Melina, who had been worried, was relieved. She was just about to create a Minor Erdtree when, from the corner of her eye, she saw an arrow flying rapidly toward her and had to dodge away.
At some point, several giant Golems had risen before the high walls of Leyndell. They were fully armed and aimed at the two of them, giving no quarter.
From the Royal Capital army's perspective, the Soul Cinder King was severely wounded. It was certain she was heavily injured. If they could defeat her now, wouldn't that be a stroke of immense luck?
May the Eternal Queen protect them.
This is bad, I have to retreat.
Just as she made up her mind and looked back at Frieren, the latter instantly cast a Sun Healing. A warm, golden light enveloped her entire body, causing the dry, scorched, dead skin to rapidly peel away, replaced by supple, flawless skin. Even her armor hadn't sustained much damage.
The Dragonbolt was more of an energy attack, leaving a strong electric current coursing through her body.
They had nearly forgotten—the Soul Cinder King was also renowned for her healing.
Being both a master physician and capable of self-healing, she recovered in the blink of an eye, much to the disappointment of the Royal Capital army.
However, they soon heard the Grace-Given King's command: "Do not worry, the Dragonbolt has not yet been dispelled. Frieren is currently in a state of paralysis. This is the perfect opportunity. Full assault!"
"As you command."
At this point, Morgott could not let this chance slip by. He had been holding back and staying hidden, but now he had to personally command and, if necessary, take action himself. He could not allow the enemy to reach the Altus Plateau unscathed.
Ancient Dragon Lansseax couldn't be relied upon; she wasn't fully on the side of the Golden Dynasty. In the end, it all came down to the Leyndell army.
A low dragon's roar was heard as the rock-like dragon stood up. Like a puppy shaking itself dry, she violently shook her body, flinging off countless arrows. Her puffed-up form returned to its slender state, though her life force had diminished.
She was injured after all. Even an Ancient Dragon, known for its physical toughness, couldn't withstand the explosion of such powerful magic. She had never expected the newly risen quasi-monarch to be this strong, far beyond her expectations.
But Lansseax was not angry. Instead, she looked at Frieren with anticipation, and Frieren returned the gaze.
"Vyke has a worthy successor."
"Even he had to rely on a portion of the Ancient Dragon Incantations, yet you accomplished it entirely with your own magic. In all of The Lands Between, no one's talent for magic rivals yours."
Coming from one of the oldest living beings, this praise carried immense weight. Of course, she did not relax her magical pressure in the slightest.
She remained eager to fight, her fighting spirit soaring. It had been a long time since her will to battle had been ignited. She would treat this as a good stretch and get a good look at the power of the future Elden Lord.
Even as the Leyndell army drew ever closer, it did not stop Frieren from responding with unabashed courtesy:
"To be able to fight an Ancient Dragon without having to go to the Sky-City is truly fortunate. Bring forth whatever techniques you have."
The next moment, both sides launched their attacks anew.
Two.
Dragonfire and a torrent of magic clashed, then separated again. One transformed into a thundercloud, while the other teleported continuously within spatial vortices, weaving through the battlefield.
Both sides simultaneously adopted a super high-speed combat style. They both realized that a simple contest of strength was useless and would only leave openings for third-party harassers.
So, they expanded the battlefield and competed with absolute speed and power.
Flames spread across the capital outskirts. Dust filled the air, shockwaves erupted frequently, and a firestorm dyed the clouds red.
For a time, the reinforcing Gargoyles, Tree Sentinels, and Leyndell Knights were caught in the Dragonbolt. They also had to be careful of the Dragonbolt and soul magic flying past; a mere graze would result in severe injury or death.
However, the most threatening enemy was another. A figure in a black cloak flickered in and out of sight, accompanied by the flash of a golden blade.
Clang!
Melina killed a Leyndell Knight on the spot, clean and decisive. As the corpse fell, several arrows rained down, but they failed to even touch the hem of her clothes.
The difference in speed was too great.
The goal wasn't to kill a certain number of targets, but to pin them down.
Just as expected, the imposing Leyndell army had no choice but to slow its pace and guard its surroundings.
"It's that witch of the golden scion!"
They certainly recognized the maiden of the quasi-monarch Tarnished, especially since she also served as the Chancellor, making her the second most important figure among the southern rebels.
