"How nostalgic. I remember watching my sister gift her Dark Moon Greatsword to Ranni, thinking it was the beginning of a happy union... I never imagined it would be the peak."
"This one you carry is Ranni's, correct?"
"Correct."
"There must have been a catalyst. What was it that made her choose you so completely?"
"It was after I helped her kill Astel, Stars of Darkness, and she, in turn, killed her Two Fingers."
...
I shouldn't have asked. My heart is in turmoil.
Right now, Rellana wanted nothing more than to grab Frieren by the collar and demand to know what monumental events had transpired to cause such a terrible stir. Either one of those acts alone was world-shaking, yet both had happened at once.
From the perspective of accomplices, it was indeed believable.
Her own niece was the audacious mastermind, while the Tarnished was the enforcer who flattened all obstacles with martial might.
One dared to act, the other was more than capable.
She looked at Frieren's completely unaffected expression with a sense of profound regret.
"Rest assured, I will not abandon this fight over something so small."
"Nor will it stop me from using my full strength." Rellana took a deep breath and added, "Hearing your story only makes me want to learn for myself the caliber of the one who killed Astel."
The Twin Moon Knight's presence reconsolidated, her stance flawless. There was no need for further questions; her mind was focused solely on the battle.
Because she already believed Frieren was someone worthy of Caria's trust.
What came next had nothing to do with the interests of a 'King'.
At this very moment, it was Rellana, as a warrior, who wished to test the 'King's' edge.
Who in the martial culture of The Lands Between wouldn't want to witness the pinnacle of power?
Right here, right now, she would experience it firsthand.
"Very well."
The silver-haired girl nodded, switching back to her staff and longsword, displaying her talent for mastering different weapons.
After the battle thus far, no one would dare underestimate her versatile arsenal. It was a unique fighting style, one that was often unpredictable and demanded constant vigilance.
Once again, Rellana initiated the attack.
Her steps were like blooming lotuses, and as ripples spread across the pool's surface, her blades were already in motion.
Swish!
Two cold glints of light streaked past Frieren's sides, brimming with unstoppable, murderous intent.
This time, she was faster.
The blades that could previously be barely deflected now struck with the speed of lightning.
Under threat, Frieren could only use her body's momentum to evade, but it wasn't enough. A splash of crimson flew from her cheek.
The silver-haired girl stood firm, a thin line of blood trickling down her left cheek. Another slash from a blade's aura had been blocked by the armor on her shoulder.
First blood had been drawn.
But neither showed any reaction, immediately clashing once more in a storm of flashing blades.
Glintstone swords collided, Sword Dance and Quickstep crossed the mirror-like pond, and the walls of the high tower room became covered in scratches, the fierce wind cutting like a knife.
Whether they were slashing or using magic, both shared a single focus: the sword.
Though it appeared to be mixed with sorcery, it was fundamentally a duel of ultra-high-speed swordsmanship, moving too fast for even Melina to see clearly.
It became harder and harder to track their trajectories.
It also made her realize that her own combat experience was still severely lacking, a considerable gap existing between her and a top-tier demigod. If she were caught in this tempest, she would likely be covered in wounds, forced to rely on incantations for protection just to endure.
"...Since Rellana has the upper hand in swordsmanship, she'll maintain the pressure. If that advantage isn't broken, the chances of victory are slim."
It was rare to see Frieren injured first in an initial encounter.
This was getting tricky.
As expected of the Twin Moon Knight, the paragon of Carian combat sorcery. Both her weapon skills and magic had reached a state of perfection, robbing Frieren of an advantage she usually held over her opponents.
The battle had shifted from asymmetrical to a contest between equals, with the enemy even holding a slight edge.
But Melina soon noticed a change:
"Why has Rellana's movement slowed... No, it's a parry!"
By pushing her perception to its absolute limit, she could notice that the aggressor, who previously only needed to swing with full force, was now creating a shower of sparks. It wasn't a parry, but the friction of blades being deflected.
It meant Frieren still hadn't found an opening to land a counter-parry, but she had caught up to the speed; she just lacked the requisite strength.
She's adapted?
Melina was aghast.
She never imagined Frieren could adapt to such a rhythm of attack in just a few exchanges.
Most people would be lucky to survive, let alone find an opportunity to counterattack in the ever-changing chaos.
She could only make out a fraction of their movements by straining her eyes. What was clearer were the sword marks on the walls and floor tiles, smooth as mirrors.
Even the water in the pool, once sliced open, took a long time to "heal" and close.
To be precise, the wind pressure was continuously cutting it.
One could only imagine the flawless, lethal aura surrounding the two master sorcerer-knights.
Clang!
