Her Majesty, I am completely settled. I have taken up the task.
Since Her Majesty has agreed, the Hyetta Domain will actively promote the underground world entrance, boosting this expedition. Risks?
What are those? Fortune favors the bold. Those arduous centuries were brought to an end by the Soul Cinder King's own hands; how could we hold her back?
To be honest, everyone grew to despise the Two Fingers more and more. Comparisons truly make the heart sick; when their wares are compared, they're fit for the trash.
In the past, the so-called Two Fingers still offered some sensible advice and a glimmer of hope.
Given their widespread renown, the common people of the Lands Between were willing to believe they would restore order. Instead, everyone suffered from the torment of Those Who Live in Death for centuries.
Deceivers.
Especially after Frieren presented a series of solutions like soul healing methods, suppressing Those Who Live in Death, and absorbing Scarlet Rot, other factions paled in comparison, long since relegated to the refuse pile in people's minds.
The Two Fingers destroying the alliance between the Soul Cinder King and the Lunar Princess was akin to destroying the greater environment.
If anything were to happen to the candidates for King and God, it would likewise cost lives.
Therefore, they are now enemies.
The vassal declared loudly: "Our Hyetta Domain was the first to openly support Her Majesty. If we fail, there will be no escaping the reckoning, no matter what. Therefore, no one is more suited than us to be the vanguard for the underground world. Your authorization has been a tremendous help; our territory will certainly grow more prosperous."
"That also requires ability and courage. Don't exaggerate my role; these benefits are your deserved reward."
"Your Majesty, the equipment you requested is ready."
A large bundle of arrows, throwing knives, herbs, and other supplies were laid out before her. They were heavy, substantial, bound with tough leather. She picked it up with one hand, then summoned Torrent to load it.
That's more like it. One should explore new maps fully equipped. Whether it's used or not, it's for the sake of satisfaction and the thrill of adventure, no matter the hardship.
With a wave of her hand, the silver-haired maiden mounted her spirit steed and galloped north at full speed.
No extra positioning was needed; that intense energy signature was impossible to ignore. It seemed to be the overflowing magic of the underground world, practically a beacon in the night.
After half a day's journey, a massive chasm appeared in the distance, with earth and stone suspended in the air. Rather than a meteor crater, it was as if a gravity field was chaotically yet stably maintained there, holding a delicate balance across multiple states, forming a spectacle.
Even from a great distance, she could feel the gravity magic and the howling wind tunnels.
Upon reaching the breach, a spiraling, shattered tunnel greeted her eyes, dark and bottomless. The rising gales made Frieren's silver hair dance, as if roaring a welcome.
"Down below, it seems there were already strong vestiges of gravity magic, correct?"
She held up her chin and studied it carefully: "Then, the aftershocks from Radahn unsealing the stars disrupted the balance, and again...
...created this shattered, cavernous entrance."
Melina appeared and warned: "This means that Astel, Naturalborn of the Void is very powerful, so be extra careful."
Frieren was curious how powerful a monster that could single-handedly annihilate a civilization truly was.
"At least, legend states that the Greater Will once sent down two beasts. One of them was responsible for destroying the Eternal City..."
"But new breakthroughs in reality deepened her understanding of gravity magic. With more detailed control over its direction and her output, wouldn't it serve as a mode of transport?"
General Radahn's technique of becoming a shooting star could sweep through an entire army; that level of destruction is the true goal of gravity magic.
"Right, then."
She leaped into the chasm.
Almost simultaneously, Melina returned to Frieren's body in spirit form. She immediately felt the fierce gales howling, her ears filled with roaring. The sensation of weightlessness was unsettling, and below, not a single speck of light was visible, as if it led directly to the endless abyss.
However, not a hint of fear could be seen on the silver-haired maiden; instead, she was impatient for the high-altitude freefall.
Below, a hint of starlit sky appeared, and the gravity sphere sped towards the light.
Woosh!
Below, slime-like monsters seemed to appear, eyeing them menacingly, but Frieren paid them no mind, instead searching for a location from her memories.
"According to the results of Blaidd's exploration as told by Ranni, that area should be the Horned Spiritual Lands of the Siofra River." She pointed afar: "We'll go there first; after all, it might be related to Ancestral Spirit."
"I don't know much about these ancient beings. Let's go see."
Simultaneously, the two saw traces of an emerald forest emerge on the ground, inhabited by tall, sturdy Ancestral Followers.
They gazed skyward, their faces filled with shock.
