Naruto lay flat on his back atop the stray demon's corpse, his mind swirling with the lingering adrenaline high. "What do you even do with a demon corpse?" he muttered, genuinely stumped as he sprawled across the massive, lifeless body. The stench was horrific—like rotting meat left out in the sun too long, mixed with sulfur and ash. It was the kind of smell that clung to your throat, making you gag every time you inhaled.

His whole body was numb, and not just from exhaustion or shock—it was the painkillers he'd downed during the fight. His limbs felt distant, like they weren't his own, as if he were wrapped in suffocating cotton. The pain from his broken arm, cracked ribs, and internal injuries still simmered, dulled by the haze of medication.

Naruto held up the empty Estus flask, tilting it hopefully. Not a drop.

If only I knew how to refill this stupid thing, he thought, frustration bubbling. He'd rushed headlong into the battle without taking the time to figure out how the fire worked.

Oscar would've known.

The thought stung, but before he could dwell on it, a heavy thud echoed through the room. It reverberated like the universe was delivering a fresh problem straight to his lap.

"Oh, come on! Can't this world give me a break?" Naruto grumbled, his head lolling toward the source of the sound.

A figure stepped into the dim light, and even in his half-dazed state, Naruto couldn't help but think, Whoa, that's badass.

The intruder was clad in jet-black armor, its polished surface reflecting an otherworldly gleam. Twin, horn-like protrusions jutted from the helmet, and layered plates covered the figure head to toe, giving it an eerie, predatory silhouette. In its hand was a massive greatsword, nearly as long as Naruto was tall.

Naruto forced his sluggish mind into gear. Focus! Focus now!

The black knight moved, and then suddenly, it was right above him. The greatsword came down with terrifying speed.

Pop!

Naruto replaced himself with a log covered in explosive tags. The moment the knight's sword struck, the tags detonated in a blinding flash, the force obliterating what was left of the demon's corpse.

"Well, that's one way to get rid of it," Naruto muttered, staggering back. He gulped down a chakra pill, wincing at the bitter taste but feeling the energy surge through him.

Smoke filled the room, and for a fleeting moment, Naruto allowed himself hope. But then the black knight emerged, walking through the flames as if they were nothing. His armor was barely scratched.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Naruto breathed, his stomach twisting.

"Hey! I'll give you some ramen if you let me go!" he tried, desperation bleeding into his voice.

The knight didn't respond, simply raising his greatsword for another strike.

"Nope!" Naruto yelped, spinning on his heel and sprinting toward the ladder he'd seen earlier. His hands scrambled for the rungs, and he climbed as fast as his battered body would allow. Each frantic breath burned his throat.

The top of the ladder led to a long, dim hallway. At one end was a jail cell, its bars twisted and broken. The other end seemed to lead back toward the place he'd started. Relief flickered in his chest. Thank whatever god is listening that I didn't wake up on this side.

A metallic clanging snapped him out of his thoughts. Naruto glanced back. The knight was climbing the ladder, his movements slow but relentless.

"No, no, no!" Naruto kicked at the ladder with all the strength he could muster. With a deafening crash, the ladder gave way, sending the knight—and his looming sword—back down to the floor below. The clatter echoed through the hallway like a victory bell.

Naruto wanted to laugh but didn't have the luxury. To one side, the path was blocked by rubble and debris. The other led to the cell, where something glowed faintly inside—bright and inviting.

What's that?

Naruto sprinted toward the cell, his breathing ragged. Inside, the glowing object sat on the floor. Without thinking, he snatched it up.

He blinked, his mind struggling to process what he was holding.

It's… a doll?

Of all the things Naruto expected—swords, weapons, maybe even some weird magical ring—this wasn't it. The doll was strange, made of bronze that had turned green from age, its surface worn and weathered. No face, no features. Just a faceless hunk of metal in the shape of a doll.

Does this thing do anything?

He stared at it, half-expecting something magical to happen. Nothing. Well, it's glowing, so it's gotta be important, right?

Thud.

