Chapter 69 - The Blurry Witch (4)

The direction to the knights' headquarters was easy to figure out. Lee Kyungbok moved towards the street where the conscription officer and the executioner had disappeared.

"Wow... This is terrible."

The deeper he went, the more the village's devastation caught his eye. Not only were buildings collapsed, but bones were scattered like trash.

From their appearance, some seemed to be from livestock, while others looked distinctly human.

-Really lol, the feeling of eeriness hits you right here

-Proof the art team worked hard lol

-I kinda like this apocalyptic vibe

-If you're a FromSoftware fan, most of you probably do too

The viewers expressed their agreement with his observations. After a short while, he continued on.

'...A revenant?'

Lee Kyungbok's instincts detected a familiar unpleasant sensation. However, since it was at a distance, it wasn't a threat to him.

Without hesitation, Lee Kyungbok turned towards the direction of the revenant at the fork in the road.

"What, what will I do!"

A voice soon echoed. Along with it, control was lost, and a cutscene began.

-What is it?

-Who is it?

-Another victim? 😢

-Our protagonist is causing trouble again

The protagonist cautiously pressed his body against the corner. The scene he peeked at was not far from what the viewers had expected.

The conscription officer, the executioner, and a man kneeling and bowing his head were visible.

-Luckily, he didn't attack first this time lol

-Yeah, when he tried to conscript the injured, it was clear he had no sense

-What? They take sick people too? This is completely...

-Controversial topics are off-limits~

-Well, there was a bit of a commotion

-Oh lol, I'm just holding back because I have no money

The conscription officer approached the man and said,

"That's the right decision. You don't have to fear becoming a revenant anymore."

"Yes...! Thank you!"

The man bowed gratefully. The executioner also relaxed her grip on her axe.

-Why is he so happy to enlist? lol

-In such chaos, joining the military might be more stable

-What? Isn't it better to avoid the military if you can?

-Yeah lol, might as well go to the Knightly Church

-But the Church is weak, isn't it?

-The Elbungs are getting too invested lol

While the viewers playfully argued, Lee Kyungbok's face hardened.

'They're revenants...!'

The threat he had been sensing was rapidly approaching. Its location was directly above, on the roof of a collapsed building.

With that, the cutscene's situation changed dramatically.

"Follow me carefully... Gah!"

Something fell on the conscription officer as he tried to help the citizen. The executioner, startled, grabbed her axe, but she met the same fate.

"Kya-ha-ha-ha!"

With a cackling laugh, a series of attackers appeared. They were wrapped in tattered clothes and held rusty blades in their hands.

-??????

-What is this? How did it happen?

-<Message deleted by the management bot (1st warning)>

-Spoiler! Spoiler alert!

-Those two can't die that easily, right?

-Not really;; They fought pretty well when I faced them

-They can't handle ambushes and multiple attacks lol

-He's going to be a god player, isn't he?

-By human standards, that's good!

The viewers were not hiding their shock. They knew that the conscription officer and the executioner were not characters who would die easily.

"Something's off."

The protagonist in the cutscene also sensed something was amiss. However, his gaze was not on the two being attacked but on the man who had just requested to enlist.

He didn't seem to be thinking of escaping, even as the two men died before his eyes.

Perhaps because he was part of the knights, the conscription officer and the executioner fought fiercely and inflicted injuries on the attackers.

But that was all. In the end, they died without leaving a last word.

"Kya-ha, phew! Damn...!"

The injured attacker spat out blood and walked towards the bodies. As he reached out, a light emanated.

"Just take a little! It'll lose its flavor!"

"I know, so shut up."

The attackers, arguing in harsh voices, began dragging the dead bodies. One of them looked at the man.

"Congratulations on passing the test. You did very well."

"Th-then..."

"Yeah, I'll share the 'food.' Follow me."

The man's lips twitched. A chilling smile appeared on his face.

"Now, now, I won't have to starve anymore...!"

He laughed like a madman and followed the attackers, disappearing.

The silence that followed was as if nothing had happened. However, the bloodstains left by the attackers dragging the bodies clearly marked the scene.

"They're ghouls."

"Ghouls?"

