Naruto followed Oscar's finger and saw a strange white vapour swirling above the fallen enemies, forming into small orbs.
"What's that?"
"This is a soul," Oscar explained. "It can be used to strengthen your aspects of your body, like strength, dexterity, and more."
Naruto glanced at the status screen that had appeared earlier, at the numbers that represented different attributes of his body. Maybe, if he collected these souls, he could make those numbers go up and get stronger.
"How do I claim this soul?"
"Just grab it."
Naruto reached out and touched one of the white orb. It seemed to dissolve, the light sinking into his skin and spreading through his body. It felt warm, a strange, almost tingly sensation that surged through him like a jolt of chakra.
"Do you still want your sword back?"
But Oscar just pointed down the hall. Naruto turned to see another hollow, this one moving toward them, its steps uneven and jerky.
"Looks like I've got a moving target now, Dattebayo!"
A minute later, Naruto grumbled as he climbed up the cold wet metal ladder. He could hear Oscar trying and failing, not to laugh above him.
The fight with that moving hollow had been a disaster. He'd missed his first swing completely, and the hollow went berserk, flailing its sword around like a madman. It nearly ended with Naruto getting skewered in the butt, all because he panicked and tried to run away.
Thankfully, the substitution jutsu saved his ass, literally.Naruto sighed, shaking his head at the memory. Suddenly a strange feeling washed over him like being wrapped up in a blanket on a cold night.
"Looks like there's a bonfire near us."
"Bonfire?" Naruto echoed, confused. What did a fire have to do with this weird sensation? He pushed on, finally reaching the surface, and found himself in a vast courtyard. The stones beneath his feet were worn smooth. Crumbling walls surrounded the space as weed and ivy crawled up the weathered stone, clinging desperately to the remains of archways and columns that spoke of a grandeur long faded.
It was huge, imposing, yet... so broken.
"Let's take a rest," Oscar said, breaking Naruto's reverie. He pointed towards a strange sword embedded in the ground.
"Is this place safe?"
"Of course. There's a bonfire here."
"The sword?"
Oscar walked up to it, removing his glove. Naruto blinked in surprise when he saw Oscar's hand as it looked like those hollows they'd fought earlier. He wanted to say something, but kept quiet, not wanting to disrespect the man after all he'd done for him.
Oscar sliced his palm and let the blood fall onto the sword's base. The moment it touched the ashes below, spark erupted rising into a sudden bloom of fire that bathed the courtyard in a warm, flickering glow.
And the sensation of safety overwhelmed Naruto.
The tension drained from his body as the stress and fear that had been gnawing at him since he arrived in this strange place melted away. Naruto let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and sank to the ground. He laid back, staring up at the sky. His mind was blank, for the first time in what felt like forever, and he just let himself feel the warmth and peace wash over him.
I am safe.
Hearing a strange, low whooshing hum, Naruto's eyes snapped open.
Across from him, Oscar sat calmly, guiding the bonfire's flame into glass bottles like it was liquid.
Naruto rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating when suddenly only for a massive shadow to sweep over them. He looked up, and his pupils shrank."Sensei…"
"I know, I saw it as well."
They both looked up in time to catch the last glimpse of the Asylum Demon, its massive silhouette blotting out the pale sky as it soared away, disappearing toward the far end of the fortress where an enormous sealed door loomed. Stone groaned beneath its landing somewhere beyond, the sound reverberating through the walls like a warning bell.
Oscar rose to his feet, drawing his sword with calm, practiced ease.
"…You're not seriously thinking of fighting that, right?"
Oscar did not answer immediately. He simply adjusted his grip, rolling his wrist once as if testing the weight of the sidesword.
"Sensei, I can help make clones, distract it, give you openings—"
Oscar lifted a hand, stopping him without urgency. He studied Naruto for a moment, head tilting slightly. "…I have been meaning to ask, why do you call me sensei?"
"Uh… because you are?"
"That tells me what you believe I am. Not what the word means."
"It's just… someone you learn from. Someone who knows more than you and shows you how not to screw things up."
Oscar gave a quiet laugh. "In that case, I accept the title."
Naruto wasn't sure why that made his chest feel tight.
"If I am your teacher, then by astora's customs, that would make you my squire."
"Your what?"
"A squire," Oscar said. "One who follows a knight, learns from him, and aids him when he can."
Naruto's first instinct was to shake his head. "But… I didn't do anything yet."
"Do anything?"
"To earn it," Naruto clarified. "I mean… shouldn't I have to prove something first?"
Oscar was quiet for a moment. "A squire is not named at the end of the road. He is named at the beginning."
Naruto's thoughts drifted back to the academy. To being the loud one in the room while everyone else got praised for doing things right. To practicing jutsu over and over after class, telling himself he just needed to try harder, shout louder, and prove himself. Praise always felt like something you had to force out of the world, like it wouldn't notice you unless you made it.
Even with Iruka-sensei, it took time, screw-ups and getting back up after being told no.
Naruto only then noticed his chest felt tight, like he'd been bracing for something.
"…So I don't have to earn it first?"
"You earn it by continuing."
Naruto looked down at his hands. The idea sat strangely in his chest. Like a piece that didn't quite fit yet, but might if he gave it time. "…Okay," he said at last.
Oscar nodded, satisfied. "Then tell me. What is the most important thing in battle?"
"Uh… not getting hurt?"
Oscar smiled faintly. "A common answer."
Before Naruto could react, Oscar stepped in and thrust.
Naruto yelped and barely had time to bring up the Astora Straight Sword to block. Steel rang against steel. But the instant Naruto adjusted, Oscar twisted his wrist mid motion, turning the stab into a sharp, lateral slash that scraped sparks from Naruto's guard.
"Hey!" Naruto barked, hopping back. "If you wanted to spar, you could've just said so!"
"Aware," Oscar said calmly, blade already returning to guard. "Be aware."
"…Of what?"
"Everything."
Oscar stepped back, sword held loosely, as if the weapon were merely an extension of his arm. "Awareness is knowing where you stand, where your enemy stands, and where danger will be before it arrives. Strength matters little if you cannot see the strike that ends you."
Naruto frowned, thinking back to the way a hollow had nearly taken his head while he had been focused on the wrong target. "…Okay, I get that. But why the pop quiz with a stab?"
Oscar regarded him for a moment. Then he nodded.
"I wished to see if you had the will to walk the path," he said. "That is why I offer you the Knight's Crest, as my squire."
"The what now?"