The sound made Naruto's heart skip a beat. No, no, not now. He turned, and there he was—the black knight, climbing back into the hallway. His presence filled the air, heavy and suffocating, as the doll vanished into Naruto's inventory. He barely had time to blink before he realized the knight was already upon him, his greatsword raised and aimed straight for his stomach.

Shit!

The air seemed to freeze as the massive blade closed in, inches from skewering him like a fish. Naruto could feel the cold bite of the sword's edge, the raw, murderous intent behind it.

Pop!

Naruto barely managed to use the Substitution Jutsu, swapping places with a piece of rubble just as the knight's sword sliced through where he'd been standing. Way of Focality kicked in, slowing everything for just a heartbeat—just enough for Naruto to see the knight's next move: a spinning backhand with enough force to take his head clean off.

This substitution jutsu's gonna get me killed! Naruto thought, his pulse racing. He couldn't keep relying on it—not when it had such an exploitable weakness. He needed something faster.

He summoned a shadow clone to deal with the black knight as he darted toward the ladder, sliding down as fast as he could. The smell of the demon's burning corpse hit him. The air was thick with the stench—charred flesh, sulfur, and that awful, greasy scent that clung to the back of his throat. Naruto tried to ignore it, focusing on his next move as he sprinted toward the other ladder.

Climbing it, he felt a weird sense of nostalgia. This hallway... it felt familiar, almost comforting in its dreariness. But he didn't have time to dwell on that. Two kunai flew from his hand, striking down the hollows that came rushing at him without a second thought.

By now, these weaklings were little more than obstacles in his path.

I could just run, get out of here, Naruto thought.

He had the chance, the opening. But as he glanced back at the black knight, something inside him snapped.

No way am I letting you off that easy, you bastard.

Naruto wasn't going to run.

Why? Because that knight had destroyed the demon's corpse—his demon corpse—the one he'd fought tooth and nail to kill. And now, it was ruined, reduced to ash and scattered bones. Was this revenge out of pure pettiness? Maybe. But screw it. That was his kill, and now it was wrecked. He wasn't just gonna let that slide.

How am I going to kill this guy? I'm practically on drugs, my left hand's useless...

An idea hit Naruto—the same way he dealt with those annoying chunin back at the academy. He wasn't strong enough to take the knight head-on, but he didn't have to. No, he was going to prank this black knight. Just... lethal pranks this time.

The clanking of metal footsteps echoed in the hallway. The knight was coming. Naruto glanced back, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Catch me if you can, you bastard."

And then, he ran.

Naruto killed the hollows in his path with quick, precise strikes, replacing each of their bodies with his clones using the Transformation Jutsu. One after the other. He barely even thought about it; the motions were automatic by now.

He climbed up, muscles burning from the strain, and found himself staring at the bonfire, flickering with that familiar, calming warmth. It almost felt out of place in this nightmare. No time to relax now, he reminded himself. The black knight was right behind him, and he needed to be ready.

Okay, let's go.

Naruto pulled out the smoke bombs from his pouch, popping them open to reveal their fine white powder, table sugar, sawdust pellets, dye pellets, and starch powder. None of that mattered—except the sugar and the white powder. Potassium nitrate or something. Iruka-sensei had told him it was powerful stuff when mixed with sugar and water. Naruto never cared much for the science; all he knew was that it made one hell of an explosion.

He hesitated for just a second as he took out his water bottle. It was for the ramen he'd brought. I was gonna share this with Oscar…

Shaking the thought from his head, Naruto mixed the potassium nitrate, sugar, and water into a yellowish paste, spreading it carefully onto his kunai. He worked fast, his hands moving on autopilot while his clones set up the trap around him. Every second counts.

A few minutes later, the sound of metal clanking against the ladder made Naruto's heart jump. The black knight was climbing up. He felt the memories of his clones pop in his head as the ones that had transformed into hollows tried to sneak attack the knight. Useless—the knight cut through them like they were nothing.

"You're persistent, aren't you? You bastard," Naruto muttered, positioning himself just right, making it look like he was ready to attack head-on.

