Elden Ring: With God Mode Enabled

Chapter 306: Whose Jedi Master Is This?

Battered and bruised, the ‘Demi-human Sword Saint’ Ongyl scrambled out from a pile of rubble and immediately rolled across the ground without hesitation.

Ongyl’s movements were fluid and natural, making the most of his species' slender frame.

The moment he vacated his position, an invisible blade of wind, sharp enough to nearly distort space itself, sliced through the rock behind him.

Empowered by the twin forces of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, Bai Shi’s gales were now far sharper than any ordinary weapon.

Just moments ago, Bai Shi had easily shattered the defense of Ongyl's Star-Lined Sword head-on.

Watching Ongyl deftly dodge his attack, Bai Shi felt a flicker of excitement replace his earlier gloom.

This old demi-human truly had some skill.

A swordsman of this caliber was worthy of the title of Sword Saint in the Lands Between.

In terms of sheer ferocity, his strikes were certainly no weaker than those of the ‘Old Man,’ the grand master from the Land of Reeds.

For that reason, Bai Shi wanted to clash with him using slashing techniques of his own.

The demi-human’s earlier attacks had been incredibly swift, and he possessed a technique that allowed him to close distances with the speed of teleportation.

Such skills were rare; among all the enemies Bai Shi had faced, he had only encountered a few of them.

Every warrior who mastered a similar technique was a top-tier fighter.

This old demi-human had already demonstrated his prowess through his powerful attacks and agile movements.

Even his physical constitution was far superior to that of an ordinary demi-human.

Unfortunately, compared to other races, such a frame was still incredibly frail.

Ongyl was well aware of this, which was why he had painstakingly honed his ability to negate force to an extremely high level.

It was this skill that had saved him from being killed in a single blow.

Ongyl continuously evaded Bai Shi’s ferocious slashes.

His body grew warmer with the exertion of his nimble dodges, but his mind became increasingly calm.

The wind blades Bai Shi relentlessly unleashed were more ferocious than any slash he had ever witnessed.

And unlike the cold glint of a steel edge, these blades of wind were completely invisible, discernible only through instinct and the subtle distortion of the air.

For a moment, Bai Shi’s attacks failed to inflict any damage on the demi-human.

This futile attempt to swat a fly began to annoy Bai Shi.

The next moment, a dense barrage of wind blades flew toward Ongyl, completely sealing off all his escape routes.

Sensing the dense volley of invisible blades before him, Ongyl tightened his grip on the Star-Lined Sword.

He stopped dodging, stood his ground, calmed his breathing, and closed his eyes.

As he became still, Ongyl instantly immersed himself in a strange state.

Within his perception, everything in a several-meter radius around him slowed to a crawl.

Ice crystals and dust, stirred up by the battle, drifted down but seemed to hang suspended in the air, frozen in time.

However, even in this state, the terrifying invisible blades barely slowed, a testament to their fearsome power.

In this state, Ongyl could finally perceive the wind blades directly.

The next moment, Ongyl’s figure vanished once more, transforming into a streak of starlight that shot through a minuscule gap in the storm of wind blades.

He reappeared before Bai Shi, and the brilliant light of his Star-Lined Sword descended once again.

Bai Shi watched Ongyl repeat his old trick and smiled, reaching out to catch the incoming serpentine blade.

Seeing that Bai Shi was about to attempt a bare-handed blade catch, a ball of blue starlight materialized in Ongyl’s other hand.

Then, a cluster of starlight materialized around Bai Shi's hand, restricting his movement for an instant.

The blade sliced straight into Bai Shi’s palm and lodged itself in the bone, but it could go no deeper.

Bai Shi raised an eyebrow as he looked at the sword embedded in his palm.

He clenched his fist, shattering the starlight with a surge of strength, and grabbed the blade buried in his hand.

Ongyl immediately pulled back, creating distance between them.

Bai Shi looked at the wound on his hand, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He released a ray of warm sunlight, and the injury healed completely in moments.

A wound like this was nothing to the current Bai Shi.

However, that last technique had piqued his interest.

Bai Shi recalled the move the demi-human had just used, how it had restricted his movement out of thin air.

Even if it only temporarily restrained a small part of his body, it was a technique he had never seen before.

What was that? The Force?

Did this demi-human wander in from the set of Star Wars? A guest-starring Jedi Master?

Looking at the demi-human sword saint, who was once again gathering blue starlight in his hands, Bai Shi’s face broke into a smile.

