Chapter 227 Little Wooden Head

When Chen Nuo woke up in The Lands Between again, he was already empowered by the strength of fourteen Nuos. Looking at his body, which seemed to have been reborn, the entire world appeared vastly different to him.

As the saying goes, with great power comes... even greater power.

Just as Chen Nuo was immersed in grand fantasies of no longer taking anyone's nonsense, marrying a long-legged queen, and reaching the pinnacle of life, he suddenly sensed a strange gaze watching him.

He turned his head sharply to look toward the corner of the room.

"..."

There was nothing there.

No, that wasn't right. Chen Nuo focused his mind and calmed his breath.

His originally Tarnished eyes suddenly gained a touch of orange-red, as if a ball of flame was burning within them.

A slender figure, looking somewhat flustered, slowly revealed herself, clearly at a loss due to her current exposure.

Why had she suddenly become visible?

She clearly hadn't been ready to meet him yet.

This was a young girl draped in a black robe. Her beautiful, fair face was partially hidden under the brim of her hood, with almost no skin exposed, and her nervous hands were tucked inside her sleeves.

The scene became quite silent and awkward for a moment.

"Don't you plan on saying something?"

Chen Nuo broke the deadlock and asked.

"I am very sorry... to meet you under these circumstances. Tarnished who has come across the fog, my name is Melina."

Out of politeness and respect, Melina reached out and took off her hood, fully revealing her original appearance, with her Chestnut curly hair falling over her shoulders.

Her brown right eye gazed at Chen Nuo, while her left eye remained tightly closed, with a three-clawed mark around the socket.

This did not spoil the beauty of the girl's face; instead, it added a touch of mystery to her.

"My name is Nuo."

Chen Nuo nodded and sat down along the edge of the bed. Seeing his relaxed posture, Melina also secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and her expression became much more natural.

In The Lands Between, being able to communicate normally with a stranger was indeed a bit of a challenge.

Although the manner of their first meeting was not what she had expected, at least the worst-case scenario hadn't happened.

"I came following the direction where the sparks fell; I did not mean to intrude."

Melina explained softly, glancing inconspicuously at the strange color rising in Chen Nuo's eyes.

"Sparks?"

Chen Nuo raised his right hand, and a wisp of orange-red flame emerged in his palm, emitting a faint but steady glow.

He had indeed sensed this extra power in his body, but he hadn't had time to test it before starting the conversation with Melina.

"This flame is extraordinary. I wonder whose grace it is."

Melina stared at the flame in Chen Nuo's palm, murmuring as if talking to herself.

She could see all the flames in the world.

Because she herself was a special kindling.

Therefore, Melina could vaguely sense the vast and magnificent essence revealed by this flame, making her subconsciously want to draw closer.

"This isn't grace."

In just a few short seconds, Chen Nuo had already read the information he wanted from this wisp of immortal spiritual flame.

Spirituality itself is a form of high-density information existence.

This is the legacy of the sun, and also the future of The Lands Between.

Melina blinked, hearing the unspoken meaning in his words, but she did not continue to ask.

In a place like The Lands Between, there were always various outer gods attempting to show their presence; it wasn't particularly unusual.

Especially for beings like the Tarnished, who seemed to be particularly favored by outer gods.

"So, why did you follow this flame?"

Chen Nuo gently clenched his fist, and the flame dissipated. Even the strange color in his eyes disappeared, making him look no different from an ordinary Tarnished.

"I want to discuss a deal with you."

Melina had already made a decision and continued.

"Do you know of the Finger Readers? They serve the Two Fingers, helping and guiding the Tarnished. But right now, you have no maiden by your side. I can fulfill their duties."

"I can turn Runes into your strength. As long as you seek the elden ring, this will surely be of help to you. What I hope for is that you can take me to the roots of the Erdtree."

After speaking, there was a hint of expectation in Melina's gaze.

The Tarnished before her was very special, and according to Torrent's judgment, he was also a powerful warrior. Coupled with this special gift of fire, perhaps he really could take her to the foot of the Erdtree.

"I do not seek the elden ring."

Chen Nuo's sentence made Melina's heart sink slightly. In her seemingly emotionless expression, a hint of loneliness was faintly visible.

"But if this is a maiden's sincere request, I am willing to fulfill her wish."

Chen Nuo said with a smile.

As for some long-legged queen, he wasn't that familiar with her anyway.

Hearing this, Melina cheered up again. After thinking for a moment, she took out a whistle and said somewhat nervously,

"I don't have much to give. This whistle can summon the Spectral Steed, Torrent. It should be able to help you on your journey."