Amidst another ear-piercing screech of friction, Rellana's right-hand sword was knocked aside.
It wasn't a perfect parry, but the move had been predicted.
Frieren used the principle of deflecting a great force with a small one, preventing Rellana from overwhelming her even with her dominant hand.
Using this as an opening, Frieren began to attack, and a series of sharp clangs echoed.
It was her footwork that was now forcing the enemy back.
The wind howled, sparks filled their vision, and her body felt light, as if she had rediscovered her old fighting rhythm.
The familiar sense of battlefield control returned.
A contest of swords belongs to the one tempered by a thousand battles.
The silver-haired girl's movements were not particularly fast, nor was she known for her strength, yet each of her strikes perfectly deflected Rellana's attacks.
And there was more—
the reverberating force was constantly accumulating, threatening to throw Rellana off balance.
Even the fully armored Twin Moon Knight dared not take a critical hit, forcing her to fight conservatively and cede some control. However, this seemed to be a signal, and Frieren's wrist blurred into an afterimage before her.
Both hands wielded Carian Slicer!
A blade of light drew blood across Rellana's chest, forcing her to backstep in shock.
"Was that an Ash of War and a Sorcery used simultaneously? Can you affix different skills to your weapons?"
"This in particular was astonishing."
"Correct. To me, they have always been just techniques."
"Your understanding defies common sense... But with enough power, one can often establish a new common sense."
"If you continue to rely on your swordsmanship, it will become your weakness."
"I don't take advice from my enemies."
Frieren said no more. In one hand, she held a magic sword generated by her staff; in the other, the famed Moonveil. Though not even a legendary weapon, it radiated a palpable killing intent.
Then she moved, kicking up a stream of light. Threads like stellar orbits began to rise, weaving an ethereal, dream-like arch in the air.
Sword of Collapsing Stars!
The moment her opponent changed tactics, Rellana reacted.
For the first time since the duel began, she adopted a defensive stance, crossing her twin blades and maximizing her perception.
As expected, a powerful force impacted her, and she met it head-on.
Unfortunately, the layered, rippling sword edges still drew a pillar of blood from a weak point in her armor.
No, it wasn't over. Frieren immediately followed up with another move: Waterfowl Dance.
Why has she suddenly switched to a flowing sword style!
The moment the thought arose, Rellana knew it was too late.
Her body simply couldn't keep up with the cunning trajectory.
She took the first hit, then rolled back in a somewhat disheveled retreat to barely evade the rest, her wounds and cloak soaked by the pool water.
Her hasty retreat proved prescient, for the instant she moved, Waterfowl Dance bloomed with another flash of blades.
Frieren looked troubled. "This is the first time I've successfully executed the second stage of Waterfowl Dance, but it didn't hit?"
"Do you make a habit of trying new moves on new enemies?"
"Of course."
The self-assured reply left Rellana speechless.
So she was being used as a training ground?
But on second thought, renowned experts are always studied; using new abilities is a way to prevent information from leaking.
She would have to accept that, even if she knew the real answer was likely that her opponent was confident she could innovate forever, always staying at the forefront.
"I recognize both the Sword of Collapsing Stars and the Waterfowl Dance, but no one has mastered them to such a degree."
"I have had the honor of meeting the masters who specialized in them."
"But only you have mastered them all."
"—I underestimated you, Frieren. I should have listened to your advice. So now, I too will go all out and show you the true martial arts of Caria."
Rellana wiped the blood from her armor and reset her stance, her aura undiminished.
To be struck by such a slash and act as if nothing happened—such physical fortitude made Frieren raise an eyebrow.
After seeing so many fragile demigods, she was finally witnessing the constitution of a warrior-focused powerhouse in their prime.
A typical bleeding wound was not enough to fell her. Furthermore, the undeniable difference in their power due to the Shadow Tree's blessing had to be considered.
This was a challenge.
Regardless, she was prepared.
Frieren's focus sharpened, her gaze growing keener, her perception missing no minute detail on the battlefield.
If Rellana came at her with fast strikes again, she could stop them.
But this was no longer just a contest of skill.
Having grown familiar with each other's fighting styles, both began to adjust.
Rellana knew her opponent's power was bottomless.
She had thought swordsmanship would be her advantage, only to be countered.
She couldn't afford to fall into the enemy's rhythm.
It was time to get serious, or she might suffer a humiliating defeat.
Voom!
Suddenly, her twin blades vibrated, releasing red and blue light respectively—the heat of fire and the chill of frost.
The mere elemental aura leaking out made the silver-haired girl's armor brittle.
The armor, tempered with smithing stones and magic, began to hum; its armor-piercing properties were clearly immense.
