Chapter no.195 Dark Souls - Naruto: The Chosen Undead - NovelsTime

Naruto: The Chosen Undead

Chapter no.195 Dark Souls

Author: Adamos_Amet
updatedAt: 2025-09-19

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Chapter 195 Is Minato from Lordran?

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Naruto walked down the stone steps into the workshop. Sparks crackled from the forge, but Andre wasn't hammering. Instead, the old blacksmith sat on a stool with a pair of scissors in one hand and a comb in the other, trimming his thick beard with surprising care. He clicked the scissors shut and brushed the trimmed hairs away before snipping carefully at his mustache, keeping it neat so it wouldn't catch on his lips.

"Old man," Naruto called, raising a brow at the sight. "Where's the princess?"

Andre didn't look up right away, setting the scissors on the bench before replying in his deep, steady voice. "She's gone. You were away for quite a while."

"Oh." Naruto's shoulders sagged a little. His gaze fell to the floor, guilt tugging at him. "Did she… did she leave behind any spell scrolls for me?"

Part of him felt guilty for not being there when she left. Dusk deserved someone to listen, someone to give her peace of mind that Oolacile's legacy wouldn't be forgotten. But another part of him felt relief. If she was gone, then he wouldn't feel guilty about keeping his distance, about not letting himself get close to someone who was fated to die in the past.

"What are you talking about? The princess didn't leave on her own. She was taken by her friend."

Naruto's head shot up, confusion written across his face. "What?"

"They found out Dusk was here, and they came to get her." Andre crossed his arms. "If you're keen on meeting with her again, and learning what she has to teach, you best get moving. Head down to the Darkroot Basin. There's a ladder by the waterfall. Follow it, and you'll find where they've gone."

Naruto stood still, lost in thought.

"Hurry up, boy," Andre said. "You don't have much time to waste."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto muttered. "It's just… if Dusk's friend has lived all the way from the past until now, then they must know what happens to her back then. So if they meet her here, now… does that change the past? Can the past even be changed?"

"Boy, I'm just an old man who loves to make weapons. I ain't no scholar and I sure as hell ain't a mage. If you've got questions about time, you're asking the wrong fool. Better you go find the princess and her friend and ask them, instead of wasting breath on a drunk old smith like me."

Naruto smirked and gave the blacksmith a pat on the back. "Don't put yourself down, Andre. You're smarter than you let on."

Andre gave him a sharp look that said he wasn't buying the flattery, but before he could speak, Naruto straightened.

"Alright, fine. I'll get going."

"Oh, and before you leave," Andre called after him, "congratulations on ringing the Bell of Awakening."

Naruto waved a hand without looking back. "Yeah, that did nothing, by the way. But I did manage to get Anastacia's sins forgiven, killed a scamming cleric, and joined the Warrior of Sunlight covenant."

Then, with Oscar at his heels, Naruto broke into a run, heading toward the Darkroot Garden.

Andre sat there blinking, the words slowly sinking in. Then he let out a deep sigh, shaking his head with a smile tugging at his lips.

"Always something up with that boy," he muttered, rubbing his beard.

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The duo reached the waterfall in a few minutes, stopped only by the collection of crystal golems.

Naruto never noticed, but the waterfall that created the lake of Darkroot Basin was massive, crashing down from a cliff veiled in moonlight. The cascade shimmered like liquid silver, the full moon above catching every drop. Mist rolled out from the base, curling around the rocks, and the wind carried the constant roar of falling water.

Naruto stepped forward, eyes narrowing as he scanned the edge. And there was a barely visible ladder behind the waterfall's curtain, carved directly into the stone face of the cliff.

"I have to climb that?"

Oscar hopped onto his head, chirped once, and pointed his claw straight ahead.

"Actually… I have a better idea."

Oscar blinked. Then his eyes widened in realization and horror.

"Go long," Naruto said hurling Oscar skyward like a ball.

The little lizard screamed, not in fear, but in outrage, and flailed as he soared past the waterfall.

Naruto bent his knees, chakra pooling in his calves. He took a deep breath and launched. The force cracked the rock beneath him as he shot into the air, wind tearing at his armor.

For a few breathtaking seconds, they were suspended midair.

The waterfall roared beside them like a living wall, sparkling silver under the moon's gaze.

