章 27: Chapter no.27 Dark Souls
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Chapter no.27 Level Up!
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"Looks like you went through a lot."
Naruto just closed his eyes, too tired to deal with Alexander. The urge to strangle the crestfallen warrior was strong, but he was too drained to even move. "Thanks, you damn bastard. You almost got me killed by those damn skeletons."
"You went down," Alexander said, his voice laced with judgment.
Naruto shot him the middle finger. "Yes, I almost died, but hey, I did get a lot of cool stuff," he said, trying to find some kind of silver lining.
He pulled the giant sword out of his inventory. It felt heavy in his hands, even with chakra enhancement.
"Zweihander. This is an amazing greatsword," Alexander said, looking at it with something close to awe.
"Yeah, thanks, but it's useless. I can barely lift it."
"Then just increase your strength," Alexander replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"What?"
"You already have the Pygmy's system. Just use it."
Naruto blinked, not fully understanding. "Wait, you mean everyone doesn't have this?" he pointed at the system screen, confused.
Alexander shook his head. "No. That system was created during the Age of Ancients by the Pygmy. Legend has it that it was a way to incorporate otherworldly invaders into this world. But because of the numerous benefits, the gods feared it. Only parts of it remain, and humanity can still use a fraction of its potential."
"So you can use the system?"
"Parts of it. Mostly the ability to absorb souls and a smaller version of the inventory. But you get the full product," he said, sounding almost jealous but hiding it.
Naruto puffed out his chest, feeling a little proud. This system was way cooler than he thought. He glanced at the screen again.
"Okay, but how do I increase my strength?" Naruto asked, fiddling with the interface.
"Figure it out yourself," Alexander grumbled, clearly done with his questions.
Naruto sighed, scrolling through the system until he found it—his stats displayed with arrows on either side of the numbers. He stared at it for a moment, unsure of what to do. This was his chance to get stronger, but he didn't want to mess it up.
"What should I upgrade?" Naruto asked, glancing at Alexander again, hoping for some advice.
"Think of what you want to do in combat."
Naruto thought about it for a second. "Pick up the Zweihander?"
Yeah, that was it. If he could wield this beast of a weapon, that would be a good start. But how many points did he need to bump up? He scrolled through every single stat, trying to figure it out.
His eyes landed on the Faith stat.
"Hey, thanks for saving me from the scammer," he said, glancing at Alexander.
"You believe me?" Alexander asked, sounding almost surprised.
"Yeah, I found some treasure chests down there, and I learned that the Way of White hunts Undead. They probably would've used me, then killed me, if it wasn't for you."
Naruto listed all the items that he had found.
Alexander snorted, his voice dripping with disdain. "As expected of scum."
Naruto nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and their so-called miracles? They don't even work."
"Try increasing your faith."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, giving him a look. "Wait… wasn't this a scam?"
"Yes, the people of the Way of White are scum, but the miracles are legit. You just need faith." Alexander's voice was reluctant, like even he didn't like admitting it.
Naruto nodded, feeling a bit more convinced now. Strength and faith—he needed to increase both. But still, how much?
Naruto looked at the Zweihander, pulling up multiple tabs from the system.
[ Item Name: Zweihander ]
[ Weapon Type: Ultra Greatsword ]
[ Attack Type: Regular ]
[ Description: One of the gigantic straight greatswords. As the name suggests, the Zweihander is held with two hands, but its wielder must still be inhumanly strong. It is this great weight that sends foes flying when hit solidly.
[ Strength Requirement: 24 ]
[ Dexterity Requirement: 10 ]
[ Physical Attack: 130 ]
Maybe there was more to this.
He flipped through the tabs and, yep, there it was.
[ Miracle Name: Force ]
[ Slots: 1 ]
[ Uses: 21 ]
[ Magic Type: Miracle ]
[ Description: This common miracle amongst cleric knights creates a shockwave. It inflicts no damage but propels foes back and defends against arrows. Cleric knights use this miracle when charging into enemy mobs.
]
[ Required Parameters: Faith - 12 ]
Naruto frowned when he saw that the Force miracle wouldn't hurt enemies. Lame. At least now he had some actual numbers to work with.
