Chapter no.77 Dark Souls

Chapter no.77 Valley of Drakes.

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Naruto stood at the threshold of the New Londo Ruins, watching with mild unease as hollows shuffled aimlessly through the gloom. Most were locked in looping motions: sweeping, reaching, twitching in place. But a few stopped and stared at him. Or more accurately, at the sparkling ring of light that circled him like a living halo.

"Calm down, Oscar," Naruto muttered, sweat beading down the side of his face as the crystal lizard zipped around him in tight, glowing arcs. "You're going to make yourself dizzy."

Oscar ignored him, his body a blur as he used chakra-enhanced bursts of speed to rocket around the room. His movements were smooth, agile—almost supernatural. Which made sense. With a chakra network built from purified chakra metal, Oscar did not just channel energy, he embodied it.

"Didn't even need shadow clones to get him to this level. Little guy is practically born for it."

Oscar skidded to a halt, panting excitedly, his scales glimmering in the low light. Naruto reached down and grabbed him gently by the tail, giving a soft tap on the lizard's forehead crystal. Oscar chirped once and calmed immediately.

"That's enough showing off. Come on."

They made their way down the steps to Rickert's hidden forge. The magic blacksmith had just finished scrubbing down the stone floor and was wiping soot from his hands when Naruto appeared.

"Rickert," Naruto called out, grin wide. "Good news! Oscar's new chakra network is working like a charm."

"Fantastic," Rickert said, voice dry as ever. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to preserve what little beauty I have left and get some sleep."

"Not sure there's much to preserve," Naruto muttered with a smirk. "But I've got one more question before you drift off into the void."

Rickert gave a long, dramatic sigh as he climbed into his makeshift bed. "Fine. Go on then."

Naruto held up Oscar, who blinked curiously. "How do I teach him magic? I mean, real magic. He's a crystallized soul, right? So there's gotta be a way."

Rickert did not even open his eyes. "Feed it souls."

"...I'm sorry, what?"

"Souls," Rickert repeated. "Crystal lizards consume souls to grow. That's their nature. It's why they run, hoard, and hide. Survival instinct. Eat or be eaten."

Naruto frowned, remembering the hollow that had absorbed a soul drop in the Undead Burg. It had gotten smarter.

Rickert reached under his bench and pulled out a rough sketch, handing it over without fanfare. Naruto unfolded it and stared. The creature drawn on the page made his breath catch.

It was hunched, feral, its humanoid shape warped and monstrous. Long, thin limbs clawed the ground. Spines of jagged crystal erupted from its back and head like a crown of thorns. Its mouth stretched wide in a permanent snarl, filled with rows of teeth far too sharp and far too many. Its thick tail bristled with razor-sharp spikes, fanned out like a weaponized fan.

Oscar chirped, excited, trying to climb the page.

"That," Rickert said with a chuckle, "is a Ravenous Crystal Lizard. That's what your little friend becomes if he keeps eating souls. That's his adult form."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "So he'll evolve... into that?"

"If he survives the transition," Rickert said. "Or maybe he'll become something entirely new. Chakra's never been part of the equation before. Neither has chakra metal. You've basically turned him into a walking contradiction. Congratulations."

Naruto looked down at Oscar, who was still trying to bite the corner of the drawing. "Think you'll get that scary, buddy?"

Oscar gave a proud little trill.

Naruto chuckled. "Let's hope it's the badass kind of scary, not the 'eats me in my sleep' kind."

He folded the sketch and tucked it into his pouch, his mind already turning. "Can I still find more dragon scales in the Valley of Drakes?"

"Probably," Rickert said. "Though you'll have to earn them. And don't go thinking those drakes are just big lizards. They're not real dragons, but they're still nasty."

"I need the scales to reinforce the Drake Sword," Naruto replied, "but I'm also thinking..." He paused, petting Oscar's head thoughtfully. "If Oscar grows by eating souls, what happens if I feed him the soul of a drake?"

Rickert raised an eyebrow. "That's a dangerous experiment."

Naruto grinned. "I'm in the mood for dangerous."

"Well, at least you're consistent."

Naruto turned to leave, Oscar curled around his neck like a sentient scarf. "Thanks, Rickert. For everything."

"Don't thank me yet," Rickert mumbled as he pulled the covers over his head. "Just try not to break reality with that thing."

"No promises."

And with that, Naruto disappeared up the steps, one step closer to whatever mad evolution lay ahead.

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Naruto strode through the Valley of Drakes, the wind shrieking between jagged cliffs. The air was cold, damp with the breath of ancient stone and the lingering stench of stagnant water, an oppressive contrast to the sunlit cliffs above.

Beside him, Oscar scurried forward, his crystals shimmering faintly in the low light. Each step he took sent refracted glints dancing across the dark rock. Naruto reached down and idly ruffled the little lizard's head, his thoughts drifting toward the training he'd left behind.

Andre had his hands full. Hundreds of Naruto's clones were working alongside the old blacksmith, inscribing fuinjutsu seals, refining wind bullet, and sharpening every edge of his arsenal.

Naruto exhaled through his nose as he stopped at the edge of the bridge.

Without a word, he formed a shadow clone with a flick of his fingers. "Go bury him," he said quietly, nodding toward the rotted armor of the fallen Astoran knight.

While the clone moved toward the broken body, Naruto glanced toward his partner.

Oscar had wandered to the cliff's edge, peering over the chasm with his head cocked in curiosity.