"The Knight's Crest is a sigil carved by the gods themselves in the Age of Ancients. A miracle made flesh, granted only to those who walk the knight's path. You have passed."
"…I did?"
"You did."
"YATTA!" Naruto pumped his fist. "Man, if I had ramen right now, we could celebrate!"
Oscar huffed softly, something like a laugh. "Come," he said. "I will explain."
The Knight's Crest changed how a knight saw the world.
When it was active, the knight no longer viewed the battlefield only through their own eyes. Their awareness pulled back, settling into a fixed point above their body. From the third person, they could see themselves moving through the fight, along with the terrain and nearby enemies. This made distance and positioning clearer. The knight could tell where they stood, how they were facing, and how exposed they were without guessing. Enemy movement was easier to track because it stayed visible, even when the knight turned or stepped away.
With focus, the Crest allowed one enemy to be locked into attention. That target stayed centered in the knight's awareness, preventing surprise attacks from the sides or behind.
"Uh, so where does it go?" Naruto said, already tugging his shirt off. The boy paused when he took in his reddish-gray skin, shriveled and stretched tight over bone. The fingers were too thin, the chest sunken, the whole body reduced to a withered mockery of a person.
He looked like a hollow.
"…WHY AM I UGLY?!" Naruto yelled, as his thoughts spiraled. What happened to me?! Did my real body stay back in Konoha? Am I dead? Am I undead dead? Is this a side effect?!
Oscar calmly reached into his pouch and withdrew an orange soapstone. "Is everything alright?"
Naruto inhaled, exhaled, and forced a grin. "Y...Yeah! Totally! Just… got scared by my face."
Oscar studied him for a moment, then nodded.
"This will be painful," he said. "The crest marks the soul."
"Don't worry. I can take it, dattebayo!"
The soapstone pressed against his upper back, settling between his shoulder blades.
For a moment, nothing happened then the sensation turned inward. Not heat, but pressure as if something unseen were carving lines beneath his skin.
Naruto sucked in a sharp breath as the feeling spread through muscle and bone, reaching deeper than pain ever should. His vision blurred, the world paling at the edges, and his body tensed as if bracing against an unseen weight.
It didn't feel like a burn.
It felt like his body was being marked for a purpose it could no longer refuse.
Naruto's jaw locked until his teeth ached. His breath shook, but he didn't cry out. Whatever this was, it wasn't something meant to be screamed through.
Time stretched thin.
An hour passed, or perhaps only minutes.
When it finally ended, Naruto staggered and dropped to one knee, palms striking the stone floor as he dragged in air like he'd been submerged too long.
The crest itself was a perfect circle formed its outer boundary, enclosing the mark like a seal. Within it lay a diamond, rotated so its points faced the cardinal directions. Nested inside the diamond was a single upright triangle. Within that triangle rested a hexagram, two interlocking triangles overlapping in quiet balance. At the very center sat a small circle, and within it, an eye.
Naruto touched it gingerly. "…Okay," he wheezed. "That sucked."
"You bore it well."
"So, how am I supposed to activate this thing?"
Oscar drew his sidesword, and Naruto instinctively gripped his tighter. His heart pounded in his chest as he realized that Oscar was going to teach him through battle.
The boy swung horizontally, aiming to catch Oscar off guard. But the knight moved with such ease, sidestepping the strike and countering with a light tap of his blade against Naruto's wrist.
"Stay focused."
Gritting his teeth, Naruto adjusted his grip and went in again. He raised the sword high and brought it down with all the force he could muster. Even with chakra reinforcement, Oscar blocked the blow effortlessly.
"Remember this. Strength is secondary. What matters is structure. If your edge is aligned and your joints are stacked, the force travels through the blade. If your angle is wrong, all the muscle in the world bleeds out through the wrists."
It was like the knight could predict everything Naruto was going to do before he even did it.
Frustrated, Naruto launched another attack, this time trying to follow up quickly with a second strike. But the next moment, Naruto felt the flat of Oscar's blade press against his side.
"You're too powerful, sensei," Naruto grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Don't be discouraged."
"Discouraged?!" the blonde cut him off, his voice rising. "I don't even know the meaning of that word!"
"Discouraged means—"
"Are you stupid or something?"
"You're the one who said you didn't know the meaning."
"Well, let's see if you can explain the meaning of this ass whooping! Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
In an instant, the courtyard was filled with twenty Narutos, all grinning confidently. He spread his clones out, trying to surround Oscar. This time, he thought, I'm going to overwhelm him. No more losing!
"Spells in a spar. A little unfair, don't you think?"
"All is fair in war and ass kicking, dattebayo!" all the clones shouted in unison before charging forward.
But that confidence quickly faded.
As soon as Naruto's clones started swinging their swords, things got… messy. They bumped into each other, some slashing too close, causing clones to pop in quick bursts of smoke. Inexperience was written all over the battlefield. Half of the army wiped itself out before even getting close to Oscar. By the time Naruto realized how bad things were, only a few of them were left standing.
Oscar did not even seem fazed as his sword flashed, stabbing one of the clones, which burst into smoke. "You need to learn battle formations for these… doppelgangers," he said as he casually struck down another clone with a precise thrust.
"I think I'll get the hang of it!" one of the remaining clones shouted as it rushed forward with a horizontal attack.
With a slight twist of his wrist, Oscar parried the sword, knocking it aside with a sharp clang. In the same motion, his sword shot forward in a clean thrust, catching the clone in the chest. Suddenly, the clones launched a barrage of shurikens. Naruto grinned, feeling like he finally had the upper hand. But just as he thought he had Oscar, the knight whipped out his shield, effortlessly blocking the kunai.
Naruto's smile faltered as Oscar charged with the shield in front.
Three of Naruto's clones rushed him, each using a heavy attack. For a moment, Naruto thought this would be it. Three against one. But Oscar blocked all three with ease, his shield taking the brunt of the attacks. Before Naruto could react, Oscar kicked the middle clone hard enough to make it pop into smoke.
The remaining two clones swung horizontally, hoping to catch him off guard. Oscar parried one of them with his shield, and to Naruto's shock, he turned his back to the other clone. Naruto expected the clone's sword to land a solid hit, but the blade clanged uselessly against Oscar's armour.
The armour was not just for show.
Oscar moved swiftly, popping the second clone with a stab and gut punching the last one so hard it dissolved into smoke. The courtyard was empty, nothing but the faint trails of dissipating chakra left behind.
Oscar stood in the center of the courtyard, looking around.
