The Land of Shadow truly nurtures its own; even the Magma Wyrms here seem more robust, their aura far superior.
"It would be nice if the Magma Wyrms raised in Stormveil Castle were this strong." Frieren's eyes lit up. "Could this be the result of a Dragon Communion ritual passed down from the Ancient Dragons?"
"Most likely. The Dragon Communion ritual has lost much key information through generations of transmission, as the original Ancient Dragons have not appeared in the world for a very long time."
"Let's test its mettle."
Before the silver-haired girl could make a move, the Magma Wyrm let out a preemptive, thunderous roar.
With its cry, the clattering sounds of bone echoed from the darkness. Several upright, dragon-like monsters appeared, wielding cleavers and long spears. Of course, they were accompanied by the ever-present living corpses, which swarmed to surround the uninvited guest.
Melina issued a reminder: "They are beasts that serve the Ancient Dragons, once granted civilization by Farum Azula."
"It is said that the sky city also served a funerary purpose, with vast piles of beast corpses symbolizing the Ancient Dragons' former hegemony over countless slaves."
Swoosh!
A beastman soldier leaped forward, only to be cut down by Frieren with a single Carian Slicer. Large-scale destructive magic was ill-suited for this confined space, so she shifted to the fighting style of a magic knight.
She could indeed feel that these servants of the Ancient Dragons were stronger than ordinary monsters.
Unfortunately, they were far from reaching a qualitative leap. Before a Demigod, it made no difference; they were all within the threshold for a one-hit kill.
The Magma Wyrm allowed Frieren to cut down several soldiers, using the opportunity to observe her cautiously.
That Ancient Dragon-Man had brought trouble.
Even in its muddled state, it retained basic instincts for judgment. It was obvious this long-eared, demi-human hybrid was no simple foe. Her reflexes, magic, and strength were all first-rate. Faced with a siege in an unfamiliar environment, she had turned the tables, causing these minions to crumble.
However, the rhythm of the battle was not for it to control. The moment Frieren eliminated the front rank of monsters, she immediately gave chase.
Clang!
A probing strike landed on the Magma Wyrm, exploding into glintstone fragments. The beast reeled back slightly before moving through a concealed part of the cave, shedding a few scales along the way but taking little damage.
"Its scales are much harder than Magma Wyrm Makar's."
Melina concurred, "It must be due to the unique dragon incantations of this place, which most likely originate directly from the Ancient Dragons."
"This trip was more than worth it."
Her hunter's spirit ignited, Frieren leaped and swiftly closed in on the Magma Wyrm. Its scales bristled and its muscles swelled, and it actually grew a size larger than before.
Nowhere to run. It decided to make a last stand, its larger size giving it the advantage.
ROAR!
The magma from its dragon breath instantly covered the entire cavern, a torrential flood pouring forth. An entire army standing in its path would likely be burned to ash on the spot—it was incredibly perilous. The heat washed over Frieren's face, sparks singeing strands of her hair, but she remained composed.
With the Stomp of the Divine Lion Dance, she slammed her foot down, raising a wave of ice no less powerful than the attack, pushing forth a glacier from where she stood.
An extreme exchange of hot and cold erupted within the confined space.
Even the solid rock couldn't withstand it, and a section of the cave immediately collapsed with a great crash.
Seizing the opportunity, the creature unexpectedly retreated instead of advancing, actively hiding within the falling rock to create distance as it sized up the intruder with deep apprehension. This was bad; it had misjudged her strength. This could be dangerous.
How could she be this strong?
An expert reveals their skill with a single move. The silver-haired girl's ability to effortlessly cast large-scale magic with a mere gesture indicated that her power was unfathomable. The slight advantage it held was not nearly enough to bridge the gap between them.
"You think too much," her voice echoed, "and do too little."
Suddenly, a gravity vortex appeared within the rubble, and the silver-haired girl stepped out from it, immediately following with a Carian Greatsword.
The massive blade made the Magma Wyrm cry out in pain. It stumbled backward, a ghastly, bleeding wound finally appearing on its body.
Frieren was still not satisfied. The feel was a bit off; it hadn't directly damaged its internal organs.
She had been controlling her power, using the standard for a Magma Wyrm from The Lands Between to gauge her target's defenses. It was indeed stronger than the ones raised in Stormveil Castle.
With no room left to retreat, it stopped retreating.
The enraged Magma Wyrm launched itself forward in a fierce charge, only to be met by a savage blow from the Executioner's Sword.
Clang!
The immense force struck its head, shaking its entire skull. Blood streamed from its orifices as its massive body was thrown back several steps, slamming into the rock wall.
It understood now. It never imagined its opponent would suddenly get serious.