He switched back to the stat screen but quickly realized something frustrating: he didn't have enough souls to meet all the requirements in one go.
Naruto groaned, feeling the weight of it all.
"What's wrong?" Alexander asked.
"I don't have enough souls to wield the Zweihander and use Force. Even if I ignore the miracle, I still can't use the sword," Naruto muttered, frustration building.
"Why not use two hands?"
"That'll help?"
"I've come to notice that the strength increase from souls only applies to one hand. So you can double your strength by two-handing," Alexander explained.
Naruto started increasing his stats, carefully placing the points where he needed them. First, strength.
[ Strength: 12 → 16 ]
He felt a surge of power, like a deep warmth flowing through his muscles, making them stronger.
Next was dexterity.
[ Dexterity: 9 → 10 ]
Naruto frowned, flexing his fingers and rolling his shoulders, waiting for some kind of noticeable difference. Compared to the surge of power he felt with strength, this one was... underwhelming.
Then, he increased faith.
[ Faith: 8 → 12 ]
It was… strange. Not physical, but something inside him—like his belief in himself was becoming more solid, more real.
[ Name: Naruto Uzumaki ]
[ Covenant: Way of White ]
[ Level: 1 → 10 ]
[ Souls: 333 ]
[ Attributes: ]
[ Strength: 12 → 16 ]
[ Dexterity: 9 → 10 ]
[ Faith: 8 → 12 ]
[ Souls Spent: 6667 ]
Naruto hefted the Zweihander again, feeling the weight settle naturally in his grip. For the first time, it didn't feel like he was swinging a boulder tied to a stick. No chakra enhancement, no fancy tricks—just raw, physical strength.
He swung the massive blade again, watching it cut effortlessly through the air, its sheer power making his arms buzz with excitement.
Was this what real strength felt like? He tightened his grip, thinking back to all the grinding he'd done in Lordran, every hollow he'd defeated, every soul he'd collected. Then another thought hit him: Was the system why I felt smarter now?
When he chose the pyromancy class, his intelligence stat had increased. Was that why I feel more in control, more aware of my surroundings and myself? It was a strange thought—almost sad, really.
"So I was dumber before..." Naruto scratched the back of his head, frowning. "Eh, who cares. I'm smart now."
Feeling pumped, he equipped the talisman that Petrus had given him and pointed it forward. "Alright, time to test out this Force miracle!" He concentrated, willing the divine power to activate... and nothing happened. Not even a flicker of energy.
"Gah! What the hell is this?" Naruto yelled, throwing the talisman onto the ground in frustration. His grip tightened on the Zweihander again. "Alright, that's it. I'm gonna mess up that damn scammer! I want my souls back!"
"No," came Alexander's firm voice, cutting through the air like a blade. His tone brooked no argument.
"But—"
"Did you attune the miracle?"
Naruto froze mid-sentence, his annoyance immediately replaced with confusion. "Attune? Uh… oh. Oh, yeah, I think I remember something about that from the miracle description." He scratched his head. "Wait, how do I do that?"
"Simple. You sit down, take out the scroll that Petrus gave you, and read it."
"That's it? You just read it?"
"Yes," Alexander replied dryly. "If you meet the requirements for the miracle, it will attune to you. If you don't meet them, nothing happens. Easy enough for even you to understand."
Naruto pulled out the Force miracle scroll, staring at it skeptically. "What's attunement, anyway?"
Alexander sighed, clearly trying to maintain his patience. "Attunement is the process of linking a spell to one of your core attributes—like your strength, intelligence, or faith. A spell draws power from the corresponding attribute, and the stronger that attribute is, the more effective the spell will be."
Naruto frowned thoughtfully, muttering to himself, Okay, so that's what my spell slots are for…
As he unraveled the scroll, something caught Naruto's eye. "Hey, I already have Fireball attuned! What attribute does that use?"
"Do I look like a pyromancer to you?"
"You could've just said no," Naruto muttered.
"No."
Naruto shot him a deadpan glare, resisting the urge to throttle the smug warrior. Instead, he focused on the scroll, sitting cross-legged as he began to read its words aloud.