"Squire," Oscar said, "miracles do not answer doubt. Believe, and the Crest will let you see as the gods intended from beyond your own eyes."
What does that even mean? Naruto thought. How can you believe an effect into existence?
Hidden slightly to the side, Naruto was using the Transformation Jutsu, coating himself in a thin layer of chakra to reflect and refract the light around him, effectively camouflaging himself. He had always used this jutsu as a gag by turning into a sexy woman for laughs. But now, he realized why they had been taught this technique. It was actually useful.
Naruto watched as Oscar scanned the area. He was getting closer… closer…
Now!
Naruto sprang from his hiding spot, going for a stab with all the force he could muster. But Oscar was not surprised. Instead, he stepped back just as Naruto's sword missed. And without hesitation, Oscar returned with another stab. It happened so fast that Naruto barely had time to react. His hands moved on instinct, reaching for the sealing scroll in his pocket. He activated it, releasing a puff of smoke and summoning a log in his place, the Substitution Jutsu saving him at the last second.
The log clattered to the ground as Naruto kicked off in a sharp, panicked surge.
The edges of the world collapsed inward, sound dulling, color smearing.
He didn't see it happen.
He just knew Oscar's sword was coming.
The certainty slammed into him fully formed, sharp and immediate, like instinct without explanation.
Now, something in him said.
Subconsciously, desperately, Naruto believed that the Crest would work. Believed that miracles answered conviction.
The orange sigil burned against his upper arm.
And the world pulled back.
Naruto no longer saw through his own eyes.
His awareness lifted, snapping into place behind and above his body, as if an invisible eye had seized his perspective and dragged it outward. He saw himself from a bird's view.
Oscar was there too.
The strike was obvious now.
Naruto adjusted without thinking.
From this distance, his movements made sense. He raised his blade not where the sword was, but where it would be. Steel met steel with a sharp crack, sparks bursting outward as the blow was turned aside rather than stopped. The impact still traveled through him, but it didn't break him.
He stayed standing.
The world snapped back into his mind all at once.
Naruto staggered, gasping, heart hammering so hard it drowned out everything else. His limbs shook violently, adrenaline still flooding his system, breath coming in sharp, uneven pulls.
"Congratulations," Oscar said. "You've just experienced the knight's sight."
Naruto gave a shaky nod, still catching his breath, mind racing as the moment replayed over and over.
"It is natural to feel unsteady. Seeing the world from above is overwhelming the first time. It is a way of sight few ever know. But with practice, your mind will learn how to trust it."
Naruto nodded, awareness split between his own eyes and the view hovering above him. It was disorienting and kind of awesome.
"Are you ready?"
Naruto opened his mouth to answer, then stopped. An idea hit him. He made thirty clones. "Sensei, I've got an idea that could help me train both the knight's sight and swordsmanship."
"Go on."
"When I saved you from the Asylum Demon, a bunch of clones popped. Same when we sparred. But when they did, I got all their memories."
"So your spell shares experience...?"
"Exactly. So; if I have my clones train with knight's sight while you work with me on swordplay, I can learn both ten times faster."
"By Gwyn's great beard, what sort of absurd magic is this?"
Naruto just grinned.
"Well, if it works, who am I to argue? Come, my squire. Let us train."
For the next few hours, Oscar stripped swordplay down to its bones. Again and again, he corrected Naruto's feet, his wrists, the angle of the edge. Each mistake was met with the same patience. Eventually, Oscar lowered his blade.
"Focus," he said.
Naruto straightened, panting slightly.
"You are trapped in the second stage," Oscar continued.
"The… second what?"
Oscar adjusted his stance, even at rest perfectly aligned. "When one first takes up the sword, there is unconscious incompetence. You do not know what you are doing wrong, because you do not yet understand what right looks like."
That sounded like Academy Naruto.
"Then comes conscious incompetence," Oscar said. "You now see every error. Your guard feels wrong. Your timing feels late. Every movement must be thought through. You hesitate, because you are aware of how much you do not yet know."
"That's exactly where I am."
"As most are, if they persist long enough." Oscar raised a finger. "The third stage is unconscious competence. Your body begins to move correctly on its own. Your edge aligns without effort. Your feet place themselves. You no longer name the action. You simply perform it."
He tapped his temple lightly.
"And the final stage is conscious competence. When instinct and thought are both available to you. When you may act without thinking. And still choose to think when the moment demands it."
Oscar lifted his sword again. "You are thinking like someone who has learned enough to doubt themselves. That is not failure. That is progress."
He met Naruto's eyes.
"But if you cling too tightly to the mechanics, you will remain stuck where you are. Do not abandon structure. But stop arguing with your own body."
Oscar settled into guard.
"Trust what you have already learned," he said. "And let it move."
After what felt like an entire day of training, they stood before a massive iron door, its surface eaten away by rust and age. Naruto couldn't help but feel small in its shadow. The door itself was intimidating, but not nearly as much as whatever was waiting for them on the other side.
"Sensei, I still haven't mastered the knight's sight. I've barely maintain it for 2 minutes before the migraine hits."
"The Knight's sight is mastered on the battlefield, my squire," Oscar replied. "With your strange spell, I'm sure you'll survive. If anything, it's I who should be afraid of dying."
"Don't say that!"
"Are you afraid?" Oscar asked, his voice gentle, but Naruto could feel the weight of his question. He wanted to lie, to seem braver than he was, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"I am… I'm scared."
To his surprise, Oscar didn't admonish him or call him a coward. "Good. Only the fool and the arrogant aren't afraid of the enemy. And remember, both don't live long."
Fear wasn't a weakness. It was a sign he understood the danger. He could work with that.
Together, they pushed the heavy iron doors open, the groan of metal echoing in the empty space.
On the other side was a massive, open-ceiling courtyard. The tiled floor beneath them was cracked and weathered, with a layer of dust and debris covering most of it. Tall stone pillars lined the edges, and to the left, a massive metal door stood closed, like a prison gate. Old, broken pots littered the space.
Then came the roar.
The asylum demon landed with a thundering crash, its hulking form blocking the massive black door at the far end of the courtyard.
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
His clones sprang to life, each one taking up position with shields interlocked, forming a makeshift wall between them and the demon.
The demon roared and leaped into the air. His heart dropped as Naruto watched its massive form come crashing down toward them. The ground shook, and a deafening crack rang out as the hammer slammed into the formation. Most of the clones popped on impact, their forms vanishing into smoke, but the shield wall had done its job. The shockwave was dulled, and through the smoke, Oscar and Naruto saw their chance.
