26. Elden's Ring
From their first meeting to their battle, Radagon always remained silent, like a robot. But at this moment, he spoke, responding to Xiling's question.
"Do you want to continue fighting?" Xiling released Radagon and stood up, completely unfazed by the prospect of further fighting. Xiling was now powerful, stronger than ever before.
The Heroes are a race, a miraculous race, born saviors. When their faith and will reach a certain height, they enter the next stage. If the Xilings of the past were compared to the growth stage, then the Xilings of today have fully entered the mature stage, marking a true step forward on the path to becoming a Hero.
As Xiling took this step, information about the Heroes flooded into his mind. Perhaps the Heroes of past generations never imagined that the next Hero would break through the growth stage in this way.
Radagon placed his hands on the ground and stood up. His battered body still betrayed his current expression. Xiling looked up at him, neither of them speaking. Silence reigned.
For a long moment, Radagon finally turned his gaze away from Xiling, toward the distant Erdtree, the very thing he had once fought so hard to protect. Radagon then looked around. With his vision, he could see so much.
He saw the chaotic Lands Between, he saw crimson, he saw corruption and death. Radagon took a deep breath, even though his body couldn't do it right now. Only after he finished his thought did he return his gaze to Xiling, the one who had somehow awakened him. A hoarse voice rang out from Radagon's throat, "Who are you?"
"Hero Xiling?"
"Hero..."
"I don't know how you awakened me, but you must have a purpose."
Xiling smiled and pointed at the shattered Elden Ring within the other's body. "I came for this thing."
"...For the Elden Ring? What do you want with it?"
"For power, or to become... a king?" Radagon's hands once again condensed waves of golden energy. Now possessing consciousness, Radagon could draw upon the remaining Great Runes within the Ring.
Observing the other's current plans, Xiling smiled and said, "Do you still want to fight?"
"I can't defeat you, but that doesn't mean I'll surrender. The Golden Rule must never fall into the wrong hands." Radagon's aura gradually intensified. Facing Radagon, ready to strike at any moment, Xiling's expression remained unchanged. He softly said, "You may have misunderstood something."
Before Radagon could react, Xiling appeared before him, his hand already on the Elden Ring. The moment Xiling and the Ring touched, the Elden Ring excitedly darted up to Xiling's arm like a puppy. Radagon watched it in astonishment. Before he could intervene, Xiling's voice rang out again.
"You can't stop me from doing anything. If you still want to do something for the Lands Between, come find me."
An overwhelming force suddenly surged from Radagon's chest, sending him flying backwards. His gaze fixed on Xiling as he vanished into the sky.
After this, Xiling looked back at the Elden Ring in his hand.
It was already night. "It's only been a day, but it feels like ages."
Touching the smooth white hair on his head, Xiling looked at the desolate land around him and rubbed his chin. "Let's give it a try."
White magic, like fireflies, swirled around Xiling. At that moment, Xiling extended his hand, and the next second, it surrounded the land, resembling the waves of the ocean. The soil tumbled and rolled like a wave, quickly covering the uneven ground and the entrance to the underground world.
"Done!" Xiling clapped his hands and nodded in satisfaction.
Then, the chat group time travel system activated!
The others on the Elden Throne chatted animatedly, especially Kevin, who proudly puffed out his chest and accepted the praise from the group. The Tarnished raised his two thumbs at him. "In your world's terms, that's called awesome! Kevin, you're awesome!"
"Kevin, I think you should have changed the tone of your line just now. Let me show you!" Houraiji Kyuushou took a deep breath and stepped forward. Her expression was solemn, and her voice became high. "Be thankful! You will witness this great moment. Even if I am the unchanging night, I am the eternal blazing sun!"
Thank you, Comrade Kyuushou, for your speech. Next door, classmate Luo Tianyi was already digging her toes in shame into the ground.
"By the way, Xiling hasn't returned yet," Lemuen said, looking off into the distance with some concern.
Morgott, standing some distance away, did the same.
Just then, a light portal appeared, and several people immediately looked over.
Xiling emerged from the portal, holding the Elden Ring in one hand and waving the other at the crowd, "Done!"
Seeing this, everyone immediately gathered around. "I didn't expect everyone to care so much about me!"
Xiling felt a warm sensation within him, and then he saw five people surrounding the ring in his hand, examining it.
"...I feel impressed about these guys for nothing."
Observing the Elden Ring, the Tarnished said, "Is this the Elden Ring? It doesn't look so remarkable."
Houraiji Kyuushou immediately retorted, "The more ordinary something is, the more unfathomable it is. I've already sensed the power contained within this Elden Ring."
"Can you even sense it?" The Tarnished rolled his eyes at Houraiji Kyuushou.
"Hey! Tarnished, what do you mean?" Houraiji Kyuushou sensed a deep sense of distrust.
"I didn't say anything," the Tarnished raised his hands, as if to prove his innocence.
However, the more the Tarnished spoke like that, the redder Houraiji Kyuushou's face grew. "Hero, lend me the Elden Ring for a moment."
"Oh, here you go," Xiling casually handed the Elden Ring to Houraiji Kyuushou. Houraiji Kyuushou immediately took the Elden Ring and began examining it. She looked at it from left to right, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't discern any magical aspect in it, and her spirit immediately deflated.
Morgott stared at the Elden Ring being tossed around and turned over by Houraiji Kyuushou and the others. He half wanted to offer a hand to demand a little respect, but ultimately held back.
Just as the Elden Ring was passed around and examined, Kevin took it. After a few casual glances, sensing nothing, he handed it to Lemuen.
Lemuen reached out to take the Elden Ring, and the next second, as if sensing something, the Elden Ring attempted to plunge into Lemuen's body, but a hand stopped it.
Looking at the calm Elden Ring in his hand, Xiling frowned. "What's going on?"