Oscar flailed midair, spinning like a throwing knife. Naruto laughed, wide-eyed and alive, his arms spread as if to embrace the sky. The wind whipped through his long hair, and his smile glowed with boyish freedom and unshakable will.

"I could get used to this!"

Oscar screamed back, more shriek than chirp.

Naruto grabbed him midair and spun, feet landing hard against the cliff wall. He bounced once, then flipped backward while grabbing hold of the ladder with one hand. They hung there, breathing hard, the world roaring beside them.

"...Totally worth it," Naruto whispered.

Oscar groaned and went limp in his arms.

The boy couldn't help but laugh at his partner's melodrama. Oscar flailed in protest from where he dangled under Naruto's arm, his limbs splayed like an indignant cat. They'd just landed their wild leap, and Naruto, still catching his breath, looked ahead.

Above the waterfall, cloaked in mist and bathed in pale moonlight, stretched an old wooden bridge. It was nothing grand, just a weathered thing of dark planks and sagging ropes, tied to posts that leaned slightly with age. Moss crept along the wood. The bridge swayed faintly in the mountain breeze, groaning with the memory of every soul who'd crossed it before.

But Naruto's eyes weren't on the bridge.

They drifted down to the river as he followed it.

"Guess this river connects to where I do my weed collection," Naruto muttered, smirking.

Oscar tilted his head, confused.

"Green Blossom," Naruto clarified with a grin. "You weren't there with me, but down in that hidden grove in the Darkroot Garden where the Wolf Ring was. The Green Blossom takes a year to grow, but due to Lordran's convoluted time, I can farm these herbs every time I come. Been sending clones there for the past month. Hehehe."

Oscar heard the information and just made a noise. Naruto ignored the little guy's attitude as he looked up and squinted.

Far above the wooden bridge was a second structure. A graceful arch made of stone, half-swallowed by shadow and ivy.

A forgotten road of Oolacile, perhaps.

Suddenly, Oscar scrambled from his arm and scampered ahead across the wooden bridge.

"Oi! What did you find?"

On the far side, by the lake's edge, lay a corpse. Not just another rotted shell of armor and regrets. This one looked fresh, or at least freshly killed. The body was half-submerged in the mud, its hand still clenched around a broken claymore.

Naruto knelt beside it, gently prying the soul drop from its chest.

[Soul of a Brave Warrior]

"Were you trying to escape?" he murmured, eyes lingering on the silent face. "Or were you trying to protect something?"

He stood slowly, thoughtful, then noticed another ladder. A narrow one carved into the dirt wall, winding up toward the stone bridge above.

"Be on alert," Naruto said, scooping up Oscar.

The little lizard chirped, now perched alertly on his shoulder.

With a single chakra-fueled leap, Naruto soared up the ladder path and landed gracefully atop the stone bridge. From here, he could see two diverging paths: one led into a twisted grove where trees hunched. The other opened into a wide clearing under the full moon.

"Which way?"

Oscar pointed his tiny claw forward.

"Alright then. Into the open."

The moonlight spilled over the clearing. It should have been peaceful, beautiful even, but Naruto's nerves were on edge for one simple reason. The forest was too quiet. The kind of silence where every breath sounded too loud, where the thump of your heartbeat echoed in your ears. Then, carried on that silence, came the sound of a hissing cat.

From the top of the clearing, figures began to move. Huge, sleek shapes with dark grey fur and glowing yellow eyes. Feline forms slinked from the upper ledges, each muscle in their bodies taut like coiled springs.

[Name: Giant Feline]

[HP: 1500 / 1500]

One of them let out a deep, ear-splitting hiss and rose onto its hind legs like a bear. Then, without warning, it tucked into a blur of motion, rolling toward them at incredible speed, fangs bared.

Naruto hurled the lizard into the air just in time and sidestepped as the beast crashed where he'd stood. Before he could draw breath, a second feline lunged for his side with a snapping bite.

Too slow.

The feline's jaws snapped shut around an afterimage. A heartbeat later, Naruto's fist slammed down onto its skull, breaking its poise and staggering the massive cat with a loud crack. The third feline came barreling in, claws extended. Its momentum crushed rocks beneath it, but Naruto wasn't aiming to block.

