"The sword is just another tool for me. I'm more adept at a sorcerer's fighting style."
After a brief assessment, Frieren put away several sword-formation sorceries. No one who saw that would think she was a pure sorcerer.
Melina was long past being surprised by this. In terms of pure swordsmanship, most renowned warriors could not compare to her. The difference in both talent and experience was like that between the clouds and the earth; it was a mystery what kind of experiences had forged such skill.
The silver-haired girl then resumed her search.
Guided by the treasure map module and player messages, she left no stone unturned, and soon her auto-pickup had absorbed Smithing Stones [4] and [5].
Barren.
The level of resources was about the same as the southern part of the Lands Between. A pity.
She had originally imagined that the Land of Shadow would hold abundant Smithing Stone resources, allowing her to upgrade the southern army's equipment and close the gear gap with the Royal Capital. Now, it seemed that was just wishful thinking; it wouldn't work.
The Altus Plateau and the legendary city in the sky were still the most resource-rich.
Rather than figuring out how to take Smithing Stones with her, it would be better to find a way to bring the entire crusade army back.
But that was just a thought.
The Carian army had sworn fealty, but they were inseparable from Messmer's forces, sharing weal and woe. Therefore, the commander's attitude was crucial. Frieren wouldn't be too optimistic until she had reached a conclusion with him; she couldn't afford to oversimplify things.
For now, the greatest benefit was probably that the Castle Ensis garrison allowed her to treasure hunt freely. Passing soldiers would even greet her occasionally.
It was very much in the spirit of "Well, it's about time these treasures, sealed for years, were put to good use."
And it also confirmed the Soul of Cinder King's hobby for collecting.
She probably had common ground with Lord Messmer; after all, he had even established a repository for species, encompassing all the precious items of the entire Land of Shadow.
[Treasure ahead]
Suddenly, a message entered Frieren's view, pointing to a high tower on the edge of the castle walls.
Although she had long suspected something good was placed here and would have come eventually, it was rare for an item to be valuable enough for players to leave a specific reminder. Whether for its power or for fun, one could always trust the standards of fellow Tarnished.
Back when she was a novice, a message reading [Hidden wall ahead] had led her to the divine set of [Havel's Armor].
Without it, she would have long been tormented to the point of exhaustion by the first Dark Souls.
Frieren entered the tower and, sure enough, found a chest. She immediately raised her guard. The Land of Shadow was treacherous, and there was no guarantee she wouldn't encounter a mimic's return or fall into a teleportation trap.
And so, in Melina's eyes, her partner spent a good while inspecting the chest, feeling up the entire surrounding area.
...
Whenever she encountered a lone, isolated chest, it seemed to trigger her vigilance, and she had to carefully investigate every inch before she would act.
Previously, she found it baffling and couldn't understand, but now she gradually realized it was part of the fun. Treasure hunting without a sense of tension was probably not to Frieren's liking.
Opening the chest revealed an Ash of War: [One-Handed Stance].
[A skill where the weapon is held horizontally to the right, held in a stance before attacking.]
[Light attack performs a high-speed three-hit combo.]
[Heavy attack performs a jumping thrust.]
This is it!
When she obtained the Maiden Sword, Frieren had heard about this from player messages. It was meant to be paired with a light greatsword. Its power was unknown, but its aesthetic was worthy, making it serviceable in the oddity-filled Land of Shadow.
She readily applied the Ash of War to the Maiden Sword, simultaneously feeling the magic within it, realizing she could use it even without the Ash of War.
As she released the weapon skill, Frieren sent out a shockwave, the sword's energy surging.
It seemed to have a wind-up, but the leap could actually dodge most attacks, and the follow-up piercing thrust had considerable suppressive power. As for the high-speed three-hit combo, its effect was average, nothing special.
As expected of the players' aesthetic taste, the Maiden Sword paired with the One-Handed Stance possessed both style and substance, and felt natural to use.
Unfortunately, the weapon's base stats were a bit lacking.
Or rather, anything below the level of a legendary weapon could no longer handle Frieren's magical infusion.
The Astrologer was now a divine-level being in truth.
Ordinary weapons couldn't withstand it, and without reinforcement from Smithing Stones, low-level weapons would even be damaged by her magic.
The weapon skill was more valuable.
"All done."
After getting her gear in order, she took out a staff and a sword.
"I can feel a presence growing more active, over in that tower. Rellana must have sensed us too. This is an invitation."
"An invitation? More like, if you can't beat her, you'll be beaten to death."
Melina only felt that the other party was furious. A bit angry, yet still polite, very much in the Carian style.
Given the crusade army's position, a clash with an enemy of the Golden Order was inevitable. This was no easy opponent; before any relationships could be forged, one had to prove their strength.