The black knight bought it. He leaped forward, his shield bashing through Naruto's clone, causing it to pop in a puff of smoke. But he didn't see the real threat—the two clones behind him, holding a ninja wire.

And Naruto, charging right at him.

"You're going down, dattebayo!" one of the clones screamed, dodging the knight's stab by inches. The clone activated the explosive tags on his back, the blast sending him flying toward the knight in a full-body tackle. The force of the impact sent the knight stumbling back, right into the ninja wire trap while the clone popped.

The black knight nearly regained his balance, almost managing to catch himself when Naruto tackled him again. Naruto's weight threw him off completely, and the knight fell into the hole.

Now or never.

Naruto landed on top of him, immediately plunging his kunai into the eye slit of the knight's helmet. The blade pierced through, and with his free hand, he channeled the pyromancy flame into the wound. He couldn't use fireballs, but even the raw pyromancy flame was enough to do what he needed.

The flames ignited the potassium nitrate and sugar paste he'd coated the blade with, and in an instant, it burned like the back of a firework rocket. Hot, searing flames burst from the blade, scorching everything in their path. The heat was intense—the kind that could melt through iron—and Naruto could feel the black knight thrashing beneath him as the fire seared his skull inside his helmet.

The knight slammed into the ground hard, the flames dying down as Naruto watched, his breath coming in ragged gasps. For a moment, he thought it was over, that he'd done it.

But he remembered Oscar's words: Always make sure it's dead.

Naruto stood over the black knight, his body shaking with exhaustion and pain, and plunged the blade in deeper, twisting it until he heard the crack of bone.

The black knight should've been done for. Naruto had literally put a rocket flame and a kunai right into its skull. But no, it wasn't over. Not even close.

As if nothing had happened, the knight shot up, its cold, black hand reaching for him with deadly precision.

Naruto's heart leaped into his throat as he reacted. He jumped, grabbing the ninja wire with both hands. The wire was already taut, and before he could even blink, his clones above yanked him up.

"Plan B!"

They'd been waiting, carrying storage scrolls of shattered pots and dust, ready for his signal. As soon as he said Plan B, they released the storage scrolls, sending the fine pot dust flying down like a storm.

He didn't waste time. With a flick of his wrist, Naruto sent a kunai spiraling down, a string of explosive tags trailing behind it. He didn't stick around to admire the scene; he sprinted away as fast as his legs could carry him, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the underground explosion that was about to happen.

"Kai!" he shouted.

Boom.

The ground beneath him trembled, and for a moment, it felt like the entire asylum was going to collapse. The dust in the air ignited, creating a shockwave that roared through the chamber like a beast. Naruto turned back, the explosion still ringing in his ears, watching as the thick cloud of dust swallowed everything in its path. The blast sent debris flying everywhere, chunks of stone and metal raining down in the aftermath.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Naruto crouched low, shielding his face from the debris. Did that get him? Is it finally over?

When the dust settled, Naruto cautiously approached the edge of the crater he'd created, his heart pounding in his chest. He half expected to see the black knight, still standing, somehow surviving the impossible.

But instead, there it was—a soul orb. A beautiful, glowing orb floating where the knight had been.

Naruto reached out, absorbing the orb into himself, feeling its energy surge through him.

[ Enemy Slain! ]

[ You have obtained ]

— [ 1000 Souls ]

— [ Red Titanite Chunk ]

Naruto let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Finally. It's over.

Looking around at the destruction, the broken remains of the asylum, Naruto knew it was time. Time to leave this place behind. The asylum had served its purpose—Oscar had told him that much—but now... now it was time for the next step.

Sensei, I'll carry your mission forward. I'll see this through.

With one final glance back at the shattered remains of the asylum, Naruto turned and made his way toward the exit.

He approached the door at the far end of the arena, the same door where he had fought the asylum demon. Even without any magic glow or signs, he could feel it—something was protecting this door. Some kind of force, maybe magic or whatever kept this whole place from falling apart. If he hadn't just gone through everything, he might've questioned his sanity.

