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The Firelink Shrine.

A faint Bonfire burned quietly in the center of the ruins.

Several players from the Prison Rock faction, who were on guard duty, were standing not far from the Bonfire, exchanging hushed conversations about the battle situation.

"Still no news from Zane?"

"They've reportedly entered the Anor Londo, but because there are just too many monsters, even with [Mist Sea Abyss], which deprives the monsters of their sight and hearing and clears their aggro, it's still very difficult to get out—"

"What about the Sen's Fortress? I wonder if Lord Finn has encountered Lu Xiu yet. With the Mythic Grade domain [Edge-less Prison], according to intelligence, it's a hard counter to that Architect. If we could just kill him—"

However.

The player hadn't finished speaking.

A series of heavy, disordered footsteps suddenly echoed on the stone steps leading to Undead Burg.

Everyone was taken aback and turned to look.

A massive, towering figure slowly descended.

Finn's wounds have all healed thanks to the Consumable.

However, while physical injuries can be healed, a damaged Dao heart is not so easily restored.

Finn wasn't exactly dejected.

But his entire being exuded an unprecedented solemnity and tension.

It's like a lion that survived but was terrified after witnessing something indescribable.

Moreover, although his injuries had healed, his clothes could not be restored, and he looked visibly disheveled.

"Lord Finn?!"

The players from the Prison Rock campfire were taken aback when they saw Finn looking somewhat disheveled, then quickly went to greet him, "What happened to you—"

They noticed that Finn's condition was not quite right.

"Where's Gallagher?"

Finn shook his head and asked directly.

"They're taking over the nearby Bonfire while trying to locate the Core Bonfire near Firelink Shrine."

"Let him come back."

Finn said something, then went straight to the Bonfire and sat down.

I don't know if it's a coincidence.

He sat down next to the Crestfallen Warrior, who completely ignored everyone after the instance became a scene.

Even their postures were exactly the same.

Other players in Prison Rock witnessed this scene:

I don't know.

I thought there was another "Crestfallen Warrior" among them.

soon.

Gallagher returned with the main force.

He saw Finn sitting next to Crestfallen Warrior, and his lips twitched as he looked at the two NPCs, whose actions and expressions were almost identical.

A sense of unease crept into my mind.

really.

He had just approached.

Finn said directly, "Let's abandon the plan to kill Lu Xiu and gain the advantage of the Bonfire."

"----"

Gallagher noticed the bloodshot veins deep in Finn's eyes and frowned, asking, "You encountered that Architect from Nine Provinces? And you lost?"

"Right."

Finn let the faint firelight illuminate his rugged face. "And it was one-on-one. She wasn't followed by any monsters—no, to be precise, it was one against two."

1

"Are there other Nine Provinces players?"

"Yes, but those Nine Provinces players came to deal with Lu Xiu."

3

"While she was fighting me, she was also using her skills to remotely engage a traitor from Nine Provinces. You should have just heard the Bells of Awakening; that was her controlling the Nine Provinces traitor."

Finn took a deep breath, making no attempt to hide his defeat.

The group battle was broadcast live, and all players in Prison Rock should have seen what happened; there's no point in hiding it.

Moreover, team battles are not just about him alone.

Although his inner pride wanted him to hide it.

But his sense of honor and shame as a player of Prison Rock made him reveal the details.

"I activated [Edge-less Prison], pushed all my stats to the limit, and then—"

As Finn spoke, he closed his eyes, and the image of Lu Xiu's impenetrable attacks and her uncanny ability to effortlessly Neutralize all deadly moves flashed through his mind. He couldn't help but clench his fist.

"She beat me to a pulp with one hand. If I hadn't used my invincibility skill to escape, I would have died in the Sen's Fortress."

Next.

He recounted the entire process.

Hearing Finn's story.

Dead silence.

The Firelink Shrine fell into a deathly silence.

All the players in the Prison Rock gaped open, wondering if they had misheard.

Finn was completely overwhelmed and unable to fight back within the area.

And in the end, they were even forced to use their invincibility skill to escape?

----Being beaten to the point of invincibility and forced to flee by a Architect in his proud melee domain with just one hand?!

"Lord Finn, this—how is this possible?!"

One of the players behind Gallagher, Prison Rock, was utterly incredulous, even somewhat disoriented. "That's the Edge-less Prison! How could all attacks be deflected? What about the power difference? How was that leveled out? And even skill-related attacks were eliminated? How is this possible! This must be cheating with some kind of item!"

Queenie seemed to realize something upon hearing this, and her expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

"A loss is a loss! Aren't props also a part of skill?"

Finn spoke up and asked a question in return.

Despite his defeat, his long-standing prestige still caused a pause in the air around him.

"I can choose a cowardly retreat for the sake of the bigger picture, but I must never belittle my opponent like a sore loser; that would only make me look more incompetent!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, forcibly suppressing their resentment and shock.

Finn knew better than anyone the humiliation of running away. At the moment the invincible golden light shone, he could have turned around like a warrior and launched a final, desperate charge against Lu Xiu.

