Staggered!
As expected, the blade disintegrated the Ancient Dragon-Man's fragile body, leaving only a final, resounding roar, like a lingering obsession within its soul.
The lingering obsession in his soul.
Frieren, having unleashed a courageous Lion's Claw, used the momentum to land steadily. The light from her staff faded as she passed the mangled corpse, and a gust of wind swept away the Runes of energy, leaving only a long-bladed katana embedded in the ground.
The battle was over.
From start to finish, she had fought in the style of a magic swordsman.
This was also to give the enemy a chance to display its draconic incantations; otherwise, ending the fight too quickly would have left its true strength unknown.
As it turned out, the Ancient Dragon-Man was quite formidable.
Not by the standards of a true powerhouse, but as a standard dragon communion warrior, it possessed reason, stability, skill, and a humanoid form. If this technology could be integrated and popularized in the military training of Stormveil and Mt. Gelmir, it would surely be of great benefit.
"If it were your incantation, would it be possible to reverse this Ancient Dragon-Man form?"
"Impossible. This transformation is too thorough." Melina retorted, "Since you say that, does it mean even soul magic cannot reverse it?"
"Correct. The principle is similar to Scarlet Rot infection. It's a fundamental subversion of one's life form, not considered a disease, so naturally, it cannot be truly cured."
"However, its stability is trustworthy."
"That is its value. Crusesax, who spreads this dragon communion, should understand the technical details very well..."
Frieren looked forward to future research discussions with the priestess. It could certainly elevate the standard of dragon communion in the Limgrave region by a whole new level, striving to catch up with the army of Leyndell, the Royal Capital.
Although she had won last time, the victory was hers alone. The southern army, after all, had yet to face the foremost army in the Lands Between.
She turned back to look at the prize lying on the ground. She had just experienced its power; its length was enough to create a range advantage, and it possessed a bleed buildup property.
Its foundation was solid, and now it was time to see its specific performance.
[Dragoncat Great-Katana]
[A great-katana whose blade is covered in cragstone barbs. The weapon of an Ancient Dragon-Man from the Dragon's Pit, it deals additional damage to dragons.] Wei]
[The Ancient Dragon-Man was once a dragon communion warrior.]
[He would screen other warriors, assessing if they were worthy of devouring a great dragon.]
[Weapon Skill - Dragonwound Slash]
[A weapon skill born from hunting great dragons.]
[Coil energy around the cragstone barbs and leap up. At the apex of the jump, slash downwards.]
[When launched from a grounded stance, it can release a blade of air.]
Frieren immediately swung the Dragoncat Great-Katana, the blade whistling through the air. Its weight was just right, and its power was considerable.
Infusing magic into the weapon skill would elevate it further, evidenced by the crimson shockwave it kicked up in the ravine.
Even its simple slashes were impressive, with exceptionally strong suppressive power, always allowing one to strike a step ahead of the enemy.
No wonder the Dragon's Pit had been impassable for so many years.
The Ancient Dragon-Man was commendable in both its mechanics and skill, but its luck was terrible.
The Land of Shadow contained many items with unexpected, miraculous effects, so she didn't pass judgment based on her own views alone, but instead read the relevant advice, hoping to find any overlooked details.
[I want to transform too.]
[This time, it's really a case of "So you're a dragon? That's fine too." lol.]
[Chill, you can transform. The Ancient Dragon-Man form is a huge buff, you can even stack buffs for a nuke build.]
[If you don't main dragon communion, the katana is good on its own.]
[My deepest impression of the Dragoncat Great-Katana was in a PvP duel where an Ancient Dragon-Man just spammed the weapon skill. Every hit landed true, it suppressed, interrupted, and built up bleed. If you pulled away, it had a ranged sword beam, and if it got hurt, it had an elemental flask to heal. Just brainlessly spamming it counters everything.]
[The description says Dragoncat, but it's actually an anti-humanoid special, just like the 'Tanuki Scamp'.]
[Dragonwound Slash is too cool. Aesthetics are a bonus; it's way better than that blood monster arm.]
[The little dragon-man transformation is too scrawny. Without armor in the Land of Shadow, you can only do burst damage. It's kill or be killed.]
[It's like a quick-draw gunslinger duel transformation.]
