Something feels off.
Startled, Frieren relied on her years of honed battlefield intuition to leap away, dodging a tail swipe from the Divine Beast Dancing Lion.
Strange. Why did its "hindquarters" suddenly extend? And it was clear she hadn't just hit one person.
At first, she thought it was just one or two people with a few fakes, making it seem like several members were hidden under the red robe. Now it seems there are several Horned Folk experts coordinating seamlessly inside.
Her Carian Slicer shook the blood from its blade, then suddenly transformed into Carian Piercer, lunging across a twenty-meter distance.
It passed through with ease, as expected. The body's movements were clearly not those of a single person.
As Frieren probed it a few more times, her companions also understood. The enemy wasn't the type that could be taken down with a critical strike, because killing one or two wouldn't affect the lion's movements.
They had encountered their strangest opponent yet—a patched-together monster! It couldn't be judged with conventional thinking; misjudging the situation would cost them their lives. They couldn't be careless.
Pounce!
The Divine Beast Dancing Lion attacked again, which was what Frieren wanted. She almost simultaneously drank from her flask, buffed by a Hardtear that repels attacks, to engage it in a contest of strength.
The blade scraped against its teeth, sending sparks flying. Their feet gouged furrows into the ground, and every step sent stone and soil scattering.
It gradually understood that if it didn't take the initiative, the silver-haired girl was more than happy to draw things out, being a warrior with a defensive counter-attack style.
And Frieren did indeed respond to the attack.
The Dark Moon Greatsword swept across the lion's head. It swung its tail around, and from under the cover of the red robe, a hand shot out and grabbed her staff. Immediately after, a foot emerged, delivering a simple yet threatening martial arts kick.
At the critical moment, Frieren raised her own leg and retaliated with a Senpou Kick, their skills evenly matched.
CRACK!
After the clash, both sides closed the distance again for close-quarters combat. Despite the vast stage, they seemed stuck together, neither letting the other go to harass the other combatants on the periphery.
"Why isn't it coming for us? Is it ignoring us?" Freyja asked impatiently.
Melina replied, "Frieren is actively blocking its other potential attack routes, preventing it from interfering with us over here."
"...I see. What marvelous footwork."
After calming down and observing carefully, Freyja understood that the silver-haired girl's constant movement was a form of containment. Even if it meant reducing the frequency of her magic use, she had to keep a firm watch on the enemy's movements.
Because it was too unusual, she couldn't let it get away, lest it cause some unforeseen variables.
A good tactic. Her movement was breathtaking, relying entirely on superb physical conditioning, reflexes, judgment, and experience to handle such a complex situation.
"But we should get ready," Leda warned.
"The Horned Folk should have realized by now."
Her two companions watched the battlefield with furrowed brows.
No warning was needed. The soaring, wrathful magic said it all. The Divine Beast Dancing Lion was drawing on the magic of this ritual ground, absorbing a massive amount of energy in a single instance, causing its aura to spike.
Deep within their souls, a voice seemed to echo: "This is the place where the Horned Folk descend."
The Dancing Lion shall punish the invaders.
Empowered thus, it stomped fiercely, striking the Dark Moon Greatsword and sending Frieren flying. It was less of a direct hit and more like being swept up by a gale, giving her no time to resist.
However, the silver-haired girl, light as a swallow, immediately twisted her body, dispersing the force in mid-air before landing steadily on the ground.
Outwardly unharmed, her internal organs were actually shaken. The force was immense; anyone else would have been broken apart on the spot. Not to mention twisting in the air to disperse the force and break her fall; if there had been additional fall damage, her combat effectiveness would have been greatly reduced.
"Did it infuse its attack with elemental power? That would consume too much magic, unless it's being supplied by the home field advantage."
Frieren hit the nail on the head.
The magic of the entire stage converged on a single point, resonating with the master of ceremonies at its center.
Over many years, the Tower Settlement had conducted countless rituals. The residual energy from them swirled overhead, even letting out the cries of souls.
Now, summoned and mobilized in unison, how could it not be powerful? It was an indisputable, absolute home-field advantage, a burial ground prepared for its enemies.
The lion's head seemed to reveal a savage grin, expecting to see a look of despair on the invader's face, but her expression remained as calm as still water.