Bai Shi decided to fight him seriously with real blades and see his true capabilities.

He drew the Moonveil and the Starfall Shadow from his dimensional storage, holding one in each hand as he adopted a cross-bladed stance.

Both of these weapons were related to the stars and the moon, and the techniques this demi-human used were also connected to the stars.

Ongyl leaped high, his body spinning gracefully in the air as he flew toward Bai Shi in a slashing arc.

A cerulean energy extended from the Star-Lined Sword, elongating its blade.

Ongyl curled his body in mid-air, performing a series of flips as his revolving Star-Lined Sword swung toward Bai Shi.

Bai Shi immediately met the attack, blocking the incoming blade with the Moonveil.

At the same time, the Starfall Shadow was already slicing toward the Sword Saint’s unguarded torso.

Just as the blade was about to connect, the starlight in Ongyl’s hand erupted once more.

Only this time, he used it on himself.

Under the effect of the Force-like starlight, Ongyl’s body twisted in an impossible way, narrowly dodging Bai Shi’s slash.

The moment he landed, Ongyl immediately countered with an upward slash, followed by a relentless, stormy barrage of swings.

Wielding two katanas, Bai Shi alternately parried Ongyl’s continuous, lightning-fast attacks.

The swords clashed repeatedly, striking sparks into the air.

After blocking Ongyl’s entire combo, Bai Shi saw his opening and immediately launched a counterattack.

The Moonveil in his hand unleashed a Transient Moonlight, and a brilliant arc of light shot toward Ongyl.

At such close range, Ongyl was caught off guard, and the cold moonlight struck him in the chest.

“You’re not the only one who can project a blade of light.”

Ongyl was sent flying backward, a deep, bone-exposing gash across his chest.

However, not a single drop of blood fell from the wound. Instead, a shower of fine glintstone fragments scattered to the ground.

Bai Shi stared at the wound he had inflicted, utterly astonished.

The flesh in the demi-human’s wound had already taken on the properties of glintstone.

His flesh emitted a faint glow, and his bones had turned into a jade-like substance, as hard as glintstone itself.

This was truly unexpected.

A body like this was clearly undergoing glintstone crystallization.

This was an effect of having come into contact with the singular Primeval Current of the cosmos.

Could it be? Had this demi-human delved into the depths of the cosmos and found the Primeval Current?

As far as Bai Shi knew, only the two Primeval Sorcerers, Azur and Lusat, had touched the Current, causing their bodies to slowly turn into glintstone. However, unlike Azur and Lusat, this demi-human’s body was still relatively normal.

Furthermore, those two masters were the absolute pinnacle of sorcerers, possessing intellects beyond measure, which allowed them to seek out the Primeval Current.

Bai Shi wasn't prejudiced against demi-humans, but as a race, even their queens weren't particularly bright, capable only of simple rock-slinging sorcery.

Could one achieve such a thing through swordsmanship alone?

While Bai Shi stood there in shock, Ongyl summoned blue starlight to his hand and wiped it across his wound.

Instantly, the gash was pulled shut by the starlight, forcibly sealed back together.

Since his flesh was already beginning to crystallize and he had no blood left to spill, a wound like this probably meant little to him. He could just glue it back together and carry on.

Bai Shi sheathed the Moonveil. He took a side stance, spreading his feet, and raised the Starfall Shadow above his head.

Bai Shi aimed the hilt at Ongyl, his left hand gripping the spine of the Starfall Shadow firmly between two knuckles.

This was the very technique he had witnessed during his battle with the ‘Old Man’.

It was a pure sword skill, unrelated to any other power.

Seeing Bai Shi assume this posture, Ongyl, with his profound understanding of swordsmanship, instantly recognized the stance.

It wasn't a style from the Lands Between, and Bai Shi had barely mastered it, merely mimicking the form.

But coming from Bai Shi, any attack, regardless of form, would be something he couldn't take lightly.

Techniques were the tools of the weak, used to overcome physical disparities and achieve victory against superior foes.

The strong had no need for such rigid forms.

Their every strike, their every move, was far more potent than any 'ultimate technique' the weak could ever conceive.

Ongyl kept his distance, swinging the Star-Lined Sword from afar and sending continuous waves of starlight toward Bai Shi.

Bai Shi, of course, knew Ongyl wasn't foolish enough to get close. He simply wanted to try out this move.

Bai Shi exerted his strength, and terrifying power began to build.

As he released his knuckles from the spine of the blade, the sword shot forward with incredible speed.

