Old Knight

After gathering a great deal of information, Lu Mingfei, under Emiya Shirou's guidance, used the Finger Severer to send him back to his original world.

Afterward, Lu Mingfei found Boc's sewing tools without much effort, but in the process, he unexpectedly discovered that there was another passage at the back of the cave inhabited by the Demi-Humans!

Nothing was more exciting in a game than unlocking a new map.

Lu Mingfei quickly returned to the Site of Grace to hand over the sewing tools. After making some preparations, he set out once more.

Since the Demi-Humans in the cave had already been completely wiped out, the exploration went smoothly. Aside from one or two Demi-Humans left behind in the tunnels, there were no other enemies.

Before long, Lu Mingfei faintly saw the light from the cave entrance.

As he went farther, the view suddenly opened up.

A modestly sized island appeared before Lu Mingfei. Looking across the sea toward the opposite shore, he saw the very beach where Coastal Cave was located.

Lu Mingfei never would have imagined that the path to the island had been hidden inside the cave.

He put away his torch, equipped his sword and shield again, and cautiously began walking along the coastline.

No soldiers.

No Demi-Humans.

The island was utterly silent, save for a few scattered deer and seabirds.

A Site of Grace stood not far from the exit.

After lighting it, Lu Mingfei looked toward the crumbling ruins at the center of the island.

This world was declining. The buildings here had all become ruins, and apart from butchers, there were no ordinary humans left walking the land.

This deserted island had likely once been some kind of sacred religious site, but with the shattering of the Elden Ring, its former glory had long since faded.

How tragic.

It seemed there would be no living people here.

Lu Mingfei shook his head and walked toward the ruins.

The layout here was rather similar to the Church of Elleh, but the faith enshrined within belonged to an entirely different sect.

The Church of Elleh worshipped Marika, the golden goddess, while this place...

A massive, lifelike dragon statue coiled within.

The ground was also littered with dragon-shaped statues.

Just as Lu Mingfei was about to relax, something before the altar-like stone carving made the hairs on his body stand on end.

With just one glance, Lu Mingfei was so frightened that he nearly fled on the spot.

It was a terrifying knight over two meters tall, powerfully built and clad in bright silver heavy armor.

The dragon shape on his helmet was clearly visible. His armor was covered in intricate thorn patterns, and a horn-like protrusion rose from his right shoulder.

That aged armor was covered in blade marks and dents, looking as though it had endured countless trials.

Two long, broad greatswords were strapped to his back.

He knelt before the altar, seemingly praying for something.

Yet though he did not move or make a sound, the oppressive force radiating from him was nearly tangible, cowing everything around him.

What Godrick Knights? Beastmen of Farum Azula? They were nothing but trash before him!

Lu Mingfei had no doubt that this towering knight could blow his head apart with a single punch.

So he chickened out.

Without betraying a hint of it, Lu Mingfei slowly backed away step by step, not daring to make the slightest sound.

Crack.

Whoosh—

Smack.

Lu Mingfei's face came into intimate contact with the ground.

He was completely bewildered.

What had happened?

He had been pinned down?

It had all happened too suddenly and too quickly for Lu Mingfei to react.

Before his brain could even send the signal to put him on guard, the sword in his right hand and shield in his left were disarmed in turn. Then the world spun, and a surging force slammed him to the ground, leaving him unable to move.

"I thought that after the Storm Lord's generals had either died or scattered, I would be the only one left who came here."

An elderly man's voice came from within the helmet.

Looking at the Lordsworn's Straight Sword in Lu Mingfei's hand and the soldier's armor on his body, he sneered.

"So you're one of Godrick's lackeys. For his claws to reach all the way here, that's rather impressive..."

Lu Mingfei clearly felt the hand pressing against his back begin to exert force, as if it intended to crush him to death right there.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Spare me, hero! Spare me! I'm just an unknown Tarnished passing through! I only stripped a few clothes off corpses to wear!

I have absolutely nothing to do with that old, ugly demigod in Stormveil Castle! I swear upon the goddess Marika!"

The old knight paused in surprise, then recovered and said coldly,

"You dare fool me? Kid, don't think I don't know that Tarnished are a lawless bunch with no respect for the gods.

Your oath doesn't make any sense. It's complete bullshit!"

Even so, Lu Mingfei felt the pressure on his back gradually lessen.

"Hero! Hero! I really am a genuine Tarnished!

I only found this place by clearing out that cave on the opposite shore!"

"Clearing it out? You?"

The old knight gave a disdainful laugh.

"The Demi-Humans in that cave have long wanted to settle here. It is only because I come here often to keep watch that they fear me and dare not take a single step outside.

But even so, defeating them alone is no easy task.

You..."

With that, the old knight released him.

"Forget it. Go."

Lu Mingfei sprang to his feet, rolled away on the spot to open up distance, and gripped his sword tightly.

"You've got some skill, at least." The old knight shook his head. "Leave quickly. The Church of Dragon Communion is no place for outsiders.

Count yourself lucky that I've grown weary of killing..."

"The Church of Dragon Communion?!"

Lu Mingfei cried out in surprise. Only after looking around did he finally realize.

With so many dragon-related elements, what else could this place be but the Church of Dragon Communion?

The old knight stared into Lu Mingfei's eyes through his armor.

Ancient gold had already begun to flow through those eyes, stirred by Lu Mingfei's fluctuating emotions.

Sensing a familiar source of power, the old knight slowly said,

"I see. You too are one who pursues Dragon Communion..."

"No, that's not right..."

His eyes suddenly widened. To see more clearly, he directly removed his helmet, revealing a weathered, sharply defined face.

Though lined with deep wrinkles, his features were well formed. It was not hard to imagine that the old knight had been a ruggedly handsome man in his youth. His gray-white hair had been neglected for so long that it was dry and split, while his aged eyes were filled with exhaustion.

At that moment, life seemed to have been injected into the old knight's previously dead-water expression, and his eyes locked firmly onto Lu Mingfei.

"You said you were Tarnished?"

"Yes."

Lu Mingfei shrank back a little, ready to run at the first sign of trouble.

"Have you undergone Dragon Communion?"

The old knight pressed on.

"No."

Lu Mingfei shook his head.

The old knight fell into a daze, his eyes blank.

"I thought I had seen a living Ancient Dragon..."

Unable to contain his emotions any longer, he lunged forward and seized Lu Mingfei by the collar, staring directly into his eyes.

Startled, Lu Mingfei raised his straight sword to stab—

"Do you want to become a Storm Knight?"