Elden Ring: With God Mode Enabled

Chapter 337: Designated for Sealing

Bai Shi listened silently to Lilianna's words, his mind recalling everything he knew about the Frenzied Flame.

It was only natural that Lilianna couldn't find any sign of the Frenzied Flame after returning to the world.

Bai Shi knew that the Three Fingers of the Frenzied Flame had already been sealed by Queen Marika deep beneath the Royal Capital of Leyndell.

This seal greatly restricted the spread of the Frenzied Flame.

During the era of the Golden Order, the presence of the Frenzied Flame had been brought largely under control.

However... the sealed Frenzied Flame could still interact with the outside world.

Because of the existence of despair.

As long as there were people trapped in despair, the Frenzied Flame would answer the hopelessness in their hearts and be drawn to their side.

Moreover, with the shattering of the Elden Ring, the Shattering had drawn everyone into the flames of war.

The situation in the Lands Between worsened by the day, reaching a point beyond salvation.

An atmosphere of despair blanketed the land, and the Frenzied Flame's power was steadily seeping out from its prison.

The Frenzied Flame's power could even choose agents from within its seal, using words to lure the uninfected into its embrace.

And its ultimate goal was to find a Lord of Frenzied Flame, one capable of bearing its power.

Fortunately, the power leaking from the Frenzied Flame's seal was not yet overwhelming.

They still had plenty of time to prepare for it.

Bai Shi did not want the Frenzied Flame to manifest in the world.

Whether it was because of Melina's convictions or simply because he did not want to see such a world.

Therefore, the legacy Lilianna carried—the hope of sealing the Frenzied Flame—was of the utmost importance.

As long as that power existed, they would have a chance to seal the Frenzied Flame again, even if it truly returned to the world.

Now, that legacy rested with Irena, just waiting for her to fully inherit it.

Of course, Bai Shi couldn't place the full weight of this heavy burden on her alone.

Irena possessed a certain quality that gave her a close connection to the Frenzied Flame.

In the game, she was chosen as the maiden for the Frenzied Flame, and now, she had been chosen by the pixies to be the one to seal it.

He didn't know if this double-edged sword of a trait would have any negative effects on her.

So naturally, Bai Shi intended to resolve the matter himself as much as possible.

At the same time, a new, bold idea was forming in Bai Shi's mind.

Having come into contact with several Outer Gods, Bai Shi now had a certain understanding of their power.

For whatever reason, if it could be sealed by Queen Marika, the Frenzied Flame's power level surely couldn't be on par with the Elden Beast or the false Greater Will.

As for how Shabriri boasted about it so grandly in the game... that was clearly just self-promotion.

Otherwise, why didn't the Frenzied Flame melt everything into one before it was sealed? Did it not want to?

Even Rykard flew the banner of rebelling against the Greater Will.

That being the case, perhaps he could be a little bolder.

So, if he had the chance, Bai Shi wanted to analyze the Frenzied Flame as well.

He hoped to obtain a power like the Frenzied Flame's—the power to answer a call.

Rather than summoning the chaos-bringing Frenzied Flame in moments of despair...

It would surely be better to be able to call upon a sun of strength and justice in those same moments.

............

Bai Shi sat alone on the throne of Stormveil, his eyes downcast.

He had spoken with Lilianna for a long time just now, gradually piecing together information about the pixies and the Outer Gods.

After sending Irena and Lilianna off, Bai Shi dismissed all the guards before the throne, intending to organize the information he had gathered.

He rested his head on his hand, replaying the details he had just learned from Lilianna.

A moment ago, Lilianna had told him the story of the pixies and the Outer Gods.

—

In a distant, ancient era, all manner of life began to emerge in the nascent Lands Between.

Some creatures were revered as kings for their power, while others became the ancient gods, waging savage and bloody wars against one another.

But among the myriad forms of life in the Lands Between, the most exceptional were those powerful, singular entities.

Some were born of the Lands Between itself, while others hailed from the cosmos.

Without exception, they possessed an absolute, overwhelming power that the ordinary creatures of the Lands Between could not hope to match.

Their every action, even their very thoughts, could alter the environment and laws of the Lands Between.

In the current age of the Erdtree, they were uniformly referred to as—the Outer Gods.

In the remote past, they had changed the Lands Between according to their own designs.

And among the many Outer Gods, there were some whose mere presence would gradually warp the living creatures of the Lands Between.

