Vyke, the Red Spirit, having drained a Flask of Wondrous Physick, felt his aura violently surge, powerfully increase, and crazily intensify.
His magic reached its peak, transforming into wisps of black-yellow flame that seeped from his hollow eyes, as if his skull were
entirely filled with fire before overflowing.
Around him, the vegetation whipped up a storm. The roaming Frenzied Flame forced Frieren, who had intended to press her advantage, to retreat,
taking several steps back to create distance and avoid infection.
Yet, a feeling of agitation lingered in her heart.
She looked down and realized something was terribly wrong: a wisp of flame was seeping from a wound on her arm, attempting to burrow in.
With a swift movement, she cut off the piece of flesh. The bloodied tissue fell to the ground, turning into a small flame that spread across the grass,
quickly encroaching upon her feet, echoing Vyke's massive Frenzied Flame not far away and forming an encirclement.
The contamination was beyond expectation, and it specifically had a "super effective" effect against Frieren.
Tranquilizing Magic.
She tried casting it on herself and felt slightly better; that sense of futile madness disappeared.
Beside her, Melina watched with a pounding heart. In that instant, an unspeakable malice, chaos, and darkness emanated from her companion,
sending chills down her spine, as if something suppressed was about to burst forth.
"Don't be careless. The Frenzied Flame has a way of stirring up the insane part of people's personalities. You're already accumulating madness," she
warned sternly.
"Indeed, if I go mad, it would be quite troublesome, even if I've been mad a long time ago."
"I can help a little."
Melina cupped a glob of golden light in her hands; it landed on the ground and formed a Minor Erdtree, radiating brilliant light and splendor.
The Frenzied Flame within its area was suppressed.
The Erdtree on the Altus Plateau seemed to respond from afar.
It was hard not to imagine a connection between the two Erdtrees, and just how much Faith attribute would one need to be this powerful?
Feeling better.
Frieren found that the light primarily fell upon her, even actively tracking her. Thanks to Melina's Minor Erdtree, her maddened state was further
soothed, otherwise she would have been even more hesitant.
While she improved, Vyke stood still, gazing blankly at the two.
For such a strong individual, sensing a spirit form wasn't difficult; the key was the hint of jealousy in his gaze as it swept over them.
It transformed into tangible, intense flames.
He raised his long spear and thrust directly, crossing the distance in a single step to appear before them. His broad, sweeping moves
possessed meticulous precision. A "clang" of a brass shield blocking, but the shield immediately began to crack and heat up, unable to hold;
it wasn't upgraded enough, too fragile.
The dragon spear rose again, sparking with cold light, brimming with killing intent.
Amidst sharp clangs, the Sword of Night and Flame blocked the attack path. The strength of the legendary weapon blocked the Frenzied Flame's infection,
and it perfectly suited Frieren's style.
Comet!
A blue stream of light shot out intensely, striking Vyke and sending him stumbling back several meters.
Unfortunately, it didn't break his armor, nor did it break his poise. At his level, it's hard to catch him off guard with a surprise attack; any opening
appears because his mind is shaken, otherwise, he wouldn't show a weakness so early.
However, the red spirit's soul aura weakened slightly.
"Ultimately, an otherworldly product of invasion," Frieren murmured. "Perhaps also guided by the Frenzied Flame, lingering like a ghost."
"After the failure of the would-be king Vyke, a new candidate has finally emerged after a long time. In the eyes of the Three Fingers, you must be the most suitable
candidate."
"I detest that kind of madness."
"As long as you stay within the Erdtree's healing range, I can help you suppress it."
"Understood."
The silver-haired girl sheathed one sword and switched to Lusat's Glintstone Staff, unleashing Comet and Night Comet in alternating attacks,
covering each other to make it difficult for the enemy to adapt to the rhythm, thereby creating opportunities.
Vyke, unwilling to be outdone, knocked down each strike with his Unbearable Frenzied Flame, but was still grazed by the powerful magic.
He realized that her magic's accuracy, firing speed, and power were all superior, and her skill was unimaginably exquisite, making her the most outstanding mage
he had ever encountered. He had to proceed steadily.
Both sides, without prior agreement, began a war of attrition.
Lifespan Ring!
Magic soaring through the air clashed fiercely with the Frenzied Flame, erupting in brilliant light. The shockwaves alone set trees ablaze,
creating a sea of fire. The wound at the end of the main road displayed colors of red and blue, a contest between Frenzied Flame and Glintstone,
each tearing through the clouds to fully collide.
In the distance, alarm bells rang loudly. The stationed Carian Knights began to move, ready to provide support at any moment,
lest the damage spread further.
The difficulty lay in the fact that both the Soul of Cinder and the unidentified top-tier Hero-class enemy possessed large-scale destructive power.
They couldn't intervene rashly; they had to advance steadily, which might take some time.
They didn't dare to charge directly with dragons either, as that would make them sitting ducks.
