It wasn't until the notification of acquiring the Remembrance appeared that Frieren finally let out a sigh of relief.
At this moment, Melina and the Mimic Tear could finally withdraw their defenses.
They had been genuinely worried when the Scarlet Rot erupted earlier, but unexpectedly, the battle had flowed as smoothly as moving clouds and flowing water; it was essentially a complete stomp from start to finish.
"As long as you are unharmed. The Outer God of Rot didn't intervene this time, so everything went reasonably well."
"Mother's soul magic has become stronger!"
"Wait for me a moment."
After lighting the Site of Grace, Frieren teleported away, returning only after a short while.
The duo didn't need to ask to know that she had likely returned to the Roundtable Hold to exchange the Remembrance.
Being able to produce a Remembrance signified that Romina, Saint of the Bud, held a certain level of status and gold content, though it was a pity she was too weak.
Or rather, she was hard-countered by the Lord of Cinder and died with regrets. Now, she had merely become spoils of war—though one wondered about the quality?
[Poleblade of the Bud]
[A scarlet glaive featuring a swaying flower bud as the blade.]
[Attacks cause buildup of scarlet rot.]
[In the past, Romina held the bud in a church on the verge of burning, looking utterly lost—]
[Unknown when it happened, but the bud transformed into a blade.]
[Skill: Romina's Purification]
The styling, resembling a Guan Dao, reminded Frieren of her days as one of the Undead. Although she had used one for a time back then, long weapons didn't match her style.
It looked good, but aside from that, the weapon skill was hard to describe.
Nothing special. Flashy, yes, but without intensity, it was non-negotiable.
To be cautious, she specifically checked the messages:
[Just for fun]
[Humorous weapon, hard to find a use for, likely purely for fashion]
[I showed it to the brothers at the Gatefront; "They all said it's useless except for being flashy, and advised me to choose a more powerful wheelchair."]
[Scaling is too low, not enough to use, a toy I guess]
[A weak BOSS drops a weak weapon, this is very reasonable. Feels inferior to the Pest's Glaive]
The judgment was basically the same as Frieren's. Furthermore, swinging the Poleblade of the Bud around proved inconvenient.
One-handed use easily broke balance and exposed openings, while two-handed use wasted a staff slot—completely chicken ribs (useless).
In terms of power, it wasn't worth further development.
Indeed, one couldn't expect a rot creature to provide any formidable abilities. Its occupation of the area for so many years wasn't due to strength, but mainly credited to the troublesome terrain.
If the Crusaders had resolved to eliminate the Saint of the Bud, it likely wouldn't have taken much effort.
Compared to the Poleblade of the Bud, Frieren paid more attention to the other reward:
[Rotten Butterflies]
[An incantation used by Romina, Saint of the Bud. Slowly rotates the body to summon countless butterflies.]
[The butterflies scatter rot upon contact, after which other butterflies will also shatter in succession.]
[The scarlet butterflies serve as the wings of the Goddess of Rot, yet they have no master—]
[Romina connected with the butterflies, offering them comfort.]
First off, it was flashy enough!
Secondly, the damage was indeed a bit low, but by mixing in Frieren's stored Scarlet Rot, she could significantly correct the power. In actual combat, the lethality wouldn't be poor, and it specialized in large-area, delayed attacks.
More importantly, the Rotten Butterflies provided a milder tier of Scarlet Rot capability.
She couldn't very well have everything bloom the moment she used Scarlet Rot.
Now, she could use Rotten Butterflies to pre-release a portion of Scarlet Rot, acting as a relief for her own sealing burden, and it was suitable for scenarios like large-scale warfare against armies.
Frieren spread her hand, releasing a few pink butterflies that danced lightly, their wings brimming with corrosive dust.
Deadly and beautiful.
Overall, the gains from defeating the Saint of the Bud were passable—not a loss. After all, it would ultimately come down to a great battle, and this inevitable path leading to the Spiral Tower was of utmost importance.