Why would a descendant of Marika choose a Tarnished who does not uphold the Golden Order? There was no point in asking.
Identity was certainly important in the Golden Dynasty, especially direct bloodlines, but one's stance was even more critical. Even knowing there were issues with the Grace-Given King's origins, everyone maintained a tacit understanding to protect their home together.
Conversely, Melina, as an enemy, had to be defeated.
For a moment, incantations of the golden lineage exploded amidst the dust, neither side yielding. It was truly a civil war within the Golden army.
"Send reinforcements, or we won't be able to hold!"
A steady stream of reinforcements—Tree Sentinels, Valiant Gargoyles, and even Perfumers and Gargoyles—gradually formed a battle line. They had already blocked the flames of the golden blade several times.
This forced Melina to consider a stronger Lightning Spear. But if she used it rashly, it might affect the other battlefield...
BOOM!
A crimson Ancient Dragons' Lightning Strike descended. The attack wasn't over; it continued to spread across the ground.
Melina, who was already keeping a distracted eye on the fight, dodged with ease. The Leyndell soldiers, however, were not so lucky. They were thrown into chaos by the aftershock.
"Maintain distance, evade quickly!"
Unfortunately, the warning came too late. Immediately after, Meteorite of Astel was unleashed.
The sky filled with dense, hollow vortexes, from which shot countless meteorites. Under the acceleration of gravity, they covered the entire battlefield, indiscriminately bombarding everything within her perceptual range.
As a result, the Leyndell army's vanguard was brutally massacred, submerged by a deluge of meteorites and cut down like wheat.
It turned out that Frieren and Lansseax weren't holding back; when they got serious, they became mobile natural disasters, clearing the field by their very presence.
Bang, bang, bang—
The large-scale magic spanned the capital outskirts, with some meteorites even flying toward the city walls. Although their initial angle wasn't steep enough to clear the high walls, the vibrations from their impact still left people shaken.
The defenders on the walls looked down from their high vantage point but did not feel safe, their hearts pounding.
"Even though I've seen the allied kings' offensive, this scene is still an exaggeration. Our forces can't compare to back then."
"And this is the bombardment from the Soul Cinder King alone."
A shadow of gloom fell over the knights' faces. The implication was that if the main forces of the Academy, who specialized in magical siege warfare, were here, the consequences would be dire. After all, the Raya Lucarian sorcerer divisions did not participate in the Shattering back then.
Their elite forces were still intact and had been continuously growing under Frieren's development.
Wasn't today's conflict a fated preview of the "Third Siege of Leyndell"?
However, the Grace-Given King, who had already turned the tide once, was also weary. People couldn't help but look towards the highest point, the golden palace. The atmosphere there felt even more grave and solemn.
At this moment, Morgott drew his light-infused sword and gently caressed it.
Should he join the battle? If he did, would it be as Margit, the Fell Omen? Or as the Grace-Given King?
Which to choose?
Initially, no one could have imagined:
A war of conquest by the Mohgwyn Dynasty in the far south of The Lands Between had affected the stability of the Royal Capital.
Mohg, Lord of Blood's identity as both an Omen and a scion of Marika shook the very foundations of their rule. This self-contradiction was undoubtedly a challenge to authority.
Even more terrifying was the speculation that followed: Could there be other despicable individuals like Mohg?
Some rumors were already implicitly questioning the Grace-Given King's identity, which is why the mood within the high walls remained uneasy.
If he rashly deployed his Fell Omen identity, wouldn't it be even more dangerous? But he couldn't appear as the Grace-Given King while being so heavily concealed either. No matter which he chose, he would face scrutiny.
Morgott had no choice but to change his orders:
"Do not be hasty to attack. Have the vanguard disperse to avoid the aftershocks. The rear guard will focus on providing support. Now is not the time to directly confront the Soul Cinder King."
Although this might boost the enemy's morale, it was the least bad option after weighing the pros and cons.
With a single command, the Leyndell army began a slow retreat.
Before, they might have thought the Grace-Given King was being a bit soft, but now they had to admit that a reckless intervention would only cause more unnecessary losses. Thus, the army slowly kept its distance, though it still maintained a tight formation.
