Naruto opened his eyes to the familiar glow of the bonfire. He sat up, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck, his body ready to move even before his mind caught up. Sleep no longer held meaning here. Days and hours blurred together, the sun forever frozen in its place.
The rhythm of Lordran ruled his life now: fight, die, wake, repeat.
And at the center of it all was the Black Knight.
Every death had become a stepping stone, another lesson carved into his mind and body. Naruto's approach was meticulous now. Every time he climbed the Black Knight's tower, he summoned shadow clones—dozens of them. Half engaged the knight directly, throwing themselves into the fight, while the rest stayed back, observing every detail of the battle.
The clones studied everything: the way the knight gripped its greatsword, the subtle shifts in its footwork, the precise timing of its swings.
When the clones dispelled, their memories surged into Naruto's mind in a flood. He felt every clash, every wound, every mistake. Each death left him stronger, shaping his instincts and refining his movements.
Between battles, he practiced. His clones mimicked the Black Knight's techniques, replicating its stances, its slashes, its devastating thrusts. The hollows on the path to the tower became his training dummies, each encounter a chance to perfect what he had learned.
It didn't take long for him to realize how much of Tenten's advice didn't apply to the Zweihander.
It wasn't that she'd meant to mislead him—she had taught him through the lens of her weapon: the katana.
Her advice about a loose grip? Total nonsense. The first time the Black Knight's greatsword had clashed with his Zweihander, it had ripped the sword clean out of his hands.
Her emphasis on stances? Misguided. The Black Knight didn't rely on rigid stances; its movements were driven by precise, fluid footwork.
"Don't rest your sword on your shoulder," she'd said. But the Black Knight always rested its greatsword there, using the position to generate devastating momentum.
The focus on clean cuts? Perfect for a katana, but wrong for a Zweihander. The Black Knight's wide arcs weren't about precision—they were about overwhelming power.
Blade alignment? While important, the Black Knight had shown him that the true key to wielding a Zweihander lay in the weight and hip movement.
Despite the mistakes, Naruto couldn't deny that Tenten's guidance had given him a foundation. The basics she had drilled into him gave him the tools to spot and correct these errors. For that, he was grateful.
Now, with those missteps identified, he could refine his swordsmanship into something uniquely his own.
Naruto grinned, gripping the Zweihander tightly.
"All right, Black Knight," he muttered, stepping toward the bonfire. "Let's try this again."
----------------------------------------
The Grip
The first thing Naruto learned from the Black Knight was its grip. It wasn't haphazard; it was deliberate. One hand rested near the guard for stability, the other gripped the pommel for leverage. The technique allowed the knight to control the sword's weight, guiding its massive swings with precision rather than brute force.
Naruto mimicked the grip in his next fight, and the difference was immediate. The Zweihander felt lighter, more responsive. Over time, he refined it further. When transitioning the blade across his body, he loosened his hold on the pommel, sliding his hand up to increase mobility.
----------------------------------------
The High Guard
The next thing Naruto noticed was the Black Knight's high guard. It rested the greatsword on its shoulder, angling the blade forward. It wasn't just a defensive stance—it was an offensive one, meant to dominate the battlefield. Every downward strike from this position carried crushing force.
Naruto mimicked the stance during his next fight. As the Black Knight approached, he rested the Zweihander on his shoulder, angling it the same way.
When the knight swung, Naruto mirrored it, bringing his sword down in a wide arc. But his edge alignment was off. The clash sent his blade vibrating violently, the impact jarring his arms. The knight's greatsword continued its descent, slicing cleanly through Naruto's chest.
[YOU DIED]
The next time, Naruto focused on refining the high guard. He summoned clones to practice edge alignment, learning to keep the blade perfectly in line with his movements. Strength wasn't enough—he needed stability.
The next clash was different. Naruto met the Black Knight's downward strike with perfect edge alignment. Steel met steel in an ear-shattering impact, but this time, Naruto held firm. For the first time, he matched the Black Knight's raw power.