They moved as one. From the sides, they flanked the demon. Naruto slashed with quick horizontal attacks, while Oscar raised his sword high with two hands and brought it down with a heavy, downward strike on its leg.
[Name: Asylum Demon]
[HP: 1980 / 2,195]
The demon's HP dropped, and for a brief moment, Naruto felt a surge of hope. They were doing it! But that hope was short-lived. The demon flapped its small wings, lifting its grotesque body a few feet into the air.
"Ha, scaredy cat!" Naruto thought, the adrenaline making him bold. But that thought immediately turned into regret as the wings suddenly stopped and gravity took over. The demon came crashing down with the force of a house falling from the sky.
Run!
Naruto barely had time to think, as his body acted on its own. He sprinted, but the shockwave that followed its landing was devastating. The ground rippled like an earthquake, and he felt himself lifted off his feet, slammed face-first into the tiles.
Naruto tried to push himself up, groaning from the pain that shot through his body. His arms and legs felt heavy, like lead. His head pounded, and he could feel blood dripping from his lip. He forced his eyes open just in time to see the demon raising its hammer, ready to swing it down on him.
Move!
Naruto's hand instinctively raised Oscar's shield.
The next thing the boy knew, he was thrown backward, the force of the impact sending him flying through the air. His body hurtled toward one of the stone pillars, and he barely had time to reinforce his arms and back with chakra before he slammed into it. The pain was intense, like a shockwave of agony radiating from his spine. But the chakra reinforcement saved him.
Naruto slid down the pillar, gasping for breath, his hands shaking from the adrenaline.
The asylum demon leaped from one side of the courtyard to the other. The blonde barely had time to react as he dodged and sprinted up a nearby pillar, the stone trembling beneath his feet as the demon's massive hammer crashed down with a thunderous slam.
"Why are you after me?!" he shouted, panic lacing his voice as he jumped off the pillar just before the demon's hammer shattered it to pieces. He landed behind the demon, panting heavily.
In that brief moment, the knight's sight kicked in, and Naruto saw the demon's next move.
A backspin attack.
But even though he could see it coming, he wasn't ready. He could barely move, let alone dodge the attack.
Just when Naruto thought he was done for, he felt Oscar's hand grab him, yanking him forward. The demon's backspin slammed into the metal door with a deafening crash, the impact so powerful it created a massive hole, revealing a potential way out.
Naruto summoned a group of shadow clones, sending them to distract the demon as he and Oscar sprinted toward the opening.
As they ran, the asylum demon rammed its hammer into the wall, creating an even bigger hole in the process. The ground shook as the wall collapsed, blocking the demon's path but leaving them to feel the staircase beneath them trembled.
"Are you okay?"
"I'll live," Naruto managed, his voice shaky. But the second he stopped, all the pain came rushing back. His back throbbed, his legs ached, and his head felt like it was going to split in two. Basic chakra control and body reinforcement weren't enough to protect him from all the injuries. He healed fast, sure, but he still hated the pain.
Something warm touched his lips. Naruto opened his eyes to see Oscar offering him one of those strange bottles he'd filled with bonfire earlier. He hesitated but took a sip, immediately feeling a rush of warmth flood through him.
It was like the bottle had lit a fire inside him, burning away the pain and healing his injuries in an instant.
"Better?"
"Yeah," Naruto said in amazement at the light that had engulfed his body, "I would be if I had some Ichiraku ramen."
Oscar hummed in response.
They descended down the staircase, which led into a room filled with old, stagnant water.
"How likely am I to die if I drink that water?"
"You'll live," Oscar said, knowing undead don't exactly get diseases.
Naruto paused, unable to see his reflection clearly in the water, and hesitated about drinking. Suddenly, a sharp sound snapped his attention away. He looked up to see an arrow flying straight toward his eye. His heart skipped a beat as Oscar reached out and caught the arrow just in time.
"Can't this world just give me a break?" Naruto groaned as he saw the hollow archer responsible for the shot. It had the nerve to turn and run as soon as it saw him notice.
"All yours."
"You don't have to tell me twice," Naruto grumbled, bolting after the hollow. His footsteps echoed as he sprinted along the broken pathway, the hollow always just a few steps ahead. He was about to throw a kunai, ready to impale the hollow's butt out of pure pettiness. But then something caught his eye.
An axe, lying in the hands of a hollow that had long since died.
Isn't that my class item? Naruto thought but didn't care how or why it was here. But as he hefted the axe, another arrow came whistling through the air. His instincts kicked in. He swung the axe, cutting through the arrow with a satisfying thunk. Another arrow came as Naruto dodged to the left. In one fluid motion, he charged forward and swung the axe, decapitating the hollow in a single, clean strike.
"Maybe I am getting the hang of this, dattebyo!" Naruto glanced to the side, his curiosity piqued as he noticed a path leading to an upper floor. "Isn't that…" he mumbled to himself, before calling out, "Sensei, come here!"
A minute later, they were standing on the upper floor, looking directly at the bonfire below.
"Should we go down? We could use the grappling hook."
The asylum demon was still down there, thankfully oblivious to their presence for the time being.
"So, what now?" Naruto asked, feeling the weight of the situation press down on him. Oscar looked up. Above them, there was another floor.
"We should do a plunge attack."
"From the top floor?" Naruto felt a spark of excitement at the idea. He could already picture it in his head, dropping down on that giant demon from above like some kind of super ninja.
They quickly scanned the area, their eyes darting left and right. Both paths seemed to lead upward, to the top of the building. Without waiting for Oscar to say anything, Naruto took off toward the right as he reached the stairs, only to find them destroyed into rubble. But there was a weird ring,sitting right in the middle of one of the upper stairs. His fist lightly tapped his palm as he remembered the ring section in his inventory.
"This had to be important, right?"
Naruto summoned some shadow clones and had them form a ladder, their bodies interlocking to help him reach the ring. Climbing up, he grabbed the old rusted iron ring.
"Sensei, what is this thing?"
"That's a magic ring."
"You're kidding!"
"No, I'm surprised you found one."
"Why?"
"Well, Magic rings are incredibly rare treasures that are created by beings who can imbue pieces of their soul into the item, creating a magical phenomenon," Oscar explained, his tone calm, though Naruto could tell even he hadn't expected this.
The boy cheered, excited by the prospect of owning something so rare and powerful.
Without hesitation, he slipped the ring onto his finger, feeling the rusted metal press against his skin. He waited, expecting something to happen, maybe a rush of power or a flash of magic. But… nothing.
