Torrent's mobility was to ensure she could press the attack at any moment. That was why her long-prepared gravity blade had first annihilated the army on the Royal Capital's side—to ensure not a single person escaped.
The cold-bloodedness of such an undisguised tactic made them nervous. If the Crucible Knight hadn't taken the initiative to step forward, their morale would likely have crumbled.
Now, everyone felt a greater sense of security.
"Hold fast! Reinforcements will arrive!"
"You won't live to see them. I will kill you all before then and secure the lift completely."
Frieren's flat, direct voice drowned out the Crucible Knight's encouragement. The next moment, she spurred her spectral steed's belly and charged the center line once more.
Even with the Royal Capital's elite forces ahead, Torrent was fearless.
Flame Spear!
The Chaos Flame wrapped around the war spear shot out in a straight line, with no regard for mana waste or power decay, as if it were a mere firework display. Upon contact, however, its true nature was revealed.
The temperature was high enough to melt armor, and even the mounts began to show signs of mutation. The demonic corruption had always been latent within the Chaos Flame, no less potent than the Frenzied Flame that had originally coated the spear.
At the critical moment, the Crucible Knight raised his shield. His tall, imposing figure single-handedly blocked the raging Flame Spear.
Seizing the opportunity, the Tree Sentinels beside him crossed their halberds and simultaneously cast Golden Vow to enhance their own attack and defense.
The elite Tree Sentinels of the Royal Capital were not to be compared with those sent to the south; their skill and constitution were far superior.
Here she comes!
In a flash, the silver-haired girl charged in on her steed, but the light from the blue Glintstone was even more dazzling. A sweeping Carian Greatsword struck the Crucible Knight with a crisp crack.
His body staggered, but ultimately, he did not fall. He gritted his teeth and withstood the blow, which carried the full force of her charge.
His armor cracked, his bones groaned, but he held. This was their chance.
"Tough indeed. No wonder the advice said you have high poise."
Her first strike unsuccessful, Frieren tilted her head to evade the Tree Sentinel's sweeping halberd, not forgetting to convert the residual energy of the Glintstone sword into a Glintstone Arc that flew toward the army's formation.
As one might expect, an explosion erupted, mangling another group of knights right in front of their commanders.
She could always find an opportunity to maximize casualties.
This was a strength unique to the style of a Lord of Cinder. Even an ordinary battlemage could not casually dive deep into an enemy formation, yet this one galloped about with impunity, thanks to her endless mana and diverse range of magic.
Even Radahn, who specialized in gravity magic, could not do this, because facing a varied combination of enemy unit types tested one's versatility.
Fortunately, Frieren lacked for nothing when it came to magic, wielding all types with ease.
Though she had yet to break through the elite vanguard, she would casually hurl gales, lightning, ice, and fire into the army's formation, on an even grander scale than her fierce battle with the Divine Beast Dancing Lion in the Land of Shadow, with every move erupting with immense power.
The reason Frieren unleashed aftershocks with such abandon was because her completely trusted comrade was covering her defense.
Clang!
With a sharp ring, Melina's dagger parried the Tree Sentinel's heavy weapon. Logically, this should have been difficult to achieve, but at this moment, she was wreathed in the enhancement of Golden Vow.
And it was the most powerful Incantation effect on the field.
Driven by a super-Faith likely exceeding a value of 99, any Incantation would undergo a qualitative change, far surpassing its previous effect, to say nothing of it being cast by a Demigod's body.
Thus, the strange spectacle of a petite assassin holding her own against a heavy-armored warrior unfolded.
The most threatening Crucible Knight was left for Frieren to handle. She had to control this fellow's combat rhythm; after just a few exchanges, she discovered the enemy's damage was considerably fierce.
One powerful, heavy blow made her blocking hand go numb, a sensation she hadn't felt in a long time. He was at least on the level of a divine being.
Because at this level, their stats were no different from her own. In everyone's eyes, the Lord of Cinder was powerful because of a series of buffs from mana, skill, and more, making her actual performance far exceed her stats. However, when truly facing a stat-monster type, she still had to rely on true skill.
Like this Crucible Knight.
A shield bash with his horns slammed into her spear, causing the flames to dissipate slightly.
