Elden Ring, but with Wind Spirit Moon Shadow

Chapter 495 The King Returns!
In the land of Nymgfu, there always seems to be an endless wind.

Today, the wind seemed unusually strong, far exceeding its usual intensity, as if foreshadowing something about to happen.

Where the sea meets the sky, leaden-gray clouds hang low like war drums, pressing down on the surging, furious waves.

The golden tree's rays pierced through the thick clouds, as if coating the sea with a layer of dazzling gold leaf.

Beneath a watchtower on the shore of the Sobbing Peninsula, a well-trained storm rider patrolled back and forth.

The Storm Rider's cloak fluttered in the wind like a standing banner.

Despite the howling wind, the golden tree's light was unusually bright today, opening up a wider field of vision, and the shimmering waves on the sea were almost blinding.

Just as he was pondering when he could be relieved and return to Moen City, he suddenly noticed some unusual black dots on the sea surface.

Before he could even focus his gaze, the soldier on the watchtower shouted to him in a trembling voice:

"Big... lord!"

He looked up and saw the soldier standing on the watchtower trembling, his hand pointing shakily to the horizon.

Storm Knight immediately perked up, only then remembering that there was a watchtower nearby with a wider field of vision.

He quickly climbed to the top of the watchtower, took the newly equipped binoculars from the soldier, and looked in the direction the soldier indicated.

The image reflected through the lens instantly made his blood boil:
A gigantic sail slowly appeared on the horizon, followed by a second, and countless others...

One massive warship after another rushed out of the thick sea fog, eager to make its way.

Crossing the dangerous sea fog filled with mysterious power, the entire fleet was in ruins, with almost every warship bearing scars.

Some of the warships were even torn apart by massive damage, almost completely destroyed, slowly disintegrating while barely continuing to sail, almost like ghost ships.

On the largest and most central warship, a strange, wet head was hanging high.

On the mast in the center of the main ship, a deformed humanoid head hangs high, its empty eye sockets staring at the boundary.

Whether it was due to the power of that head or not, the ocean currents and gales seemed to submit to its servants, pushing the fleet forward with the force to destroy a city.

When the Storm Knight saw that monstrous thing, he couldn't help but swallow hard.

Near the Sobbing Peninsula, a local legend tells of a misty sea that has an owner…

The unidentified sea monster known as Umibozu will swallow any ship that wants to go to or escape the border area.

Now, that thing has probably become a symbol of their success in crossing the sea after attacking the fleet and causing heavy damage.

Giant waves propelled these warships, the waves bursting beneath their hulls like warhorses charging down a hill, unstoppable.

The fleet of the First King is riding the tide of destiny, crashing the imprints of the old era onto this land.

As the massive warships hurtled toward the Weeping Peninsula, Storm Knight felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

Although he had no experience in naval warfare, he knew how to distinguish the size of objects from a great distance.

At this distance, the warships were still clearly visible, and were obviously all three-masted behemoths capable of accommodating hundreds of people.

The number of warships in that fleet was extremely large.

They would undoubtedly become an extremely powerful army once they landed.

And on the other side of the sea, such a massive fleet was able to be assembled, and it just so happened that it arrived at this exact time...

Realizing what was about to happen, his breathing suddenly became heavy.

Clearly, there is only one answer to the identity of the visitor—it is none other than the long-awaited 'First King', Griffin!

He actually encountered this momentous event at the border!

Storm Knight's heart pounded; he was absolutely certain that their Sun King would lead the Borderlands to glory.

But before that, the final thing to do is to take everything from the king of the past!
Through battles between kings, the Sun King's power will be fully displayed, gaining all fame and all loyalty!

The king who will shape the future of this border region is about to make his final move!

Storm Knight stared intently at the fleet, and said:

"Send this message to Stonewell immediately!"

However, after waiting for a while, he received no response.

Storm Knight frowned and glanced at the soldier beside him with a puzzled look.

But the soldier's legs were trembling, and he looked as if his soul had been taken away. His face was deathly pale, and he couldn't say a word.

Seeing that this guy was terrified by the ever-approaching massive fleet, the Storm Knight could only shake his head and shout to another soldier below the watchtower who was still unaware of the situation:
"Blow the trumpet!"

"The enemy that His Majesty the Sun King has been waiting for has arrived!"

A single person's roar would be drowned out by the gale and be insignificant to the entire border region, but the continuous sound of brass horns would thunder through the clouds.
-

The relentless gale carried the message away, tearing through the silence all the way to Stoneville.

This astonishing information was passed down layer by layer until it reached Lancelot in Stoneville.

