That move from the Mimic Tear was utterly unexpected. It actually slammed the Full Moon Magic onto the ground, making it easier to transmit anti-magic power and ice.
Its direct potency might have been reduced, but it gained an overwhelming, army-shattering momentum.
Sure enough, after that move, the Spirit Ash army's formation shattered. The ice spikes spreading across the ground were lethal, and the energy suppressing their magic made it incredibly difficult for them to maintain their forms. If their soul strength wasn't sufficient, their very existence would steadily dwindle.
Ah, well.
An elite Spirit Ash crumbled and dissipated on the spot, utterly unable to withstand the relentless shockwaves and impacts.
Coincidentally, another Ymir Soldier also returned to the Spirit Calling Bell.
They were simply too fragile, nowhere near as resilient as the Spirit Ashes with stronger, more steadfast souls. They relied almost entirely on Frieren's magic supply, and now, after taking a single anti-magic blow, they immediately dissolved, fading away in a quick burst of grey light.
This outcome was well within her expectations. The Mimic Tear was now focusing its magic blade on priority targets.
As for Rennala, being the furthest away, she had barely moved, so apart from being coated in a thin layer of frost, she was mostly unharmed. Her combat power remained intact.
The Headless Knight, bracing its massive shield, stood rooted to the spot, but sadly, it had already been turned into an ice sculpture.
It had borne the absolute brunt of the attack.
If it hadn't been for the legendary Spirit Ash's stalwart defense, the first wave of Full Moon Magic would have annihilated them all. But alas, that body had finally reached its limit.
The Mimic Tear stepped forward and pierced it with a single, decisive strike.
The towering, heavily armored Knight dissolved into nothingness on the spot, returning to Frieren's Spirit Calling Bell. It had done more than enough in that battle, never expecting the enemy to be so tenacious and agile. How exhilarating! Even its returning soul was filled with a joyous flutter.
It had to be admitted, the clone's desperate counterattack had been perfectly timed, completely turning the tide.
In this moment, it stood as the sole, unharmed victor.
The outcome was now clear.
The Mimic Tear wore a proud, challenging expression, its gaze fixed on the silver-haired girl atop the pillar. That identical face now held a touch of lively spiritual charm, its sharp eyes impossible to ignore.
Compared to the original, it lacked a certain weariness, instead possessing a sharp, unreserved assertiveness. Especially after its victory, it grew even more arrogant.
It was almost as if this was the flamboyant side of Frieren that she usually kept reined in.
Seeing this, Melina asked, "What a vibrant Mimic Tear lifeform. It's a shame the Spirit Ash army suffered such heavy losses, but its potential truly is impressive."
"Yes, time for the final measure," Frieren said. "I'll handle the cleanup."
"Then I'll abolish it."
Frieren gracefully descended from the pillar. The small Golden Tree beside her gradually faded, then vanished entirely. The warm golden aura that had just enveloped the area dispersed, leaving behind only frost and a biting chill. Every breath she exhaled turned into a chunk of ice.
But none of it compared to the immense pressure radiating from her. The Soul of Cinder King, when truly serious, didn't bother to rein in her magic.
Solidified energy dispersed from her, like a towering mountain pressing down on everything.
The opponent wasn't necessarily a strong foe, but it was the one she regarded with the highest importance. Thus, Frieren gave it her absolute, undivided attention. No mistakes could be allowed; it concerned Melina's very future.
Rennala, beside her, sighed. "It seems we still weren't enough. You have to step in."
"It's fine," Frieren replied. "At least I've confirmed it's a suitable material. All of you, return now, so you don't get accidentally caught in the crossfire."
The silver-haired girl gently shook her Spirit Calling Bell.
Approximately ten Spirit Ashes from around her were all absorbed, instantly emptying the area. To mend their injuries, Frieren even poured some of her magic and soul power into them, considering it a specialized rehabilitation session for her Spirit Ashes.
Although they hadn't defeated the Mimic Tear, they had proven their potential. Besides, the Spirit Ash army was inherently designed for large-scale warfare; facing a top-tier mage, they were inevitably at a disadvantage.
No, to be precise, a battle mage. This thing could really learn!
The clone in front of her still adopted its dual magic sword stance.
Whoosh!
It suddenly swept out a pale white sword energy. But Frieren, in front of it, lightly leaped over, graceful and precise.
It hadn't expected to finish her in one move. So, another.