Her gaze crossed the battlefield, pointing toward the Sealing Tree on the steps at the other end.
"Is everything ready? The commotion next will be massive."
Turning her head, she saw Melina and the Mimic Tear following with solemn expressions.
Reintegrating a continent back into the Lands Between was no joke; it would certainly trigger a massive earthquake, and the changes to the situation were immeasurable.
No one knew if it would go smoothly. A continental-level collision would be born in their hands; if there was any mistake, lives would be devastated, no less than a Shattering War...
But at this point, there could be no hesitation. The responsibility was theirs, and there was no escape.
The three solemnly crossed the clearing and ascended the steps until they reached an old black tree. Beside it, several praying figures knelt on the ground, staring at the Spiral Tower, motionless, their status—alive or dead—unknown.
They had arrived.
The seal of the Shadow of the Erdtree was tied to this place, and they had brought the key: Messmer's Kindling.
"Melina, both you and Messmer can see visions of fire, so is this one of the necessary conditions for burning?"
"I suppose so. Perhaps older brother, like me, existed to one day offer his life to undo the seal. It's just that you saved him..."
"Just a small matter of convenience."
"Mother, Lady Maiden, is this kindling safe?"
"You shouldn't be asking about the kindling, but the Spiral Tower... I can feel there is already an additional layer of sealing inside. It is Miquella's handiwork; he won't let the Spiral Tower open easily."
"Ultimately, we still have to fight our way in. However, with the barrier lifted, maneuvering troops will become convenient."
"—The decisive battle for the Land of Shadow is coming."
After making this assertion, Frieren held the kindling and placed it upon the Sealing Tree. Instantly, it blazed furiously.
Whoosh!
The flames rose higher and higher, smoke rushing straight into the clouds. As the Sealing Tree withered continuously, the phantom outline before them became solid and clear, transforming into a super-city composed of a spiral high tower—worthy of the name.
At the same time, the veil of shadow further away gradually faded, the black gauze shrouding all directions slowly flowing until it dimmed.
Suddenly, Frieren planted her staff into the ground, propping up a defensive barrier.
"Prepare for impact."
The Land of Shadow, returning to reality from a hidden space on the other side, collided violently with the Lands Between where they meshed. The sudden shaking nearly caused the two of them to lose their footing.
Terrifying shockwaves continued to disperse, transmitting outward from the central bay of the Lands Between.
Where there was originally a gap was now replaced by the Land of Shadow. For a time, waves crashed against the shore, and the winds and clouds changed abruptly. A tangible continent finally appeared along the central axis corresponding to the Divine Towers.
The magic of the primordial Erdtree poured into the air.
Every living being couldn't help but look up; the magnificent form of the Shadow of the Erdtree appeared faintly in the sky, and the earth shook ceaselessly.
In the Spiral Tower, Ranni's group had to hold onto the walls to maintain balance. It was too high here, and the tremors were particularly strong. As expected of the Lord of Cinder's grand feat, it really succeeded; all factions would now focus here.
The gathering soldiers within the Shadow Keep shouted with jubilation:
"We're back!"
"We've finally returned. The Lands Between is just waiting for us to display new military merits."
On the ramparts, Messmer gazed at the distant Spiral Tower, his eyes full of sharpness. His Majesty and his younger sister had succeeded, so what followed would be a vicious battle.
If they failed, the struggle for the third generation of God-King spanning thousands of years would end prematurely.
Far away in the Gravesite Plain, Ranni and Rellana were equally solemn.
Could the Army of the Lord of Cinder, prepared in the Lands Between, arrive on time?
Spatial fluctuations were active!
Suddenly, the wormwood of the Gravesite Plain rustled, wind blowing catkins straight up to the cloudy sky, accompanied by numerous magical auras familiar to Ranni.
"They've arrived. Led by Blaidd and Edgar."