They also remembered to notify the people in the new towns outside the Academy of Raya Lucaria to evacuate and stay away.
"A war might break out here."
"It's the Frenzied Flame; those cultists have resurfaced again."
"Quickly, maintain order."
Although initially flustered, everyone quickly found their rhythm and held their ground, as Liurnia had experienced large-scale wars more than once over the years.
Everyone believed that since it was Her Majesty Frieren fighting the attacker, there would surely be no problem; the only concern was the aftermath.
The fierce battle at the end of the main road continued, though the Frenzied Flame was slightly weaker.
The facts proved that the war of attrition strategy worked. With Frieren's steady, step-by-step approach, Vyke, who had been unrestrainedly
unleashing his power in a rage, gradually weakened. His magical power dropped at a visible rate.
She rarely used attrition battles to compare magical power, as it offered no real training and wasted time.
Today was an exception.
The peculiar nature of the Frenzied Flame warranted her using customized tactics.
Suddenly, Vyke pointed one hand at his eye, unleashing even more refined magic. It was a spray of Frenzied Flame that shot into the air and then fell,
washing over the ground without blind spots, easily covering Frieren's position.
The attack changed; it was Frenzied Burst.
Every single wisp of Frenzied Flame possessed top-tier power of infection and corrosion, making it extremely troublesome.
On the Lands Between, the rules for barrier defense magic don't work, differing from mainstream defenses in the real world. Shields are usually
used, but she also had Thops's Barrier to deflect damage.
The silver-haired girl darted left and right, maintaining distance. Her force field, upon contact, also spread an aura of madness, indicating it might not work.
Splash!
The next moment, Melina manipulated the Minor Erdtree to scatter light like falling leaves. Together with Frieren's resistance, it suppressed the madness.
Their coordination was seamless; any sign of infection was immediately extinguished.
Under their strict defense, the Frenzied Flame was given no opportunity.
The red spirit's eyes blazed with fierce flames. The mad, evil aura continuously spread. Vegetation turned to ash, and the distant lake water turned to steam.
The high temperature scorched skin, taking away moisture, causing all living beings to gradually wither and dry up.
Even the silver-haired girl, sniping with magic from a distance, felt the dryness. This kind of super wide-range indiscriminate Frenzied Flame
was very easy to get hit by, and sure enough, she reacted:
Frieren glanced at the itching skin on her arm and quickly cast a healing spell, trying her best to dispel all negative statuses.
"This guy seems to be taken over by the Frenzied Flame's will; he's like a completely different person."
"He's really putting in the effort. He definitely wants to infect you," Melina warned. "No one on the Lands Between is more suitable
to become the Lord of Frenzied Flame than you.
This guy was also a would-be king but fell to become the Lord of Frenzied Flame. Let him be freed soon."
Golden Tree Manifests!
Starting with enhanced magic, she initiated the counter-attack. The next moment, radiating golden light, she switched to a new weapon,
holding a stance with both hands. The Sword of Night and Flame was ready.
The red spirit, having lost his mind, charged heedlessly.
His overly direct movements were full of openings in Frieren's eyes. The sword tip shot out a pale blue stream of light, though not as powerful as Comet Azur,
but the magical output was enough to make the opponent stumble.
Blazing Slash!
Immediately following, a wave of flame swept out, using his own methods against him. Even Vyke roared in anger from the burn.
This was Chaos Flame, created by a Lord Soul holder, thus possessing soul-damaging power. In the hands of a Soul of Cinder,
its power was further enhanced.
Since you also use fire, let's see who's better.
Both sides, without prior agreement, unleashed terrifying high temperatures. Divided in the middle, two styles of intense flames split open:
yellow-black and blood-red. One was frantic, one restrained; one caused mental Distortion, one gave birth to demons. Neither was easy to deal with.
Frieren used the Sword of Night and Flame as a medium to weaken the corrupting nature, but its power was slightly less.
Vyke, whose madness continued to accumulate, became even more wildly insane.
The two clashed relentlessly, intertwining two skies of different colors. Clouds blurred, vegetation bent low, and the entire area
even showed a tendency towards surface crystallization; rocks themselves melted.
"Sound the alarm!"
Patrol soldiers sent out message after message. High-ranking officials, still gathered in their meeting, suddenly saw two giant fireballs rise from the end of the main road.
Amidst the tug-of-war between Chaos Flame and Frenzied Flame, the wills of two kings were being asserted.
Moongrum said, "I didn't expect Her Majesty to truly become a suitable host in the eyes of the Three Fingers. First the Goddess of Rot, now another.
Kings are really troublesome these days. Prepare to clean up the battlefield; the destruction there should be considerable."
No one doubted the outcome of the war, as Frieren's power was evident to all, just like the change that occurred in the next moment:
Bang!
While unleashing Chaos Flame, she also swung out a Night Comet, hitting Vyke's Red Spirit once more,
tearing open a gaping hole in his breastplate.