Through the veil of mist, a massive stone bridge emerged, half-swallowed by fog, stretching between two titanic mountain faces. At the far end, etched into the rock itself, stood a colossally carved doorway. It wasn't just big. It was inhuman. Monumental. The arch alone towered over the surrounding cliffs, framed by ancient, finger-like pillars that climbed skyward like a hand reaching from the earth.

Naruto pulled out his binoculars, jaw tightening. "What the hell is that...?"

Through the lenses, the image sharpened. The doorway was real and ancient. Worn by time but untouched by decay. No vines grew across its surface. No cracks marred its face. It was like the mountain itself had parted to make way for it. The bridge leading to it, while massive, looked like an afterthought compared to the gateway it served.

A slow chill crept up Naruto's spine. His instincts screamed caution, but his curiosity burned brighter. He opened his mouth to call out to Oscar and the air cracked.

A sharp, splitting noise echoed through the valley like lightning against steel. The cliffs vibrated with the sound. Oscar bolted back from the ledge, his eyes wide, his tail spiked with panic.

Naruto's hand was already on his sword.

A faint blue flicker pulsed against the sheer stone of the valley walls.

Naruto tensed, his gaze sweeping the fog-drenched horizon until something moved.

A shape glided through the mist, its outline barely visible. At first, Naruto's heart seized at the thought of the Hellkite Wyvern but this was different.

As it drifted closer, the mist peeled away to reveal the full horror of its form.

Its wings were tattered like battle-torn banners, frayed and skeletal at the edges. The body was gaunt, almost corpse-like, with jutting spines that rose like jagged thorns from its back and shoulders. Each beat of its wings stirred the wind like thunder.

And its scales were blue, cold and shimmering with an unnatural light like frost-kissed steel.

Naruto's stomach dropped.

Then the drake's maw cracked open, and a corona of flickering yellow light began to bloom from its throat.

"It can use Lightning?!"

His instincts roared. He didn't wait.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

In a burst of chakra, a dozen copies appeared around him, weapons already drawn, eyes locked onto the growing storm in the drake's jaws.

"Fan out! Suppression fire, now!"

The clones launched immediately, flinging shuriken wrapped in wind chakra. Razor-thin arcs of slicing air screamed as they carved through the valley. Naruto's own hands moved in a blur.

"Wind Style: Wind Bullet!"

He exhaled hard, chakra condensing in his lungs before he fired. A tight sphere of compressed wind rocketed upward, trailing spiraling wisps like a comet. The sheer speed of it split the air with a sharp crack.

But the drake responded with terrifying speed. It climbed, wings straining, twisting through the air as the wind-laced barrage shredded the mist below.

Then it fired.

A jagged bolt of lightning exploded from its throat. No, dozens of them, like wild, flailing spears of yellow death. The arcs split and splintered in midair, searching for targets with mindless fury.

One clone vanished instantly. Then two. Then six more. Each one blinking out in bursts of white smoke as the lightning danced through the canyon like a living storm.

Naruto dove sideways, just in time to avoid a sizzling arc that tore a trench through the ground beside him.

The young knight surged forward, chakra flowing into his feet as he dashed up the side of the valley wall, boots skimming over the near-vertical slope.

"Let's test your altitude advantage."

From his elevated perch, he weaved another set of one handed hand signs.

"Wind Style: Wind Bullet!"

This time, he layered the jutsu, shaping multiple wind bullets in his throat. With a forceful exhale, he unleashed them like a barrage from a chakra cannon. Four bullets compressed tighter than steel, hurtling forward in staggered intervals, each aimed for the drake's wing joints.

The drake screeched and twisted midair. Two bullets skimmed past, whistling through the valley. The third hit square on the shoulder but the drake didn't falter.

"Still not enough," Naruto muttered, even as he formed six more clones in the blink of an eye.

"Coordinate. Aim for the left wing!"

The drake screamed as wind chakra penetrated against scale. It faltered in the air, one wing sagging slightly, its balance momentarily thrown.

Naruto's heart pounded as he leapt.

Chakra surged to his legs as he sprang from the cliff face like a missile. Midair, he rotated, twisting his body with the momentum of the drop, a soul arrow forming in his left.

He closed the distance in seconds.

The drake snapped its head around, but it was too slow.

With a yell, Naruto slammed the soul arrow point-blank into the side of the drake's eye.

The explosion lit the air in blue flame.

It shrieked and thrashed, lashing out blindly as its flight path spiraled. Naruto hit the ground hard, rolling out of the way as the massive beast crashed against the rocks, trailing smoke.

Chunks of shattered stone fell around him, and the valley rumbled under the weight of the beast.

Naruto wiped a streak of sweat from his brow, chest rising and falling with controlled breaths. His muscles were tight, heart pounding, but his grip on the drake sword remained firm.

"Not so fun when you're the one on the ground, huh?" he muttered, watching the massive beast lying in a crumpled heap.

But he didn't lower his guard.

"I've seen enough corpses lunge back to life in this world to know better."

With a flick of his fingers, half a dozen clones shimmered into existence, darting toward the unmoving drake. Another two stayed back, forming hand seals to prepare long-range attacks.

BOOM.

A dense surge of ozone exploded outward.

The drake's body jerked upright as a ring of raw golden lightning erupted around it like a halo of wrath. The clones didn't even have time to think, just flared out of existence in puffs of white smoke.