[BOSS: If I had a second health bar, you'd be totally screwed, wouldn't you?]
[The Dragon-Witch questline adds a lot of lore about the Dragon Communion people, much richer than before. The build is very strong. Most importantly, turning into a dragon and breathing fire is cool.]
[Just changing your head is still a bit underwhelming...]
At the very least, this information confirmed that the Dragoncat Great-Katana was highly useful, and even the entire build was considered powerful, just waiting to be fully assembled.
Dragon communion had always been a blind spot in Frieren's knowledge. It wasn't that she didn't want to use it, but that it was too dangerous.
Her body was already contaminated with too many conflicting energies. Even lesser forces like the Abyss or the Dragon-Blight were not easily resolved. Rashly adding more burdens could easily lead to disaster; her own body, as a vessel, might not withstand it.
But the timing was perfect.
The Old God who loved to cause trouble had just been dealt with and had expended massive amounts of energy, forcing it into dormancy. It wouldn't be able to stir up any trouble for at least a decade. The First Flame was also somewhat diminished, and she could suppress the other powers herself.
The conditions to master dragon communion were ripe. With the assistance of an expert like Crusesax, it should proceed even more smoothly.
This was good news.
Frieren's completionist philosophy would not allow her to ignore the vast system of dragon communion.
She put away the Dragoncat Great-Katana and stretched.
"Let's go."
The two strode through the archway behind the Ancient Dragon-Man. First was a long, narrow passage between rock walls.
After a few dozen paces, it suddenly opened up, the thin sliver of sky transforming into a vast, moss-covered expanse.
Unfortunately, it was not a clear day. The sky was filled with dark, dense clouds, flashing with lightning and rumbling with thunder. An angry roar seemed to echo in the wind.
Even from a great distance, Melina felt a chill run down her spine. She could vaguely sense the heat of dragon's breath coiling around the high, jagged peak.
If they got any closer, they could be hit by a terrifying blast of flame at any moment. It was the aura of an Ancient Dragon, a power that brooked no challenge.
Looking down, there was a deep valley floor with towering trees where no sunlight could reach.
As a result, the vegetation all appeared black and was exceptionally gloomy. Paired with the similarly toned jagged peak, they complemented each other, both teeming with peril.
"The evil of Valleybottom Forest might be related to Jagged Peak."
She spread out the map and glanced at it, saying, "We are now in the center of the most malevolent region in the Land of Shadow."
Whoosh!
A gust of wind rose from below, carrying the scent of the Frenzied Flame and lifting Frieren's silver hair. Both of them immediately felt a maddening mental interference building. This did not bode well.
"You were right," she said. "There's no avoiding it."
"It has its eyes on me. The aura I left at the Frenzied Flame Village won't disappear so easily, and that Shabriri is still active in the shadows..."
"I don't know why, but I have a persistent ominous premonition, a great unease, and it's aimed specifically at you."
"I know, but being ambushed by the Frenzied Flame while facing Bayle would be even more terrifying."
Ultimately, it was a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. Both Melina and Frieren understood that operating in territory the Frenzied Flame had cultivated for years was akin to walking into a trap. But ignoring it would be suicidal. Better to deal with it first.
I will kill you today.
Since the decision was made, there was nothing to hesitate about. A swift battle to avoid further complications.
The two stood at the edge of the valley floor, gazing into the distance, then consulting the map. According to the scarce remaining intelligence, they could generally confirm that to the north of Valleybottom Forest were landmarks like a church and a waterfall.
It was relatively empty and thus safer, though of course, the possibility of unexpected monsters couldn't be ruled out.
To the south was the location of Midra's Manor, as recorded in ancient texts.
"So, where to first?" Melina explained, "Midra, Lord of Frenzied Flame, is in that southern region, and Executioner Hornsent are active there."
"The Executioners alone couldn't have caused years of reconnaissance teams to vanish without a trace. There must be a powerful, unrecorded enemy there."
Frieren stated with conviction.
Melina had always trusted her experience; that intuition of hers was just too accurate.
"Use your gravity magic to fly north and explore the forest first, to test the waters. With Torrent's mobility, we can quickly search and clear the surrounding area. Our advances and retreats will both be flexible."
"Is there no other information about Midra?"