Before she could finish speaking with Rellana, countless military banners waved as the seal completely vanished. The Ring of the Black Sun rose high, accompanied even by flying dragons roaring at the sky and releasing flames as if celebrating the new campaign.
Below was the mighty main force of the expeditionary army.
Warhorses lined up in rows, formations tight. The infantry phalanxes guarding the perimeter covered each other, fully armed, weapons flashing with cold light, radiating murderous intent.
In addition to Edgar serving as commander, the Farron Undead Legion arrived with them.
Sensing the aura of an old friend, the captain looked around curiously at the Spiral Tower, the greatsword in his hand eager to try.
They were ready.
The Army of the Lord of Cinder, which hadn't assembled on a large scale for a long time, seemed reborn. Their equipment was largely replaced with gear reinforced by Smithing Stones.
Among them, Grafted Scions, Dragon Communionists, and Dragon Cavalry were solemnly organized into separate formations, with substantial reserves of elites.
Aside from quality, the quantity was equally staggering. Numbering over ten thousand and boundless, rightfully so; at this moment, the army on the Gravesite Plain stretched beyond the horizon. One would lose direction amidst it, falling into a sea of blades and spears.
Furthermore, catapults, siege ladders, and battering rams transported by Trolls and Misbegotten were deployed, prepared for siege warfare.
There were even armies of the Nox people from the underground world and the Ancestral Followers.
Varied in type but fully integrated.
It was conceivable that the commanders and grassroots officers had to be experienced enough to implement organization down to the army's capillaries; this itself was a symbol of power.
Additionally, Rellana discovered another point:
Grace!
There were traces of several large-scale blessings of Grace throughout the entire army—Frieren's handiwork. How generous.
She originally thought her little niece could command a few, but thinking about it now, forget it; aside from the Lord of Cinder, no one could command this bunch of fierce soldiers.
The reason for not mobilizing the Liurnia area army must also have been a consideration—not to let the Carian faction's military merits inflate too much. Furthermore, geographically, the Queen of the Full Moon and Moongrum were better suited to guard the direction of the Capital; there was no need for the arduous journey.
"Greetings, Princess Ranni. I wonder how His Majesty is?"
Edgar asked anxiously, not only out of worry but also regarding the transfer of command.
Organizing this main frontline army of 40,000 with General Godrick was the limit. More direct orders required Frieren's endorsement, otherwise, enthusiasm couldn't be mobilized.
"At the Ancient Ruins of Rauh."
"You continue the march; I will go pick up His Majesty."
Lansseax transformed back into her Ancient Dragon prototype, flapped her wings, and vanished into the skyline, terrifyingly fast.
Returning to the Land of Shadow again, she felt no dislike, only the thrill of roaming the world freely. Here, the long seal would be ended, and the grievances with enemies would be thoroughly settled. Her liege, Frieren, would bring a new era.
Ranni then made introductions for everyone, perfectly acting as a bridge for communication. She shared the current situation in passing. After everyone confirmed the circumstances, the great army embarked on the journey, the target being to assemble at the Shadow Keep.
On the other side.
The tremors were particularly intense atop the Altus Plateau.
Benefiting from the high terrain and wide field of view, the people in Leyndell, Royal Capital, immediately discovered—why was there suddenly a large chunk of extra land? Immediately, memories flooded their minds, and a lot of old information was restored.
Among the Golden Order populace, many had lived since ancient times and knew somewhat of the Land of Shadow's existence.
They quickly realized that changes had occurred in the direction of the Gate of Divinity, the Army of the Lord of Cinder was gathering in force, and more than ten Demigod-level combatants were assembling... The news became more explosive item by item, leaving only shock within the Throne Room. It was a huge commotion; rumors were spreading madly throughout the Lands Between.
"Why are we out of the loop again?"
Crucible Knight Ordovis angrily blamed the scouts.
