First Meeting with Melina

Maybe he had truly been too exhausted the day before.

The next day, Xia Tong did not slowly wake up until the sun was high in the sky.

He had slept deeply. Most of the exhaustion in his body had already vanished, and the wound on his right arm had formed a dark brown scab and no longer bled.

He walked to the cave entrance, where the spoils he had desperately stripped off yesterday were drying—the Godrick Soldier Set.

"They're all dry! Excellent!"

Xia Tong eagerly took them down and put them on piece by piece.

First came the shirt, then the chainmail, and finally the ochre surcoat emblazoned with a lion crest.

Thanks to the fairly sturdy body left behind by the previous owner, the Godrick Soldier Set did not feel as heavy as he had imagined.

According to the game's mechanics, this counted as a "medium load" state.

Xia Tong moved his limbs, and a faint scrape of armor plates came from his joints.

"Compared to running around naked just now, my mobility has definitely dropped a little. After all, I'm carrying dozens of pounds of iron."

"But... my safety has indeed improved tremendously."

Now, he was finally no longer someone useless who would shatter at the slightest touch.

He picked up the somewhat rusty longsword again.

The weapon carried by Godrick Soldiers was called the Lordsworn's Straight Sword.

Its innate skill was—Square Off.

Xia Tong tried to assume the stance: gripping the sword with both hands, holding the tip level, and lowering his center of gravity.

In an instant, a fierce aura radiated from the blade.

After using Square Off, whether the next attack was an upward slash or a thrust, it would become far more powerful and could easily break through an enemy's guard.

Afternoon.

At the edge of the woods beside the Gatefront.

Xia Tong hunched over and used the cover of the bushes to watch the lonely campfire in the distance.

The long, dull, nerve-racking life of patrol had dulled the senses of the Godrick Soldier ahead.

On top of that, Xia Tong's movements were extremely subtle, and every step landed on solid ground.

At last, he silently crept behind the soldier.

Seeing that the time was right, a cold gleam flashed through Xia Tong's eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately drove the Lordsworn's Straight Sword in his hand viciously into the Godrick Soldier's back, straight toward his heart!

Squelch!

The sound of steel piercing flesh was dull and horrifying.

The soldier sharply sucked in a breath. His body instinctively arched backward from the agony as he tried to scream.

But Xia Tong had been prepared.

He viciously planted one foot against the soldier's back, used the force to yank out his sword, and pulled hard!

Shhk—!

Blood burst forth like a fountain!

The ambush was complete!

However, that backstab had not killed him in one blow.

After all, Xia Tong was only Level 1 right now, and his Strength was merely at an ordinary person's level.

Still, the enemy was clearly badly wounded as he staggered around.

"Ughah!!"

The Godrick Soldier roared and swung his straight sword, thrusting it at Xia Tong!

He was a battle-hardened soldier, after all. Even on the brink of death, his counterattack remained vicious and sharp.

In the past, Xia Tong might have panicked already.

But the muscle memory inherited from the previous owner, combined with the instincts of a veteran Elden Ring player, kept Xia Tong utterly calm.

One-on-one, he feared no ordinary soldier.

He turned sideways and slid a step away.

With an effortless dodge, he avoided the enemy's final desperate counterattack.

Then he struck back with a slash!

The Lordsworn's Straight Sword accurately stabbed into the vital point at the man's lower back.

The Godrick Soldier's body went limp, and he finally collapsed to the ground for good.

A faint golden light flowed into Xia Tong's body.

He sensed it. Another 64 Runes.

Xia Tong stared at the corpse on the ground, his eyes shining.

When he played games in his previous life, the Arcane stat had to be high if he wanted more equipment drops—the so-called drop rate.

But now that he had come to this real world in the flesh...

He did not need any drop rate at all!

Kill them, and he could strip every piece of equipment off their bodies!

With that thought, a bold idea suddenly occurred to Xia Tong.

"In this world, equipment is hard currency."

"Maybe... I know how to grow stronger quickly."

He bundled up the equipment he had stripped off and hid it in the earlier cave as reserve supplies.

After taking a drink of water, Xia Tong went in search of his next target.

This time, it was a Godrick Soldier patrolling with a torch held high.

Stealth!

Circle behind him!

Ambush!

He weaved, shifted, and thrust!

Another stream of Runes flowed into his body.

Time passed quickly, and before he knew it, the sky had turned completely dark.

That day, Xia Tong killed a full five lone Godrick Soldiers.

However, he had not emerged unscathed.

He had slightly twisted his left ankle during one dodge, and a stray arrow had cut a wound across his back.

The burning pain reminded Xia Tong that this was reality, not a game governed by data. Injuries truly hurt and would affect his movements.

"I can't keep going."

Taking advantage of the darkness, he was going to do the most important thing—

Light a Site of Grace!

Late at night.

Even in the pitch-black night, the towering Erdtree in the distance still shone with dazzling light, illuminating the skies of the Lands Between.