Lancelet was startled and immediately dropped everything else, using the sun's mark to transmit the matter to Bai Shi.

But even faster than him was the ancient king, slumbering amidst the surrounding storms.

The most powerful and valiant Stormhawk King has returned from the dead, and even though he exists only as ashes, he is unwilling to give up the opportunity to challenge Gofley once again.

The storm swirling around Stoneville instantly converged under the control of the ancient king, coalescing into a gigantic, greyish-white eagle.

The ancient king had long since become part of the city, controlling the storm that constantly surrounded Stoneville.

At this moment, it is the storm itself of Stoneville.

By channeling all his power into it, the storm manifested a form far surpassing that of a dragon. The ancient king instantly transformed into a whirlwind, sweeping across the sky and hurtling towards the shore.

Lancelet stared at the storm as it swept away, a burning sensation rising in his chest.

This wasn't fear, but a long-lost, almost thrilling excitement.

Lancelet's fingers unconsciously tightened around the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white from the force.

At this moment, the ancient king who fought alongside his ancestors had already sped away, like a sharp blade, the first to pierce the long silence of waiting.

He was, after all, a descendant of the Storm King. How could he not be thrilled to be able to personally face the king who had defeated his ancestor?

Moreover, as Stoneville's deputy governor, he understood the significance of this confrontation better than anyone else.

It was not just a change of kings, but a clash between two eras.

What an honor it is to witness this legendary war firsthand.

Lancelet took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement.

Under Bai Shi's command, he began to direct the army, and the orders were relayed to the various legion commanders by the Stormhawks.

rousing bugle calls resounded from the various knightly orders that had long been prepared for battle and ready to go.

The army, long prepared for war, marched impatiently towards its target location with heavy, orderly roars that shook the earth.
-

The ancient bronze horn sounded, its roar echoing across the heavens and the seas, reaching the fleets at sea as well.

The deck of the flagship with the giant creature's head hanging on it still reeks of the stench of blood, a lingering smell that, along with the cracks in the hull, testifies to the ferocity of that battle.

The tall and imposing Griffith crossed his arms, carrying the 'Beast Chancellor' Serlosh on his back, and quietly gazed at the distant coastline.

Upon hearing the signal blaring to indicate the enemy's presence, Ge Fulei remained unmoved, as if the enemy were not on guard against them at all.

However, Ge Fulei's heart was not as calm as it appeared. 'It's been so long since we've been away from the border region; I wonder what the situation is like now…'

'Marika...the children...'

'And then there are the real enemies…'

Griffith glanced discreetly at the claws that Serlos had placed on his shoulder, closed his eyes, and told himself to stay calm.

Looking at the familiar coastline, Serlosh, who was lying on Gefuli's back, slowly spoke:
"It looks like we've arrived at the Weeping Peninsula after crossing the Sea of ​​Fog."

"So many years have passed, but almost nothing has changed, which makes it all the more nostalgic."

"I wonder how Rodel is doing..."

Serlosh shook his head. His body was not solidified at this moment, but existed in a phantom, semi-solid state.

"The battles ended here in the past, and now they begin again here."

"I have to say, this is also a kind of fate."

Looking at the border that seemed so close, Gefulei didn't respond to Serlosh's words, but simply let out a heavy sigh.

With each rise and fall of Gofule's chest, even the keel of the giant ship beneath his feet groaned under the immense weight, as if this body were not made of flesh and blood, but a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

That powerful breath was like a torrent of fire erupting from a furnace, carrying the blood and fighting spirit of a thousand years of conquest. It even condensed into a white rainbow in the cold air, tearing a scorching crack in the sea fog.

Once the salty, cold steam had dissipated all the heat, Ge Fulei finally spoke softly, replying:
"Fate...?"

"I must say, those moments of battle are still vivid in my mind."

“Every formidable opponent makes me feel incredibly fulfilled.”

Just then, a loud cry rang out from the distant horizon.

Ge Fulei turned his head and saw the massive eagle's body formed by the gathering storm, and a smile finally appeared on his face.

"Wow, that's really fast."

Serlosh raised his head, his eyes gleaming, and gave a loud roar.

Seros had a deep impression of the Ancient King, the Beast King who lived in the same era as him and fought alongside humans.

Gefulei leaped to the bow of the ship and calmly shouted at the approaching ancient king:

"I still remember you, Storm Eagle King, who reigns over the skies and is a valiant warrior."

"So, like us, you're unwilling to give up and have stood up again? Haha!"

The ancient king did not respond to Gefulei's greeting, but simply continued his journey in silence.

