It's hard to draw conclusions.
Because of the lack of a reference point, Melina didn't know the true level of the Septenary Sage's magic. Anyway, the demon sage's magic already needs attention; it's unavoidable, and its power isn't low. If it were the Seven Sages with their mechanisms, they would only be stronger. Otherwise, they couldn't serve as the peerless elite vanguard established by the Demon King.
She just hadn't encountered them before, so she wasn't clear on their specific performance.
She couldn't serve as a target for measurement herself, because she had too many conflicting powers within her, making it impossible to demonstrate the consequences of 'a normal target encountering a curse.'
Thus, Frieren couldn't judge whether the Magic to Brew Delicious Tea had reached that terrifying level...
Clatter!
Suddenly, a sound from above interrupted her thoughts.
A total of 4 massive tumor-stones were surrounded by layers of Sealing Magic. In such a short time, Flamme was almost done, and once the barrier lost its external active counter-attack capability, the pressure would significantly lessen.
Unless the defending side first created a winning chance, which was to defeat the Water Mirror Demon while enduring the alcoholic fumes that caused drowsiness.
At this moment, the magical target practice outside the barrier reached a fever pitch.
Streaks of purple and crimson light swirled like fleeting specters, tearing across the sky, ripping through the night, relentlessly pursuing the pale figure at the very front. Both sides rapidly changed trajectories and angles, displaying incredibly agile maneuvers that covered the skies above the town.
Whoosh, boom.
While flying and dodging, it didn't let up with precise interceptions, scattering the streaks of light one by one.
Fast enough, but not fast enough.
The elves lacked ways to deal with targets adept at Flight Magic. With the technology not yet widespread, the Water Mirror Demon had all the advantages.
It had gained Frieren's insights into Flight Magic earlier than anyone else. From the moment its molding was complete, it could be called the master of aerial combat.
Thus, dodging required no effort, making it feel easy and carefree.
It even had power to spare.
The Water Mirror Demon occasionally unleashed colossal Sorcery: Rock Sling, directly hitting the barrier, making it wobble. It was practically an earthquake. With a five-meter diameter, it was no less impactful than a catapult assaulting a castle.
Physically, the barrier was fine, but it couldn't withstand the constant accumulation of these vision-obscuring projectiles,
'It's countering while trying to bury the barrier; you need to clear it up...'
Frieren's warning was still unfinished when several elves nearby, hearing her, became intoxicated, their eyes glazed over and parched.
Some even aimed their staffs at her.
'Want some madness?'
The silver-haired girl tilted her head, dodging. This type of sluggish and inaccurate magic posed no threat, yet some unfortunate villagers nearby were hit by friendly fire, utterly disoriented.
They immediately became timid, not daring to focus their attention on the outside.
The emergence of 'mad drunkards' among the defenders caused the formation to falter, making the already loose offensive even more sluggish.
If it were merely casualties from drowsiness, it would be fine, but now 'traitors' were randomly appearing, preventing their numerical and organizational advantages from being leveraged fully.
The Village Chief quickly ordered them to spread out and maintain distance to avoid the 'mad drunkards.'
But this also destined them to pursue with less firepower, greatly reducing the pressure on the Water Mirror Demon in the sky. This further emboldened its attacks, bombarding the barrier, as if certain it could blast open a breach.
Frieren glanced into the distance.
Sure enough, Milia Asser met her gaze, and with a triumphant smile, her plain hand raised a wine bottle. Though it was palm-sized, it exuded a surging stream of fine wine. Its scent permeated the air, constantly being directed into the barrier under her control.
Magic requires compatibility; this technique had truly found its perfect caster.
Maintaining her cautious style, even Frieren strengthened her resistance, lest she also become one of the drunken members and embarrass herself.
Wham!
A faint crack appeared on the surface of the barrier.
Even the Water Mirror Demon seemed to show a hint of surprise on its face; it was finally effective. It decided to press on and be the first to breach it.
But the next moment, the killing magic returned along its original path, even magnified in power. Luckily, it reacted in time, blocking it with a barrier, thus avoiding self-inflicted damage. It wasn't over yet; some of the released magic actually bounced and refracted repeatedly on the barrier's surface, relentlessly.
