The Incantation: Ancient Dragons' Lightning Strike instantly pierced through the Erdtree Avatar, chiseling out a fatal, penetrating wound.
Thanks to its special bodily structure, it still gazed in the direction of the attack, only to see the silver-haired girl withdrawing the lightning and immediately raising her staff to summon rising flames.
Messmer's Fireball!
The serpentine fire, ranking among the deadliest in the Lands Between, sped forward and arrived with a roar. The Erdtree Avatar, unwilling to show weakness, swung its staff to strike, but the fireball unexpectedly split on its own, attacking from both left and right.
With a muffled boom, the Avatar was left dizzy and dazzled.
The flames spread rapidly across its broken body, sweeping over it and turning this behemoth into a torch.
It had the will to counterattack but could not reach Frieren, who was riding her spectral steed; she even remembered to use Sorcery: Shard Spiral to deal continuous follow-up damage.
Boom!
Before the fourth round of attacks could even be unleashed, the Erdtree Avatar collapsed upon the frozen plains of the snow valley. Its vitality faded, quickly withering and vanishing, soon to be swallowed by the wind and snow, leaving behind nothing but two glistening treasures.
One was the [Cerulean Crystal Tear], capable of restoring half of the FP bar. The other was the [Crimson Bubbletear], which could automatically trigger a slow heal when near death.
Both were useful; even Frieren felt an extra sense of security with them.
"Is it not over yet?"
She followed her perception and glanced over, only to see a Tibia Mariner and a Death Rite Bird approaching. The two monsters had been attracted by the commotion of the Erdtree Avatar being killed and were charging over aggressively, driven by their instinctive desire as magical creatures to kill a target rich in Rune energy.
If Frieren were to actively release her pressure, she might truly make them retreat in the face of difficulty, but her intention was to attract monsters and then clear them out.
A one-sided crushing battle began.
Melina, seated behind her on the spectral steed, and Ranni on her shoulder paid no attention at all; the result was already destined. Taking this opportunity, they took out a diagram of Castle Sol, mottled and old.
The lack of troop markings indicated it was not a detailed military map, but leaned more towards a blueprint.
This was the most accurate intelligence the Soul Cinder Army could find at present.
For years, the Royal Capital had strictly prohibited the leakage of information related to the Mountaintops of the Giants, guarding it strictly; the channels available for investigation were very limited.
If they had maintained contact, it might have been fine, as there is no wall in the world that does not leak wind. But they hadn't.
Castle Sol had only the minimum faint contact with the Royal Capital, and there were basically no records of personnel being dispatched to the Mountaintops of the Giants, so there was absolutely no intelligence to leak. Thus, they could now only judge based on ancient experience from years past.
Melina outlined a route and said, "Even if we pass through the Veteran's territory, there is still the Guardians' Garrison. The two fortresses support each other, forming a posture of interception."
"What they are cutting off is the road leading to the Forge of the Giants."
"Therefore, we cannot take the central route through the Freezing Lake area; we must flatten the castles in order."
Ranni agreed, saying, "Thou art the one who understands the fire ritual; no mistakes can be allowed. Our plan cannot have any variable factors. The chess pieces on the Mountaintops of the Giants must be pulled out."
"If we do not clear them thoroughly today, it is very likely we will leave behind remnants of the Royal Capital, and we will eventually have to return to mop them up in the future."
"—Let us do exactly that."
Frieren, answering in a clear voice, had already finished off the two large monsters that had attacked.
How long had that taken? Just the time it took to look at a map for a while.
The two exchanged a glance and felt slightly more relieved. Clearly, Her Majesty also intended to speed up, not dawdling with this bunch, wanting to preserve her strength for the fierce battles to follow. For example, the Fire Giant.
The powerhouse who had guarded the forbidden flame for many years was not to be underestimated; being a member of the legends as well, preparations had to be made.
Worry aside, Melina and Ranni were not afraid. As two Demigods and one Would-be Lord, their combat power had few rivals in the Lands Between. Their condition was perfect, and Frieren remained high in fighting spirit from start to finish. Look, she was starting to fiddle with new toys again.
[Helphen's Steeple]
[Greatsword patterned after the black steeple of the Helphen, the lampwood which guides the dead of the spirit world.]
[The lamplight is similar to grace in appearance; only the honored dead can see it.]
[Unique Skill: Ruinous Ghostflame]
[Slash the sword to wreath the blade in ghostflame. The ghostflame inflicts magic damage. In addition, the ghostflame is piercingly frigid.]
Worthy of a weapon dropped by a Tibia Mariner, it possessed excellent necromantic attributes, making it especially suitable for the Mountaintops of the Giants. Not bad, though it was a pity that a sword shaped like a black steeple was truly unwieldy to display.
Frieren pocketed it and turned to study another weapon, dropped by the Death Rite Bird:
[Death Ritual Spear]
[Ritual spear used by priests of old who were permitted to come among the Deathbirds.]
