The Carian Knights arrived on time. Though few in number, merely a thousand, under Moongrum's meticulous selection and training, they had become a fearsome, wolf-like force.
From afar, they made the hidden monsters retreat, even in the most desolate wilderness, none dared meet their gaze. It was too terrifying.
Surely they weren't here specifically to eliminate them, right? They had already been troubled several times over.
Fortunately, they weren't interested. They spurred their horses on, galloping towards the former Stormveil Castle.
After repairs and reinforcement, it appeared even more imposing.
The most striking sight was the colossal corpse of Astel, being held up for display by towering scaffolding.
From any angle, one could see the terrifying and formidable posture of the Naturalborn of the Void, full of grimness, its pressure boundless. Yet, no one was afraid. All of it had transformed into a symbol of abundant martial prowess, an honorable badge.
Every passerby would feel a sense of reverence spontaneously arise.
It was no big deal.
"Indeed, adorning it like this is quite good, no worse than Ancient Dragon Lansseax at the Royal Capital."
"It seems the people of The Lands Between really favor this kind of display."
If the one sighing was Melina, Frieren would respond earnestly. It wasn't that she treated them with partiality; it was simply that with others, Frieren would be lazy, but with the Maiden, she was willing to speak more.
Even the two of them rode on the same horse.
Along the way, the Carian Knights found it hard not to notice that the two's relationship was far more intimate than publicly announced.
Moreover, even the wise beast greatly approved, which also served as a form of legitimacy.
Even though Melina was no longer a spirit, she still sat behind Frieren. This was also Torrent's wish, hoping to carry two masters. How could other mounts compare to him?
Whoosh—
The sound of a bell ringing meant Stormveil Castle was beginning its reception.
The castle gates opened, revealing a dense array of supplies. At first glance, it looked chaotic, and the honor guard seemed out of place with them.
"My apologies, Your Majesty," Kenneth Haight respectfully said from beside him. "We were truly preoccupied and neglected proper etiquette. I am willing to accept punishment."
"It's alright. I can at least tell you've arranged everything in an orderly fashion, not haphazardly piled up in a panic. I've been through a few castle battles; there's no need for ceremony. More importantly, is troop transport going smoothly?"
Frieren looked left and right.
"Tell me the specifics."
"Currently, Stormveil Castle serves as the main rear base for material transport, and also produces some heavy goods. Frontline assembly and departure are at Starswept Town, primarily managed by Edgar and Irina..."
Kenneth Haight reported the entire troop deployment situation in meticulous detail.
The facts proved that repeated large-scale wars had trained the Southern Army's high command. Even when facing this level of deployment, common logistical problems like trampling, fires, and personnel shortages were minimized.
Even the elven race, which lacked a societal environment, understood that a stable organization successfully completing a task proved its health and strength. Beyond that, the larger the military force, the more it represented its formidable power.
Frieren hadn't expected 50,000 troops to be so orderly. In fact, she had been prepared to handle some mess.
She had originally intended to test the numerical limit of her subordinate command group. If their performance was too poor, the future army attacking the Royal Capital would have to be drastically reduced.
No need.
They were clearly capable of handling larger-scale organizational activities.
"Actually, I thought you'd be flustered. Even if you streamlined some things, it would have been fine, wouldn't it?"
"Your Majesty, you speak truly unlike a King." Kenneth Haight chuckled faintly. "The only thing subordinates need to do is to carry out orders. And all of this is due to your groundwork."
"Think about it, didn't Your Majesty lead us through the Stormveil War, the Church of Vows Battle, the Caelid War... these trials? The increasing numbers and scale allowed us to adapt. Otherwise, it would be impossible today."
Very few people can command large armies from the start. At least, there were no such geniuses among them.
It required repeated training.
Coincidentally, the Southern Army, constantly engaged in warfare, had undergone a complete upgrade from top to bottom.
This was not only reflected in the collection and reinforcement of Runes, but also in the hands-on training of veterans, junior officers, and high-ranking generals. In a sense, it was the only army in The Lands Between that continuously maintained active blood changes.
