As more and more players learned about the hidden maps and DLC content from the original game and went to explore them,
the full scope of [Dark Souls] was finally revealed before the players.
However,
whether it was the Painted World,
or Oolacile, where Artorias was located,
both were extremely difficult areas.
The Painted World went without saying. It was a completely independent, enclosed area. Once players entered, it was difficult to leave through conventional means. It was also incredibly easy to get lost, and every single ordinary enemy was a heavyweight.
As for Oolacile, where Artorias was located, it had originally been DLC content in the base game, so its difficulty was already far above that of the main game.
On top of that, when Lu Xiu had constructed the dungeon, the first bosses she modified for testing had been DLC bosses. This made Oolacile even more difficult and placed exceptionally high demands on players.
The exploration process was filled with malice.
As a result, many players could not even defeat the Sanctuary Guardian, much less Artorias—
At first,
the players who learned about the hidden maps had been a little excited.
Because it involved a speedrun competition, many players had selflessly shared information. Combined with the bonfire resting mechanic
and Solaire's help,
quite a few players had barely begun adapting to the dungeon.
—It was hidden so well. The rewards for clearing the hidden areas had to be even better, right?
Many players thought so.
Thus, a huge group of players who considered themselves fairly capable and had grown accustomed to the Dark Souls dungeon rushed howling toward the Painted World and Oolacile.
Then—there was no then.
The vast majority of players who charged ambitiously into Oolacile were crushed by the Sanctuary Guardian before they could even catch