The innermost room of the passage, the front hall. The red-haired girl lay motionless on the ground. Although her body shimmered with the li
The innermost room of the passage, the front hall.
The red-haired girl lay motionless on the ground. Although her body shimmered with the light of trigger-activated Regen, her mental exhaustion was not something that could be resolved in a short while. As soon as she let out that breath, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.
The rest of the exploration team members had also fainted. Some let out loud cries in their nightmarish dreams, some snored loudly, and some occasionally twitched from electric shocks...
Except for one person.
Vain, the physically strongest, remained conscious. He quickly fumbled for a potion, drank it, and urgently bandaged his wounds.
"This is truly exhausting. It's finally over, but staying here isn't an option."
He looked around, and no one else was awake. Even if the Mirror Demon couldn't organize an attack for now, other underground monsters might still invade. They couldn't just lie there waiting to be slaughtered; they had to move.
"These old bones have suffered enough; I'll rest after this..."
Despite his complaints, Vain, with immense willpower, picked up his broken sword, supported his body, and shuffled step by step towards the red-haired girl.
"Flamme, wake up!"
Unfortunately, the other party remained motionless. What was worse, he woke up other things. From the darkness of the distant passage came chilling sounds. As expected, sand worms had been drawn in and were now approaching, following the commotion to seek food. These monsters would devour bones completely.
He himself didn't even have the strength to swing his sword; how could he deal with them? Only Flamme still had magic left, but no matter how he called, it was no use. Were they all going to die here?
He opened a water flask and splashed some on the red-haired girl's face. The latter immediately coughed violently and opened her eyes.
"Be careful, the sand worms are coming! Do you have any magic?"
"It's all used up, and my body's numb. I need a few minutes to adapt—"
Even as they spoke, the monsters opened their tooth-filled maws, roaring as they burrowed into the soil. Their rising trails steadily approached the entrance, and they were about to rush up the steps to attack. The consequences would be unimaginable.
The unconscious teammates would be the first to be treated as prey. Although they showed signs of waking up, as things stood, they probably wouldn't be much help.
Seeing the dire situation, Vain quickly took out his bow and aimed, only to discover an embarrassing problem: he no longer had the strength to draw it.
Twang!
Suddenly, Flamme firmly grabbed the bowstring and, with strength no less than that of a top-tier Warrior, forcibly drew it back.
"Good. Leave the aiming to me. Release the arrow when I tell you to."
The old man and the young girl exchanged a glance, then both intently watched the monsters. Their breathing rate gradually stabilized, even synchronizing. The sandworms opposite them were still charging, now within fifty meters, but the two remained calm. This was the unspoken understanding of absolute trust.
They were observing the exact number of enemies. Only three were still controllable, but they had to ensure a single hit to the vital nerve centers of the head, otherwise, they would surely die.
No sooner had she spoken than Flamme released the bowstring. A massive force was suddenly unleashed, propelling the arrow to cut through the air and strike the head of the first sandworm dead-on. It wasn't just stuck in; it pierced straight through and pinned it to the ground. Such power slightly surprised Vain, but he quickly adjusted his mindset, fixing his gaze on the remaining enemies. Another one was about to charge up.
He could feel the vibrations of that creature approaching, its teeth chillingly extended.
Thwack!
The two instinctively drew, aimed, and released the arrow in one fluid motion. With a whistling sound, the arrow struck the head, though a little off-center. Blood poured out, but it was still moving.
The sandworm, infuriated, lunged with its massive body.
However, Flamme and Vain's reflexes were extraordinary; they rolled out of the way just in time, narrowly dodging the heavy blow. But Flamme, being too light, was sent flying by the shockwave, crashing into a pile of rubble, her fate uncertain.
Even so, he still mounted the sandworm's back, looped the bowstring around its neck, and with a powerful pull, decapitated it.
The monster let out a hysterical wail before it died. Vain's entire body, his muscles and bones, probably wailed similarly from the relentless aches and pains. But suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept past him from behind.
He threw himself forward in a full-force dive, the sharp teeth sweeping past just above his head.
Glintstone Arrow.
As the last sandworm lunged and missed, Flamme stood up, nocked an arrow, and fired. The magic pierced the monster's body, killing it instantly.
Rapid mana recovery is the only guarantee.
Only then did she sink half-kneeling to the ground, panting.
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter. Even if they were utterly exhausted, they had to laugh out loud. Their fatigue vanished; no matter what, they had escaped death. The perilous adventure in the Ruins of the King's Tomb was drawing to a close. It was time for it to end.
After a short rest, they woke up their unconscious teammates one by one. Everyone still felt a lingering fear.