Naruto barely had time to raise his sword.

The drake's maw cracked wide. Electricity surged, hotter than any fire, brighter than any sun. A dome of condensed lightning, sharp and screaming through the air.

Naruto didn't try to dodge. Even he knew that he wasn't faster than lightning.

Instead, he brought the drake sword up, chakra flooding the blade as a massive arc of wind chakra roared out in front of him, slicing through the air like a crescent blade.

Lightning met Wind.

The impact was immediate and blinding. The explosion cracked the sky itself. A shockwave split across the valley with a scream like the world tearing in half. Sparks and compressed air detonated outward. Pebbles became bullets. Stone split in deep, jagged lines. The cliffside quaked.

And Naruto, caught in the middle, took the full brunt of it.

The elite knight armor held for half a second too short. Then the lightning broke through.

CRACK.

The bolt struck him square in the chest, slamming into him like a hammer from heaven. Pain exploded through his body. Every nerve lit with fire. Every muscle locked in screaming resistance. His back arched as arcs of gold raced down his limbs. His skin smoked. The world spun.

He hit the ground hard, skidding across stone and dirt.

Everything went dark.

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A moment passed.

Crack. A sharp burst of sound echoed as something small broke from the earth.

Oscar burst free from a pile of rubble, dirt and grit tumbling from his shimmering scales. The young crystal lizard shook himself off, heart hammering in his tiny chest.

He saw it.

The battlefield was a ruin of torn rock and scorched ground. But that did not matter. Because there, sprawled in a smoldering crater, steam rising from his armor, lay Naruto.

His partner.

Still breathing.

Barely.

Oscar's body trembled. He chirped low—a sound full of fear. Of helplessness. His gaze flicked forward. The Lightning Drake dragged itself toward Naruto, its steps ragged, broken but determined. One wing hung in tatters. The other was gone entirely. Blood poured from a deep gouge along its side.

Yet it still came.

It would finish what it started.

Oscar felt fear coil in his belly. A primal scream in his instincts told him to run. Hide. Survive. But then he looked at Naruto. His friend. His partner.

Oscar's claws dug into the earth.

No.

Not this time.

Not again.

With a screech of defiance, Oscar surged forward. Chakra pulsed through his body, flowing like fire along the metal-etched pathways Naruto had built inside him. His back crystal flared—a brilliant white glow pulsing with power.

He planted his feet and let it loose.

FWOOOOOSH.

A beam of pure light blasted from Oscar's mouth in a straight line. It was raw, wild chakra refined through crystalline soul. It cut through the air like a divine lance. At the same moment, the Lightning Drake opened its maw.

Lightning met light.

Two forces collided midair, searing against each other, warping the very air as the ground shook beneath them. Oscar held firm, digging into the ground as the feedback from the clash nearly knocked him off his feet.

THUNK.

The sound broke the stalemate between the two lizards. Three massive prongs burst out from the drake's neck.

The beast choked, its attack faltering.

Naruto's muscles screamed, but he held on. The prongs of the Channeler's trident spun, rotating with brutal force, tearing through cartilage, sinew, and bone. The drake gave a final, guttural screech as Naruto tore his head free.

Its body collapsed.

Blood flooded the ground.

Silence.

Naruto slumped, breathing hard, coated in blood and scorched armor.

Oscar stumbled forward, chest heaving, his crystal dimming. The only sound was the crackle of dying lightning and the drip of blood from stone. A soul drop floated above the drake's corpse.

Naruto reached up, fingers shaking, and pulled it into his hand. He looked at Oscar, who flopped beside him, panting like a dog after a sprint.

"...That," Naruto wheezed, smiling through the pain, "was some damn good timing."

Oscar chirped, exhausted but proud.

But in Lordran, even victory was a lie.

Naruto barely had time to breathe before his instincts screamed. Beside him, Oscar stiffened, the crystalline ridges along his back humming with nervous tension. They both turned their eyes skyward and froze.

The sky was alive.

A stormfront surged over the horizon... not made of clouds, but wings. Dozens of them, each one crackling with raw voltage, flying in formation like a phalanx of death. Each one a monster. Each one a nightmare.

But none of the lightning drakes, none, compared to it.

[ Name: Stormrend Wyvern ]
[ HP: 5,520 / 5,520 ]

Naruto could not find words. They would not come.

Stormrend was a force made flesh. A titan cloaked in deep blue, battered scales that looked carved by the storm itself. His body was sleek and deadly, balanced perfectly between raw strength and aerial grace. His wings stretched wide across the heavens, ragged at the edges but immense, lined with lightning that slithered along them like serpents—alive and waiting.

His head bore curling horns like hooked lightning rods, humming with energy too old to name. His eyes burned red beneath his brow, watching the world not as a creature... but as a god staring down insects. His chest and throat were ringed in jagged, thunder-forged armor—rough, old, real.

Stormrend did not fly through the storm. He was the storm.

Clouds did not part for him. They knelt.

Lightning did not strike at random. It struck where he pointed.

Thunder did not follow. It announced him.

Naruto stood rooted in place, Oscar trembling at his side. He had barely survived one lightning drake. Now, a swarm was coming. And at their heart… this.

A king. A god. A storm given shape.

And yet… Naruto felt something stir. Not fear.

Awe.

So beautiful, he thought, even as death fell from the heavens.

The sky split.