Fighting spirit flickered in Frieren's eyes.
WHOOSH!
An opposing pressure was fully released. Frieren, who had always trained to conceal her aura, completely unleashed her magic, preparing for the fierce battle that had now arrived.
The Divine Beast flinched slightly, its shock palpable even through the mask.
Only the Horned Folk, who were highly sensitive to souls, knew that beneath the layered shell of magic lay a soul as scorching as fire, capable of burning and creating worlds, though it was hidden very deep.
The power the silver-haired girl now wielded was a pure and magnificent extension of that soul.
"A King's Soul?"
It uttered the name involuntarily. Any creature that witnesses such great power would spontaneously look upon it with reverence.
The next moment, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion suppressed its wavering and let out a long roar that shook the heavens. No matter the opponent, it had to give its all.
Immediately after, the lion's head opened its great maw and spewed a cloud of grayish-black dust, something between energy and mass. It was fast, released in a single breath as it skimmed along the ground.
Even Frieren didn't have time to block and was forced to dodge. Her dodge sent the grayish-black dust rushing toward her teammates behind her.
A golden light shone as the purest of incantation magic neutralized it.
As Melina acted, Leda and Freyja beside her also unleashed sword beams, but unfortunately, their trajectories were deflected by the gales surrounding the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, and they missed.
A Scion of Gold!
The magic revealed the one-eyed maiden's lineage, enraging the Horned Folk.
First, Marika had used them as a stepping stone to godhood, then her descendant Messmer led the holy war to slaughter them, and now another of her scions was guiding a powerful enemy to invade?
She deserved a thousand deaths! No matter what, she had to be utterly destroyed.
The Divine Beast Dancing Lion leaped high, riding a long wind, the grayish-black dust swirling around its body like a tornado.
It aimed for its target with an unstoppable dive, its mind free of distractions. Only a focused, pinpoint revenge could wash away its towering hatred.
Suddenly, a moonlight flame flared!
Frieren, holding a fully charged Dark Moon Greatsword with both hands, blocked its path. She swung the greatsword down with all her might like a falling crescent moon, prophetically predicting the beast's movements and landing a vicious blow on its head. In an instant, blood splattered.
The sword beam shot out, tearing through the stone pillars of the promenade surrounding the stage with unabated force, sending ripples of destruction across the Tower Settlement as a tremendous sound echoed.
The arrogant Divine Beast was brought to a dead stop.
Immediately after, the silver-haired girl created a Gavel of Haima and smashed it upwards against the beast's chin, forcing its head back and leaving its abdomen wide open, nearly causing it to lose its balance.
Comet Azur.
Seizing the opportunity, Frieren mercilessly unleashed a fierce assault. The azure torrent she placed before Melina was an insurmountable wall, forcefully knocking back the rage-fueled Horned Folk.
"Are you alright?" Frieren asked, looking back with concern.
Melina immediately replied, "I'm fine. I just didn't expect its hatred to be so great that it would ignore your magic."
"Strictly speaking, I have no grievance with the Horned Folk. The grudges of the Land of Shadow have nothing to do with me. But if you harm my maiden, then it becomes my business. And you will die here."
"Lightless One!"
The response that came to them was a roar that reverberated through their souls, laced with surging magic.
Taking a full Comet Azur head-on had dealt considerable damage to the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, but it didn't affect its combat ability in the slightest, once again demonstrating the quality of its tough physique.
"It's very strange. The spirit-channeling ritual can make it suddenly stronger. Its burst power is unpredictable, so stay back."
She took a step forward as she warned her teammates.
The sight of the silver-haired girl standing at the forefront was reassuring. Even Leda and Freyja had to admit that allying with the Lord of Cinder was the right choice. Otherwise, they would never have made it past the Tower Settlement, and would have had to retreat.
But the Divine Beast Dancing Lion would not allow anyone to stay out of the fight.
It suddenly stood up and began to spin in place, spewing out countless clouds of grayish-black dust that actively sought out all targets along the ground.
Although the move's posture was rather bizarre and had a theatrical flair, its lethality was not diminished in the slightest.
The moment she was touched by it, Melina felt her soul tremble and quickly warned, "Be careful. It's not just an energy attack; it's also mixed with the energy of the spirit-channeling ritual. Don't meet it head-on."