Even the pixies were affected, twisted into abnormal life forms.

As beings born from other living things, this was an unacceptable outcome for the pixies.

Once there were no longer any normal life forms in the Lands Between, the pixies themselves would vanish completely.

But the power of the Outer Gods was not something the pixies could fight against.

After fierce struggles, their attempts ended in repeated failure.

What came even sooner than the gradual corruption was the utter annihilation brought about by their active resistance.

In their grief, a portion of the pixies chose to fade away on their own terms.

They found that fading away was far more acceptable than watching themselves become twisted and warped.

Besides, for the pixies, self-annihilation was not something to be mourned.

They were not truly going extinct, only leaving this place for a time.

As long as life continued to propagate in the distant future, the pixies would sooner or later reappear in the Lands Between.

Furthermore, after fading, they would continue to exist in another, special form.

Following their willful departure, their pure, unadulterated remnants would gradually transform into spirits.

They were a different species from the pixies, yet they could also be considered symbiotic life forms.

Lacking much consciousness and holding a natural goodwill toward all life—that was what the spirits were.

In a sense, the pixies were placing their faith in the wisdom of future generations.

But if that day never came, then at worst... they would simply disappear.

Even if it was an act of escapism, no one could blame them. After all, it was not a problem they could solve.

However, not all pixies were content to simply fade away.

Among them was the pixie of the Blue Dancer, and also Lilianna.

If they didn't resist, then perhaps even the faintest trace of the pixies' existence would be erased.

Even if remaining in the Lands Between was a painful choice, they fought for the goal of one day allowing their kin to truly return here.

Therefore, to ensure the continuation of their race and to preserve the original order of life in the Lands Between...

The pixies who chose to stay devised a plan they called "Designated for Sealing."

Its purpose was to seal away all the Outer Gods who twisted life and deviated from its original form.

Even just restricting them would be a victory.

Among them, the most critical were the two Outer Gods of Frenzied Flame and Rot.

These two posed the greatest threat to life.

Regarding the Frenzied Flame, Lilianna had little to add.

To melt everything into one, erasing the distinction between self and other, with all returning to chaos.

The emergence of individual minds from the one was not a mistake; rather, it was the meaning of life.

Only those mired in despair would see it as salvation; all normal life forms would shun it.

As for the god of Rot, she shared many stories with Bai Shi that he had never known.

It was from an age when the sun had not yet departed, when Rot was still Bountifulness.

Its presence contributed to the flourishing vitality of the Lands Between.

Countless lives were born from the Crucible, yet the evolution of those blended life-forms was chaotic and disorderly.

Many creatures struggled to adapt to the Lands Between, perishing almost as soon as they were born.

Bountifulness gave them a chance at survival; countless species were able to endure under its nurturing. But this was not unconditional, indiscriminate doting.

Rather, it gave them a fair opportunity to participate in the cruel competition for survival.

Those races with inherent disadvantages were nurtured by Bountifulness, given the chance to adapt to the environment of the Lands Between, and ultimately emerged victorious in the fair struggle for existence through their own strength.

Because of this, Bountifulness became a deity widely worshipped by a prosperous dynasty.

The law of reincarnation once held sway in the Lands Between, a radiant law of life.

But as the sun's departure became irreversible, the primordial Bountifulness rapidly corrupted toward its opposite extreme.

And the dynasty born of Bountifulness followed in its footsteps, gradually sinking into decay.

Eventually, it became what the world knew as the 'Fallen Empire.'

What was once Bountifulness became the Scarlet Rot that severely polluted the Lands Between, completely corrupting those life forms.

And that mighty ancient dynasty once occupied half of the Lands Between.

Not all life was willing to seek reincarnation amidst the rot.

For that reason, the pixies also marked it as a target for being "Designated for Sealing."

The pixies sought the aid of friendly Outer Gods, received various legacies, and attempted the sealing.

Ultimately, they were partially successful.

And Rot was the most powerful and influential of the gods they managed to seal.

—

By the time he came to his senses, the sky had already brightened.

Bai Shi stood up and stretched his body a little.

He would check if there was anything that needed his attention in Stormveil, and then he would set out for the Land of Shadow.

He also needed to select some personnel from the city to take with him.

Bai Shi raised a hand toward the sky, and at his thought, a gust of wind merged into the air above Stormveil.

Using the power of the storm that encircled the castle, Bai Shi sent a message directly to Lanslet.

