It didn't matter how much the Mimic Tear had absorbed. The moment three streams of power surged forth from its master's body, the very heavens and earth lost their color.
Across the entire Night Sacred Domain, violent winds rose, sweeping through the halls with overwhelming might.
In the real world, Frieren had already used these combinations to enhance the Water Mirror Demon, so there was no reason to shortchange a Spirit Ash that was even more compatible.
"Does it truly deserve the title of the strongest Spirit Ash? Let's see."
The materials were already laid out before her.
In truth, the Spirit Ash was devouring them voraciously, but each gulp required a moment of rest, its body shaking violently, as if there was a risk of its very bones shattering.
What terrifying thing had the Tarnished pulled out this time?
Melina, who had been observing all along, watched with a pounding heart, witnessing her partner produce absurd materials once again. What was even more terrifying was,
it was all drawn from Frieren's own body, signifying a high degree of integration. No wonder the Outer Gods were so ravenous; it made perfect sense now.
Well, then.
Since Frieren had made up her mind, she surely had contingency plans. Worrying would only cloud her judgment.
Just a few remnants were left, clearly at their limit and unable to continue.
"It's valuable to know oneself."
Before the words even faded, the silver-haired girl used an ultimate and pure magic output to completely obliterate the remnants, ensuring they were utterly clean and free of any impurities.
"Now, answer my call. Imitate my power."
The next moment, the Spirit Ash on the ground gradually rose into a human form. It was clearly a girl with silver twin tails, adorned with a reddish-brown accessory on her head, her armor—
—wizard's robe, and staff all identical, a perfect one-to-one replica.
What truly defined the difference lay in the details: this face surprisingly held a hint of serene detachment, and its eyes burned brightly. Could it be some kind of soul reaction?
Another point was its magic reaction; without restraint, it displayed overwhelming dominance.
Its aura shook the very mountains and rivers.
Despite being a mere Spirit Ash, it possessed power beyond imagination. To be precise, it had withstood an even greater energy transfer from its prototype, creating a top-tier powerhouse right on the spot. It was simply incredible.
"A product of the 'Kingmaker's Craft' combined with your enhancements—can it truly rival a Demigod?" Melina's tone held a hint of surprise.
"It's too early to draw conclusions."
"From my perspective, it's already quite perfect."
Frieren shook her head. "Its magic is scattered, it doesn't understand control, its footwork is weak, its stance loose… it's still far from perfect. We need to test its performance in battle."
"I sensed a familiar soul aura… perhaps it can be entrusted with important tasks."
"Which means we need to be strict."
"You're not planning to fight it, are you?" Melina's question was answered by the sound of a staff and sword being readied.
"Yes, it instinctively wants to accelerate its assimilation through combat."
Compared to the Mimic Tear's surging aura, Frieren's magic remained utterly still once she entered combat, as if frozen solid.
It was absolute, highly concentrated and refined, every single strike embodying her masterful control.
Receiving the signal, the Spirit Ash replica likewise took up its stance. One hand held a long blade horizontally, ready to block and defend, while its other hand—
—holding a staff, glowed with light.
Both simultaneously released powerful sensory magic to observe each other, then spread it outward.
Who was it?
All living beings throughout the entire Night Sacred Domain instinctively raised their heads. Alas, there was only the dazzling, cold starry sky, yet they couldn't help but feel—
—as if a piercing gaze had just swept over them.
Was a great battle about to unfold?
Melina, at the center of the battlefield, perceived it most clearly. Her gaze darted between the two figures; neither was an easy opponent.
The reason Frieren hadn't immediately engaged in full combat was to thoroughly test the Mimic Tear, ensuring it displayed its power at different stages. If its sensory abilities alone were this strong, the commotion later would be immense.
The next moment, the silver-haired girl and the replica simultaneously used Gravity Magic to fly, moving away from the clustered buildings.
Then she saw both mages standing on orbs of gravity, with an endless abyss beneath their feet.
Was this a trial?
Not only facing a powerful foe but also the environment. Even a slight misstep could pose a lethal threat to the nascent Tear. This "strong opponents should not be swayed by adversity" philosophy certainly bore Frieren's style. The replica also welcomed it.
Melina returned in her spectral form.
"From your perspective, you should be able to fully grasp its power and react accordingly. If necessary, I'll release healing magic."
Besides, she wanted to see how the strongest Spirit Ash, destined to accompany the future King, would perform.
"Then, let's begin."
These words served as a reminder to Melina, and also as an address to the Mimic Tear.
Immediately after, the sky within a hundred-meter radius revealed densely packed hexagonal totems, like a honeycomb. Magic quickly condensed, and a total of twenty massive beams of light locked onto their target, showing no mercy.
Omnidirectional, three-dimensional Comet Azur.
Even the emotionally dull Spirit Ash replica's expression turned grim. It immediately moved at high speed to evade. Deadly streams of light sliced past its body. Even with barriers to block, it couldn't directly counter them; they shattered upon contact.
Despite the incredibly high number of attacks covering the area, their power didn't diminish. Was this truly perfect magic?