Melina did not press the attack. Maintaining deterrence was enough; there was no need to chase them into their formation and risk danger.
A long horn sounded!
It signaled a temporary halt to the attack.
The frontline commander of the Leyndell Knights also understood that they could not easily bypass a demigod's all-out blockade without paying a price. They also had to beware of the aftershocks.
In a sense, the two combatants had become indiscriminate natural disasters; anyone who intervened would get slapped by both sides.
A battle of such a caliber likely could not tolerate any interference.
At this moment, both Lansseax's and Frieren's magic were weakening, because their effects were becoming less and less potent.
Both sides had rich combat experience and began to specifically defend against attacks of Dragonbolt and soul magic. As a result, the fight became a stalemate; their destructive power increased, but it had no effect.
"The scales of an Ancient Dragon are truly formidable."
It was reminiscent of how the Onyx Lord defeated the ancient dragons. Could the two be related?
Frieren, knowing that Sunlight Spear was most suitable, couldn't find an opportunity. Her opponent, also aware of this, used its aerial advantage to constantly apply pressure, leaving no time to charge the spell.
Even if she could force a volley with a skill like Endure, she still had to consider whether the Leyndell army would launch a sneak attack.
Lightning Blade!
As she pondered, a bolt of lightning struck at her. But this time, she didn't meet it head-on. Instead, she reached out and caught it, letting it pierce her palm.
Lightning Reversal!
The unexpected counterattack struck Lansseax. Being hit by her own attack for the first time left her tingling and numb. She fell into a brief stupor, and even her energy flow became disordered, which was quite dangerous.
"You still have other tricks up your sleeve at this point!"
Her heart skipped a beat, wondering if her opponent would suddenly press the attack.
She wasn't wrong. The next moment, Frieren seized the opportunity of the paralysis to continuously apply status buffs to herself, adding to the ones from the start of the fight and drinking more wondrous physick, poised to strike.
Has she given up on winning with special attacks? Does she intend to win with pure power instead?
She was filled with a thirst for victory.
Does continuing this fight serve my interests?
Lansseax suddenly flapped her wings and climbed high into the sky. At the same time, lightning and smoke enveloped her body, concealing her within the air currents, flickering in and out of view. In a state of full defense, not even Gravity Magic could easily bring down an Ancient Dragon.
The silver-haired girl below, who was preparing her attack, was slightly taken aback, a look of surprise on her face. Since she began her campaign in The Lands Between, not many opponents had actively retreated.
Especially since this Ancient Dragon had been holding back; the two hadn't even truly determined who had the upper hand. But on second thought, why would a being known as the high priestess of the ancient dragon cult fight to the death?
"Soul Cinder King, we will meet again. Let's have a proper chat then."
"About the history of The Lands Between, about the Ancient Dragons, about Vyke... we have quite a few topics in common..."
The white Ancient Dragon gradually faded.
With Lansseax's speed, if she was determined to leave, it would indeed be very difficult to intercept her.
Under the rules of The Lands Between, Frieren had few means of rapid movement, and even fewer that allowed flight. She simply watched the afterimage on the horizon and replied:
"See you again. This battle was a decent greeting."
A faint chuckle came from the sky, and then all was silent. She had clearly traveled far away. Perhaps she had returned to the Sky-City. If her description of it being hidden in a rift in spacetime was correct, then it would be nearly impossible to find, with no known means of locating it.
How curious.
A being like an Ancient Dragon reminded Frieren of other dragon battles she had experienced. This was how it should be; flying dragons didn't count.
Apart from the Grandmother of Dragons, Greyoll, whose massive body and strength posed some threat, the other flying dragons couldn't give her the feeling of a true battle. Their level of existence was far inferior to that of a true Ancient Dragon.
Unfortunately, now was not the time for reminiscence.
Melina ran over to regroup and used an Erdtree Heal.
"You've finally repelled Lansseax. You've done something incredible. Most Ancient Dragons are actually very ill-tempered, fighting to the death without retreat."
"Back then, Gransax insisted on breaching the high walls, refusing to stop even when facing the Golden Dynasty's army at its peak. The great Ancient Dragon paid with its life. For you to make her recognize the difficulty and retreat is truly rare."
