Chương 75: Mind Blown
(Katsuo POV)
We venture into the Northern Forest. It's a verdant maze of trees and underbrush, where the only thing denser than the foliage is the number of things that want to eat me. "Just a lovely stroll through nature," I mutter, swatting away a buzzing insect the size of my fist.
Within minutes, we're greeted by the familiar screeches of monkeys. They seem to have a personal vendetta against me. "Hey, didn't we do this already?" I yell, ducking as a coconut whizzes past my head. One of the monkeys flings what can only be described as jungle gunk. "You guys really need a hobby," I say, dodging and swinging Sanchomo.
Once we clear out the monkey menace, the path becomes trickier. Roots and vines twist underfoot, turning every step into a potential pratfall. "This forest must have been designed by a sadistic gardener," I grumble, my trio nodding in agreement. Dem flickers brighter, Kai zips around, and Jade trudges stoically, occasionally tripping but pretending it was intentional.
Then, I hear it—a rustling in the bushes. Naturally, a giant bear lumbers out, looking like it woke up on the wrong side of the cave. "Okay, universe, I get it. My luck is terrible," I say, raising Sanchomo.
The bear charges at me with all the subtlety of a drunk rhinoceros. I zipped, and retaliate with a series of Rapid Slashes. My trio jumps in to help—Dem spews flames, Kai zaps the bear's rear, and Jade... well, Jade just sort of bumps into it. After a slapstick routine that involves more slicing and dicing than dignified fighting, we manage to leave the bear behind, not breathing to be exact. "I'm getting too old for this," I mutter, though I'm sure it's more in my head than in my age.
As we finally see the clearing ahead, my optimism is immediately dashed by the sight of Greust's hideout. "Here we go," I cheered. But before I can take a step, the forest seems to come alive with hostile intent—specifically, a horde of Forest Apes with glowing red eyes. "Seriously, more monkeys? Who's running this place, a crazed zookeeper?" I complain, slashing at the nearest ape.
The apes leap from the trees, chattering like they've been hitting the espresso hard. One particularly bold ape lands on my shoulder, baring its teeth. "Oh no, not today, buddy!" I yell, flinging it off and into a nearby bush.
Dem launches a barrage of fiery blasts, lighting up the forest like a pyrotechnics show. Kai, in a frenzy of excitement, zooms between the apes, leaving a trail of static electricity. Jade, ever the reliable golem, stands firm, swatting apes away like a bouncer at a rowdy club.
Despite our efforts, the monkeys keep coming. "There's no end to these things!" I shout, swinging Sanchomo in a wide arc. "What is this, monkey infinity?"
After what feels like an eternity of dodging, slicing, and avoiding airborne jungle gunk, the forest finally quiets down. Panting, I look at my trio. "Anyone else feel like we're in a bad Tarzan remake?" I ask, wiping sweat from my brow. Dem flickers in agreement, Kai buzzes around, and Jade gives a slow, solid nod.
We cautiously approach Greust's hideout. "Alright, team, let's do this," I say, trying to muster up some enthusiasm. "We've faced undead liches, giant bears, and an army of caffeinated monkeys. This should be a walk in the park."
With one last deep breath, I push open the door to Greust's hideout, hoping the worst is behind us.
A bit later, we make our way to Greust. He stands there, looking more menacing than usual. His eyes glow with an eerie light, and his posture is unnaturally rigid. "Great, just when I thought he couldn't get any creepier," I mutter.
"Welcome, Exile," Greust says, his voice layered with a sinister echo. "Enjoying the forest?"
"Oh, it's been a blast," I reply, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Your hospitality is... overwhelming."
Greust, or rather Ralakesh speaking through him, chuckles darkly. "Let's see how you handle this." He gestures, and suddenly, I'm surrounded by more of his elite warriors.
"Fantastic. Because I was really hoping for more company," I mutter, readying Sanchomo.
As the battle begins, I employ my recent learnings, a technique I accidentally developed over the course of my short training—Mind Buzz! It should stun conscious enemies as it did to me. Casting a short chant, a small archaic rune appears in front of a poor enemy. The warrior stops mid-swing, looking as confused as a cat in a bathtub before dropping to the ground, twitching slightly.