Not only him, but Morgott on the main seat also looked grim, involuntarily tightening his grip on the Cursed Sword. His intuition told him the situation was critical.
The things dragged out by the Land of Shadow were each heavier than the last. Now, he could feel the power of the primordial Erdtree constantly spilling out and spreading. He estimated there were other things, too. Could it be that Frieren wanted to conquer another large region?
"Report!"
"—Our garrison in foreign lands met Lady Nepheli, and the intelligence she brought."
Unable to attend to the joy of a long-time friend's return, everyone hurriedly passed the letter around, reading ten lines at a glance. Only then did they clarify the sequence of events—it was actually Miquella's doing.
Missing for many years, he had been preparing to ascend to godhood all along. If Frieren hadn't discovered it in time, everyone would have suddenly had a pair of God-Kings over their heads.
Secretly forging a Promised Consort in the Land of Shadow for a fight to the death?
No wonder the reaction of the Army of the Lord of Cinder was so huge.
Morgott muttered, "Based on my understanding of Frieren, she wouldn't care if someone's progress was similar to hers; she wouldn't even mind waiting for the other party to ascend before pulling them down. So, what truly represents the urgency of the situation is the army under her command. The matter is very serious."
"Calculating by time, Nepheli's intelligence is a bit late, so Miquella's ascension should be a foregone conclusion."
The one drawing the conclusion was Crucible Knight Siluria, who had returned from the Eternal City not long ago. Her majestic aura slightly soothed the Night's Cavalry, and the scene gradually quieted down.
"The question now is, do we intervene?"
Before Ordovis could finish, another messenger reported hurriedly:
"Traces of massive troop movements in the direction of Liurnia of the Lakes. New Carian armies have arrived at the Altus Plateau via the lift."
People fell into deep thought.
Could they be so arrogant as to start a war on two fronts simultaneously? Their army wasn't that strong yet. With several Crucible Knights gathered and seeing that Nepheli was also about to return, relying on Leyndell's walls could offset the enemy's advantage in Demigod numbers, perhaps?
Regardless, it was enough to make them weigh the pros and cons more, preventing them from rushing up recklessly.
"It's a deliberate diversion to keep us from disrupting the situation."
Morgott said coldly, "It looks like Ranni's stratagem at a glance. If our main force goes to the Land of Shadow, the journey might seem short, but we'd have to give up a portion of the Altus Plateau."
"Moreover, once we move out, Rykard certainly wouldn't mind taking advantage of the emptiness to enter, and he might even join forces with Ranni to besiege us."
"Maintain defense."
A final command forced everyone to suppress their belligerence.
However, would this make them passive? After all, no one knew if Leyndell missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, or if it was a waiting game for both sides to suffer attrition?
Every choice was filled with variables.
"Rest assured, the First Lord is not far from the Lands Between. I can feel Lord Hoarah Loux's connection."
Unknown when, Nepheli had arrived before the throne.
The most senior Crucible Knight, looking directly at the offspring of the badlands, sighed. "Thank you for your hard work."
"If what you say is true, I will soon be able to lay down the responsibility of guarding Leyndell. Then let us continue to hold our troops and watch the war between two pairs of God-Kings."
Haligtree, Elphael.
Loretta led a squad of elites to Malenia's place of recuperation to report:
"We are ready to depart."
"Led by me, plus the most elite Cleanrot Knights and Haligtree Knights. Although the numbers are small to ensure speed, it should be enough to supplement Lord Miquella's army."
She was there to greet her superior before setting out. According to the deployment, a vanguard squad had already departed in advance to ensure that people arrived to hold the line for a while.
Next would be the absolute elite main force led by Loretta; otherwise, relying solely on the Hornsent would be slightly lacking.
However, the Valkyrie leaning on the chair slowly stood up.
She didn't look content to guard the Haligtree.
