In the entire fire shrine I saw a total of three people present:
A mysterious blindfolded girl standing next to the extinguished fire in the shrine.
A little old man sitting on the throne.
A man with a sword and shield squatting on the stone steps beside the old man.
Of course, I approached the girl in the middle first. It wasn't because she's a female NPC, or because her figure looked good—even with the blindfold, I could imagine the face behind it.
No, it was simply because she is the NPC featured in the promotional notice.
"Welcome to the Campfire. Mr. aaa, I am the shrine maidan who tends to this campfire. If you need help to find the kings who abandoned their thrones, please look for the guide."
Her words were tempting, but after browsing the interface following our conversation, I quickly understood.
This NPC serves as a tool for players to level up and allocate points.
After a simple conversation, I checked my resources: the 3,000 souls I'd earned by killing Ashes Guda and other mobs along the way. With those, I could level up three times.
I decided to allocate all three points to HP. Though the energy bar is crucial too, I believed that increasing HP was more critical in the early stages of the game for a better margin of error.
After exploring the fire sacrificial ground a little further, I turned my attention to the little old man sitting on the throne.
From our conversation, I learned his name is Rudas, and he is actually a Salary King. The vacant throne beside him belongs to the former King.
Additionally, through our dialogue, I uncovered an important clue: if the flame is to continue burning, the king must sacrifice himself.
"It's no wonder the other four thrones are empty. This King is literally burning himself as firewood!" I couldn't help but sigh.
By now, I had a basic understanding of the game's main plot. According to the keywords from the promotional trailer, the protagonist is part of the garbage, not merely residual ash.
The world is on the verge of perishing and falling into darkness. To stave off this fate, a flame must continue to burn. However, this flame requires firewood, and being the firewood is their destiny.
Unsurprisingly, no one wanted to serve as firewood, so the kings ran away. Only Rudas remained, for reasons unknown, sitting on his throne and burning himself.
My task, it seems, is to track down the remaining four firewood and bring them back here to rekindle the flame.
At the corner of the stairs, I came across the man sitting there with his head bowed, sword and armor on his back.
"...Oh, you're another dead guy, aren't you?" he muttered.
"I'm the same as you—ashes without fire. I can't do anything, just a half-assed person who can't even die properly."
"... It's ridiculous, isn't it? A group of dead people trying to find Kings, thinking they can bring him back to that moldy throne?"
"That group of people are heroes who spread fire! How could trash like us possibly do it?"
"Don't you think so too?"
[Posture: Frustrated]
After the conversation, I unlocked a new gesture: Frustration.
But seriously, what was with all this negativity?
Is the purpose of this NPC's existence simply to spread disheartening, negative news?
After strolling around the sacrificial ground a few more times, I found a blacksmith hard at work and an old woman selling various items.
The blacksmith could strengthen weapons and distribute Elemental Bottles. With the addition of concentration, represented by the pulsation of the blue bar, I replaced the health flask with blood. This change turned the original three parts of health into four parts.
Regarding weapons, I only have one stone fragment, but two are required for strengthening. So, for now, that's not an option.
There also seems to be a way to the top of the building, but the door is locked, and I don't have the key.
Outside the sacrificial ground, I discovered a path where motionless living corpses sat scattered across the ground. At the entrance stood a ragged NPC holding a knife.
"What a handsome knife! I wonder if defeating this character would allow me to acquire it. Could this be the monster that drops the weapon?" I mused aloud, as Wang Han, standing beside me, offered a reminder.
"It's impossible for this game to let you use just the knight sword to beat the entire world, right?" Wang Han said.
Her words sparked my interest, and I acted immediately. According to general ARPG conventions, the initial equipment players receive is usually replaced by defeating a boss shortly after leaving the novice area.
When I killed Ash Guda earlier, I received a spiral sword. However, that item turned out to be a prop—a prop collectible point rather than a functional weapon.
The knife-wielding NPC lurking in the corner seemed to be the key to obtaining better equipment. Perhaps a small room behind him held new gear for players.
Determined, I charged at him with all my courage.
"Ah!"
The game character's cries of pain echoed through my headset as the blood strips vanished with alarming speed. It's three consecutive slashes shredded through me like a knife through tofu.
I was defeated instantly.
"How is this guy more terrifying than Ashes Guda?" I gasped in shock.
You must know now—I'm a knight!
I'm wearing armor!
Although Guda managed to land three or four strikes, his movements were still relatively slow. Rolling away might save you, but you'd still take a hit or two at most.
The swordsman in front of you, however, unleashed a flurry of consecutive Kenjutsu strikes so fast that there was no time to react. Your health bar was emptied in an instant.
Staring at the character resurrecting at the newly lit bonfire in the Fire link Shrine, I stayed silent.
After a brief pause, Wang Han, sitting beside me, spoke. "Let's push forward with the story. That monster might be an elite enemy, like the crystal lizard—something intentionally tough to beat. The main story should be easier, just like slicing through fodder."
Really?
If the crystal lizard and the swordsman hadn't already educated me thoroughly, I might have believed that. I might even feel optimistic.
But now?
I'm skeptical.
Using the bonfire at the shrine, I teleported to the next area: The High Walls of Lothric.
Pushing the massive door open, the grandeur of Lothric unfolded before my eyes. Both me and Wang Han were in awe.
The concept art and pre-release promotional material hinted at this splendor. But actually seeing it while controlling the character was an entirely different experience.
In the hazy gray fog stretching across the horizon, the towering royal city loomed—a magnificent sight.
After a moment of admiration, unease crept back into my heart.
Because, up to this point, I hadn't found a map.
Could this game really not have a map? Was there no map system at all?
Lighting the bonfire near the entrance, I began to cautiously tread the High Walls of Lothric.