Royal Capital: Leyndell.
This was the very heart of the Golden Lineage—the place where the Erdtree itself stood. Once, it had been a magnificent city, the pride of civilization. Now, after the Shattering War, nothing remained but silence and ruins—an empty city of the dead.
At this moment, Duanmu Huai stood before the Erdtree—the seat of the final throne.
The others had not shown themselves. That was according to Duanmu Huai's own plan. As always, he would draw the enemy's attention first while the others hid nearby, ready to move only when he struck. Better that than all of them charging in together and getting wiped out in one blow—especially now that the Three Fingers had been unsealed. If they joined forces with the Two Fingers, things could get messy. A little caution was only sensible.
"...Hah."
Exhaling, Duanmu Huai hefted his warhammer and began climbing the long stone steps, one heavy stride after another, before pushing open the massive doors ahead.
Inside was a vast, empty hall. At its center stood a grand throne, and before it—six smaller chairs arranged in a line.
Duanmu Huai's boots echoed across the marble floor as he advanced toward the throne. Then, a deep voice called out.
"Unblessed one… What brings you before the throne?"
Duanmu Huai lifted his head. On the stairs leading deeper into the Erdtree, a tall figure was descending slowly, leaning on a staff.
"So, you're Morgott, the Omen King?"
"Indeed…"
Morgott nodded, then glanced at the six empty chairs before him.
"Godrick the Golden. The twin prodigies Miquella and Malenia. General Radahn. Praetor Rykard. Princess Ranni of the Moon…"
His gaze swept across the empty seats, dimming with sorrow.
"A pack of faithless traitors… You are all the same—filth who defy the Order!"
"The Golden Order is broken," Duanmu Huai said coldly. "The Golden Lineage is dead. The age of the Greater Will is over."
He raised his left hand, and the Great Runes etched into his flesh shimmered faintly with light.
"Now, there's only you left!"
"Good… very good…"
Morgott's hand tightened around his staff. In an instant, it shattered, transforming into a shimmering, many-hued black blade. Morgott raised his head, glaring at Duanmu Huai.
"Defiler! Puppet of ambition! On your ignorant gravestone, they shall carve the name of Morgott, the Last King!"
"Then this will be your final epitaph," Duanmu Huai replied, raising his hammer. "Prepare yourself, Morgott. I'll grant you—Destined Death!"
The words had barely left his lips when Morgott charged forward, one hand clutching his sword, the other summoning a radiant golden hammer that gleamed like sunlight. With a furious roar, he leapt high into the air and brought it crashing down toward Duanmu Huai.
Hammer versus hammer? Is he serious?
Of course, Duanmu Huai didn't even think of dodging. He roared back, gripping his warhammer in both hands as black Godslaying flames erupted from it, then swung upward to meet the blow head-on.
"BOOM!!"
The two hammers collided. The black flame devoured the golden light—Morgott's weapon dimmed, its brilliance snuffed out. He staggered backward, shocked.
"The Rune of Death… You wield the Rune of Death?!"
"You have no chance, Morgott."
Duanmu Huai advanced step by step, the warhammer humming with dark fire.
"Now—die."
His jetpack flared open, spewing torrents of compressed energy that launched him forward like a black meteor. Morgott's eyes widened—he hadn't expected that.
Caught off guard, he barely managed to lift his sword before—
"BOOM!!"
The thunder hammer smashed into Morgott's weapon. The twisted black blade shattered like brittle glass, and the hammer's spiked head drove straight into his chest, tearing through his armor and flesh. With a strangled scream, Morgott was hurled backward and crashed to the ground.
"Ugh!!"
The blow, wreathed in god-slaying flame, was far beyond what Morgott could withstand. He fell, coughing blood, unable to rise.
Duanmu Huai strode toward him, raised his hammer, and brought it down.
"WHOOSH—!"
Just then, a battle axe whirled through the air, spinning straight toward Duanmu Huai's head. But he didn't even flinch. He didn't stop his swing.
CRUNCH!
Morgott's skull exploded beneath the hammer. At the same moment, the axe slammed into Duanmu Huai's helmet, the force staggering him several steps back.
Crack. Crack.
