The Elden Ring Journey of the Unborn Author: Yunmen
At that moment, a rider galloped up, reining in his horse and glancing at Raven.
"Prince Raven is a member of the Royalist faction. There is no need for him to leave," the Grand Scholar said smoothly.
"Understood," the Leyndell Knight nodded. "The majority of the Capital Garrison has returned to our command. The personnel planted by Godwyn have been disarmed. However, Prince Miquella has still not been found."
"What happened?" The Grand Scholar's long white eyebrows twitched.
"Only the Golden Prince's estate remains unsearched. The Ancient Dragon Knights have it under a total blockade," the knight reported. "Perhaps Prince Miquella is being held there under house arrest. If we attempt a forced rescue—"
"Forget it. It isn't time for an open break yet. We will deal with it after Deeproot is secured. The Golden Prince knows his limits; he won't harm Miquella. What is the status of Deeproot?"
"It's... not going well," the knight said, looking somewhat ashamed. "Numerous explosive stones were planted in the sewers, and dismantling them took time. Other than that, there was little resistance. However, near the entrance to Deeproot, our forces were intercepted—"
"How many enemies?" The Grand Scholar's voice turned stern. "They only have one hunting party of any threat. Has another faction intervened?"
"No. There is only one person," the knight lowered his head. "The opponent is incredibly powerful and is receiving a blessing from the Erdtree. Our forces are restricted by the terrain and cannot deploy fully. We cannot secure a victory in the short term. General Connaught has gone down with two Tree Sentinels to provide support, but the battle remains in a stalemate..."
Hearing that the explosive stones had been dismantled, Raven's brow furrowed slightly. He had discussed the demolition plan in detail with Makhno and considered all contingencies; he hadn't expected Deeproot to drop the ball like this.
"Does General Connaught require reinforcements?" the Grand Scholar asked. "I want the Leyndell Army to settle this quickly, before Godwyn can interfere."
"If Lord Maliketh the Black Blade could participate..."
"Impossible."
"The General says that without the use of Destined Death, given the opponent's massive amount of Grace and the battlefield's proximity to the Erdtree, even if he is killed, he will quickly return to the Tree and be reborn. The people of Deeproot will rally around him to resist. The intensity of the conflict might exceed our expectations. The General suggests making some concessions—allowing the residents partial autonomy while leaving a garrison of the Leyndell Army to monitor them."
The Grand Scholar fell into a long silence before finally waving a hand. "Use the glintstone communicator to message the General. I respect the judgment from the front lines."
Inside the sewers, Morgott grabbed the heads of two Leyndell Knights and slammed them together. They slumped into unconsciousness where they stood, their deformed helmets locking into one another.
A Golden Halberd thrust through a gap between two knights, striking Morgott in the lower abdomen. The blade pierced his belly scales but was caught by his knotted muscles, unable to drive any deeper.
Morgott roared, raising a massive golden hammer and slamming it down. It struck a Tree Sentinel's shield with a sound like a great temple bell. Blood sprayed from dozens of wounds on Morgott's body, while the Tree Sentinel was driven into the ground like a nail.
Before he could strike a second time, a lance pierced his shoulder. The tip had only entered halfway when he gripped the shaft and snapped it with one hand. Two Leyndell Knights took the opportunity to rush forward and drag the grounded Tree Sentinel back to safety.
In the sewer hub, groups of Leyndell Knights formed a shield wall to fend off a downpour of light-swords falling from above. The ground itself shimmered with golden light. General Connaught held his shield high, fully deploying the Holy Ground of the Erdtree. All wounded knights within the golden light began to recover rapidly.
Seeing another Tree Sentinel retreat from the tunnel for a breather, General Connaught roared, "Enough! This fighting is meaningless!"
"He must be at his limit. No one can sustain that many wounds and keep standing," General Ramsden said. "Thanks to your sanctuary, our losses haven't been severe."
"The Holy Ground skill isn't this effective," Connaught said, scanning the area. Knights with minor injuries were recovering almost instantly; even severed limbs were slowly beginning to regrow. "It is the Erdtree itself, constantly bestowing Grace to heal the wounded. We are fighting by consuming the Erdtree's own power."
"As long as we win—"
"The opponent is receiving even more Grace than we are!" Connaught snapped. "His strength is inexhaustible, and his wounds heal even faster. Don't you understand? He isn't some Omen; he is a true Demigod of Gold. Even if you take his head, he will simply return to the Tree and be reborn. The Erdtree's power should not be wasted on a civil war like this!"
"Rebirth takes time, and most memories are washed away. As long as we defeat him once—" Ramsden gritted his teeth, looking toward the fierce combat under the archway. His eyes happened to meet Morgott's.
In all his years of campaigning, it was the look he least wanted to see.
He realized that as long as the opponent had a single breath left, no one would ever pass through that tunnel. And even if he were reborn from the Tree, this obsession would remain. It would not fade even after a hundred deaths and a hundred rebirths.
Just then, a knight arrived to relay the Grand Scholar's words. Ramsden finally let out a sigh.
"Fine. We'll do it your way."
The pressure before Morgott suddenly lightened as he saw the knights beginning to withdraw. He pulled two swords out of his tail, then picked up his wooden staff. The staff was slick with blood—both his own and his enemies'.
"Your combat has earned our respect," Connaught said. "Possessing such a brilliant blessing of the Erdtree, I believe it is impossible for you to have any connection to the Scarlet Rot."
"If that is so, then withdraw your troops," Morgott said heavily.
"However, you cannot guarantee that others in Deeproot are not in league with the Rot. Some Kindred of Rot cannot be identified by appearance alone. Perhaps they lurk among you even now, seeking to pollute the Erdtree's roots."
"You may send people in to investigate. We will cooperate. But there cannot be too many."
Connaught and Ramsden exchanged a glance.
"One thousand. One thousand soldiers will enter Deeproot, and the rest of us will withdraw immediately."
"Too many!" Morgott said. "An investigation does not require such numbers."
"If the people of Deeproot attempt to pollute the roots, the force we station there must be enough to stop them—or at least hold out until reinforcements arrive. Eight hundred men. That is the limit. Any fewer, and their safety cannot be guaranteed."
Seeing Morgott hesitate, Connaught added, "General Ramsden and I can promise that as long as Deeproot cooperates with our investigation, the Leyndell Army will not occupy Deeproot by force. Even if individuals in Deeproot are found to be in league with the Scarlet Rot, we will only target those specific individuals. We will not harm the innocent."
"Then swear it," Morgott finally said. "Swear it upon the Golden Vow."
Facing the direction of the Erdtree, Connaught knelt on one knee and swore the oath in the form of a prayer. He then looked at his colleague. Ramsden hesitated for a moment before following suit, swearing the vow in kind.
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(174 Chapter - Ongoing)
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