Within the darkness of the sewers, Morgott halted beneath a stone archway, leaning on his wooden staff as he waited in silence.
The surroundings were devoid of sound, save for the rhythmic, crisp drip-drop of water falling from the overhead pipes every few seconds.
Morgott counted these droplets. When he reached the two-thousandth drop, the distant clatter of armor finally reached his ears—a chaotic, rumbling tramp of boots that shattered the rhythm of the dripping water.
The footsteps drew closer, the terrifying echo of steel sabatons vibrating through the tunnels until the entire sewer seemed to tremble under the might of the military force.
Morgott struck his wooden staff against the ground.
Thump!
Like a muffled clap of thunder amidst dense clouds, a powerful shockwave radiated from the tip of his staff, causing the ground to heave violently.
In an instant, every other sound was drowned out by this thunderous crack. Even after the shockwave dissipated into the distance, the shrill resonance of the metal pipes continued to whine like a steam whistle for a long time.
The footsteps faltered for a moment before resuming their steady advance. Row upon row of torches flared to life opposite Morgott, their flickering light revealing a forest of Leyndell Knights.
"Halt," Morgott said in a low, heavy voice.
"The explosive stones you planted have all been dismantled," a general in golden robes called out as he stepped forward. "So, do not dream of using them as a threat. I order Deeproot to surrender to us immediately."
"Deeproot has no intention of making an enemy of the Golden Dynasty," Morgott replied. "I am Morgott, the leader of Deeproot. Tell me your reason for this invasion. If there is some misunderstanding regarding Deeproot—"
"All you need to do is surrender," the general said flatly. "We will investigate what has occurred in Deeproot. If you do not resist, we will not slaughter the innocent."
"Deeproot will not accept unconditional surrender. If you wish to investigate, you may send a small team; Deeproot will cooperate. But I will not allow an army to be stationed within our home. If you wish to force your way through, then try."
"Are you alone?"
"At most, only three or four of you can strike at me simultaneously in this space."
The general stopped speaking and simply raised his hand.
"General Ramsden," a Fundamentalist cleric whispered, "he is likely the son of Queen Marika and Godfrey—Godwyn's younger brother. Perhaps we should exercise caution when dealing with a demigod."
"He is but an Omen. What skill can one have who lives in the sewers eating trash?" the general said dismissively, glancing at the gnarled wooden staff in Morgott's hand. "To dare use a withered root of the Erdtree as a weapon—such insolence. Knight Talasha, I leave him to you."
"With pleasure."
A Tree Sentinel stepped forward, casting aside his wall-like greatshield and raising his Golden Halberd to cast a vow of prayer.
In this place so close to the Erdtree, the effect of the Golden Vow was increased by more than half. His entire body was shrouded in a golden light so thick it was almost physical, as he charged at Morgott like a golden meteor.
With a thunderous crash, the Tree Sentinel staggered back, nearly losing his grip on the Golden Halberd, while Morgott's wooden staff cracked under the immense force.
The Tree Sentinel swallowed a mouthful of metallic blood. The power granted by the Golden Vow surged through him, allowing him to recover within a single breath. He let out a roar, preparing to thrust his halberd once more, only for a dagger formed of condensed golden light to dart toward the slit in his helmet.
He threw his head back violently, thrusting his halberd in a desperate move, only for it to be swatted aside by the heavy weight of the wooden staff. A second blade slashed down along the shaft toward his hands, forcing the Tree Sentinel to abandon his weapon and retreat.
Before he could draw his sword, his waist was cinched tight. He was hoisted into the air by Morgott's Aspect of the Crucible tail and slammed head-first into the ground with a sickening crunch. His legs, left sticking out of the dirt, flailed wildly.
Gripping the Tree Sentinel's ankle with one hand, Morgott ripped him from the earth and tossed him high into the air. With his other hand, he swung his staff, striking the knight's helmet with a resounding crack.
The Tree Sentinel's massive frame went spinning through the air before being caught by the Leyndell Knights. He shook off their support, reaching up as if to pull off his deformed helmet, but after taking a few stumbling steps, he collapsed, his limbs rowing against the floor like a drowning man.
"Fine. It seems you have some skill," the general's cheek twitched. The Tree Sentinel had been careless, but given their proximity to the Erdtree, all Tree Sentinels received a massive buff. Even against General Radahn or Malenia, they shouldn't have lost this embarrassingly.
"Prepare a volley of Rings of Light."
The general snorted. Behind him, a rank of over twenty Leyndell Knights stepped forward, charging their incantations. Golden light flared, illuminating the entire sewer hub.
"Once he retreats into the tunnel, attack in groups of three—shields up, spears out. We will tire him out in waves," the general said, raising his own hand as golden light coalesced into a triple-layered, rotating ring-saw. Unlike the other knights, his ring was composed of three overlapping layers.
Before firing, the general glanced at Morgott and realized the Omen remained standing motionless under the archway, showing no intention of ducking into the tunnel for cover.
"Ready, FIRE!"
In the next heartbeat, a brilliant golden radiance exploded, but the general's expression changed instantly—the light was coming from the opposite side!
Countless golden swords of light manifested in the air, connecting into a sea of radiance that ebbed and flowed with a rhythmic grace.
Seeing this, the general finally realized that the Erdtree's blessing upon Morgott far exceeded that of any Tree Sentinel. No—even Godwyn's empowerment beneath the Erdtree might not have been this immense.
"This battle... might not be so easy after all," the general thought, just before the swords of light and the rings collided.
"I don't understand. Haven't the Royalists always avoided forcing Deeproot into a rebellion?" After exiting the Roundtable Hold, Raven asked the Grand Scholar in frustration. "You supported a peaceful resolution before, so why the sudden change in attitude?"
"After the Scarlet Rot attack, a peaceful resolution is no longer possible. Deeproot must be controlled by the Golden Dynasty to prevent the Erdtree from being corrupted by the Rot."
"There's no need to be in such a rush. Even if the residents of Deeproot were truly spreading rot on the roots to harm the Erdtree, it wouldn't happen in a matter of days. We could have investigated thoroughly before acting."
"Since a military offensive is inevitable, it must be led by the Leyndell Army. Regardless of whether Godwyn's injury is real or fake, he—the supreme commander of the Capital Military District—cannot currently make a public appearance. Therefore, it is only natural for the Leyndell Army to take over the district's functions and for the Capital Garrison to return to the Army's chain of command."
Raven shrugged. "The Royalists are so confident in taking Deeproot... have the Confessors already infiltrated and gathered intelligence?"
"Indeed. Though it was only basic intelligence, it was enough to launch this operation." The Grand Scholar glanced at Raven. "Your Highness, there are factions within the Confessors. Those who attacked your estate are not under Royalist control. Since it has already happened, I hope you will not take it to heart. Crepus will pay for his mistake."
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(174 Chapter - Ongoing)
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