"Not enough."

Chen Nuo shook his head gently, stood up, and approached Melina. Under her puzzled gaze, he half-clenched his fist and raised it to his face.

"Follow my lead."

"Like this?"

Melina's movements were a bit stiff, like a little piece of wood.

"Repeat after me: Please, good brother, take me with you, meow~."

"..."

Melina's cheeks were flushed with a hint of red, giving her a rare touch of life, but her mouth seemed as if it were glued shut; she couldn't say a single word.

"Say it, and I'll take you."

Hearing this, Melina took a deep breath, as if she had made a great resolution, and painfully opened her mouth.

"P-please, brother, please take me with you."

"Don't just delete words as you like. It has to be word for word."

"Please, good brother, take me with you."

Chen Nuo didn't speak, staring at Melina until she added the very last part.

"...Meow~."

"That's more like it."

A mischievous smirk played on the corners of Chen Nuo's mouth.

The feeling of teasing this Little Wood was simply too great; now he'd have some fun along the way.

Melina couldn't help but bite her lip gently, a trace of suspicion entering her eyes.

Is this guy really a descendant of warriors?

Is there such an improper warrior?

"I have fulfilled your request."

There was a tiny bit of emotion in Melina's voice.

It seemed the Little Wood was getting a bit heated.

"Don't worry, I've promised. I will take you to the base of the Erdtree. This is our pact."

Chen Nuo held up his pinky finger to Melina.

"A pact?"

Melina hesitated before reaching out. She was somewhat reluctant to show her hand from her sleeve, but Chen Nuo proactively hooked his finger onto hers.

The touch of the spirit was a bit cold, lacking the warmth of life.

But Melina felt the heartbeat and warmth transmitted from Chen Nuo's finger. In a daze, she felt as if she had come back to life herself.

The next second, like a startled deer, Melina hurriedly withdrew her hand, leaving behind one last sentence.

"If you need my help, please call my name."

"Alrighty, meow."

Chen Nuo mimicked Melina's tone from just now, unable to resist teasing her once more.

"...Hmph."

Melina's figure vanished, and a faint, dissatisfied snort could be heard in the room.

Chen Nuo picked up the whistle. He could feel the Spectral Steed dwelling inside neighing at him.

Similarly, Melina hadn't actually left; she was just residing within him. He could feel the weight of the girl's spirit—light as a feather, like a wisp of breeze.

Occasionally, she would still cast a gaze toward him.

For a first meeting, he'd teased her enough. He'd wait until tomorrow to continue.

For now, he'd let Little Wood hide within him and sort out her feelings.

Chen Nuo walked out of the wooden hut and blew the whistle.

A handsome, tall Spectral Steed appeared. The horse's head gently nudged Chen Nuo's chest, as if expressing its fondness for its new master.

This was a smart warhorse with great intuition.

"Let me try this out."

Chen Nuo flipped himself up and mounted the horse.

The moment Chen Nuo mounted him, Torrent knew that this was the true knight he had been dreaming of.

This feeling of mutual understanding was like two kindred spirits meeting after a long search.

The next second, Torrent took Chen Nuo to chase the radiance scattered by the Erdtree.

Feeling its carefree and joyful mood, Melina couldn't help but feel a small twinge of jealousy.

When you were with me before, I never saw you this happy.

Does this new master please you that much?

Chen Nuo's little hut was built in the mountain forest west of Agheel Lake, not far from the Church of Elleh. Not long after he had first arrived, he had encountered a patrolling Tree Sentinel and been crushed like a stray dog.

It was time to settle that score.

The Tree Sentinels belong to Leyndell, Royal Capital. They are guardians of the Erdtree, clad in golden armor, wielding Golden Halberds and greatshields, and are masters of the "Golden Retaliation" skill.

Though it wasn't clear why a Tree Sentinel was wandering near the Church of Elleh, he was indeed one of the greatest challenges faced by all Tarnished who first set foot in The Lands Between.

From afar, Chen Nuo saw that tall figure wandering the road, clad in heavy golden armor that had long since grown dull.

These guards, once blessed by gold, had all suffered severe backlash after the shattering of the elden ring. Most of them had developed severe mental issues and lost the ability to communicate normally.

However, their combat instincts and killing techniques remained perfectly intact.

Upon seeing Chen Nuo appear, the Tree Sentinel immediately spurred his horse forward, raising the Golden Halberd high. The moment he entered attack range, he brought it down.

