Melina quickly reminded her:
"That's Lansseax, Vyke's contractor. She has a religious connection with the many dragon knights of the Golden Dynasty and is one of the most distinguished among the Ancient Dragons."
"Could it be that the Royal Capital is so lax with its surrounding defenses because she's guarding it?"
"This isn't the time to worry about that. The stone scales of an Ancient Dragon are powerful; your magic might be greatly diminished."
At that moment, the white Ancient Dragon's roar arrived.
The mere soundwave and pressure cracked the plants and trees, churning the soil like a tidal wave that crashed towards the pair. Her diving speed was too fast for any ordinary person to react.
At the critical moment, Frieren dismissed her spectral steed, sweeping Melina into her arms and leaping to the side.
The shockwave grazed past their backs, seeming to carry a hot wind with it.
"You're injured!"
A scratch appeared on the back of the silver-haired girl's right shoulder. Anyone familiar with her would know this meant the attack was quite strong, having simultaneously pierced her Thops's Barrier, her armor, and the strength of her body itself to leave a small wound.
Though it was trivial for her divine body, it was enough to prove the Ancient Dragon's offensive power.
She quickly set the maiden down. Melina immediately drew her Blade of Calling and took a defensive stance, feeling a bit of self-reproach for reacting too slowly, which led to Frieren getting hurt.
As expected, the power of a top-tier Ancient Dragon was not to be underestimated.
"You should not have set foot on the lands of the Royal Capital," the white Ancient Dragon said coldly, hovering in the air. "Do you wish to start a war now, new quasi-king?"
Her tone seemed menacing, but it was actually a warning. She even glanced in the direction of Leyndell, giving Frieren a meaningful look.
The latter nodded in understanding as her wound closed, but she had no intention of turning back.
From the Ancient Dragon's perspective, it was best to avoid war to prevent excessive losses among her followers.
Historically, Lansseax's stance had always leaned towards the side of order, advocating for peace. She played an important role in the alliance between the Ancient Dragons and the Golden Lineage, so she certainly had a motive to act as a peacemaker.
However, the silver-haired girl showed no signs of holding back.
It wasn't because of the minor injury she'd just sustained—that was nothing. The key was, with an Ancient Dragon right before her, how could she let it go?
"Lansseax, I've heard of you, but I didn't expect your relationship with the Royal Capital to be so close."
"It is both part of the covenant and because they revere the ancient dragon faith."
"I see."
Before her words faded, Frieren gripped the Dark Moon Greatsword in her right hand and Lusat's Glintstone Staff in her left. At the same time, with lightning speed, she consumed her Flask of Wondrous Physick and cast Golden Vow, Flame, Grant Me Strength, and Terra Magica.
It had been a while since she'd had to use her full power. The Ancient Dragon before her was more terrifying than a typical Demigod, and its mechanics were completely different. She had to be cautious when facing an unfamiliar enemy.
Melina, who had still been hesitating whether to fight or retreat, also summoned a Minor Erdtree to illuminate the area.
If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get, even before the walls of Leyndell.
"Do you not understand where you are? Once a major battle breaks out, the Royal Capital will send reinforcements."
"Your fighting spirit isn't as fierce as your greeting. What's wrong?"
"If things had gone smoothly, I really wanted to have a talk with the quasi-king who came after Vyke."
She took a deep look at the silver-haired girl, then at the witch, and laughed.
"Forget it. Let's communicate with power. Show me what you're made of! Dragonbolt!"
Her two pairs of wings spread to their fullest extent, and interwoven lightning climbed up her back, covering her entire body along her spine like bristling fur. Her four limbs and two horns were wreathed in an even greater lightning, her presence overwhelming.
No fighting spirit?
"Indeed, I've been idle for too long."
Might as well stretch my muscles.
Lansseax dared not be careless, assuming a stance of full power.
Her opponent was a world-renowned quasi-king, a being closer to the title of Elden Lord than even Vyke or Bernahl. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the strongest of this age. The slightest carelessness would likely lead to suffering.
"Since you are also fulfilling your duty, I'll hold back a little. But if you die, that's only natural. Be careful."
Frieren, too, was fully prepared.
To be honest, this encounter was too sudden for both sides, leaving no time for countermeasures. But having met, there was no reason to miss the opportunity.
One wanted to witness the legendary quasi-king; the other, an Ancient Dragon.
Dragonclaw!