Having ascertained the basic situation, Frieren no longer needed to test it and thus held nothing back, taking the opportunity to test the feel of her newly acquired weapon. Even without reinforcement, it was immensely threatening in her hands and not to be underestimated.
The Magma Wyrm scrambled awkwardly to its feet, then actually began to back away from the sword-wielding enemy approaching it.
Was it afraid? How pathetic. Disappointment flashed in Frieren's cool gaze.
The next moment, she used the footwork of a greatsword hunter to easily bypass a volley of fireballs, effortlessly closing the distance. The panicked Magma Wyrm slammed its back against the rock wall, its pupils widening to reflect a spiral of red light.
Eochaid's Dancing Blade!
The weapon skill, inherited from a foreign land, was executed with masterful ease. Its powerful, multi-hitting cuts brutally pierced through the scaled armor's defense and sank into the creature's vulnerable flesh.
A roiling sea of magic shredded its organs. A jolt of pain, and then it lost consciousness.
The Magma Wyrm fainted, but the attack did not stop.
The spiraling red light erupting from the sword dance shot straight through the target, twisting and tearing its massive body. Flesh and blood flew everywhere, leaving not a single part of it intact from head to tail. The cave walls were splattered with shredded meat, as if the area had been washed in blood.
Obtained [Dragon Heart], [Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone]
It was a minor gain, but more importantly, she had confirmed the power of the Executioner's Sword. Worthy of its legendary status, it was highly effective at amplifying and conducting magic.
Setting down her sword, Frieren scanned her surroundings. There were basically no monsters left; the cave was quiet and clean.
"Shall we continue through?"
"The Ancient Dragon-Man's whereabouts are still unknown. He must be hiding. We need to find him."
"I observed the structure of the Dragon's Pit just now. Comparing it with the map, our current position is at a higher elevation. The path to Jagged Peak is not on the same plane; we should head down."
Melina pointed to the map, making her judgment.
Although the map didn't detail the specific layout of the Dragon's Pit, the general topography remained unchanged, and the interconnected areas allowed for deduction. This was thanks to the incredibly detailed military map provided by Castle Ensis, which had everything.
If they wanted to take this route, they had to go deeper into the cave, towards the steps illuminated by the faint candlelight below.
The path twisted and turned, its destination unknown, creating an oppressive feeling in the enclosed environment.
Frieren, however, didn't mind. She nodded and took the lead, forging ahead and picking up some scattered items along the way. Melina was used to this by now; it was her consistent style.
"It's this short?"
Suddenly, she turned and pointed ahead to an abrupt, deep pit that seemed to sever the path.
"There are signs of a collapse here. It must have been left by an earthquake long ago."
Having witnessed numerous topographical shifts in The Lands Between, Melina offered a professional assessment. Nothing could be seen from the edge of the pit, just a mass of darkness. The faint light couldn't illuminate its staggering depth.
She tossed a stone down, and for a long time, there was no sound…
Thump!
After several breaths, an echo finally returned. At least they could confirm there was ground below, and it was shallower than the great crater.
Once you've seen the most magnificent meteor crater in The Lands Between, you don't startle easily. By comparison, this was merely a slightly steeper vertical passage. Of course, the decision rested with Frieren. Turning back, Melina saw the silver-haired girl examining the text on a nearby stone tablet.
"Show courage without fear," she read aloud, then stepped to the edge of the deep pit.
She then put away her staff, stretched her limbs, and without a moment's hesitation, leaped.
"Wait a min—!"
Melina didn't even have time to utter a warning. Seeing her partner press forward with such gusto, a risk of this magnitude was nothing to her; she would jump into a mountain of knives or a sea of fire all the same.
After only a moment of hesitation, she too followed, jumping in.
For someone without flight abilities like Gravity Magic, plunging blindly was very dangerous, but she had absolute faith in Frieren's abilities. If they encountered real danger, she was certain Frieren could catch her.
Unexpectedly, there was no sensation of a hard fall. Her body felt light as a feather, as if held aloft by a gust of wind.
"There's residual gravity in the pit. Did you notice that from the start?"
"No, I just saw we had to jump, so I jumped."
The exasperating reply came from below. Honest enough. When it came to exploration, Frieren was both cautious and utterly reckless.
Thud!
The first sound echoed from the bottom.
Melina landed next, the feeling of solid ground exhilarating. Looking around, she saw the silver-haired girl pointing into the distance. Following her gaze, Melina saw the Ancient Dragon-Man approaching with a menacing great-katana.
He stood in a vast, empty hall. Behind him was an arched, oval stone gate from which a gusting wind could be heard, most likely an exit leading to the other side.
"Actually, I didn't have to block the way here. You could have passed by, and we could have gone our separate ways."
Frieren didn't answer, instead forming a Carian Slicer with an icy expression.