But he knew. He knew how to open it.

Naruto took out the key he had gotten from the demon, holding it up in front of him as the system popped up again.

[ Item: Big Pilgrim's Key ]

[ Description: Key to the inner door of the Undead Asylum main hall. Big key belonging to a chosen Undead pilgrim. But this Chosen Undead knows not what this pilgrimage has in store. ]

"Thanks," Naruto mumbled at the system, not really caring about its dramatic tone right now. He placed the key into the door, and just like that, it vanished. The door creaked open on its own, revealing a long, winding cliff path ahead. Moss covered everything, and old ruins dotted the landscape, crumbling stone and broken arches.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him began to shake. Naruto turned around, his heart skipping a beat.

The asylum...

The entire building, every wall, every stone—everything started crumbling into the ground like sand. The magic that had kept this place together, the magic that had been repairing it each time it was broken, was gone. The moment he opened the door, that magic was broken. It was like watching the end of something ancient and powerful, and Naruto couldn't help but feel a weird sense of loss as he watched it fall into ruin.

Cold winds whipped around him, biting through Oscar's armor, and Naruto found himself standing there, staring at the destroyed asylum. The place that had been his prison, his battleground... was now gone. And he was alone.

Great, Naruto thought bitterly. Now what?

With no way to go but forward, he sighed and got to work. He took out a kunai and began digging into the ground, the cold earth giving way as he worked slowly, methodically. The sound of metal scraping against dirt was almost calming.

Oscar deserves this.

Once he had the grave ready, Naruto took out a storage scroll and gently placed Oscar's body into the hole.

Oscar's face—his hollowed face—was peaceful, like he'd finally found some rest knowing that his squire had avenged him.

Naruto grabbed a handful of soil, staring at it for a moment before dropping it into the grave. It felt strange, like he was saying goodbye to a part of himself, not just a friend.

As he recited the knightly precepts, the words caught in his throat. His mind kept replaying all the moments he had shared with Oscar, the things Oscar had taught him. Even though losing Oscar hurt more than Naruto wanted to admit, he couldn't help but feel honored. Honored to have met him, honored to carry his legacy.

Naruto found a large stone nearby and dragged it to the grave, placing it at the head like a makeshift tombstone. Taking his kunai, he carved into the stone:

"Oscar, Elite Knight of Astora, a friend, a mentor... a brother. Thank you for everything."

As Naruto finished carving the last word, he read it aloud, his voice breaking. His lips quivered, and before he could stop himself, tears started spilling down his face. He tried to hold it in, to be strong, but he couldn't.

He just... cried.

Naruto didn't know how long he stayed there, sitting by Oscar's grave, letting the grief wash over him. His chest ached, his throat felt raw, but eventually, the tears stopped. Slowly, he wiped his eyes and took a deep breath.

He stood up, putting the knight's helmet back on his head, feeling the weight of it settle on his shoulders. "Naruto Uzumaki, Squire of Oscar..." he paused, wishing he had the words, wishing he could speak like Oscar, like a true knight.

But he wasn't Oscar. He was himself. So he kept it simple.

"Goodbye," Naruto whispered.

With one last glance at the grave, Naruto turned and started walking up the cliff toward the ruins.

Naruto trudged through the snow, the cold biting at his skin, his breath visible in short, shallow puffs. Every step he took left a small crunch beneath his feet, the green weeds and shrubs swaying in the icy wind as if they were whispering secrets to the world. He reached the edge of the cliff and stopped in his tracks.

What lay before him was nothing short of breathtaking—a vast, endless expanse of mountains stretched out as far as he could see, their peaks blanketed in gray mist. They were towering, jagged giants, like the world itself was trying to cage him in, making him feel like this asylum was inescapable.

This place... it's so damn beautiful and lonely at the same time, Naruto thought.

Then, he heard it—a call that echoed through the cold air.

