The sudden deluge of information laid out before her left Frieren at a loss; she was not adept at analyzing this sort of thing.
The silver-haired girl silently shook her head.
She just stared at the map without a word, while Melina stared at her, silent for a long time. It was clear she was in a bind, hesitant. Indeed, without guidance, her partner was prone to acting on a whim.
"Our current location is called 'Abandoned Coffin.' Some Omens wander here, on the edge of the area controlled by Leyndell, Royal Capital edge.
"To the west is a dead end. You can see the volcano across the chasm. The view is nice, but there's only an unsightly catacomb that has been ignored all this time..."
"That's the one."
Melina was not at all surprised by this answer.
She heard Frieren continue to explain: "Since it's a dead end, it's better to explore and clear it out now so we don't have to come back later. Besides, I can observe the volcano's situation, consider it a bit of enemy reconnaissance. My perception can cross the deep valley anyway."
A whistle summoned Torrent.
At first, the spectral steed shied away, only letting out a clear neigh after looking around. It realized with delight that it had arrived at the Altus Plateau. It even spun in a circle on the spot, its tail held high, prancing endlessly.
It was back.
The two of them stroked Torrent, filled with emotion. So much time had passed without them realizing. When they mounted him again, he felt even faster.
The wind from his hooves kicked up fallen leaves, which danced by their sides, carrying a faint, fresh fragrance.
The scent of fresh earth was completely devoid of decay, as if the Shattering had nothing to do with this place.
No wonder Torrent was so happy.
When he first set out on the long journey with his temporary witch-master, it was during the cruelest aftermath of the Shattering. Life had been devastated, all things withered.
The Altus Plateau back then could hardly be called beautiful; it was a complete mess.
Time is the best medicine. After a five-thousand-year leap, the scars of war around the outskirts of Leyndell had almost vanished.
The Altus Plateau now displayed the breathtaking scenery it was meant to have.
"To be honest, I never thought the first Tarnished that Torrent chose would become a Quasi-King. I was prepared to spend tens of thousands of years cultivating several candidates... But I never expected you to be the first and only one, Frieren. After you, there are no more chances."
This journey had been filled with too many unrepeatable miracles.
Only after truly embarking on the journey did Melina understand that the conspiracies and plots they had to face were far more terrifying than she had imagined. It was fortunate that Frieren was the one to act, smashing them all to pieces. Otherwise, they would all be dead by now; not even their spiritual forms would have been safe.
They were very lucky.
But that luck was a one-time thing. There was no room for the thought of choosing another kingly Tarnished. This was the last time; it had to succeed.
"Do you think I'm not dedicated for having once harbored such a thought?"
"What are you talking about?" Frieren's lips curled into a smile. "I should be proud. After all, my standing with you has been constantly rising."
"Besides, you're the one who needs to sort out your worries. The closer we get to the Altus Plateau, the more you talk and the more uneasy you become. You're also a bit somber."
"I won't ask why. Just remember, there are always more solutions than problems."
From beginning to end, this optimism of hers was something Melina admired. Packaged beneath a stern exterior was an indomitable heart.
She had experienced much and had genuinely been victorious.
Only a person who has complete mastery over every aspect of themselves and has achieved great deeds can possess such will. That's why, in Frieren's eyes, there was probably no such thing as a difficulty.
Before the catacombs.
The gloomy entrance was open to every uninvited guest, but not everyone could leave safely.
After recalling Torrent, the silver-haired girl strode in. First came a loud crash, followed by the glint of blades and swords. One could faintly see the blood of Demi-Human Misbegotten splashing out, accompanied by a foul stench.
Melina, who had yet to step inside, could already feel things heating up.
As the first battle on the Altus Plateau, it was a bit unbecoming of a Quasi-King's status, but as long as she herself was happy, that was all that mattered. Compared to her previous caution, when it came to small dungeons, Frieren was a bulldozer, crushing everything in her path.
A fully armed, top-tier Demigod versus a small dungeon was a world of difference.
Bang! Clang!
Flesh and blood flew amidst the continuous din.
Come to think of it, the Tarnished back then had also made a name for herself by wiping out the Misbegotten at Castle Morne. Now, arriving on the Altus Plateau for the first time, she was fighting Misbegotten again.
