A wild speculation, to be sure. Yet upon closer thought, Melina found Frieren's guess quite reasonable.
After all, with so many examples laid out before them, a Demigod attempting to discard their body was by no means an easy feat. Moreover, they both knew that Miquella, even with forethought, likely abandoned his body in haste.
Regardless, Ansbach's attack had indeed caused him trouble. Now, the chief Blood Knight, though enchanted, had not betrayed his name of loyalty, leaving behind a turning point that would eventually take root.
Whoosh!
When Frieren tried to extract the bodily energy from it, it further dimmed, so she had to give up. It was too fragile, delicate, and a slight oversight could make it vanish completely. Best to leave it be for now.
"I can mostly confirm that Miquella discarding his body in the Land of Shadow is a ritual."
"What would compel such a great sacrifice?"
"In The Lands Between, guessing motives is too simple, especially for Demigods. What else could it be? Becoming Elden Lord, becoming a god—it's nothing new."
Melina nodded.
Although there was a lack of concrete evidence, everyone's goals were similar; it all came down to competition.
While examining Miquella's mark, Frieren also saw messages:
"Another one? Just leaving corpses everywhere?"
"Only the 3rd, but I already suspect the entire Land of Shadow is like this. A shame it has no other function, just letting me look at sights, and the sights are still just rocks. Very Souls-like."
"Finally reached this Site of Grace, why is a Tower Settlement full of resilient foes? Shouldn't it be a new map's starter village?"
"Default endgame stats, probably even more. Anyone who hits me takes me down in a few blows."
"So fragile."
"Before entering the Land of Shadow, I dressed flashy for aesthetics; now I'm fully armored for survival. Feels like any small monster can combo me to death. Is this right?"
"The default story progression should be for a prospective king or an Elden Lord Tarnished to come to the Land of Shadow, right?"
"You'll see lines that confirm it later."
"Decided, all points into survival. Heavy armor, Blasphemous Blade. If you're merciless, don't blame me for being unjust. Resilient foes like the Horned Warriors deserve a harsh lesson, beat them to their knees to burst their Runes."
"Hold on, the boss fog gate isn't far ahead."
"Definitely going to get thrashed, but I've prepared a perfect strategy, no matter who you are."
"Don't forget to explore every corner."
It was evident that everyone felt the pressure of the Land of Shadow. Enemies grew stronger, while they themselves weakened under the Land of Shadow's seal, making the disparity even greater.
Even Frieren felt unaccustomed, constantly constrained. This could only be remedied by slowly collecting Scadutree Fragments, a powerful isolation from a god and the Elden Ring, unshakeable.
At least in her Astrologer build, she could only diligently gather them.
Moreover, Miquella's hypnotic mark constantly emitted a faint charm, preventing Frieren from letting her guard down.
Buzz!
The crescent cross mark before her faintly glowed, accompanied by highly seductive psychic energy. Indeed, even the remaining physical body carried a similar effect, forcing her to take deep breaths and meditate for a moment to dispel it.
"...Such powerful holy hypnosis. If we don't find a countermeasure, future battles will be very troublesome."
Melina said with concern, "Your state is very dangerous; don't get too close to this energy. I can feel that your special powers are restless."
"It's fine, it happens often."
After rubbing her temples, Frieren took a deep breath to suppress the hypnosis.
Actually, Miquella's charm wasn't that severe; the key was that the byproduct was hard to bear, activating the Old God's presence. A slight carelessness and the opponent would seize the opportunity, so she had to be careful.
Therefore, she couldn't face Miquella in this state; she needed to make full preparations, provided she investigated thoroughly.
Since the silver-haired girl's expression returned to normal, Melina had nothing more to say, and walked alongside her.
The two proceeded together into the depths of the Tower Settlement.
The path ahead was uneventful. Facing the two Demigods fighting in concert, the remaining Belurat forces were no match, collapsing instantly.
Essentially, they advanced unimpeded, sweeping through like they owned the place, coming and going freely. They maintained prolonged coordinated combat, each covering the other, scouting, or engaging in ranged attacks and assassinations, cooperating seamlessly.
It was as if this was not their first expedition, but one they had experienced countless times.
Hearts in sync.
This wonderful sense of resonance brought joy. The world became clear, even the Land of Shadow's seal felt less oppressive, and the broad avenues of the Tower Settlement gradually opened before them.
Even Frieren and Melina spent most of the day thoroughly checking the castle.
It wasn't because the enemies were strong, but because they needed to be meticulous.