"O light of Allfather Lloyd, lend me your strength. Let the divine power flow through me and form a shield of faith. By the grace of the gods, let my foes be cast away, and their arrows be turned aside. In the name of the Way of White, may this sacred force protect and propel me forward, unwavering in my charge."
As the words left his lips, Naruto felt something inside him shift. A warmth blossomed in his chest, spreading through his body like sunlight piercing through a storm. Suddenly, an image flickered in his mind—a vision of an old, bearded man clad in shining armor. The man raised his hands, unleashing a massive shockwave that tore through a gargantuan, gnarled tree, reducing it to splinters in an instant. The sheer power of the vision left Naruto breathless.
When the vision faded, Naruto blinked, his hands trembling slightly. He knew how to do it now—how to perform the Force miracle. The knowledge wasn't just in his head; it was in his body, his very being. He stood, gripping the talisman tightly in his hand.
"Alexander," he said, his voice steady, "you wanna see me blast something with this Force miracle?"
"You might want to turn yourself human first."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because you look ugly."
"Seriously?"
"Yes. Seriously," Alexander replied without missing a beat.
Naruto sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. How do I turn human?"
"Use that humanity," Alexander said, pointing toward the corpse slumped over the well.
Naruto walked over, recognizing the strange, dark mass. He had absorbed the same thing before—humanity, right? He crouched down and absorbed it, just like he did with souls. The feeling was different this time. Not as cold, not as detached. More like he was filling up with something warm, something alive.
Okay, so some of these soul orbs and humanity bits don't fully get absorbed into me, Naruto thought, quickly glancing at his inventory.
[ Inventory ]
[ Humanities × 3 ]
[ Small Soul of Undead Soldier ]
Good for me. He walked back to Alexander, curious now about what this stuff could really do.
"Humanity's a valuable resource," Alexander said. "In combat, you can heal yourself with it."
"Wait, like those Estus flasks?"
"Yes," Alexander replied simply.
Naruto looked down at his own Estus flasks, remembering how he'd seen his master doing some weird ritual with them. "Can you, like, show me how to refill them?"
"Just place them near a bonfire. They'll refill on their own."
"But my master was doing this whole ritual thing. What's that about?" Naruto asked, hoping for something deeper.
Again, a shrug. "Who knows."
Naruto sighed, deciding not to push it. He placed his five Estus flasks in front of the bonfire. The flames flickered, almost like they were drawn to the flasks. He could already see them starting to refill.
"You can also reverse your hollowing and become human again by offering a humanity to the flames," Alexander said.
That caught Naruto's attention.
After Alexander explained the process, Naruto took a deep breath and knelt in front of the fire. Holding up the humanity in his hand, it looked like a small, black flame, almost eerie in how it flickered. Slowly, it started to transform into tiny orbs of white light, drifting toward him. They began to hit his hollowed skin, and with each touch, he felt something change. He could feel it—the sensation of flesh and blood. His heart started beating again, strong and steady in his chest.
It was surreal. Naruto hadn't realized how much he missed that feeling until it came back. The warmth, the life—it surged through him like a flood, filling every part of him. He glanced down at his arms, noticing the increase in muscle. Hell yeah, that's awesome.
Naruto sat down, staring into the flames, watching them turn liquid as they filled the flasks. It was almost mesmerizing. The warmth, the quiet crackling of the fire—it felt peaceful.
Suddenly, Alexander placed five more flasks next to his.
"These are yours," Alexander said, already moving back to his spot.
"What?" Naruto blinked, caught off guard. "Why are you giving these to me?"
"I don't plan on going anywhere. They're useless to me. You can have them," Alexander said, settling back down like nothing had happened.
Naruto raised an eyebrow, feeling both grateful and confused. "You know, you're a very strange bastard."
Alexander just hummed in response.
"One second, you're the biggest self-absorbed loser ever, and the next, you're the kindest asshole ever. Why?"
Alexander stayed silent, his expression unreadable as usual. He didn't owe Naruto an answer, but Naruto wanted one.