From above, a beam of focused soul energy lanced down, striking the first feline just as it tried to recover. Bright, glassy spikes jutted from its back, pinning it in place as it howled in pain.

Naruto landed, already drawing an arrow. It snapped forward with a thunderclap, a sonic boom trailing in its wake. It hit the cat square in the eye with a crunch but didn't pierce through.

"Damn tough bastard," Naruto muttered as he made a handsign.

The explosive seal on the arrowhead flared.

Boom.

The explosion rippled outward, and the giant cat's skull was vaporized. The other two hissed sharply, took one look at the battlefield, and ran.

"Yeah, that's right!" Naruto shouted after them. "Run, fluffballs!"

Oscar fell from the sky with a triumphant chirp. Naruto caught him in one hand, his other still holding his greatbow. The lizard growled in his arms, eyes flicking toward the fleeing foes with bloodlust.

"Calm down, dude. We're not here for revenge or anything."

Oscar gave a reluctant chirp, his body tense, but slowly settled as Naruto scratched the back of his head. Suddenly, something caught Naruto's eye.

A flicker of red and white disappearing into the trees.

"What was that?"

He didn't wait for an answer. Instinct gripped him as he broke into a run. The path ahead wove through the woods as the trees parted, and soon they found themselves standing at the edge of a valley. A river ran quietly below the valley. Moonlight poured down from above, casting silver outlines on the humanoid figures in the forest.

Is that a Mushroom? Naruto thought as his hawkeyes activated.

They stood motionless on the forest floor. Strange, lumbering beings with bodies shaped like tree trunks and heads like giant mushroom caps.

The larger one, clearly an adult, had skin like rough bark, pale grey and knotted with age. Its arms hung low and heavy, fingers thick and stubby like clubs. The mushroom cap atop its head was dark brown, nearly black at the edges, with a pale underside speckled in spots like spores. Beside it stood a smaller version. Its child, no doubt. Rounder, smoother, with skin more like the inside of a fresh mushroom. Its cap was curved, like a dome still forming, and it clung tightly to the adult's hand. Tiny feet poked out from under its round body as it shuffled in place.

Unlike the adults, the children had no eyes, yet they were staring at Naruto and Oscar with innocent wonder.

Naruto was still taking it in when the adult let out a sound that didn't match its sluggish appearance.

A screech.

Not a simple cry.

It was sharp and resonant, echoing through the forest like a warning bell.

Suddenly, dozens of tiny mushroom children were gathered behind the pair. Hidden at first among the underbrush and tree roots, now exposed by the call. Their caps wobbled as they peeked from behind moss-covered stones and snapped branches. Some huddled behind their siblings. Others pointed at Naruto in awe.

Both adult mushrooms turned toward the same tree. They raised their heavy fists in tandem and punched.

The tree splintered, groaned, and fell.

A wall erected between the children and the strangers.

A deliberate warning.

"Parents protecting their kids. I get that," Naruto said quietly, a strange warmth blooming in his chest. For a moment, he wasn't a warrior in a strange forest. He was a boy watching something he never had but always wanted.

"Come on. Let's not be the monsters in their bedtime stories." Naruto turned to Oscar. "Tell them we mean no harm."

Oscar looked up at him slowly. His expression said: Are you actually stupid? I don't speak mushroom.

Naruto sighed. "Fine."

He took a cautious step forward, hands raised, moving along the edge of the valley… careful not to step too close. Every step was exaggerated, calm, non-threatening. He kept glancing back at the mushrooms, hoping his intentions were clear.

The adult watched but did not move.

And then, just as Naruto turned to leave them be, he saw something.

A bridge.

It stretched ahead like the threshold to a forgotten age. Short but solid, it was made of thick stone blocks. The sides were built with low walls from the same material, waist-high, enough to offer cover if battle came. The bridge led directly to a massive, looming, sealed door. Twin slabs of grey stone towered ahead, with a vertical line of glowing white light splitting them down the middle.

"This is the place, right? Dusk should be here."

Oscar gave him a long side-eye, clearly unconvinced.

"Okay, fine. I just wanna check it out," Naruto muttered as he placed both hands on the cold, dust-covered surface of the massive stone door. A few dozen tons at least. He could feel the sheer weight of it thrumming through his bones. Whoever had built this door hadn't just wanted to keep something in or out. They'd wanted it forgotten.