No, that's not right.
At least Comet Azur's trajectory was straight. Therefore, the Mimic Tear evaded while using barriers and force fields to try and deflect the incoming spells, primarily dodging and secondarily blocking. It weaved through the twenty constantly flashing comets, darting left and right, barely managing to endure the first volley.
To Melina, it was astounding. The Mimic Tear managed to evade the entire time using Gravity magic for propulsion and aerial leaps. One wrong step and it would...
The replica, just like its prototype, had no qualms about such risky maneuvers.
An ordinary person would have died several times over already.
However, she knew her partner's trials wouldn't end so simply.
Suddenly, Frieren swept out a wave of ice shards from her feet. It bore the traces of Storm Stomp, but its area was exaggerated, raising a stair-like platform of ice that froze the ground beneath the Mimic Tear's feet. That momentary pause was enough to seize the advantage.
Carian Slicer.
The previous high-frequency attacks were merely a prelude to a simple, unadorned slash. The moment she swung out the arc of light, the opponent reacted, but the speed was too great. Its shoulder tore open with a faint crack, forming a gash.
Almost simultaneously, a Haima's Gavel materialized from its staff.
Crunch!
It forcefully endured the attack with Endure and Iron Flesh, at the very least preventing the caster from losing balance.
"Not bad," Frieren said, though even as she spoke, she delivered a low sweep with her Senpou Kick, sending the replica flying with a powerful strike.
A technique it had never seen before caused it to falter slightly, but there was no time for shock. Since it had already slid off its icy footing, it had to act. It was now rapidly falling, wind howling in its ears, an invitation from the boundless abyss. Every second counted.
It used the great hall's rooftop as a point of leverage for its Collapsing Stars, pulling itself through the air.
Gravity magic dragged its body to the slanted rooftop, lightly landing on the surface. This time, the Mimic Tear landed steadily without a single wobble.
Time for a counterattack.
It raised a hand and fired a Night Comet, but suddenly, Night Mist and Ice Mist exploded before it.
Frieren had already moved a step faster. Using a combination of her invisible body and ninja footwork, she doubled down on stealth, rapidly closing the distance to avoid being sniped by a top-tier mage's long-range firepower. She flawlessly regained control of the battlefield's rhythm.
The Moonlight Blade's radiance sliced through the mist, hurtling forth, and simultaneously cut through the Mimic Tear's armor.
Too fast!
The Mimic Tear, which had been planning a counterattack, was interrupted. A flicker of shock crossed its face as it watched its armor being sliced open, creating a gash that bled blood.
It quickly performed two successive dodge rolls, forcefully pulling away to create distance.
Sun Healing Sword was cast at maximum speed, finally mending its wounds. If its actions had been any slower, Melina, who had been closely observing the battle, would likely have intervened. After all, Frieren's strike was undeniably lethal.
While cutting, the Moonlight Blade also unleashed an "Interstice Moon Shadow" attack, dealing double damage.
The Weapon Skill had already integrated into her fighting style; she could unleash it without needing a "Drawn Stance," leaving no discernible prelude.
The Mimic Tear took a deep breath, focusing its mind and holding its breath as it stared at the silver-haired girl.
Where was the opening?
The latter landed on the ground, stirring up a gale that ripped off roof tiles, sending them tumbling down the dark precipice. Around Frieren, ice shards and gravity swirled, two elements allowing her to effortlessly traverse the high skies as if on solid ground. Every single move was exquisitely precise.
Truly, worthy of being the master who could awaken and reshape it. But alas, if it couldn't satisfy her, she probably wouldn't acknowledge it. It had to give its all.
Frieren seemed to read its thoughts, uttering a single, piercing remark:
"Don't worry. In my eyes, you're already the strongest Spirit Ash replica. Feel free to unleash your power; I'll use this as a standard to further enhance you in the future."
Melina chimed in, "You've noticed, haven't you? Frieren has been dual-casting this entire time. Even during the Shardbearer Wars, she rarely did this, so you're a strong enough opponent to be treated with such high regard."
The Mimic Tear nodded, a surprisingly human-like gesture.
Its sheer intelligence was already mind-boggling. Could it possibly start speaking on its own, like Rennala?
And why did the silver-haired one and the maiden seem like they were mentoring a junior?
No matter, let's just go with it.
Both she and Melina eagerly anticipated having another helper. After all, the depths of Leyndell, Royal Capital, were still not something the Southern Three Lands could easily overcome, let alone the unknown number of hidden enemies.
Again!
The Mimic Tear initiated an attack, unleashing Godslayer's Flame that struck the ground. Its heat rapidly melted the ice shards.
Frieren, having already anticipated it, lightly leaped, gracefully evading the incoming Lightning Spear.
She was already well-versed in this "electrician's" technique.
The replica had only learned the basics; it wasn't shrewd enough. What met it was a barrage of six linked Lightning Spears hurtling forth.
Golden energy clashed head-on with the Mimic Tear's barrier.
It never expected that after using just one Lightning Spear, its opponent would retaliate with an even superior move. Just as Melina had said,
Frieren was dual-casting, and her spells were faster and more potent than its own. There was absolutely no opening.