This was the first severe injury since the battle began. It wasn't because this move was particularly strong, but because after repeated attrition, he lacked
the magic to reinforce his flesh. As a result, he revealed an opening before Frieren, leading to damage.
Next, the combat shifted from long-range to mid-range, with the Moonlight Greatsword's frost mist sweeping and cutting.
This time, he barely reacted, avoiding further pursuit.
But the shadowing soul-infused magic attacks disrupted his rhythm, preventing the unbearable Frenzied Flame from unleashing its full power.
What happened?
His gaze crossed layers of fire, only to see the silver-haired girl using magic with her sword. Logically, on the Lands Between, staves are suited
for these kinds of magic. Yet, she truly demonstrated her adaptability, being able to use anything in her hands.
Giving him no time to think further, the next moment her opponent appeared before him.
So fast! Her sword strike was even faster, aimed directly at his heart. At the critical moment, Vyke blocked with his spear held horizontally. Amidst a sharp clang, the Sword of Night and Flame vigorously rubbed against the spear shaft.
Bang!
Unexpectedly, Frieren kicked him, breaking his balance. It was a skillful application of the Storm Stomp combat technique to reduce his poise.
Her other hand naturally adopted the wind-up for an execution, and the blade thrust directly towards him.
To avoid its full power, she back-stepped. The transition from execution to evasion was smooth as flowing water, without any delay.
In that instant, had Vyke not reacted in time to break the situation, it would have resulted in severe injury.
Truly worthy of his reputation.
"Even with madness accumulated to this degree, he still possesses instinctive martial arts. No wonder the Ancient Dragon favored him." Frieren gently stroked
her longsword, holding it upright. "Fighting a madman offers no training. I will send you off before you completely lose your mind."
Hearing this, he roared to the sky, both frantic and excited. A kindred spirit would not refuse this duel.
In a flash, the Red Spirit suddenly took a deep breath, collecting all the Frenzied Flame and condensing it within his body.
Extreme compression brought extreme power; every move would be imbued with Frenzied Flame. The long spear was the best medium for activation.
Both sides were poised for battle, their eyes fixed on each other's movements.
Snap!
The tip of the long spear touched the tip of the sword. Amidst a crisp sound, Frieren brushed past the Frenzied Flame on it, her footsteps light,
her sword intent deeply hidden. She transformed into a white streak of light, arcing around to strike Vyke's vital spot, immediately bursting forth with Blood.
Her Flowing Water Sword style had been mastered.
She no longer treated it as a Waterfowl Dance launcher, but integrated it into every move, with both lethality and grace.
The badly injured Red Spirit quickly retreated, unleashing Frenzied Flame to guard himself, looking for an opportunity to grab his Sacred Flask.
Interrupt you!
At this point, a light sweep could make all his efforts futile, leaving him no time to take the medicine. Frieren, who had allowed her opponent
to replenish his status once, wouldn't make that mistake again, blocking any opportunity.
Even Vyke felt irritated and impatient.
He quickly wielded a wall of Frenzied Flame with his long spear, barely managing to curb Frieren's assault, finally able to catch a breath.
So he took out his Sacred Flask, carefully preparing to consume it.
However, the silver-haired girl, fortified with Iron Flesh and Endure, forced her way through, striking Vyke's chest with a sword, splashing Blood.
"You were trying to drink a potion just now, weren't you?"
A slight curve played on her lips. So this is how satisfying it is to interrupt someone else's healing. She should do it more often.
A strange sense of resonance arose between the two: as if they had returned to their weak, pitiable, and helpless noob phase, where the
enemy wouldn't even let them take a single sip of potion, or they'd be combo'd to death.
Only, Frieren was the boss, and Vyke was the challenger.
Can't do it, no more sips, no opportunity.
"You hesitated; that won't do either." Before her words finished, Frieren switched her weapon to a greatsword. The heavy, colossal weapon slammed
hard into the target, breaking his poise.
Boom!
Finally, in another opening, Vyke lost his balance and was caught off guard. The Sword of Night and Flame pierced his chest, tearing open a large hole.
After a series of killing blows, the silver-haired girl didn't forget to step on him, preparing to finish him off. But unexpectedly, her opponent still had strength
left in this situation; his Endure skill was activated. Vyke stumbled and rolled away to create distance. The Frenzied Flame was still burning.
"You're truly mad, but then again, it is the Frenzied Flame."
Frieren, as if sensing something, also activated a series of resistance magic buffs on herself. It was time to contest durability.
Unbearable Frenzied Flame unleashed at maximum power!
The red spirit poured his remaining obsession and spirit into a new surge of energy, sweeping across the highlands. Aside from bypassing the Church of Inhibition,
even the distant Frenzied Flame lighthouse resonated, with all power converging upon him.
The traces of Frenzied Flame once hidden here continuously surged under the king's guidance.
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