It even caused Torrent beneath her to buck, nearly losing his footing, giving both Frieren and Melina a scare.
At the same time, the knightly order also closed in. Since keeping their distance couldn't save them from the aftershocks, only one option remained: Fight to the death.
A dense forest of weapons rose, glinting with cold light. Under the command of the lead elite officer, they descended like a landslide, ceaselessly battering the two Demigods' small party, determined to keep attacking even if victory was not immediate.
If they revealed an opening now, it would be trouble. The two exchanged a look and immediately reached a consensus:
"They've formed up again. I'll break them apart."
"I will protect you."
Before the words faded, Frieren switched weapons, holding a Starscourge Greatsword in each hand. They were not only formidable +9 enhanced weapons but also excellent casting mediums, conjuring a gravity vortex the moment they appeared.
The Crucible Knight intended to stop her and sent out a blade of wind, but it collided with Melina's Golden Blade in mid-air and was nullified. At this moment, Torrent leaped high.
The spectral steed jumped even higher with the aid of gravity, even lightly vaulting off the knight's shield to trace an arc through the air.
This fleeting opening immediately became Frieren's point of leverage.
"Go."
In that instant, the two of them and their steed soared like a meteor. The tail of fire left a brilliant golden afterimage and a trail of dust and crushed stone as they easily vaulted over the army's front line.
Now it was the Leyndell army's turn to have an enemy at their back. A chill crept up their necks, and every cell in their bodies trembled.
"Get down, quickly!" However, the Crucible Knight's warning was a beat too late.
The twin Starscourge Greatswords stabbed viciously into the ground. The sky was stained purple and white as rifts opened one after another, revealing massive boulders.
Meteorite of Astel, at full power.
They flew eagerly from the spatial rifts, their great mass and gravitational acceleration making them far more terrifying than any trebuchet barrage, instantly blanketing the entire army.
The completely unprepared heavy soldiers in the rearmost ranks became target practice.
One meteorite first crushed several knights into pulp, then rolled on the spot, flattening a wide area with a rumbling sound.
Rumble, rumble!
Moreover, the meteorites fell ceaselessly. Under her mental control, they were even precisely aimed at the most densely packed groups, making them lethally efficient.
A single impact carved out a deep crater, completely ruining the terrain. The battlefield was like an earthquake; even the distant hillsides began to collapse, causing landslides as a secondary disaster.
The only weakness of this move was that she had to remain stationary to cast it.
But now, Frieren maintained a safe distance from the Leyndell army.
Beside her was Melina, the best insurance, combining the abilities of an assassin and a healer. If she were fighting alongside Ranni, she wouldn't dare be so bold and would have sought a different tactic.
The meteor shower sent the golden knights into disarray. At this point, no formation was left. It was another scene entirely:
A burial.
Where were the figures now? Halberds were broken, warhorses lay dead, and blood flowed like a river.
The relentless rain of meteorites was so oversaturated that it formed piles of rubble.
Killing and burying in one go. The dust was so thick it even obscured the bodies. Only faint cries of pain in the wind announced the presence of life.
Yet one man still charged forth, leading the charge: the Crucible Knight.
His courage was commendable, but that was all.
Even while channeling the large-scale meteorite spell and unable to move easily, Frieren could still attack with a fully-charged Comet. A large chunk of blue glintstone shot out, slamming into the Crucible Knight's raised shield.
With a dull thud, his charge was forcibly halted, and he was even knocked back, almost losing his balance.
What terrifying force. Just how much magic was poured into that?
Both sides had already realized the gap. This result brought a flash of disappointment to the silver-haired girl's face.
A single Crucible Knight was far from enough of a challenge, especially one without a distinguished title.
She simply continued to focus on the bombardment, as maximizing the battle's casualties was more important.
Thanks to the other Leyndell knights helping to support him, the Crucible Knight might have lost his balance a moment ago.
Everyone rallied behind the Crucible Knight.
Like a great blade.
Frieren glanced once and then ignored the battlefield of distant grunts, instead turning her gaze to the elite troops charging with the Crucible Knight. More than half of them had been lost, but they still maintained a minimum level of organization, as hot-blooded as ever.
"The fact that The Shattering was so brutal proves that every army, no matter which side, had iron discipline, didn't it? A pity..."