'It's normal you wouldn't know, not having participated in the spell's design. When the barrier is under significant attack, a rebound force field will be activated to release some of the pressure.'
Frieren reminded pointedly.
The reason it wasn't constantly rebounding was because it was too troublesome and dangerous.
You can't just have every spell return to its origin, can you? Thus, preconditions were set,
Clang!
Several magic spells rebounded, circling the Water Mirror Demon and exploding, forcing it to slow its assault.
Thus, the aerial battlefield presented a scene where the elves' tracking fire, automatic counter-fire, and rebound fire all interfered with it, Due to the unpredictable randomness of the latter, it had to divide its attention to avoid suffering unnecessarily.
Although a tiny crack had appeared in the barrier, the heated battle was forcefully interrupted, returning to a phase of hit-and-run attacks.
Thump!
The heavy thud shook the entire town, and the transmitted force also disrupted the magic within it. This move wasn't instantaneous.
As for Milia Asser, she had already begun to slack off.
She just needed to hide and cast magic. The large area, strong targeting, and high priority of the Magic to Brew Delicious Tea meant it was difficult to interfere with. She just needed to maintain distance and continuously blow alcoholic fumes inside. Anyway, she was never the type to fight alone; if her teammates were strong enough, she'd leave it to them.
In a few breaths of the protracted battle, the glintstones in the sky lost their luster.
Looking closely, they were surprisingly enveloped by dense Sealing Runes, unmoving, having lost their automatic counter-attack capability.
The Water Mirror Demon could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
A reduction of 1/3 of the pressure allowed it to release its defenses, effortlessly neutralizing the remaining disturbances.
'Thank you, for holding out so long.' Flamme nodded to her allies, then changed the subject: 'Next, let's see who can breach the barrier first... '
'Don't be so certain. If you could just break it, what would be its purpose?'
'Master, the lower limit of defense is determined by your barrier's defense, but the upper limit is always determined by the defenders. So, if I make it difficult for everyone to continue fighting, I win, right?'
'Right.'
'Then everyone in the Elf Town needs to be careful.'
Her voice gradually rose, echoing through the heavens, accompanied by a colossal shadow cast over the entire Elf Town.
Claws slapped the top of the barrier, and sturdy, scaly arms supported a massive dragon body over 20 meters tall, its form beautifully streamlined and powerful, extraordinarily majestic.
Flamme's Dragon Transformation Magic was even more formidable than before.
In reality, dragons are rare and powerful monsters, much stronger than common wild beasts. In a sense, she could be compared to Ancient Dragons. Of course, her actual combat power would depend on her performance; it was unknown how much she had improved.
Frieren's gaze was fervent, full of anticipation.
She felt the disciple's soaring ambition and heroic spirit, the demeanor of a genius, which had taken shape starting from the Labyrinth Kingdom. Shedding immaturity and embracing maturity, it proved that one's experiences could become their armor.
'Everyone, pay attention to coordinated magic and buffs.' She turned to the defending team. 'Later, with the alcoholic fumes, it might trigger Mental Attack -'
Roar!
A fierce roar surprisingly accompanied a tremor from the depths of the soul!
Frieren's face was calm as water; she stood unshaken amidst the tumultuous waves of the Soul Firmament, serene and unperturbed. In her eyes, there was only admiration. This move combined Intimidation and Dragon Roar, released together, perfectly understood and exquisite!
She was perfectly safe, but the nearby elves fell unconscious. A significant portion of them passed out on the spot.
Although everyone had received Soul Healing and Grace, the difference was enormous. Especially since they were already drowsy from Milia Asser's Magic to Brew Delicious Tea, the added soul tremor caused them to fall asleep en masse.
Fifty people collapsed instantly.
And only a hundred people capable of fighting remained, having supported until now.
By human standards, this civilian conversion rate was extraordinary. After all, elves were just lazy, not lacking in magical talent; with some practice, they could always be somewhat useful. However, they were no match for a soaring genius who had matured. Flamme was currently in the stage of ascending to her peak.
But the defending team's attacks still hadn't stopped.