Golden fireflies drifted through the air, creating a breathtaking scene as poetic as a painting.

What a pity.

The shattering of the Elden Ring had left this beauty filled with devastation and walking corpses.

Only a very small number of strong-willed people could remain awake and retain normal reason.

Enduring the pain in his ankle, Xia Tong carefully skirted around the ruins at the Gatefront.

He followed the shadows along the base of the city wall and crept toward the gate.

There, even during the day, a patch of golden light could be seen.

And now, in the darkness of night, that light appeared even brighter, warmer, and more alluring.

As a veteran player, Xia Tong knew.

That was the Gatefront Site of Grace.

Since Godrick Soldiers carrying torches were constantly patrolling, Xia Tong took a full half hour to cross that short distance.

At last, he avoided every watchful eye and arrived beside the Site of Grace.

It was a small, illusory flame that gave off golden light.

Xia Tong took a deep breath, stretched out his trembling hand, and gently touched the bright glow, like a candle flame.

Hummm—

The instant his fingertips touched it, it felt as if he had been struck by an electric current.

Yet he felt no pain.

Instead, an indescribable warmth surged through every limb and bone.

The exhaustion in his body and the pain from his wounds were soothed at that moment.

It was as though he had been bathed in the gentle warmth of winter sunlight, his very soul elevated.

"So this is a Site of Grace! It really does feel wonderful."

Xia Tong could not help letting out a comfortable groan as he slowly sat beside the Site of Grace.

As the Site of Grace lit up, the surrounding space seemed to undergo a subtle distortion.

Amid soft blue particles of light and shadow, a figure appeared before Xia Tong out of thin air like a phantom.

She wore a heavy but worn dark gray traveling cloak, and her figure was petite.

Her hood was pulled deeply over her head, hiding most of her face in shadow.

He could only vaguely glimpse her pale skin and the gentle contour of her jaw.

The young woman's voice was cool and ethereal.

"Hello, traveler who has crossed the fog."

"My name is Melina..."

"I wish to... make an accord with you."

Xia Tong's heart skipped a beat.

She had finally come!

Melina slightly raised her head, revealing half her face.

"...Do you know of Finger Maidens? They serve the Two Fingers, helping and guiding the Tarnished..."

"But now, you have no maiden by your side."

"I can take on their role. I can turn Runes into your strength... If you seek the Elden Ring, this will surely help you."

The young woman paused before finally revealing her purpose.

"So, I hope you will help me—take me to the foot of the Erdtree."

When Melina spoke those words.

Xia Tong said nothing. He simply looked quietly at the young woman before him.

By the light of the Site of Grace, he finally saw her clearly.

Melina's right eye was open. Its iris was a distinctive gray-blue tinged with violet, and her gaze was calm and gentle, carrying a faint trace of sadness.

Her left eye, however, was shut.

On that eyelid was an exceptionally clear black mark resembling a three-fingered claw.

Xia Tong smiled faintly and answered without hesitation.

"I agree."

Melina seemed to let out a breath of relief, and the corner of her lips curved almost imperceptibly.

"Then we have an accord."

"When you wish to turn Runes into your own strength, call upon me at a Site of Grace."

As she spoke, she extended her hand, and an ancient golden ring appeared in her palm.

"Oh, right. There is one more thing. This ring is for you."

"When you need to travel long distances, use that ring. It can summon the spirit steed named Torrent."

Melina's voice softened slightly.

"...You are the one Torrent chose."

"I hope you will treat him well."

After saying that, she seemed to remember something. A flash of light appeared in her hand, and two bottles appeared.

"Oh, take these as well."

"One is a Crimson Tear Flask, and the other is a Cerulean Tear Flask. They restore your health and focus respectively."

Xia Tong accepted them with both hands. They felt satisfyingly heavy.

Only then did he realize that when he had awakened in the Gatefront ruins, he had possessed absolutely nothing.

According to the game's setting, a character would receive these two life-saving flasks at the Site of Grace in the Stranded Graveyard upon entering the game.

But as the unlucky bastard who had been transported here bodily, he had not possessed those two cheat-like items before.

Now, he had finally made up for it!

"Judging by the amount in this bottle, I can probably drink three doses."

Xia Tong shook the red flask, watching the ruby-like liquid ripple inside.

Then he looked at the blue one.

"This one that restores focus... only has one dose."

"Looks like if I want to increase the amount it restores, I'll have to find Golden Seeds later."

After doing all that, Melina did not linger.

Her body turned into countless blue points of light and gradually dispersed into the air.

"Whenever you need me, call for me."

All that remained was a grayish-brown steed.

It had two horns on its head, its mane streaming in the night wind.

Torrent stood silently to one side, watching Xia Tong with intelligent eyes and letting out an occasional loud snort.

Snort!

Xia Tong walked over and reached out to stroke Torrent's head.

It was warm to the touch, its coat soft and sleek.

"From now on, we're partners, Torrent."

Torrent rubbed against his palm, responding affectionately.