Everyone knew the style of a Lord of Cinder Tarnished was to thoroughly explore and treasure hunt an area before resting, and this new area was no exception.
Even small pots and jars caught the silver-haired girl's attention and were pocketed. Several times, she had to rely on the Site of Grace's storage function to avoid inventory overflow; otherwise, one person's haul would be enough for a small squad's supplies.
Melina was happy to see her partner enjoying the journey so much, and she herself felt relaxed.
She used to wander The Lands Between alone, never having the leisure to notice the world's beauty, always driven by her mission, constantly rushing back and forth.
Back then, she didn't feel tired. Thinking about it now, it was quite a busy life.
On reflection, perhaps Frieren's relaxed and optimistic demeanor had changed her, making her realize the importance of listening, seeing, and appreciating the myriad forms of beauty, until now she could even touch and feel warmth.
Previously, Melina thought the Mohgwyn Dynasty journey would satisfy her desire to fight alongside someone, and after that, it would just be retracing old steps.
Instead, she followed the Tarnished's footsteps to the Land of Shadow, a completely unheard-of region. Her brother Messmer was there, and so was the past.
How wonderful.
If she hadn't met Frieren, if Frieren hadn't been someone who genuinely cared for her, none of this would likely have happened. It was as if thousands of years of loneliness were for this companionship.
In her heart, Melina felt nothing about the past, neither sorrow nor joy; time began from the Chapel of Anticipation.
She silently watched the silver-haired girl clap her hands, tidying up the numerous spoils of war, and heading towards the highest point of the Tower Settlement.
"What? Are you tired?"
"No, just happy. Traveling with you is never tiring; you really are suited to be an adventurer."
"Seeing more just broadens the mind, that's all. I feel good too."
"Have you noticed? The environment of the Land of Shadow is even better preserved than The Lands Between. Once the two connect, it will lead to an increase in magic concentration."
Frieren's words were full of certainty; when she spoke, it meant she had decided to act.
Melina gazed at the colossal structure, which, though not comparable to the Golden Order, was still majestic, and murmured:
"It's too big. What power could destroy it?"
"There's always a way if you think about it."
As expected of Frieren, always possessing a "what's the worst that could happen" attitude, combining an adventurer's initiative with a researcher's rationality.
It would be even better if she could change her usual indolence and indifference.
Melina nodded and replied, "It should work, but it would require a very powerful flame. Igniting it and burning down the seal anchored to it would surely break the Land of Shadow's isolation."
"Are you so sure about using fire?"
"Yes, in The Lands Between, when thinking of destroying huge trees, one always needs a certain kind of flame."
As the Kindling Maiden, she had much to say, but this part of her mission was not worth mentioning. They had plenty of time to consider it; no need to explain everything and cause trouble.
Frieren nodded thoughtfully.
"I've also heard similar sayings: only a storm can fell a great tree."
The two walked and chatted, meeting Freyja and Sister Leda coming from another corridor. They quickly greeted each other.
They looked good. Although they were somewhat wounded and travel-worn, not being severely harmed in the perilous Tower Settlement was good news.
As expected of the Redmane and Gold Needle Knight's finest, they held their own even against Horned Warriors.
The squad, relying on their excellent strength, traversed the Horned Folk-infested territory and finally gathered before the final room. Not one more, not one less, everyone was present.
Melina casually offered a Healing Incantation to her two companions to restore them.
Sister Leda proactively said, "According to my investigation, just ahead is the front of the stage. Pushing open the stone doors leads to where the Divine Beast Dancing Lion resides."
"For years, it has served as an altar for offerings, gathering powerful spirit-channeling power, making it absolutely the enemy's home ground. Perhaps that's why it stayed put, waiting for us to come to them for revenge."
"We're on their turf."
Besides, she also shared some findings on the current state of the Horned Folk, detailing their distribution in the Land of Shadow.
Frieren, who had been lacking information, then learned that there was also a Frenzied Flame ruins at the bottom of a valley, a disaster once stirred up by the Horned Folk, burning down a forest comparable to an entire country.
The Horned Folk are truly terrible; how could they even provoke the Frenzied Flame?
The silver-haired girl and Melina exchanged glances, both showing cautious vigilance.
The Three Fingers of Frenzied Flame had long had their eyes on them.
Considering the power of a Frenzied Flame host capable of incinerating an entire country, it couldn't be ignored and would need thorough investigation eventually. Both driven by curiosity and the responsibility a future Elden Lord should bear.
"Thank you for the information, Sister Leda. Do you want to come in together?"