"She just wasn't very committed to the fight. It would have been boring to continue," Frieren replied nonchalantly.
"The important thing is them..."
The silver-haired girl looked towards the vast Royal Capital army. Having preserved their strength amidst the aftershocks, they had finished reorganizing. Their tight military formation was now on the move, an overwhelming tide.
Where their weapons pointed, iron hooves trampled. Their banners pointed at the two of them.
Melina stated bluntly, "Although Torrent can outrun them, we're facing more than just cavalry."
The fully assembled grand army included the aiming of distant great Golems, the suppression from Valiant Gargoyles in the air, and the pursuit of numerous knights on the ground. The various branches coordinated seamlessly. If caught within their combined force, it would take considerable effort to escape.
"Hold on tight."
Suddenly, Frieren wrapped her left arm around Melina's waist, while her right hand began to charge her staff. The immense magic kicked up dust and loose stones.
It also snapped the incoming arrows one by one; they had no hope of interrupting her with ranged attacks.
"Alright. Whatever it is, feel free to try."
Until now, Melina had placed absolute trust in her magic. It was a bit eccentric, but its power was undeniable. At this point, she couldn't think of any way to fight an entire army; all that was left was to believe.
The Royal Capital army galloped on, further increasing their speed, their momentum surging. Although they didn't know what was about to happen, they had to stop the Soul Cinder King.
From the rear, Morgott also prepared to move out.
The ground rumbled, sand and stones flew, and the horizon was filled with the cold glint of armor, pressing down upon them—
They were close. The Tree Sentinels in the vanguard raised their shields, ready to intercept, even at the cost of their lives.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Frieren and Melina turned into a shooting star, trailing dust and flames as they ascended into the clouds, their takeoff speed even surpassing that of an Ancient Dragon.
Gravity Magic again!
The vast elite forces of the Royal Capital army could only watch helplessly as the shooting star rose from the ground. The meteorite at its forefront carved a smoky trail, instantly melting into the clouds. Mid-flight, it shed countless fragments that turned into a rain of fire, like a comet disintegrating as it falls.
Following Radahn's sealing of the stars, this was the first time a shooting star had appeared in the skies above the Altus Plateau.
Many people were stunned by the sight, unable to help but murmur, "How beautiful."
It was as if they had returned to the moment when intelligent life first gazed upon the starry sky and began to think. However, the eternal Golden Order rejected all of this; it was best not to move rashly.
Wasn't Starscourge Radahn also defending it?
But Frieren, who had defeated him, was not an inheritor of his ideals. Instead, she sought to build upon the past and forge a new future, choosing the Law of the Stars. To embrace all things and welcome its challenges requires even greater strength and courage.
BOOM!
Amidst a violent roar, the shooting star began its downward arc, heading north across the plateau.
It wasn't as exaggerated as an Ancient Dragon's flight; it was a meteor leap similar to Radahn's, but Frieren's version was higher and went further, by all estimates far exceeding the defensive height of the city walls.
A Leyndell Knight couldn't help but make a rough comparison, and was shocked to discover: "The flight she demonstrated was already higher than the city walls."
"Doesn't that mean our defenses are practically useless?"
"No, it can at least stop an army. Reaching the city walls alone, isn't that what the great Ancient Dragon Gransax and Starscourge Radahn did? One died, and the other retreated."
"It's not that simple. The Soul Cinder King is stronger than both of them."
They didn't dare to make a rash judgment.
But without a doubt, Frieren's greeting this time left a deep impression on the Golden Capital. Both her sudden arrival and her free-spirited departure were, in themselves, a form of deterrence.
It meant that when all-out war began in the future, it would be difficult to catch and attack her. The situation was quite tricky.
The golden army gazed at the lingering contrail in the sky, silent for a long time, reminiscent of the fires of war in distant ages.
The third siege of the capital, led by the Soul Cinder King, would be even more difficult.
A moment later, the signal to withdraw was given. The vast army regrouped and marched back into the city, though a hint of regret was on everyone's faces. It was a pity they couldn't even catch up to Frieren to test their mettle, to at least validate their tactics.
She was not hesitant at all when she needed to be flexible, retreating so decisively that they couldn't seize any opportunity.
Inside the palace.
