Preview Ends

Over the next few days.

The situation in the collective battle gradually stabilized.

The morale of the Prison Rock faction seems to have been completely shattered in the first battle.

Whether it's the strongest first-tier players or the second and third-tier players matched later, they generally lose more often than they win when facing Nine Provinces.

The top tier—they haven't won a single game.

Starting with the second day of team battles, the top players in Prison Rock began to showcase their tactics.

As for the tactics—well, it's to frantically dodge Lu Xiu.

Yes.

They would rather forgo the Bonfire they had seized than be in the same area as Lu Xiu.

If Lu Xiu went to the Firelink Shrine, they would immediately turn around and plunge into the Painted World; if Lu Xiu went into the Painted World, they would immediately slip away to Oolacile.

The main point is to absolutely avoid meeting.

If I can't afford to offend them, can't I at least avoid them?

This heartbreaking scene greatly disappointed the Nine Provinces players who had been eagerly waiting in the live stream, hoping to witness a bloodbath.

But Lu Xiu, the person involved, was quite happy to take it easy.

She watched the Prison Rock players quickly disappear into the distance, then exchanged a glance with the top Prison Rock player whose Domain Skill was still unknown, showing absolutely no intention of chasing after them.

Because she didn't come to the Painted World to kill the Prison Rock players.

During the first group battle, we heard that Zane of Prison Rock was being chased by Gwyndolin.

Lu Xiu had always been very curious about the condition of the Crossbreed Priscilla.

I'll go see him today.

After all, the tournament season is about to end.

Initially, Cheng Xiu had intended to come with her.

But after discovering that the players from Prison Rock were avoiding Lu Xiu like the plague.

After hesitating for a moment, Cheng Xiu and the others led their team to other areas to seize the Core Bonfire.

After all, they can't really rely on Lu Xiu for everything.

And so, amidst the swirling snowflakes.

Alone, Lu Xiu slowly made her way through the snow-covered ruins, following the route she remembered, until she reached the lonely tower.

The wind and snow howled at the top of the tower.

On the tower, Lu Xiu finally met the person she wanted to see.

Crossbreed Priscilla.

She was tall, yet not at all out of place. Her long, snow-white hair cascaded over her shoulders, giving her an air of pristine purity amidst the ruins of the world. A soft, white fur dress draped her figure, and beneath the hem, a tail swayed gently.

But this girl, as pure as snow, was now wielding a huge scythe that was completely out of character for her.

The moment he saw Lu Xiu step onto the tower, the prisoner in the Painted World lowered his head slightly.

"The Creator."

A clear and gentle voice softly sounded.

The Crossbreed Priscilla lowered her head slightly, gazing at the girl standing on the snow before her, and asked softly, "Are you here to steal the Bonfire I'm guarding?"

Lu Xiu looked up at the tall and beautiful Priscilla before her, and instantly betrayed the Human Alliance, joining the Earth Alliance.

She didn't draw her sword, but instead asked curiously, "If I said yes—would you let me light the fire?"

"I won't."

Priscilla looked at Lu Xiu, her voice still gentle. "Although I am no match for you, the rules are as they are—you must kill me, or leave."

Is that so?

Lu Xiu revealed an expression that said, "I knew it."

It seems that even though many restrictions on the dungeon enemies have been lifted in this collective battle, the rules are still the rules.

Since that's the case.

"Then I won't kill you, and I won't steal the Core Bonfire."

Lu Xiu looked at her and asked, "If I just chat with you, would you lay a hand on me?"

Priscilla was visibly taken aback upon hearing this.

Her hand holding the sickle paused slightly, as if she were weighing the issue in her mind.

A moment later.

Her tall frame gradually relaxed.

"Won't."

Priscilla's fluffy tail swayed gently beneath her skirt as she tentatively moved closer to Lu Xiu: "You've come to chat with me, Creator?"

"Yes, you call me the Creator ----"

Lu Xiu tilted her head, asking with some curiosity, "Excuse me, did you call me that because you recognized my appearance? Or did you know I'm the Creator because you saw my Title?"

"I don't know."

Priscilla thought for a moment, then shook her head. "When I looked into your eyes, the thought came to me, and I knew that you were the Creator, as if it were innate knowledge."

Is that so?

Lu Xiu continued, "Besides that, what else do you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Yes, for example, your past, how you were born, or—are your memories fragmented? Do you only remember some pieces? Do you know that I created you?"

"No—I know you are the Creator, you created this world, you are the creator god of the world."

Priscilla shook her head. "But I also have my own memories."

Lu Xiu asked curiously, "Then what are your memories? Because you possess powerful soul strength, posing a threat to the gods, you were imprisoned in the Painted World?"