"How could a magic ring do absolutely nothing?" Naruto glared at it in frustration, about to yank it off when, suddenly, a system window popped up in front of him.
[ Item: Rusted Iron Ring ]
[ Description: This iron ring was used to shackle the guilty. It is terribly rusted, and faintly stained with blood. Those who find this strange ring to their liking will be pleased to find it easier to gain footing on poor ground such as swamps. ]
"Do you want this useless piece of junk?"
"You are its finder, my squire. Let's wait and see what its magic effect is."
Naruto sighed, glancing at the system window. "It helps me gain footing on poor ground…" he muttered, clearly unimpressed. "Useless."
Without warning, Oscar shoved him, catching Naruto off guard. His body reacted instinctively, and he immediately caught his balance.
"Hey! What's the big deal?" Naruto snapped, annoyed, as he looked at Oscar. But Oscar just pointed at his feet.
"What?"
"You regained your footing immediately when I pushed you."
"Yeah?"
"The ring helped you regain your footing. If you're ever in a situation where you're about to trip or fall, you can regain your balance. That's the magic of the ring," Oscar explained.
"So, you are telling me that I need to see the usefulness even in things that seem useless, right?"
"No," Oscar said flatly, surprising Naruto.
"Hey! Then what was the lesson?"
Oscar glanced at the ring. "It is a stupid ring."
Naruto could tell Oscar was joking, so he played along, clutching the ring dramatically. "But it's my precious, you can't have it!"
They both chuckled as they walked ahead, but their lighthearted moment was cut short by a deep rumbling sound. They turned just in time to see a giant iron ball thundering down the stairs. Naruto quickly channeled chakra into his legs and leapt upward, dodging the trap. Oscar rolled forward, narrowly avoiding the ball as it crashed through the wall behind them, leaving shattered stone in its wake. The sheer force of the impact showed just how deadly it would have been if it hit.
Without hesitation, the knight surged forward and cut down the hollow that had sent the iron ball rolling. As the body collapsed, Naruto jogged after him, sounding far more upbeat than the situation deserved.
"Hey, sensei! So, uh, I kinda put that giant iron ball in my inventory."
Oscar paused, turning just enough to glance at him.
"We should totally use it to crack the Asylum Demon's skull," Naruto added, grinning.
After what felt like forever, Oscar finally spoke. "Naruto, you're not from this world."
Naruto blinked in disbelief. "What? What do you mean I'm… not from here?" he stammered, completely caught off guard. This whole time, he'd just assumed this place was some hidden part of konoha, a weird prison maybe. But another world?
"That explains a great deal," Oscar said at last as he eased himself down beside Naruto. "There were things that never quite added up. You accessing an inventory without a bottomless box… and your rather unusual way of looking at the world."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Naruto, you're… brighter than anyone I've met in Lordran," Oscar said, like he was choosing his words carefully. "You joke, you laugh… even when you're in danger. No one here acts like that. Even the children of Astora don't fool around the way you do. They're cautious. Untrusting. Afraid."
"What kind of stupid world is this?"
He hadn't meant it to come out so harshly, but he couldn't help it. The thought of kids not being able to mess around, not getting to laugh, to be kids… it was wrong. Sure, he hadn't exactly had the best childhood in Konoha, but he'd found ways to make it fun. He'd been a prankster, a fool, just to get a reaction. Just to get noticed. Even if it was for the wrong reasons, it was better than sinking into loneliness.
But here? Where even kids had to be afraid and serious just to survive? That wasn't a life.
"Life here… is harsh. Fear can become a shield, but it's a heavy one to carry, especially for children."
"But… why's it gotta be like that?"
Oscar sighed. "That… is a long story." He hesitated, then slowly reached up, removing his helmet. Beneath the metal was a hollowed face, an eerie reflection of Naruto's own form here. But despite the wear and darkness, there was something familiar.
Blonde hair.
"Guess we've got more in common than I thought, huh?"
"Naruto," Oscar asked quietly, "have you ever wondered what the world was like at the very beginning?"
"Uh… I dunno? Pretty shitty, since they didn't have ramen?"
Oscar let out a soft chuckle. "In the Age of Ancients, the world was unformed. Shrouded in fog. There were no kingdoms, no people as we know them. Only gray crags, towering archtrees, and everlasting dragons that ruled over everything."
"Okay, yeah, that already sounds bad. Dragons as in huge, fire-breathing lizard?"
"Ancient dragons," Oscar said. "Timeless. Their scales were like stone. They did not rot, did not age. The world did not change."
"…That sounds boring," Naruto muttered.
Oscar nodded slightly. "And then, one day, fire appeared."
Naruto perked up. "Fire fixes everything."
"With fire came disparity. Heat and cold. Life and death. Light and dark. For the first time, the world could change." Oscar paused before continuing. "And from the dark, beings emerged. Drawn to the flame. Within it, they found great power. Souls. The Souls of Lords."
"So… super important souls," Naruto said.
"Yes. The first of the dead, Nito. The Witch of Izalith andher daughters of Chaos. Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight,and his knights." Oscar's voice lowered. "And one more. The Furtive Pygmy. So easily forgotten."
"If he's that important, why does nobody remember him?"
Oscar's mouth curved faintly. "Because he was small. Quiet. And because his soul was different."
"What kind of different?"
"The Dark Soul," Oscar said. "While the others wielded their power openly, the Pygmy divided his. Shared it. From that act, humanity was born."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait—so humans came from the Dark Soul?"
"Yes," Oscar said. "That darkness you carry inside you? It is older than the Age of Fire itself."
"…EH?!"
Oscar continued, "With the power of the Lords, war was waged against the dragons. Gwyn's lightning tore through their stone scales. The Witch unleashed firestorms. Nito spread death and disease. And Seath the Scaleless betrayed his own kind."
Naruto swallowed.
"And thus began the Age of Fire."
Oscar fell silent for a moment.
"But fire does not last forever," he said at last. "It fades. And when it does, only dark remains. Even now, the flame is little more than embers. Night stretches longer. And among humans appears the Darksign.
Naruto's mind wandered to the ring of flame sealed inside the forbidden scroll.
"The mark of the accursed. In this land, the Undead are gathered, sent north, and locked away. To wait for the end of the world." Oscar looked at Naruto then, meeting his eyes. "And now, that fate has reached you as well."