This time, the Mimic Tear moved even faster, its sword art infused with a subtle, flowing grace. It wasn't just hints of a "Flowing Water Sword Style"; it was also the battle-hardened combat techniques of its original. All converged into one, unleashed with every ounce of its might.
With a crisp snap, a rippling force field firmly seized the fleeting opening, completely deflecting the attack. Frieren then smoothly followed up with a kick to its abdomen.
That seemingly casual low kick, however, concealed terrifying power, sending its target flying with immense impact.
Such quick reflexes!
In the clone's eyes, Frieren's movements weren't just fast, they were incredibly precise. Her attacks had no omen — no tell whatsoever — and a single strike shattered its guard. She even, surprisingly, exploited a weakness between its moves. No, wait. Not a weakness. It was a level of mastery where a mere touch, a deflection, was all it took to succeed.
It performed a wolf-like roll before finally getting back on its feet.
She had clearly been able to follow up that precise parry with a critical execution, yet she held back. Instead, she injected as much magic as possible into its body—a flame-like energy that burned its soul.
"You've learned quite a bit," Frieren commented, "but your techniques are too messy. It's not very effective."
Meteorite.
Predicting that the Mimic Tear, formidable in close quarters, would resort to magic, Frieren countered with the exact same spell.
Two meteors exploded in mid-air, scattering shards and dust. But Frieren's was larger, still locked onto the enemy.
The unprepared clone was struck by the massive meteorite. Glintstone shattered on its surface, and the shockwave coupled with flying shrapnel left its form ravaged. Yet, there were no physical disfigurements, only its magic spiraling into disarray.
The real challenge lay in suppressing it without inflicting heavy damage.
Even for a Demigod-level mage like Frieren, it wasn't easy.
But having steeped herself in the study of magic for centuries, her theoretical knowledge was immense. She knew how to alter the very nature of spells for precise strikes. Only the most common and stable 'Meteorites' could withstand such extensive modification. Fortunately, one blow was enough to secure victory. It was time to end this.
Alright!
Seizing the moment the Mimic Tear attempted to rise, the Sword of Night and Flame pierced its heart. The crucial part was the surge of anti-magic power that flowed into it.
The arrogant clone let out a faint sigh, as if it couldn't believe such a simple defeat.
Immediately, with a blank expression, it fell with a soft sigh. Its body gradually lost its stable form, flowing and dissolving into a semi-liquid, semi-solid puddle.
"Melina," Frieren began, "its magic adaptability is incredibly strong.
My fingers felt a coolness from it. It's incredibly easy to inject magic and keep it active. In a way, this guarantees the shaping process. It should be able to withstand Demigod-level power.
And with the Great Rune Blessing of the Unborn, plus my two Blessings, it should be enough."
"Indeed," Melina agreed, "it's the strongest Mimic Tear larva we've encountered to date."
"Since the Eternal City can produce them," Frieren continued, "then there must be relevant magical data here. We must find them; only then will our research yield twice the results with half the effort."
"I'll be ready too," Melina affirmed.
Although Melina wasn't entirely sure what she needed to prepare, she would at least ensure she was in top condition, so as not to betray Frieren's painstaking efforts.
As Frieren formulated her plans, she glanced warily to the side. She'd almost stabbed another piece of loot.
"Ugh, it's hideous."
Frieren rarely judged a treasure by its appearance, but the [Silver Tear Mask] was simply too grotesque. Its face looked like a smear of silver mud, its features indistinguishable, and from head to neck, it was covered in a silver outer shell.
It was more than just a mask; it was a helmet. On the surface, it looked like it would hinder the senses, but its actual effect was quite the opposite:
[The corpse of a shapeshifting creature known as the Silver Tear]
[Along with its hardened shell, a mask worn on the face]
[Greatly increases Arcane, but lowers physical attack power]
[Inversely, it imitates that which imitates others—]
[A revolutionary concept, one might say.]
A corpse?
Although using enemy corpses as gear wasn't new in the worlds she'd experienced, Frieren was still quite bothered by wearing it on her head. Nevertheless, she decided to try it.
She put the Silver Tear Mask on her head. Indeed, it covered her entire face, but in its place came a wide-range perception.
It could extend from here all the way to the Nokron, Eternal City courtyard ruins she had passed through, easily spanning two Sites of Grace. In the vast, sprawling Lands Between, this was an unimaginably far detection range, making it simple to gain the initiative.
However, its enhancement for soul perception wasn't quite enough.