"Right----"

"Anything else?"

"And I have always longed to touch the outside world, but until the Age of Fire was nearing its end and the flames were about to die out, I did not succeed. I still gaze at the unchanging view outside the tower day after day."

Priscilla said softly, "I don't know how long I've been here; I only remember it being a very, very long time ago."

"My brother initially sent the Darkmoon Knights —but the commander and her knights are gone, perhaps dead. They don't have immortal life. Now only Velka's raven servants remain."

"Then, I actually heard bells ringing from afar, but I didn't know what had happened."

"Now it seems that it was you who rang the bell, wasn't it?"

Lu Xiu looked at the towering half-dragon before her and fell silent.

This isn't part of the script!

This removal of restrictions—it feels a bit outrageous.

"Creator, what are you thinking?"

At this moment.

Priscilla looked at the silent Lu Xiu and suddenly asked again.

"Nothing."

Lu Xiu shook her head. "I was just wondering—who exactly are you? Why are you guarding the Bonfire?"

"I?"

Priscilla tilted her head. "I am Priscilla —I was imprisoned here because I possessed power that threatened the gods, and I have been gazing at the unchanging scenery day after day. Many people have tried to kill me and take my soul, but I have killed them all."

As for why I guard the Bonfire, it's because one day I suddenly heard a voice that told me to guard a Bonfire. At the same time, rules appeared and began to bind me, and I had no choice but to obey.

"I see."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiu didn't ask any further questions, because she understood the reason for guarding the Bonfire.

She knew then that the system had intervened.

Moreover, there's something off about the half-dragon girl's condition.

----It seems there will be some differences between this and the actual placement of the instance.

Let's set up the instance ourselves and then see.

"I see."

"The Creator."

Priscilla seemed to know that Lu Xiu was about to leave, and suddenly called her name again.

"Um?

Lu Xiu looked up again.

Priscilla asked earnestly, "Can I leave here and see the scenery outside?"

Lu Xiu fell silent. She didn't know either; according to the setting, this was impossible.

This character did not appear in Dark Souls III.

The game that served as the blueprint for this instance has already ended.

She is still unsure about the situation of the characters in the dungeon.

but.

Lu Xiu looked at the half-dragon girl before her and said, "All things are impermanent, all phenomena are without self. Nothing in this world is permanent. Even the First Flame will be extinguished, so what is impossible? Perhaps one day you will be able to see the scenery outside."

Is that so?

Priscilla was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Thank you for not killing me, Creator."

Lu Xiu didn't say anything more, turned around and walked down the tower.

The wind and snow howled behind her, falling on the tall, lonely building.

"How far can the dungeons built by Architect evolve according to the established rules?"

Lu Xiu couldn't help but murmur a sentence softly.

Priscilla's answer only intensified the subtle sense of unreality she felt.

The removal of restrictions from the system seems to truly infuse these characters, who originally only existed in the setting, with a kind of real soul, allowing them to possess their own logic and cognition.

But there seems to be some underlying conflict.

Is it because this is a fighting ring setting?

So, which instance should I choose as my first placement?

Lu Xiu fell into thought.

After Lu Xiu met Priscilla.

Then he didn't do anything else.

Soon, the team competition came to its final day.

Just as Lu Xiu had predicted, after being crushed in the first battle, the Prison Rock camp was powerless to fight back.

They completely abandoned the idea of fighting against Nine Provinces and were only desperately trying to maintain their existing losses.

Therefore, during this period, the players in Nine Provinces had a very easy time, and it could even be said that they turned this life-or-death faction war into a one-sided score-farming activity.

The only ones who weren't entirely satisfied were probably the viewers who stayed in the live stream room, constantly complaining that there wasn't enough bloodshed.

But in any case, this crucial Regional Arena Battle has finally come to an end.

On the last day, time ran out for the final collective battle.

The moment the last player in Nine Provinces was teleported out.

The system notification tone then sounded.

[Bite!]

[The tournament season is about to end, and a rest period is approaching.]

[New Expansion Preview - "Iron and Blood" is Coming to an End.]

The new expansion pack, "Fire and Song," is coming soon!

[The new expansion will include several updates!]

[Multiplayer dungeon mode will also be fully available!]

[At the same time, Border Barrier will be significantly weakened! Multiplayer dungeons will then break regional restrictions, allowing players from different regions within the same world to interact across servers.]

[Please stay tuned, players.]

This announcement was clearly not limited to Nine Provinces.

All the players looked up, some with joy and some with sorrow.

Lu Xiu was also taken aback. "Multiplayer dungeon?"