With a grunt and a deep breath, Naruto focused his chakra, flooding his muscles with raw power. Veins bulged, muscles strained, and the ancient stone groaned in protest as he slowly forced it open. Dust exploded outward in a fine mist. The sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the trees.

Naruto staggered forward, panting. But the sight before him pushed the fatigue from his mind.

Low dirt ridges framed the area, and a narrow stream trickled along one edge, murmuring softly to itself. The air smelled of moss and wet earth. But what truly captured Naruto's eyes was at the center of the field.

A giant gravestone.

Nature had begun its slow conquest as vines clung to its sides. Deep engravings once filled with meaning now faded into near-obliteration. Chunks of the structure had fallen away, but it still stood tall. Defiant. Like the soul it memorialized refused to be forgotten. Around the grave, swords jutted from the ground. Long swords. Short swords. Broken blades. Each one hammered into the soil as if left behind by warriors who once stood guard. Some blades were rusted beyond use. Others looked ceremonial. Others still glinted with a faint magical light.

Grave markers. Or offerings. Perhaps both.

Several smaller stones were scattered nearby, each bearing signs of sword-stabs straight through them, making the entire scene feel more like a battlefield than a graveyard. But at the heart of it all, half-buried in a nest of solemn steel, lay a giant greatsword.

It was beautiful.

The blade was long, straight, and wide, colored a deep frost-blue. The guard curved downward like demonic horns. The handle, long and wrapped in tight black leather, invited a two-handed grip.

The weapon practically demanded respect, reverence, and fear.

Naruto gulped. "Let's be careful in this place," he whispered.

Oscar chirped beside him, just as wary. The sense of being watched settled on them. Rather than walk straight to the sword, Naruto circled along the edge, stepping silently beside the stream.

The forest and the grave watched while something ancient waited. And then he saw it on the back side of the monument, nestled in shadow.

A corpse.

It lay slumped against the back of the grave, body curled protectively over something clutched in its hands. Time had long claimed the flesh, but the posture remained as if she had died holding on to her last purpose. In her grasp were two things: a slender, silver ring inset with a hornet insignia that gleamed unnaturally. And a three-pronged kunai, etched with advanced fuinjutsu.

[You have picked up]

[Hornet Ring]

[Three-Pronged Kunai of the Yellow Flash]

Naruto blinked.

Then blinked again.

He had to reread the glowing message twice just to be sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

[Item: Three-Pronged Kunai of the Yellow Flash]

"Eh…? Why the hell is the fourth's kunai here?" Naruto muttered aloud, voice tinged with disbelief.

[Item: Hornet Ring]

[Description: One of the special rings granted to the Four Knights of Gwyn. The Hornet Ring belonged to the Lord's Blade Ciaran. By boosting critical attacks, its wearer can annihilate foes, as Ciaran's dagger laid waste to Lord Gwyn's enemies.]

Naruto exhaled sharply, almost laughing in disbelief. That made it three now. Artorias's Wolf Ring, Gough's Hawkeyes technique, and now Ciaran's Hornet Ring.

Naruto chuckled under his breath as he had gained something from three out of the four knights of Gwyn, which made him wonder if he would get something from the fourth. But his gaze drifted down toward the motionless body at his feet.

Naruto furrowed his brow and tapped on the next item.

[Item: Three-Pronged Kunai of the Yellow Flash]

[Description: A uniquely shaped kunai once wielded by Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure. Marked with a Flying Thunder God seal, it allowed its master to bend space itself, striking faster than thought. Those who saw the blade vanish knew death had already arrived. A symbol of unmatched speed, devastating accuracy, and the legacy of Minato Namikaze.]

"...So it's the real deal. So… the Fourth really was here? Or at least his legacy reached Lordran?" Naruto's eyes narrowed. "That would explain the Darksign being sealed away in the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. Did that mean that minato namikaze was from astora?"

It was a theory.

But one he couldn't ignore.

Naruto exhaled, then knelt beside the body of the Lord's Blade Ciaran, he now realized. She had held onto the kunai even in death. Maybe she had found it… or maybe she had fought the fourth hokage. Or helped him. Whatever the story was… she deserved rest.

"Thanks," Naruto whispered, as he gently folded her arms over her chest. Then he buried her.

