The underground world, outside the Eternal City, the transfer point was established.
Fighting underground was different this time; they had to take another route.
The grand army marched directly towards the Mohgwyn Dynasty region, constructing bridges and repairing roads along the way, building as they advanced.
The reason for their rapid advance was their abundant resources. Especially the mages from the Magic Academy and the practitioners of stone-digging magic from Caelid, who, working together, were enough to serve as a large engineer corps.
This didn't even account for Frieren.
Because when planning deployments, it was simply impossible to arrange for Her Majesty to do such strenuous work as an engineer.
Yet, she didn't mind at all, even welcomed it.
The Soul of Cinder King, witnessing this grand occasion, also joined in, using the convenience of Gravity Magic to help everyone lay the road. A grand avenue was conjured mid-air, extending into the distance.
Thus, the army advanced much faster than expected, practically conducting a forced march all the way, heading towards the Mohgwyn Dynasty's roads.
Three days later.
The entire main force had assembled at the edge of the enormous blood pool highland.
Edgar halted his horse and pointed ahead, "Your Majesty, from here, straight up is our destination. Although reconnaissance revealed other smaller paths, they're certainly blocked and cannot accommodate a large army."
Moongrum added, "The difficulty lies in it being a highland. We have to fight uphill, and it's very easy to be suppressed by firepower."
"So what?" the Mimic Tear said dismissively, "Leyndell was even harder to conquer."
"Indeed, it's good to adapt beforehand."
"I think we can besiege it first and not rush the attack. Let the Flying Dragons and Trolls hurl stones to test their defenses," Melina suggested.
The group's discussion did not affect Frieren's thoughts.
All along, she had been gazing at the magnificent temple atop the mountain.
She had noticed it the first time she came underground; it was hard to miss its rugged and sprawling terrain.
Once it became an enemy, it was a major headache, a single warrior holding off ten thousand.
The past few days of arduous travel from the Eternal City to the foot of the mountain allowed her to observe it from all angles, giving her greater confidence regarding the Mohgwyn Dynasty stronghold.
It became much clearer.
Assuming a ranged attack, how much power would it have?
Frieren immediately thought of saturation bombardment.
"Just as Melina said, start with ranged strikes. Remember to record the strike's effect and force; I'll need it later."
"Understood," Moongrum and Edgar replied.
In actuality, they had long prepared for a protracted siege, as dictated by the terrain, which wasn't conducive to large-scale deployment.
Moreover, this approach allowed them to leverage the advantage of Healing Magic, eliminating fears of high casualties for the attacking force.
The undisputed foremost Healing Mage of the Lands Between was the commander-in-chief.
Another new Demigod, Melina, was visibly a powerful Incantation user.
In terms of physical healing, she was probably not inferior to Frieren.
With the two of them working together, what losses were there to fear?
If they engaged in direct, large-scale combat, the Demigods, each busy slaying enemies, would have no time to cast healing spells, wasting a valuable opportunity.
Thus, a steady, deliberate tactic would better highlight their strengths.
Next, Frieren witnessed the dense array of siege weaponry beginning to be assembled.
Those who had carried the 'heavy goods' all the way were basically just carrying equipment.
In reality, just the food supplies would be enough to torment logistics personnel, whereas in the Lands Between, simple resupply is generally unnecessary, as they can fight for months without food or water.
It is said that during the Shattering War, the Lord's Alliance besieged Leyndell, Royal Capital for years, a considerably long period.
Take it slow.
Frieren mentally prepared herself.
At her command, the Southern Army mobilized.
Trebuchets were raised on the spot, groaning as they were continuously calibrated.
The first wave consisted of fireballs mixed with dry grass and fuel, which soared through the air and landed on the hillside, creating raging flames for a time.
The Albinaurics concealed within were transformed into burning figures, struggling, wailing, and roaring, yet unable to extinguish the raging flames.
As the next wave arrived, the air was distinctly filled with fireflies.
Bang!
The fireballs became increasingly accurate, exploding upwards along the mountain path.
The immensely strong Trolls could hurl projectiles hundreds of meters into the sky.
If that wasn't enough, they could deploy Earth Dragons, or even have them assist in the throws.
The Southern Army, possessing several large-bodied unit types, did not fear long-range combat, and would only become more accurate with time.
Stormhawks, possessing speed, keen sight, and agility, soared forth at Frieren's whistle.
These powerful creatures could only act in unison under her command.
Even though she couldn't train animals herself.
They cried out in the air, circling a specific spot, signifying a target.
Wherever they passed, fireballs exploded.
The two sides cooperated seamlessly, creating maximum efficient damage.