Perhaps even Frieren felt a sense of replicating that past experience and was enjoying it, which was why her assault was far more ferocious than usual.
By the time Melina entered the depths of the dungeon, she found the ground already littered with corpses.
The silver-haired girl was standing in a large hall below a set of stairs, where several Demi-Humans were hiding, playing dead. But none of them were a match for her.
For her.
Star Shower!
They had thought they could launch a sneak attack, but their opponent's magic was as swift as lightning, utterly flawless. Before she had even entered the catacombs proper, she had already explored more than half of it.
"No wonder it's called the Unsightly Catacombs. It's because it's full of Misbegotten Demi-Humans."
Frieren discovered that compared to the Demi-Humans in Limgrave, these were more feral, ferocious, and frenzied. There was no possibility of communication or taming them; they had completely transformed into monsters, much like the magical beasts in her reality.
Therefore, she purged them without mercy, and reaped an unexpected reward:
[Winged Misbegotten Ashes]
[Can summon the spirit of a Winged Misbegotten, which has wings and shoots arrows while flying.]
[The birth of a Misbegotten is said to be a punishment for coming into contact with the Crucible.]
[Therefore, they are born as slaves and are called the sullied.]
Not bad.
As long as it supplemented her Spirit Ash legion, it was a net gain. She could even control the lowest-tier Noble Undead, let alone a flying Misbegotten.
Misbegotten.
In this regard, Frieren had always welcomed all comers, as she herself could perform soul amplification and enhancement. No matter how useless, they could be put to use. If she wanted, she could even create temporary Spirit Ashes, like the Death Rite Bird she had created before.
In the future, they would all be part of a top-tier legion.
Besides the Spirit Ashes, there was another puzzling find: an item called a [Prattling Pate]. It looked like a musical instrument, but she wasn't certain.
"I'm Sorry."
She remembered finding a similar item that said "Hello" before, claiming to entrust sounds and words to eternity, a cursed object full of nostalgia. The description didn't make it sound like a good thing.
According to player advice, it seemed to be related to Boc, but he was doing very well and probably wouldn't need it.
To this day, the seamster was still working at the Magic Academy.
Just the armor lining and cape commissions from Frieren were enough to keep him busy. It proved that this small Demi-Human was skilled. Perhaps he could even collaborate with Master Hewg to forge a piece of god-slaying-level equipment sooner or later.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a strange fragrance filled the air, and a moment later, a violent explosion erupted.
Flames and smoke enveloped the silver-haired girl's position, causing Melina on the stairs above to immediately lock onto a Perfumer and a Misbegotten Warrior.
"They are the assassins of these catacombs... Though she was once the Perfumer Tricia, who advocated for healing, she has long since gone mad with despair and become a murderer."
"I see."
As the smoke cleared, Frieren stood there, completely unharmed.
"So this is the power of Perfumer Tricia?"
Although she had heard of it, this was her first time facing it directly, and a rather orthodox Perfumer at that. The flame was powdery and could easily be inhaled, damaging internal organs.
According to the intelligence Melina had noted on the map, this one had some special skills worthy of attention.
Of course, none of them could compare to the protection of Frieren's Thops's Barrier.
This spell, which she always kept up for personal protection, had reached a state of perfection, a far cry from the original. Even a sudden powder explosion attack couldn't harm her true body. It was all thunder and no rain.
Clang!
She tilted her head, dodging the edge of a longsword.
The attacker was a tall, lean Demi-Human Misbegotten with red fur, wielding a longsword, its claws and fangs sharp.
This level of threat was nothing to Frieren. What was worth noting was another point:
The white-robed, white-masked Perfumer sprinkled powder all over the Misbegotten Warrior. The latter's muscles swelled, mana surged, and the sharpness in its eyes was palpable.
The hand gripping the longsword bulged with veins. Could it be an Uplifting Aromatic? At least, it was something similar.
It was very cooperative.
"To have tamed it to this degree... If Edgar had been able to control his slaves back then, there would have been no need for me to intervene and help."
Admiration was one thing, but Frieren's actions showed no mercy whatsoever.