Naruto let out a long breath, trying to make sense of everything. "But… I wasn't gathered," he said slowly. "I just touched this Darksign thing and suddenly I was here."
Oscar's expression softened, an apologetic look crossing his face. "I wish I had a clear answer for you, my squire. All I know are rumors. As the Age of Fire weakens, the boundaries between worlds grow thin. Barriers between places, between even different timelines, begin to fray. When that happens, Lordran draws in those it should never have touched."
He paused, then added quietly, "Maybe, you were caught in that pull."
"So… how do I go back?"
Naruto tried to sound casual, but even to him, the question sounded desperate. Konoha was still his home. He didn't belong here in this place of endless decay.
"You miss it, don't you? Your home?"
"I mean… it's not like there's anyone waiting for me."
"You're an orphan?"
Naruto nodded, the word hanging heavily between them.
"That explains why you're so… full of life."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"When you've known loneliness… true loneliness… sometimes all you can do is laugh. It's the only way to keep the darkness from swallowing you whole."
Naruto looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the same loneliness he'd seen in his own reflection so many times before.
"Yeah… Beats the alternative, right?"
They sat in silence that spoke louder than words. In that moment, they both understood what it was to be alone and, somehow, to keep going. For the first time since he'd arrived, Naruto didn't feel quite so far from home.
"Do you still want to go back?" Oscar asked after a while.
"Yeah. My home might be crap, but it's better than this. Plus, the ramen is great there."
Naruto tried to laugh, but it came out weaker than he wanted.
"I'm sorry, but… I don't know how you can go back to your home."
Naruto wasn't sure how to feel. Part of him wanted to freak out, but another part… "Well, a break from Konoha does sound nice," he said, half-joking but half-meaning it.
Oscar watched him closely, probably trying to figure out if Naruto was putting on a brave face or if he really meant it.Honestly? Naruto wasn't sure either. He'd always looked on the bright side of things, and maybe this was just another thing to deal with. Or maybe… his life back home wasn't all that great, and he didn't mind the idea of a break from it.
Oscar stood up, his armor clinking softly. "Well, it doesn't matter. As long as you're here, I'll stand beside you as a teacher and as a friend."
The knight held out his hand. For a second, Naruto just stared at it. No one had ever offered him something like that before. A genuine smile spread across Naruto's face. As he clasped Oscar's hand, and Oscar helped him to his feet.
"Let's go kick this demon's ass."
The third floor of the asylum was a broken hall under a sky that seemed forever gray. The roof had long since crumbled, leaving debris scattered across the floor. But what caught Naruto's attention wasn't the destruction.
It was the land outside.
Instead of the lush green forests of Konoha, all Naruto could see were jagged mountains, rising like prison bars around the asylum. The air was cold, with a biting wind that whipped around him, tugging at his clothes and cutting through his skin like a kunai. Suddenly, Naruto felt warmth in the icy air. He turned, his eyes locking onto a corpse slumped against the wall. Unlike the hollows they'd fought before, this one looked more… human. But that wasn't what caught his eye. It was the embers glowing faintly on the fingers, as though they were still clinging to life even after death.
"Pyromancy Flame," Oscar whispered, breaking the silence beside him.
"What's that?"
"It's an item that can help pyromancers use flame arts."
That's what I need to use fireballs!
Without thinking, Naruto rushed forward, excitement bubbling in his chest. But a gut feeling, a sense that something wasn't right. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the corners of the hall.
Something felt off.
Naruto hurled a kunai toward the shadows. The sound echoed through the area, and sure enough, a few hollows began limping toward them.
"Good call," Naruto muttered to himself as he grabbed a few more shuriken. It was as good a time as any to practice. One of them dropped after the third kunai, while the other kept coming until Oscar stepped in and cut it down with a clean swing of his sword. The last hollow at the end of the hall was different. It was armored while holding a spear and shield.
"Remember, Naruto," Oscar said calmly, "There are two ways to deal with a spear, or any weapon with long reach."
Naruto hummed.
"One is to keep your distance. The other is to get so close that the weapon's range becomes its weakness."
Naruto nodded, fully understanding the strategy. Neither he nor the hollow moved. It stood there, waiting, its spear tip gleaming in the light.
"Your turn," Oscar said, stepping aside.
"Oh yeah!" Naruto shouted as he suddenly remembered the pyromancy flame. Without wasting a second, he sprinted toward it.
The pyromancy flame still glowed faintly on the corpse's hand. Naruto reached out and touched it, and as soon as his fingers made contact, the embers seemed to come alive. They slithered like vines, crawling up his arm, their heat warming his skin. The ashes of the corpse blew away in the wind, swirling in the air before magically attaching themselves to his hand.
"Naruto!" Oscar called from behind him, pulling his attention back to the battlefield.
The boy turned to see the undead spearman marching toward them. "I'm going to do a fireball, sensei! Back up, I don't want you to get hurt."
Naruto instinctively knew how to use this new power. It wasn't like chakra. This energy was different; more violent and chaotic. A beautiful orb of fire formed in his palm. The heat radiated from it, making the air shimmer.
The undead soldier paused in fear, raising its shield.
As it left his hand, Naruto felt a little disappointed as it wasn't as big as Sasuke's fireballs. But that disappointment vanished the moment it hit the soldier.
BOOM!
Flames erupted in a massive explosion. The blast was so intense that the walls themselves were charred black, and the undead soldier was engulfed in the inferno.
"Holy shit! My flames are definitely stronger than Sasuke's, right, sensei?"
"It's not dead," Oscar said calmly, and sure enough, the soldier walked out of the fire, its armor and spear melting. But it didn't stop. It started running toward him, faster than Naruto expected. His heart leapt into his throat as it charged. Acting on instinct, he swung his sword, slicing its neck clean through.
The soldier crumbled into a lifeless heap at his feet.
"Always make sure the enemy is down. Don't turn your back on them until you're certain."
Naruto nodded, taking Oscar's advice to heart. That had been way too close for comfort.
Suddenly, the entire place shook, the ground rumbling beneath their feet. The knight and the boy turned to the side, and there down below, pacing back and forth, was the asylum demon.
"Looks like our friend is getting anxious."
Oscar glanced at him, his calm demeanor never faltering. "This battle will be different, Naruto. Are you ready?"
"You bet! Let's take this thing down for good."