"Then I'll interrupt it."
Upon hearing this, Frieren used Rock Sling, sending boulders flying toward the beast spewing with its head held high. The latter didn't underestimate the attack and immediately ceased its magic.
Of course, once released, the attack would persist for a while.
It could be sustained by the energy of the stage itself.
Freyja and Leda were the most affected. Lacking magical means of their own, they could only retreat for the time being, forced out of the center of the battlefield.
Now the Divine Beast Dancing Lion no longer had to worry about sudden harassment from their sword beams.
Even if they were a bit weaker, they couldn't be taken down quickly, especially with the Scion of Gold providing support.
The main target was still the silver-haired girl with demi-human features; she was the core of the entire team. As long as she was killed—no, as long as she was seriously wounded, the entire team would falter and show an opening.
The sudden question made her pause for a moment, and she asked back in confusion:
"You're the first Horned Folk to ask for my name since I arrived in the Land of Shadow. Are you this curious even with a mortal enemy?"
"Because the weaker Horned Folk cannot see through your essence. A holder of a King's Soul must be special. You are a worthy opponent to be remembered."
"Frieren."
The crisp answer was accompanied by her ever-rising magic. Since it could perceive some of her soul's reaction, the Dancing Lion also knew her strength.
But what did it matter? Which top-tier powerhouse in The Lands Between wouldn't fight upon seeing an enemy? Without the fearless conviction to win, she would never have reached her current level.
Runes are held by the victor, and they respond to an iron will. No matter the opponent, once the fighting spirit is ignited, it cannot be extinguished until death.
"I am merely the guardian of the Tower Settlement."
More powerful than the Divine Beast Dancing Lion's calm reply was its tensing body. The torso beneath the red robe fully extended.
Giving its all.
It had a premonition that today it would face an unprecedented challenge. With the resolve to die, it made its judgment as a group with a single unified will. Minds linked, in perfect sync, they could only trust each other. Fight to the last moment.
The next moment, both sides charged forward simultaneously, closing the distance with lightning speed.
To ensure the effectiveness of her Soul Stream, Frieren attacked first. As expected, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion tilted its head to dodge, but the trajectory immediately curved and swung back around.
Does such control over magic even exist in this world?
Astonished, it still reacted, raising its body and kicking off the ground to leap over the attack.
So agile.
The silver-haired girl furrowed her brow as she watched it spew grayish-black dust in mid-air. This time, however, it was repelled by Thops's Barrier.
Since both were soul-based in nature, perhaps it could be absorbed as well. As the barrier reverberated, she was already planning her next move.
She flipped, twisted at her waist, stomped her foot, and clapped her hands, absorbing the Divine Beast Dancing Lion's magic. Then she raised both hands, condensing a blade of light.
Carian Retaliation.
A powerful slash came down. The enemy, having just landed, had no time to dodge and instead opened its great maw, clamping its sharp teeth down hard on Frieren's blade. The two forces collided, instantly stirring up a storm of magic.
Both sides had thought to engage in a contest of strength, but their power surpassed the materials themselves. A crisp crack was heard.
The teeth of the lion mask fractured, and the Glintstone forming the greatsword shattered into stardust.
One retracted its fangs and swung its tail; the other dispelled its blade and unleashed a barrage of comets. Their moves flowed seamlessly, decisive, fast, and accurate, with only determination in their steps.
The lion's roar and brilliant magic intertwined in the sky.
Both were veterans of countless battles. This high-speed combat was a test of fundamentals, especially their understanding of their own powers.
It looked as fluid and graceful as flowing water, pleasing to the eye, yet the flashes of blades and spells were like a torrential downpour.
"Magnificent."
Freyja, though covered in dust from the aftershocks, was full of spirit, exclaiming frequently with admiration.
To witness such powerful combatants—and a deathmatch between two who were so well-matched—was enough to inspire her own fighting skills. It was a true honor. Coming to the Land of Shadow was the best choice she had ever made.
"You should still be careful," Leda reminded her.
Just then, another shockwave swept over them, as fast as a thunderclap, leaving no room to dodge.
Fortunately, Melina used the Rejection incantation in time to neutralize it. Otherwise, given the power of the two at the center of the battle, even the aftershocks would have caused injury.