The protagonist repeated the witch's words. She bowed her head with a pained expression.

"They couldn't resist hunger and broke the taboo. The man from earlier is probably becoming a revenant too."

"Is that so..."

As the attackers' identities were revealed, the chat window buzzed.

-Oh my...

-So the citizens become revenants?

-Yeah, that's correct in the game's lore

-Is this the first time it's shown so directly?

-Originally, citizens and revenants were clearly distinguished 呵呵

-Wow... This is why the knights enforced strict control.

-The story is taking a completely different turn

Lee Kyungbok checked the viewers' reactions and pondered for a moment. The cutscene had ended, and control had returned.

'Even if I just pass by, it's fine.'

The bloodstains on the ground made it possible to track them. The developers had clearly provided the option to chase the ghouls.

Lee Kyungbok made his decision.

"I'll catch the ghouls to avoid any trouble."

-Of course! That's the right move!

-The ghouls need some discipline!

-If you see this and just pass by, it's not perfect lol

-(Perfect Badge) Here you go^^

There was no objection.

Lee Kyungbok followed the bloodstains into an alley. The smell of blood grew stronger as he went deeper.

After a while, he reached the end of the trail. It was a relatively intact building compared to the surrounding area.

'Five, I think.'

He could sense the number of ghouls through his instincts. Lee Kyungbok took a deep breath and activated his incantation.

Four red whips extended from his hands. He kicked the door open and entered.

With a loud bang, the door flew open.

-FBI! Open up!

-Freeze! Hands up!

-Don't move! Hands up!

-The chat is going wild lol

-If you raise your hands, you die; if you don't, you die lol

The viewers laughed at his decisive action. But soon, the chat window turned cold.

"Kya-ha?!"

"Who are you?!"

A disturbing voice echoed as the interior was revealed. It was a slaughterhouse used by the ghouls.

The place was drenched in blood, and unidentifiable chunks of meat were scattered everywhere.

The man who had served as bait earlier was greedily eating the unknown meat with his head buried.

-Even knowing this, it's still terrifying

-Wow... He's really fallen

-We need to hate the revenants, you know.

The man's appearance was no longer human. His skin was discolored as if bruised, and his head was bald, revealing a grotesque figure.

"Kya-ha! Dessert?"

"Seize him!"

Meanwhile, the other ghouls charged at Lee Kyungbok. He looked at them with undisguised contempt.

"I'll make this quick."

The four red strands tightened and shot out. They instantly wrapped around the blades the ghouls held.

"Crack!"

"Snap!"

Lee Kyungbok immediately used the weapons to cut off the ghouls' breath. The creatures, twitching on the ground, soon went limp.

-That was intense ㅅㅂ

-Wow lol, to use it like that?

-Grabbing four at once was crazy, but controlling them in different directions? Is that even possible?

-(Gameplay) (Gameplay) (Gameplay)

-Is this divine control?

-The Perkola is refreshing lol

While the viewers were in awe, Lee Kyungbok drew his broken longsword.

Now, only the ghoul who had served as bait remained. The creature, having lost its will to fight, buried its blood-soaked face in the ground.

"S-spare me! I was just so hungry...!"

The ghoul pitifully begged for its life. However, Lee Kyungbok's expression remained cold.

His instincts were still sensing a threat from the creature.

Sure enough, the moment Lee Kyungbok took a step forward, the ghoul stood up and swung its blade.

"Pathetic."

With a metallic clang, Lee Kyungbok countered. It was an obvious move to him, so parrying was easy.

-The finish is clean lol

-Even the cleanup is clean

-This newly turned revenant has no chance!

-Yeah lol, keep falling deeper

-Pathetic is the right word lol

The viewers expressed their satisfaction. Meanwhile, Lee Kyungbok collected the soul from the dead ghoul.

"Broken One, would you check their bodies?"

At that moment, the witch spoke. Lee Kyungbok examined the bodies she pointed to. They were the conscription officer and the executioner, whom the ghouls had dragged in.

"The conscription officer's soul is still intact. Broken One, would you return this soul to the knights?"

-Oh? Is there more?

-If the witch advises, you should follow it!