A purple-white meteor dragged a long trail, and at its tip, standing on the gravity sphere, was a girl with long, pointed ears. Her aura was vast and boundless, and her gaze sent shivers down one's spine. Natural energy seemed to leap with joy, resonating with that terrifying magical power.
Who could invade from the surface to this place? Were they not at all afraid of the legends of annihilated civilizations?
First, hide.
The Ancestral Followers, instinctively sensing something amiss, actively concealed themselves, quickly vanishing into the forest. In the sky, Frieren wondered, "Am I really that scary?"
Her magical perception swept and spread to an immense range, and sure enough, she detected a cloaked, half-wolf figure.
However, Blaidd was resting amidst ruins, his aura weak, his expression weary. Was he injured? No, something was wrong; it seemed as if some mental power was entangling him.
Realizing the situation was dire, Frieren descended straight down.
With a loud thud, Blaidd was startled. He looked up, and there was a familiar face.
"Be careful, you've been affected by a very subtle mental interference power. It's deep and very tenacious. Is there someone similar to a manipulator here?"
"As expected of Your Majesty; it saves me the trouble of explaining."
"Unfortunately, this interference has deeply fused with your mind. I can at best suppress it, but cannot eradicate it."
As she spoke, Frieren used a Sun Healing technique. This miracle, effective a hundred times out of a hundred, could at best clear away a wisp of madness from Blaidd; clearly, the effect was not good. While healing, she also kept an eye on her surroundings. Where was the culprit?
Strange,
Blaidd shook his head, saying bitterly: "Speaking of which, as Lady Ranni's Shadowbound Beast, this outcome isn't surprising... it's the Two Fingers' manipulation."
"Never mind that. We all know you're fiercely loyal to her. You'll definitely endure."
"It's not a matter of enduring or not. From now on, I have to question whether my own consciousness might be guided towards a situation unfavorable to Lady Ranni. I'm not trustworthy. You should go quickly and continue exploring the Eternal City to find the treasure."
Calm down.
The Punisher possesses great stature and power. It must still be alive, merely having fallen into slumber when it couldn't communicate with its superior, right?
"Now I need to find Blaidd's mark... There!"
Before her meticulously comprehensive, super-large-range perception, no information could remain hidden. Sure enough, beneath a stone was a tranquilizing magic imbued with soul power, which she pressed onto Blaidd's forehead. He jerked violently, then began coughing severely, but recovered somewhat a moment later.
The power from the Two Fingers dissipated, but regrettably, it still deeply coiled within his mind's depths, truly a form of contamination.
Frieren was not a qualified mental mage. She could use it, but was not skilled at healing, let alone that using too much would inevitably involve ancient divine power. Therefore, in matters of the mind, she preferred defensive counterattacks, finding it difficult to provide healing.
Fortunately, the mind was at least related to the soul, which was why it slightly alleviated the Two Fingers' control.
"Thank you, I feel better."
Blaidd let out a long breath, relieved. The murderous intent towards Ranni in his heart finally dissipated. That indeed was not his own will. Otherwise, upon regaining his sanity, he would have committed suicide immediately, to avoid causing trouble for his companions.
"It's a temporary fix, not a permanent cure," the silver-haired maiden shook her head and explained the current situation to the patient. Currently, the Two Fingers had deeply buried its mark within the Shadowbound Beast. A slight mental trigger would cause fluctuations, making it difficult to completely cure; all remedies only achieved suppression.
Admittedly, mere suppression was enough to get by for a while, but it was ultimately a hidden danger. For Ranni, it might mean encountering betrayal, and the safety of her allies was crucial to her plans.
In the future, while Frieren might not necessarily need the Stars' Law to mend the Elden Ring, she must find an Empyrean's support, to be prepared for any eventuality.
"Is there any other way?"
"The simplest way is to kill the Two Fingers that's controlling you, the very one opposing Ranni."
"I should be sealed away to be safe."
"That's not a bad conservative treatment," the silver-haired maiden nodded. "And during this time, I will deploy specialized tranquility magic for you. Don't worry, killing the Two Fingers won't take much effort. As long as they show themselves, whether I have a Finger-Hunting Blade or not, it won't be a problem... There are countless ways to deal with the undead; she has no shortage of methods to take care of you. However, timing is crucial. Presumably, Ranni is also setting up her forces to lure the Two Fingers into attacking. Otherwise, with the enemy hidden and us exposed, we'd have to wait forever. So, Frieren and Melina are not rushing into action, but proceeding step by step, according to the plan."