----------------------------------------
The Forward Point
During one fight, Naruto noticed the Black Knight shifting into a stance where its greatsword was raised high, the tip pointed forward like a spear. The stance created a defensive wall, controlling the centerline.
Naruto never saw the attack coming. The thrust pierced straight through his chest before he even registered the movement.
[YOU DIED]
When he respawned, Naruto clutched his side where the blade had run him through. He realized the forward point wasn't just defensive—it was a stance built for precision and control.
He mimicked the stance in the next fight, holding the Zweihander high with the tip extended forward. This forced him to stay balanced, keeping the blade aligned with the centerline.
The Black Knight swung wide, and Naruto saw his chance. He stepped forward and thrust the Zweihander at its chest. The blade scraped against its armor, but the thrust lacked depth.
The knight retaliated, slamming its greatsword into his ribs and sending him flying into the staircase.
[YOU DIED]
It took six more fights before Naruto began to understand the forward point. He refined his thrusts, loosening his grip on the pommel to extend his reach. Precise footwork and patience became his weapons.
----------------------------------------
The Fool's Guard
The most puzzling stance Naruto encountered was one he came to call the Fool's Guard. The Black Knight would lower its greatsword entirely, holding it loosely as if uninterested in the fight. Its entire body seemed open, exposed.
The first time Naruto saw it, he charged in recklessly, thinking it was an easy win. He swung with all his might—only to be impaled on a lightning-fast counter.
[YOU DIED]
Naruto quickly realized the Fool's Guard wasn't a weakness—it was bait. A trap meant to lure opponents into overcommitting.
The next time, he tried it himself. He lowered the Zweihander, mimicking the Black Knight's posture. It felt wrong, his entire body vulnerable.
But when the knight lunged, Naruto was ready. He pivoted, stepping back and bringing the Zweihander around in a wide arc. The blade connected, slamming into the knight's armor with enough force to make it stagger.
For the first time, Naruto saw the Black Knight react. Its stance shifted slightly, its movements more aggressive.
Naruto grinned, gripping his Zweihander tightly.
"Let's keep going."
[YOU DIED]
----------------------------------------
Naruto stared into the flickering flames of the bonfire, the crackling fire filling the quiet room. He exhaled slowly, his grin tinged with exhaustion.
"A dozen deaths," he muttered to himself, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "And four thousand clones popped."
He rolled his shoulders, the Zweihander shifting easily in his grip, its weight no longer foreign. "Time to end this dance," Naruto whispered. Slipping into the Fool's Guard, the greatsword dangling lazily at his side, he marched out of the room.
The moment Naruto stepped onto the bridge, the familiar twang of a crossbow filled the air. He didn't flinch. His left hand shifted slightly, tilting the pommel of the Zweihander to adjust the blade's angle.
Clink.
The arrow ricocheted harmlessly off the edge of the blade.
Naruto's feet twisted sharply, his grip tightening as the Zweihander followed. With a diagonal sweep, the blade carved through the neck of a hollow rushing at him. Blood sprayed in an arc, and the hollow crumpled to the stone floor, lifeless.
Another arrow hissed toward him, but this time Naruto dodged, pivoting on his heel and dropping low. He used the momentum to transition into a thrust, driving the Zweihander's tip clean through the throat of the crossbow-wielding hollow.
He didn't pause to catch his breath. Firebombs exploded behind him, but Naruto kept marching forward, his boots echoing against the stone as his focus remained unshaken.
A hollow burst out from behind a door, its spear aimed for his stomach. Naruto shifted into the Forward Point stance, the Zweihander poised like a coiled predator. As the spear lunged for him, he sidestepped and brought the blade down in a sweeping arc, cleaving the hollow cleanly in half.
Further ahead, the metallic growls of war axe hollows echoed off the walls.
Naruto raised his Zweihander into the High Guard, the massive blade resting on his shoulder as he stepped forward, measured and deliberate. One hollow swung first, its axe slicing down with brutal force.