Thus, when facing new campaigns, their morale was high and their efficiency astonishing.
However, Kenneth Haight's explanations probably didn't fully register in Frieren's magic-focused mind. Reporting the results was sufficient.
A King was competent simply by possessing power.
The rest, they, her subjects, would handle well.
"Understood. I generally grasp the situation. So, what stage is troop transport at?"
"There are 20,000 troops underground, 30,000 in Starswept Town, and the rest are distributed in Stormveil Castle. Your Majesty will arrive at the Starswept Cavern camp with the last batch of main forces."
"Are there too many people gathered there? Is there something wrong?" The disproportionate numbers concerned Frieren.
Kenneth Haight sighed: "Because the lifts are too slow and operating overloaded, they're basically repairing and transporting simultaneously. Efficiency is dragging there. It's taking longer than expected."
"Your Majesty, the magic flow in the Starswept Ruin is chaotic and likely difficult to deal with."
"We'll know when we get there. Hurry up and get ready."
After this report, the army at Stormveil Castle became even livelier. Knowing Frieren would personally lead the troops, everyone was naturally in high spirits. Those who had missed previous battles were particularly excited.
The achievements forged together with the Soul-Cinder Lord held the most value, specifically against difficult enemies.
One day, they too would become a Grace-blessed army like the Golden Army, just like the soldiers who followed Godfrey in his conquests back then.
In reality, this army had a very high proportion of new recruits.
Frieren, upon learning this, realized that years of healing and restoration had made the Limgrave region's population prosperous. A large number of animated corpses had returned to normal people. This allowed them to support a larger army. She simply absorbed them into military training to prepare for any eventuality.
They couldn't always rely on veterans. They had been through several battles and should be mixed with new recruits for training.
The officers, led by Edgar, realized that the current forces alone were insufficient to besiege the Royal Capital, let alone conquer and subdue others through widespread campaigns.
They needed to expand.
Hence the current "veterans leading new recruits" model, to let everyone experience the baptism of the battlefield.
The war against the Mohgwyn Dynasty also served to test the Southern Army's own iterative improvements, as they were considering longer-term goals.
Thus, this instance was not only for the Elden Ring fragments, but also had crucial military significance.
That being said, these new recruits did not slow their pace in the slightest.
Arrived at Stormveil Castle on the third day.
The remaining 15,000 main forces set off, advancing towards the Starswept Ruin, marking the end of the entire campaign's preparation phase.
—A day later—
Fort Haight.
The land that was once overgrown with grass and trees was now crisscrossed with roads, complete with post stations, stables, taverns, and other facilities, all jointly guarding the central fortress.
Now, its military function had gradually faded, and it had become a village.
After a long absence, Frieren, visiting, actually saw the shadow of the Elf Village's development in it—likewise flourishing under changing times, a distinct resonance spanning two worlds.
The silver-haired girl on horseback smiled.
Seeing this, Kenneth Haight quickly said, "Thanks to Your Majesty's blessing, ordering the development of the Underground World spurred this area's growth."
"Speaking of which, aren't we going to the Starswept Ruin? Why did we come here first?"
"Your Majesty, please look north."
Following his direction, Frieren shielded her eyes with her hand.
Extending towards the horizon was a massive array of camp tents, stretching endlessly, with banners covering the entire landscape, presumably reaching all the way to the Starswept Ruin.
It was no longer a mystery.
Due to the large accumulation of troops, the distance between Fort Haight and Starswept Ruin was no longer an issue; they formed a coherent unit, simply unifying their deployment and command.
After all, it originally bore the task of exploring the Underground World.
Coincidentally.
The local minor nobles and officials' experience in managing Tarnished and mercenaries seamlessly connected, which allowed them to effectively handle logistical coordination and the main army's transport. Otherwise, it would have been a chaotic mess.
The prosperity here depended on the Eternal City's development, but by seizing the opportunity, they also put in effort.
"Praise the great Your Majesty!"