With a casual wave of a gravity spell, she sent the Misbegotten Warrior flying. The tremendous impact sent it crashing into the wall with a loud thud, leaving a perfect silhouette of its body embedded in the stone. It then slid down in a sorry state, breathing out more than it was breathing in.
So effortlessly!
Her opponent's performance made the Perfumer's heart tighten. She glanced again at the one-eyed girl on the stairs; the latter wore a placid expression, showing no awareness that her companion was under attack.
Truly, skill begets boldness. No wonder the earlier sneak attack was ineffective. She had picked a fight with the wrong person.
But it wasn't enough to make her give up. Since they dared to provoke her, they would have to pay the price.
Whoosh!
She once again scattered aromatic powder onto the Misbegotten Warrior. The monster, which had been stumbling just a moment ago, leaped down from the wall, shook its shoulders to dislodge the rubble, and despite its wounds, its aura surged as if nothing had happened.
"Excellent support ability. Can we form a Perfumer army?"
"It would be difficult. This technique is primarily controlled by the Royal Capital's army and also provides healing. They are generally concentrated behind the walls of Leyndell."
Melina's answer forced Frieren to abandon the idea. As expected of the land at the foot of the ancient Golden Capital, it was truly extraordinary. In that case, she would use this battle to broaden her horizons.
Gravity Wave.
A blast of energy dispersed the sparkling powder.
Immediately after, the silver-haired girl easily parried the Misbegotten Warrior's longsword, following up with a Storm Stomp. The simple, unadorned gale from the weapon skill knocked it back.
Throughout the entire exchange, she maintained a perfectly calibrated level of damage, which was nothing short of humiliating.
Could she be that strong?
The Perfumer had to consider the worst-case scenario: she had run into a formidable foe.
She had never heard of someone who could nullify another's attack with a pure tide of energy, without even altering its properties or forming it into a spell. She just used a luxurious and domineering method to overwhelm, utterly crushing her opponent.
"Who in the world are you?"
"It's rare to find someone willing to communicate. I was starting to think I wouldn't find a single local to talk to on my first visit to the Altus Plateau."
The silver-haired girl answered bluntly: "My name is Frieren. I'm a Tarnished."
Hearing this, the Perfumer fell silent. Even with only her eyes visible behind the mask, they were filled with shock.
The Lands Between would not forget this name, and the features certainly matched, erasing the last shred of wishful thinking.
"To think a Quasi-King would grace our humble little dungeon with her presence."
"Just a matter of interest. Besides, isn't it fortunate that I met a Perfumer like you?"
Poof!
Suddenly, a cloud of mist and dust enveloped the dark room, so thick you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Even mana sensing was sluggish. A moment ago, the lively Perfumer and Misbegotten Warrior had vanished.
Even someone as experienced as Frieren was momentarily taken aback.
Doesn't everyone in The Lands Between fight to the death upon seeing an enemy? They actually ran away? A rare sight indeed.
A pity the trick was too clumsy.
Glintstone magic blossomed in a corner of the smoke, sending sparks flying with a loud bang. First, the Perfumer tumbled away in a sorry state to create distance, then the battered body of the Misbegotten was revealed, bleeding profusely and unstoppably, finally showing signs of weakening.
As expected, methods like the Uplifting Aromatic weren't strong enough to ignore pain. Part of the reason was that it was used on a controllable Misbegotten; using it on a person would be another matter entirely.
With a roar, it took the initiative and charged forward, sword raised.
Clang!
The reckless attack exposed a weakness to Frieren. With a light tap of her staff, she threw it off balance, following up with Carian Slicer.
A blade of light bloomed from the Misbegotten's side, and its tall body fell to the ground, silent.
Witnessing this firsthand, the Perfumer was horrified. It was too fast, she couldn't see the movements at all.
How was it possible? For a sorcerer to parry so easily? Her swordsmanship must also be extraordinary. This was terrible.
As the silver-haired girl sheathed her Glintstone sword, she flicked off the blood and then closed in on her fleeing target.
"Go to hell."
A string of sparks exploded before her with a crackling sound, obscuring her vision while also striking the ceiling, causing the fragile catacombs and dungeon to rapidly collapse. It wasn't large to begin with, and now it was a ruin, crumbling amidst the fierce battle.