"No. It seems the Hornsent deliberately erased the information, but it's certain they caused the advent of the Frenzied Flame. They cannot escape responsibility."
"The Frenzied Flame Outer God should be thrown into the sealed Spiral Tower... but it looks like we'll have to solve it ourselves first."
As the two finalized their plan, the piercing screams from the valley floor grew even more horrific, as if a file was being drawn across one's eardrums. An ordinary person would have nightmares just from hearing it, and the vaguely accumulating madness was like a maggot gnawing at the bone.
Let's hurry.
Frieren raised her staff, concentrating a vast amount of gravity magic, while simultaneously wrapping an arm around Melina's waist, just like their maneuver before the walls of Leyndell.
Ready. Set. Go.
The next moment, a meteor shot up from the exit of the Dragon's Pit, rumbling as it sped north.
It soared over the valley forest with immense power, trailing a brilliant trajectory. Both the monsters in the darkness and the distant crusader army saw it. A meteor was actually streaking across the sky under the sealed veil of the Shadow Erdtree.
In the corners of the forest, the creatures of the Frenzied Flame stirred restlessly.
Although one side of Jagged Peak had become a forbidden zone for life, those who could still move about were, without exception, top-tier powerhouses.
At the dragon communion ritual grounds, the half-transformed Crusesax looked up, her gaze like a torch, and muttered to herself, "What a powerful force. I wonder if they have any interest in dragon communion?"
She muttered to herself, "These people might be after the Mad Dragon. Is there hope?"
On the other side.
At the mountain pass, the white Ancient Dragon, Senessax, stretched its four limbs and loosened its muscles, preparing to clear out the intruders for Bayle.
As another adult Ancient Dragon, it had of course sensed the magical reaction that surpassed even a Demigod's, not to mention that the other party had already scanned the area with a wide-range psychic probe to scout the path.
Why take a detour to the burning forest region?
The Lord of Frenzied Flame is no easy opponent. Both Senessax and Crusesax thought it was an unwise move. They thought a powerful candidate for dragon communion had finally arrived, only for them to court death.
A roar came from the summit of Jagged Peak, even spewing a column of flame that shot into the clouds, like a volcanic eruption. Bayle had awakened from its long slumber, even releasing its power in excitement. Anyone who felt this aura would not be able to sleep soundly. This was more like it, far stronger than the overconfident Igon.
"Whoever you are, just come."
Though dragging a wounded and disabled body, the Mad Dragon's spirit was not diminished in the slightest, still sharp and ambitious, showing no signs of the erosion of ages.
How could an ordinary Ancient Dragon whose will has been ground down in eternity be a match for Bayle?
Only a will that has maintained its passion, fighting spirit, and curiosity throughout a long life is worthy of being its stepping stone.
And it had already sensed it. The moment that meteor's psychic power swept past was tantamount to a declaration of war. It would return soon.
"Good. Don't make me wait too long."
The moment her psychic probe passed Jagged Peak, Frieren focused on inspecting her destination, the church in the Frenzied Flame valley. It seemed there were still traces of advice messages.
Whoosh!
Gravity lifted the two of them, landing them steadily in the center of the abandoned structure.
Lighting the Site of Grace brought a touch of warmth. With this, they now had a fast travel point in the valley forest.
But they didn't feel any safer.
Only by being here could one feel how utterly bizarre it was.
The trees here were too tall; one couldn't even see their tops, they blotted out the sun. Their branches clawed at the sky, yet bore not a single leaf. Not a speck of green could be seen. Everything looked as if it had been burned over, all life withered, leaving only destruction.
"In the eyes of the Frenzied Flame, everything should return to primordial chaos. I suppose this fits the aesthetic of its followers."
Melina warily scanned their surroundings.
"'That guy' ahead?" Frieren looked puzzled as she read the message.
She had thought it would be a crucial directional guide, but it was just one dry sentence, dripping with a deep-seated fear.
There's clearly nothing in this great forest... No, since entering the valley, her psychic scan's range had been drastically reduced.
Her field of vision had shrunk. Noticing this, Frieren's brow furrowed. She had come to the right place; the danger here was more severe than expected.
"It looks like there's nothing else. I'll summon Torrent, and then we'll head south."
"Mhm."
Then she watched as the silver-haired girl let out a whistle, but there was no response. She tried again, still nothing.