The younger sister's fiery fighting spirit was the complete opposite of her older sister's reserved coldness, yet they shared the same refinement.
Frieren moved quickly.
Her own aura rose steadily in preparation. She had finally met her strongest opponent since arriving in the Land of Shadow.
The air grew hot, a fierce wind howled in her ears.
The many banners planted on Castle Ensis flapped loudly, as if about to be torn apart. The bricks and tiles trembled, thrilling in anticipation of the coming clash. The fortress had been quiet for too long; the silence was bound to be broken.
The garrison soldiers felt a jolt in their hearts. They found it hard to breathe and broke out in a cold sweat. Magic, refined to its utmost, combined with a domineering pressure, was being unleashed wantonly.
"So soon? The two demigods are about to fight."
"Although Her Majesty is very strong, the protection of the Shadow Tree is too weak, far inferior to Lady Rellana's."
"This is the perfect home ground for the Twin Moon Knight."
"But she is a prospective monarch. If she's strong enough, a little environmental disadvantage won't sway her."
"Send a battle report to the Shadow Keep. Regardless of this fight's outcome, I believe Caria will be reunited. Lord Messmer cannot be kept in the dark. Let him make the judgment."
"You're that certain?"
"Because either of them can change the situation here—no, in all the Lands Between."
Everyone in Castle Ensis moved quickly. The experienced Muriel had already given the order to evacuate.
Although she hadn't witnessed the Soul of Cinder King's combat firsthand, numerous scouts had confirmed the fate of the Tower Settlement: a giant meteor crater.
And their own home was not much bigger than Belurat; they had to consider the collateral damage.
In terms of magical power, the Twin Moon Knight was actually no slouch either. Once she unleashed her full magic, it would definitely extend beyond the tower's confines.
However, Muriel also felt a sense of excited anticipation:
Caria needed to be reforged.
In a way, the leaders of the two branch families were about to face off. If they could achieve internal unification before the Golden Dynasty did, they would be poised to replace the rule of those oathbreakers on the Altus Plateau in the future.
All the garrison soldiers were holding in their frustration, desperately hoping for a battle that would set a clear course.
Continue to watch over the Land of Shadow? Or end all this and return to the Lands Between?
By the lamps of the arched gate.
Seeing the ground covered in messages, Frieren knew the other side of the fog gate was trouble. It was probably filled with complaints; only a truly tough opponent would elicit so many comments.
But she wouldn't read the specific descriptions to avoid spoilers. Intelligence had to be gathered firsthand.
"Isn't the room too small?" Melina asked with a puzzled look. "There's no room to maneuver, is there?"
"It's fine. It'll be demolished in a minute anyway."
...
Her words were so logical it was hard to argue. So far, she really had demolished every place she fought in. How could a tiny room be enough for two top-tier demigod-level powerhouses to fight to their hearts' content?
As she pondered, the silver-haired girl took a step forward and crossed the threshold.
Looking up, she saw a soaring dome. They were clearly inside the tower, with stone pillars stretching upwards, tall and majestic. The floor was a pool of water, very similar to the royal moon-gazing grounds.
Completely unafraid of the master's dangerous aura, Frieren glanced at the mirror-like water with a sense of nostalgia.
"It's very similar, isn't it?"
asked a woman sitting in a chair with her legs crossed. She had black hair, her features exquisite and dignified, bearing a strong resemblance to Ranni.
She wore a blue cloak, a full set of silver armor, and two longswords at her waist.
Her hand was stroking a helmet in her lap, on which a twin moon was carved, shining brightly.
"Yes. I fought Loretta's projection there, and I also met Ranni. It seems so long ago now."
"That's why staying here helps me reminisce, and also helps me calm down."
"Have I disturbed you, then?"
"It's fine. By the way, are they all doing well?"
"They're all well."
Suddenly, the two fell silent, gazing at each other from a distance, words left unsaid. They wanted to ask for more details, but the atmosphere didn't feel right. Besides, the matter was too complex; starting the conversation would likely take days and nights.
They had a mountain of things to say, yet both chose to remain silent, because they couldn't yet fully trust each other.
The stakes were too high to be decided by someone they'd just met. Even Rellana was long past the age of impulsive decisions; anything related to Caria required careful consideration.
Frieren, on the other hand, just found talking troublesome and thought it better to test her opponent's mettle first.
The two tacitly began to raise their magic power.
Melina, who had followed them into the room, glanced at them and then actively created distance, leaving the stage for the Soul of Cinder King and the Twin Moon Knight. Though the surface was calm, it couldn't hide the surging undercurrents; the tension was palpable.