A white pillar of light crashed downward—divine and merciless. It was not an attack. It was judgment. And in that instant, Naruto knew.

He had been playing. Every battle until now? A rehearsal.

This... was Lordran.

Not a land of the dead. Not a realm of curses. A world ruled by monsters. Creatures that killed without thought, ruled without mercy, and existed beyond reason. A world that had no place for the righteous.

It was a crucible. A forge.

Only the terrifyingly strong survived.

And as the thunder swallowed him whole, Naruto understood. Deeply. Instinctively.

If he truly wanted power—Lordran's power…

If he ever hoped to rise above the beasts, the kings, the gods...

Then he could not walk forward.

He would have to crawl. To suffer. To change.

He would have to become something twisted. Something feared. Something that survives not through hope… but through horror.

Let's see if he can pay the price for what he wants to protect.

Hahahaha...

Let's see if he still smiles... when the monster in the mirror smiles back.

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A golden aura erupted at Firelink Shrine as Naruto and Oscar reappeared in a shimmer of fading light, their bodies pulled through space by the magic of the Homeward Bone. The moment they landed near the bonfire, Naruto collapsed onto the stone floor with a grunt, his arm thrown over his eyes. His entire body ached from the fight, every muscle twitching with leftover adrenaline.

The memories of his shadow clones came flooding back, hundreds of voices compressed into a split second of recollection. The last desperate moments where they threw themselves at Stormrend's lightning pillar to buy him time to escape.

"You guys really pulled through," Naruto muttered, a small smile tugging at his lips.

The warmth of the bonfire bathed his face, soothing his shaking nerves. He pulled Oscar close.

The crystal lizard chirped strongly as Naruto collapsed onto the grass.

"Just a quick nap," Naruto whispered. "Five minutes…"

They slept for who knows how long.

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Naruto stirred beside the Firelink Shrine bonfire, the familiar crackle of flame meeting his ears before his eyes opened. He did not move at first. Just lay there, back against the cold stone floor, his arm resting loosely behind his head, and his eyes tracing the gentle, golden flicker above.

There was a kind of peace here that no other place could mimic. Even though the ground beneath him was rock and moss, and the scent of ash never truly faded, the bonfire had a way of wrapping around him like a blanket. A magic that was not loud or showy, but deeply personal. Soothing. Eternal. The kind of rest that bypassed muscle and mind and went straight to the soul.

He let out a breath, long and even, before glancing at Oscar curled up nearby, the lizard's faint glow pulsing with each steady breath. Naruto reached over, scratched the top of his partner's head, and whispered, "Alright. Break's over."

Without another word, he rose, dusted the back of his cloak, and began the descent once more into the cold, drowned depths of New Londo.

But then he stopped.

His feet froze on the stone path, and his eyes locked onto something that had not been there before or rather, something that was no longer there.

The tower or what remained of it.

Where once stood the old stone passage connecting the New Londo Ruins to the Valley of Drakes now lay a broken monument of ruin. Massive chunks of rubble jutted out from the earth like jagged ribs, the surrounding rock face scorched black. A long, charred trail snaked up the wall, a signature of a violent discharge of lightning.

Naruto stepped toward the edge, crouched low, and ran a hand over a seared stone slab.

"This tower was a fair distance from where I fought Stormrend…" he murmured aloud, voice barely above the whispering wind. His mind went to what Stormrend might have done to the valley.

He stood slowly and turned, trying not to think about it too much.

At last, he reached the familiar ledge beside Rickert's cell.

Naruto leaned over and called, "You asleep?"

Rickert looked up from his cluttered bench, his eyes bloodshot and tired.

"I'll take that as a no."

Oscar poked his head down beside Naruto's, blinking innocently.

Rickert gave them both a slow, unimpressed look, then sighed and gestured. "Well? What happened?"

Naruto recounted the events in the valley, summarizing most but pausing on the key moments, especially the storm, the drake, and the sheer scale of destruction.

When he finished, Rickert leaned back, arms crossed, and said flatly, "Wrong."

Naruto blinked. "...What?"

"A group of drakes," Rickert said, matter of factly, "is called a thunder. Not a pack. Not a flock. A thunder."

Oscar chirped.

Naruto gave him a look. "Does that really matter right now?"

"Not at all. I just wanted to annoy you."

Naruto stared.

Oscar stared harder.

"On a serious note, you handled the situation with the drake poorly."

Naruto blinked, brows raised. "Really? I mean, I killed it."

"You survived," Rickert corrected. "There is a difference."

Naruto let out a soft hum, not offended but genuinely curious. "So is there a proper way to deal with drakes? I still need their scales to reinforce my drake sword."

Rickert gave him a look that was part smug, part teacherly, and entirely too pleased to have the floor.

"Simple," he said as he began to sketch something. "You snipe its reverse scale and cripple its flight before it ever sees you coming. Then you kill it before it can cry out and summon the thunder."

Naruto blinked. "Reverse scale?"

"Hrm? Oh, right, you would not know." Rickert began sketching quickly. "There... right here." He tapped the drawing. "The underside of a drake's wing. There is a tendon that connects to the flight muscle. Pierce that, and it is grounded."

"And the reverse scale?"

Rickert's smirk grew. "That is the real trick. Drakes and dragons, though they would never admit it, have a vulnerability on their underbelly. One scale, curved opposite to the others. In ancient times, they called it the reverse scale and that was the weakest point of a dragon's body. In this case, strike it with a projectile, preferably metal, and if you are lucky, and the timing is right…"

"You redirect their lightning," Naruto guessed, eyes widening.