Oscar launched himself into the air and driving his sword down in a vicious plunge attack onto the demon's head. His blade cut deep, slicing off part of the demon's tree-like horns. The impact was so powerful it sent a spray of blood and ichor splattering across the ground, the demon roaring in pain. The knight landed in a roll, quickly making his way toward the gate as Naruto summoned dozens of shadow clones. They leaped toward the asylum demon, but none of them attacked. Instead, they popped, creating a massive cloud of smoke that engulfed the monster.
From the high ground, Naruto released a fireball, using the smoke as cover. The fireball soared through the air and exploded on the demon's face, flames licking up its grotesque features.
But the demon was tougher than expected.
It roared in fury, and its hammer shot up, smashing into the platform where Naruto stood. But the Knight's sight had kicked in helping him jump just in time, narrowly avoiding being crushed as the upper floor was obliterated beneath him.
Naruto summoned more clones and used them as a launchpad to propel himself back into the fight.
Meanwhile, Oscar charged in with a two-handed grip on his sword, delivering a devastating horizontal slice across the demon's midsection. The blade cut deep, blood spraying from the wound as the demon let out a guttural roar of agony.
"Sensei, dodge!" Naruto shouted as he landed, seeing the demon wind up for another attack. Oscar rolled to the side just in time, and Naruto took the opportunity to hurl another fireball. This time, he aimed for the Achilles tendon, the fireball exploding on impact. A chunk of the demon's leg was blown off in a fiery blast. Blood and chunks of flesh flying everywhere as the massive creature collapsed to one knee, roaring in pain.
The demon's wings flared open suddenly, and Naruto knew what was coming next. The demon began to rise, preparing for its butt-shockwave attack. Oscar and Naruto were near the gate, just outside the immediate area of effect.
"Now!" Naruto shouted, and his clones responded instantly, hurling fireballs at the demon. Each fireball exploded on contact, covering the creature in flames but it wasn't done.
With a savage roar, it lunged toward them.
Naruto barely had time to react when he felt Oscar's boot hit his back, shoving him forward. He stumbled, his jaw dropping as he saw his teacher do the impossible. Oscar parried the demon's giant swing, his sword cutting cleanly through the head of the demon's massive hammer. In one fluid motion, Oscar moved in for the kill, his blade plunging deep into the demon's stomach.
The demon screamed in a horrendous, bloodcurdling sound as its stomach split open.
Thick and dark blood pooled on the ground beneath it. Its intestines spilling out in long, grotesque ropes, steam rising from the exposed organs. The creature's body convulsed, twitching as the flames continued to burn through its skin.
[ Name: Asylum Demon ]
[ HP: 980 / 2,195 ]
For a moment, Naruto almost felt sorry for the thing.
But then, the hairs on his arms stood on end as the asylum demon lifted the broken handle of its hammer. He watched in disbelief as the handle began to twist and warp, almost like it was alive. The demon's hammer morphed into a staff, pulling the broken pots around them into its grip, fusing them together to form a jagged obsidian edge.
For some reason, its name change.
[ Name: Stray Demon ]
[ HP: 980 / 2,195 ]
Without wasting a second, Naruto threw his hands together and shouted, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Dozens of clones appeared in a puff of smoke, charging toward the demon in unison.
The demon swung wide with its new staff, and most of Naruto's clones dodged it with ease.
But then... Bang!
A deafening explosion ripped through the air. His ears rang, his head spun, and he barely registered the red flash of light before he hit the ground. His body screamed in pain, and he gasped for breath, trying to figure out what had just happened. His clones... most of them were gone. They had popped almost instantly, wiped out by whatever that blast was.
This demon can use ninjutsu?
The thought clawed its way through the haze in his mind. Before he could fully gather himself, he saw the demon again, gripping its staff like a baseball bat. He could barely react as it swung towards him, the jagged edge of the staff gleaming as it cut through the air with terrifying speed.
Naruto tried to move, but his body felt like it was moving through mud. His muscles refused to listen, still reeling from whatever weird spell had knocked him down. His chest tightened, and the cold realization hit him hard: I can't dodge this.
Is this the end?
The thought barely had time to form before the staff was already swinging toward him, the world stretching into a slow, horrible crawl. Suddenly, Oscar lunged into the path of the blow, shield raised just in time. The demon's staff struck with a thunderous crack, the impact violent enough to hurl Oscar off his feet. He was thrown through the air like a broken doll, crashing into the second-floor wall with a bone-rattling bang.
The blow sent the knight flying but it was deflected away from the boy.
"SENSEI?!" Naruto screamed, his eyes darted back to the demon, and it smiled at him.
A grotesque, mocking grin that made his blood boil.
Something inside Naruto snapped. His chakra surged violently, flooding his body as blue energy flared outward in a sudden, blazing rush, rippling through the air around him like living flame.
Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!
A hundred... no, a thousand clones burst into existence, filling the courtyard. The sound of battle cries echoed around him as his clones charged, hand axes raised, each one filled with the same rage that burned in his chest. This demon wasn't going to get away with this.
The asylum demon slammed its staff into the ground.
The staff began to glow with a deep, pulsing red light emanating from it. Before Naruto could even process what was happening, the demon raised the staff high, and an orb of red energy formed at the tip. It hovered there for a brief second, crackling with power.
No…
Then it exploded.
The shockwave hit Naruto like a tidal wave, and in an instant, he felt everything. Thousands of thoughts, memories and fear, it all flooded into him like a crashing wave. His mind felt like it was being torn apart, the sheer overload too much to handle.
I… can't… breathe…
The orb's energy reached him. The sensation was like nothing he'd ever felt before like his body was being unraveled thread by thread.
There was no heat, no sensation, just a growing void where his body should've been. His mind screamed for something to hold onto, but there was nothing. He couldn't even tell where his body ended and the nothingness began.
His vision blurred, and all the sounds of battle faded into silence.
There was no more pain, but it wasn't relief.
It was terrifying.
[ YOU DIED.]
Author's Note
And with that, Chapter One is done. I hope you guys enjoyed what I've set up so far.
Now let's get into a short Q and A section where I answer some questions I think you might have, clear up a bit of Dark Souls lore, and explain some of my creative decisions.
1. Will Naruto be traveling between worlds?
Yes.
This was a big decision early on because it completely shapes the kind of story this is. A story where Naruto is trapped in Lordran and completely cut off from his own world would be very different from one where he can move between Lordran and Konoha.
This story is the second option.
Naruto will be able to travel between the two worlds. What happens in Lordran will affect the Naruto world, and what happens in the Naruto world will affect how he survives and grows in Lordran. He is not just visiting one world and ignoring the other.
More details on how that works will be explained naturally as the story continues.
