168. [The Elden Championship - Officially Begins]
Standing atop the high walls of the Leyndell Royal Capital, Xiling gazed at the awe-inspiring spectacle in the distance, letting out a deep sigh, his voice tinged with helpless weariness:
"Sigh... how did it end up like this?"
At the edge of his vision, dozens of mages from the same magical school floated in the air, their magic intertwining into dazzling bands of light, collectively constructing a gigantic magic circle covering the entire sky. Driven by this immense magical power, the earth rumbled, rocks, soil, and even deeply buried mineral veins were uprooted by an invisible force, merging and shaping themselves like liquid. A gigantic circular arena, tens of kilometers in diameter, was rising from the ground at a visible speed!
"Alright, that's enough of the nonsense." The Tarnished shrugged and patted Xiling on the shoulder.
"Just treat it like watching a match. Just sit there quietly."
After Xiling greeted everyone, he stated his request. He needed some manpower for another mission, and after much thought, he decided to come to the Elden Ring World to ask for help. A few dozen people would be enough, but when Xiling spoke these words, the crowd below became even more enthusiastic.
"We'll go through fire and water for the Silver King!"
"We are willing to follow our King and conquer all sides!"
"Choose me! Choose me!"
The deafening roar of voices both moved and gave Xiling a headache—there were just too many people! Just as he was overwhelmed by the overwhelming enthusiasm, a clear, cool voice pierced the clamor:
"Then why not hold a grand knightly duel?"
Princess Ranni of the Moon emerged from the magic laboratory, her voice calm:
"The victor wins glory, and the right to follow the King; the loser… will accept defeat wholeheartedly, with no further objections."
This proposal, so characteristic of the Land Between's tradition, instantly ignited everyone's passion. And so, the matter was settled.
"Such a grand event has been unseen for a long time in the Land Between's long history," Radagon's steady voice rang out, tinged with deep emotion.
"To be precise," Ranni added softly, "it's an unprecedented spectacle. Even the Golden Tree's most glorious era couldn't match it."
This was not only because the current level of magical skill had far surpassed the brilliance of the Golden Tree era, but also because the Land Between of the past was filled with divine intrigue, broken conspiracies, and endless wars, making it impossible to muster the strength for such a pure selection and celebration.
Xiling gazed at the distant outline of the arena, knowing further words were futile. He turned his head, his gaze falling on Ranni, who stood beside him. Immersed in the Silver Rule, her once exquisite but cold doll-like body had transformed into a vibrant and powerful Silver Citizen.
"How do you feel now? Is there anything... that's bothering you?" Xiling asked softly, as this concerned one of the core manifestations of the Silver Rule.
Ranni shook her head slightly:
"No discomfort whatsoever. Quite the opposite..." Her silver eyes looked at Xiling, "It can perceive the essence of magic more clearly than any flesh and blood body, and bear the weight of vast knowledge."
The bodies of the Silver Citizens are the sublimation of life's essence by the Silver Rule. Every contribution, every act of unwavering faith, every exploration and innovation into the unknown, transforms into tangible blessings, constantly tempering and strengthening their bodies and souls.
Ranni—a genius among geniuses, the queen of all magicians—with her unparalleled talent and tireless research, mastered the magical texts and knowledge brought from another world by Xiling, the Tarnished, and others, creating countless unprecedented magical systems and disseminating them unreservedly throughout the Silver Dynasty.
The depth of her accumulated Silver Blessing is likely greater than that of anyone else.
Hearing Ranni's affirmative reply, Xiling's heart finally settled:
"It's good that there's no problem. If you feel unwell, be sure to tell me." Just then, the members of the chat group arrived in the Elden Ring World one after another.
"Holy crap…this change is too outrageous!" Kevin looked around the newly renovated Leyndell Royal Capital, almost unable to connect the scene before him with the ancient, solemn, and scarred golden capital of his memory.
"After all, time moves forward." The Tarnished raised an eyebrow, a hint of smugness in his voice.
"And did you think I went to those worlds just for fun?"