"Lady Frieren, you've finally visited again..."
"We must definitely eradicate the Mohgwyn Dynasty!"
Passing residents saluted the silver-haired girl, and deeply bowed to Melina.
The news hadn't reached here yet, so many people didn't know that the world now had a Golden Lineage scion who was also a future King's Maiden. But she was riding behind the Soul-Cinder Lord!
Though they didn't know who she was, Frieren was letting her ride with her.
The Carian Knights were temporarily resupplying at Fort Haight, re-grooming warhorses, maintaining armor and equipment, checking potions and items, preparing as thoroughly as possible.
Though they seemed to be a mere thousand people, they actually carried the fruits of the Magic Academy's labors.
Large quantities of scrolls, potions, and other items were poured in as if they were free. Since other Liurnian soldiers couldn't come, at least the supplies were brought.
The next day.
After staying for one day and night, they departed.
As Frieren left, riding on Torrent's back, she looked out at the several-times expanded Fort Haight area. Under the morning light, it was a busy scene, people rising early and gradually growing noisy, full of vitality.
Only by stepping out could she realize how much it had developed in just a few years.
Thinking carefully, the world under the Golden Order was probably her longest journey in terms of progress, after all, it involved management, magic research, and other things that required waiting.
Soul-Cinder Lord.
Moreover, most of the time she explored alone. Traveling indeed took time, but upon arrival, it was a fierce battle.
In contrast, in The Lands Between, Frieren had become a King supported by countless people, bearing the lives and fortunes of several factions, and for this, she had to campaign in all directions. Had it been earlier, she might have been very resistant, but after experiencing it, she found it quite good.
Even being praised could not compare to the sense of accomplishment from witnessing a small town prosper and develop.
"Kenneth Haight, manage this place well. In the future, it will become an important stronghold in Limgrave, our great rear base."
"We're setting off now. There might be some commotion when we enter the Starswept Cavern later. Don't worry."
"Understood. Also, Your Majesty, while we were exploring underground, the town was often harassed by Bloody Fingers... some losses. We hope to get revenge this time."
"Yes, this expedition is precisely to flatten the Mohgwyn Dynasty."
Frieren nodded silently, no longer elaborating.
She tugged on the reins to make Torrent accelerate.
Melina, sitting sideways behind her, nodded to Kenneth Haight, indicating that this place, now the first frontline outpost, was entrusted to him.
He immediately bowed deeply, standing at attention to witness the army's advance.
Wherever their banners unfurled, warriors gathered, camps emptied, converging into a surging torrent.
Their bones reflected the brilliant light of the Golden Order, heavy footsteps echoed on the ground, sand and stone flew, and metal clashed, pointing north.
This battle was very special.
The always martial and prosperous Lands Between lacked no records of large-scale wars, but fighting from the surface to underground was a historical first.
The path ahead was rugged and the terrain complex, destined to be full of twists and turns. Its difficulty was no less than the First Elden Lord's assault on the Mountaintops of the Giants.
Added to this was a significant proportion of new recruits, which had made Kenneth Haight uneasy. Yet, for some unknown reason, seeing their advance made his blood boil.
"Forget it. At this point, I can only believe, right?"
He turned and headed to the fortress warehouse. In the foreseeable future, large quantities of supplies would still need to move in and out. He would be busy, but participating in this great endeavor was also exhilarating.
Afternoon.
The last 15,000 troops arrived at the Starswept Cavern.
From afar, they could hear the immense grinding sound of chains.
Wind howled, and the strong cold and hot air exchange between the surface and underground formed whirlwinds, sweeping up vegetation into the sky.
There were also remnants of Gravity Magic and Night magic, making it even more chaotic than when Frieren first descended.
"Your Majesty, my apologies, we are still transporting troops."
Edgar, who met them, immediately begged for forgiveness. After all, efficiency was far worse than expected.
The silver-haired girl shook her head.
"It's alright. I don't blame you. I came precisely to solve the efficiency problem. Otherwise, continuously using the temporarily built lifts is unsafe."