Naruto pivoted just outside the arc of the swing, and as the hollow overextended, he brought the Zweihander down in a devastating counter. The blade tore through its exposed side, sending it crashing to the ground.
The second hollow didn't hesitate. It lunged with a horizontal slash aimed for Naruto's neck. Naruto shifted into the Low Guard, dropping into a crouch as the axe passed harmlessly overhead. In one fluid motion, he thrust upward, the Zweihander's tip punching through the hollow's chin and into its skull.
Naruto gave a sharp nod, summoning a clone to deal with the hollows inside the shop as he ascended the stairs.
At the top, three hollows waited for him—two with swords and one in the back clutching firebombs.
Naruto slipped into the Forward Point stance, angling his blade to cover his body as the two sword-wielding hollows charged. The first hollow swung high, and Naruto sidestepped left, flicking his blade upward to deflect the attack. The second came in low, aiming for his legs.
Naruto transitioned into the Fool's Guard, his open stance drawing the hollow forward, its blade arcing for an easy strike. He ducked low and twisted, using the movement to bring the Zweihander around in a sweeping slash. Both hollows fell in one fluid motion, their bodies collapsing in a spray of blood.
The firebomb hollow took aim, but Naruto was already moving. He kicked one of the fallen corpses, using it as a shield. The firebomb exploded against it, giving him enough time to close the gap and thrust his blade through the hollow's chest.
Naruto gestured to his clones to deal with the crossbow hollows as he descended the stairs to face three spear-wielding enemies below.
"Let's see how well this works," Naruto muttered, adjusting his grip as he dropped into the Low Guard.
The first hollow lunged with a quick thrust. Naruto sidestepped, angling the Zweihander to deflect the spear's shaft. The second hollow followed immediately, its spear jabbing at his left side. Naruto twisted, raising the greatsword to parry the attack, forcing the weapon wide.
Naruto surged forward, closing the gap. He transitioned into a brutal overhead slash that split the first hollow in two.
The remaining two hollows moved in sync, one thrusting high while the other aimed low. Naruto backstepped, his blade in the Forward Point stance, blocking the high thrust while his footwork shifted to avoid the lower strike.
He pivoted sharply, spinning the Zweihander in a wide, sweeping arc that forced both hollows to retreat. Seizing the moment, Naruto lunged forward, driving the blade through the chest of the second hollow.
The final hollow snarled, its spear snapping forward in desperation. Naruto stepped into the Fool's Guard, the relaxed stance luring the hollow closer. As it lunged, he twisted sharply, bringing the Zweihander up in a vicious uppercut. The blade tore through the hollow, sending it flying backward over the wall.
Naruto exhaled, resting the Zweihander on his shoulder. His eyes flicked toward the familiar tower in the distance, its shadow looming ominously over the battlefield.
"Almost there," he muttered. His lips curled into a grin as he marched forward, ready for the Black Knight.
It felt strange, almost surreal, walking down the stairs toward the Black Knight. Through dozens of deaths and countless battles, Naruto realized he no longer viewed the knight solely as an enemy. It was something more—a master, in its own way.
The familiar figure of the Black Knight came into view, standing as silent and imposing as ever. Naruto paused at the base of the stairs, lowering his blade for a moment. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as he gazed at the knight.
"I don't know if you can understand me," he began. "But… thank you. You've taught me more in these fights than any teacher ever has. I'll never forget what I've learned from you—even if your lesson ends with me dying again."
He smiled faintly behind his helmet, a flicker of warmth in a place so cold and hostile.
"I stand here as the Squire of Oscar of Astora, and whether I live or die, I'll honor what you've taught me."
Naruto raised his blade, slipping into the Fool's Guard, ready for the battle that awaited him.
The Black Knight closed the distance in two powerful strides, its greatsword cutting through the air in a ferocious downward arc. Naruto pivoted to his left, shifting his weight onto his back foot as he stepped out of the strike's path. The Zweihander shot upward in a sweeping counter-slash aimed at the knight's unguarded flank.
