Theodore clutched the Beneviento's Flask, a small, doll-shaped item that now pulsed with a faint, unsettling energy.
He ignored the disturbing note about Rose and Heisenberg. Time to refocus.
"Alright, the note confirms it: Heisenberg's next,"
Theodore announced, turning from the now lifeless Donna Beneviento.
"That means the Factory, a labyrinth of metal, magnets, and mechanical horrors."
He looked at the flask.
"This item... the Beneviento's Flask... it holds the essence of Donna's domain, her ability to sow confusion and fear. It's a key to Heisenberg's defenses."
He found a secluded corner of the Beneviento mansion's basement, far from any prying eyes.
He needed to prepare, and his team needed to understand the new strategy. He accessed his inventory.
"Heisenberg's powers are magnetic. He controls metal. Brute force will get us crushed if we charge in blindly,"
Theodore explained.
"We need a way to disrupt his control, and we need raw damage."
From his collection of Elden Ring items, Theodore pulled out a handful of Lightning Pots. These throwable items, infused with electric energy, would be perfect against a metal-controlling enemy.
He also drew forth several Black Firebombs (from Dark Souls), which dealt persistent damage and had a corrosive effect.
"Alcina,"
Theodore began,
"Your strength is good. You will be our primary tank. You can withstand his heavy attacks. Bela, Cassandra, Daniela—your speed and agility are great. You will disable his mechanical creations, especially the Soldats, while avoiding direct magnetic pulls."
He turned to Ethan.
"Ethan, your grenade launcher and upgraded weapons will be essential for dealing with large groups and hitting specific weak points. We'll stick together, but your job is suppression."
He held up Beneviento's Flask.
"This allows us to briefly interfere with Heisenberg's control. It creates a localized field of 'confusion' in the metal, making his machines sputter or lose magnetic cohesion."
Theodore activated the Flask, pouring a small amount of its misty contents onto his Ascalon sword.
The blade hummed with a strange, dissonant energy.
"Let's go. We're taking the fight to Heisenberg's Factory."
The journey to Heisenberg's Factory was arduous, but the team's combined strength and knowledge, guided by Alcina's familiarity with the village layout, cut down their travel time significantly.
They bypassed Lycan patrols and navigated treacherous terrain, finally reaching the imposing, smoke-belching industrial complex.
The Factory was a sprawling monument to metallic menace, all gears, grinding sounds, and the smell of ozone.
They found Rose, Ethan's daughter, in the central processing area, suspended in a glass tube, connected to a grotesque series of pipes and wires.
"Rose!"
Ethan cried, rushing forward, only to be stopped by a magnetic barrier.
"Ah, the man who brings all the fun!"
A sardonic voice echoed through the vast chamber. Karl Heisenberg descended from the ceiling on a massive metallic platform, his trench coat billowing, his metal hammer crackling with electricity.
"And look what you've brought, Winters! My dear, cured sisters! Alcina, you old bag of bones! Joining forces with this... gamer?"
Heisenberg's eyes gleamed with malicious amusement as he locked onto Theodore.
"So, you're the one who fixed Miranda's pets. You think you can waltz into my Factory and claim my prize?"
He snapped his fingers, and dozens of terrifying, partially-organic, partially-mechanical soldiers—Soldats—stomped out from the shadows, their metal bodies clanking menacingly.
"Theodore Mayer! I will show you what true power feels like!"
Heisenberg roared, raising his hammer.
Theodore grinned, undaunted.
"Sorry, Heisenberg, but I've fought tougher bosses with worse gear. This is just another raid!"
He threw a Lightning Pot. It struck the closest Soldat, sending a powerful electrical surge through its metallic body, causing its lights to flicker and its movements to seize.
"Alcina, full frontal assault! Break his toys! Sisters, disable those Soldats with extreme prejudice! Ethan, aim for Heisenberg's exposed core in his chest plate when you get the chance!"
Theodore commanded, drawing his Ascalon sword, now imbued with the Beneviento's Flask effect.
Alcina let out a guttural roar, charging toward the Soldat line, her fists acting as wrecking balls against their metal frames.
Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela became blurs of motion, each targeting a Soldat, exploiting the slight magnetic confusion
Theodore's Ascalon was subtly emitting.
Theodore faced Heisenberg directly, his sword humming with a strange anti-magnetic resonance.
"You're all metal, Heisenberg! I've got the anti-cheat code!"
Heisenberg laughed, a chilling, metallic sound.
"Fool! You can't fight magnetism!"
He flung a barrage of metal debris at Theodore, but the gamer's AGI and his strategic use of the Beneviento Flask-imbued Ascalon allowed him to dodge and disrupt the magnetic pulls, turning Heisenberg's own weapons against him.