"Lightning follows the path of least resistance, yes?"

"Yeah."

"So if a drake has a metal object buried in its underside when it exhales its lightning attack, guess what happens?"

The realization hit Naruto like a hammer. "It fries itself."

"Exactly." Rickert snapped his fingers. "They become their own executioner. One blast and poof, smoking crater, crispy wings, and a fresh dragon scale just waiting to be harvested."

"Are you sure about this information?"

Rickert did not even look up. "Yes. You wanna know how many agonizingly stupid exams I had to take just on this topic back in Vinheim? Dragons have a natural resistance to magic, so every mage gets drilled on how to kill them the hard way. The Archer's Guide to Killing Dragons was thicker than my torso and more painful to memorize."

Naruto snorted, unable to hold back a chuckle.

Rickert raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"Just..." Naruto shook his head. "I never expected to learn archery. It was not even on my radar."

Rickert gave him a lopsided look as Naruto continued, sharing the tale of how the people of the Wave had come to call him the Archer of Providence.

"Huh," Rickert said, rubbing his stubbled chin. "Sounds like they saw something in you before you did. Not the worst prophecy to fulfill. Even if it is accidental."

Naruto lifted his left hand, flexing the fingers slowly. "Yeah. Shame I cannot even use a proper bow. One hand kinda ruins that dream."

Rickert raised an eyebrow. "Says who?"

Naruto blinked. "I mean… what, I shoot with my feet? My teeth?"

Rickert gave him a flat look. "Don't be stupid. In Vinheim, we had models designed for one handed archers. Just because you are missing a limb does not mean you are out of the game."

Naruto's expression sobered, and he glanced down at his cursed right arm. "Yeah, Andre's been helping me build a prosthetic. But it made me wonder, why bother, when heal miracles and estus exist? I mean, should not those be everywhere by now?"

Rickert let out a humorless chuckle and leaned back against the mossy stone. "Because miracles and estus, kid, are just another kind of power. And power is hoarded like gold. The church owns it. If you are not a noble, a cleric, or someone they like, you do not get squat. No healing. No blessings. Just prayers and pity."

He tapped his temple. "That's why blacksmiths and mages learned to adapt. That is what humans do best. We get denied heaven, so we build our own path to it."

Naruto smiled at that... wide, real, and full of a stubborn warmth. "I like that."

Oscar chirped in agreement.

"Well," Naruto said, standing and stretching his good arm, "I'm excited to see what you and Andre come up with."

Rickert smirked. "Don't get too excited. It will probably be ugly."

"Just like you," Naruto fired back with a grin.

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Good. I wasn't trying."

Oscar chirped again.

Rickert sighed. "...And now the lizard's joining in. Perfect."

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Naruto stepped into the familiar warmth of the Undead Parish forge, the comforting clang of hammer against steel replaced for once by a different sound... a deep, satisfied gulp. Andre sat on his bench, a half-empty tankard of beer in one hand, his beard flecked with foam.

"If you're drinking, that means you're either done with your work… or just slacking off."

Andre snorted, then jerked his head toward the side table.

There, beside the glowing forge, stood a small wooden mannequin... scaled to match Oscar's frame exactly. Polished and gleaming under the firelight, it was adorned with a full set of custom-built armor.

Oscar's head immediately perked up from Naruto's shoulder. With a delighted chirp, he leapt down and scampered to Andre, nuzzling against the smith's calloused hand.

"Careful, lad," Andre chuckled, lifting the little lizard gently onto the bench. "Don't scratch the finish before you've even worn it."

The armor was... magnificent.

The chanfron resembled the helm of a noble knight. Rounded but strong, with thin ridges etched along the brow and a narrow opening for visibility, though Oscar likely would not need it for long. Naruto had plans: an earth jutsu, one that would turn the little lizard into a walking radar. Layer by layer, the rest of the armor matched its brilliance. The crinet protected his neck with overlapping plates. Flanchards guarded his sides. Beneath it all was a layer of gambeson which was cut and stitched from scraps of the Elite Knight armor Naruto had scavenged in the Darkroot Garden.

"Here, let me show you how to strap him in," Andre said, his usual booming voice gentling to something almost fatherly.

Naruto nodded and crouched beside him. Together, they worked, fastening straps, adjusting buckles, making sure Oscar's movement was not restricted. The armor clicked softly with every touch, each piece sitting flush against his crystalline body.

"How's it feel, buddy?" Naruto asked as the final buckle locked into place.

Oscar took a cautious step. Then another. He paused, tail flicking... and bolted.

The tiny knight zipped across the forge like a streak of silver, his armor clinking musically with each bound. He darted between tool racks, leapt over a half-finished pauldron, and landed on Andre's anvil with a triumphant chirp.

"I thought he'd be slower," Andre muttered, eyebrows raised.

"He's using chakra to compensate for the weight. Makes it feel like cloth," Naruto said proudly. "Rickert and I figured out how to channel chakra through metal without disrupting Oscar's soul."

Andre let out a low whistle. "Not bad. Guess you two eggheads pulled it off."

Naruto chuckled and reached into his inventory pouch. He tossed a small green bottle toward the blacksmith, who caught it one-handed.

"What's this?"

"Sake. Swiped it from Tazuna's private stash before I came back here."

