Elden Ring: With God Chapter 300: Horned Crone, Don't Turn Around—I'm a

Bai Shi took the head of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in his hands, holding it up for a closer look.

The head was massive and exquisitely crafted.

He couldn't tell if it had been fashioned from the actual corpse of a lion or if the Hornsent had made it by hand.

Regardless, the head had been part of the divine beast's descent, and it now possessed a spiritual essence—a unique power of its own.

Bai Shi could sense a power emanating from it, a force that seed to connect directly to the heavens and the earth.

He glanced at the Divine Beast's head, which was charred and battered beyond recognition.

Finally, Bai Shi decided to try it on, placing the Divine Beast's head over his own.

An inexplicable ripple passed through him, forging a strange connection between him and the helm.

When Bai Shi opened his eyes again, a light flickered to life in the eyes of the lion head.

The head’s eyes were now directly linked to his consciousness, allowing him to see through them.

Bai Shi extended a hand, and a storm imdiately swirled around him with unprecedented ferocity.

If he wished, he could change the very weather itself.

After a mont’s thought, he took the head off, deciding not to wear it for now.

Sothing about it... still felt a bit off-putting.

He would at least need to wash and repair it back at the castle before wearing it again.

In truth, the Divine Beast's head didn't look that bad.

The majestic lion head was quite striking, even regal.

Besides, Bai Shi was a Souls-player at heart; fashion freedom was the na of the ga.

The only reason he wasn't wearing an Albinauric Mask was out of so concession to his dignity in this new reality.

Bai Shi recalled the sensation of wearing the head. The difference between then and now was stark.

It seed that simply wearing it enhanced his command over the forces of nature.

Wind, lightning, and ice were all amplified, but the effect on storms was by far the most significant.

In other words, it was a piece of equipnt with a special effect.

And it just so happened to perfectly suit his specialties.

His ice affinity was too weak, and ancient dragon lightning was different from ordinary lightning, so it wouldn't receive much of a boost.

However, his command of storms was formidable, and since the head provided the greatest enhancent to storms, their properties were a perfect match.

Since his Vitality and Strength had broken their limits, Bai Shi had discovered the ceiling for items like talismans.

The power they contained was no longer sufficient to affect his stats beyond that threshold.

For example, if he were to replace one of his current talismans with the Starscourge Heirloom, the talisman’s

5 Strength effect would likely only grant him one point, if any at all.

Beyond the threshold was a completely different realm.

Therefore, he planned to focus on raising his other attributes to push more of them past their limits.

But the Divine Beast's head didn't directly increase his attributes; it strengthened his connection to nature.

This was perfect, as it avoided any wasted stats.

Simply put, he would now be able to call upon storms with greater ease, increased power, and a wider range, all while expending less energy.

It was as if he had received so kind of favor from the heavens and the earth, or had beco a part of nature itself.

Bai Shi stored the Divine Beast's head away and stroked his chin.

A divine beast...

What kind of entity was the source of the Dancing Lion's descent, the being so revered by the Hornsent?

Judging by the battle, the divine beast definitely existed.

But for so reason, it couldn't act on its own and could only send down its power.

Bai Shi looked up at the sky, which had now returned to tranquility.

Was the divine beast also dead? Had it, like the Ancient King, transford into a state where it could no longer act freely?

Bai Shi began to reassess his own condition.

Physically, he was in perfect shape. He just needed to gather enough runes to break the limit on another attribute.

Once three of his attributes were past their limits, he would be able to ascend to the next level—a tier truly befitting a king.

However... the armor he wore was having trouble keeping up with battles of this intensity.

This suit of armor had been with him for a long ti, through countless battles.

While he could patch it up and keep using it, it was starting to fall behind his growing power.

Bai Shi ran a hand over his battered armor.

Since first donning it, he had clashed fiercely with Radahn and imdiately afterward fought two Malford Stars.

He had repaired it once after the fight at Redmane Castle, making it barely serviceable.

But his recent string of battles—first Mohg, then the Divine Beast Dancing Lion—had damaged it even more severely.

His armor was now in tatters, barely able to perform its duty of protecting him.

Even if he repaired it again back at Stormveil, its defensive capabilities would be diminished.

Bai Shi sighed.

It was, after all, only made from the scales of Flying Dragon Agheel. At best, it was suited for battles at the demigod level.

Perhaps it was ti to consider a new set of gear.

He could retire this set to a secondary role, or maybe just wear it for everyday use.

From now on, he would need to find much stronger materials to forge armor fit for battle.

But when he might find such materials was entirely up to luck.

Suddenly, Bai Shi noticed a somber, shadowy glow erge from the corpse of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion lying on the ground.

At the sa ti, the Scadutree in the distance sent a Rembrance into his hand.