"Let's get further away. A larger impact is coming."
Chaos Flame!
Using the gales from the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, she simply embraced it with the flame that births demons. In an instant, the sky filled with fiery clouds, and droplets of magma even began to fall from the heavens.
Unlike Frieren's past, more superficial uses, she was now fully utilizing the magma's properties, vowing to scour the entire stage.
Previously, she had been limited by the battlefield, but this time she had no such concerns.
Blood-red magma poured down from high above, lifted by Gravity Magic and then released.
It was equivalent to casting two top-tier spells without a focus, yet Frieren directed it toward her target as an extension of her own arm. More accurately, it was an inverted flood of magma.
SPLASH!
In an instant, the ground melted. The Divine Beast Dancing Lion at the center was no exception, drenched from head to toe, letting out a sorrowful scream.
The outer robes were gradually burned to tatters. Its flesh and blood body, far from diminishing, swelled up with grotesque chunks of meat.
Then, the silver-haired girl snapped her fingers, and the large chunks of meat exploded, causing further damage.
She detonated it early to avoid birthing a demon, as it was Chaos Flame, after all. But it was more than enough for the enemy to handle.
The beast, so full of life just a moment ago, was now rolling on the ground in pain. It struggled into the air and roared another summons.
Spirit-channeling, again.
The soul magic within the Tower Settlement's stage was rapidly drained, creating a mighty wind that even suppressed the burning Chaos Flame.
Frieren's brow furrowed slightly. She didn't fight it to the end, but instead proactively reined in her magic and pulled away.
This was the aura of a phase transition. No need to clash head-on; first, see how the enemy would react.
"ROAR!"
The Divine Beast Dancing Lion rose into the air, its wounds healing under the protection of soul power, its presence terrifying.
It actually gave off the divine atmosphere of a being riding the clouds.
Only now did it live up to its name, facing its foe in its absolute prime. Since it had come to this, it would bet everything it had accumulated so far in a single, desperate gamble.
A clap of thunder lit up the castle.
Brilliant golden lightning flew toward Frieren's position at a speed impossible to react to. There was no warning; one could only see the lion raise its hand and summon the thunderbolt, which prioritized casting speed even more than Sunlight Spear or Lightning Spear.
Hmph!
At the last possible moment, she used her blade to draw the lightning, as if absorbing its energy, taking it all in and returning it.
Unfortunately, the lightning had no effect on the Dancing Lion. The beast was momentarily stunned, not expecting a technique that could reflect lightning, but it wasn't discouraged and immediately sent a faster, more powerful bolt.
Since the reversal was ineffective, Frieren had no choice but to dodge. The option to block never existed in the first place. Clashing head-on with the lightning element would only disperse the elemental damage, which wasn't worth it.
The silver-haired girl dodged lightly.
ZAP!
However, the lightning that missed struck the ground and actively spread into a conducting web of electricity. It expanded rapidly like a cage, tendrils of lightning sweeping in all directions, naturally including Frieren who was not far away. She was caught off guard and hit.
Her two layers of close-range protection, her armor and Twisting Light Wall, only weakened it slightly. Her skin immediately burned hot, and her muscles went numb.
So the Divine Beast Dancing Lion's lightning had a spreading effect.
With her body lagging for a moment, she could only manage a minimal block with her arms, tensing her entire body and activating the Ash of War: Endure.
As expected, a shadow charged at her the next moment.
With a deafening boom.
The silver-haired girl, wreathed in lightning, was sent flying backward, crashing into the stage wall. The sturdy fortifications that had stood for a hundred years couldn't withstand the aftershock and collapsed.
"Frieren, are you alright?" Faster than Melina's concern was the light of the Minor Erdtree.
The next moment, a familiar figure emerged from the ruins.
The silver-haired girl's armguards peeled off her arms in layers, shattered to pieces. Her chestplate also bore bite marks, and sharp teeth had left bloody imprints on her body. It wasn't just a simple charge; there was also a full-power bite.
"Don't worry about me. Stop the healing, quickly. It's about to use a wide-area spell."
As the light of the Minor Erdtree tried to shine down, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion stood upright and spun in place, its bloody maw spewing a continuous beam of lightning.
Roar!