What was going on? The two stared wide-eyed, a strange feeling mixing with growing worry in their hearts.
This was the first time this had happened. Could the Spectral Steed Whistle be broken?
Seeing this, Frieren quickly took it off to perceive it carefully, and after a moment, she muttered, "The spectral steed is afraid of something. It cannot be summoned."
Melina also went forward to check, but had no choice but to believe it.
"If you're scared, then stay there and keep yourself safe. Don't worry, we'll take care of it."
"Right, you should take a rest. I'll go deal with the mastermind behind this."
Though they said that, the two were now in a very troublesome situation. Having lost the spectral steed's proud mobility, they couldn't possibly run on their own two legs, could they? But it was true. They were pinned down here. Even turning back would take considerable effort. They were caught between a rock and a hard place.
What terrible luck.
They had to admit that the ever-reliable Torrent was indispensable. The sense of security they had built up was now shattered, and the situation was extremely dangerous.
"So the Frenzied Flame is that strong here? If I were in my spectral form, my performance would probably be poor as well."
"I thought this would be a stable and convenient exploration, but now we can only head straight for Midra's Manor... I can feel it, all the Frenzied Flame energy is converging there. Mimic Tear, you maintain a combat stance. The three of us will cover each other."
"As you command, Mother."
As soon as the words fell, a puff of white ash materialized. A white-clad maiden, holding a staff, stood at the ready. A far cry from her former frenzy, her face was grave as she surveyed the surroundings.
Everyone could feel the inexplicable buildup of the madness status effect. They couldn't delay for long. Any carelessness would make them pawns of the Frenzied Flame.
The team of three continued forward. Soon, another new message came into Frieren's view:
[Turn back.]
Since when is turning back an option on an adventure? Frieren never listened to such advice; it only motivated her further. Of course, it also meant that what lay ahead was extremely dangerous, and a series of preparations were necessary.
She made a 'shush' gesture and crouched down. Her two companions moved closer.
"Listen carefully. Ahead, we will likely encounter an enemy or environment with a powerful mechanic. Don't engage recklessly. Observe carefully, then act with a plan."
After giving the advance warning, the three continued onward.
Having fought together for so long, Melina and the Mimic Tear understood the accuracy of Frieren's intuition. It was practically at the level of an oracle, always hitting the mark. The fact that even she was being so cautious meant the situation was critical.
The team proceeded with bated breath, full of vigilance. An ordinary person would have long since been unable to endure traveling with such a high level of mental concentration, but they showed no signs of fatigue. Their condition was perfect.
Even if it was a trap, it would be difficult to quickly take down three Demigod-level powerhouses.
Therefore, what they should be more concerned about was being weakened by abnormal status effects. As expected, the deeper they went into the valley forest, the more the madness accumulated. However, they quickly used clarifying boluses and talismans, which could buy them some more time.
The key problem was still the distance. Their movement speed was low, and they had to be wary of their surroundings. By the time they reached the manor, a good amount of time would have passed...
"Begin stealth now."
Suddenly, Frieren, at the very front, turned back to warn them, simultaneously crouching down and using spells like Unseen Form. She didn't forget to cast it on Melina and the Mimic Tear as well. The two nodded in compliance, their absolute trust ensuring the warning was heeded.
Even though the area ahead was wide open and showed no signs of danger, they completely trusted Frieren's judgment.
And what she trusted was a message, blinking one step at a time:
[Don't let that guy find you.]
This was the basis for entering stealth combat, a skill she happened to be quite proficient in.
In the eyes of the world, the Lord of Cinder always favored overwhelming force, grand and sweeping, advocating for firepower above all. Little did they know that when she was once weak, she relied entirely on her stealth and backstabbing techniques. This level of concealment was second nature to her.
While her mind recalled various past techniques, Frieren checked the continuous messages on the ground:
[Once you're found, there's no escape.]
[Can't touch that guy.]
What on earth could warrant such a string of warnings? Combined with the valley's atmosphere, even she couldn't help but feel a little tense. She absolutely could not underestimate it.
The only good news was lighting another Site of Grace, but with it came a spike in the madness buildup.
The abnormal energy in the surroundings grew even denser.
Melina asked with concern, "Are your mental defenses holding up? After all, there are still remnants of Miquella's charm."