"Success!" I shout, somewhat surprised at myself. "Note to self: accidental magic is sometimes the best magic."
As the battle ensues, I can't help but notice Greust's transformation. "Ralakesh, you really need to work on your people skills!" I shout, dodging another attack. "Possession isn't a good look on anyone."
Greust's possessed minions charge at me, but my trio jumps into action. Dem flares up, spewing fireballs at the attackers. "Flame on, Dem! Show them who's boss!" I cheer. Kai zips around like a caffeinated lightning bolt, leaving shocked enemies in his wake. "Kai, you little sparkplug, keep it up!" Jade, ever the solid defender, stands his ground, swatting away foes like flies. "Good job, Jade! You're rock solid!"
Greust, or Ralakesh, is not amused. "You think you can defeat me with parlor tricks and pets?" he snarls, raising his hand to cast a dark spell.
"Oh, they're not just pets. They're my badass battle buddies!" I retort, launching into a rapid series of attacks. Sanchomo cuts through the air with precision, each strike amplified by the chaotic energy of my Quadra-elemental badassery.
With a final push, I manage to break through the line of minions and confront Greust directly. "Time for you to take a nap, Ralakesh!" I shout, using Mind Buzz on him. The rune appears, and for a moment, Greust's eyes flicker with confusion.
"You cannot defeat me!" Ralakesh roars, but his grip on Greust's body weakens. I seize the opportunity, slashing Sanchomo through the air in a dazzling display of fire and lightning.
With one last defiant scream, Ralakesh's presence is forced out of Greust's body. Greust collapses to the ground, unconscious but alive. The remaining minions, now leaderless, retreat into the forest.
Sighing, I looked at my companions, their forms now marred with exhaustion, Dem her humanoid form glowed dimly as she panted, Kai was surprisingly still ready for battle but his breathing was erratic, and Jade his movements were slower than his initial slowness.
"You guys stay here and rest okay?" As I finished making our Igloo I added, "I'll go after him." With a zip I exited Greust's hideout.
Emerging from the dense underbrush of the Northern Forest, I stumbled upon a clearing bathed in an eerie, unnatural light. In the center stood Ralakesh, looking like he had just stepped out of a particularly twisted nightmare.
"Ralakesh," I said, squinting at the imposing figure. "You sure know how to make an entrance." He was an unsettling sight to behold—imagine a giant humanoid wolf, but with more menace and a lot less cuddly potential. His fur was matted and dark, like he'd rolled around in a swamp for a week, and his eyes glowed a malevolent red, as if he'd missed his last hundred hours of sleep and was very, very angry about it.
As he turned to face me, I couldn't help but notice his massive claws, each one looking sharp enough to filet a whale. "Nice manicure," I quipped, trying to mask my nervousness with humor. "Do you get those done locally?"
His armor, if you could call it that, seemed more ceremonial than functional—dark, jagged pieces of metal and bone strapped haphazardly to his body. It looked like he'd gone for the "found in the dumpster behind a haunted castle" look. "Is that the latest in warlord chic?" I asked. "I'm sure it's all the rage in hellish circles."
Ralakesh's eyes flared even brighter, and he took a menacing step toward me. "Okay, tough crowd," I muttered, gripping Sanchomo tighter. "Guess we'll skip the fashion critique."
Ralakesh let out a low, rumbling growl, which I chose to interpret as a laugh. "Oh, come on, don't be so serious. You look like you could use a vacation. Maybe a nice, relaxing spa day?"
His snarl revealed a set of teeth that could probably chew through steel. "Alright, alright, I get it. No spa day," I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. "But seriously, what's with the outfit? Did you raid a medieval torture chamber for fashion tips?"
Ralakesh roared and lunged at me, claws extended. "Yikes, no sense of humor," I muttered, rolling out of the way. "Guess I'll just have to teach you some manners."
I summoned Tempest Inferno, my domain roaring to life around me. The air crackled with electricity, flames danced and flickered, and the wind howled like a banshee. "Welcome to my house, Ralakesh," I said, my voice echoing with power. "Take off your shoes and stay awhile."