"Why protect my giant soul drop?"
Alexander's face shifted ever so slightly, surprised that Naruto figured it out.
"There were battle marks where my soul drop was. I pieced it together," Naruto said, leaning back against the wall. "So, why did you do it?"
Alexander didn't bother answering. Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, only broken by the crackling of the bonfire. Naruto watched the last of his Estus flasks fill up, the bright orange liquid reflecting the flames.
Finally, Naruto packed them into his inventory, his mind still buzzing with questions. Then, he pulled something out and placed it in front of the Crestfallen Warrior.
"What's that?" Alexander asked, eyeing the small cup.
"These are the food of the gods—cup ramen," Naruto said, puffing out his chest with pride. "Think of it as my thank you for everything."
Alexander nodded, accepting the gesture without a word.
"Well, I'm sure the jonin back in my world should've arrived by now. Bye," Naruto said with a grin before jumping off the cliff.
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Alexander stared at the cup ramen for so long that the sky had shifted from its usual pale blue to the deep black of night. Nightfall—something that only happened on rare, special days in this cursed land. Feeling the cold wind biting against his skin, he closed his eyes and pulled out the talisman he still held onto. He'd meant to give it to Naruto, but the boy had found his own in those hidden chests. Probably Petrus's stash. The thought brought a bitter smile to Alexander's face, imagining the look on that snake's face when he realized all his precious treasures were gone.
He placed the talisman on the cup of ramen, snorting at the absurdity of it all. The food of the gods, Naruto had called it. He opened the cup; the steam was long gone, and it was cold now. Still, when Alexander took a bite, the taste surprised him. Spicy, tangy, just the right amount of salt. The noodles slid down effortlessly, like something crafted with care—unlike anything he'd tasted in this bleak world.
You would've loved this.
Alexander looked up at the stars, feeling the weight of her absence more than ever. She would've loved this. She was always like that. Brave, kind, outgoing. Always trying new things, pushing boundaries in ways he never could. And now, here he was, eating something he never would've thought to try if it weren't for Naruto.
His lips trembled as he felt the familiar ache rise in his chest. It was time. He'd held it in for so long, but the words were finally here, pressing against his soul. Her name… or at least, what she called herself. She didn't have a name, not really. They were too busy surviving, too busy fighting to care about names. But she always insisted on calling herself Alex, a name she made by taking the first four letters of his.
That's why he abandoned his own name after she died. He didn't deserve to carry it. He wanted to bury it with her, to pretend that the man he used to be had died beside her that day. It was easier to be the coward, the crestfallen warrior, to let his old self fade into the abyss where it belonged.
The tears came before he could stop them, spilling down into the cold cup of noodles. "Alex... I'm sorry."
Gods, there was so much he wanted to apologize for. So many things left unsaid, so many promises he'd broken. But most of all, he wanted to say—
"I miss you."
The words hung in the air like a confession. The one thing he'd never let himself admit until now. And for a brief, fragile moment, he felt something close to peace.
But it didn't last.
Suddenly, Alexander was thrown to the ground, the ramen cup spilling over as he scrambled to his feet, sword in hand. He looked up to see the bastard who had attacked him—Petrus.
"Where are my treasures, Crestfallen Warrior?" Petrus's voice dripped with venom, like he was trying to summon some authority he didn't deserve.
Alexander tightened his grip on his sword, its weight pressing into his palms like an old companion. He braced himself, his voice cold and flat. "Thrown off the cliff."
A voice slithered out from the shadows, smooth and mocking. "Thrown off the cliff, eh? Oh, dear, what a tragic story."
From the gloom, a wiry, bald man with a sharp, angular face stepped into view. His smug expression cut like a knife, and the long spear in his hand gleamed faintly in the dim light. Patches. Always the opportunist.
"You don't sound like a crestfallen warrior, though," Patches said, his grin widening. "No, no, you sound like someone with a bit of fight left. Bit of a surprise, if I'm being honest." He tilted his head, feigning curiosity. "Tell me, my friend, did the boy scream on his way down? Or was it just one of those long, quiet falls?" He chuckled. "Heh, heh, heh… Not that it matters, really."
