Elden Ring: The Shattering!

Raya Lucaria Academy truly resembles a clock tower, with the distinct presence of Sorcerers in their headscarves passing by... But if this were to be viewed simply as a university, that would be entirely wrong.

Golem soldiers, perhaps?

Kaelith walked through the vast corridor, sunlight streaming in beside him, while above, the ceiling hid some golems. They wore light armor and held blades in their hands, ready to become highly efficient killing machines when activated.

"Where are you headed? This way!"

Sellen opened a small door and, as though pondering something, called out to Kaelith. Upon seeing him turn, she didn't wait and walked straight in.

"It's a bit messy here, just find a seat anywhere. There's water over there, help yourself."

Kaelith followed her steps, his gaze freezing as he entered the room.

This wasn't just a little messy. The small room, about ten square meters, was filled with books and experimental tools. Long shards of Glintstone were scattered on the floor, and a square table piled high with books was taller than a person. Behind it, shelves held dusty bottles of wine.

His eyes scanned the room, focusing on the bottles of wine. He pushed the shards off the chair and finally found a spot to sit.

"Professor Sellen, don't you ever clean up?"

"Haha, Sorcerers' time is really precious, but after you get used to it, you can clean up," the sorceress casually waved her hand, clearly not concerned with the Academy's mess.

She really treated Kaelith as a student, not as a soldier needing supervision.

Sellen pulled out a chair, sat down, and kicked her feet up. Her magic robe shifted, revealing her pale white calves.

"Well then, let's start class. Let's check your basics first, so I can adjust the teaching accordingly."

"So eager?"

"You see, you just forgot what I said earlier." Sellen extended a delicate finger, her tone turning serious. "Time is precious, and there are countless mysteries waiting for us to explore. Come, come, start with this exam... Afterward, I have a machine that can test your magical strength."

Kaelith didn't expect to be taking an exam after transitioning between two worlds, but since it was with good intentions, he picked up a quill and began to write... No matter how many paths he had taken, or how many people he had cut down, taking an exam was no different from doing so in the mundane world.

He fidgeted, scratched his head, yawned repeatedly, erased and edited his answers, and finally completed a piece about the theory of Glintstone Magic and its historical origins. Once finished, the scattered knowledge began to piece together.

Magic originated from the void, guided by the ancient Astronomers who obtained their knowledge from the stars. At first, Sorcerers lived as neighbors to the Giants on snowy mountains, before later moving to Liurnia. Now, the stars had been bound, and their past significance had become nothing more than a memory.

The void brought about Glintstone, which gave birth to Glintstone Magic, the source of all things. Through hundreds of thousands of years of research, it gradually formed a sophisticated system.

"Take a look." Kaelith glanced over his paper and handed it in, only to see Sellen, sitting on her chair, head lowered, unresponsive. He then knocked on the table.

"Huh? You're done?" The Magic instructor snapped her head up after a brief rest.

"Did you fall asleep?"

"Ah, as a Sorcerer, you must wisely utilize every minute. Show me what you can do," Sellen said without any shame, stretching her back, her wide robe revealing a graceful curve. With one hand holding a pen to make corrections, she casually added, "Go to the kitchen and make me a cup of tea. Remember to add some young Herba leaves. There's also milk on the shelf, you can add some to it."

She really knew how to delegate.

Kaelith helplessly stood up and went to the other room, the kitchen. He scratched his head in frustration at the rack. How was he supposed to make tea with milk in The Lands Between? He ended up tossing all the leaves in, then heated the milk with a burner. After brewing, it gave off a strange aroma.

How does it smell like it's gone bad?

Kaelith grimaced as he picked up the cup and returned. Just as he turned around, his steps faltered.

The sorceress had taken off her headscarf, revealing short black hair that touched her shoulders. Her deep blue eyes were focused on marking his test papers, while the light from a Glintstone lamp illuminated her face, which looked as smooth as white snow.