-Anyway, there's no harm in collecting the soul lol

There was no reason to refuse, as the viewers said. As Lee Kyungbok reached out, a light emanated from the body.

['Acquired the Soul of the Conscription Officer.']

The message appeared differently from the executioner's. Lee Kyungbok checked his instincts again and stood up.

"Let's go back then."

* * *

The territory of the Kingdom Knights was easily distinguishable.

Unlike the ruins, intact buildings were visible, and armed soldiers were on guard.

As he approached them, a cutscene began.

"Stop! Identify yourself!"

The soldiers aimed their weapons. They were not welcoming to the unfamiliar protagonist.

-What's the password today?

-Hwarang! Cigarette!

-When did you last use that? lol -Grandpa... 😢

-???: Good job

-Yeah lol, the officers are just VIPs

While the protagonist pondered what to say, the witch whispered from the side.

"Show them the soul. They won't be hostile then."

He followed her advice. The soldiers, seeing the soul floating in front of the protagonist, flinched and cautiously lowered their weapons.

"This is...?!"

"I'll report back!"

One soldier hurriedly left.

"...Thank you for returning the soul."

"Please wait for a response."

The remaining soldiers bowed to the protagonist with a less aggressive stance.

-Of course, the witch's advice is the best!

-It wasn't given for nothing lol

-Yeah lol, without the witch, it would have been a fight

-Cute and capable? Ah lol, I can't handle it

While the viewers were satisfied, the soldier returned. He whispered something to what seemed to be a senior soldier.

"Excuse me. Please follow me."

The protagonist followed, and the view changed. They arrived at the knights' barracks.

"The commander wishes to see you."

The soldier's words made the chat window buzz.

-Whoa?

-Going straight to the commander's office?

-Is this the Knight Alliance route?

-Can't usually ally with the knights?

-Yeah, in the original route, you have to ally with the Church and suppress the knights

-Maybe this is a shortcut to the boss fight?

-Whoa? Fighting the commander right away?

-Ah lol, let's see first!

While the viewers made various speculations, the door to the commander's office opened. A knight with brown hair and a scruffy beard stood there.

The commander, seeing the protagonist, flinched slightly. He gestured for the soldiers to leave.

Once the door closed, the commander spoke.

"I am Blondo, the commander of the Kingdom Knights."

"I am..."

"A Broken One, I presume."

Before the protagonist could finish, Blondo interjected.

"I thought you weren't a revenant when I heard you had recovered the conscription officer's soul, but I never imagined you were a Broken One."

"Is that a problem?"

"No, not at all. On the contrary, I am grateful for your mercy. You could have taken that soul if you wished."

Blondo bowed deeply in gratitude. He then stroked his beard and asked,

"However, your presence here suggests you wish to ally with us?"

-Is the commander offering to join?

-Haha, this is really the Knight Alliance route

-Yeah lol, all thanks to the witch's advice

-Yeah lol, if he hadn't collected the conscription officer's soul, this event wouldn't have happened

-As the saying goes, good things come to those who listen

While the viewers were figuring out the situation, the protagonist spoke.

"No, I have no such intention."

"Of course. That's a shame."

"Of course?"

"What you seek is the 'Elden Soul,' isn't it?"

"How do you know that?"

Blondo smiled bitterly instead of answering. The witch, perched on his shoulder, spoke cautiously.

"Broken One, he was once like you."

Those words changed the chat room's atmosphere.

-??????

-The commander is a Broken One too?

-Whoa lol, this is crazy lol

-Not really;; He just came in without turning on his turn signal

-Haha, exclusive reveal on this stream!

-Always fresh! Thrilling! Elden Ring is the best!

The viewers couldn't hide their joy at the new setting. But it was short-lived. The cutscene was still ongoing.

"Hmm, not many know my background... But it doesn't matter."

Blondo didn't deny the witch's words. Instead, he sighed deeply.

"Indeed, I was once a 'Broken One' like you. I sought the 'Elden Soul' and looked for the 'Decider.'"

"Eld?"

"Yes, from your reaction, I see you didn't know. Only the 'Decider' knows the location of the Elden Soul."

"But Eld didn't tell you?"

"More accurately, I didn't have the right to know. Instead, the Decider gave me my