Thanks to the failure of the Golden Tree's return to the tree, it has been able to exist in the form of ashes until now, and it can... once again stir up a storm against Gofulei.

Just as it was about to reach the front of the fleet, the massive storm-like form finally revealed its true power.

The gale, like a blade, tore the already damaged ships to pieces, and the surging waves it stirred up as it approached threatened to capsize them.

Even the strongest warriors on land would be helpless against the surging waves at sea, and many warriors had already been swept into the sea by the aftershocks.

Griffith looked back at the enormous head hanging on the mast, reached out, and grasped the massive battle axe with one of its blades broken.

This weapon accompanied him on his journey through battles, witnessed his path to becoming king, and also witnessed his downfall.

Whether it can witness its own resurgence and complete its revenge against the great beings remains to be seen.

"We even killed the 'King' of the sea, yet we still suffered huge losses while crossing the Fog Sea."

"Those warriors, who should have given their lives in battle for honor, were swallowed up by this merciless sea..."

"Although I am very happy to see old friends again, I can no longer allow my soldiers to suffer any more losses."

With his legs slightly bent, Gefuli leaped forward, holding the giant axe in both hands.

With a roar, Gofley's body collided with the ancient king's storm avatar in mid-air.

Under the heavy axe blade, the storm avatar that the ancient king had gathered with all his might was instantly shattered, unable to maintain its eagle form, and gradually disintegrated.

No matter how powerful it was in the past, it is now just ashes and can no longer exert the same strength it had in life.

However, it wasn't simply there to see this invincible enemy...

Before Bai Shi returns and the army arrives, it will do its best to slow down the enemy's progress.

The moment the ancient king's storm-like body was shattered, a deafening roar erupted between heaven and earth.

The dissipated gale, no longer bound by will, transformed into an out-of-control torrent, sweeping across the entire sea with overwhelming force.

Without the control of the ancient king, the storm that had traveled thousands of miles swept across the land once more, even creating a massive waterspout on the sea.

Seeing the tornado raging through the fleet's formation, Ge Fulei roared in the air, the muscles on his arms bulging as he hurled the King's Axe heavily.

As it pierced and shattered the massive waterspout, the King Axe continued its powerful charge, crashing fiercely towards the Weeping Peninsula.

The immense force remained concentrated and did not dissipate. When it crashed down, it did not shatter the edge of the coastline, but instead dispersed all its power across the peninsula.

In an instant, accompanied by a deafening roar that shook the earth, the Weeping Peninsula was slammed into the ground and sank several feet deep.
-

The knights, who had set out from the camp closest to the Weeping Peninsula in Nymgford, were galloping and had just reached the vicinity of the Sacrifice Bridge that connects the peninsula.

However, just as they were crossing the bridge, the peninsula in front of them suddenly began to shake violently, as if an earthquake had occurred.

After a violent earthquake, the Invincible Bridge, which spanned the two banks, finally broke and collapsed under the force of the tremor.

The knights' formation was also broken, and those knights who were still on the bridge and had not yet crossed fell into the sea below.

Fortunately, the dragon beasts they rode were extremely reliable, and with their powerful vertical climbing ability, they managed to hold on to the ruins below the bridge, ultimately escaping unscathed.

The knight commander leading the group was pale-faced and looked at the Sobbing Peninsula on the opposite shore, still in shock.

Such astonishing power... It seems that the king of the past has not aged at all with the passing of his era!
Hearing the commotion around him, he snapped out of his reverie and focused his attention as he gave orders to his knights:

"Quickly! Perform emergency repairs on the bridge!"

"Reopen the route as soon as possible! We have a large force behind us!"
-

Gefulei's towering body fell heavily from the sky, crashing into the edge of the deep crater created by the giant axe, and he pulled the king's axe out again.

He stood on the shore of the Sobbing Peninsula, silently watching the fleet at sea continue to approach.

After the storm, only a few ships were destroyed on the spot, and there was almost no danger in the coastal waters.

The remaining ships pulled the soldiers out of the sea, while some of the soldiers who had fallen into the sea simply swam to the shore on their own.

On the shore of the Sobbing Peninsula, a group of faded people emerged from all directions and gathered around Govere.

They were all the vanguard of the Faded Ones, who were the first to return to the borderlands to spread the reassuring message that 'the First King is about to return.'

They had been waiting for a long time, kneeling on the ground, praising Ge Fulei with great excitement.

"Your Majesty!"

"The border region has finally welcomed your return!"

Ge Fulei turned around and nodded slightly to them.

"No need to be polite."

"Tell me about the current situation at the border."

(End of this chapter)