Clang!
The Black Knight twisted at the last moment, its shield catching the blow.
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Sparks burst from the collision, and the knight retaliated instantly, transitioning into a brutal upward slash. Naruto barely managed to deflect the strike, sliding his hand up the Zweihander's hilt for better leverage. The impact sent vibrations up his arms, forcing him to backpedal.
The greatsword came crashing down in a savage overhead strike. Naruto barely managed to sidestep, the blade slamming into the stone floor with a deafening CRACK as the boy swung the Zweihander in a horizontal arc.
Clang!
The Black Knight's shield shot up, absorbing the blow. It retaliated immediately, slamming the edge of its shield into Naruto's ribs with bone-crushing force.
The impact launched Naruto backward like a ragdoll, slamming him into the unyielding stone wall with bone-rattling force. His Elite Knight armor absorbed much of the blow, the thick plating denting inward, but the sheer force still tore through his body. A sharp, searing pain stabbed through his side, and he felt the unmistakable snap of at least three ribs. One pierced deep into the soft tissue near his diaphragm, while another pressed dangerously close to his left lung.
Blood spattered from his mouth in a crimson arc as the shock reverberated through his chest. He gasped for air, each breath shallow and wet, and the acrid taste of copper filled his throat. His kidney throbbed fiercely, likely ruptured, and a deep, pulsing ache in his lower abdomen told him that internal bleeding was already flooding his body.
The cracked stone behind him bore the impression of his impact, dust and small fragments cascading around him. For a moment, his vision blurred, the edges darkening as nausea swept over him.
The Black Knight pressed its advantage, charging forward with terrifying momentum. Its blade swung low, aiming to cleave Naruto's legs clean off. Naruto raised the Zweihander just in time, angling it downward to parry the strike. The impact sent a violent jolt through his arms, numbing his fingers.
The Black Knight followed with a spinning underhand slash. Naruto ducked, the blade whistling over his head and carving a deep gouge into the wall behind him. Dust and stone rained down, the already-cramped space growing more chaotic.
Naruto twisted, shifting into the Low Guard as he thrust upward, aiming for the knight's exposed torso. The tip of the Zweihander scraped against its armor, leaving a shallow cut, but the knight responded with a brutal backhanded swing. The greatsword caught Naruto across the shoulder, slicing through his armor and flesh. Blood sprayed in a violent arc as Naruto staggered back.
Stay focused, he told himself, gritting his teeth against the searing pain.
The Black Knight didn't relent. It lunged with a forward thrust, its blade tearing through the narrow space like a spear. Naruto sidestepped, but the blade grazed his side, ripping through his armor and leaving a deep, bloody gash. He hissed in pain, countering with a diagonal slash from the High Guard.
The Zweihander slammed into the knight's shoulder, the sheer force denting its blackened armor. The impact staggered the knight for half a second, but it recovered instantly, twisting its blade into an upward slash. Naruto tried to block, but the strike was too fast, the greatsword ripping through his gauntlet and slicing into his forearm. Blood poured from the wound, dripping onto the stone floor as Naruto growled through clenched teeth.
The two circled each other, their boots grinding against the blood-soaked stone.
Naruto feinted left, dropping into the Fool's Guard again to bait the knight into attacking. The Black Knight lunged, its blade cutting a deadly arc. Naruto pivoted, slipping to its side as he brought the Zweihander around in a wide, sweeping slash.
The blade struck true, carving deep into the knight's side. Blackened blood oozed from the wound, staining the ground beneath it. But the Black Knight didn't falter. It spun on its heel, bringing its massive shield around in a brutal bash aimed squarely at Naruto's chest.
Naruto reacted instantly, shifting his grip on the Zweihander into a half-swording technique. One hand grasped the blade's center while the other held the hilt, angling the flat of the sword to meet the incoming shield.
CLANG!