Though she appeared motionless while casting, she was actually aiming behind the Crucible Knight.
Crash!
A full five or six meteorites smashed into them. The Tree Sentinels were buried in deep craters, knights and their warhorses torn into twisted shapes.
The Leyndell knights were crushed, then covered by shattered rock. Even those lucky enough to survive the first hit could not escape the fate of being pressed to death alive.
Not only that, but the last-ditch Golden Parry of the suicide squad was useless.
Because Frieren was never just using gravity magic from start to finish; she also mixed in different spells, such as Glintstone, Lightning Spear, Storm Blade, and others.
The mixed attributes were even more numerous, including Chaos Flame, moon sorcery, and even the spirit-calling magic of the hornsent....
It was simply impossible to counter them specifically.
What was strong wasn't gravity magic, nor any single type of magic, but their incredibly terrifying convergence in the hands of a single caster—a genius unparalleled in the history of the Lands Between.
Has it gone quiet?
The Crucible Knight could no longer hear the sound of his comrades charging behind him. It was a deathly silence, utterly still.
His pace quickened, yet the powerful quasi-king remained unmoved by the shrinking distance. At her side, the one-eyed witch's arm emerged from her black cloak, her scarred hand holding the Blade of Calling, its cold light piercing.
"Is it you who would be my opponent? You're not quite enough. Best let Frieren handle this."
Melina remained unmoved, showing her edge to the provocateur.
The Crucible Knight, who had hoped to taunt his way through, was now forced to face this defensive line. This was a genuine Demigod of the Golden Lineage, not to be underestimated.
One could tell from her aura alone that she was weathered by experience and had accumulated considerable combat expertise, unlike the more pampered types like Godefroy or Godrick.
Clang!
The dagger parried the bronze greatsword.
Feeling the force in his hands, his heart leaped with joy. That's right, compatibility must also be considered.
His opponent's strength, weapon, and defense were far inferior to his own. At the very least, he could break through her blockade.
Thus, the Crucible Knight began a fierce assault, his sword and shield combined in a fluid dance.
A storm of sword slashes and shield bashes rained down, enough to shatter a small squadron. Yet Melina simply used her nimble footwork to weave around him, sometimes suppressing him from afar with a Lightning Spear, other times closing in with her Golden Blade, constantly keeping him engaged, holding the line without giving an inch.
Her seemingly petite body had become a wall of sighs.
He even saw Frieren in the background flash a triumphant smile, giving him a taunting look before intensifying her bombardment of the main army's formation.
The great booms slowed.
But this was 反而 bad news. It meant the caster was now using her perception to precisely snipe the survivors.
In other words, at least 90% had been wiped out, and she was now in the cleanup phase. It was the height of arrogance.
The Crucible Knight stomped heavily, releasing unprecedented power from the special horns on his shield and shoulders.
Aspects of the Crucible: Horns—Charge!
Anger and resolve broke through Melina's defense, thrusting with all his might toward Frieren, who was full of openings. The golden light of ancient power was unstoppable.
But why was there not a trace of alarm on her face, only pity?
Clink!
Suddenly, the Crucible Knight stopped dead in his tracks, unable to move. A blade had pierced him from behind.
But that length shouldn't have been enough to penetrate his armor. What truly emerged from his chest was a terrifying power of black and red.
He turned his head with difficulty: "...Destined Death... Did Marika give it to you, or are you..."
Unfortunately, he would never get an answer. Even one as mighty as a Crucible Knight was felled in a single blow. This was a treasure forged from the very rules of the Lands Between.
Melina sheathed the Blade of Calling, her expression serene.
If it was for Frieren's sake, it didn't matter if she used a forbidden power of this level. She wondered if the Black Blade who guarded Destined Death would sense it.
She hadn't expected to use Destined Death to settle things at the critical moment; she had almost been forced to act herself. It proved that the young lady had a competitive streak; if she was going to protect someone, she would see it through to the end.
At the same time, the silver-haired girl gradually reined in her magic, finally ending the meteorite bombardment.
The two looked out over the crater-filled landscape.
The 2,000-strong Royal Capital army garrisoned on the plateau side of the lift was annihilated, which meant their plan to block the south had utterly failed.