Thanks to Frieren's earlier warning, some powerful mages and priests reacted by casting protective spells on themselves, which helped them withstand one soul tremor.
Boom!
The next moment, a counterattack landed on the giant dragon, but only smoke appeared.
The red-haired girl voluntarily dispelled her transformation, skillfully dodging the widespread barrage, and even tricking one attack. They had launched a full-power assault based on the dragon's size, and all of them missed.
That agile figure was the greatest deterrent; so far, she hadn't been injured or hit once.
Her reactions, speed, and perception were flawless.
However, Flamme's brilliant maneuvers weren't over. As the magic passed by her, she lightly waved her hand, capturing all the energy with a ripple, then forcefully pulled and condensed it with both hands.
Carian Retaliation.
Various spells infused into a long rainbow greatsword, which she then brought down in a direct cleave.
The blade clashed with the barrier, not with its sharp edge but with its flat side. She had clearly used it as a blunt weapon, violently striking the spherical energy.
Naturally, it also triggered a magic rebound, but her other teammate, the Water Mirror Demon, was no pushover; it easily intercepted the attack.
'The barrier rejects magic but cannot reject changes in magical energy.'
Flamme roared.
Terrifying magical energy surged violently both inside and outside the barrier, throwing the meager remaining hundred-person defending team into disarray, breaking their formation.
However, they quickly dispersed into individual combat, powerfully countering the Carian Greatsword.
There were still some elves capable of rivaling Arch-Mages. Starting to fight individually actually released pressure, as they didn't need to worry about uncoordinated tactics, allowing them to counterattack with full force.
Noticing this, the red-haired girl continued to exert force, and both sides entered a phase of struggle.
However, two fists couldn't contend with four hands; the combined power of 6 powerful elf mages pushed the greatsword back.
It wasn't over yet.
She stepped onto the barrier, activating her physical strength along with her magic.
The magic storm, generated by both sides giving their all, raged for ten kilometers around, raising thunder. It was clearly night, yet dazzling auroras flashed across the sky, multicolored and vibrant, representing the aftershocks of ultimate energy friction with the air. Plants bent low, the storm passed, and all beasts cowered.
The creatures in the Great Forest never expected another powerful aura, so active. 'You don't want peace,' they seemed to say.
The Elf Town, moreover, faced the direct impact.
Even the elves who weren't participating in the training battle felt the continuous violent tremors, even fearing a collapse.
What if the town itself suffered a sinkhole?
'Lady Frieren, will there be severe consequences if this continues?'
'It's fine; it's almost over anyway.'
No sooner had she spoken than the Carian Greatsword disintegrated. At the same time, the defending squad's magical energy also dissipated.
The techniques from both sides clashed until the last moment, vanishing and neutralizing each other. It was a true test of skill, with no quarter given. This was an absolutely high-spec, top-tier contest.
Both sides retreated several steps, breathing heavily.
Upon closer inspection, a concave impression had appeared on the barrier. It seemed the attacking side's magic had prevailed, which was truly unbelievable.
Against such formidable defense, they had nonetheless established an advantage.
Flamme gave a triumphant smile.
However, she was more concerned about something else: 'Why is it a concave impression and not a breach, Master? Your barrier isn't right; it shouldn't have been a large shattered piece?'
'How old-fashioned would that be? I designed it to deform under significant pressure to prevent shattering and to disperse power.'
'So it can be done that way. I'll learn and try it.'
The red-haired girl's hand glowed with barrier magic fluctuations. Frieren raised an eyebrow, immediately planning to try it out on the spot—it was much like her own habit of learning enemy magic during combat.
Clang! Clang!
The rest of the defending team pressed their advantage. Unlike the main force, they weren't exhausted and could launch threatening counterattacks.
Magic light streams easily penetrated the barrier, striking outwards.
Unfortunately, they were easily defended by the Water Mirror Demon, which stayed faithfully by Flamme's side.
Although it was vaguely aware and lacked self-awareness, it acutely perceived that this companion had more methods and opportunities, so it yielded the main attacker position and fully assisted, directly causing a series of counterattacks to miss.
The two who had once fought to the death in the Scattered Royal Tombs now became excellent teammates, covering each other, impregnable and seamless, leaving no weak points at all.