"Please come this way, I'll explain the current situation to you."
He led Frieren and Melina to the cavern's edge, where chains descended vertically into the depths.
Four lifts repeatedly ascended or descended, each capable of transporting hundreds of people at a time.
If they maintained efficiency, there would naturally be no problem. The issue was that they frequently got stuck, shuddered, and seemed about to collapse.
Just in this short while, there was an instance of a platform tilting and dropping its cargo.
Frankly speaking, it was unsuitable for large-scale transportation.
In reality, any commander who forced a transport line through such an environment would be brainless.
Fortunately, the people of The Lands Between generally possessed robust physical qualities. Otherwise, the losses would be even greater.
To date, escaping disaster has been a miracle, but they couldn't always risk it.
After a moment of contemplation, she murmured, "The main energy turbulence comes from Gravity Magic, a residual force field brought by the extraterrestrial meteorite."
"Your Majesty, is there a way to clear it?"
"It has become a part of nature. At most, we can guide it to assist the lifts or construct stairs."
Melina proactively suggested, "Let's use the lift plan. The engineering team now has many who repaired the Altus Plateau lifts, and I understand the Mountaintops of the Giants lifts. I can provide you with references."
"Good, Edgar, issue the order to halt transportation. Have the crowds disperse a bit. I will handle the Gravity Magic."
The timing was just right for Frieren to try out the new magic she had learned.
At her command, the entire expeditionary force moved swiftly, retreating a full five kilometers from the Starswept Cavern before stopping.
Is that a safe distance?
Hard to say.
Edgar, having witnessed Frieren's several major battles, could confirm that the commotion would not be small.
However, a greater distance was unsuitable for a large army to rest, and could easily cause trampling, leading to additional losses. They could only wait and see.
At the cavern's edge, Frieren released the Mimic Tear.
"There are traces of Night magic inside. You dispel it. Can you do that?"
"Leave it to me, Mother. As long as these night mists are dealt with, visibility and magic activity will at least increase, making things easier."
As she answered, she made her move.
The pure white girl gently raised her hands, and the energy from the entire massive cavern mouth rapidly converged, condensing like a dragon drawing water.
It was guided by the strongest Night Magic user in the world today.
No one was more suitable than her to dispel the thick night mist. Sure enough, the area below became clearer, revealing flat ground.
Still not enough.
Even upon arrival, it was the rooftop area of the Eternal City, difficult to establish a foothold.
Frieren could sense that the engineers who had already entered were working overtime to repair bridges and flatten ground, barely able to serve as a foothold.
A passage would be deployed according to this standard.
With telepathic understanding, the Mimic Tear used Night magic's property of absorbing other energies to dispel the mist, and incidentally built a simple boardwalk on the rock wall, for contingencies, serving as a continuous operational path, better than nothing.
Seeing her proceed smoothly, it was Frieren's turn for the main course: stabilizing the cavern's gravity field.
Nebula!
The silver-haired girl waved her hand, scattering a cloud of pink-purple energy fragments into the air. It was even more beautiful and stable than Astel's, with a gentle aura.
Wherever the nebula reached, the turbulent gravity field dissipated.
Its essence was to neutralize the influence of another residual magic, thereby clearing an area free of interference.
The howling wind from before died down.
From a distance, Edgar and his group nodded secretly. This was good; it seemed effective.
However, they were quickly met with new shock: the Starswept Cavern violently vibrated and sank. The originally vertical and dangerous terrain began to ripple outwards in circles, forming a funnel-like, vortex-shaped, flatter form...
"Your Majesty is using the original magic energy to transform the cavern!"
Incredible. Anyone with such imagination would be extraordinary, let alone possessing the magical power to implement such ideas.
Whoosh!
Two intertwined Great Runes shimmered, floating above Frieren's head, casting light. At this moment, Gravity Magic reached a new level of output. It even gave a sense of divinity, scattering miracles with every movement.