However, Chen Nuo was no longer the same man he was a day ago.

Facing the Tree Sentinel's heavy and powerful attack, he just gave the reins a light tug. Torrent, following his will, nimbly sidestepped and easily avoided it.

The Tree Sentinel's attack did not stop; he swung his shield, intending to knock Chen Nuo off his horse.

That massive shield was large enough to easily cover a whole person.

Just by hearing the whistling wind, one could tell how heavy that shield was.

Yet in the Tree Sentinel's hand, it seemed as if it had lost all weight, swinging with ease.

And this was even after losing the blessing of grace.

In the era when the elden ring was whole, these Tree Sentinels were strong enough to wrestle with giants.

One must remember that it was these heroes blessed by gold who fought across the land, crushing and exterminating countless races before successfully unifying The Lands Between.

However, this shield bash swung through empty air.

This caused the Tree Sentinel's body to fall into a brief moment of stiffness.

Those colorless and cloudy eyes beneath the helmet peered out through the slit, trying to find Chen Nuo's figure.

"Whinny!"

The armored warhorse beneath him called out in warning.

It felt an extra weight on its back.

The Tree Sentinel realized where Chen Nuo was, but just as he was about to turn his head, a rusty blade sliced through the gap in his heavy armor. In an instant, his headless body toppled over.

This decaying and withered body could no longer bleed.

The golden order established by the Eternal Queen had removed Death and sealed it away.

Since then, all who received the golden grace obtained eternal life.

However, this gift was not perfect. Even if the soul could live forever, the physical body would still age and break down, at which point the body became a prison for the soul.

Queen Marika provided a solution.

Returning to the Erdtree.

Returning the soul and body to the Erdtree, to be "reshaped" and then granted a new life.

Before the age of the Erdtree, people needed to go to the Catacombs spread across The Lands Between to perform this ritual. But after the golden order dominated The Lands Between, this process of life cycling became automated.

But now, the elden ring is shattered and the order has failed. This unique cycle of life has been broken. The act of grace that originally sealed away Death has become a curse of undeath.

It was quite ironic when put that way.

Those foreign races who were seen as outcasts during the Golden Age, not accepted by the order and not blessed, had instead avoided this curse.

Chen Nuo removed the Tree Sentinel's helmet. Looking at that face which resembled a dried corpse, he didn't feel much satisfaction.

"Let me grant you release."

As his voice fell, orange-red flames rose from Chen Nuo's hand, igniting the Tree Sentinel's head.

Bathed in this Sunfire, that distorted and hideous face actually smoothed out bit by bit, revealing a sense of liberation.

In the blink of an eye, the Tree Sentinel's body was incinerated, leaving only a bit of ash to scatter with the wind.

His body and soul were both turned into fuel, added to the Sunfire and converted into Chen Nuo's power.

Although this bit of improvement was negligible, every little bit helps.

And it wasn't as if nothing was left behind.

A small bit of the Tree Sentinel's spirituality was preserved in the flames.

Since the soul had been burned clean, the Runes that should have dropped were naturally gone as well.

The only remaining spoils of war were the Golden Halberd and the shield.

Chen Nuo looked at his iron pot shield and his butcher knife; he definitely preferred using his old companions.

However, they were indeed starting to fall behind Chen Nuo's pace and needed a good round of enhancement.

Chen Nuo cast flames upon the Golden Halberd and the shield.

He intended to use them as materials to remelt and recast his pot and knife.

As for smithing, Chen Nuo knew a little bit about it.

With the Sunfire present, it saved him the trouble of hammering and quenching, making the forging much simpler.

Melina, who was nearby, did not reveal herself but watched in amazement.

Chen Nuo's strength in easily slaying the Tree Sentinel was indeed admirable, but compared to the flame he wielded, it wasn't as noteworthy.

"Nuo, it is best not to show your flame in front of outsiders in the future, otherwise it will bring trouble."

Melina whispered in Chen Nuo's ear.

Originally, the Tarnished were already hated by forces that opposed the golden order. If the Sunfire were exposed, the followers of the golden order would also view him as a blasphemer.

"Are we on the same side already, Little Wood?"

Chen Nuo said with a laugh.

"..."

Melina stopped talking.

What is wrong with this guy? Is that the point?

Also, who are you calling Little Wood?

Melina felt a bit unhappy and subconsciously pinched something. Torrent turned his head, his eyes full of resentment.

No, why are you pinching me?

Melina looked down at the tuft of horse hair she had pinched off and tucked her hand into her clothes as if nothing had happened.