Andre popped the cork and took a deep inhale. "Smells like… old fruit and fire."

He took a long sip. Then a second.

"…Is this made from rice?"

"I think so?"

Andre nodded approvingly. "Good. Next time, just bring me the rice. I'll make something better."

Naruto smirked. "Want the recipe too?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Andre snorted, taking another pull.

"Y'know, that reminds me," Naruto said, resting his chin on his palm. "Rickert was the same way. Gave him a gun and the man refused any info. Just sat there figuring it out like it was a puzzle made for him."

Andre chuckled, taking another slow swig and set it down gently on the edge of the anvil, letting the glass catch the glow of the forge.

"That's just how Lordran affects you, kid," the blacksmith said, his voice low and thoughtful. "You either give in to what it wants you to become… or you fight back. Create something new, even in a place that hates change."

He leaned back on his bench, gaze turning toward the distant wall of the forge.

"This land's stagnant. Everything here lingers... souls, regrets, half-finished dreams. You stop moving? You rot. You keep moving? You might just stay human."

Naruto did not answer right away. He sat still beside Oscar, watching the flickering firelight dance along the workshop walls. In his mind, he saw Rickert alone in that flooded cage, surrounded by the weight of old knowledge and unspoken sorrow. And Andre... sitting here, hammering out weapons for warriors doomed to fall.

A part of him ached at the thought. When I go back to Konoha… I want them to come with me. Both of them. They deserve better than this dying world.

He did not say it aloud.

Andre turned and placed a large hand on Naruto's head, ruffling his hair like a grandfather might a favored grandson. "What're you thinkin' so hard about, eh?"

Naruto smiled faintly. "Nothing. Just… plans. For the future."

"And those plans are?"

"For now?" Naruto shrugged. "Just get stronger. Learn archery. I need to hunt more drakes if I want their scales to reinforce the drake sword."

"You know archery?" Andre asked.

"Not really. Rickert gave me some basics. I figured I'd throw a few hundred shadow clones at it till it sticks."

Andre grunted. "Ask the knight from Catarina."

Naruto blinked. "Onion Senpai?"

"Sir Siegmeyer, yeah."

Naruto tilted his head. "Why him? I mean, I like the guy, but…"

"Rickert's a scholar," Andre explained. "Knows theory, not application. But Siegmeyer? He's fought. Trained in the field. Lordran archery's not like the kind you're used to..."

"Fine. Guess I'll go check if he's still blocking Sen's Fortress."

Andre gave him a look.

"What?" Naruto said, frowning. "It's not like he's doing anything important."

Andre did not reply.

He just stared with a quiet, heavy look.

Naruto's smile slowly faded. "...What?"

"Tell me, Naruto," Andre said, voice unusually sharp, "what's your current level?"

Naruto blinked. "Uh. Thirty four. Why?"

Andre took a deep breath, almost disappointed. "Siegmeyer is level ninety five."

The silence that followed was like a punch to the gut. Naruto's thoughts blanked. "What?"

"Indeed," Andre said. "And remember... he does not have full access to your system. No Pygmy's blessing. No fast leveling. No convenient skill scaling. Every point of his strength? Earned. Through pain. Through failure. Through persistence."

Naruto opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"Sometimes, Naruto," Andre continued, standing to his full height, "you get so caught up in what you can do, you forget how hard it is for others. You saw him hesitating and assumed weakness. But maybe he's cautious because he knows exactly what's at stake."

Naruto lowered his eyes. The shame hit deep and fast.

"I just…" he whispered. "I didn't mean to think badly of him. I just didn't understand why he was just sitting there…"

"And that's fine," Andre said, softer now. "It's fine to wonder. To be frustrated. But what's not fine, Naruto… is forgetting to look deeper."

He knelt beside the boy, voice steady and warm.

"Judging a man by his worst moment? That's easy. But seeing someone's struggles and still choosing to believe in their worth? That's a knight's heart. And that's what I thought you had."

Naruto swallowed, his throat tight. "I'm sorry, old man," he murmured, eyes glistening.

Andre ruffled his hair again, pulling him into a quick, firm hug. "You're still learning. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Just remember... humility sharpens a warrior faster than any blade."

Naruto nodded, hugging him back.

Oscar, sitting quietly by the forge, gave a chirp of support.

Andre chuckled and stood again. "Now, go find the onion knight. Ask about archery. And while you're at it, maybe ask about patience."

Naruto wiped his face, grinning sheepishly. "Yes, old man."

Andre slumped back onto his bench and reached for the bottle. "And I'm going to drink myself into a coma. So if I die, it's your fault."

"Noted," Naruto said as he scooped up Oscar, heading for the upper levels of the parish.

The forge's fire crackled behind them. The anvil stood still. But in Naruto's chest, something glowed brighter than before. A little heavier. A little wiser. And with every step forward, he carried that fire with him.

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Naruto let Oscar scurry ahead, the tiny armored lizard clinking and clanking as he darted forward with pride in every step. The sound echoed faintly in the open stone path that led to the fortress, where predictably Siegmeyer sat in his usual spot.

Naruto slowed his pace, eyes softening. He still wished the onion knight would be more active, but now he had come to understand that it was not his place to decide how another man lived. Especially not one who had helped him more than once when it counted.

Siegmeyer might get lost in his thoughts, but he was a giant among men, a knight of immense strength with the humility of a monk and the kindness of a father.