Ignoring the Rembrance, Bai Shi focused on the strange phenonon occurring with the Divine Beast's corpse.

The shadow's blessing began to slough off its body, reconsolidating beside it.

Finally, the blessings reford into four Scadutree Fragnts.

Bai Shi picked up the fragnts and silently pocketed them.

It seed that by defeating powerful enemies who had received the blessing, he could claim the Scadutree's grace for himself.

That would save him a lot of ti searching.

However, the Hornsent Warriors and Curseblade Dancers he fought earlier were by no ans weak, yet none of them had yielded any fragnts.

It appeared that acquiring Scadutree Fragnts this way wasn't so easy.

Counting the two he had found earlier, Bai Shi now had six fragnts in his possession.

If he used all six, he could probably receive the sa blessing in the Land of Shadow, increasing his own strength.

Bai Shi hesitated for a mont but decided not to use them just yet.

Without the blessing, these so-called blessed foes could barely trade a few blows with him.

He wanted to have a few more good fights, so he held off.

Besides, if he ran into a truly powerful enemy, he could always just crush the fragnts then.

And if he found himself in a situation so difficult that even he was troubled, Fengling Yueying would be far more direct than any blessing.

—

Seeing that the battle was over, Leda and Freyja dared to return to the divine beast's arena.

They had gone elsewhere during the fight.

The previous battle had been imnse, with terrifying power radiating from every corner. There wasn't a single safe place to be found.

Getting too close ant being injured by the power of one of the combatants.

So, although both were intensely curious about the outco, they had no choice but to distance themselves from the arena.

Using a lift, the pair had ascended to the level above the arena, which was the true peak of the tower settlent.

Now, Bai Shi followed their lead, ascending to that sa place.

After climbing a long, sky-reaching staircase, Bai Shi tilted his head back at the summit.

Before him was a magnificent city, its foundations rooted in the very air.

The city's grand gates were ensnared by the black roots of the shadow tree, barring entry to all outsiders.

Judging by its scale, it was no smaller than the tower settlent below.

Bai Shi looked down and saw that there were indeed physical pillars connecting the upper and lower sections.

How on earth did the Hornsent manage to build sothing like this?

Just then, a white spirit on the stairs repeated its words:

"...O, tower hidden by shadow—our tower, our spiral."

"Guide the noble one to godhood—to beco the god who will save our people..."

Hearing the spirit’s words, Bai Shi's heart skipped a beat.

Miquella intended to achieve godhood here?!—

Becoming a god was a concept Bai Shi had almost no information about.

In the ga, players ultimately beca the Elden Lord.

But information about the Lord's consort—the god—was severely lacking.

Originally, Bai Shi had assud that only an Empyrean, upon becoming the Lord's consort and revealing the Elden Ring anew, could serve as its vessel and thus beco a god.

But it seed one could achieve godhood even before that?

What was going on?

In most endings, the player beca consort to Queen Marika's remains, revealed the Ring, and continued the age.

In the Age of Stars ending, however, the player and Ranni hid the Elden Ring from the Lands Between.

That ending was different. Unlike the traditional god-and-king dynamic, Ranni didn't serve as the Elden Ring's vessel. In that case, it was uncertain whether she had actually beco a god.

It seed his previous speculations on godhood needed to be discarded.

So, Miquella cast aside his body to beco a god?

But if he abandoned his flesh, he would also forsake the Empyrean destiny tied to it and the law he was ant to manifest.

Two drops of cold sweat trickled down Bai Shi's forehead.

The key elents associated with Miquella were Unalloyed Gold, the Haligtree's abundance, and... his innate charm.

As the purest golden demigod, born of Marika and Radagon, Miquella was able to research the unique properties of Unalloyed Gold.

The Haligtree's abundance was also nurtured by his own blood and flesh.

If he cast aside his body and all the powers he had acquired since birth, the only thing left would be his innate charm.

If Miquella intended to use that trait to ascend to godhood...

It seed Miquella truly was planning sothing akin to the Infinite Tsukuyomi to eliminate all conflict.

Bai Shi looked at the dark roots before him. The feeling that he could burn them away gave him so asure of reassurance.

He could now see the phantom flas; as long as he found the seal's source, he could undo it.

However, the situation was unclear. Bai Shi had no idea what the conditions for godhood were, nor how far Miquella had progressed.

The white spirit's words suggested that the tower's seal was indeed an obstacle for Miquella.

Therefore, Bai Shi decided not to act rashly for now.

Breaking the seal prematurely without understanding the situation could play right into Miquella's hands.

Perhaps he should go back and ask Ranni.

As a fellow Empyrean, surely she would know sothing about becoming a god?

As Bai Shi's mind raced, Leda's voice broke his train of thought.

"It seems we cannot enter..."