2. Why did Oscar teach Naruto Light Cut and Heavy Cut instead of real swordsmanship?
This one is pretty simple. In Dark Souls, your basic melee options are light and heavy attacks, and I thought it would be a fun nod to build that into the story right from the start.
Also, this is still the prologue. There just isn't enough time for Naruto to learn proper swordsmanship in a meaningful way yet. Right now, basics are enough to get him through what's coming.
That said, Naruto will learn real swordsmanship as the story progresses. He can study kenjutsu back in Konoha, and he can also learn from NPCs in Lordran who actually know how to fight with a blade. This is just the starting point.
3. Why is Naruto smart all of a sudden?
Yeah, this one probably stood out to some people.
In this chapter, Naruto is definitely sharper than his early canon self. For example, he figures out the shadow clone memory training trick months, or honestly years, before Shippuden Naruto ever did. Canon Naruto had that jutsu for a long time, and it still took Kakashi spelling it out before he realized how useful it was. We all know that was Kishimoto pulling a retcon, but in-universe it makes Naruto look slower than he really should be. I know there are fanon explanations for this, but let's not dive into that rabbit hole right now.
So how is this Naruto smarter if he's still canon Naruto who just got thrown into Lordran?
The answer is the class selection. That process changed his base stats, including Intelligence. Those stat changes don't just affect combat. They influence how he thinks, adapts, and learns.
Now, a smarter Naruto comes with a risk I see in a lot of fanfics. He either turns into an out-of-character genius or basically becomes Sasuke 2.0.
That's not what I want.
My goal is to let Naruto become smarter without stripping away his personality and charm. On top of that, Intelligence isn't something he can just max out overnight. It takes time, effort, and a lot of grinding. As the story goes on, Naruto will be forced to deal with more mature situations, especially since jumping between worlds tends to attract attention. That growth will happen gradually, alongside the stats, not all at once.
4. How can Oscar and Naruto understand each other?
This is probably the biggest question most isekai stories love to ignore, so I figured I should address it directly.
The answer is simple: the system handles translation.
Anything Naruto says in Japanese, or whatever language is spoken in the Naruto world, is automatically translated for Oscar. Likewise, anything spoken in Astora is translated for Naruto. From their perspectives, it just feels natural, like they're speaking the same language.
That said, the system isn't perfect.
If a word or concept doesn't exist in the other world, it doesn't get translated. It just carries over as-is. That's why words like sensei don't automatically make sense to Oscar, and why things like dattebayo stay untranslated.
So basic communication works smoothly, but cultural terms, titles, and verbal quirks still stand out. I wanted to keep that distinction because it makes the conversations feel more grounded and avoids turning translation into a handwave that erases cultural differences entirely.
5. What is the Knight's Crest or Knight's Sight?
This is my in-world explanation for the lock-on mechanic in Dark Souls.
Since Dark Souls is a game first, I wanted to translate some of its mechanics into something that actually makes sense in a narrative. Especially combat mechanics. A huge part of what makes Dark Souls fun is how it plays, and I didn't want to ignore that just because this is a story. You'll see me do this with other systems later on. Yes, things like i-framesare coming.
Souls games are played from a third-person perspective, so the Knight's Crest or Knight's Sight is basically that. Naruto now has a way of perceiving the battlefield that exists outside of his normal vision.
There was also a practical reason for this choice. Real knight armor, especially helmets, had a massive flaw. Visibility was terrible. Narrow eye slits, limited peripheral vision, and restricted awareness were just part of wearing a helm. Against shinobi who already move incredibly fast and against the fantasy monsters of Lordran, Naruto fighting in armor would be a problem without some kind of workaround. The crest solves that issue cleanly.
Lore-wise, I wanted the crest to fit naturally into Dark Souls. We already know that magic writing/runes exist in the setting. You can see this clearly with things like the demonic runes binding the Bed of Chaos. So I expanded on that idea and introduced miracle runes, with the Knight's Crest being one of them. I chose the crest motif intentionally. Oscar drops the Crest Shield. Solaire wears a sun crest on his armor. Crests already exist visually in Dark Souls, so I leaned into that.
Additional Lore of Darksouls: Faith, Miracles, and Why the Knight's Crest Works?
One of the most interesting stats in Dark Souls lore is Faith, and I don't think it works the way the gods want people to believe it does.
Take Sunlight Spear from Dark Souls III.
Description: Miracle of Gwyn, the First Lord. Hurls a sunlight spear. The tales of Gwyn's Archdragon hunts describe the inception of the Age of Fire.
On the surface, this suggests miracles are gifts directly granted by gods.
But that explanation falls apart pretty quickly.
We can still cast Nito's miracles long after killing him. If the god in question is dead, then he clearly isn't actively granting power. That means miracles are not divine favors in the traditional sense.
The Archdeacon's Staff hints at this even further. Its description: The Archdeacon McDonnell's trespass, the sin of channeling faith for sorcery, transformed what was once merely a symbol of ecclesiastic authority into a catalyst for sorceries.
That line is important, because it acknowledges something dangerous. Faith does not actually come from the gods.The gods simply want people to think it does.
What Faith really represents is belief. Not belief in a god, but belief in an outcome.
In other words, Faith in Dark Souls is closer to a form of belief-based reality manipulation. You believe something strongly enough, perform the proper ritual, and the world responds.
This also explains why miracles require chimes, talismans, and specific prayers. You cannot simply decide to throw lightning out of your hand. But if you know that others have done it through a ritual, with a chime and a prayer, then it becomes believable. The tool, the words, and the tradition make the miracle feel real enough for your belief to manifest it.
As the Age of Fire faded and the gods lost their hold on the world, this became even clearer.
Near the end of Lothric's era in Ds3, humans began creating miracles that had nothing to do with the ancient gods at all. In the Cathedral of the Deep, the deacons twisted their faith toward the Deep itself, producing heretical miracles like Gnaw that drew power from stagnant darkness rather than divinity. In Londor, the Sable Church spread miracles centered on the suffering and salvation of Hollows, allowing people to draw power from their own darkness.
At that point, the subject of faith was no longer gods. It was people. Undead. Hollows. Belief turned inward.
That idea is the lore explanation for the Knight's Crest.
The crest works because Naruto, subconsciously, has enough belief in Oscar for it to function. He accepts that this world operates on rules, that knights see and fight a certain way, and that belief allows the effect to manifest. The crest is not powered by a god watching over him. It is powered by faith in the role he is stepping into.
In Dark Souls, that is more than enough.