As Oscar clanked to a halt in front of him, the older knight turned.

"Oh hoh? What have we here?"

Oscar, sensing the attention, puffed out his chest and rose onto his hind legs, his little armor plates gleaming in the sunlight. With theatrical flair, he plopped back down and struck a noble pose.

Siegmeyer clapped, delighted. "Marvelous! Most impressive! Truly, your companion is becoming a knight in his own right!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, smiling. "Really?"

The older knight straightened, placing his hands on the curve of his belly with grave dignity. "A knight is never truly complete without a partner in battle, my friend. For some, that partner is a sword. For others, a brother in arms. And for many..." His voice turned thoughtful, almost nostalgic. "...it is a beast who fights beside them. Loyal. Fearless. Bound by trust."

Oscar's gleaming eyes flicked up toward Naruto, and in that moment, something passed between them. A silent acknowledgement. A recognition that what Siegmeyer said was not just poetry, it was truth.

They were more than ninja and summon. More than a warrior and his pet. They were knights. Partners.

Naruto stepped closer. "Did you have a partner, Sir Siegmeyer?"

"Ah, yes. Indeed I did," the knight said with a proud chuckle. "Quite the sturdy fellow, that one."

"Let me guess... a warhorse?"

Siegmeyer paused, then shook his head. "No, no. An Iron Boar."

Naruto's face went blank. "A... what?"

The onion knight nodded solemnly. "A magnificent creature. Broad shouldered. Steel hide. A temper like a thunderstorm. We rode together through the Swamps of Catarina and the foothills of Balder. Many fell before his charge."

A shadow crept into his voice. "But alas... he did not rise again. Even as Undead, there are some things you cannot bring back."

Naruto's stomach twisted.

His gaze slid toward Oscar, who blinked slowly, still gleaming in his new armor.

"That's not happening," Naruto said quietly, his hand finding Oscar's back. "You're gonna live a long, badass life, partner. I promise."

A new sense of resolve hardened in his chest.

"Sir Siegmeyer," Naruto said, squaring his shoulders. "Would you teach me archery?"

The older knight tilted his head. "Archery?"

"I plan to hunt drakes. Need more dragon scales. But Rickert only taught me theory. I need someone who knows the fight."

"Hmmm..." Siegmeyer tapped the side of his helmet thoughtfully. "And what, may I ask, have you been taught about archery?"

"Mostly theory so far. How to string a bow, fire an arrow, a few basics," Naruto said. "But I was told there's something... different about the way archery works in Lordran."

The Catarina knight raised a hand, pointing into the vast ruins beyond. "Do you see that mushroom, far off near the broken cathedral wall?"

Naruto squinted. "What mushroom?"

Siegmeyer turned slightly and nodded as if confirming something only he could see. "Ahh. Then it is as I thought. You do not have it yet. Nor were you taught about this?"

"Have what?" Naruto asked, a little suspicious.

"Hawk Eyes."

Naruto blinked. "Wait. Are we talking about like... a doujutsu? Like Sasuke's Sharingan or Hinata's Byakugan? Because if I'm about to get bird vision eyes, I need to know if they glow."

Siegmeyer gave a confused chuckle. "I have no idea what you are referring to, my young friend. But know this... the Hawk Eye Technique is essential for any archer seeking to hunt monsters from a distance. Especially those that soar the skies."

Oscar chirped, tail flicking with intrigue.

"Can you tell me more about this Hawkeye Technique?" Naruto asked.

"Ah. With pleasure!" Siegmeyer boomed, ever eager to share knowledge. "Historically, this technique descends from one of Lord Gwyn's four most revered knights... Sir Hawkeye Gough. A gentle giant, a master of the greatbow, and a dragon slayer without peer."

Naruto hummed to himself, remembering Artorias's ring he now wore. Now he stood before another echo of the Four Great Knights. Coincidence? Or a path he was unknowingly walking, a path that would lead him to inherit something from the Four Great Knights of Gwyn?

Siegmeyer continued. "After the War of the Ancients, when the Everlasting Dragons had fallen, their lesser kin remained. Drakes, wyverns, wyrms, all manner of sky bound beasts. Gough, seeing the devastation they wrought, passed his knowledge to men and women brave enough to oppose them."

He raised a gauntleted hand in emphasis. "Among those teachings, the Hawkeye Technique stood paramount."

"And you know it?" Naruto asked.

"But of course." Siegmeyer thumped his chest with pride. "I hunted many lesser dragons in my youth."

He stepped forward, voice lowering into a reverent tone. "The technique is simple in principle, but demands great discipline. You must dilate your pupils, letting in every drop of light, then at just the right instant, constrict them sharply, narrowing your focus to a single point. The world will fade. The target will remain."

"So... it's a glorified squint?"

"No, no, my boy. It is clarity. Precision. The difference between a desperate shot and a deliberate strike."

Naruto closed his eyes and drew in a slow, steady breath. He reached inward, channeling chakra through the intricate pathways of his network. The Way of Focality had already sharpened his understanding of perception, of how to tune each sense like a musician adjusting the strings of a harp. The Hawkeyes Technique clicked into place like a long forgotten instinct. His pupils expanded. The light around him bent slightly, as if the air itself acknowledged his focus. Then, he constricted them. A sudden sharpness pierced his vision. A sting. Then a clarity.