The best way to get an update on the current situation was, of course, to have him report directly.

Before long, Lanslet appeared before Bai Shi's throne.

"Lord Bai Shi, you've returned."

"The crusade against the Mohgwyn Dynasty must have been a success."

Bai Shi looked at Lanslet and nodded.

Since receiving the blessing, Lanslet's spirits had been much higher.

Now, whenever he got tired from his duties, he could just pop over to a Site of Grace for a moment, and his physical fatigue would be instantly healed.

With his workload remaining largely unchanged, his mental state had naturally improved tremendously.

Bai Shi looked up at Lanslet and said:

"The Mohgwyn Dynasty has been annihilated."

"But this time, some new problems have arisen."

"From the Mohgwyn Dynasty, I found a path to another place."

"A place hidden away by the Golden Order, full of secret histories that could not be brought to light."

"Let's call it the Land of Shadow."

"There, I found Melina's people."

"They have suffered greatly and are now awaiting healing. Their condition is very poor."

"This is the most important matter at hand."

Lanslet was very surprised to hear this.

"To think such a thing exists..."

"Is it a situation that even you find troublesome, my lord?"

Bai Shi nodded lightly.

"I only just found a possible method of healing them."

"In any case, I plan to bring some physicians and related personnel over to assist with treatment and care."

"I need you to make the preparations for me, including all sorts of supplies."

"Once everything is ready, have them wait by the Siofra River."

"I will take them there."

With the fall of the Mohgwyn Dynasty, the barrier from the Formless Mother that covered the area had vanished.

So now, there was no need to take the long way through the Consecrated Snowfield. Bai Shi could fly directly from the Siofra River with his people and supplies.

After that, he just needed to make a quick trip to Redmane Castle and pick up Hilbert, who was staying there.

Although she was always out and about, when it came to professional medical skills, she was the most proper healer under Bai Shi's command.

Even if it was just to prepare some calming or pain-relieving aromatics, it would be a great help.

Lanslet dared not delay, nodding seriously in acceptance.

"Yes, my lord. I will make the preparations as quickly as possible."

It was good to have subordinates to manage things; he just had to give the orders.

Bai Shi tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest and continued:

"Alright, that's all for that matter for now."

"The Dragonkin Soldiers I brought back from outside are in the forest below the city. Settle them in later."

Lanslet had already been notified by Bai Shi and had taken a moment during the night to see them for himself.

All he could say was that the improved Dragonkin Soldiers were indeed a magnificent sight.

Just by standing there, they looked like an extra castle wall for Stormveil, giving a sense of reliability.

However, the return of the Dragonkin Soldiers had caused quite a stir, and it was impossible to inform all the residents with a simple notice to the administrators. As a result, there was some minor unrest in the city.

But after some publicity, the powerful and imposing figures of the Dragonkin Soldiers could instead be used to boost Bai Shi's prestige and morale.

Lanslet made a mental note of the Dragonkin Soldiers, planning to arrange everything in due course.

Bai Shi thought for a moment. He had probably delegated all the necessary tasks from his return.

"And then... have the matters I assigned before I left been taken care of?"

Lanslet straightened his back, a confident smile on his face.

"Mission accomplished, my lord. Everything has been handled."

"Slude has already brought the other Black Knife Assassins back in secret."

"They are in the city now, awaiting your orders without having been assigned any actions."

As if remembering something, Lanslet quickly added:

"Oh, right. The Sorcerer Thops you found earlier has now completed his theory."

"I witnessed it myself. It was truly astonishing."

"It is a truly beautiful theory. I have rarely been so amazed by a magical thesis."

"Not only that, it's enough to serve as the foundation for an entire school of thought. It could even be put into practical use right now."

An expression of pure admiration appeared on Lanslet's face, filled with affirmation for Thops's research.

"Thinking back, your judgment is truly unquestionable, Lord Bai Shi."

"You discovered his exquisitely subtle wisdom before he had even shown it."

"I'm ashamed to say that I couldn't understand your choice at the time and even had my doubts. I am truly mortified."

A smile touched the corners of Bai Shi's lips.

He was a player, after all; he naturally knew of Sorcerer Thops's wisdom.

Now, Thops had finally and successfully completed his research.

Thops's Barrier was finally about to see the light of day.

"Is that so? Sorcerer Thops has finally completed his theory."

"I have been waiting for this day for a long time."

"It seems I'll have to pay him a personal visit in a little while."