"A single hit would be disastrous. Be careful."
Melina, who thought she could watch peacefully, couldn't help but call out a warning.
What a powerful killing aura.
Forged in the blood of countless strong foes, this was power condensed from fighting the Army of the Golden Order and the Horned Folk army in the wars of Liurnia and the Land of Shadow.
Those two swords, now imbued with elements, were a tremendous threat.
However, Melina saw Frieren smile instead of showing alarm, a nostalgic look on her face.
"Pontiff Sulyvahn? I once faced an enemy whose techniques were very similar to yours."
"To have left an impression on you, he must have been skilled."
"Very strong."
"But he still lost to you, didn't he? I will not. The martial arts of Caria are far more than this."
Rellana's twin blades flowed with materialized magic, seeming to distort the very space within the tower.
Frieren, her memories of Irithyll stirred, was also pleased. She hadn't expected to face such a similar move again.
So she, too, coated her Moonveil with a layer of energy: Bloodflame Blade.
This magic from Mohg was also extremely aggressive.
The hemorrhage status effect, in particular, could inflict maximum damage, which was perfect against a formidable foe protected by the Shadow Tree's blessing.
Otherwise, every hit felt like striking stone; you had to break their defense first.
The two had arrived at the same conclusion.
Next, they acted.
The flames of the left-hand sword swept forward, evaporating the pool it passed over. The searing energy rushed at her, nearly igniting the strands of her hair.
Frieren didn't dodge, because she knew that at such a moment, she must not move. She had to counter:
Transient Moonlight!
The blue weapon skill collided with the flaming blade, slicing through the wall of fire and, as expected, clashing with the edge of Rellana's sword.
The latter's strength was superior, and she pressed forward, grinding relentlessly against the slash's shockwave.
A cold glint flashed past Frieren's staff, only to be absorbed by a sphere of Eternal Darkness sorcery, nullifying the magic damage.
Immediately after, the Bloodflame Blade sliced across the gap in the silver armor.
To aim for the same spot twice in a row during high-speed combat was simply unbelievable. What kind of dynamic vision and control did one need to even dare such a thing?
Danger!
In the nick of time, Rellana slid back, barely escaping injury, though the aura of blood still clung to her.
If that last attack had landed squarely, even her battle-hardened body would have hemorrhaged severely. In such an intense, top-tier duel, that would be enough to tip the scales of victory, with unimaginable consequences.
But the assault was far from over.
The silver-haired girl actively closed the distance. As she strode forward, her staff tapped, and Greatblade Phalanx, Glintblade Phalanx, and Magic Glintblade erupted simultaneously.
They guarded their caster, then shot towards their target under the staff's guidance.
Rellana used the flowing ice-flame of her right-hand sword to envelop the glintblades, forced to meet them head-on.
The next moment, she realized something was wrong.
These were magics of different natures. She thought it was a feint, using different forms, but they were actually different spells of the same type?
Triple Casting!
The moment the thought arose, she knew she was in trouble. As expected, Rellana, struggling to cope, revealed an opening.
The Gavel of Haima struck true. The force of that instant was like a mountain crashing down, irresistible. Her entire body went numb from the shock, and she nearly lost her footing.
A figure in a blue cape flew through the air.
Frieren frowned; the impact felt wrong.
Her opponent had absorbed the force of the blunt strike in the latter half of the impact.
A masterful recovery technique had immediately turned what should have been a staggering blow into a high-arcing launch, creating distance instead.
The numerous glintblades on the field vanished, and the round of attacks was over.
Though it was a bit of a pity, she cast again without a care.
If her opponent insisted on keeping her distance, then she would unleash the power of a sorcerer.
In an instant, Ancient Death Rancor, Comet, and Ambush Shard flew forth together.
Triple Casting again!
Simultaneously coordinating multiple energies of different natures was already absurd, yet she performed it with effortless grace.
Never mind Rellana's shock, even Melina, who had been traveling with her, stared wide-eyed. How had Frieren's magic improved even further?
The suppression of the Land of Shadow seemed to have pushed her to delve deeper into the fundamentals of spellcasting.
A genius remains a genius, even when they change their field of study.
She reduced the number of high-power spells, which would be suppressed by the Land of Shadow's seal anyway. Instead, she increased the frequency and variety of her casting, forming an overwhelming suppressive force, a relentless barrage of attacks against her target.
Rellana, the first to experience this pressure, had no choice but to brace herself.
Carian survivor—
______
✅ Until 40 advanced chapters of ALL stories!
✅ Exclusive content and updates!
Help us hit our community goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 55 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of ALL STORIES!
Claim your 40% OFF spot and unlock everything now:
👻 P - Walnutchan