'This is too difficult, isn't it?'
The Village Chief complained directly to Frieren.
'You find it difficult, yet you still have the defensive advantage. If it were demons, they'd be even more insidious... Huh? This isn't bad either.'
'What did you say?'
Before the words even faded, an elf Arch-Mage collapsed, snoring loudly.
Everyone, having seen it many times, immediately understood it was the alcoholic magic. But this was the first time an Arch-Mage had collapsed. In just this short time, it had surprisingly broken through to a higher level of damage?
Following the magic, it was none other than Milia Asser, sprinkling wine while looking somewhat pained.
No wonder she was recognized by Frieren as the primary guardian before the Water Mirror Demon. When she fully exerted herself, she truly surpassed an ordinary Arch-Mage, especially since she hadn't engaged in direct combat this time.
If there were powerful teammates, she would just slack off.
True to form.
Even so, the drunkard elf caused considerable trouble for everyone; actually, more than half of the defending team was incapacitated by Milia Asser.
She was a rare mage who possessed a significant advantage in large-scale legion battles,
Frieren rolled her eyes, accustomed to her childhood friend's slacking. Oh well, it would only be troublesome when she truly entered her next phase.
The town had excess combat power, so a bit of idleness was fine. The key lay in the main attacker's movements:
At this moment, a barrier sphere, one meter in diameter, appeared in Flamme's hand, clear and translucent, shimmering with light.
Its dreamlike aura fit, yet it fused with most of her magical energy. After this move, she couldn't launch many more attacks, but it would certainly be effective.
The barrier sphere actively delved deeper, colliding with the town's barrier. It was actively neutralizing and pressing.
Flamme's barrier wasn't destroying; instead, it actively embraced and merged with Frieren's barrier. If this continued, it would eventually open a large hole and break through.
'As one of the spellcasters, doing this is certainly convenient and clever. Master, will I be disqualified for doing this?'
'No, defensive power has always depended on the person themselves.'
'All together!'
At the Village Chief's command, the remaining elves exerted all their magical power to withstand the neutralizing barrier. They gritted their teeth, squeezing out every last bit of magic, while the red-haired girl also pushed her output to the limit, making it a full-blown war of attrition.
The barrier wasn't so easily neutralized, as the people inside wouldn't just stand by.
But she also had a helper; the Water Mirror Demon likewise extended its hand and pressed against the barrier, jointly exerting force to neutralize it.
Both sides mustered all their magical energy. Compared to the start of the training battle, the scale had actually decreased, as they collectively reached their breaking point, yet infused it with even greater will to push forward.
Even Frieren watched with a curious expression, awaiting the outcome.
Whoosh!
Sure enough, a larger area of cracks appeared on the barrier's surface, like a spiderweb covering the entire domain, yet it stubbornly refused to shatter.
One could imagine how exaggerated its structural strength was, truly the result of Frieren's devoted effort.
Magical fluctuations spread far and wide; even at North Wind Fortress, several gazes were firmly locked on.
In a tower under the cover of night, several individuals in association uniforms were conducting magical observation, softly cautioning:
'Observe carefully, collect all intelligence.'
That was a sign of hypnosis magic in a subconscious state, but the flaw only manifested when the caster fully controlled it during what they deemed important moments. A skilled mage would grant the puppet complete freedom in its conscious mind, making it difficult even for peers to detect.
'The Prophet's prediction was correct. Frieren's magic has a dormant weakness, which is why she cares about her defense when inconvenienced.'
'We'll leave tonight. If she comes to lecture at the branch, she'll definitely detect our flaws.'
The past few days were very dangerous, During the previous incident at Azure Spirit Town, neither side met directly, and they also chose the most effective and hidden time for control. Otherwise, it's unknown whether the Seven Sages of Garment's Paradise Curse Magic could have escaped detection.
They had already gathered enough intelligence; it was time to retreat after accomplishing their mission.
Meanwhile, the magical aftershocks above the Elf Forest gradually subsided, indicating that some outcome had been reached.