"Lord Bai Shi, we have decided to leave for a ti and return to the Haligtree."

"We will take our leave now."

Bai Shi looked at Leda and gave her a nod.

Leda and Freyja then vanished before his eyes, aided by the power of Grace.

Bai Shi stroked his chin.

Leda was remarkably cautious; she remained wary of him even now.

She was likely the only one among Miquella's followers who knew the truth, but it seed he couldn't count on her to speak up.

After a mont of thought, Bai Shi returned to the Tower Settlent.

The voice that had summoned the Divine Beast Dancing Lion and initiated its descent still bothered him.

He had already explored the tower settlent once and had a general understanding of the situation.

The only remaining possibility was the silent Horned Crone in the warehouse.

Perhaps she had awoken after they left the warehouse and entered the arena.

Bai Shi decided to try and communicate with her to see if he could gather any information.

—

Inside the Tower Settlent's warehouse, the Horned Crone felt the divine beast's presence vanish, and her heart turned to ash.

Had the divine beast left them again? Had they failed once more?

...

Footsteps sounded before her, and the Horned Crone sensed the newcor's aura.

When she felt the golden Grace on Bai Shi, rage surged from her heart.

Everything was destroyed anyway...

That being the case, what did she have left to fear?!

Before Bai Shi could even co to a stop, the Horned Crone spoke first:

"What are you...?"

"...Another one of ssr's lackeys?"

"...Aren't you lot tired of this?"

"What do you want with an old hag like ?"

"You burned our lands and hid the tower with shadow—"

"You've stolen and destroyed everything we have. Isn't that despicable enough for you?"

The corner of Bai Shi's mouth twitched.

The old Horned Crone wasn't exactly friendly.

The Horned Crone caught her breath before speaking again, her voice brimming with renewed fury.

"...You children of a wicked woman, rember this!"

"The divine beast's wrath will bring retribution sooner or later."

"Go on, keep tornting this old crone. Just you wait for disaster to befall you!"

"...Go on, do it."

"Then go and proclaim what good deeds you've done."

"If you've got no courage, then tuck your tail and get lost."

"You hateful son of a wicked woman!"

"...Get out!"

Bai Shi rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

He hadn't done a single thing, yet this Horned Crone was laying into him with a tirade of curses.

He was at a loss, completely unable to get a word in.

Bai Shi opened his mouth, but not knowing what to say, he finally just shook his head in resignation.

The Horned Crone, anwhile, continued her verbal assault:

"This has been our land since ancient tis!"

"Hmph! And what of it!"

"Co back a hundred tis, you still won't kill this old hag!"

"You want

to beg for rcy? Not a chance!"

"Go on, do it! Keep doing it!"

"Let the heavens see! Let them see how ugly you are!"

Hearing the Horned Crone tell him to strike, Bai Shi actually smiled with a sense of relief.

He never cared about an enemy's identity or age.

But he had no reason to attack this old crone, who could do little more than talk.

Her ho had been destroyed; it would be stranger if she were calm and collected.

After a mont's thought, Bai Shi suddenly turned and walked out of the room.

This Horned Crone seed unable to see and could only judge a person by their presence.

The Divine Beast Dancing Lion's head carried the aura of a champion.

And Bai Shi hadn't said a single word so far. He could also change his build.

If he played his cards right, could he possibly trick her?

After all, the Horned Crone didn't seem to be in a very stable state of mind. She was probably just one step away from madness.

"...Be cursed..."

"Children of a wicked woman, children of Marika..."

"May you all be afflicted with an ill-oned curse..."

"Wrath of the divine beast, descend..."

Ignoring the curses the Horned Crone was muttering, Bai Shi stepped outside.

He took out the head of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion and increased his size until he matched the champions who had perford the dance.

Then, Bai Shi removed the golden Grace from his eyes and equipped the Hornsent Warrior's Great Curved Sword.

—

The Horned Crone finally vented all the bitterness in her heart and gasped for breath.

When she ca to her senses, the son of the wicked woman who had been standing before her was gone.

"?"

"Where did he go?"

Just as the Horned Crone was wondering, she suddenly sensed a presence that filled her with ecstasy.

"...Ooh, ahh...!"

This sacred aura! This magnificent form! There was no mistaking it!

The Horned Crone's expression relaxed, and she smiled joyfully.

"...Oh, that fragrance..."

"Is a champion gracing

with his presence?"

"Oh, oh... I couldn't sense the divine beast's presence, so I was worried, crone that I am."

"Ah, I'm so glad my worries were for naught."

"Thank goodness, truly thank goodness."

"Our prayers have finally, finally reached the heavens."

"It was you who drove the enemy away just now, wasn't it?"

Bai Shi stood before the Horned Crone, smiling but saying nothing.