Edgar exclaimed, "The Storm-King's army should be unstoppable like this! It's a pity that during Godrick's reign, the Stormhawks gradually left. They only returned when Your Majesty ruled Stormveil Castle. Indeed, the creatures of the Lands Between possess intuitive wisdom; they will be good helpers."
"So, we must protect the Stormhawks. I anticipate the Mohgwyn Dynasty's counterattack will come soon."
Frieren pointed far off to a war chariot.
On the ground, the Albinaurics were frantically adjusting their elevation.
Swish!
One deadly arrow after another streaked past.
Fortunately, the Stormhawks were agile and small enough; had they been Flying Dragons, they might have already been hit multiple times.
But it wasn't over.
From the mountaintop temple, Blood Crows soared out.
A swarm of dark crow monsters relentlessly pursued them, engaging the Stormhawks in an aerial chase, pecking, clawing, and colliding into a chaotic brawl.
Amidst the ringing of a Spirit Calling Bell, a Magic Archer appeared.
She nodded, then drew her bow and nocked an arrow, causing those around her to stare in puzzlement.
What was happening?
Was she aiming from here?
That seemed too amateurish.
However, given that she was a Spirit Ash summoned by Frieren, everyone was unsure of her true skill level.
They then watched Latenna release the bowstring from an extremely distant range, and the arrow shot out like a streak of light.
Thwack!
It precisely struck the eye of a Blood Crow, hitting its vital point squarely, causing it to wobble and lose balance.
The nearby Stormhawks naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity.
After a flurry of attacks, it screeched and plummeted, undoubtedly dead.
Having scored a hit, Latenna continued to aim, never missing.
With her present, the Blood Crows' counterattack almost amounted to nothing, and the ground-based crossbow bolts were even more ineffectual.
She suppressed the enemy single-handedly.
"To think there's such a long-range Magic Archer," even Moongrum, with his composure, was astonished.
Latenna's decisive response reassured everyone.
Truly worthy of being a Spirit Ash valued by the Soul of Cinder King, she was indeed extraordinary.
Thus, maintaining their combat rhythm, the Southern Army then set the entire highland ablaze, with flames climbing up the roads.
For now, there was no need to consider advancing.
First, they would let the flames incinerate the Cursed Blood.
They didn't believe Mohg's Palace would remain unresponsive.
What Frieren wanted was for him to unveil his countermeasures.
Flames surged.
The Sanguine Nobles high up in the temple felt a wave of hot air washing over them, and involuntarily recoiled a few steps.
However, their movements were chaotic, with some even pushing downwards in confusion.
As a result, the transmission of orders became even more of a problem, leaving them with only minimal organization, dealing with things haphazardly.
"Why hasn't Commander Ansbach arrived yet?"
"I heard there was an attack incident at the temple, so he left..."
Right.
"His Majesty has been preparing for a summoning and couldn't attend to it, so we can only resist."
They looked at each other.
It was truly troublesome that such an incident occurred at a critical moment.
No one was clear about what exactly happened, but the outcome was that Ansbach left while the summoning ritual continued as planned.
Some rumors spoke of internal strife, even that the Empyrean Miquella was injured, but no one dared to elaborate.
The Mohgwyn Dynasty was precisely at a time when they needed to unite, but under pressure, they were full of oversights, which was not a good omen.
They could only brace themselves and push through.
"Withdraw the troops from the mountainside; don't incur needless losses. Concentrate forces to occupy the highland, establish a cordon and"
After some effort, they finally managed to contain the fire.
From afar, the Southern Army also observed the enemy advancing towards the high ground, a distance too great for trebuchets to easily hit.
Too high.
Frieren ordered, "First, rest and observe the trend of the fire's spread."
She preferred to act cautiously.
After all, she didn't have much comparable experience, so it was best to be careful.
Of course, this didn't mean idleness; the trebuchets quickly loaded massive boulders and even explosive fire pots during the lull, it was time to switch ammunition.
Even the throwers were changed.
Earth Dragons, possessing both weight and strength, one by one stood before the machinery and powerfully pulled the mechanisms.
The roaring boulders soared through the air, higher than ever before, plummeting onto the mountain peak with gravitational acceleration, splashing countless crushed stones.
Those affected were instantly mangled beyond recognition, dying without even a scream.
The massive boulders brought about roaring collapses and landslides.
What was once a steep slope transformed into a precipice, causing more Mohgwyn Dynasty
They watched helplessly as the boulders rained down.
Terrifyingly, fireballs reappeared, extending the flames further up the mountain peak.
The Southern Army's numerical superiority ensured that the trebuchets could remain active, continuously delivering relentless firepower, launching a massive number of projectiles onto the temple highland.