I will kill you.
Having been attacked for no reason, there was no logic in letting it go. You started it, and now we fight to the death. Sensing this resolve, the Ancient Dragon-Man's eyes grew heavy. He planted his Drake-Knight's Great-Katana and took a stance, ready for battle.
If possible, he really didn't want to fight someone with the aura of a battle maniac, but he couldn't survive otherwise. He had to kill her.
He wasn't without a chance. He had absorbed a mouthful of the Dragon Communion magic here, and a short rest had brought his Ancient Dragon transformation closer to completion. This blade was also ready. It was worth a try.
So he chose to strike first.
A red sword aura bloomed, hurtling down from above.
The sudden change in tactics made Frieren's gaze turn cold, but she still parried with swift hands and sharp eyes.
Thops's Barrier perfectly deflected the attack, sending the long rainbow of light back the way it came, now accompanied by the sword beam from her own Carian Slicer. This time, it was the Ancient Dragon-Man's turn to be shocked, and he scrambled to dodge with an awkward roll.
It wasn't over. She quickly shifted to the stance for Adula's Moonblade.
Frost swept past.
The rolling Ancient Dragon-Man was inevitably cut, a layer of frost coating his back, even seeping through skin and bone into his organs. In his urgency, he could only use flame to protect his body and counteract it, simultaneously taking out an Estus Flask and draining it.
That momentary opening was exactly what she wanted.
Almost simultaneously, she used Miriam's Vanishing to teleport before him. While Frieren was still an afterimage, she had already unleashed Carian Piercer.
His barely recovered body was pierced through, forcing him to vomit everything he had just drunk.
Damn it!
At the last possible second, the Ancient Dragon-Man back-stepped into the air, repeating his old trick by roaring out a plume of dragon breath. The searing stream of magma enveloped the silver-haired girl's figure.
He had been charging this for a while, finally emptying his suppressed magic. This move was incredibly powerful, melting the stone floor of the entire hall. The high temperature made it impossible to breathe, and it seemed as if molten iron was dripping from the ceiling.
The result was a floating gravity orb that parted all the magma.
The flames parted, paving a path as if to welcome Frieren's arrival, leaving a wide-open gate pointing straight at the caster.
Zamor Ice Storm!
The battle scene from the snowfields seemed to replay itself in this moment. As the silver-haired girl waved her staff and created a frigid tornado, she became like a blizzard, her form blurring and vanishing along with her silver hair. In its place came a crushing, overwhelming force.
In that instant, the ice actually froze the magma.
Pure elemental attributes were never what mattered; what mattered was the power of the user.
His plan to use the home-field advantage or even cause a cave-in to ensure neither of them had an easy time had been seen through. No, there was no tactical game here, only pure power.
The difference in their magic was like that between the clouds and the mud.
Their fighting styles both leaned towards elemental exchanges. While it seemed one could gain an advantage through counters, it was actually a test of the caster.
Thus far, Frieren had displayed overwhelming superiority in reflexes, skill, and application, rendering all of the Ancient Dragon-Man's tactics useless. It made his heart pound. Should he fight or flee?
Clang!
In his moment of hesitation, three Glintblade Phalanxes struck from different directions, sealing off his escape.
It was too fast, perfectly timed for that instant of wavering will, instantly slashing his shoulder, abdomen, and thigh. It wasn't that his enemy had shown mercy; at the last second, he had actively used his sword's aura to deflect and shed some of the force. Otherwise, he would have been decapitated on the spot.
However, his mobility was now crippled. With his leg injured, it was difficult for him to make agile movements.
In contrast, Frieren approached calmly, her staff-wielding posture full of openings. But the Ancient Dragon-Man knew that any attack he made would be met with a flawless defense and counterattack.
He wanted to drink a Flask of Crimson Tears to heal, but he was wary of being interrupted again. In his current state, another hit like that might put his life on the line.
"How similar. You and that Bayle both like to use overwhelming power to constantly shake your target's will."
"Because will is the source of strength, and yours is already gone."
"Insolence!"
The enraged Ancient Dragon-Man pushed his magic to its limit, releasing the massive shadow of a dragon's head—
However, as he aimed, he found she was gone. Where did she go? Following the sound of the wind, he looked up to see a massive blue greatsword plummeting from the sky. Lion's Claw! The first strike shattered the draconic shadow, grinding the dragon's will to dust along with it.
The second strike landed lightly on the Ancient Dragon-Man's body. The seemingly insignificant blade descended from above and cleaved him in two.
Although he had made a motion to block, the hand holding the Drake-Knight's Great-Katana hung limply. The moment his dragon communion was broken, his body had already grown impossibly weak from the collapse of its magic. He could only watch as the blade fell!
______
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