At the same time, Tricia was grazed by a ricocheting pebble, but she gritted her teeth and endured it.
Seizing the opportunity, the Perfumer returned to the surface and, from her high ground, madly scattered powder, even of the poison and paralysis variety.
Without even realizing it, she was gradually losing her sanity.
Frieren, who had intended to continue the conversation, sighed with a hint of regret.
It wasn't simple zombification; the person herself had gone mad. There was no saving her, only release.
Carian Piercer.
Even with the interference of various perfumer powders in between, it could not hinder Frieren's precise attack. A longsword formed from Glintstone instantly crossed the dust and pierced the Perfumer's body with a squelch.
No challenge at all. Her main body was too frail.
Even so, her opponent struggled to release more perfume flasks, which created a puff of smoke upon hitting the ground, unleashing powers of various attributes all at once.
Tricia would not end this willingly. Her survival instinct and crazed will were still erupting.
Whoosh!
However, a long gust of wind swept away her final attack. It was the same simple, unadorned tide of energy that required no transformation, kicking up dust above the Unsightly Catacombs and blowing everything away, along with the Perfumer's life.
After that one move, everything fell silent. Within view, only the volcano on the other side of the cliff remained, rumbling as it released magma and heat, exuding a sense of oppression.
Frieren coolly put away her staff. That didn't even count as a warm-up.
As the first battle on the Altus Plateau, it was a bit of a pity, but the rewards were satisfactory.
The deceased Perfumer transformed into Spirit Ashes.
The bell chimed.
Frieren shook the summoning tool in her hand and completed the connection with the scattered Spirit Ashes. It seemed the spirit was unwilling to exit the stage just yet, so it continued to exist in the form of ashes.
Since she was a Perfumer who had once healed countless people, she must have also possessed an extraordinary will.
[Ashes in which a soul dwells. Can summon the spirit of Perfumer Tricia.]
[In the past, Tricia was known as a healer, dedicated to curing Misbegotten, Omens, and all other forms of the sullied phenomenon.]
[However, after her ambitions were shattered, she turned to accompanying them in their final moments.]
[At least in that final journey, they could pass in peace and without pain.]
[This is very similar to the beginning of Deathbed.]
Deathbed?
Did the description mean the same kind of Deathbed as Fia's? She wasn't sure.
But at least she could trust Tricia's character. As a member of her Spirit Ash legion, she could also fight. A truly unexpected gain.
Putting away the Spirit Calling Bell, the silver-haired girl once again looked towards the distant volcano, which stood in contrast to the golden land.
Even the wind blowing from that direction carried a sense of scorching heat and ash. The edges of some sandy leaves were even dotted with sparks, as if they could cause a forest fire at any moment.
It was releasing malice.
With Frieren's perception, she could detect movement even further away. The area was filled with magma and almost devoid of living people, only snakemen and slime monsters.
Was this in preparation for the next attack on Leyndell, Royal Capital? After all, the enmity between Lord Rykard and the Omen King was known to all.
The obsession and corruption of the God-Devouring Serpent seemed to have merged with the volcano.
"How is it? What did you see?"
"A chaotic mess. Although there are still some living people at the foot of the mountain, Volcano Manor itself is basically beyond saving, with only monsters left. But I've roughly scouted a route, so we can reach the manor quickly when the time comes."
"Where do you plan to go next? When will you return to the Land of Shadow to continue your investigation?"
"Melina, how much do you know about the Shaded Castle?"
"A long-ruined fortress that's no longer in use. There are some rumors about its castellan, Maleigh; he greatly admired the Valkyrie Malenia."
"So he's connected to the Valkyrie, and also to Millicent. Let's make the Shaded Castle the final destination for this exploration."
"Mm..."
Although she didn't quite understand how her partner's mind connected all of this, Melina chose to trust her. She would let her decide the itinerary; it was still far from the time for the final choice.
Then, Frieren pointed towards the distant, towering Golden Capital.
"But first, we have to take a look at Leyndell. Otherwise, wouldn't our trip here have been for nothing?"
"You're not going to start a war, are you?"
"Just a look. I'll go sneakily."