Blaidd sighed, saying: "Can you tell me how the Carian Study Hall is doing?"
"The Two Fingers' assassins attacked again...."
The shocking news made his pupils constrict again, and he broke out in a cold sweat. He almost thought Ranni had met with some misfortune.
A small line of text appeared on the spot: The Carian Sigil marks identity. This talisman is still kept by Frieren to this day.
Thankfully, Frieren was reliable as ever. Even an attack long planned by the Two Fingers was intercepted, leaving them with nothing but dust. One can imagine how furious the mastermind behind it must be. Who would have expected the Soul Cinder King to provide timely support?
During this time, Blaidd was steadily exploring the underground world, presumably from shallow to deep. The location corresponding to the Mistwood Lift was the first choice. This guaranteed a safe and reliable path, certainly worth exploring.
"Anyway, the last exploration of the Mistwood entrance was abandoned, so we'll explore along that path..."
He probably thought about it, but it wasn't swift enough. He underestimated her strength.
"As long as everything is fine. Since that's the case, I definitely shouldn't go back and hold you back. This is a critical period for the plan; we absolutely cannot afford any mistakes."
"You plan to take the underground route?"
"Although I know your style is to explore everything thoroughly, going to the river from the Eternal City breach won't be easy." Then, "I'll contact Old Master Iji and ask him to actively intervene after I rest. I'm sorry, I can't be of more help. Only you can complete the mission to hunt the Finger-Hunting Blade."
"Rest assured, you will see victory when you emerge."
Afterwards, Melina watched with her own eyes as Frieren created a gravity sphere to serve as a foothold.
"So, we'll descend from high above towards the Siofra River confluence, and take a good look at what this Eternal City looks like?"
Blaidd suddenly changed the subject: "Actually, abandoning me is the safest course of action. Wouldn't you consider it?"
"You have strength and loyalty; you are an indispensable talent," Frieren said solemnly. "Moreover, I believe Ranni also wouldn't want too many casualties. No matter what one says about being prepared or acting aloof, one cannot truly be alone."
The silver-haired maiden adjusted a series of gravity angles carefully as she spoke.
At this moment, Melina somewhat regretted having prevented her from directly entering the underground world earlier. But then again, with this model adventurer's way of doing things, she was bound to make all sorts of radical attempts sooner or later.
"Your Majesty cares more about others than I imagined."
In reality, Frieren's attempts were not groundless; they were the result of a technical breakthrough. The Lands Between still couldn't achieve true flight magic.
"For a team to accomplish something, mental well-being is indispensable. I've long had enough of a world filled with tragedy and madness."
It seemed the silver-haired one from outside the Lands Between had many stories, but Blaidd curbed his curiosity.
"Also, this area named Horned Spiritual Lands seems to possess a hidden power. I lit up the surrounding fires and then discovered that energy was gathering to form some kind of creature. Pay close attention to it."
"Understood. You rest, we'll part ways here for now."
At the same time, Frieren continuously infused a wisp of long-lasting tranquility magic energy into Blaidd, enough to ensure the Two Fingers found it difficult to control him during that period.
The two bade each other farewell and departed.
This felt like a prelude. The upcoming plans were fraught with difficulties and dangers. Even now, some companions had been forced to halt, clearly a sign of extreme peril. However, the mastermind had ensnared everyone; no one could remain aloof. It was better to fight.
Thanks to Blaidd lighting some fires in advance, they jointly converged into a new trajectory, completely visible in the eyes of the greatest mage. There was no mistake; it was some kind of hidden creature that could be summoned.
Jellyfish 2
At this point, Frieren noticed a broken beam not far away, surrounded by several floating jellyfish, similar to those seen in Liurnia. Why were they gathered together? There must be treasure!
Experience told her that such places often yielded rewards.
With that thought, she leaped, effortlessly reaching the high bridge with the aid of gravity manipulation. The nearby jellyfish immediately fled in fright, terrified that staying for another minute would mean death.
"...Why are the creatures here so afraid of me? Is it because my control hasn't kept up after I unleashed more power?"
"That's partly why. Another reason is that underground creatures seem to be very perceptive," Melina said.
"Indeed, the magic here is very dense."
And unlike the surface, ravaged by hardships, this place still retained the aura of ancient times. And due to its closed nature, magical energy concentrated deeply here.
However, Frieren was more interested in the new talisman she hadn't seen in a long time: It lay quietly on the beam, shaped like an antler, but with too many branches, and it was colorful, showing many signs of craftsmanship.
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