Far beyond, nestled in a crack on the cathedral wall, a small mushroom cap swayed gently in the breeze.

Naruto pulled a kunai.

With a flick of his wrist, it sailed through the air like a flash of silver.

A moment later: Thunk.

The mushroom trembled. Impaled.

"Did you see that, Sir Siegmeyer?"

"Marvelous. Astounding. You have taken your first step into the ranks of Lordran's true hunters."

Naruto wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. His vision still ached slightly. "First step? There's more?"

"Ah yes. The initial focus is only the foundation. To truly master Hawkeye Gough's legacy, you must strengthen your eyes further. For that, you will need an eye tonic."

He rummaged through his satchel, pulling out a weathered parchment covered in strange script.

Naruto frowned at the alien text. But the next moment, the letters shimmered, reorganizing themselves into kanji. Huh. Thanks, System.

Oscar chirped beside him, vibrating with energy.

Naruto smiled and withdrew the bow Rickert had crafted for him, a beast of a weapon, the stone beneath him cracking slightly beneath its weight.

"Alright," Naruto said, his voice firm. "Let's begin the first real lesson."

And so, before the looming gates of Sen's Fortress, with the wind tugging at his cloak and the bow heavy in his hand, Naruto began to embody the mantle whispered by those he had once saved. The Archer of Providence.

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Author’s Note:

Th-th-th-that’s all, folks!
(You know I had to do the Porky Pig send-off.)

But wait—you guys have questions? Well alright, I’ll bite. Let’s break this down.

1. Stormrend Wyvern – An Original Addition

Stormrend Wyvern is not from Dark Souls canon. He’s my own creation. The Valley of Drakes always felt like an underused space—transitory, not transformative. I wanted to fix that. Every location Naruto enters in this story adds to his growth. Valley of Drakes needed a moment that meant something.

And so, I dug through Dark Souls’ cut content. Lo and behold—an unused blue Hellkite Wyvern exists in the files. Never implemented. Combine that with the lightning-drake theme of the area, and the idea for Stormrend clicked.

Stormrend isn't just a boss. He's a presence. A reminder that Lordran doesn’t care who Naruto was before—only who he becomes here. And narratively, Stormrend’s lightning is on par with Sasuke’s Kirin in terms of scale. Let that sink in.

Now here’s where I need you guys:

• What should Naruto do with Stormrend?

• What would Stormrend’s tail weapon look like?

• What should its ability be?

Drop your wildest theories and ideas in the comments.

2. Naruto’s Archery & The “Hawkeyes” Technique

This was inevitable. I didn’t give Naruto the title “Archer of Providence” just to sound cool—it’s a story thread, and we’ve officially pulled it.

So… what is “Hawkeyes”?

Much like Way of Focality (my novelization of the lock-on mechanic), Hawkeyes is the in-universe explanation for the zoom-in function when aiming a bow. Think of it like a martial arts-based sensory technique passed down by Hawkeye Gough, one of Lord Gwyn’s four legendary knights.

Of course, I added my own twist: a tonic that enhances Naruto’s eyes—fitting the magical realism of Lordran.

Now, here’s what Hawkeyes actually lets Naruto do, based on raptor vision and real-world hawk biology:

Hawkeyes Benefits:

• A) Hyper-Zoomed Vision – Naruto can now see coin-sized objects from up to 3.2 kilometers (about 2 miles) away.

• B) Enhanced Motion Detection – Can track fast-moving objects with surgical precision—like a kunai mid-flight.

• C) UV & Infrared Sensitivity – Similar to how some birds see UV light, Naruto can now track heat signatures and chakra trails like a sniper with thermal optics.

• D) 360° Tactical Awareness – Not literal 360 vision, but his spatial awareness increases so dramatically it feels like he can sense blind spot attacks.

• E) Trajectory & Wind Correction – Instantly calculates wind direction, drop arc, and ideal firing solutions on the fly.

• F) Sniper’s Calm – Naruto can enter a meditative shooting state where he filters out panic and distractions for precision-based combat.

So yes… it’s basically a dojutsu, just not from Konoha.

Let me know how you guys liked the Hawkeyes technique, Naruto’s growing identity as an archer, and Oscar’s armor reveal!

3. Siegmeyer’s Level – Yup, That’s Canon

A lot of people were surprised when I revealed Siegmeyer of Catarina is level 95. But that’s not fanon—that’s straight from the game’s internal code.

Here’s the full breakdown:

[ Name: Siegmeyer of Catarina ]
Class: Knight
Level: 95

• Vitality: 28

• Attunement: 8

• Endurance: 26

• Strength: 44

• Dexterity: 31

• Intelligence: 8

• Faith: 9

• Resistance: 26

• Humanity: 4

• Equipment: Zweihander +15, Pierce Shield +15

• Armor: Catarina Set +5

• Ring: Blue Tearstone Ring

He’s not a bumbling oaf. He’s an endgame knight who just happens to be... lost. Stuck in his own thoughts. That makes him human, maybe more than any other NPC.

It recontextualizes his whole arc.

He’s not standing still because he’s weak. He’s doing it because he’s trying to figure out how to move forward.

That’s It… For Now.

So, now that we’ve wrapped up this major Lordran arc, it’s time to turn back to the Wave Arc. Something special is coming. Something that changes everything.

Thanks for sticking with me. Comment below with your theories, questions, or just your favorite Oscar moment from this chapter.

See you in the next one.
– Author Out.