Latenna lowered her bow.
"It's done. Those Blood Crows are no longer a threat," she said.
As she spoke, the sky cleared.
"Good, I'll have the Stormhawks continue to provide targeting."
At Frieren's whistle, the Stormhawks, no longer hampered by the Blood Crows, soared higher.
Their keen eyes could spot any weak points or enemies hidden in cover.
Each time they circled, it led to a trebuchet assault.
As the attacks grew more frequent, the Earth Dragons became more proficient, unleashing stronger blows each time, destroying slopes, roads, and fortifications.
Although Mohgwyn Dynasty architecture was primarily stone, it couldn't withstand such relentless battering.
Rumble!
Suddenly, a massive landslide occurred on the temple highland, almost pouring down from the very summit of the mountain, flowing incessantly, with immense momentum.
"Could our firepower collapse an entire mountain?"
Upon closer inspection, they realized these rocks were mixed with Cursed Blood, actively charging forward under the impetus of magic.
Targeting the nearest enemies in the front lines, the unprepared frontline soldiers were instantly overwhelmed and vanished.
If it were merely a landslide, they might have been able to withstand it with their physical prowess, but it contained the corrosive power of Melded Blood.
Laughter erupted from the highland, pleased with the tactic that buried hundreds of enemies with a single strike.
However, a Minor Erdtree bloomed magnificently in the center of the battlefield, radiating brilliant light.
Wherever its radiance shone, it dispelled corruption, restoring all injured individuals to their original state.
Melina's timely support controlled the losses.
As she advised, a squad of knights rushed up to pull their allies from the rubble.
They were covered in dirt, but fortunately, no one was seriously harmed, and golden light of healing shimmered on each of them.
Frieren didn't even need to intervene; just her and her Minor Erdtree were enough to protect a section of the battlefield.
Even her own allies were taken by surprise.
"I never expected your healing incantations to be so potent," Moongrum, who had witnessed many spells, admitted admiringly.
"You must possess extremely high faith."
"I merely strive to help the creatures of the Lands Between as much as I can."
Melina's Minor Erdtree greatly invigorated the Southern Army.
Now they had one less worry and could attack with confidence.
Combined with the renowned Soul of Cinder King's Healing Magic, it was practically an excess of recovery resources.
A battlefield is a straightforward place; as long as you are strong enough, you will earn everyone's recognition, and merit holds the most weight.
Her current contributions were enough to be called pivotal.
Very well.
Frieren had originally intended to act personally, but entrusting it to Melina was more suitable for her to shine.
Frieren simply conserved her strength; the strong blood aura detected from the enemy ranks was worth her full effort.
Thus, from beginning to end, the silver-haired girl remained outwardly calm, seemingly witnessing everything with little presence.
But the soldiers knew that once the King entered the fray, it signaled the intense phase of battle.
She commanded, "Maintain distance from the highland; don't rush the attack. Even after we've bombarded them sufficiently, there might not be a clear path."
"For now, prioritize siege, and see how many tricks the Mohgwyn Dynasty has up its sleeve. Set it ablaze."
The Southern Army proactively withdrew some soldiers who had planned to assault the slopes.
Now, mere rolling stones couldn't harm them.
It's very complicated.
I don't think we'll see him for a while.
The Mohgwyn Dynasty soldiers were in agony.
Explosions were frequent, deafening roars assailed their eardrums, and their faces were cut by flying debris...
Crucially, most of their allies were berserk Albinaurics and Blood creatures, lacking any significant organization.
They couldn't even react to the flames in time.
The defending force required a higher level of organizational discipline.
Yet they lacked it.
Strict discipline, conversely, was fully evident in the Southern Army.
This meant their own options were compressed to the extreme, leaving only one method: Fortify their positions and fight a protracted, defensive battle.
The Sanguine Nobles proactively cast magic, using blood to irrigate the ground, forcibly containing the spread of the flames.
Simultaneously, high walls rose, encircling the fortress, while a large quantity of rubble became natural building material for constructing solid defenses.
They were busy constructing defenses right under the Southern Army's nose.
Although the Earth Dragons were using the trebuchets until they were almost smoking, the elevation was nearing its limit.
The upper part of the temple highland was ultimately a blind spot for firepower.
Ordinary methods couldn't reach it, and those that could were too wasteful.
"Your Majesty, it seems we'll have to put in some effort," Edgar assessed.
"The siege will be more grueling than imagined; it's entering a stalemate."
"No rush. Consider this a rehearsal for the Battle of Leyndell."
Moreover, Frieren's intuition told her that Mohg was not the type to fight conservatively.
______
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