[The priests became guardians of the birds, which also meant they were the guardians of the covenant of death.]
[It is said that this act is also tantamount to making a contract for rebirth in the distant future.]
[Unique Skill: Spearcall Ritual]
[Thrust the spear high, praying to call down a downpour of spiritual spears.]
Finally, she knew what the move the Death Rite Birds used to summon spears was called. In the past, Frieren had felt it was suitable for Ghostflame-type attacks and had even tried to replicate it with magic. Now, she finally had a standard; it was suitable for large-scale area attacks.
How could a monster's attainments compare to a mage's comprehension? This Spearcall Ritual was commendable and could shine brilliantly in legion warfare.
She only needed to learn the skill and extract it as a spell; the weapon itself was unimportant.
Its attributes were nothing outstanding, so she would just treat it as a collectible.
While she was pondering, Melina displayed the map from behind her, a clear route laid out before their eyes:
"We must first destroy the castle on the Mountaintops of the Giants. Otherwise, the remnants of the Royal Capital's soldiers might use it later, and it would be troublesome to besiege them then."
"Correct. Our new Dynasty must also focus on suppressing the Snowfield region. Monsters run rampant here, and the terrain is perilous."
"Good, hold on tight."
Frieren flicked the reins and galloped at full speed, rushing wildly towards the castle in the wind and snow.
Meanwhile, the alarm bells of Castle Sol rang out. The melodious sound spread throughout the entire Snowfield; even the distant Guardians' Garrison heard it.
The old general, Commander Niall, crumpled a letter into powder. Opening his palm, the letter from the Royal Capital drifted away into the air.
"To think the First Lord has actually returned..."
Having served under the Storm King back then, he was naturally clear about Godfrey's heroic bearing. He hadn't expected him to step onto his native soil again after thousands of years outside the Lands Between, and to be preparing for a grand war.
Intercepting the challenger with the most promise of becoming Lord in all these years.
Castle Sol's mission was to impede Frieren's steps as much as possible—causing damage would be best—to buy time for the Royal Capital's army to deal with the Soul Cinder Army. They had to fight for every second.
The content of the letter was honest, revealing the entire layout of the Lands Between.
It was very dangerous.
Although the Royal Capital still sat behind high walls and had welcomed the First Lord, it was also losing its dominance over the Altus Plateau. This fertile land governed the rise and fall of royal power; the infiltration of a powerful external force explained many problems.
Since that was the case, it was time for Niall to perform.
...
On the road to Castle Sol.
The wind stopped and the snow settled; the field of vision opened up. The snowflakes that had been constantly beating against their cheeks were weakening.
Frieren blinked. Aside from some frost staining her eyelashes, the experience was much better than just a moment ago. Observing carefully, one would discover that this area happened to be in a haven from the wind, one of the few peaceful places.
Choosing the site here was a matter of learning; to pass through the Mountaintops of the Giants, one had to pass through this road, otherwise the difficulty would skyrocket.
The closer one advanced to Castle Sol, the more one realized it could not be bypassed.
Thud!
A long, drawn-out sound interrupted Frieren's leisure in appreciating the scenery, and she immediately pulled the reins to stop. Vaguely, the bonfires on the distant Castle Sol could be seen shining brighter, illuminating the main road as much as possible.
Melina pointed at the map and said:
"Once they garrison troops on the outer cliffs, the enemy will have no choice but to take the more dangerous Freezing Lake. It has all been calculated."
"Her Majesty is not the type of character to detour. They know this too; they are prepared to die."
Ranni stared coldly at the city walls.
"Speaking of which, who is the commander stationed here who is so decisive? Can we try to persuade him to surrender?"
Then, the two cast surprised looks at her, carrying a hint of reproach. Come on, one listen and they knew she usually let government affairs and intelligence go in one ear and out the other, acting perfunctorily, thinking signing a signature was the end of it.
After muttering for a moment, Ranni took the initiative to introduce him:
"Commander Niall has some history with thee."
"Me?"
"He was once a subordinate of the Storm Lord, loyal and brave, always concerned with the South. When the First Lord conquered, Niall was defeated but pleaded for his subordinates, willing to die himself to protect the Storm Knights. Godfrey, mindful of his spirit, accepted his submission and ordered Niall to lead an army to guard the Mountaintops of the Giants."
"Then he definitely won't welcome me."
Hearing the sequence of events, Frieren knew that the old general, Niall, definitely would not recognize the new monarch of the South; he only obeyed the rule of the Storm King.
He had already defected to the Erdtree; it was impossible for him to change his banner again.
There was no room for negotiation between the two sides; he could only be eliminated.
"Let Castle Sol disappear from the Mountaintops of the Giants. The castle can be seen again, but we cannot leave a retreat route for the Royal Capital," Ranni admonished solemnly.
Frieren nodded.
Their new Dynasty actually didn't care about the crusade against the Giants, because Marika's wariness of them stemmed from the potential threat the Fell God of Fire posed to the Erdtree, the symbol of the Golden Order's law. But the Order of the Stars was different; its symbol was mostly the moon.