But he didn't.

This is partly because they know they can't win in a one-on-one fight.

On the other hand, it's also because they know that face is worthless in the face of victory or defeat for any faction.

If he dies, the most accurate information about Lu Xiu will never be released.

He had to bring back this lesson learned through blood and tears, a lesson bought with dignity, even if it meant being branded a deserter.

Even with my Domain Skill, it still won't work?

Gallagher was silent for a moment before finally speaking, "You can't even beat this?"

"I've already used my Domain Skill, and even with expensive items to shorten the cooldown, my outlook is pessimistic."

Finn said directly, "Because so far, she has only revealed a few skills. She hasn't used many of her methods yet, such as the time stop in the recapture battle."

Even so, this enemy was already enough to induce despair; melee weapons would be deflected, fists and feet would be Neutralize, and then there was the rolling.

You know what that means—I even suspect she's stronger than any of the Nine Provinces Chosen Player we've encountered in the recapture battle.

Gallagher paused slightly, then asked, "Including that Jian Li?"

"If we add the skills that are yet to be discovered—I think the Architect is even more difficult to deal with than Jian Li. Her melee suppression, skills, and physical abilities far exceed my common sense."

In her presence, I even felt that my power and domain were a clumsy joke.

At this moment.

Queenie, her face grim, interjected, "Actually—all of Lu Xiu's skills come from her own dungeons, or more accurately, you can find corresponding elements in her dungeons. For example, Deflect and the Neutralize Finn mentioned come from Sekiro and her Sifu, respectively. And her other skills can most likely also be found in dungeons, especially those with SS rating or higher."

For example, there's the lightning attack, the dual-wielding technique similar to Sekiro One Mind, the Jump Kit from Titanfall, and the incredibly powerful Dragon Flash.

Based on Finn's intelligence, I have a feeling we're fighting a dungeon-like entity—"

"Collection of replicas----"

Gallagher chewed on the word, then his eye twitched slightly.

Firelink Shrine, the other Prison Rock players couldn't help but recall the nightmarish scenes they had experienced in the arena battles.

Sword Saint Isshin Ashina from Sekiro, who can switch between swords and spears, and even summon lightning.

In the Sifu, there are martial arts masters whose punches are so powerful and whose attack rhythm is so fast that it takes your breath away.

In Titanfall, there are the Pilot carrying Jump Kit that leap between buildings.

And then there are the powerful bosses in Dark Souls now.

besides----

If all these things were concentrated in one person—that would indeed be terrifying, even chilling.

She's invincible in close combat, can also use elemental attacks, and even her control skills seem incredibly powerful.

All-round, without blind spots.

It has no weaknesses.

If that's true, how do you fight it?

The Firelink Shrine fell into a long silence once again.

The Bonfire crackled faintly.

The NPC, Crestfallen Warrior, remained sitting there, utterly dejected.

Now, he is surrounded by a group of even more disheartened members of the Prison Rock leadership.

A profound sense of powerlessness spread around the campfire.

So what are your thoughts?

After a long while, Gallagher finally let out a long breath and looked at Finn.

"The plan to win this collective battle by hunting down Lu Xiu is not going to work."

Finn thought for a moment and replied, "Continuing to waste our core forces on attacking her is too risky. If we want to win, we can't rely on killing her; instead, we need to consciously avoid her."

"We need to win by having more Core Bonfire. There are two Core Bonfire in the Painted World, and there's one more here."

He pointed to his feet. "We've found the Core Bonfire here, plus the two in the Painted World. If we can light and defend it, we win."

"Zane just sent a message."

Gallagher pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then replied, "After entering the Painted World, he discovered that others no longer needed the Eerie Puppet. We've truly captured three Core Bonfire; the players from Nine Provinces won't sit idly by; they'll definitely come to take them."

That's why I said we need to hold on.

"What if Lu Xiu comes to snatch it?"

"The Nine Provinces are not monolithic. Some people seem unwilling to make Lu Xiu comfortable. We can try to contact them—of course, if that happens, then we'll have to fight. But before that, I don't recommend touching her, because it's a complete waste of time. That's my judgment."

Gallagher fell silent again upon hearing this, and after a long while, he said, "I trust your judgment, but there's one thing I must make clear. This isn't the only time we're fighting as a group. If she has the chance to steal the Bonfire, I will have all the players in Prison Rock do their best to kill her and find her weakness."

"I know."

Finn nodded. "I'll participate even if you don't say anything."

"That's settled then."

Gallagher was somewhat heavy-hearted, but he still stood up, adopting an air of complete confidence.

"Everyone, stop lighting the other Bonfire around here and search the area around Firelink Shrine to find out where the Core Bonfire is."

Since the players from Nine Provinces have chosen to abandon the Core Bonfire of the Firelink Shrine, then let's occupy all three Core Bonfire first! That will put us in an invincible position! Then! We'll lie in wait! We'll wait for that Nine Provinces Architect to come and attack!