"With Her Majesty's strength, aren't you afraid we'd hold you back? After all, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion is at least a divine-tier enemy."
"Not at all, we are a team."
Although Frieren often fought alone, she didn't refuse team actions. Whether in real-world adventurers or The Lands Between's Tarnished, collaboration was highly common.
She believed that the strength of two heroic warriors was enough for self-preservation, far from holding them back.
Moreover, bringing them into battle was also a form of oversight; it was better to have them under her eye than in an unseen place, otherwise, wouldn't she worry about their movements during the fight with the Divine Beast Dancing Lion?
"Good!"
Freyja nodded firmly; she was the most eager for battle.
Melina, of course, followed the Tarnished's decision, nodding slightly and preparing a wisp of Healing Incantation. That aspect would be left to her.
Although the Lord of Cinder Tarnished's Sun Healing was renowned, it was of a miracle-tier that revived the dead and mended bones, with excessive healing power and too much waste. It was more cost-effective for her to handle regular healing.
"Are you all ready? Let's go."
Frieren, leading the way, pushed open the heavy double doors with both hands, with Melina, Sister Leda, and Freyja providing cover beside her.
After a rumbling sound, a spacious stage suddenly opened before their eyes.
Surrounding stone pillars formed a long corridor encircling the center, high points of majestic architecture, overlooking most of Belurat, the Tower Settlement.
The focal point was a lion with a huge head and long horns. Behind it, a dark-red long robe seemed to cover more than one person.
It was probably a ceremonial performance prop, but under the manipulation of multiple Horned Folk spirit-channelers, it was brought vividly to life.
"Roar!"
A low growl filled with anger, exuding a ferocious and terrifying atmosphere even through its mask.
As the Divine Beast Dancing Lion fully expanded its body, a vast wave of magic spread out, stirring up dust on the stage that stung their faces.
Their opponent was an entity more adapted to the Scadutree's protection.
Sister Leda's heart tightened with a quick glance. This was bad; a divine-tier creature under Scadutree standards was different, far more exaggerated than expected.
She and Freyja actively stepped back, with Melina, acting as support and incantation caster, in the middle. The vanguard could only be Frieren.
The silver-haired girl held her staff in her right hand and the Dark Moon Greatsword in her left, adopting a stance.
Simultaneously, the infuriated Divine Beast Dancing Lion charged forward, its body like a battering ram, biting down with unstoppable force.
Bang!
The upright Greatsword acted as a shield, squarely blocking the charge.
Soon, Sorcery: Collapsing Stars swept past in mid-air before smashing down again. The sheer force made Frieren's knee bend, almost shaking her balance.
Distribute stats to Strength!
The Divine Beast Dancing Lion, which had been confident of gaining an advantage, suddenly felt a powerful counterattack from its opponent, creating a deadlock of strength, neither giving way amidst their roars.
With a dull thud, the stage floor caved in half a meter deep. Unsuccessful, both parties retreated.
The Dancing Lion tilted its head and blinked its large eyes.
It needed to re-evaluate its enemy's capabilities. It couldn't be treated as a mere sorcerer; this was a top-tier Demigod with no weaknesses.
It had to be handled carefully, for if it fell, no one would be able to stop its rampage through the Tower Settlement.
Frieren, now steady, glanced at the web of her left thumb, where blood had formed under the skin.
The force was immense; the average physical prowess in the Land of Shadow was very strong.
If not for the infinite respec module available at any time, she would have had to roll, which would inevitably expose her teammates behind her.
Must draw it away.
Ancient Rancorcall wove into a dark cloud, pressing down with the dim sky.
The Dancing Lion easily avoided this slow magic. Its agile movements made it unconcerned even by tracking spells, deflecting them with a few leaps.
However, Frieren now actively pursued it.
The Dark Moon Greatsword continuously swung moonlight waves, forcing it to retreat.
Even though it guessed its enemy was creating space for a flanking maneuver to cover her companions, it was surprised by this overly direct tactic. Relying entirely on relentless offense to draw it away, is that it?
It had to be admitted that it was indeed effective; even the Divine Beast Dancing Lion was pushed back dozens of meters.
Frieren's frontal assault created pressure, and simultaneously, Sister Leda also took action, with a Gold Needle Pierce arriving through the air.
Swoosh!
It landed precisely on one of its legs, causing a momentary imbalance in its movements.
In that instant, the silver-haired girl's staff generated slender Glintstone crystals, and Sorcery: Carian Slicer's edge enveloped the area, striking from all directions.
Blood splattered, marking the enemy's first injury since the battle began.
____
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