A normal man would have been split in two. Duanmu Huai merely rolled his neck, lifted his gaze, and stared coldly at the source.
"And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
"…"
A tall, broad-shouldered man was walking toward him from the entrance. His armor was worn but gleaming, his hair and beard pure white. Despite his age, the man's build was monstrous, his muscles like carved stone, his presence radiating the authority of a conqueror.
Upon his back loomed a spectral lion, growling lowly, its translucent mane rippling with fury.
"Morgott…"
The man's eyes darkened as he looked down at the headless corpse, then turned to Duanmu Huai. He extended a hand—and the axe that had struck Duanmu Huai flew back to his grasp.
"To fight your way here… impressive, unblessed one. But I have returned to this place—to once more behold it, the Elden Ring that lies so near!"
He raised the axe, his aura blazing like the sun.
"I am Godfrey—the first Elden Lord!"
Duanmu Huai exhaled through his nose. "Well, great. Beat the son, and here comes the father."
He smirked. "You sure picked a fine time to crawl out. While your kids were slaughtering each other, where were you? Now they're all dead, and now you show up? Too bad, old man—"
He swung his hammer up.
"—You're too late! The age of the Greater Will is over. The Erdtree will burn. Your rule ends here!"
And so, another titanic battle began.
"U-um… shouldn't we go help him?"
From the nearby terrace, Mistelina watched the raging clash in the throne room below, visibly anxious. Morgott was one thing—but the reappearance of Godfrey, the First Elden Lord, left her completely shaken. Among the forestfolk, his name was legend—the mighty king who had once led the Golden Lineage to conquer the Lands Between. To them, he was the ultimate terror, a bogeyman used to scare children into behaving.
And indeed, he was terrifying. Every swing of his colossal axe made the earth tremble; even from a distance, they could feel the shockwaves.
To be honest, Mistelina knew she'd stand no chance against someone like him.
"Do not fret," said Ranni, her tone calm as ever. She didn't seem the least bit concerned. And truthfully, she had reason not to be. Godfrey was strong—unquestionably so—but Duanmu Huai was no ordinary foe.
If Morgott's attacks were like a stormy sea, then Duanmu Huai was the immovable cliff that the waves could never break.
"Besides," Ranni added, "no one else seems worried, do they?"
"Uh…"
Mistelina turned—and sure enough, the others didn't look alarmed at all. Aegis, Lorena, and the others were chatting idly. Aegis, in particular, had both fists stuffed halfway into her mouth.
"Aegis, what are you doing?" Lorena asked in disbelief.
"I just wanted to see if I could fit my whole hand in."
"That's… kind of impossible, your mouth's too small."
"But Mistelina managed something much bigger, didn't she?"
"W-what?!"
Bambi, Lorena, and Milfi all turned to stare at Mistelina, eyes wide.
"…Truly, the human body is fascinating," Aegis murmured thoughtfully, then resumed her "experiment."
And while the girls were thus preoccupied, below them—the battle reached its end.
BOOM!
Axe and hammer collided one final time, then flew apart. Godfrey bellowed, dropping his weapon and lunging forward to grab Duanmu Huai in a crushing grip.
"Did you think you were the only one who could do that?!"
Duanmu Huai roared back, seizing Godfrey in turn. His jetpack roared to life, blasting a torrent of energy skyward—sending both men hurtling high into the heavens until they were nothing but a black speck.
"DIE!!!"
Then, gravity reclaimed them. Locked together, they plummeted like a meteor toward the Royal Court below. Godfrey struggled to break free, but Duanmu Huai's arms were like steel clamps, unyielding.
Together, they struck.
"BOOOOOOM!!!"
The impact shook the capital. Smoke and dust billowed high into the sky, and the marble courtyard collapsed inward, leaving behind a massive crater.
Moments later, Duanmu Huai emerged from the settling dust, his armor scorched but intact.
As for Godfrey…
Well, there wasn't much left to speak of.
"Trying to match strength with me?" Duanmu Huai muttered, snorting. "Good idea. Pity it wasn't realistic."
He slung his hammer over his shoulder and turned toward the glowing Erdtree ahead.
Now—only one battle remained.
(End of Chapter)