A crow's caw, loud and sharp, slicing through his thoughts. Before he could react, a shadow loomed over him, and suddenly a massive crow, with wings as dark as night and a body the size of a carriage, came swooping down. Its talons, each one as thick as his arm, were outstretched. They grabbed him before he even had a chance to blink.

The world spun as Naruto was lifted into the air, his stomach lurching at the sudden altitude. He had never felt anything like this—flying.

The wind whipped around him, freezing his face, but all he could do was hang there, his heart pounding in his throat. He didn't even dare move; one wrong twitch and he'd be a smear on the rocks below.

The higher they went, the thinner the air got. Naruto's chest tightened, each breath coming in sharp and cold, burning his lungs as he struggled to keep his eyes open. His head started to feel light, like he might pass out at any moment, but he forced himself to stay awake.

Come on, Naruto, stay with it. You've come too far to pass out now.

The crow's wings beat powerfully as it soared over the mountains, and that's when Naruto saw it—a city-like structure, sprawling out in the distance, bigger than anything he'd ever laid eyes on. Buildings and towers rose up like ancient giants, their stone walls cracked and weathered by time, standing tall and defiant against the elements.

The crow twisted its path, banking toward a circular structure perched on a cliff. The structure was mostly made of worn stone walls, with large gaps and broken archways that looked like they'd been abandoned for centuries. In the center of it all, there was a small fire burning on a stone platform, its flames flickering brightly, casting a warm, inviting glow.

Bonfire?! Naruto almost screamed the word in his head. He couldn't believe his eyes; it was just like the one in the asylum. A place of safety.

The crow's talons loosened, and suddenly, Naruto was falling. He hit the ground with a rough roll, dirt and stone scraping against his armor as he tumbled. By the time he came to a stop, the crow was already gone, its massive wings beating as it disappeared back into the sky.

Naruto gasped for air, sucking in huge gulps like a man who'd been drowning. His lungs felt like they were on fire, his head spinning from the sudden change in altitude. It was like trying to drink in too much air all at once, each breath leaving him lightheaded and disoriented.

He forced himself to get up, every muscle in his body screaming in protest as he stumbled toward the bonfire. The heat hit him like a wave, its warmth sinking into his bones, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Naruto felt safe.

And then, suddenly, his broken arm snapped back into place. He almost cried out in shock, but the numb pain in his ribs and the sensation of his insides shifting back to where they belonged kept him silent. The relief was so overwhelming that he almost fell to his knees.

Naruto glanced around, and his gaze landed on someone else—a man sitting down, wearing a full suit of dull, metallic armor that covered his entire body. His helmet was off, revealing short black hair and a neutral expression, like he'd seen the world and couldn't be bothered to care anymore. The armor looked worn, like it had seen too many battles, too many defeats. He was sitting on his shield, his sword lying next to him, his eyes fixed on the ground. He didn't even look up when Naruto arrived, just sat there with that hollow, broken expression.

He looks like he's already dead, Naruto thought, a chill running down his spine.

Not in the literal sense, but in the way someone looks when they've given up completely. Like he was part of the ruins themselves, blending into the decay around them.

Naruto took a deep breath. "Hey."

His voice was louder than he intended, echoing off the stone walls. He hoped this guy was at least friendly. After everything he'd been through, seeing an actual human was... almost comforting.

The man's eyes slowly moved up to meet Naruto's, and for a moment, he just stared at Naruto like he wasn't real. Then he sighed and spoke in a tired, defeated tone, "Well, what do we have here? You must be a new arrival. Let me guess. Fate of the Undead, right? Well, you're not the first. But there's no salvation here. You'd have done better to rot in the Undead Asylum… but, too late now."

Geez, this guy's a real ray of sunshine, Naruto thought, huffing out a breath. "Well, the Undead Asylum is destroyed. Nothing I can do about that now."

For the first time, something shifted in the man's face. His eyes widened just a little, a flicker of surprise breaking through the defeated look. But it was gone in an instant, replaced with the same hollow expression as before. "Oh? So, looks like you defeated the Asylum Demon," he said, but there was something mocking in his tone, like he didn't really believe Naruto.