The impact reverberated like a bell, the sheer force of it vibrating through Naruto's arms and shoulders. Wisps of his chakra escaped from his arms, dissipating into the air like smoke. Steam hissed from his wounds, his body slowly knitting itself back together under the strain.
"You're really not making this easy, huh?"
The Black Knight lunged with a thrust. Naruto dropped into the Forward Point, deflecting the blade with a sharp angle of his sword. The knight's momentum carried it forward, and Naruto twisted his hips, transitioning into a horizontal slash that tore into the back of its knee.
The knight staggered, its balance faltering, and Naruto seized the opening. He shifted into a brutal overhead slash aimed for the knight's neck.
The Black Knight raised its shield at the last second, the impact reverberating like a cannon blast. The force was enough to send the knight sliding back a few feet, but it recovered almost instantly, retaliating with a spinning underhand strike.
Naruto jumped back.
The knight pressed forward, its attacks relentless. A four-hit combo erupted: an overhead slash, a sweeping horizontal cut, a spinning underhand strike, and a thrust.
Naruto's world narrowed to steel and blood. He parried the first strike, sidestepped the second, ducked under the third, and deflected the thrust with a desperate angle of his blade. Each move came with a cost—every parry sent jolts of pain through his battered arms, and every dodge left him open to grazing cuts.
Finally, Naruto saw his chance.
As the knight recovered from its thrust, Naruto dropped into the Fool's Guard, lowering his blade as if exhausted. The Black Knight lunged again, aiming for his heart.
Naruto twisted sharply, bringing the Zweihander up in a vicious uppercut. The blade tore through the knight's torso, blackened blood spraying across the room as the knight staggered back.
Naruto didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, raising the Zweihander into the High Guard. With every ounce of strength he had left, he brought the blade down in a crushing overhead strike.
The Black Knight tried to raise its sword to block, but it was too slow. The Zweihander cleaved through its helmet, splitting it down the middle. The knight crumpled to its knees, its greatsword clattering to the ground.
For a moment, Naruto stood over the fallen knight, his chest heaving, blood dripping from his wounds onto the shattered stone floor.
"It was an honor to fight you," he muttered, raising his blade for the final blow.
With a single swing, it was over.
Naruto reached up, fumbling with the straps of his dented helmet before pulling it off with a trembling hand. Sweat dripped from his matted hair, mixing with the blood streaking down his face from a gash on his forehead. His left cheek was swollen and bruised, smeared with more dried blood from a split lip, while the sharp metallic tang of it filled his mouth.
Naruto coughed harshly, spitting out a glob of blood onto the cold stone floor. His breathing was ragged, each inhale scraping against his ribs, which still throbbed with pain from the crushing shield bash. The armor pressing against his side was sticky with blood, likely from a deep cut just beneath his ribs. He could feel the warmth of it trickling down his torso, soaking into his gambeson.
He stared at the ghostly figure of the knight, his body hunched slightly as exhaustion settled into every fiber of his being. Pain radiated from his arms, his muscles twitching and torn from the repeated strain of wielding the Zweihander. His left knee buckled slightly under him, the joint screaming from where the Black Knight's blade had clipped him in a desperate parry.
Reaching into his pouch with his free hand, Naruto pulled out his estus flask, its warm golden glow a stark contrast to the blood-slicked floor around him. He brought it to his lips and drank deeply, the liquid flowing down his throat like liquid fire.
Warmth flooded through him, radiating from his chest outward. He winced as his body began to heal—the gash on his forehead knitting itself together, the bruises fading, and the sharp pain in his ribs dulling to a faint ache. He flexed his fingers, feeling the strength return to them as the warmth settled into his limbs.
Naruto wiped his bloodied mouth with the back of his hand, his sweat-soaked hair clinging to his temples.
Suddenly, the Black Knight's armored body convulsed violently; then, a faint white light began to seep from the cracks and seams in its darkened armor. Naruto instinctively stepped back, dragging his Zweihander free. The heavy blade scraped against the stone floor as he watched the light intensify.
