106: Old friend, Torrett

Hearing the Tarnished across from her call out her name so readily,

Melina removed her hood, a puzzled expression on her face.

“You… you know me?”

His gaze fell upon her familiar face, and Joa, in silence, slowly nodded.

Seeing this, Melina likewise fell silent, lost in thought.

After a long while, she finally spoke.

“I want to make a deal with You.”

“Do You know about the Witches of the Fingers?”

“They are those who serve the Two Fingers, helping and guiding the Tarnished.”

“But You, as You are now, have no Witch by Your side.”

“I can take on their duty.”

“I can turn Runes into Your strength.”

“If You crave the elden ring, this will surely be of help to You.”

“So, I hope You can help me by taking me to the foot of the Golden Tree.”

After Melina finished speaking, she quietly awaited Joa's reply.

Joa, hearing these words, identical to those in the game, had a very complex expression.

‘Is she mistaking me for a Tarnished?’

Taking a deep breath, Joa once again sat cross-legged on the ground.

At this moment, his Reincarnation Eye had returned to its normal appearance.

The Reincarnation Eye cannot see the spirits of The Lands Between.

The only reason he could see Melina was entirely because Melina wanted him to see her.

“Melina, I know Your past, Your present, and what You wish to do in the future.”

“If You wish, I can take You to the foot of the Golden Tree right now.”

“But I ask You to trust me; with my abilities, You do not need to sacrifice Yourself to burn the tree. I also have a way to deal with those thorns that reject everything.”

“Perhaps now, having lost Your memory and forgotten that cursed mission, You do not understand what I am saying.”

“But later, You will understand.”

As he spoke, Joa extended his hand.

“This time!”

“I will save You, and this World that You love.”

“I will also lead this World toward a more glorious and brilliant future.”

“Trust me!”

Her gaze fell upon Joa's hand, extended before her.

Melina fell into contemplation.

‘Torrent…’

A month ago, when Joa first brought people to The Lands Between, landed in Limgrave, and fought the Great Tree Guardian.

Torrent and Melina were hiding in the distance, silently watching.

They, one person and one horse, regarded Joa and his group as Tarnished who had been driven out of The Lands Between and had developed well.

Compared to other Tarnished, after witnessing the strength of Joa and his group, they, one person and one horse, naturally developed a strong interest in them.

They also believed that Joa, as their leader, had the most hope of being granted an audience with the elden ring and becoming the Elden Lord.

Therefore, she appeared today to negotiate with Joa.

But…

The current situation seemed to be somewhat beyond Melina and Torrent's expectations.

‘Are they… really Tarnished?’

After much deliberation, Melina extended her hand and gave Torrent's Spectral Steed Whistle to Joa.

But she did not take Joa's hand.

“Although You may not need it, Torrent has chosen You.”

“I hope You treat him well.”

With that, Melina's figure transformed into specks of silver light, dissipating with the wind.

Seeing this, Joa closed his mouth, wanting to speak but holding back.

‘I haven't finished speaking, why did You disappear?’

With a light sigh in his heart, Joa stood up and looked at the Spectral Steed Whistle in his hand, which glowed with a golden light.

‘Ah, never mind.’

‘Let her observe silently for a while.’

‘After she sees what I do, she should appear on her own, and then I can discuss other matters with her.’

“Old friend, from now on, You'll be my exclusive mount.”

With that, Joa blew the Spectral Steed Whistle.

Torrent's figure instantly appeared beside him.

Extending his hand, Joa gently stroked Torrent, feeling his affection, and chuckled softly.

“Heh, speaking of which, this seems to be my first time riding a horse.”

He swung himself onto the horse, pulled the reins, and lightly squeezed its flanks.

Torrent immediately understood, turned around, and slowly walked towards Kaguya and the others.

“Haha, it's not difficult at all.”

Having met Melina, Joa was in a very good mood.

His gaze turned to the Gatefront Ruins in the distance.

Watching Kaguya, Tsunade, and Konan display their might, battling Godrick's Grafted Scion Soldiers and knights there.

He inexplicably rediscovered the feeling of playing a game, like electronic cricket fighting.

‘If ranked by spirit ash level, Kaguya and the others would at least be a God-level spirit ash, right?’

On the battlefield of the Gatefront Ruins.

Tsunade, dressed in the attire of a wandering hero, sent a Grafted Scion Soldier flying with one punch, knocking down many others in the process.

It was pure, unadulterated violent aesthetics.

Konan was still like an elf, dancing a deadly dance.

And Kaguya was completely like a repeater.

She kept unleashing Eighty Gods Vacant Attack, and each time she unleashed it, she had to shout out the name of the move.

No one knew who she learned that from.

Kaguya, Tsunade, and Konan.

Seeing Joa finish his business and riding an unknown mount towards them,

They immediately stopped holding back.

Fully displaying their feminine charm.

Having spent so much time together, they had long since figured out Joa's preferences.

He liked women who were both beautiful and fierce.

Especially those whose fighting moves were both showy and cool.

So, it wasn't just Konan.

Kaguya, Tsunade, and the others, in order to gain more of Joa's attention, had also secretly practiced many moves.

Quietly enjoying the battle, Joa clapped his hands in approval from time to time.

‘I have to say, they really gave me an eyeful this time.’

Joa hadn't seen enough yet.

The battle quickly ended.

Those Grafted Scion Soldiers were even weaker than the Grafted Noble; facing Kaguya, Tsunade, and Konan, who were no longer holding back,

Undoubtedly, they had no power to resist whatsoever.

After all the enemies had fallen, Joa rode forward, his gaze somewhat eager as he looked at Kaguya and the others.

“You truly surprise me.”

“This is my first time seeing You all fight together, and I never expected it to be so cool.”

Hearing Joa's praise, expressions of satisfaction appeared on all three of their faces.

Their practice wasn't in vain!

Dismounting and walking in front of the three, Joa indulged his hands for a moment, then spoke.

“Now is not the time.”

“I will definitely reward You well later.”

After speaking, Joa composed himself and walked towards the Underground Room in the Gatefront Ruins from his memory.

In the game, there was a Whetstone Knife inside, which could be used to add Ashes of War to weapons.

‘I wonder what's inside in reality. If it's still a Whetstone Knife, I can give it to the Ancient One to study.’

‘And those few prisoner carts, I'll search them all later too.’

At this thought, Joa suddenly remembered a question.

Melina had just said she could turn Runes into his strength.

But…

He didn't drop Runes when he killed people.

‘Hmm… never mind, I don't need them anyway, and I don't want to accept the power of the Golden Tree system.’