"Of course," Naruto puffed out his chest a little, trying not to let the man's attitude get to him. He had defeated that demon. Barely, sure, but he'd done it.

"Kekekeke." The man laughed, a low, bitter sound, like he found the idea of Naruto beating the demon the funniest thing in the world.

Naruto clenched his fists, feeling the annoyance rise inside him. "Laugh it up, it's the truth," he said. Who the hell was this guy to laugh at him? He didn't know what Naruto had gone through, what he'd fought to get here.

"Sure it is, boy," the man said, still chuckling to himself. "No undead has ever managed to kill that thing. Either you die, or you escape. Those are your only two options."

Naruto bit his tongue, stopping himself from snapping back at the man. Precept the fourth, he reminded himself. Show virtue of patience, humility, and honor through your actions.

It was hard. Naruto wanted to throw it in the man's face, wanted to show him that he had killed the demon, that he wasn't just some weakling. But Oscar had taught him better than that. Actions speak louder than words. Naruto didn't need to prove anything to this guy. He'd see, eventually.

"Fine. Can you at least tell me where the Bell of Awakening is?"

The man finally lifted his eyes to meet Naruto's, his gaze as dull and hollow as ever. "There are actually two Bells of Awakening," he said. "One's up above, in the Undead Church. The other is far, far below, in the ruins at the base of Blighttown. Ring them both, and something happens… Brilliant, right? Not much to go on, but I have a feeling that won't stop you."

He gave Naruto a mocking smile that made his skin crawl. "So, off you go. It is why you came, isn't it? To this accursed land of the Undead? Hah hah hah hah…" He laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh. It was the kind of laugh that made Naruto feel small, like he was just a joke to him.

Prick, Naruto thought. For now, Naruto decided he'd go back to Konoha.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki."

The man raised an eyebrow, almost looking surprised for a second. "An undead that actually has a name... I am surprised." He studied Naruto like he was trying to figure out if he was worth the trouble.

"You are persistent," the man finally said. "But let me tell you this: in these parts, a name means nothing."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm going to call you Older Emo," Naruto said, hoping to get some kind of reaction—a smirk, a twitch, anything. But all he got was a blank stare, like the man didn't even care enough to be insulted. He just went right back to brooding, staring at the ground like he was trying to solve some riddle only he could see.

Wow, this guy is even more emo than Sasuke, Naruto thought, shaking his head. How did he even end up talking to someone more depressing than Sasuke? He shrugged it off. He still had no idea how to get back home. The last time he went back to Konoha... how did he do it again?

I died, right? Naruto thought, his mind racing back to that moment. The Asylum Demon killed me, and then I woke up in Konoha. Maybe that's the trick?

Just as Naruto was lost in his thoughts, the man suddenly spoke up, his voice softer but clearer. "Alexander," he said, and Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin.

"What?"

"You don't have to wait for my name," the man said, almost like he was tired of pretending not to care. "It's Alexander. I've long since abandoned it alongside everything else... I am but a crestfallen warrior."

Naruto nodded, unsure of what to say. Part of him was relieved to finally get a name out of the man, but another part was just tired of his whole act. He'd been so closed off, so convinced that nothing mattered, that his sudden confession felt like a crack in his armor. A tiny one, but still a crack.

"Now leave me alone," Alexander, the crestfallen warrior, said, his voice retreating back into that cold shell of his. It was like he opened up for just a second, then slammed the door shut again.

Naruto blinked, shaking his head. This is my problem with emos, he thought, walking away from Alexander. They act like they're all sad and mysterious one moment, and then they think the whole world revolves around their misery the next.

Naruto took a few steps away, trying to piece it all together. I died, right? The Asylum Demon killed me, and then I woke up in Konoha. I wonder if... if that's the only way back.

A shiver ran down Naruto's spine as he thought about it. Do I really have to die to go home?