"We won? We beat the copy, but I'm still alive!"
"Truly worthy of a Divine Era Mage! I can't imagine what would happen to us if it were Guildmaster Frieren herself..."
"They even took down the sand worms!"
"Thank you, Miss Flamme, Commander Vain! The credit belongs to you two." The team leader emphasized, sincerely convinced: "As per our agreement, you deserve an extra share of the reward. We all owe you a debt of gratitude, so please don't decline; it's what you've earned."
"Right, let's consider it an investment for future cooperation. We'll tell our colleagues that Flamme is now truly worthy of being called a Great Mage, both in character and strength."
The red-haired girl, feeling somewhat overwhelmed, kept agreeing, grinning bashfully as she scratched her head. In any case, the outcome was good, and she had made a name for herself. It should have been a happy ending for everyone, but the matter was far from over.
She pointed to the door of the innermost room, signaling them to continue forward.
After discussing, the group finally decided to support Flamme's suggestion: they must find the Mirror Demon's true body.
The journey was smoother than expected; they arrived at the end of the Ruins of the King's Tomb without obstruction, only to see a prism-like entity quietly floating within.
An aura brimming with malice pressed in on them.
Everyone immediately prepared for battle, taking up their stances. Admittedly, in theory, the Mirror Demon's true body wasn't strong enough, but who knew what other special powers might be at work? Having come this far, they couldn't be too careful.
At the same time, a cloud of dust rose around them, and faint white phantoms began to appear...
"You wouldn't dare!"
Determined, Flamme rushed forward like an arrow, her hands forming a barrier that tightly enveloped the Mirror Demon's true body. This absolute defense not only blocked magic flow but also cut off any chance for escape.
Sure enough, the phantoms dissipated, but the demon inside the barrier constantly crashed against it, forcing her to continuously channel magic with both hands. A tug-of-war for power had undeniably formed between the two sides.
Vain murmured, "It seems to be controlled, but it's inconvenient."
"Exactly. It's fine. As long as I maintain the seal and bring it out, we'll find a way."
Seeing the dust settle, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Some collapsed weakly where they stood, laughing loudly, celebrating the moment.
Boom!
Suddenly, from the dome above, rubble began to fall from the sealed mound, accompanied by rumbling roars. It seemed there was an incredibly vast magical force at work. Immediately after, a Carian Greatsword pierced through the ceiling, its hundreds of meters of sharp edge beginning to cut right before their eyes.
Outside the Ruins of the King's Tomb, Fen Chang and his group could only watch helplessly as a super-engineering feat unfolded.
The Divine Era Mage disdained the slow progress and simply rolled up her sleeves to tackle the task herself. At this moment, the silver-haired girl flew atop the sealed mound, wielding a greatsword and continuously cutting. Magic powerful enough to destroy city walls had now become a demolition tool.
The purportedly sturdy dome and the magical barrier within shattered on contact. Absolute brute force left no room for resistance; their defenses were as good as nonexistent.
The silver-haired girl continuously swung her blade, digging. At the same time, magical golems rose beside her to transport the debris, and Gravity Magic made the rubble float, allowing her to visibly dig deeper.
The sealed mound, resembling a small mountain, visibly diminished at a rapid rate.
Moreover, her movements grew faster and faster. To onlookers, the atmosphere conveyed only one impression:
Urgency.
Frieren, anxious to save them, had rushed over after resolving the Royal Capital incident. "She defeated two Demon Sages just now? Not surprising at all?" Upon arriving here and hearing the news, she immediately started working without a moment's rest.
Originally, she had abandoned the labyrinth exploration, intending to train her apprentice. Now, hearing something had happened, how could she not be anxious? She stopped holding back; she'd tear this place to smithereens.
Even the heavily paid excavation teams paled in comparison.
"I can't imagine how Master Frieren would blame us if anything happened to the people inside." Fen Chang wiped the sweat from his brow. "She just slaughtered a whole bunch of demons and rebels; she might still be in a rage."
"Sir, don't underestimate Miss Flamme's power, let alone Commander Vain. There won't be any problems; the only difference will be the extent of their injuries."
"You're right. In any case, let's prepare to deal with the aftermath at the King's Tomb."
They reached a consensus: whatever demons were hidden inside were now on a death countdown.
At the same time, the small team in the innermost room breathed a sigh of relief. That iconic Carian Greatsword piercing through the dome was highly recognizable; there was no third user in the world, let alone one with such a majestic and overbearing presence. Only one person possessed it.
In a moment, a huge square opening appeared, and Flamme, holding the Mirror Demon's seal, bounced and jumped, shouting:
"Master, we're here!"