But it could hold its ground.
Suddenly, the Mimic Tear deflected the force field and, using Gravity Magic as a guide, also employed seamless dual-magic properties, subtly shifting the trajectory of the six Lightning Spears.
With a thunderous boom, the deflected Lightning Spears tore through an adjacent tower.
The top of the tall building disintegrated into dust, and the structure below crumbled and broke apart layer by layer, kicking up clouds of rolling dust.
A structure comparable to a bell tower vanished in an instant.
Even the tough bricks and stones that had withstood the erosion of ages were no match for Frieren's cluster of Lightning Spears. Far surpassing similar attacks, this was a technique only a Demigod-level mage could wield, taking it to a sublimated, advanced stage.
The sudden loud noise echoed all the way to the Ancestral Woods. Its inhabitants frantically ducked for cover, burying their heads, not even daring to look directly at the battle.
There it goes again.
This uninvited guest had already displayed unparalleled oppressive power when fighting the Ancestor Spirit before. Now, it was even worse. Whether it was the Ancestor Spirit or the Jellyfish and other animals, all avoided the area, wishing it would end quickly. Yet, by the sound of it, the commotion only grew fiercer, escalating step by step.
They had a premonition: the underground world was about to become increasingly lively.
At the center of the battlefield, various magical streams of light were dazzlingly visible. Even from a thousand meters away, one could see the condensed magic trails, hurtling and weaving past each other.
Both parties were fighting while in high-speed motion.
Unlike ordinary mages who tend to rely on static DPS, the terrain of the Eternal City was complex, making stable combat difficult. It was better to keep moving.
Thus, Gravity Magic was no longer used for offense, but entirely for aiding movement.
Only extreme magic control and physical coordination could achieve this, a domain exclusively for those who had mastered combat sorcery.
Meteorite trajectories wove through the buildings, grazing rooftops, toppling tall towers. Along their path, flames erupted, carrying impact waves and—
—clouds of dust. The magic trails they left behind didn't even dissipate.
Amidst the flashing blades and magic.
Because Frieren intentionally suppressed her damage output to coordinate with the Mimic Tear, the battle presented a stalemate where it was hard to tell who was superior.
She aimed to refine its power as much as possible through pressure, as so many different materials combined needed proper adjustment.
Suddenly, after sweeping past a tower, the replica's movements faltered. In that momentary opening, Frieren immediately unleashed a Chaos Flame.
A roaring inferno slammed into its body, sending it tumbling across the ground.
No, wait!
In a flash of insight, Frieren immediately saw through it: that was a Mimicry Illusion. Where was its true body?
Night Comet!
Hidden magic suddenly shot out, and not just one, but five beams! This was something the Mimic Tear had only just grasped, an ability only beings constantly steeped in night magic could successfully achieve, and one even its prototype didn't know.
As expected, the silver-haired girl dodged based on pure instinct, then blocked one beam, and finally intercepted another with her ever-present Distortion Light Barrier, all done with dangerous precision.
Intercepting the majority of spells that specialized in sneak attacks was truly divine skill, but her opponent was likewise not to be underestimated.
The remaining two beams struck Frieren.
Wounds blossomed open, spilling blood. She was finally injured since the battle began, and couldn't help but half-kneel on the ground.
Seeing this, the Mimic Tear immediately advanced, swinging its Moonlight Blade, but the Carian Longsword was faster. Its slender Glintstone blade pierced through its body.
The terrifying force from the other end actually lifted it clean off the ground.
"You tricked me, so I tricked you with a move too."
"Don't shorten the distance so easily. Haven't you realized, after fighting for so long? My counterattack is extremely potent. To destabilize me, you'd need at least a Demigod-tier throw."
After taking that hit, the Mimic Tear coughed violently, and cracks appeared on its body. Its immense soul power further fused.
Frieren's eyebrow twitched, and she quickly sheathed her sword. At first, she thought she had damaged it beyond repair and something bad would happen. But it turned out the soul energy she'd infused—
—had become even more condensed, actually accelerating the fusion process. No wonder its power had increased; combat was the best way to assimilate.
The cracks that appeared for just a moment were immediately repaired, and its wounds healed as good as new.
In its place stood a Mimic Tear whose aura had ascended another level. A glint of divine vitality flickered in its eyes, and its presence was even more terrifying than before.
The hundred-fold refinement of battle had accelerated its power's coordination, gradually stabilizing it.
Once they stopped warring with each other and instead harmoniously inhabited a single body, then they would truly become powerful.
The question was, who was the foundation?
What Frieren found most unacceptable was the power of an Old God dominating it. After a careful observation, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
"It's dominated by the First Flame. Your soul is already comparable to a Lord of Cinder—no, it has reached the qualification of a King's Soul. It's just a pity you still lack some self-awareness, otherwise I could grant you a King's Soul."
Suddenly, the Mimic Tear's large, sparkling eyes stared wide, and it tilted its head in a childlike manner, its cherry lips parting slightly:
"Master?"
-
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