Ralakesh snarled again, but this time, there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. He charged, swinging his massive claws, but the swirling flames and lightning kept him at bay. "See, Ralakesh? This is why you don't mess with someone who has a personal hurricane," I taunted, sending a bolt of lightning his way.
He yelped as the bolt struck, but quickly recovered, his eyes blazing with fury. "Oh, come on, that was just a love tap," I said, sending another bolt. "Let's see if you can dance."
We clashed in a chaotic ballet of fire, lightning, and fur. His claws tore through the air, but my domain's energies protected me, deflecting his attacks and striking back with ferocious power. "You know, you'd make a great guard dog," I quipped, dodging another swipe. "Ever consider a career change?"
Ralakesh's growls grew more frustrated, and he began to falter. With a final, desperate roar, he lunged at me, but I was ready. I unleashed a torrent of flames and lightning, engulfing him in a blinding storm of elemental fury.
When the storm finally subsided, Ralakesh lay on the ground, charred and defeated. I stood over him, panting but triumphant. "And that, Ralakesh, is why you don't mess with a Cosmic Janitor," I said, sheathing Sanchomo.
Approaching his charred form, I noticed my "Client" already absorbing Ralakesh's defeated body. "Huh, first time seeing this," I muttered to no one in particular, though I knew my "Client" was there. I spread my Mana, trying to locate the source of this "sucking" phenomenon. But to no avail, I clicked my tongue and retracted my Mana.
I sat down, deciding to observe the process. Despite the throbbing pain in my head—like it was being hit by baseball bats left and right—I didn't forget to practice Mana Weaving. I felt like an overrated protagonist, chuckling to myself as I watched.
Moments passed, and soon, Ralakesh's body and soul were completely absorbed. Spreading my Mana again, I confirmed that Ralakesh was truly gone. I got up and began heading back towards my trio.
Walking unsteadily, I encountered several mobs. My mind barely registered their presence as my Summoned Swords made quick and deadly work of them. I was too engrossed in recounting my strategy for our next battle. After all, we were up against a Spider Goddess next. Following that, only three acts remained before the end game bosses.
As I trudged through the forest, my mind whirled with plans and tactics. The Spider Goddess, Arakaali, was known for her venomous attacks and web traps. I'd need to ensure that my Tempest Inferno could counter her deadly webs and poisonous strikes. I'd also need to keep my trio safe and ready for anything.
Finally, I reached our igloo where Dem, Kai, and Jade awaited, resting but alert. They perked up as I approached, their eyes reflecting a mix of concern and readiness.
"Alright, team," I said, dropping to the ground with a tired grin. "Ralakesh is dealt with. Now, we've got a Spider Goddess to squash. But first, let's get some rest and regroup. We've got a long journey ahead, and it's only going to get tougher from here."
Dem flickered brightly in agreement, Kai's nose twitched with excitement, and Jade gave a slow, resolute nod. I leaned back, closing my eyes for a moment, savoring the brief respite before the next battle. As much as the pain in my head throbbed, the thought of our next victory spurred me on.
We were one step closer to finishing this epic journey, and nothing was going to stand in our way.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
ChrisTian3421
ChrisTian3421 I FINALLY DEFEATED PRIME CONSORT RADDAHN!
After countless attempts, dozens of humiliating defeats, and more rage-quits than I'd like to admit, I finally took him down. The sense of relief and triumph was overwhelming. I practically did a victory lap around my room.
Let me tell you, this boss fight was brutal. I had to tweak my strategy so many times—switching up weapons, refining my dodging skills, and chugging health potions like they were going out of style. There were moments when I was convinced that Raddahn was just mocking me, casually swatting me aside like an annoying fly.
But in the end, perseverance paid off. That final blow was the most satisfying moment I’ve had in gaming in a long time. It’s amazing how a game can make you feel such intense emotions, from utter frustration to sheer euphoria.
Now, with Raddahn out of the way, I’m ready to take on whatever challenges Elden Ring throws at me next. Bring it on!
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