Another novel discovery was that it seemed to allow for more detailed detection of Mimic Tear larval structures, as if activating X-ray vision.
Frieren took off the mask and ran her fingers through her hair, deciding to keep it as a collectible.
"Later, when I need to utilize the Mimic Tear larval material, I can wear it to guide magic. But normally, I'll forgo it. My own mental perception is sufficient; further enhancement would just make me uncomfortable."
"As long as it's useful," Melina replied.
"Indeed," Frieren mused. "You could say we've reaped quite a harvest."
After tidying up, the silver-haired girl continued her journey without delay.
No matter how she looked at it, the archway at the end of the long corridor ahead gave off a visual hint. Extending her perception further, she saw a dense cluster of buildings, surprisingly intact and towering, still majestic even in this underground world.
It couldn't help but remind her of the iconic trapezoidal staircase architecture of the Holy Wall City. Frieren, her memories stirred, grew even more expectant.
She unfurled the documents she'd found in Ranni's Rise attic, pointing to a specific location.
"If the Eternal City holds any treasures," Frieren stated, "only in this relatively intact area could they possibly still exist."
Deeper within, or destroyed by monsters. From experience, it was highly likely to be there.
"If we obtain the Fingerslayer Blade," Frieren continued, "then quickly return to the Raya Lucarian Academy and contact Ranni. At the same time, I'll proceed with your body creation ritual."
"Why?" Melina questioned.
"After all, the Full Moon Queen's life-giving arcane art requires time. During this period, it's best for you and I to separate, with you remaining in the most heavily guarded Academy. As for me, I will complete the plan to assassinate the Two Fingers. That's very dangerous, with too many uncertainties."
Frankly speaking, Frieren was very wary of enemies capable of mental manipulation from behind the scenes. Blaidd was a prime example of this.
Therefore, she didn't want Melina to face such peril.
The more critical the moment, the more careful she had to be; they couldn't allow all their previous efforts to go to waste.
"Alright then," Melina conceded. "Since it's your decision. The premise, of course, is that we find it first..."
"What do you think, Ranni?" Frieren asked, taking out the blue-haired doll and connecting with it via magic. "Do you think our target could be in the Night's Divine Realm? Also, have you linked up with Blaidd yet?"
Sure enough, a wisp of moon magic rose, and under the illusory starry sky, a cool voice responded:
"Rest assured, he's currently stable and sealed away. As for the Fingerslayer Blade, it's highly likely to be in the center of the Eternal City."
"Which means, right ahead of us?"
"Yes. The once magnificent super-city now remains only a broken corner. There should be many enemies inside. Be sure to be careful."
At Frieren's whistle, the Spirit Steed Torrent appeared. Accompanied by a neigh as it reared its front hooves, it stood, brimming with excitement, sensing the same premonition as the wise one it carried: this adventure was crucial, a prelude to a major event.
Meanwhile, above the great Meteorite Crater.
The Tarnished party arrived. Leading them were none other than Nepheli Loux, D, and Rogier, alongside other Tarnished and Limgrave elites, including Dragon Keepers and Grafted Nobles.
Guiding and escorting them was none other than Kenneth Haight, who had just arrived.
As the local lord and the one in charge of this expedition, he naturally took the lead, personally coming to the front lines. At the very least, he had to witness it himself.
He pulled out an elegant handkerchief and dabbed the sweat from his forehead, saying, "Her Majesty moves far too quickly; I barely had time to keep up—"
"That's very much her style," Nepheli Loux chuckled, champing at the bit.
"Be careful," Haight instructed. "Your task this time is solely to clear out the monster threat at the entrance, survey the area, and establish a passage for more people to enter. Conduct a thorough reconnaissance; the engineering team will follow shortly after."
Behind them, two major labor forces—Trolls and Demihumans—were already preparing to set up ladders.
Everyone was excitedly discussing the specific details, already prepared to descend into the underground world.
Compared to the lively chatter, D quietly gazed into the gloomy cavern.
"I have a strange, unsettling feeling, Rogier," D said. "Although very faint, there are traces of Those Who Live in Death among the tree roots here, leading all the way to that potential source Frieren mentioned."
"Are you referring to that Putrid Tree Spirit we defeated in Stormveil Castle?" the mage mused, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Our investigation revealed it was caused by the Death Prince, right?"
"Yes. If necessary, we should eradicate that source of corruption."
"Your stance is as firm as ever, D," Rogier remarked. "Some people in the Roundtable Hold actually worship the Death Prince..."
