Happy 1st Anniversary of Elden Ring —— “So, Wilden, if I help you get out, you have to do me a favor too.” Mia nodded, speaking with a serious expression.
“What do you want me to help you with?” Wilden asked back.
He had slept for too long and might not be fully alert, but he wasn’t stupid.
He knew he shouldn’t owe a favor he couldn’t repay.
“Don’t worry!” Mia waved her hand.
“It’s a simple matter for you.” Wilden considered it for a moment, then nodded in agreement: “Fine.” Having secured the promise, Mia then walked toward the boss room of the Cave of Learning.
The narrow tunnel wound forward until it opened into a wide space.
Naturally, there was no such thing as a fog gate here.
The Godrick soldier wielding a greatsword emerged from the shadows and charged at Mia.
And then.
‘Fireball.’ Because this soldier was wielding a greatsword, he had no shield to block the Fireball.
The Fireball smashed directly into him—boom!
The surcoat over his chainmail instantly burst into flames.
Mia leaped to the side, and the burning figure of a man rushed past her, collapsing with a splash into the ankle-deep water.
Like a hot iron being dropped into water, after a piercing hiss, the Godrick soldier rolled in the puddle.
He still gripped the greatsword tightly, the blade swinging wildly as he rolled, making it difficult for Mia to approach for a moment.
It was unclear if he did it intentionally or if it was just unconscious struggling, but regardless, the flames on the Godrick soldier were extinguished as he rolled in the water.
If not for this water, a single Fireball would have been enough to roast him, but the terrain was just that coincidental.
His clothes were already burnt to rags, and after rolling several times in the water, they became soggy and dripping.
The Godrick soldier struggled to get back up.
Seeing this, how could Mia not react?
Without giving him a chance to counterattack, the girl extended her left hand again: “Ignite!” Whoosh— The thousand-degree flames swept toward him, instantly drying the moisture on the Godrick soldier’s clothing, followed immediately by another strike.
“Ignite!” Instant-cast spells could be used in continuous succession.
The second wave of fire reignited the Godrick soldier’s dried surcoat.
Before he could roll again, the tip of Mia’s spear followed closely behind the tail of the flames, thrusting into the Godrick soldier’s chest.
The soldier was covered in fire, crackling and burning; he could see nothing and sense nothing, and was pushed to the ground by the force of the spear tip.
Mia’s casting strength wasn’t enough to let her flames melt metal, so her spear also failed to penetrate the Godrick soldier’s armor.
But if the Godrick soldier was lying flat on his back, it was much more convenient.
Withdrawing the short spear, the second thrust entered through the soldier’s faceplate.
With a twist and a turn, she pulled out the short spear.
It was over.
“Phew.” She let out a breath.
Because of the terrain, it was a bit more troublesome than the previous soldiers she had taken down, but that was all.
It was far from being a ‘hard-fought battle’; this guy hadn’t even managed to swing his sword once.
He charged, and before he could swing, a Fireball hit him; he fell, got up, two Ignites, thrust, thrust.
The second boss with a health bar in the game was finished just like that.
Well, there was nothing to be proud of; after all, a Godrick soldier was just a Godrick soldier.
Just as she was turning back to find Wilden, She saw that the fallen Godrick soldier, with sparks still on him, began to dissipate.
The sturdy body inside the armor shriveled rapidly, turning into dust-like powder that seeped through the clothes, rising up, and then suddenly scattering into nothingness.
Only a set of tattered armor remained on the ground.
“…” Mia remembered that all bosses in the game, after being killed, would disappear accompanied by the line “ENEMY FELLED” on the player’s screen and the effect of bursting into powder.
Hmm…
She stared at the empty armor with a frown.
Though weak, he was at least a boss with a health bar at the bottom in the game, even if he was finished off by her ‘accidental’ damage.
But the death effect was certainly no less impressive.
Having dealt with the guy blocking the way, Mia headed back, intending to tell Wilden the good news.
This was also good news for herself.
She had originally thought she would die many times, so she had planned to tie up the Hollows, but this time she had cleared it in one life.
In the grotto before the boss room, Wilden was still sitting there.
“How is he?” Wilden didn’t seem particularly surprised by Mia’s quick return and took the initiative to ask.
“I took care of him,” Mia replied.
Wilden nodded and stood up.
His build was no less sturdy than the other Royal Army soldiers, which meant Mia had to look up at him.
“But I have a question,” Mia added.
“The Hollows I dealt with before, I couldn’t kill them.
I had to tie them up after paralyzing them.
But that guy just now turned directly into ash.
Do you know why?” Her strong curiosity as an Elden Ring lore enthusiast made Mia very eager to know the answer.
“Oh…” Upon hearing Mia’s description, Wilden was stunned.
Seeing the dazed Wilden, Mia felt a bit uneasy, thinking, ‘Did I ask the wrong thing?’ “Well…” Just as Mia was about to say it was okay if he didn’t answer, Wilden spoke at the same time as her.
“He returned to the Erdtree…” Wilden sighed.
He was probably sighing for himself.
“Returned to the Erdtree?” “I said it before, didn’t I?
Those born under the grace of the Erdtree, after death, whether soul or body, will return to the tree.” “Oh…” Because of the height difference, even if Wilden lowered his head, he couldn’t hide his expression from Mia.
Noticing that the Godrick soldier in front of her didn’t seem to want to continue this topic, Mia tactfully shut her mouth.
“Alright,” she said loudly.
“I helped you, now it’s your turn to help me.
Let’s go out.” “Wait a moment before that.” “For what?” “There should be something we can take with us,” Wilden said, walking in the opposite direction of the exit.
Mia quickly followed.
“What kind of thing?” “Those nobles originally brought quite a bit of luggage.
It was neither edible nor useful here, but it will be useful once we’re out.”