Only a discerning eye could see that they were each adjusting their inner energy—mind, skill, and body reaching their peak, senses activated to their maximum.
Hwa!
Rellana was the first to break the silence, standing up and solemnly donning her twin-moon-crested helmet. She then loosened her shoulders, and her two slender swords slid from their sheaths with a clang, poised to strike.
She needed to strike first to gain an advantage, otherwise that unfathomable magic power would become an insurmountable gap.
Frieren also drew her weapons: a configuration of Lusat's Blade and the Moonveil.
Anyone familiar with her knew this was a high-stakes loadout.
Melina knew even better that this was just the surface. Once the fight began, the Soul of Cinder King, a master of all weapons, would constantly switch her arsenal, making her moves dazzlingly unpredictable.
If her enemy could see her dual-staff configuration, the outcome would surely be tragic.
Voom!
With the hum of blades, sword energy swept out, surging forth with magic.
At this moment, they both understood: the other was also a battlemage.
A thrill of excitement rose in their hearts. This was perfect. Only with compatible styles could they have a high-level contest, using force to find their answers.
The next moment, the glint of a blade flashed, and a cold light instantly closed in, illuminating Frieren's vision. She hastily dodged to the side.
The slender blade sliced off a few strands of her long white hair.
"What?"
Melina, who had been watching, cried out in alarm. Why did a parry attempt turn into a dodge? It was too fast! Was Rellana's attack so swift that its trajectory was invisible, making it impossible to parry?
Whatever she thought, the battlefield had already changed. The other longsword immediately thrust forward.
It came from behind, striking just as she passed, aiming for the back of the neck with heavy killing intent.
With a ping, the Three Glimmering Swords intercepted and blocked it. The perfectly timed spell allowed Frieren to create distance in the opening, avoiding being pinned down by a combo.
"Using a new spell at a time like this!"
No matter how many times she had seen her partner's fighting style, she still broke out in a cold sweat.
Being bold enough to experiment has its limits; she could have achieved the same effect with a Glintblade Phalanx, but she insisted on doing it this way.
However, Melina quickly came to terms with it. If she didn't, she wouldn't be Frieren.
"An interesting persistence. Let's just say you're showing off your magical talent. How enviable." Rellana praised her generously, but her blade only grew faster.
The silver-haired girl did a small hop on the spot to dodge the right-hand sword, then her Moonveil grazed past the left-hand sword, the friction sending a shower of sparks against the armor on her neck, leaving a scorch mark.
Couldn't find the right point to apply force. Was it too fast?
In truth, every movement of the beautiful figure in the blue cloak and silver armor was clear, as if in a dance meant to display physical beauty, emphasizing each agile moment. However, those were all motions for generating force; by the time you saw it clearly, the blade was already out, aiming to kill.
The elegance was not in the dance, but in the ultimate combination of bodily coordination, possessing both speed and power.
Every strike carried the weight of her entire body, which was why Frieren could only create sparks just now. Even the Astrologer's strength was tested; she couldn't deflect it. And she had even diverted some strength for that block, otherwise it would have been even weaker.
Here she comes again!
Rellana danced forward with her blades, and a cold light flashed towards the space between Frieren's brows.
It was aimed at Frieren's previous position. Luckily, she tilted her head in time, otherwise it would have been a fatal blow. But the counterattack had already arrived.
The frost from the Divine Beast's Frigid Stomp crept up her ankle, causing a moment's hesitation in her fluid movements, and Night Comet would not miss such an opportunity.
Bang!
The concealed magical ambush left a small dent in the armor on Rellana's side. The silver-haired girl wasn't surprised by this and took the chance to reset her stance.
One couldn't expect to use Night-type sorceries for an entire fight between experts; their intuition would notice, and the effect would diminish with each use.
Using it once as a feint was best.
"...I've seen this. It's an assassination ability from the Eternal City."
As expected, wary of Night Comet, Rellana was no longer as carefree in her sword dance as before, which was exactly what Frieren needed. What followed was a barrage of Collapsing Stars, forcing Rellana to dodge the brunt of the attack.
One sneak attack followed by a high-volume attack easily makes one anticipate the next obvious card—
Valorous Lion's Claw!
Carian Greatsword!
Rellana switched her slender swords for a greatsword, intending to trade blows with a powerful move, confident she could create an advantage. But now it was she who was forced back two steps, the web of her right thumb numb. What a heavy blow.
She had tried a feint of her own, but she miscalculated on two points:
"To think you'd choose to open with a weapon skill. Are you even a sorcerer?" she said in a low tone. "And what is that sword?"
"The one and only Dark Moon Greatsword."
Frieren, who had at some point switched to a two-handed grip, revealed a faint smile.
______
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