The knight's body seemed to glow from within, its blackened steel burning with a brilliance that was almost blinding. Then, piece by piece, the armor crumbled into ash, scattering in the faint, cold breeze of the tower.
From the ashes, a figure emerged. A white, spectral image of the Black Knight hovered in place, flickering like dying embers. Its ghostly form was striking—both arms raised high and wide, palms open, chest pushed forward, the Y pose frozen in a triumphant stance.
Naruto blinked, his breath heavy, his heart still hammering from the brutal fight. He tightened his grip on the Zweihander, unsure if this was the knight's final act of defiance or something else entirely.
"Are you… praising me?"
The Black Knight's spectral form didn't answer. It lingered for a moment longer, as if frozen in reverence—or maybe pride—before slowly dissipating into a glowing orb of light. The soul orb hovered, shimmering faintly, before drifting toward Naruto.
He had done it.
After countless deaths, hundreds of clones shattered, and hours of relentless training, he had defeated the Black Knight. The impossible challenge he had thrown himself into was finally over. A grin flickered across his bloodied lips, but it quickly faded as a thought began to take root in his mind.
What were these knights?
Naruto glanced at the pile of ash where the Black Knight had stood, his brow furrowing. They weren't like the hollows. The hollows were mindless, driven by rage and emptiness. The Black Knight was different. Every movement it made, every swing of its massive greatsword, was deliberate. Precise.
And that ghostly form… was it honor? Was it defiance? Or was it something else?
He tightened his grip on the Zweihander, his eyes narrowing. It didn't feel like anger. The knight's stance before it dissolved felt… solemn, like it had acknowledged him. Honored the fight.
Naruto shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He glanced down the hallway. At the far end, something glinted faintly in the dim light. His prize.
Dragging his aching body forward, he reached the item.
[ Item Acquired: Blue Tearstone Ring ]
[ Description: The rare gem called tearstone has the uncanny ability to sense imminent death. This blue tearstone from Catarina boosts the defense of its wearer when in danger.]
Naruto grinned, turning the ring over in his hand. The cracked blue gem gleamed faintly, its surface catching the light like ripples on water. The silver band was simple, almost humble, but there was power in its quiet elegance.
"Not bad," he muttered, his voice rough and tired.
He unslung another estus flask, the cool glass clinking against his armor as he raised it to his lips. The golden light of the flask poured into him, washing over his broken body.
Sliding the ring onto his finger, Naruto flexed his hand, feeling the weight of it settle against his skin. He exhaled, a tired chuckle escaping him as he glanced back toward the hallway where the Black Knight once stood.
"Twelve deaths," he muttered, shaking his head. "Twelve times running the same path, fighting the same hollows, dying to that guy over and over." He paused, staring at the ring. "And now, it's mine."
A faint smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, but his thoughts lingered on the fight.
Then, his eyes flicked to the corner of the screen.
[ Souls: 15,200 ]
The number hung there, glowing faintly. His smirk widened.
"Time to level up," he muttered, slinging the Zweihander over his shoulder as he turned toward the bonfire. Behind him, the remains of the Black Knight lay in silence, its ashes scattered across the cold stone floor.
----------------------------------------
Naruto ascended the staircase, the blue tearstone ring catching the sunlight as he emerged from the shadowy stairwell into the open air.
He stopped at a landing, glancing between two paths: the familiar descent to the bonfire or the unknown climb ahead. A grin spread across his face, his hand tightening on the Zweihander. "Forward it is," he muttered, taking the first step upward.
The stone stairs wound upward, narrow and claustrophobic, when suddenly a strange rumbling reached his ears.
"What the—?" Naruto barely got the words out before a flaming barrel came hurtling down the stairs toward him, its fiery glow illuminating the shadows as it picked up speed.
"Oh, come on!" Naruto shouted, summoning a fireball with a quick hand sign. Without thinking, he hurled it at the barrel.
Bad idea.
