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The Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree gag manga may present a more comical take on the story, but it’s always based in fact. The eighth volume is one that sometimes feel like it’s tidying up a number of possible additional questlines Aseo, or a player, might encounter as they’re working their way through the second half of the game. I mean, we’re seeing parts of quests tied to Fia, Nepheli, Hyetta, the Haligtree Secret Medallion, and Roundtable Knight Vyke. Yes, it means sillier takes on normally grave or dire situations. However, it also means chances for a little more characterization for folks who might not have gotten it in the past, with Vyke being the best example.
Editor’s Note: There will be spoilers for the eighth volume of the Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree manga below.
Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree manga continues with the next steps of the Fia, Deathbed Companion, storyline. It’s essentially wrapping up another part of the retelling of her storyline, leading up to him confronting her and her disappearing with Sorcerer Rogier. It’s essentially teasing the start of the Fia’s Champions’ fights, given she’s also asking him to bring the Cursemark of Death. But because of the structure of this volume, it feels more like an opportunity for a situation where a player would get a new mainline quest to take, but instead gets caught up in additional optional tasks.
For example, instead of immediately heading out to continue that fight and quest, Nepheli Loux brings up the a “medallion” her father Sir Gideon Ofnir mentioned. Since this is a comedic take, he’s using it as an example to get the right half of the Haligtree Secret Medallion from the Village of Albinaurics members who hate him through the now beloved Aseo. It ends up being an interesting approach, as it offers a nod to the fact that Nepheli can appear there and assist in the Omenkiller fight, learning about Gideon’s interference and seeing one of Nepheli’s possible fates. While there are some silly elements, such as what the villagers were doing ahead of, during, and after Aseo gets rid of the Omenkiller, it’s treated as a more serious moment.
Meanwhile, the Hyetta encounter is played up as a very silly experience. Aseo can’t get over the fact that she isn’t Irina, and he insists upon it. It’s a reference to their resemblance in-game. So much so that Edgar the Revenger also shows up, and both he and Hyetta violently insist to Aseo that nope, she’s a totally new and original person. Between that and Aseo realizing what exactly the Shabriri Grapes and Fingerprint Grape are, we also get to what’s probably the best part of the book, which is the Festering Fingerprint Vyke fight.
Which is interesting, as the tone turns out to be more reassuring, lighthearted, and even positive than expected. Yes, there’s a nod to the fact that he’s an Invader due to suddenly popping up in the midst of Aseo’s conversation with Hyetta in the Elden Ring manga. I loved how this encounter turned out. It offered a chance to learn more about a Tarnished who came close to becoming the Elden Lord. It’s genuinely helpful. I won’t spoil exactly how it goes, but it helps offer more narrative insight while still being clever, goofy, and allowing Hyetta’s storyline to continue.
The eighth volume of the Elden Ring manga jumps around a lot, and so feels like Aseo is a player hopping between sidequests. A positive of this means we get to see a number of different NPCs appear in this adaptation. In some cases, it can be especially entertaining, such as what happens with Hyetta. Though in the case of Vyke, it can mean unexpected insights into the older Tarnished.
Volumes 1-8 of Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree are available now, and Yen Press will release volume 9 on July 28, 2026.
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