Wordlessly, he began to gather stones. One by one, he laid them over her resting place, hands moving with care but no hesitation. Oscar joined him, carrying smaller rocks in his mouth.

Together, they built a cairn.

"Rest now," Naruto murmured as his blade scraped across the stone. Each stroke carved steady, deliberate letters: Here lies Lord's Blade Ciaran.

When the last line was cut, he leaned back, brushing the dust away with his hand. His voice dropped to a whisper meant only for the grave. "You're not forgotten."

With that, the duo stepped around to the front, where a massive slab of stone jutted from the earth.

He knew what this was now.

A greatsword that marked Artorias's grave.

Naruto stepped forward slowly, heart pounding. He touched the Wolf Ring. He had worn it through so many battles. Felt it anchor him when the world tried to break him. He owed this knight a debt.

Naruto dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

"Thank you. I don't know if I deserve what I've been given… but I'll carry it forward. I'll fight like you did with a greatsword and a will that shall never be broken."

Oscar, solemn beside him, imitated the motion and bowed his tiny head.

In that quiet moonlit grove, before the tomb of the Abysswalker and the grave of the Lord's Blade, Naruto and his companion stood in silence. The breeze stirred the trees. The waterfall roared far below.

The moment of reverence shattered like glass beneath a low, rumbling growl.

Naruto's body tensed. The hair along the back of his neck stood on end. Slowly, he turned toward the massive gravestone ahead. A silhouette stood before it, backlit by the cold moonlight.

A giant wolf gazed down from the Greatsword of Artorias.

Naruto's eyes widened.

[Name: Great Grey Wolf Sif]

[HP: 6000 / 6000]

It has more health than Stormrend?!

The wolf moved. With one smooth motion, it gripped the sword in its jaws, tugged it free with a clang of steel on stone, and stepped into the open field. The blade was longer than Naruto was tall, yet Sif wielded it with the casual grace of a warrior like a dog with a stick, imitating its master.

Then Sif lowered its stance, sword angled, body coiled. The eyes met Naruto's.

It wasn't just majestic.

It was terrifying.

Naruto had always been reckless, always believed that no matter the odds, he could scrape together a win. That was just who he was. But there were three opponents in Lordran that made even him feel the chill of fear deep in his bones.

Stormrend.

Havel.

And now, Sif.

This was different from sparring Kakashi back home, where clever tricks and grit could bridge the gap. Against Sif, he could not see a path to victory, could not even imagine how to survive. The sheer size, speed, and killing intent radiating from the wolf froze his gut in a way nothing else had. Oscar chirped, low and fearful. Even the crystal lizard, who had seen horrors beside him, sensed it: this fight was one they would not walk away from.

Naruto swallowed hard, forcing his breath steady as he drew the greatbow. The string creaked as he notched an arrow, pulling until the bow trembled.

Ahead, Sif jerked his massive head to the side, taking his stance. The blade of Artorias gleamed in his jaws, and with a single step forward the ground shook beneath his paws.

Naruto did not aim at the wolf. He turned his bow, drawing the arrow down until it leveled with the moss-covered grave.

Artorias's grave.

"Yeah," Naruto said, voice sharp and steady despite the fear clawing in his chest. "Unless you want your master's grave blown to pieces, stay right there like a good dog. Or else."

To emphasize his threat, Naruto shifted the angle ever so slightly up and down, making it clear he was not bluffing.

Sif froze, lips pulling back in a guttural growl that rumbled through the clearing. His ears flattened, his golden eyes locked on Naruto.

Naruto did not flinch. He kept his aim fixed on the grave and let one hand flash through a single-handed seal. Beside him, a shadow clone burst into being, already performing the Homeward miracle. The golden glow began to spill over Naruto, Oscar, and the clone, wrapping them in the promise of escape.

But Sif moved.

The wolf's body blurred in a flash of silver and grey. He lunged with a horizontal slash, the greatsword sweeping with such speed and force that Naruto's mind barely kept up. The truth hit him in that fraction of a second: if he did nothing, the blade would separate his head from his body before the miracle could finish.

So he did the only thing he could.

Lightning Spear.

Faith surged through him, crackling down his arm until it shaped itself into a lance of blinding light. At the speed of lightning, it should have been unavoidable.

But Sif was no ordinary beast.