The thunder fell to the ground and spread, splashing into the air, flowing over the walls, indiscriminately striking everything in sight.
This is bad. It's completely unavoidable.
Even though Melina's group of three was on the outskirts of the battlefield, they couldn't afford to relax.
If they were hit by the same attack that struck Frieren, they likely wouldn't survive. Their physical constitution couldn't compare to a Lord of Cinder.
But Leda and Freyja still stood in front, sweeping away the first wave of lightning. They had to protect the healer.
One round of defense was met with an even stronger force from the Divine Beast Dancing Lion.
"You all did well. That was enough time."
Before her words faded, Frieren raised her hand and created Eternal Darkness. A purple-black void absorbed all the magic on the field, swallowing rivers and mountains, encompassing everything, taking it all in.
With her other hand, she drew a lightning spear from it, as if extracting the Horned Folk's incantation and making it her own power.
Impossible!
Deep shock flashed in the eyes of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion.
How could she cast spells with both hands simultaneously without a focus, performing fine-tuned operations with a divided mind? It was a divine skill, something unheard of.
"You've never seen Night Sorcery, have you? And lightning isn't exclusive to you."
At the same time, a long lightning spear formed in her hand. Frieren planted her feet, her waist like a fully drawn longbow.
She powerfully threw the lightning spear with a whip of her arm.
At this point, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion could only meet the attack head-on, summoning its own lightning in response.
The sky exploded. The dense storm clouds reflected the projections of a person and a lion, their figures crossing as if fighting in a gladiatorial arena.
When the lightning spear's shockwave spread, the clouds parted, and light shone down. Not even the veil of shadow could block the clear sky.
People couldn't help but look up and see a deep blue appear in the sky above Belurat, the Tower Settlement. It shifted from pure to profound, slowly sprinkling down the dregs of magic.
Who?
The surviving Horned Folk wandering the Gravesite Plain knelt and prayed.
They recognized the unique aura of the Divine Beast. There was no mistaking it. It must have been facing an extremely dangerous situation to have unhesitatingly used its spirit-channeling at maximum power, and even then, it still hadn't dealt with the enemy.
The Dancing Lion was one of the few remaining powerhouses of the Horned Folk civilization that could still move freely, and it was also a symbol of their spiritual leadership.
Excluding the warriors sealed in the Spiral Tower, it was the most important.
"May the spirits protect us..."
The abnormal behavior of the Horned Folk did not escape the eyes of the holy war army. They hadn't expected a glimmer of hope in a war that had been at a stalemate.
A major reason the war had halted was that Belurat, the Tower Settlement, was too tough a nut to crack.
Compared to the sealed Spiral Tower and the burned Fire-Kissed Ruins, there was no need to keep banging their heads against it.
Moreover, the holy war army had plenty of its own problems, so the matter was gradually set aside, remaining a thorn in their side.
Now that someone was helping to clean it up, it was, of course, good news.
"Who's so audacious? We have no intelligence about a large-scale army, so the intruders are merely a small squad? Daring to barge into the Tower Settlement."
"The number of people doesn't matter. Judging by this magical reaction, it's at least a divine being."
"Quick, find out who they are!"
"There's no need to rush. Victory is the prerequisite for everything. If they die in the Tower Settlement, it's all meaningless."
With its vast army, the holy war army had confidence. Although they had been stymied for a long time, that was different from being defeated and wiped out.
They still retained a powerful, organized military force, the strongest faction in the Land of Shadow. In the war thousands of years ago, the holy war army didn't even suffer significant losses. Their edge was still sharp.
They had only lost their organization, but now a spark of fighting spirit had been ignited. Perhaps the time had come for them to fight again.
BOOM!
In the final phase of the aftershock, another loud explosion rocked the area, blowing apart the stone pillars of the promenade surrounding the stage and leaving a scene of devastation. Immediately after, two charred, smoking figures retreated separately, nearly losing their balance and revealing an opening.
The three spectators—Melina, Leda, and Freyja—were stunned. What was the result of this battle?
Both sides had been reduced to charred lumps, making it difficult to discern any signs of life.
The clash of lightning spears just now was too extreme. Neither side could gain an advantage based on their elemental properties.
Even the physique of a divine being couldn't withstand that, could it?
____
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