A scaled arm as thick as a tree trunk swept forth. Carried by the momentum of her dive, it crashed down, her sharp claws aimed squarely at the silver-haired girl's position, powerful enough to shatter a fortress gate.
However, she hadn't expected her opponent to meet the attack head-on, without dodging or evading.
The raised Dark Moon Greatsword acted like a shield, blocking the long, slender claws. Their sharpness grazed past her body but couldn't halt her steps in the slightest; she even pushed back.
The two were locked in a contest of strength.
Simultaneously, Frieren's staff unleashed a Shard Spiral. The projectiles rang against the stone scales; while they lacked armor penetration, their sheer number was overwhelming. Even with an Ancient Dragon's defense, she felt the impact.
"You actually caught my strike with one hand? You're quite sturdy."
Keep in mind that even Melina, who had been in a better position, was forced to retreat. Yet this one had met force with force.
The race with the strongest physique was supposed to be the Ancient Dragons, yet in this moment, Frieren felt like an impenetrable wall, solid as a fortress.
"Leave this to me. You keep an eye on the city walls."
"Alright."
Having coordinated countless times, Melina understood immediately. As expected, two Omenkiller soldiers had been drawn by the commotion.
Facing such battlefield distractions, she immediately eliminated them, then glanced toward the Royal Capital. Sure enough, the clan banners were in disarray.
They've noticed.
A wisp of black-and-red magic appeared in her palm, imperceptible yet poised to strike. If necessary, she would unleash Destined Death. Whether against the absurdly durable Ancient Dragon or the interfering Royal Capital army, it would be enough to inflict grievous wounds.
Since Frieren had the spare capacity to pay attention to the edge of the battlefield, it must mean she wasn't under much pressure.
Melina followed the sound and witnessed an astonishing sight: the silver-haired girl's greatsword had repelled the Ancient Dragon.
CLANG!
With a teeth-grinding crash, Lansseax's claws shot out sparks as she was involuntarily forced back. A sweeping wave of moonlight followed, but she teleported to dodge the attack.
Her lightning form granted both speed and defense.
The moonlight wave that missed its mark still sliced through a patch of forest. It was clear that even without the frost damage, its impact was considerable and not to be met head-on.
She looked at the gash on her claw and muttered, "Are you trying to forge a body like Godfrey's?"
"No, I'm a sorcerer."
The response was Frieren's Comet Azur, which she had finished charging in that brief moment. The torrent erupted from the gem at her staff's tip, shooting straight for Lansseax's head. The proud Ancient Dragon, not to be outdone, instantly spewed Dragonfire.
The two forces, red and blue, met at point-blank range. First came a flash of light, followed by a superheated shockwave that scoured the land and kicked up a massive cloud of dust.
Both sides had coincidentally chosen sustained-damage attacks, determined to settle the contest.
BOOM!
A mushroom cloud erupted at the very edge of the Leyndell, Royal Capital outskirts. It wasn't that one side couldn't hold on, but that the magics had annihilated each other, creating a firework display so large it blotted out the sun and rained down fire.
The mere aftershock of the attack was comparable to a forest fire.
Nearby, Melina raised a sleeve to cover her face to avoid inhaling the thick smoke. She looked toward Leyndell and saw growing unrest.
At the same time, a silver figure shot out from the thick fog in an arc, crashing to the ground with a thud.
Her armor made intimate contact with the earth, carving a long trench.
She didn't even brace for impact? Which meant she didn't have time.
Although Frieren looked a bit dusty, she kipped up the next moment, completely unharmed.
"You have such a slender frame, don't try to clash head-on. She's an elder Ancient Dragon."
'
The two looked at Lansseax, who was crouched on all fours like a lioness ready to pounce. On the surface, she had gotten the better of their last exchange. The difference in their poise was night and day; otherwise, the beam struggle might have continued for a while longer.
Even if Frieren's power was sufficient, it didn't mean she had the body weight to match. Once the shockwave spread, she was bound to be thrown back.
She had a poor matchup against large-bodied enemies.
On the other hand, there were the scales the Ancient Dragon was so proud of, and they lived up to their reputation. Their nature possessed an immutable, eternal solidity, which greatly weakened the ever-changing energy of magic, rendering it largely ineffective.
As for elemental types like lightning and fire, they weren't even an option; her opponent's proficiency was hardly lacking.