The fireball struck the barrel dead center, and for a split second, Naruto thought it had worked. Then the barrel exploded in a fiery burst, sending smaller, burning chunks of metal ricocheting down the stairs like deadly pinballs.
"Great idea, Naruto!" he scolded himself, leaping backward. He twisted in the air, flipping gracefully before landing on an uneven platform outside the staircase. His foot caught on something, and he stumbled, arms flailing. But the iron rusted ring kicked in, stabilizing him just before he could topple over.
Looking around, he realized he'd landed on a forgotten patch of stone, overgrown with thick weeds and vines. The once-pristine masonry was barely visible beneath layers of moss and decay, like a garden lost to time. Beneath his boots, something solid creaked—an old wooden chest hidden in the undergrowth.
"Well, don't mind if I do!"
He kicked the weeds aside and flipped the chest open. Inside was a small container filled with golden sap, faint sparks dancing across its surface.
[Item: Gold Pine Resin]
[Description: Rare pine resin that emits golden sparks. Applies lightning to a weapon. Effective against enemies resistant to magic or fire, and particularly devastating against dragon-related foes.]
Naruto read the description and let out a low whistle. "Lightning? Oh, this is going to be awesome."
Eagerly, he scooped out a handful of the resin and smeared it along the Zweihander's blade. The effect was immediate—the resin spread like liquid energy, coating the steel in golden light. Sparks crackled and hissed along the edge of the sword, the air around it humming with static.
Naruto flexed his hands as the tingling sensation traveled up his arms. His grin turned feral. "Alright, time to test this baby out."
He spotted his target: a hollow hunched over the top, shoving another flaming barrel into position.
"You!" Naruto yelled, pointing the crackling Zweihander at the hollow. "You're so dead!"
Channeling chakra into his legs, he vanished in a blur of speed, the Shunshin no Jutsu propelling him forward. The hollow barely had time to turn before Naruto's blade came down in a sweeping arc.
The Zweihander sliced through the hollow with ease, the golden sparks igniting as they coursed through its body. The hollow crumpled to the ground, its charred remains smoking faintly, the lightning still dancing along its severed halves.
Naruto stood over the smoldering corpse, raising the crackling Zweihander high above his head. "I have the power!" he shouted, grinning ear to ear.
With the hollow dealt with, Naruto climbed the remaining stairs to find himself on a new floor. A single wooden door stood in front of him, framed by moss-covered stone walls. He grabbed the handle and twisted it, but it didn't budge.
"Locked," Naruto grumbled, shooting the door a glare. "Why is every door in this place always locked?!"
For a moment, he stared at the door, wishing he'd picked the thief class. That master key thing probably would've solved so many of my problems.
Shaking his head, Naruto sighed. "No use crying over bitter ramen—" Then his stomach growled loudly, cutting him off. He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "Wait… bitter ramen? That could actually be good. Oh man, when I get back, I'll have to pitch this to Ayame!"
With a grin at the thought, Naruto turned away from the locked door and climbed the narrow, spiraling staircase.
The higher he climbed, the more the tower changed. The cold stone walls gave way to splintered wooden beams and piles of broken barrels. Finally, the stairs came to an abrupt stop, the path to the roof destroyed long ago. Instead, a side passage opened onto a wall walk.
Naruto stepped out, his boots clinking softly against the uneven stone. The path stretched ahead, broken and jagged in places, a relic of a time long past.
To his left, a breathtaking view unfolded. Jagged mountains pierced the fog, their peaks veiled in mist. Pillars of golden light broke through the clouds, casting the valleys below in a dreamlike glow. For a moment, Naruto's worries faded, replaced by awe at the sheer beauty of the world.
To his right, the grand castle loomed. Its towering spires reached for the heavens, their intricate stonework carved with the precision of a master craftsman. The castle was both beautiful and intimidating, a monument to power and age.
Naruto stood there, caught between wonder and unease. "Man… this place really is something else."
Then he heard it.
A deep, thunderous slam echoed across the wall walk, shaking the stone beneath his feet. Naruto froze, his heart skipping a beat as he slowly turned toward the source.