The blade swung down in a huge arc, its strange, bone-like surface reflecting no light, as if it were a darkness that consumed everything.

The sword tore through the air, and without Bai Shi needing to manipulate the winds, a blade of light flew from its edge.

It instantly shattered Ongyl’s attack and struck him in the same motion.

Though Ongyl had dodged with extreme speed, his lower leg was still severed.

The severed limb was instantly and utterly annihilated, giving him no chance to use his Force-like starlight.

Having lost a limb, Ongyl could no longer dodge attacks with his previous agility.

So, he simply began to limp toward Bai Shi.

Ongyl drew the Star-Lined Sword to his waist, lowered his stance, and slowly shuffled toward him.

Seeing Ongyl's posture, Bai Shi knew what kind of move he was about to unleash.

If he wasn't mistaken, it was an Iaijutsu stance.

Bai Shi neither dodged nor retreated, but instead walked forward to meet the slowly approaching Ongyl.

As soon as Bai Shi entered his attack range, Ongyl’s form vanished, reappearing instantly at Bai Shi's side.

A magical light traveled along the blade toward its tip.

The moment it reached the point, Ongyl’s presence peaked, and he swung the Star-Lined Sword with all his might.

The sword strike was unlike any of his previous attacks. It unleashed not light, but a biting frost.

The frigid air condensed, instantly forming countless blades of ice.

The chilling sword-qi danced wildly around him, filling a spherical area.

The blade in Bai Shi’s hand blocked the true slash from the Star-Lined Sword, and he allowed the other cold sword images to strike his body.

These illusory blades were completely harmless, barely registering as a dull ache.

As the sword-qi gradually dissipated, Ongyl was left at the end of his rope.

Having now seen Ongyl's technique clearly, Bai Shi mimicked the motion and sheathed his Moonveil.

Bai Shi crouched, slowly adjusting his posture to the optimal form, his eyes locked on Ongyl’s position.

Ongyl tried to vanish, but Bai Shi’s sword was already in motion.

The brilliant arc of the Moonveil added another layer of chill to the icy cavern as it flashed past.

The rock wall behind Ongyl was sliced clean through, and the moonlit arc plunged deep into the mountainside.

Beads of blood slowly seeped from Ongyl’s neck before his head tumbled from his shoulders.

Sheathing the Moonveil, Bai Shi turned to look at Ashmi.

The battle over there was also reaching its conclusion.

Ashmi wielded the twinblade Aeperia, dancing and weaving as she moved.

She had already inflicted numerous wounds on the other demi-human. Aeperia was glowing with a light so brilliant it was almost impossible to look at directly.

Sensing the time was right, Ashmi unleashed its stored power.

Aeperia hovered before her, spinning rapidly and instantly conjuring a Crucible vortex.

A brilliant golden beam shot straight toward Yocci.

Yocci desperately tried to dodge, but the laser beam locked onto his position, quickly catching up and engulfing him.

When Aeperia’s power was fully expended, the demi-human swordsman had vanished completely.

Where he had been standing, the thick rock wall behind him had been utterly pierced, creating a tunnel of unknown depth.

Ashmi sheathed her weapon, clapped her hands, and let out a sigh of relief.

Her host had gotten a new weapon that looked like a lot of fun, so she wanted to come out and play with it too.

“Call me again if you need anything, Host.”

With the enemy dealt with, Ashmi returned to Bai Shi’s body.

Bai Shi blinked. He felt like Ashmi was becoming more and more human.

She seemed smarter than before and wasn't solely fixated on the Teardrop Chalice anymore. She now had other emotions and desires.

But that was a good thing.

Bai Shi picked up the unique weapon the demi-human sword saint had been using.

The blade was identified in Bai Shi’s eyes as the ‘Star-Lined Sword’.

Bai Shi ran his fingers along the dense, fine glintstones that formed a line down the blade, feeling the unique stellar power within.

This Star-Lined... what exactly did it mean?

Did it refer to a constellation, the alignment of stars? Or did it have some other meaning?

That demi-human sword saint had been very strong, but he hadn't spoken a single word.

So even after the fight, Bai Shi had no idea who he was or why he was in this Hornsent prison.

But since he had attacked first and wouldn't answer, killing him was just killing him.

Putting away the Star-Lined Sword, Bai Shi looked outside the prison cell.

Melina was already standing there, and she gave him a nod.

She had found all their compatriots below. There should be no more survivors left in this prison.