No matter what, they would have to completely pull back, especially since they had lost a key figure on site: a Crucible Knight.
Having survived the ancient ages, they had once fought alongside Godfrey, making them undisputed veterans, the pillar of strength in many people's eyes.
With the First Lord gone, they could even be considered a part of the true lineage, and in the future, they would surely fight alongside him upon his return.
Life is unpredictable. Now, their ranks were forever diminished by one.
"Though he was a Crucible Knight, he wasn't among the elite. In the future, if you encounter a Crucible Knight with a title, you must be careful," Melina warned.
"The power from the Primordial Crucible combined with their exquisite skill is very difficult to deal with. In fact, I only succeeded because he focused his attention on you."
"I know, I just witnessed it. A direct confrontation would indeed be troublesome."
It was hard to imagine the First Elden Lord Godfrey leading a full contingent of Crucible Knights on a campaign. What a terrifying sight that must have been.
It would be like a group of Demigods fighting as a unit. No wonder the wars of that era shattered the heavens and the earth.
Next, Frieren focused on her unexpected gain:
[Aspects of the Crucible: Horns]
[One of the incantations of the ancient Erdtree]
[Forms a hard horn on the shoulder. Lower your stance, then thrust upwards. Can be charged to advance forward]
[This is the primordial life force of the Erdtree, one of the aspects of the Crucible]
[In the past, all life was intertwined, with no distinction between beings]
The ancient powers of the Lands Between were not to be trifled with. As expected, the Crucible Knights carried on a long and storied legacy of power.
However, Frieren was confident that sooner or later, she could learn to replicate it.
Toot!
A futile warning horn still echoed in the air, finally reaching the distance. The Royal Capital probably received it, but it was too late.
Because Melina and Frieren had already strode up to the lift.
Before them stood towering stone archway pillars, flanked by imposing and majestic statues. Any visitor would feel a sense of awe, having to look up to see the solemn faces of the sculptures.
A few fortresses were scattered around the area.
Behind them, Runes and souls continuously dissipated and flew away.
Losing so many troops in such a short time, all flowing back to the Erdtree, was enough of a commotion to shock the Royal Capital. Even the Grace-Given King could not hope to organize a counterattack immediately.
The more practical choice was to cede the lift and give up the field of battle to the enemy.
So Frieren had good reason to clear the area one more time.
Rumble, rumble!
Comet after comet rained down, easily destroying the crudely made temporary forts.
Although Leyndell had begun planning to block potential threats long ago, the constant unrest on the Altus Plateau had delayed the construction, leaving only a few unreinforced defensive lines. Now, they were completely washed away, a huge battle accomplishment handed over to the enemy for free.
"I almost forgot, Melina. Those golden soldiers gave a lot of Runes. It's a good time to help me level up."
"Understood. Leave it to me."
After speaking, she guided a stream of Rune energy to Frieren and asked, "As usual, I'll distribute them evenly for you. Are there any specific stats you want to focus on?"
"Intelligence and Faith. It's about time I learned some Incantations."
As a sorcerer, even raising Intelligence to 99 wouldn't be excessive. As for Faith, she had taken an interest in various strange and wonderful Incantations. She hadn't had enough resources to spare for them before, but now she could slowly start experimenting.
An Intelligence/Faith build was what suited her best; other stats like Strength and Dexterity were only for temporary use.
When Melina had transferred all the Runes to Frieren, a warmth spread through her body. The fatigue from their long journey vanished completely, replaced by a feeling of endless power surging within her.
Perfect!
The silver-haired girl stretched her joints, which cracked audibly. As she straightened up, she even seemed to grow a little taller, her aura becoming more mature.
It was just as she had guessed:
So far, the Rune power under the rules of the Elden Ring was the most inclusive. At least it wasn't exclusionary like the First Flame, the Old Gods, or the Divine Dragon, which were even hostile to each other. Therefore, strengthening her current 'account' was the greatest common denominator, allowing her base stats to continuously grow for the highest return.
The direct feedback to her true self was a further stabilization of her vessel.
Even the remnant will of the Old Gods from the Yharnam battle had completely gone silent, because they knew the hunter's power had grown even stronger. Showing themselves now would be like walking into the line of fire.