As a sorcerer whose power was more than halfway countered from the very start of the battle, any other powerful warrior would have likely fled, unable to even muster the will to fight.
"See? I warned you not to start a fight so easily."
Lansseax glanced at the Royal Capital and said, "I have no subordinate relationship with them. I only guard the surrounding area to protect the dragon knights."
"I could just go through the motions, but once the army of the Grace-Given King arrives, they'll be playing for keeps. You two don't look like you're prepared for a third Siege of Leyndell."
She certainly acknowledged the quasi-king's strength, but fighting against a multitude was asking too much.
In The Lands Between, only one army could kill a Demigod-level powerhouse through tight coordination and an iron-walled formation: the army of the Royal Capital.
"It doesn't matter."
"I just wanted to see the power of an Ancient Dragon."
From beginning to end, Frieren never once glanced at the towering Golden Capital, her gaze fixed solely on her opponent.
This, in turn, made Lansseax seem like she wasn't taking it seriously.
Since she couldn't persuade her opponent, she might as well fight a proper battle, casting aside all her concerns and putting everything else out of her mind.
At this thought, she took a deep breath, and the scales all over her body stood on end as if she had swelled in size.
The crimson lightning completely merged with her body. Every move she made called down lightning bolts, scorching the earth where she stood. Wisps of lightning scattered in all directions, her aura surging.
The next moment, the white Ancient Dragon suddenly charged, its two long horns aiming for Frieren.
Her movement was so fast, and combined with her massive, unstoppable frame, the gale she created nearly knocked Melina off her feet. A tremendous crash followed.
The Dark Moon Greatsword blocked the blow.
But it wasn't over. Her horns took the opportunity to unleash a lightning strike.
Unexpectedly, the silver-haired girl reacted in time to dodge. She then stepped onto one of the horns and leaped high into the air, shifting to a two-handed grip on the Dark Moon Greatsword in mid-air, its sharp edge aimed down from above.
Danger! Alarm bells rang in her mind, but Lansseax couldn't break free. There wasn't even time to activate her lightning-fast acceleration.
A valiant Lion's Claw.
The first strike smashed into her forehead, a direct hit that sent her reeling. Her whole body felt disoriented, and she tried to retreat based on her long-standing combat experience and instincts.
The second strike aimed for the scales on her neck, finally prying open the unshakeable armor and drawing a pillar of fresh blood!
The continuous, fierce assault was still not over.
In the blink of an eye, Frieren had swapped to the two Starscourge Greatswords. Their exaggerated shape and the ultimate power of a +9 upgraded weapon bared their fangs. The Ancient Dragon, who had just recovered her senses, felt a chill run down her spine and instantly took to the skies.
She had a premonition that this was an attack she absolutely could not meet head-on, or she would surely suffer for it.
But before she could create distance, she felt a terrifying suction pulling at her. No matter how she flapped her four wings, it was futile. It was as if the entire space had become a vortex, siphoning everything towards the glowing light at the center of the two Starscourge Greatswords.
Magic filled the sky, transforming into a sharp blade that swelled to tens of meters, clearly visible even to the soldiers on the walls of Leyndell.
"Vanish."
Frieren's two Starscourge Greatswords didn't so much cut as slam into the Ancient Dragon's body. With a cry of pain, she was violently knocked from the sky, crashing down and creating a fiery crater.
The blow made even her arms go numb, and she quickly put the weapons away.
She wasn't proficient with them, nor did they suit her. They were best used as launchers for burst-damage ultimate attacks.
That was a close call; if she had been a moment slower, it would have all been for nothing. After all, an Ancient Dragon's speed was nothing to scoff at.
A claw extended from the crater.
Seeing this, Frieren took a breath and prepared to press her attack, but unexpectedly, it was another move—Lansseax's Glaive!
The crimson lightning formed a long blade, unleashing a sweeping strike that could mow down an army. It instantly engulfed the silver-haired girl, who couldn't dodge in time. The light stole all vision, shattering the world. The gale uprooted the maple forest and turned the ancient battlefield ruins to dust.
A counterattack filled with the Ancient Dragon's fury had arrived. This was a battle to the death.
A dark cloud rose from the spot, spattering earth and molten rock, making it difficult for an anxious Melina to approach.
"The Minor Erdtree was caught in the blast!"
She had intended to provide support, but one glance showed the warning she had left was already gone. Misfortunes never come singly.
