Lordsworn's Greatsword

This strike was precise and swift.

It also carried the unparalleled poise-breaking force unique to a skill!

Godrick Knight's armor let out a miserable groan under the strain.

The balance he had been so proud of was completely shattered, and every defensive stance collapsed in that instant.

He let out an unwilling roar as his massive body lost control.

Clang!

With a thunderous crash, he dropped to one knee!

The defenses around his chest, once tightly sealed, were thrown wide open, and he fell into a brief, fatal daze.

"Die!"

Xia Tong dashed forward in a single stride.

He reversed his grip on the Lordsworn's Straight Sword and, using all his strength, viciously drove it through the viewing slit in Godrick Knight's heavy helmet!

Squelch—!

The blade pierced flesh.

Blood gushed wildly from the gaps in the helmet.

However, Godrick Knight truly deserved to be called an elite enemy.

His huge body convulsed violently several times. A beastlike growl rumbled from his throat, and he actually endured the wound, staggering back to his feet!

"Fucking hard to kill!"

Xia Tong did not dare press his attack. He immediately retreated, pulling back to a safe distance.

"One stab can't kill him at all!"

He turned to look toward the other side.

Over there, the battle between the two Fanged Imps and the Godrick Soldiers with their War Wolves had also reached its most intense stage.

The imps were incredibly nimble.

Not only could they fight in close quarters with their Forked Hatchets, but their Magic Pots also ensured ranged damage.

Against beginner enemies like Godrick Soldiers, the Fanged Imps handled themselves with ease.

However, the Fanged Imps had yet to undergo Spirit Tuning enhancement and were only level 1.

Now, with two Fanged Imps facing two Godrick Soldiers and War Wolves, the battle was evenly matched, with no winner in sight.

If the Nomadic Merchant Kale joined the fight too, victory would be guaranteed.

Xia Tong could not help fantasizing.

He turned to look at Kale on the high slope.

Kale was looking at him too.

Their eyes met.

Kale continued playing that sorrowful tune, though a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. His gaze gestured toward the Godrick Elite Knight in the distance, who had not yet been fully defeated.

"Every knight of the kingdom is a brave and battle-hardened warrior. To be dubbed a knight means their combat skills are among the finest."

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He is your teacher in the art of combat."

Melina materialized beside Xia Tong and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. Though she did not intervene, her presence alone was encouragement.

"Melina, it's good to have you."

Xia Tong took a deep breath.

After saying that, he held his sword in his right hand, and his gaze became incomparably sharp.

"Again!"

At this moment, Xia Tong was already level 17, and his Strength had reached 17 as well.

He charged toward Godrick Knight.

When only three meters remained between them, he fiercely kicked off the ground with both legs!

Whoosh!

His whole body shot upward, leaping into the air.

In midair, he stretched his body fully with the strength of his waist and abdomen. He gripped the Lordsworn's Straight Sword tightly in both hands and raised it high above his head.

Using the gravitational force of his descent, he slashed viciously downward!

A jumping slash!

This strike carried immense power!

Clang!

The blade smashed heavily into the knight's shoulder armor, scattering sparks everywhere.

Seventeen points of Strength, combined with the immense impact of the jumping slash, made Godrick Knight stagger, his footing unsteady.

"All this time, I've underestimated myself."

"At level 17, my physical abilities are already enough to clash head-on with these people!"

Xia Tong shook his hands, which had gone slightly numb from the recoil, without pausing for even a moment.

He landed, bent his knees, and drew back his sword.

He assumed the Square Off stance once more!

Then he spun and slashed upward!

Clang!

The greatshield in Godrick Knight's hand was finally knocked completely aside, exposing an even larger opening in his chest.

A second chance to stagger him!

"This time, I'll send you on your way!"

Xia Tong stepped forward again and viciously plunged the Lordsworn's Straight Sword into the weak point of Godrick Knight's neck.

Then, bracing his foot against the knight's breastplate, he yanked it out with brutal force!

Squelch!

Blood spurted like a fountain.

With a heavy thud, that machine of steel finally ceased to function completely.

Golden motes burst wildly from the knight's corpse and flowed into Xia Tong's body.

300 points!

There were a full 300 Runes!

That was equivalent to the gains from five ordinary Godrick Soldiers.

Having dealt with this side, Xia Tong immediately looked toward the battlefield of the Spirit Ashes.

Of the two Stray Wolves on his side, only one remained, still struggling to hold on.

Only one lame War Wolf remained on the other side as well.

As for the two Fanged Imps fighting four opponents, they too were stretched thin and covered in injuries.

"Hold on!"

Xia Tong rushed forward, performing another running jumping slash!

Bang!

He directly cut down a Godrick Soldier who had his back turned toward him.

"That descending slash from above... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."

Kale, the Nomadic Merchant watching from the side, saw Xia Tong's jumping slash and his eyes lit up slightly, as though he had thought of something.