From the opening, a head poked out, revealing Frieren's familiar face.
"It's good that you're safe." She first showed concern, then truly exclaimed in admiration: "It seems you've won, Flamme. Congratulations on defeating a powerful demon and achieving such a feat."
"It's all thanks to everyone's help, and Master's healing."
"But it's not very obedient..."
Although she said that, when the silver-haired girl came down, the Mirror Demon stopped struggling. To be precise, it froze, because the enemy's oppressive aura enveloped it first, as if it were in purgatory.
Why did she feel as if the other party was constantly burning? If she touched it, she would also turn to ashes.
Frieren glanced at them and then sprinkled forth a round of sunlight healing upon the others.
All who were touched immediately had their wounds healed, hidden internal injuries eradicated, and even certain long-standing after-effects eliminated. Their physical condition was comprehensively improved, and their souls were soothed.
Although this magic was rapidly spreading, its most potent effects still came from the original user. Others simply couldn't replicate the stats of a Lord of Cinder.
Some even fell back asleep in the warmth of the healing, probably not waking up for a while.
Oh well.
At least they were safe now.
Meanwhile, the excavation team made a breakthrough at the main entrance. From the sounds, they weren't far. Coupled with Flamme and her group having already cleared the path, it would likely just be a quick run to the end. The overall situation was settled.
The rescued people immediately expressed their gratitude: "Thanks to the Guildmaster's proactive excavation, I really didn't want to stay here another minute. Everything here is so eerie..."
"Speaking of which, it seems the Mirror Demon copied some of my power. I should apologize to you all..."
"No, no, no! We were too weak, and besides, it's already been dealt with."
To be fair, they were still a little afraid looking at the silver-haired, twin-tailed elf. Even though the actual combat power gap was enormous, the copy's cold and detached fighting style was probably inherited from the original. Demons were likely crushed to death by her overwhelming magic.
The master and apprentice began to examine the spoils of war.
Mundane artifacts, gold, silver, or jewels were nothing compared to the Mirror Demon in their eyes. This was a treasure from the age of myths.
Sensing the enemy's gaze, it once again tried to struggle.
However, no matter how it crashed against the barrier, it was useless. This was Flamme's expertly crafted sealing array.
Her attainments in barrier techniques were first-rate; she had carved a path different from her Master Frieren, especially excelling in sealing. Exhausted and with a fragile true body, the Mirror Demon was helpless, instinctively afraid.
"You can't maintain this barrier forever, can you? Let's try another method."
"Master, my magic can't handle delicate operations right now. If I let go, it'll create a whole bunch of copies and try to escape, won't it? That would be very troublesome."
"I'm not skilled at barrier sealing, so I can't temporarily take your place... Then let's change our approach. Why not completely destroy it?"
"It's both difficult and easy, in a way. The key is that it would destroy the Mirror Demon's unique form. It's a pity, being one-of-a-kind..."
"Don't hold back. It's a demon; it deserves whatever transformation comes its way."
Flamme had no good impression of such an enemy. It had simply sullied her Master's imposing image and rampaged in the Ruins of the King's Tomb for many years. It had to pay a sufficiently heavy price.
She held up the barrier sphere with both hands, turning it towards Frieren's hand. Both were ready.
The silver-haired girl slowly extended her right hand, her fingertip igniting a cluster of flame, weak yet brimming with power.
That flame was clearly faint, yet it contained boundless power. A mere glance would cause one's heart to race, as if a vast world were revealing only the tip of its iceberg to the beholder. The onlookers were stunned. "What kind of power is this?"
Indeed!
Frieren's hand easily passed through the barrier without destroying it; the seal, capable of imprisoning mythical-era monsters, seemed transparent and nonexistent.
"First Flame, burn."
She grabbed the Mirror Demon. The power of her soul permeated it.
The next moment, it let out a miserable wail, struggling violently but unable to escape the silver-haired girl's palm. At the same time, Flamme also increased the sealing power, giving the opponent no chance. With master and apprentice working together...
"Since you understand copying, then carefully feel my power, and create a copy with a higher potential."
No sooner had she spoken than the Mirror Demon disintegrated. Its shattered body formed a blurry white shadow.
It was forced to offer its entire true body to create an unprecedented copied image, even its very essence contained within.
The surging magic made the onlookers tremble with fear, yet they admired the two for their boldness. This must be the mindset of researchers, actively guiding the copying process.
Even so, it was still lacking something.
It was stuck in the final shaping stage, unable to progress, remaining a blurry, shapeless white shadow. It had the outline of a slightly shorter Frieren, but it still couldn't break through that final step.
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