The wolf twisted with impossible grace, leaping skyward. The Lightning Spear tore past his belly, searing the air. And in mid-leap, Sif swung the greatsword in an arc that traced a crescent moon against the sky.

Naruto's eyes widened. There was no way out.

But Oscar roared. From the small body of the crystal lizard erupted a wave of chakra, spilling outward in jagged shards of light. The ground in front of them erupted, rising in a wall of gleaming blue-white crystals.

Crsytal Release: Crystal Encampment Wall.

Sif's strike crashed into it. The sound was like a mountain splitting in half, shards flying in every direction as claw and steel gouged a deep gash across the crystalline surface. But it held. Just enough.

The golden glow of the Homeward miracle flared, and in the next heartbeat, Naruto and Oscar vanished in a flash of light, leaving only empty air where they had stood.

Sif landed heavily, his paws digging furrows into the ground as his sword carved a trench across the earth. He growled, golden eyes flicking toward the lingering scent of the boy. He could follow it. He could chase the intruder who had dared threaten his master's grave.

But Sif did not move.

Instead, his gaze shifted to the cairn of stone. The wolf's ears twitched at the silence that followed, at the stillness of the clearing. The scent of the boy faded with the wind, and Sif huffed out a slow breath. With a groan, the giant wolf curled into himself, his body settling into the moss, his nose brushing the base of the grave marker.

Sif closed his eyes.

And in dreams, the silence broke. He was no longer alone. He was running across fields bathed in moonlight, his paws pounding alongside a knight in blue armor. He could hear the clash of steel, the bark of orders, the ringing laugh that once carried courage into battle. The weight of the greatsword was gone, replaced by the joy of a hunt, the thrill of loyalty, the comfort of never leaving his master's side.

Sif breathed deep, and for a moment, the world was whole again.

What more could a dog want than to guard his master, in life or in memory, in waking or in dream?

And so, beside the grave of Artorias, the Great Grey Wolf rested.

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Author Note

Okay, I know what you're all thinking. Is Minato somehow from Lordran? Well, the how will be tackled later in the story, but the reason I bring this up is because of a really sharp review from reader Rein Tenebres. He suggested that maybe Tobirama, not Minato, was the one originally tied to the Darksign in the Forbidden Scroll.

Here's his review for reference: I know you're trying to guide the readers into thinking Minato was the original person to develop the Lordran contract and go there. Calling the original person a "Flash." Having Onoki call Minato "Calamity." But everything keeps fitting Tobirama better. First, Tobirama developed the Impure World Reincarnation technique, which is adjacent to the Darksign. Second, Tobirama is the originator of the Flying Thunder God technique that led to Minato getting his Yellow Flash moniker. Third, as you put emphasis on in this chapter, the Leaf has the Will of Fire. Tobirama is one of the originators of this faith. Perhaps he was trying to be more literal with this, and connected to the First Flame.

Now, Rein Tenebres, I've sent you a PM on with a more detailed response to your points, so definitely check that out. Much obliged for the thought-provoking review.

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Q&A Time

1 – Did Sif use Leaf Style: Crescent Moon Dance near the end?

Yes. For those who might not remember, the Crescent Moon Dance is a kenjutsu style used by Hayate Gekkō during the Chunin Exams against Baki. It relies on afterimages and clone feints, striking in a crescent formation. Sadly, Hayate didn't survive long enough in canon to really showcase it, but here, Sif used the technique.

How did a giant wolf manage that? Don't worry, it will be explained later. Let's just say this is one of many threads tying Sif, Artorias, Naruto, and Konoha together.

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2 – Can you actually get the Hornet Ring without fighting Sif?

Yes, you actually can. For anyone who doesn't know: if you enter Sif's area and hug the side paths, avoiding Artorias's grave, you won't trigger the boss fight. Instead, you can find Lord's Blade Ciaran's corpse and loot the Hornet Ring from there.

Try it out if you don't believe me! And yes, the Hornet Ring is going to play a very interesting role in this story. I'll even open this up for ideas. If any of you want to throw wild suggestions on how a ring that boosts critical strikes could shape the plot, I'd love to hear them.

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That's it for now!

As always, I appreciate all of you for reading, commenting, and coming along for this ride.

Adam

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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 91, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.

To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!

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