The barrier, on the verge of shattering, surprisingly softened further, no longer maintaining its magical elasticity, but instead forming its own physical resistance. Its solid magical shell became soft and elastic, flailing like a spring.
Now, the magic of both the attacking and defending teams became chaotic and fragmented, At this moment, it was like a giant jelly absorbing magical energy.
Whump!
Immediately after, the barrier rapidly shriveled like a deflated balloon. This was another new change, startling both sides.
What had happened? They all looked towards the thoughtful Frieren.
'That's enough. The barrier must have contracted on its own after reaching its limit. This also prevents secondary damage from an explosion. I designed it to safely disintegrate; now it's entered a dormant state... effectively 'slept' by your combined efforts.'
'How did it become so much like a living being?' Flamme couldn't help but exclaim. 'Master's ideas are truly amazing.'
'Because I hoped it would possess the ability to operate independently for a long time.'
'It's finally over!'
Milia Asser excitedly ran out, waving her arms, celebrating the relief of a heavy burden.
'You didn't really do anything painful, did you?'
'I had the highest combat score.' She dispelled her magic, allowing the elves to gradually awaken. 'As compensation, I'll treat everyone to a good drink later.'
With the cheerful one's activity, everyone instantly burst into laughter and merriment.
The test results exceeded expectations; whether it was the attacking team, the defending team, or the barrier's strength, all performed well, sufficient for the town to stand on its own.
Otherwise, constantly relying on others for protection wouldn't do; eventually, they had to stand firm themselves.
Frieren was happiest about this.
Originally, she was worried if this level of deployment wouldn't be enough, how much room for improvement would there be? It was troubling. But everyone performed admirably, not dragging anyone down.
This way, she could sleep more peacefully, focusing intently on matters in The Lands Between.
The war against the Mohgwyn Dynasty would definitely require considerable effort; she would need to exert more energy to ensure complete victory.
Moreover, a thorn always remained in the heart of the Southern Faction:
Wham!
Phew!
It concerned the romance and whereabouts of Rennala's sister, Rellana, Twin Moon Knight; one of the clues about the mastermind mentioned by Radahn; important locations from player advisories... so many implications, yet no clues so far, which was truly unsettling. At least she needed to find the location first.
'Master, how did I perform?'
Flamme looked at her, eyes sparkling, with an expression clearly asking for praise.
She instinctively reached out to pat her head, only to find her disciple had grown taller again. However, the latter immediately bowed slightly, actively welcoming the warm touch of her plain hand on her head.
'Although I haven't yet met those renowned as the world's top powerhouses, you are certainly among their ranks. Because your magic not only possesses technique, accumulation, and imagination, but also something more than before...'
'That—is a powerful will, an all-encompassing spirit; it determines the height of a magic.'
'Soul-based magic particularly emphasizes inner strength. Now, you are the most suitable caster for it in this world.'
The red-haired girl was taken aback.
'Master, don't joke, how could I be stronger than you?'
'I'm serious. For example, due to certain physical traits, I cannot use soul transformation; it would be very dangerous if it disrupted my body's stability. In other words, at least on the path of soul-based magic, you are a step ahead.'
'Do you feel some regret, then?'
'More like happiness. My strength stems from integrating different systems. We walk different paths, yet they lead to the same destination. This is the profoundness of magic.'
What Frieren was truly proud of was her disciple forging a power distinct from her own.
Now, Flamme's demonstrated barrier magic and sealing magic were entirely the result of her own research; that was truly impressive.
It was also her small contribution to the world of magic.
In terms of both personality and talent, her disciple was more suitable as a disseminator of magic, capable of driving change in the paradigm, destined to surpass her master.
'What's with all this sappy mutual flattery?'
Suddenly, Milia Asser interjected between them, patting their shoulders and saying: 'Today's a day worth getting completely drunk to celebrate the town's new development. My treat, let's drink.'
'Don't drink too much; tomorrow we have to wake up early to clean up this mess. We can't let the entrance stay dilapidated.'
Despite the words, she paid no attention, simply pulling the master and disciple towards the tavern.
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Unfortunately, two of our stories were removed... so I created a new account to post them: MikuDayo.
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I'm counting on your support <3 the director was very sad and scared by what happened...
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