There was probably no one else who would so bluntly declare their intention to be sneaky. Though that's what she said, Melina had to agree. It would be good to understand it from the outside to avoid being clueless later.
She could see that her partner was currently more in a tourist's mindset, with no particular desire to fight. She probably wouldn't act recklessly.
Besides, Frieren had always been cautious.
After summoning Torrent, the two of them headed towards the main road of the Golden Capital. Of course, they didn't travel directly on the main road, but used it as a reference, wandering in the surrounding area and slowly approaching.
The light of the Erdtree grew more brilliant in their eyes, its sprawling branches blotting out the sky.
It seemed to still be scattering its light, but unfortunately, it was not the dew of Grace.
The times had changed; that glorious history was gone forever. Now, what they saw more of were the ruins of ancient battlefields.
Giant arrows were embedded in the soil, and carriages, catapults, and other heavy equipment were scattered about.
Even after so many years, the forest still bore scorch marks, giving only one impression: Decay.
They hadn't felt it when they first arrived at the Altus Plateau, but as they drew closer to the walls of Leyndell, they gradually grasped the ferocity of the past. The air still seemed to carry the smell of gunpowder, and the wind was mixed with the shouts of battle.
Some lingering soul fragments spoke of the slaughter.
The two sieges of Leyndell by the allied lords had left permanent scars that had yet to heal.
Frieren pulled on the reins, causing the spectral steed to gradually slow down so she could carefully observe the distance.
Her mental power spread out, extending towards the city walls. There still weren't many troops stationed on the outskirts; they must be concentrated inside.
The intelligence was correct; they had indeed consolidated their forces. A wise decision.
Morgott was being too cautious.
If he were willing to send troops to patrol outside, he probably would have already discovered traces of her and determined her whereabouts.
"How does it feel to return to your homeland after so long?"
"...There's less of a wartime atmosphere than when I left. It's a bit more relaxed. But sooner or day, this place will once again be filled with armies, won't it?"
"I heard that during the Ancient Dragon War, Leyndell's walls were even breached. It doesn't seem like everyone's morale was that low."
"Because they won. Even the main culprit, Gransax, was turned into a war trophy on display."
"That was a war that had a clear end. But the Shattering can't be called over even now, especially with your appearance pushing it into its latter half."
"In the eyes of many Golden Lineage citizens, the new round of war started by the Cinder King is the final act of a 5,000-year conflict."
"Why?"
"The answer is simple. The Lands Between can no longer muster a decent army. If things don't move towards recovery after this, that will be the end."
Only because Melina had witnessed the Golden Dynasty at its peak did she know how withered it was now.
She acknowledged that the south was already very well managed, unprecedentedly so, but in terms of quality, the Altus Plateau was still stronger. Unfortunately, it too had been greatly weakened and could no longer suppress the four corners as it once did.
Otherwise, they would have encountered garrisoned troops by now.
Frieren shaded her eyes with her hand and looked around, murmuring, "A battle happened here not long ago, probably with monsters from the volcano. The traces are still very fresh."
"Yes, they are still in a state of war with Volcano Manor to this day."
"The Royal Capital isn't bothering with them right now, probably preparing for a defensive battle against us. Hiding behind that wall will indeed be troublesome."
"Can you breach it?"
"Thinking like that is playing right into their hands. Mighty fortresses are always broken from within. We have to find another way into the city..."
Melina never expected that her partner had no intention of a frontal assault from the very beginning, at least not the first time. In battle, she did not lack a king's bearing, but when exploring new areas, she was full of caution, avoiding difficulties whenever possible.
Quite adaptable. Unfortunately, Leyndell, Royal Capital probably had no other entrances.
"Using your stealth magic might work."
"I can go through the gate that needs Great Runes to unseal first, then sneak and fight my way inside. Of course, it will ultimately escalate into a frontal battle, I imagine."
Wait!
Suddenly, Frieren frowned deeply and reined in her horse, her sharp gaze fixed on the clouds.
Following her line of sight, Melina saw nothing. Just as she was about to ask, she saw a flash of crimson lightning.
A massive shadow emerged from the clouds, casting a terrifying pressure that sent a chill down her spine.
It was an Ancient Dragon!
_____
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