At this moment, Heroic Gargoyles were already taking flight from the Royal Capital. Though they were a bit slow, it wouldn't take them long to arrive.
If Battle Golems were added to the mix, it would surely be even more troublesome, so Melina had to prepare herself, even if it might evolve into a three-way battle.
Whoosh!
The icy gale from a Divine Beast Lion Dance Step dispersed the lightning, and from within the dust walked Frieren, covered in arcing electricity.
Her skin had scattered scorch marks, and a diagonal slash on her breastplate had peeled back the metal. The blood had already congealed, showing just how terrifying that last move was.
"You really are tough."
Lansseax clicked her tongue and ascended into the sky, filled with wariness.
Who was the one with the Ancient Dragon's body, the strongest race? She was acting as if nothing had happened.
There were rumors that Mohg, Lord of Blood, had tried to kill the Lord of Cinder several times with Outer God-level curses and failed. She was living up to her reputation; that physique was truly worthy of respect.
But now, she held the high ground. She just had to be wary of Gravity Magic and could maintain pressure by circling above.
After testing the waters with a few blasts of Dragonfire, Frieren merely blocked them, with an unremarkable response.
The two engaged in several rounds of ranged offense and defense, neither giving an inch. But overall, the one at a higher altitude held the advantage. If this continued, her defeat was certain.
Wait!
"Since just now, your right hand has been gathering golden lightning... no, that isn't lightning, is it? It's some kind of light manifesting from a barrier between space and time..."
"Everyone thinks it's lightning. I'm surprised you could recognize it."
"Because our liege, the great Placidusax, possesses the power of space and time. He was the first Elden Lord of The Lands Between, and his dynasty ruled far longer than the Golden one."
"I'll remember that. I will defeat him. But before that, I'll test this on you."
Sunlight Spear!
A rainbow-like stream of golden light gathered in Frieren's right hand. On the surface, it was lightning, but in truth, it was power from the First Flame.
Its power was unstoppable. Even when Lansseax tried to interfere, she found the energy in turmoil, all magic collapsing and converging towards a single point, tolerating not a single impurity. It was the purest, highest, strongest, and most tyrannical power between heaven and earth.
A storm swirled around the silver-haired girl, and great bolts of lightning within it all flowed into the spear.
The beam of light, now further formed, began to take aim.
Since she couldn't interrupt it, she could only move away. With that thought, Lansseax charged into the thunderclouds with all her might, strengthening her scales to their absolute limit. In that moment, she was a veritable wall of sighs.
FWOOSH!
The next moment, Frieren had already thrown the stream of light. It flew in an instant. For a moment, the world turned black and white, with only the brilliance of the Sunlight Spear remaining, before it viciously struck the Ancient Dragon's body.
The stone scales couldn't block it in the slightest, pierced as if they were made of paper. No, it wasn't even destruction, just a clean penetration.
Even with all her preparations, Lansseax lost her balance.
She fell once more.
As expected, she crashed into the ground, a fall from the heavens taking but a moment. However, it wasn't enough to completely negate its power.
Suddenly, the stream of light attenuated sharply.
Sensing something, she looked at the silver-haired girl, who snapped her fingers and dispersed the golden lightning. She had shown mercy.
"Do you think I'll thank you for that?"
"I just needed to confirm that the Sunlight Spear is effective against you. There are many other ways to deal with you dragons' scales. I can't have you go down after just one test."
"In your dreams!"
An infuriated Lansseax opened her great maw and spewed a torrent of flame. Opposing it was the azure blue of a Soul Stream.
Since the Ancient Dragon was durable enough, Frieren decided to test the damage of soul sorcery.
Her sorcery parted the pillar of flame, soaring over a hundred meters to strike the massive, stony body. As expected, Lansseax let out a pained cry and actually stumbled back several steps.
"A soul attack!"
Before, she hadn't believed she could be harmed, at least thinking her scales and magical defenses could mitigate the damage.
But unexpectedly, Frieren's magic was superior. It had overpowered her breath in a direct clash and then bypassed her defenses to strike her soul.
A moment's carelessness could have resulted in even greater injury. Why? How many years had this person lived?
The magical power accumulated over the Ancient Dragons' lives, which were even longer than that of the Golden Dynasty, should have been an advantage, yet it was proving useless before the silver-haired girl.
It was hard to imagine how long the Lord of Cinder had lived before coming to The Lands Between.