"Fia? There's nothing to say about that."
"We can discuss that later. Our top priority right now is exploring underground. The first choice before us is: ladders or jumps?"
Rogier's words cut short their discussion. Everyone stood at the cave's mouth, peering down.
A cold wind whistled, like a roaring beast, and chaotic magic currents surged intermittently. The crater blasted out by the meteorite was inherently unstable. How could one possibly expect safety? It was a miracle it hadn't continuously collapsed already.
Faintly visible was a deliberate trail of dazzling magic, leading from the edge of the cave entrance into a patch of mist, guiding later arrivals to the entrance.
Only the Soul of Cinder King had the spare capacity to explore and leave markers simultaneously.
Kenneth Haight looked around, muttering, "That's odd. There are no rope marks anywhere. How did Her Majesty get down?"
"Of course, she used Gravity Magic to descend," Rogier answered.
Rogier's answer shocked everyone once again. How difficult would it be to maintain a stable gravity field without interference in such conditions? To just jump like that was incredibly reckless. No wonder the magic trail led vertically downwards.
So the path she left wasn't actually useful for them. Only the entrance marker was worth considering.
"That's far too risky, isn't it?"
"That's why we can only use a conservative approach," Haight concluded. "The first reconnaissance team will rappel down, and the second engineering team will set up long ladders before we return."
"We can only do this for now," Kenneth Haight said. "After all, the cave entrance is very dangerous, and we can't just casually pass through it like Her Majesty."
The fortress soldiers immediately began scaling the cliff face, embedding steel spikes and tying ropes. To be safe, they expanded their coverage, forming a rope net that extended downwards, leading directly to the spot where Frieren had left her magic marker.
Although it looked crude, they didn't have many options. Anything too large would simply be blown away by the wind.
So the rope net needed to cling tightly to the rock face, avoiding being swept away by the turbulent currents.
A moment later, the engineers pulled the ropes, confirming they were secure. It was solid enough; the rest depended on the climbers' ability to control their descent. This required extremely high physical coordination.
They gazed into the depths of the Meteorite Crater, unable to see the bottom. Only boundless darkness stretched below. The void blasted out by the meteorite seemed to reach the very bottom of the underground. Who knew where its limits truly lay?
Kenneth Haight admonished them, "Once inside, don't engage in prolonged combat. First, clear out a safe zone. My people will set up more secure ladders and follow right behind. It will probably take us two days."
The Tarnished nodded in assent.
Next, it was time to explore. Otherwise, what was the point of hiring them? They had to lead by example.
"I'll go first," Nepheli Loux declared, sliding down the rope.
Meanwhile, air currents continuously surged within the cavern, causing her to swing wildly back and forth—a truly heart-stopping sight. Fortunately, as a seasoned Warrior, her reflexes were quick enough for her to finally reach the bottom.
"There's an entrance here! Come on!"
This rare good news, coupled with Nepheli leading the way, spurred the others to quickly step onto the rope net. The moment their feet touched it, they felt it sway violently, a stark contrast to solid ground. At the same time, the gale howled around them as if in mockery, carrying a biting chill.
The Eternal City, silent for millennia, extended an invitation to these uninvited guests. Who knew what kind of Abyss lay ahead?
Rogier had just reached halfway when he suddenly felt a surge of air currents swirling around his feet.
Whoosh!
Loose rocks tumbled from the edge, causing the ropes to swing wildly, restlessly trying to shake them off. Even clinging on tightly, it was impossible to maintain balance for a moment. "Damn it," Rogier cursed. "To be so unlucky!"
He watched helplessly as a rock pressed down on an anchor point, causing the metal to emit a terrible distortion sound.
D, further below, sprinted a short distance to the entrance and rolled to dissipate his momentum, shouting, "Jump down! Nepheli Loux and I will catch you!"
Before he finished speaking, the grating sound of a steel spike snapping echoed through the cavern.
In desperation, Rogier leaped up, frantically stretching out a hand towards a rock deeper below.
He missed.
At that critical moment, D leaned out halfway and grabbed Rogier's arm. Simultaneously, Nepheli Loux, from behind D, pulled hard, finally bringing both of them back. It was fast, and incredibly perilous.
With lingering fear, he glanced back at the deep meteorite crater. The gale had already swallowed the rope net. A single step too slow would have meant certain death.
"Thank you both," Rogier gasped.
"It's fine," D said regretfully. "It's just that only half of our team has made it down so far."