"Lion's... Lion's Claw? Yes, that's it. How does he know that? Though his form doesn't seem quite right!"

After that,

Xia Tong was like a tiger among sheep. In a few swift moves, he took down the remaining minor enemies.

Thus, Xia Tong's assault on Gatefront Camp ended in a sweeping victory.

"You did it."

Melina materialized again. She had been watching the battlefield intently, and now a relieved smile appeared on her face.

"Awoo!"

The lone remaining Stray Wolf happily rubbed against Xia Tong's trouser leg, though its spirit body had already grown very faint.

Its other two brothers had been badly injured and had dissipated back.

Xia Tong snapped his fingers and dismissed the Stray Wolf and Fanged Imp summons.

They all needed proper rest.

It was different from the game. In the game, resting at a Site of Grace would instantly heal Spirit Ashes.

But reality was not like that.

Even after resting at a Site of Grace, Spirit Ashes needed several days of nurturing before they could fully recover.

The stronger the Spirit Ashes and the more severe their injuries, the longer they needed.

"Kale, thank you."

Xia Tong looked toward the merchant on the high slope.

"If you hadn't stood by to support me, and if not for your Sleep Pots, I don't think I would have had the courage to charge forward so fearlessly."

"No, it's because you were brave to begin with."

Kale put away his instrument and spoke with a smile.

Gatefront Camp, center of the camp.

Two enormous black hearses were parked here, the so-called coffin carriages.

The owners of these coffins had been noble knights or aristocrats under Godrick the Grafted who had died in the Shattering.

Xia Tong walked to the rear of the first carriage.

In the game, one could actually kill just one enemy nearby, sneakily grab the weapon, and run.

But that was truly impossible in reality.

Dozens of soldiers guarded Gatefront Camp, and these two coffins were extremely important. They stood right at the center of the camp and could not be bypassed no matter what.

Now, the obstacles had been cleared away.

Xia Tong rubbed his hands together and laboriously pushed open the coffin's heavy lid.

Creak—

Amid a teeth-grating scrape, the coffin opened.

There was no corpse inside. Instead, a simply designed greatsword lay quietly within.

Lordsworn's Greatsword.

Xia Tong could not help revealing a strange smile as he looked at the weapon.

"I remember when I first started playing Elden Ring, this was the greatsword I used to clear the early game."

He reached out, grasped the hilt, and lifted it out.

Feeling its cold weight in his hands, Xia Tong felt the joy of meeting an old friend.

It was a standard-sized two-handed greatsword, well-proportioned and without any flashy gimmicks in its design. Its defining feature was pure practicality.

It was a standard-issue weapon forged specifically for the elite knights under Godrick.

The blade was broad and long, with edges on both sides.

Its steel was of exceptional quality, but the blade was covered in fine scratches and several rice-grain-sized chips. It had clearly endured countless battles.

It was not bright and new, but instead bore the cold, dark silver hue of a weapon weathered by war.

"Fine sword!"

Xia Tong could barely put down the Lordsworn's Greatsword.

He tried swinging it twice. The wind howled around it, and the feel was solid.

Then he walked toward the other coffin.

He opened the lid in the same manner.

Inside was a flail.

Compared to the greatsword, the flail was much lighter.

It consisted of three parts: a sturdy short handle, a connecting chain, and a lethal metal striking head.

The black hammerhead was covered in thick, sharp spikes that made one's scalp tingle just looking at it.

Xia Tong weighed it in his hand.

"This thing not only has short range, it can't stab anyone either."

"But if it keeps landing hits, the spikes can inflict bleed. It's not bad against certain shield-bearing enemies or thick-skinned bastards."

Xia Tong thought it over.

Though he had no use for it right now, he had no intention of selling it to Kale.

He decided to store it in the Site of Grace's chest as a collectible. It might come in handy someday.

By the time the battlefield had been cleared, it was already noon.

"Where do you plan to go next?"

Melina asked as she watched Xia Tong wipe down his new weapon.

Xia Tong turned and looked toward the enormous gate arch deep within the camp.

It was the only route to Stormhill—Stormgate.

Thanks to his enhanced vision, Xia Tong could see clearly.

Within that narrow pass, more than a dozen Godrick Soldiers stood holding spears and shields, forming a tightly packed wall of men.

There were also powerful ballistae set up on high ground, along with crossbowmen.

If he charged in directly, there was a high chance he would be turned into a pincushion in that narrow terrain.

This was not a game. It was reality.

In the game, he could ride Torrent directly and use a double jump to force his way through.

But that definitely wouldn't work here.

Under a barrage of arrows, even Torrent could die.

What's more—

Xia Tong raised his head and looked toward the city wall above the checkpoint.

There, crouched a massive, terrifying creature—a Troll.

If it jumped down, the entire passage would be blocked.