At the far end of the wall walk, a massive creature lumbered into view, monstrous and primal. Its body was a horrifying fusion of beast and humanoid—thick, muscular limbs rippled with raw power, and its rough, dark skin was streaked with patches of fur. Its head resembled a bull, with glowing yellow eyes that burned like embers and two massive, curved horns jutting from its skull-like face.
In its clawed hands, it held a crude, massive weapon—a brutal axe-like blade that looked capable of cleaving the wall itself in half.
The Taurus Demon hunched low, its glowing eyes locking onto Naruto with deadly intent. It raised its weapon high and slammed it into the stone with a deafening boom, shaking loose bits of debris.
For a second, fear crept into his chest. But then the cackle of the lightning on his blade seemed to whisper a challenge of its own.
Naruto grinned, steadying his grip on the Zweihander. "What am I afraid of?" he muttered, his confidence growing. "I've killed the Asylum Demon. I've taken down a Black Knight. And now…" His grin widened as he crouched low, the Zweihander humming with electric energy in his hands.
"…I'm going to add you to the list."
[ Name: Taurus Demon ]
[ HP: 1,215 / 1,215 ]
Naruto stood his ground, taking the Fool's stance, the Zweihander hanging low as if he barely cared to hold it. His body language screamed vulnerability, an open invitation for the Taurus Demon to attack.
It worked.
The beast crouched, its massive legs tensing like coiled springs. Naruto's eyes narrowed.
Here it comes.
The Taurus Demon leapt high into the air, bringing its massive greataxe down in a thunderous vertical smash. Naruto jumped back just in time, the axe slamming into the wall walk with enough force to crack the stone and send dust flying everywhere.
But Naruto didn't wait to admire the destruction. With a burst of Shunshin, he closed the gap, aiming the Zweihander directly at the demon's eye.
The blade shot forward like a spear, but the Taurus Demon tilted its head at the last moment. The Zweihander met the beast's horn with a resounding clang, sparks flying in all directions. The force reverberated through Naruto's arms as he felt the blade deflect, his hands nearly slipping from the hilt.
The Taurus Demon responded with a horizontal slash of its greataxe, the massive weapon cutting through the air with terrifying speed.
Substitution Jutsu!
A split second later, the axe cleaved through a log, turning it into a fine spray of sawdust. Naruto reappeared midair above the demon, his Zweihander crackling with lightning as he prepared a plunge attack.
He brought the blade down with everything he had. Lightning erupted from the blade as it connected with the demon's horn, slicing it clean off. The Taurus Demon let out a deafening roar, staggering back from the sheer force of the attack.
"Ha! Gotcha!" Naruto shouted, his confidence surging as he landed gracefully on the wall walk.
He prepared to go for another strike, but then it happened. A sharp sound whistled through the air.
Way of Focality kicked in, showing him the threat—a pair of arrows.
Too late.
Both arrows slammed into Naruto's bicep, pain lancing through his arm as his grip on the Zweihander faltered. His attention wavered, just for a moment.
The Taurus Demon didn't need more than that. Its greataxe swept across in a wide, brutal horizontal slash, and everything went black.
[ YOU DIED ]
[ Through sacrifice, no souls were lost. Ring of Sacrifice shattered. ]
Naruto groaned as he woke up back in his room.
"Of course, there had to be some stupid crossbow hollows in that fight," he muttered, sitting up and rubbing his temples. "Like, because fighting a giant bull demon with a greataxe isn't hard enough already, right?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. Thankfully, his backup plan had worked. The clone he'd stationed at the bonfire with a Ring of Sacrifice had preserved his souls. It wasn't elegant, but it worked.
"Alright," Naruto muttered, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Should probably be heading to Training Ground 7 right now… but Kakashi's always late anyway."
With a grin, he broke the Darksign in his hand, feeling the familiar pull as he was transported back to Lordran.
"I want my round two. Fair and square, this time feabag. Dattebayo."