Nepheli Loux shouted upwards, "Hey! We're going ahead! You just set up the next rope. We won't go too far; we'll gather in the spacious area inside!"
Faint responses echoed from the top of the cavern; they had probably heard her.
Staying here wasn't an option either; there was temporarily no way back. They might as well continue exploring; perhaps they would discover something new.
The party traversed the narrow, winding path, and a moment later, it suddenly opened up. Even knowing it was a false starry sky, it was still breathtaking. Leaving the small cavern, they found themselves in a vast expanse where the eternal night's glow illuminated the city ruins, their collapsed rooftops forming convenient pathways.
"So the Eternal City has always slept beneath the Lands Between," Rogier murmured in awe. "How vast must it have been in the past?"
While marveling, Rogier observed his surroundings.
"Over there!"
Following the direction he pointed, magic traces still extended. No, they didn't need path markers anymore; the monster corpses and explosion craters scattered around them were a path in themselves.
The commotion had been truly grand. All along the way, there were craters and no shortage of collapsed buildings.
"This is Frieren's handiwork," Nepheli Loux, who had fought alongside her the most times among those present, concluded.
"As a mage myself, I can feel it too," Rogier added. "She just killed her way through, collecting things as she went. She completely ignored the environmental changes of the underground world. So she should have already reached the archway on the other side."
Rogier pointed far into the distance.
A dense magical aura assaulted their faces. A major battle had definitely taken place, clearly involving a formidable mage.
Suddenly, another person reported, "We've found a rubbing of a map fragment! Now things are much clearer!"
"All the monsters are dead," someone else added. "No survivors found around."
"Truly thorough."
As everyone knew, the Soul of Cinder King despised grotesque, non-human creatures. If they couldn't communicate emotionally, they were even more deserving of death. So it wasn't hard to understand her sweeping extermination of the underground world's native monsters; she probably just couldn't stand the sight of them.
Furthermore, there were traces of Healing Magic. Apparently, she had attempted to use it on the living corpses, but to no avail. Her Majesty was as benevolent and magnanimous as ever.
"Let's set up a temporary camp in this area," Rogier suggested, winning immediate support.
The team, led by him, began to operate with practiced efficiency.
The expedition into the underground world, centered around Kenneth Haight's Fort, officially began...
Ancestral Woods.
Frieren, who had just lit up a Site of Grace, suddenly turned her head, gazing in the direction of the great Meteorite Crater. Although the distance was already beyond visual range, she could still faintly sense slightly stronger presences gathering.
"What is it? A new development?" Melina asked, straining her eyes to look afar, yet discerning no traces.
"It should be the Tarnished's party descending," Frieren mused. "Kenneth Haight's Fort personnel are organizing the exploration as planned. We'll leave that side to them."
"After all, our side is more dangerous," Melina pointed out. "You'll be fighting in the city."
"Right," Frieren agreed. "Can't go too hard."
Frieren stood before a cliff. About five meters away lay the main architectural complex of the Eternal City itself. Pillars supported the windows, stacked layer upon layer, forming a towering, tiered palace that ascended gradually. Inside, various presences lurked, complex and intriguing.
A single step was a bottomless abyss, but the Site of Grace pointed to the other side.
She took a running start.
To be safe, she conjured a ball of purplish-white magic, using it to pull herself high into the air. Easily crossing the distance, as agile as a gazelle, she landed steadily on the rooftop.
The silver-haired girl curiously peered through a window. Unfortunately, it was empty, with only debris remaining.
The thick stone walls couldn't tell the tale of ancient ages; one had to experience it firsthand.
Frieren, remaining vigilant, continued her path of rapid running and long jumps, thoroughly scavenging among the rooftops and pillars. Only then was she satisfied. Things sealed away for centuries should be put to use; better she use them than they gather dust.
One Rune Arc.
One Starfall Tear.
Always maintaining her Treasure Sense and Automatic Looting Module, she wouldn't miss a thing. A quick round was all it took.
However, the other end of the rooftop wasn't so peaceful. Several tear-like lifeforms were scattered there, and from afar, they transformed into the appearance of uninvited guests.
The only difference from the Mimic Tear was that these ones were only wearing their underwear.
__
Want more content for everyone? The community goals are:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!
🎯 5 Reviews = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!
And our main goal...
🚀 55 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of EVERY STORY!
Your support keeps our work alive. Don't let this chance die!
Access, support, and read now: 👻 patreon.com/Walnutchan