"No problem for now, but I can't say for later."
"Mother," the Mimic Tear said, "you must be careful. If you were to go mad, we wouldn't be able to stop you."
Though this was true, they knew even more clearly that stopping would mean certain death. They had to eliminate the source as quickly as possible, otherwise countless people would perish in this valley. No wonder years of reconnaissance had been fruitless; this was simply not a survivable environment.
Who's that?
Suddenly, Frieren noticed a strange back in the distance. A person wearing a black feather cloak?
"A Hand of Frenzy? He doesn't seem like a character worth being so cautious about."
To be safe, the silver-haired girl immediately drank from her Flask of Wondrous Physick, cast Golden Vow, and applied other buffs like Magic Mirror. After preparing, she fully drew a bowstring that resembled a full moon: Loretta's Greatbow.
An arrow shot forth.
Its speed was extreme, crossing over a hundred meters in an instant, piercing the heart of the target on the sloping path above. It didn't just pierce; the energy-laden glintstone immediately exploded, tearing the body apart along with it, leaving not even scraps behind.
Unfortunately for this unlucky soul, Frieren suspected him of being "that guy" and thus eliminated him preemptively.
Although they had some doubts about using a cannon to shoot a mosquito, Melina and the Mimic Tear ultimately didn't ask, but followed her to the site of the body.
[Frenzied Flayer's Gloves]
[Gloves pieced together and stitched from the flayed skin of several corpses who met untimely deaths.]
[Has the effect of inducing the abnormal status of madness.]
[When surrounding figures fall into the abnormal status of madness, attack power is increased.]
[An item born from the dark thoughts of vengeful obsession held by kin who hunted heretics, yet went to excessive extremes themselves.]
[This is a weapon for the powerless.]
There was nothing remarkable about it, as mediocre as its user. Frieren had always kept her distance from powers related to the Frenzied Flame, and she was also considerate of Melina's feelings. Therefore, this was merely a collector's item.
Strange. She still hadn't found the enemy mentioned in the advice messages. Logically, it should have some kind of invincibility attribute.
A Hand of Frenzy that could be one-shotted clearly didn't fit the description.
After some thought, she decided not to doubt the messages. Although Valleybottom Forest had an atmosphere designed to break stereotypes and create terror, the warnings should be trusted, at least as clues.
After taking the gloves, she continued on her journey.
The small team, led by Frieren, maintained stealth, sometimes hiding, sometimes resting. For such powerful Demigods, they were not at all concerned with appearances. Everyone was informal. With any other companions, such a high level of organization would not exist.
"Is that it?"
After spreading her psychic power as far as possible in one direction, she finally made a discovery. Even through numerous obstructions, she finally found a patrolling elder, his corpulent head covered in eyeballs, looking as if it concealed terrifying Frenzied Flame power.
The feeling it gave off was completely different from other monsters of the same system. Just gazing at it transmitted a hint of contamination.
Frieren stopped and pointed in that direction: "Look carefully."
The other two also vaguely spotted the multi-eyed monster.
"This giant lantern is certainly bizarre. I feel like its whole body is full of madness."
Even the usually fearless Mimic Tear had a frosty expression. "If it catches you, it would be easy to go mad. Is this the monster that even Mother considers troublesome?"
"Yes. It should also have attributes like being untouchable or dealing a devastating blow, but I don't know the specific form it takes."
"Fortunately, although this guy has many eyes, its eyesight is poor. We should be able to just go around it."
"It's not that easy."
Melina pointed ahead. A few Frenzied Great Rats had appeared, crawling close to the ground, constantly making coughing sounds.
If they screeched, it would probably be very loud. If they attracted the lantern-head, it could lead to a fierce battle.
Fortunately, the Mimic Tear, skilled in assassination-style Night Sorceries, acted quickly and cleared them out, precisely sniping the closest great rat, giving them no chance to even call for help before they died.
In the distance, the multi-eyed monster turned and left in another direction. They probably wouldn't encounter it for a while.
"I think we should change our plan's priority. We were heading to Midra's Manor before because of Torrent's mobility advantage. Now, we must find a map. This is a forbidden land not recorded in any intelligence. Moving without guidance is very dangerous."
Melina's proposal received a response from Frieren:
"It's in the church ahead."
_____
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