw instinctively plunged violently into the ground!

"Clang—Clang clang clang—!!!"

The hard ground was plowed by the black sword like fragile tofu, a deep, long, and terrifying ravine churning out of it! Gravel flew high into the air on both sides of the blade! It wasn't until it had slid for nearly tens of meters that it barely managed to stop its uncontrolled backward momentum thanks to this forced resistance.

Black Sword Maricus clutched its chest, which had been struck by a kick. It looked at its armor, which was now completely dented, a testament to the terrifying force it had endured.

Black Sword Maricus looked at the aura of death he had released. The next second, like an explosion, the black aura was instantly blasted away. Xiling, holding the Holy Sword in her right hand, slowly stepped forward, her left hand still in a swatting motion. Xiling's movements seemed effortless, but there was a small scratch on her face.

Yes, Xiling is injured. In the exchange just now, Xiling was hit by the black sword Maricus. The opponent broke through the Starry Cloak and attacked Xiling's body.

This is the Black Sword Maricus! An ancient calamity beast capable of dragging immortal gods into eternal annihilation! An embodiment of death that even the arrogant demigods of the Golden Tree's heyday trembled and retreated at the mere mention of its name!

Feeling the chilling, bone-chilling, soul-piercing corrosive sensation emanating from the tiny wound on his face, Xiling's lips gradually parted, and more and more silvery-white light swirled around him. The silvery-white magic was Xiling's will, and at this moment, Xiling's will was surging!

While he was worried about Kevin, he was also feeling incredibly excited. Even he would feel excited about such a battle. Ratahn, the "Shattered Star General," truly deserves his reputation!

Yet now! The black sword Maricus before me—this beast that has abandoned all superfluous emotions and exists solely for the pure purpose of "end"—its power, speed, the purity of its killing technique, and its control over death... surpass even the imposing power of Ratahn! This is a completely different kind of ultimate destructive power, devoid of glory and fame, leaving only cold efficiency! It is like a cold dagger coated with deadly poison, precise and lethal!

On the other side, Maricus remained unmoved by Xiling's boiling fighting spirit. It had already let out a low roar and assumed the most basic yet deadly fighting stance. The shocking dent in its chest armor? That physical injury and the dull pain that followed were insignificant to its beastly body, which had been through countless battles!

For Maricus, battle is breathing, instinct, and the only command imprinted deep in its soul. It feels no "passion" or "challenge" from it. Its logic is cold and absolute: lock onto the target, eliminate the target, and send the enemy to their doom.

The holy sword's blade was pointed at Maricus, and Xiling's voice pierced through the roar of the battlefield: "Maricus, you've sealed the 'Death Rune' long enough!"

"Now—hand it over!"

"If you want it—" Maricus's inhuman tone was icy and chilling, each syllable seemingly pulled from a deep, frigid abyss. With its low growl, the deathly aura that had been coiling around it like a living creature underwent a sudden transformation! "Sizzle—!"

A darkness so viscous it was almost liquid! It surged and expanded wildly from the gaps in Maricus's jagged armor, from each of its heavy breaths! Its size seemed to instantly swell, transforming into the phantom of a colossal abyss beast composed of pure death laws, enveloping its true form! Wherever this darkness passed, even the light cast by the silver giant tree appeared dim and flickering, as if it might be swallowed up by this absolute "death" at any moment!

"—Step over my body!!!"

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Black Sword's Defeat