Alexander's expression didn't change.
Patches tapped the shaft of his spear against the ground. "So? Did he, hmm, perhaps… drop anything valuable before you gave him the ol' toss? No? Shame, that. Always such a waste."
"Don't bother," Alexander interrupted, his voice hard as steel. "The boy's long gone. Back to his world."
The words hung in the air like a blade, and both Patches and Petrus froze, the weight of the statement sinking in. Their expressions darkened, realization dawning as they noticed the faint green glow of a soul drop near the cliff's edge. The hue was unmistakable—proof that Alexander wasn't bluffing.
"That's… impossible," Petrus stammered, his grip tightening on his mace.
Alexander's lips curled into a humorless smirk. "The funny thing about that boy? He used the Pygmy's Window to take a peek at your little stash, Petrus. Cracked Red Eye Orbs, Lloyd's Talismans…" His gaze flicked to the cleric. "Need I go on?"
Petrus's face twisted in fury, and Patches's grin faltered slightly as he turned to his supposed ally. "Well, well, well," he said, his voice lilting. "Greedy, aren't we, my holy friend?"
Before Petrus could respond, Alexander lunged, his blade flashing toward Patches's throat.
With astonishing agility, Patches flipped backward, the attack missing by inches. His acrobatics carried him to a high perch on a stone arch, where he balanced effortlessly, his spear at the ready.
Before Petrus could respond, Alexander lunged, his blade flashing toward Patches's throat.
With astonishing agility, Patches flipped backward, the attack missing by inches. His acrobatics carried him to a high perch on a stone arch, where he balanced effortlessly, his spear at the ready.
"Oh-ho!" Patches exclaimed, his grin widening. "Now that's no way to treat an old friend! Trying to take my head off, were you? That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"
"Patches, let's—" Petrus began, his voice desperate, but a spear struck the ground in front of him, cutting him off. Patches's eyes gleamed with malice as he kept the cleric in check.
"Ah-ah!" Patches scolded, wagging a finger. "Stay put, you pompous blowhard. I'm having a conversation." He turned his attention back to Alexander, his expression twisting into something cruel.
"You know, I'm curious," he said, leaning lazily on his spear. "What's gotten into you, hmm? Why'd you go and attack me? Was it because of that little rat from another world?" His grin grew as he tilted his head.
"What is it about him, I wonder? Did you see yourself in him? Did he give you a spark, a purpose? Or maybe…" His eyes glinted with malice. "Maybe you're just a loyal dog, Alexander. A rare breed in Lordran, barking and biting for scraps of honor."
Alexander's silence was deafening. He glared at Patches, his jaw tight, his blade steady.
Patches sighed theatrically. "No answer? How dull. But that's fine, that's fine. I'd hate to bore myself with your lofty ideals, anyway. You know, we could've been great friends, you and I. Trading stories, splitting profits… But now?" His grin sharpened into something razor-like. "Now you've made things personal, haven't you?"
He crouched low, his spear glinting in the dim light. "And here's the thing about me, Alexander," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I don't take kindly to people who try to take my head off. No, sir." His grin stretched wide. "I'll finish what you started. And when I'm done, I'll make sure no one remembers your name. Only his." He sneered. "What was it again? Naruto? Naruto Uzumaki?"
Alexander's stance shifted slightly, his grip on his sword tightening. "Remember his name," he said, his voice low and resolute. "It's the name of the Chosen Undead!"
Patches chuckled darkly before leaping high into the air, his spear spinning like a javelin in his hands before he hurled it down with all his might.
Alexander raised his shield, parrying the spear with a loud clang, but the impact reverberated down his arm. At the same moment, Petrus swung his mace toward Alexander's exposed side, only for the warrior to block it in one fluid motion.
The air was thick with tension. Alexander could feel the malice radiating from his enemies, but this time, something had changed. He wasn't the broken, defeated man they'd assumed him to be.
No, not this time.
This wasn't the Crestfallen Warrior standing before them anymore.
This was Alexander, the warrior of the Fivefinger Delta. And he wasn't backing down.
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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 15, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.
To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!
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