I should get away.
At this thought, Lansseax beat her wings and took flight, circling in the air while remaining vigilant.
At the same time, she agilely dodged a few glintstone arrows and did a triumphant loop, making her opponent on the ground, now just a tiny dot, seem even more powerless to pursue.
Frieren indeed had few options. While she could fly, she was no match for the sky's sovereign in The Lands Between. No matter the situation, if an Ancient Dragon was determined to flee, it was very difficult to inflict serious damage.
Their ability to advance and retreat at will, combined with their incredible physical strength, was their greatest asset, allowing them to once rule the world.
The War of the Ancient Dragons was lost, but that didn't mean the Golden Dynasty had damaged the core strength of the dragon race. Or perhaps, long before, the city in the sky had suffered a major blow and fallen into decline on its own, giving its competitors an opening. As for why? That was a historical mystery.
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, both looked to the sky. A massive golem had fired an arrow, which traveled several kilometers towards the silver-haired girl.
But a golden flowing flame cut it in two mid-air.
"Leave all these enemies interfering with the battle to me; they won't disturb you. Be careful with Lansseax, she's an Ancient Dragon; you can't be careless."
Melina turned and set off.
The two had effectively entrusted their backs to each other. The situation was growing more and more dangerous.
The Golden Capital was stirring, first testing the waters with long-range golem attacks. The Heroic Gargoyles flew unhurriedly, more like they were covering the assembly of ground troops.
Once they formed up, they wouldn't be something an ordinary Demigod like Melina could handle.
Unless she used Destined Death.
But the impact of that would be too great. It would be an outright provocation of the entire Royal Capital army; a fight to the death on the spot would be unavoidable.
She decided to keep such an easily uncontrollable trump card in reserve. All she had to do was believe in the Tarnished.
"Now you're caught in a pincer attack. And with me here, you can't just run away."
Lansseax let out a roar, sending plants and leaves flying.
Yet Frieren remained unmoved, a thoughtful expression on her face as she murmured, "I almost forgot... I have a stronger arrow..."
A giant bow appeared in her hands.
Its curve was like that of a hill, carved with golden ornamentation. Upon contact with her Gravity Magic, it resonated with increasing excitement, its conduction efficiency extremely high, as if it had longed to return to the battlefield.
The Lion Greatbow!
Another weapon from Radahn's Remembrance. Because she had sorcery for ranged attacks, Frieren had kept it in storage, but now it seemed it had its use.
And it proved to be the right choice. Lansseax's relaxed and casual air vanished, replaced by a tense readiness.
The weapon of the previous strongest Demigod was now in the hands of the Lord of Cinder. The famed weapon of The Lands Between had been passed down.
Now that it was aimed at her, how could she not be cautious?
A purely defensive stance was not the way of the Ancient Dragons. Lansseax condensed a glaive of lightning in her hand, reaching from the thunderclouds above to the hell below. The crackling friction in the air signified the accumulation of ultimate energy.
Frieren was faster. She drew the bow like a full moon, her perfectly compatible Gravity Magic fully charged.
It's been a while.
As the creaking bowstring was drawn back, the roar of a lion seemed to echo in the wind. The violet-white magic reached its critical point and was launched above the clouds.
Radahn's Rain fell from above, hundreds of arrows descending—
Almost at the same moment they were released, a dragon's lightning bolt struck Frieren. Yet she remained perfectly still, taking aim. In the instant she was engulfed by the lightning, countless gravity arrows pierced Lansseax's body.
Immense quantity is also a form of power.
The arrows, which emphasized physical mass impact, cracked the fine scales and wedged themselves deep into the gaps, making her feel as if a mountain had slammed into her back. It was irresistible.
The Ancient Dragon, so triumphant moments ago, was now torn open, falling from the sky once more with a cry.
BOOM!
This time, the impact was especially large, as more arrows followed her down.
One can imagine this propagator of the ancient dragon faith was not lightly injured.
But the other combatant was also a concern.
Who in the world could take a direct hit from a dragon's lightning while focusing solely on attacking without any defense? No one could remember.
That meant they were all dead. What would happen to the Lord of Cinder?
The battlefield fell silent. Melina, in particular, looked back anxiously, only to see a figure slowly walk out of a crater of crystallized lightning.
Frieren was now covered in soot and wrapped in arcing electricity.
_____
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