Confirming that Frieren would not be returning anytime soon, Morgott took a deep breath and sat back on his throne to contemplate, the light in his eyes flickering.
"It seems she was indeed here to probe our defenses."
Or to put it more bluntly, she simply came to see the sights of the Golden Dynasty.
Analyzing the Soul Cinder King didn't require so much beating around the bush. There was no deep conspiracy. Given her adventurous nature, she was most likely just scouting ahead.
Encountering Lansseax was a complete accident. Operating on the principle of "since I'm already here," she engaged in a great battle with the Ancient Dragon.
The commotion from this fight would likely send news across The Lands Between.
The quasi-monarch has reached the Altus Plateau.
However, for Morgott, it wasn't all bad news recently. The shade of the First Lord had already sent word back; Godfrey's return was only a matter of time...
"There is one thing we haven't figured out. How did the rumors about the Land of Shadow suddenly appear?"
He scanned his subordinates and continued to press:
"There's no smoke without fire. There must be a problem with that seal for it to spark discussion. Moreover, the south seems to be intentionally preventing information from leaking. Can we find out what they are planning?"
"My lord, any action concerning the Land of Shadow must be on a very small scale, that much we can confirm."
"Because there has been no large-scale troop movement in the south, nor have their elites been acting in concert. Therefore, I judge that it is highly probable the Soul Cinder King found something and acted upon it. The real secret lies with her."
A pity.
That meant it was impossible to inquire further. This lead was a dead end, impossible to investigate.
Morgott pondered for a moment before giving an order:
"Strengthen the patrols around the Royal Capital and prepare for a large-scale defensive battle at any time."
"Also, withdraw the forces stationed at the Grand Lift. It's meaningless now. Leaving them there will only make them a target for Frieren. Cede the areas surrounding the capital. We must hold the walls."
"As you command."
The entire Golden Capital sprang into tense action, adding a sense of wartime pressure for everyone.
As the undisputed central city of The Lands Between, its every move was closely watched. As they acted, news of the battle before the walls had already spread far and wide.
At Volcano Manor, demons and heretics danced and cried out in revelry.
The great army of Leyndell had allowed Frieren to come and go as she pleased. Whether they were all bark and no bite or not, it would stir the ambitions of suppressed factions.
Including their own.
Deep within the volcano, Rykard showed a serpentine smile to Tanith, who had come to report, and said leisurely:
"With the Grace-Given King's cowardly nature, he will surely order a contraction of forces to strengthen the city's defenses. That's perfect. We will absorb all the surrounding villages he abandons."
"The serpent-men need more flesh. Let the Altus Plateau burn."
Hearing this, Tanith bowed deeply and replied:
"The opportunity you have been waiting for is finally at hand."
For years, the volcano's numerous raids had yielded little effect. They were always stopped by the Leyndell army.
Now, with the shackles broken, they could act on a larger scale, at the very least conducting a thorough cleansing of the outlying villages.
This was Rykard's avarice.
The great serpent's devouring was not limited to flesh and power; it needed to consume territory to sustain its massive body.
At the thought of future wars, he hissed with excitement, his mortal body writhing, his scales scraping against the magma pool. Beside him, Aldrich also swelled, equally expectant.
"To make Rykard so happy, it seems the Royal Capital has lost face."
In his room at the manor, Bernahl then looked outside the door and saw Rya hurrying back, met by Patches, who was responsible for receiving her.
"I'm exhausted! Your payment better be doubled!"
After speaking, the bald man collapsed into a chair as if drained, muttering at the same time:
"The out-of-control serpent-men below are increasing, attacking almost indiscriminately. The entire volcano region is going crazy... What happened?"
"As you can see, Tanith told Rykard the news of the chaos at the Royal Capital."
Bernahl briefly mentioned the recent conflict, a world-class battle between the Soul Cinder King and an Ancient Dragon. Although there was no decisive outcome, it was enough to be recorded in the annals of history.
This was a clash between a quasi-monarch and an Ancient Dragon. Their battle announced that the southern offensive had extended to the Altus Plateau. The siege of the capital was only a matter of time.
The balanced stalemate had been entered by a third party.
The forces of the volcano could not remain uninvolved, especially since they had absorbed numerous Tarnished, which would definitely arouse Frieren's curiosity.
____
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