In any case, the motivation to guard against the Mountaintops of the Giants was insufficient, not to mention the squad would kill the last Giant here.
The Golden Dynasty feared the worshippers of the Fell God of Fire and adopted the method of sealing.
But Frieren was not worried; there were plenty of ways to clean them up.
They galloped all the way.
Soon, the castle in the wind and snow became clearer and clearer. Coupled with the fact that this area was naturally sheltered from the wind, the field of vision was wide, so when they saw the enemy, the enemy also saw them.
With a click, the great gates were shut tight. Archers stood like a forest atop the walls, drawing their bows like full moons, ready and waiting.
"Soul Cinder King, we have waited a long time."
While greeting, arrows flew with a whistle, also including magic. However, the target was not Frieren herself, but the frozen soil layer beneath her feet. The fragile ice blocks and rocks collapsed instantly, cracking and decomposing with a crash, extending all the way beneath the spectral steed Torrent's feet.
It neighed in sudden fright; if not for Frieren grabbing the reins in time, it might have fallen.
However, the entire ground was collapsing rapidly, seemingly becoming the scene of an avalanche, sweeping up the group and sending them falling towards the cliff below.
That's right, behind them was already a cliff.
Years of garrisoning made the people of Castle Sol very clear about the surrounding geological structure, and they also understood the weak points of the glaciers. Using four ounces to move a thousand pounds to trigger an avalanche—this move was enough to bury an army.
Boom!
The muffled sound echoing in all directions represented countless blocks of ice sinking to the bottom.
Before everyone was already a deep valley. Once trapped inside, there was a ninety percent chance of death. It was a trap Castle Sol had prepared for attackers, but would it be effective against a Would-be Lord?
They looked at each other in dismay, unsure, and finally converged their gazes upon the old general.
"Don't just stand there. Shut the city gates tight; we will fight to the death here—"
Before his voice could fade, a meteor rose from the ground. A purple-white trail cut across the deep valley, and in the blink of an eye, it resided in the clouds, overlooking the earth. A majestic spiritual force swept across Castle Sol, locking onto every living thing; the sensation of being watched made throats tighten.
It was coming.
A gigantic rock rose from the deep valley. Right in front of everyone's faces, it compressed, gathered, and then spun and accelerated to store power.
With a loud boom, it was seen crashing into and collapsing the main city gate with the speed of thunder covering one's ears, wiping out the archer unit on top along with it, leaving not a single one behind. The siege capability of gravity magic was shocking to the world, especially when used by the strongest mage.
The remaining remnants rapidly retreated into the inner city.
They did not intend to linger in battle with Frieren on the periphery; it was meaningless. They had to rely on terrain advantages.
Even after suffering a heavy blow, it did not hinder Commander Niall's orderly command. Everyone still cooperated methodically, covering each other as they moved away.
Moments later, Frieren flew to the top of the wall with Melina and Ranni.
As far as the eye could see was a scene of dilapidation; ruins grew in clusters, mixed with corpses. The archer squad that had concentrated here just now was completely annihilated, none spared under the gravity meteorite.
Whoosh!
A long spear was hurled over but was interrupted by the Glintblade Phalanx guarding the silver-haired girl. Impressively, it was the distant old general, who huffed coldly and entered the fortress for cover, determined to fight a defensive battle.
"They also made preparations to abandon the city." Ranni said admiringly, "Niall is very decisive."
"We cannot leave such a person for the Royal Capital. This itinerary must ensure that no chess pieces of the Golden Dynasty exist on the Mountaintops of the Giants." Melina agreed.
The two prepared for battle.
Frieren, meanwhile, casually repeated Sorcery: Rock Sling, firing one rock after another.
Her spell power was a cut above; once it hit the city wall, it could chisel out a gap. Moreover, the Rock Slings had explosive attributes added to them; some exploded in mid-air, releasing countless fragments that suppressed the defending army opposite so they couldn't lift their heads.
"Then let us win a quick victory."
Immediately following, Melina's Lightning Spear and Ranni's Comet also hit their marks one by one, cooperating with the physical damage of the Rock Slings.
The squad's joint combat had been honed to a point of mutual understanding by today.
With Frieren's magic creating gaps to open up the situation, the remaining Lightning attributes and Magic attributes cleared out the enemies inside the covers in turn. Using the combat power of at least three Demigods was simply overkill; in an instant, they dismantled the barbican section outside the city gate.
Beneath their feet lay only ruins.
Even under this firepower, someone still charged. A white shadow was seen flashing within the dust and smoke.
A Banished Knight brandishing two greatswords assaulted Frieren, covered by numerous long-range strikes simultaneously. This move was seething with killing intent.
She pushed Melina away while lightly jumping to dodge.
However, the opponent was still pursuing. Immediately after, two greatswords came killing, overlapping like scissors.
____
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