----------------------------------------

Alexander M. Morgan—well, that name—it was dead now, meaningless, something he no longer needed. This pilgrimage… it had defeated him a long time ago. Now he was just here, stuck in the Firelink Shrine, clinging to the bonfire. For what, exactly? Even he didn't know anymore.

The crestfallen warrior glanced at the boy—the kid who'd shown up out of nowhere. Young, too young to be a warrior, and he claimed to have defeated the Asylum Demon. Ha, what a joke, right? No one beats that thing. But… was it really a joke? Why couldn't the kid have done it? Just because he ran like a coward? Just because he did nothing?

He squashed that thought before it could crawl any deeper into his mind. Didn't need that voice whispering in his head. It was always there, reminding him of what he could have been, what he could've done. Annoying.

He heard the sound of running. The kid, Naruto—what kind of name was that anyway?—was making his move. Leaving, he guessed. Strange… why did he feel sad? Guess he was still human at heart. After being alone for so long, it was… nice to have some company, even if it was just a kid full of reckless energy and naive dreams.

Alexander looked up, maybe to say something. He didn't even know what. Maybe to tell him good luck, or be careful, or… something. But before he could open his mouth, he saw the boy run and jump off the cliff.

What?

He opened his mouth but then closed it again. His brain went blank. Alexander just stared at the spot where Naruto jumped, watching the wind rustle the grass. The kid jumped. Just like that. Off the cliff.

Huh.

The thought lingered. Maybe death really is better than the hell that waits for us here. He muttered to himself, eyes drooping shut as if the thought itself was too much effort. Maybe I should do it too. The thought was always there, wasn't it? Giving up. Dying. Ending the misery. But Alexander was too much of a coward for that. Too much of a coward to die, and too much of a coward to live.

Then he felt it—the heat of the bonfire. Warmer than usual. When did it get so hot? Alexander opened his eyes and saw it. The boy's body was reforming in the flames. His hollow form, just like Alexander's had so many times. A new body, like embers reigniting after being snuffed out.

Nothing new. Any undead linked with a bonfire reforms this way. But as soon as Naruto's body was fully formed, it just stood there—empty, like a statue. No soul, no spark, just a shell.

And then Alexander felt it. A large surge of souls gathered at the edge of the cliff. Right where Naruto had jumped. The souls began to form into something—a green shape, the boy's body, lying there like it was asleep.

His soul drop. A green soul drop.

Alexander blinked. No way. A green soul drop? Not yellow like the rest of them. This was something he'd only ever heard about in legends. Legends of people from other worlds.

He glanced back at the hollowed-out version of Naruto standing lifeless near the bonfire, then at the green soul drop glowing at the cliff's edge.

The kid was telling the truth, Alexander realized, chuckling despite himself. He really did kill the Asylum Demon. And he really is from another world.

"Wow," Alexander muttered, a dry laugh escaping him. "Guess I've seen it all now."

But the laugh didn't last. He stood up, grabbing his shield and sword. Hollow or not, he could feel it—the presence of the undead. They'd be drawn to Naruto's soul drop like moths to a flame. And with a drop that big, bright, and green, they wouldn't just leave it alone. They'd swarm.

Alexander looked at the first one rushing toward Naruto's soul drop. His sword was in his hand before he even realized it.

Why am I doing this?

He didn't have an answer. Maybe it was to help someone out, to do something good for once. No, that's a lie. He was selfish. He'd always been selfish.

Maybe he just wanted to hold it over the kid, to make him owe him. No… I don't care about that anymore. This world didn't matter to him like it used to. So why?

Maybe… maybe he wanted to feel something again. Maybe protecting the kid's soul drop was the only thing in this rotten world that made him feel alive.

Frankly, Alexander thought, raising his sword as the first undead lunged at him, I don't know. And I don't care.

He cut down the hollow with a swift slash and stood his ground. Another one came rushing, but he was ready.

"You better come back, boy," Alexander muttered under his breath. "And get your damn soul drop. And… maybe thank me while you're at it."

He smiled for the first time in a long while. Maybe, just maybe, I could be a warrior again. After so long of being a coward.