As long as she kept collecting Runes and growing stronger, the hidden conflict between her multiple energies could be suppressed.
Frieren stretched contentedly and sighed:
"It's been a while since I've felt this invigorated. As expected of the Altus Plateau's army, they give plenty of Runes. This trip was well worth it."
The gains were far more than just that. In reality, the vast quantities of weapons and armor left on the battlefield were all auto-looted and collected.
After some repairs, there was probably enough to arm a thousand-man unit. A classic case of their loss being her gain—an absolute win.
Next, the silver-haired girl stepped onto the large platform of the lift, looking left and right.
"Piece the medallion together and raise it to the statue."
"Alright."
After Melina's reminder, she immediately did as told, taking out the Dectus Medallion that had been collecting dust for a long time. Its ancient texture felt cool in her palm.
She had spent a good deal of effort on this thing back then, and today she finally got to use it. With that thought, Frieren raised the medallion high, pieced the two halves together, her expression solemn, her back straight, a proper sense of ceremony.
The next moment, a tremendous rattling sound came from the large platform, as if extremely thick chains were being pulled.
The two stood on the platform, experiencing a unique sense of weightlessness. The platform beneath their feet was wide enough to accommodate a large army for transport.
The height difference was so great that the travel time felt long.
While they enjoyed the fruits of their hard-won victory, the Liurnia of the Lakes side of the lift was on high alert, as if facing a great enemy.
"Alert!"
Moongrum, in command, immediately ordered the organization of defenses, standing ready.
In the worst-case scenario, he estimated it would be a surprise attack by the Royal Capital's elite forces. Otherwise, who would dare to cross via the lift? They must have ample confidence, at the very least intending to swallow up their frontline garrison.
Then they must be prepared to give their lives for their queen.
As long as the battle report was sent out, it wouldn't be a total loss. No matter what preparations Leyndell had made, the main force of the southern army was now gathered in the lakes.
Everyone moved with urgency, visibly forming ranks, taking cover, and setting up fire positions at a rapid pace. Spears were like a forest, shields like a wall, and countless bows were positioned on high ground...
However, the sound of the lift still seemed deafening in everyone's hearts.
"Who could it be?"
Moongrum couldn't for the life of him figure out why the Royal Capital would suddenly dispatch troops. It made no logical sense.
Could it be the return of Radagon, who had been missing for many years? Would his first act be to attack the lands of the Carian Royal Family, his former marriage allies? It was possible. Only his strength was sufficient to be a powerful invading force. He had likely grown even stronger over the years, and he definitely belonged to the Golden Order's faction.
Amidst the unease, the lift arrived, revealing two familiar figures:
"Your formation is truly well-organized."
"Your Majesty!"
Witnessing Frieren's triumphant return, the entire garrison breathed a collective sigh of relief. They had thought they were done for. Thankfully...
However, the surprise was far from over. The silver-haired girl then poured a huge pile of equipment from her Grace storage, a dazzling array of standard-issue Golden Order army gear, including spoils from high-ranking soldiers.
Moongrum asked, dumbfounded, "Did you... sack the Royal Capital?"
"I didn't go inside. To make a long story short, you should know I fought Lansseax. After that, I went to the Shaded Castle, then thought I'd come back via the lift. I just happened to run into their garrison, and, well, you see the results..."
Frieren recounted it casually.
But no one dared to underestimate the value of a 2,000-strong Royal Capital army. Moreover, Melina added:
"Also, we killed the Crucible Knight who was originally left in Stormveil Castle. So you don't need to factor him in for the final battle."
The result of the battle was even more exaggerated than they had imagined, utterly shocking.
"All hail Her Majesty!"
A deafening roar echoed through the clouds as the soldiers shouted with all their might, as if wanting their voices to reach the Altus Plateau. It was both pride in sharing the glory and a sense of regret for not having fought alongside Frieren.
But that day would come sooner or later, and now it was even closer, because the Grand Lift of Dectus was officially open.
While the Royal Capital's side was pulling back its forces and had withdrawn the garrison, they could seize the opportunity and occupy it, at least to control the lift. That would give them two paths.
Before Frieren set out, everyone was still debating which way to go.
Unexpectedly, a single expedition solved everything, meaning the South had established an advantage.
_____
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