Sellen moved swiftly, finishing the corrections before lifting her head. She happened to see Kaelith holding the cup of tea and staring at her.

She wasn't embarrassed, nor was she angry. Instead, she stood up, grabbed the cup from his hands, and reminded him, "The physical body is the least useful for a Sorcerer; obsession with it won't last long. Hmm, but this tea is actually quite good, I'll forgive you."

Kaelith didn't speak, the first part of her sentence explained that Sellen didn't care much for many things, but what about the second part...?

Was she really focused?

Kaelith, after Miriam's teachings, did well enough on the test. Sellen made a few minor corrections and then brought him to test his magical power level.

After everything was done and they returned to the chaotic room, Kaelith chewed on his quill, thinking deeply. "Your talent is acceptable, you must have had formal training. But in recent years, you haven't put much effort into your studies. Your control over magic is a mess, and when you show your writing, you want to immediately use it."

Kaelith nodded. Magic does require concentrated control, and since he wasn't good at that, he mostly relied on speed.

"There's still much for you to learn." Sellen raised her staff, and a spell appeared, not yet released. Then, a Magic Stone, about the size of a fist, flew out. It was much more delicate than Kaelith's, taking the shape of a triangular arrowhead. Sellen lightly waved it, and it immediately shot toward Kaelith's head.

Honestly, he nearly used Bloodhound's Step to dodge it, but he managed to hold himself back. He saw the Magic Stone suddenly veer off course in front of him, swirling around his body a few times before disappearing.

"Such exquisite control of magic. No wonder you're considered a genius by the Academy," Kaelith, recovering from his shock, immediately clapped.

In fact, he had encountered such fine control before, like when Ranni created a rain of Glintstone that covered a hundred square meters. In the center of it, not a single hair on Kaelith's head was harmed.

"No need to rush, we'll start with the most basic 'Starlight' control. Ah, I really don't know what your previous teacher was doing."

Sellen got up, leaned on the table, and put her headscarf back on. "From now on, you'll sleep on that chair. I haven't agreed to let you into the inner room."

The inner room was right behind Sellen's desk.

"You're not secretly researching Primal Sorceries, are you?"

Kaelith, a bit curious, nodded. "Understood."

"Very good." Sellen clapped her hands, then added, "The first class ends here. Now, you are my assistant. Those disgusting, vulgar teachers who waste my time with boring topics should stay out of my way."

"Alright, what should I do?" Kaelith had no objections. He had been thinking about delving into Magic research.

"Let me think... Ah, the first step. Help me bring the borrowed weapon to the third-floor tool room." Sellen pointed to a secluded area filled with strange machinery, where a bookshelf as large as that was located.

"By myself?"

"Not at all. I saw that your body is quite sturdy, so carrying a few things won't be a problem." Sellen waved her hand, signaling Kaelith to handle it, leaving him in the chaotic room.

So, she's treating me like a laborer, huh!

...

Early morning, outside the Academy gates.

The bustling noise of the street echoed, contrasting with the tranquility and comfort inside the small inn. Kaelith gently lifted his cup and took a sip, feeling the bitter sensation of coffee.

After sneaking back to the Academy for almost half a month, Kaelith had become unusually disciplined. Every day, he followed Sellen to study Magic, never causing trouble. In fact, he had developed a habit of doing homework.

The truth was that, even with the same magical level, the control over magic varied greatly. For example, the simplest "Starlight" that Sellen used could adjust the brightness, and could even be thrown as a flare. The depth of the study was vast.

"Actually, I'm not in a hurry. I can talk nonsense about Nokron based on what I read in the ancient books, but Ranni's theories cannot be verified. It's better to stay quiet and clarify many things."

Kaelith set his cup down, looking out the window at the Erdtree, deep in thought.