Leyndell Royal Capital had been completely transformed—clear artificial rivers meandered through the city's fabric, nourishing lush flowerbeds and meticulously planned fields on both banks. Towering Gothic spires stood side-by-side with modernist skyscrapers, and steampunk-style gear towers might be next to clusters of treehouses entwined with vines… They coexisted harmoniously, weaving together a strange and wondrous scene.
Even more astonishingly, accompanied by a deep hum, a magically powered levitation train sped past on its tracks beneath the city walls, creating a gust of wind. In the instant the train passed, a clear, vibrant cry of a newborn baby could be faintly heard in the wind—the first newborns born after the Silver Age, when peace had truly taken root!
Hearing this sound, several people who had participated in the reconstruction of the world smiled in unison.
This was the result of their collective efforts.
"You even made this thing? That's a bit outrageous, isn't it?" Xiling exclaimed sincerely, watching the hover train roar past and disappear into the distance.
"It's a piece of cake." The Tarnished crossed his arms, chin slightly raised, his tone brimming with undisguised pride.
"There are many more amazing things you haven't seen yet." Possessing [Gifted Wisdom], he could understand the principles and turn them into reality; this creativity was a perfect fusion of magic and engineering.
"Tsk tsk tsk, I'm actually quite curious." Kevin put his arm around the Tarnished's shoulder, winking and leaning closer.
"Tell me honestly, what else have you been secretly creating?"
The Tarnished twisted away from Kevin's grasp, laughed heartily, and spread his arms triumphantly, pointing down at the Leyndell Royal Capital:
"There are so many! The answer is in this city! Go and search, you'll find my masterpieces everywhere!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Kyuushou jumped up impatiently: "I'm going!"
Luo Tianyi also quickly raised her little hand: "Me too!"
"Count me in." Elaina, wearing a pointed witch's hat, softly echoed while pulling the brim down to cleverly cover most of her face.
Xiling glanced at the colossal arena rising ever higher amidst the distant rumble, estimating they still had time, and joined in with a smile:
"Looks like the treasure hunt team's about to set off? Let's all go together."
And so, the group of ten—eight from the chat group, plus Placidusax and Radagon, strolled through the streets of the Leyndell Royal Capital.
"Refrigerators, washing machines, fans, air conditioners, microwaves… goodness, I won't even list all the other appliances. What else haven't you gotten?" Xiling couldn't help but complain.
Kevin looked at a magically powered automatic bakery nearby and shook his head: "Tarnished, are you sure your main profession is a mage, and not some kind of inventor?"
The Tarnished shrugged, looking completely matter-of-fact:
"Oh, it's all for everyone's benefit! With these things, the quality of life has skyrocketed, hasn't it?"
"Indeed," Radagon nodded steadily, "With these convenient things, people's lives are so much better than in the Golden Tree era."
His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible complex emotion encompassing both admiration and regret.
"Hehe, I told you this is just an appetizer." The Tarnished waved his hand, a mysterious smile on his face.
Lemuen, standing nearby, keenly caught his expression, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"Oh? From what you're saying… the big one is coming?"
"That's right!" The Tarnished snapped his fingers, drawing everyone's attention.
"Theoretically, with omnipotent magic, our world can imitate anything materially. But there's one thing that represents more than just convenience; it represents a completely new way of connecting… something our land truly lacks."
He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, as if waiting for their reaction.
"For example?" the chat group members eagerly asked in unison.
The Tarnished took a deep breath, spread his hands, and announced in a booming voice:
"The Internet!"
"The Internet?"
This word made everyone stop in their tracks, staring at him in astonishment.
Kyuushou blinked, asking incredulously, "Tar... Tarnished? The internet you're talking about, do you mean... the internet like in our world? Or..."
"That's right! It's the concept of the internet!" The Tarnished laughed triumphantly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"But unlike the internet in the modern world, our internet transmits... magic! We call it—the Magic Network!"
Just then, the air in front of everyone slightly distorted, and a familiar figure emerged—it was Ranni, who had left earlier.
