[Order collapse detected. Reconstructing framework...]
[Initialization complete. Adjusting presentation according to 'cognition'. Building perceptual filter...]
With the system's faint murmur echoing in his ears, Lloyd opened his eyes.
Before him stretched a world of absolute darkness—and beyond that void, slowly emerging, hung a colossal golden Elden Ring.
Unlike an ordinary ring, this one had words engraved in radiant gold along its circumference:
[Elden Ring]
As Lloyd gazed up at it, a grand orchestral theme rose in the void. More words began to take shape beneath the glowing ring:
[Load Game]
[New Game]
[System Settings]
[Information]
[Exit Game]
Though he knew this was merely the manifestation of order shaped by his own cognition, the sight still caught him off guard. His expression softened with faint nostalgia.
"…Yeah. That's a familiar screen."
With a quiet murmur, he approached and placed his hand on Load Game.
The menu shifted, opening the save screen. Two entries appeared: Ashen One and Tarnished.
But unlike ordinary saves, both files were sealed—covered by a dark red organic mass. No matter how many times he clicked, nothing happened.
He exited back and selected System Settings. A line of text popped up:
[Don't bother clicking. This is only a simulation. To save processing power, I skipped unimportant features—including the 'Information' menu.]
[As for the last option, Exit Game—if you're not ready yet, you can quit here.]
[But only here. Once you truly enter the game, unless you destroy the Dungeon itself, there will be no way out.]
[So, think carefully before you click.]
It was clearly a message left by Alice.
But it didn't matter. She had already told him the same thing before he entered. Lloyd had come fully prepared—and he had no intention of leaving now.
That left only one thing to do.
He placed his hand on New Game. The faint click of a key echoed, and the character selection screen appeared.
Vagabond.
Warrior.
Hero.
Astrologer.
Prisoner...
Countless options.
Lloyd stared at them, thinking about what class to choose—what style to play—
When a faint crackling sound interrupted his thoughts.
The options began to flicker. Gray fire crept across the screen—first a spark, then spreading rapidly, devouring everything. Within moments, the entire selection menu was reduced to ashes, charred text dissolving into gibberish.
When the fire burned out, only one option remained.
[Lloyd]
The name translated literally as "Lloyd," meaning lord or master.
It sounded impressive—but opening the details revealed it was just a copy of the Deprived start.
Level 1.
No armor.
No equipment.
All stats set to 10.
A single wooden club as his weapon.
The only difference was one additional starting item.
It looked like a faint, flickering flame. But when he examined it, the description was all corrupted code—its purpose unreadable.
As his hand hovered over the option, another message appeared:
[This origin may cause unpredictable effects. Confirm selection?]
He sighed. "Then give me something else to pick."
His hand passed through the option. The holographic screen shattered like glass, scattering into countless motes of light that enveloped him.
Then came the familiar sensation—disorienting, weightless, unreal.
But this time, the haze lasted longer. Much longer.
And through the distortion, a voice—like a narrator—whispered in his ear.
[The fallen leaves tell of news.]
[Beyond the fog lies our home—the Lands Between.]
[The great Elden Ring has been reforged—]
[The 'Eternal Queen' Marika has returned.]
[Godwyn the Golden, who perished in the Night of Black Knives, has risen once more.]
[The children of Marika—the Demigods—have returned amid chaos. Through the power granted by flame, they've regained their former glory... and surpassed it.]
[They no longer war among themselves. Their legions now stand united across the Lands Between—waiting for their 'King'.]
[But the rite of welcome must still be forged in sword and blood.]
[Ah... and so, you who still cannot rest...]
[Cross the morning fog. Reach the Lands Between.]
[Stand before the Elden Ring.]
[Become the Elden Lord!]
[Then, you shall face ???]
[Unveil it. Seek out that—]
The voice cut off abruptly.
Gray fire surged again, consuming everything.
When it finally faded, a pair of eyes glimmered faintly behind the dying embers—watching.
Or perhaps... weeping.
The cutscene was forcibly skipped.
When Lloyd opened his eyes again, he was standing in a place he knew well.
The Chapel of Anticipation.
Where it had all begun.
But this time, the chapel was not cloaked in darkness.
It shone with clean, warm light. The walls were whole, the marble polished, every corner spotless—as if someone had been caring for it all along.
But none of that was what truly mattered.
What mattered most was that the cold corpse that once lay beside the chapel was gone.
In its place stood a Finger Maiden dressed in white robes, smiling softly—
his Finger Maiden.
"This time," she said gently, "I can finally fulfill my duty."
She stepped closer, taking Lloyd's outstretched hand and drawing it tenderly into her embrace, her smile bright and genuine.
Lloyd brushed a light kiss against her forehead and stroked her cheek before the two reluctantly parted.
Because of the limitations of this place, the Finger Maiden couldn't leave the chapel—but that wasn't really a problem. She wasn't suited for combat anyway. And with a new Site of Grace here, Lloyd could return anytime for upgrades or guidance. In a way, it was actually quite convenient.
After exchanging a few more words, Lloyd bid her farewell.
He pushed open the chapel doors and continued forward, soon arriving at the place where the Grafted Scion once stood—the spot where he had first met Alice.
But this time, there was no Scion, and no meteor crashing from above.
Only a large golden bloom stood there.
Or rather... the Radiant Gold Mask.
"…Wait a second. How did this guy end up here?"
Staring at the motionless figure posing in front of him, Lloyd's expression grew subtly strained.
[His understanding of the Law runs deep—pure theoretical models, no less. So I placed him here as the initial signal stabilizer.]
Lloyd chuckled lightly. "That actually makes perfect sense."
After reading the message on the ground, he tried greeting the Gold Mask a few times, but the man gave no response—just stood there blankly, maintaining his stance as the signal stabilizer.
Seeing that he wasn't going to react, Lloyd didn't insist. After a few more attempts, he simply stepped around him and walked toward the portal standing behind.
But just as he was about to touch it—
Though the Gold Mask remained perfectly still, a system prompt appeared.
[Obtained Item: 'Rune of Law Restoration']
[When used, temporarily constructs Order, increasing the area's Order level within a set range and duration.]
Lloyd blinked at the sudden notification, then turned back to glance at the still-posing Gold Mask. He gave a small nod.
"Appreciate it."
With that, he turned once more and touched the portal.
The familiar sense of distortion washed over him—light bending, space warping—
And when he opened his eyes again, he stood upon a vast, familiar green plain.
A system message appeared.
[Dungeon – Golden Age Reborn has begun]
[Current Region: Limgrave]