The library of Raya Lucaria Academy was ten times larger than Caria's, and with the privilege of summoning Sorcerers, he could borrow and read most ancient texts. The academic atmosphere was dense, allowing him to stabilize his mind and engage in research. With the memory of his past life, things were slowly becoming clearer.

"The Erdtree descended from the sky. The mighty heroes under Elden Lord Godfrey, in the first age, fought east and west, becoming the rulers of The Lands Between and establishing a shining golden era, spreading the Golden Order to every corner."

"But, as with all prosperous eras, decay follows. No matter how strong, a kingdom cannot last forever. The Night of Black Knives caused a bug in the Golden Order. Then, the goddess Marika shattered the Elden Ring, completely destroying the foundation of the Erdtree..."

"Her descendants, the Demigods, then began fighting each other for the fragments of the Elden Ring. We are now in the final stage."

Kaelith lightly tapped the thick side of the book, fully confirming the timeline.

In short, The Lands Between originally had natives, but later, many colonizing forces arrived, with the Erdtree lineage ultimately smiling last...

However, nothing lasts forever. Kingdoms eventually fall. The Shattering was like a gas pedal that was stomped on.

Casting aside the illusions and delusions, this was just a version of a Warring States period, only without the Tokugawa's old order, and no burning of the Qin Dynasty after the collapse. The Demi-Gods fought until they were exhausted, and in the end, it all benefited the Tarnished.

"Then, the problem is, even though the kingdom has changed, why did The Lands Between end up in a catastrophic apocalypse many years later?"

Kaelith pondered deeply, glancing sideways as someone approached, and promptly closed the book.

A girl lifted her apron and placed a dish on the table, softly saying, "Mr. Roland, here is your grilled crab."

"Thank you."

The golden oil slid down the tender meat of the crab, and Kaelith picked up a piece, placing it in his mouth. It melted as soon as it hit his tongue, and he closed his eyes in comfort. When he noticed the girl was still standing next to him, he asked, "Tina, is there something else?"

Since he came here to eat every day, he had become familiar with the vendor. She was tall and slender, with slightly curly brown hair, and though she was quite attractive, she seemed a little introverted.

"Um... Mr. Roland, are you reading a history book?" The girl asked nervously, pointing to the book on the table, the cover marked with large golden characters —

"Golden Era"

"You can read?"

"Yes, when I was younger, there was an old priest in the village who taught me a little." The village girl seemed to have found something in common, nervously adjusting her skirt as she shyly asked, "Mr. Roland, are you also a devoted believer of the Golden Order?"

The Erdtree not only founded the kingdom, but the church had also infiltrated every corner, with churches present everywhere.

"I only believe in the sword in my hand."

Kaelith silently chose his response in his heart, then smiled and nodded. "My ancestors followed Leyndell, so naturally, we are believers."

As he spoke, he felt a gaze coming from somewhere in the dining room. He looked sharply, but saw nothing.

"That's great! There's a sermon this weekend. If you're interested, would you take me with you?" The girl blinked, her face filled with anticipation.

After being worn out day in and day out by Sellen, Kaelith had no time to attend a sermon. He was thinking about how to politely decline when the shopkeeper's voice called out.

"Tina, stop disturbing Mr. Roland while he's eating, can't you see he's busy!"

"Coming, coming!" The girl stuck out her tongue and walked away lightly.

Kaelith shook his head while watching her retreating figure. He wasn't arrogant, nor did he look down on ordinary people. He was, in fact, quite kind-hearted.

He picked up another piece of crab meat and was savoring its delightful taste when suddenly, a shrill scream came from outside the window.

"Someone's been killed!"

"Quick, go call the soldiers, Carlo has gone mad!"

Kaelith suddenly turned his head and saw a middle-aged man, gaunt as a stick, attacking people. He was even biting into a woman's throat with his teeth, like a rabid dog completely out of control.

This is...

Kaelith stood up, clearly seeing the bloodshot, striped eyes, flashing with a golden flickering light. In that instant, he knew what was happening.

A bout of madness!