"The magic of the world is not isolated; it's like an invisible ocean, omnipresent and interconnected, capable of carrying and modifying information fluctuations." Ranni, acting as the most professional explainer, fluently explained the principles:
"After learning about the concepts of 'big data' and 'the internet' in other worlds, we established the 'Magic Network Research Group.' The core lies in utilizing the stable magic conduction properties of immortal dragon scales, combined with the resonance amplification effect of special minerals, and supplemented by our improved global resonance magic array, ultimately creating several magic signal receiving and transmitting sources that can cover the entire border region..."
She explained in detail the complex magic array structure, rune combinations, and energy flow design. However, apart from the Tarnished, who were equally proficient in this field and nodded frequently, everyone else's faces were filled with a clear bewilderment—"I understand every word, but I don't understand the whole picture"—only the phrase "Holy crap, awesome!" playing on a loop in their minds.
Just as Ranni was getting more and more engrossed in her explanation, seemingly about to delve into the energy conversion efficiency of a certain secondary rune circuit, Radagon coughed softly:
"Ranni."
Ranni's words came to an abrupt halt. Looking at the several pairs of eyes filled with "though they didn't understand, they were greatly shocked," she instantly realized she had been talking to a brick wall. A rare, faint hint of embarrassment flashed across her delicate face, and she nodded slightly:
"...I'm sorry, I lost my composure."
With that, her figure vanished silently into thin air once more.
Radagon looked at the spot where his daughter had disappeared, a hint of helpless amusement in his voice:
"She poured unimaginable passion into the Magic Network Project."
"Passionate?" the Tarnished said, his tone half admiring, half helpless, "It was fanaticism! Although I proposed the basic framework of this project, the effort she put in far exceeded mine. In the entire Magic Network research group, her contribution alone accounted for at least forty percent."
The title of "Queen of the Scrolls" was truly well-deserved.
What could the others say?
They could only wait for that day to arrive.
Just then, a dazzling magical firework suddenly rose from the distant dueling arena, its brilliant light piercing the sky—a signal that everything was ready.
Xiling turned to his companions, a slight smile playing on his lips:
"Looks like it's time. As the judge and audience member, I should head over there. What about you guys? Want to come?"
"Of course! We'll definitely go!" Kyuushou was the first to respond loudly.
"Then let's go." Xiling was about to take a step when he suddenly felt his clothes being gently tugged. He turned around in confusion and found Placidusax silently staring at him.
The dragon girl spoke expressionlessly: "I'll take you there."
As soon as she finished speaking, she had already embraced Xiling from behind. With a "whoosh," jet-black dragon wings suddenly unfurled from her shoulder blades, a powerful gust of air whipping up dust, and the two of them instantly soared into the sky. On the ground, the corners of the eyes of two figures twitched simultaneously.
Above the sea of clouds, a howling wind swept across her face, while a reassuring warmth emanated from her back. Xiling gazed at the churning clouds below and chuckled, "You've become much stronger."
"But I still can't catch up to you, can I?" Placidusax's voice carried on the wind.
"After all, I am the hero~."
"What a pity." The dragon girl suddenly tightened her grip, her voice carrying a dangerous undertone.
"I originally planned to surpass you and then imprison you by my side forever."
Xiling's forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat: "...That is a joke, right?"
"Hard to say." Her tone was indifferent, as if discussing something ordinary.
"Blame it on you for not returning for so long. I've been waiting... a little impatient."
Xiling awkwardly glanced aside: "Sorry, sorry, I've been quite busy lately..."
"Heh."
The cold dragon eyes narrowed slightly:
"I will accompany you throughout this journey, my king. You should... have no objections, right?" "
Xiling chuckled dryly.
"Besides saying 'thank you for your help,' what else can I say?"
"Very well."
In an instant, the two landed in the center of the arena. With their arrival, a deafening roar of cheers erupted like a tidal wave.
Placidusax stepped back a few paces, as if to leave the stage to the champion.
Under the gaze of the crowd, Xiling raised his hand and announced:
"The Elden Championship—officially begins!"