She pointed from afar. Under the effect of gravity, floating debris automatically piled up into steps, reinforcing the Mimic Tear's boardwalk foundation.
She pointed at the lifts again, individually engraving them with Gravity Magic to make them stable and unshakeable.
Everyone watched in astonishment as the originally broken cavern surface became a vortex. The opening was a gentle descent, and the steep sections were managed by lifts, perfectly interlocking.
No one expected Frieren to have such insight into engineering.
Little did they know, Frieren had taken on many construction tasks in the Elf Village, so she was very familiar with basic design and modification.
"It's rare. Even now, your Great Runes are never used for combat." Melina sighed. "From beginning to end, in your view, they are tools of restoration, not tools of conflict."
"It's not that noble. I don't trust the incomplete Elden Ring."
"You are right. Maintaining purity without relying on Great Runes is also a path of magic. Or are you going to wield the Elden Ring in the future?"
"That would require becoming King first..."
Frieren, while precisely controlling her magic, still had the leisure to chat, appearing completely at ease.
This greatly shocked the Mimic Tear, who was panting from using Night magic.
She herself had to catch her breath after dispelling just a bit of Night residue.
However, Mother was performing such a large-scale operation without even a flush on her face.
Melina must have also understood this ability, so she didn't feel like interrupting would be a disturbance. They simply chatted to pass the time, understanding each other telepathically.
Zap!
The chains of the last lift were finally secured.
Frieren scanned the area to confirm nothing was overlooked, then withdrew the two Great Runes. Indeed, they were formidable. Once she had three permanently active, she could unleash even greater magic.
She signaled the main army in the distance, indicating for them to re-deploy.
Everyone returned to find that the steep path was now gradual, sufficient for large-scale troop movements.
The previously shaky lifts were also fixed, perfectly aligned.
It made one truly wonder if the Soul-Cinder Lord could easily breach even Leyndell's city walls.
"Alright, let's depart."
Upon Frieren's reminder, everyone awoke from their daze, and Edgar immediately gave the order to move out.
"Light units depart first and rendezvous with the garrison below. Heavy units in the middle, and finally, other large-bodied units depart. Be careful with your load."
Transporting multiple races and unit types gave Frieren a headache just thinking about it.
But excellent generals could coordinate it seamlessly, just like the disciplined mass of troops surging forward like a tide.
Of course, it was also thanks to Moongrum's assistance.
Together, the two endured hardships to ensure that a full 50,000 troops passed through the Starswept Cavern.
Although this was their first time cooperating so closely, their understanding was profound; great minds think alike. Thus, command was very smooth.
Frieren murmured as she looked around. This was something she had never experienced in her many worlds:
Fully armored knights, with every step, were accompanied by the grinding of metal, exuding great majesty.
Towering Trolls dragged heavy loads, accompanied by Winged Misbegotten carrying supplies, and Grafted Scions who carried large quantities of weapons, serving as single-person armories.
The most conspicuous was the Magma Wyrm Unit, which included Dragon Communion practitioners, Part-Dragons, and Large Magma Wyrms.
Their massive size and thick scales were sufficient to serve as war chariots.
The sky was the domain of the Flying Dragons. With the cavern free of turbulent magic, they could fly straight in.
Vast and mighty, morale soaring.
As they passed through the lift, they all saluted and nodded to Frieren. She returned the gesture, as if reviewing the entire army before a battle.
"Haven't you participated in such large-scale wars outside The Lands Between?"
Melina asked curiously.
Since gaining a body, she had become more proactive in understanding her partner. Their distance was no longer so vast, and they could try to share their pasts with each other.
She grew to like this feeling more and more.
"Yes, war is the most complex social activity and requires a solid foundation."
"Most of the worlds I experienced were decaying. World."
"In other words, The Lands Between is gradually prospering, provided we clear out the enemies."
"Most people have gone. We should descend too."
Frieren looked at Melina on her left and the Mimic Tear on her right, as well as Edgar and Moongrum beside her. Everyone exchanged glances and nodded.
The five moved forward together.
______
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