Malenia, having attached her prosthetic blade, gripped the hilt, murmuring, "I have an unsettling feeling in my heart. Although brother is indeed well-prepared, the Lord of Cinder is not simple. She killed Starscourge General Radahn; that was a task I failed to complete thoroughly..."
"You intend to set out?"
"Correct. I trust the ominous premonition connected by blood. If I don't appear, I will definitely regret it."
"Does your physical condition permit it? Your injuries haven't healed since the last battle in Caelid."
Loretta wanted to persuade her, but the superior didn't have the air of someone who would listen.
She had waited too long. Upon hearing the news, not running to the Land of Shadow immediately was already considered restrained. This time, she couldn't be stopped no matter what.
The key point was controlling the risk.
"I will try to avoid using Scarlet Rot." Malenia touched the erosion scars on her severed arm and said, "And as long as I regroup with brother, his Unalloyed Gold ability can help me suppress it, and I can also exert greater strength."
"That is well, then. Let us depart as soon as possible."
Since it was decided, there was no hesitation, but there was one point on which she had to compromise.
"Let the main force go first. I need to meditate and regulate to suppress the rot and ensure my body is in optimal condition. I will likely depart a day late."
Loretta nodded. "One day is irrelevant for a siege battle. Then we shall go on ahead."
"Mhm."
After responding softly, Malenia began to adjust her breathing and magic power. The Scarlet Rot dissipating from her body stabilized somewhat, unlike the previous atmosphere where it seemed ready to erupt at any moment.
The remaining Haligtree warriors set off one after another; they had to race against time.
In fact, Miquella's orders didn't specifically instruct whether his biological sister should come. Perhaps he was worried about her traveling a long distance? Or left it for her to decide?
In short, it made Malenia even more anxious; she was determined to be present.
The Haligtree was relatively far from the Spiral Tower's main battlefield. The vanguard plus the main army should be able to provide a continuous stream of reserve support, compensating for the numerical gap with the enemy army to a certain extent. The rest would depend on the fight between King and King.
Roundtable Hold.
Even situated within the Roundtable Hold, one could feel the intense fluctuation of magical aura; the space itself was shaking. It was especially clear to a top-tier mage like Sir Gideon Ofnir.
He couldn't help but straighten the tilted table.
"Ensha, the Confessors should have reported back by now, right?"
"Yes, my Lord." It was confirmed that the Land of Shadow had completely returned to the Lands Between, and a super-large-scale war was about to take place in the direction of the Spiral Tower, with the total number of people potentially approaching a hundred thousand.
"A grand army conflict of a hundred thousand people occurring in the current Lands Between... Truly exaggerated. The South has recovered well."
Sir Gideon Ofnir had noticed long ago when the Lord of Cinder's ruled territory began a massive conscription of troops. What target was worth such great trouble? It turned out to be a campaign against the Land of Shadow. Audacious, actually preparing to clash head-on with ancient powers.
Hard to say.
The reborn Southern armies couldn't be measured by common sense; maybe they really could conquer it.
"However, I heard that the Mother of Fingers is also in the Spiral Tower. She is one of Frieren's suppression targets; she wants to clear out the enemies."
"That is a transcendent, magnificent existence."
Halfway through, Sir Gideon Ofnir stopped speaking. On one hand, he shouldn't reveal too much to Ensha. On the other hand, he wasn't truly sure if Frieren had other trump cards.
At least the Destined Death and the Fingerslayer Blade she possessed were very troublesome.
"Who do you think will win, my Lord?"
"Frieren's greatest mistake lies in making an enemy of the Mother of Fingers as well. Furthermore, the Promised Consort and Miquella are an unprecedented God-King pair fighting together. She will face defeat. If the Lord of Cinder dies in the Land of Shadow, then the entire South will fall into chaos again."
"That is also merely a part of the fate of the Lands Between."
Sir Gideon Ofnir wasted no more words. In his view, the outcome was set; the strong individuals gathered at the Spiral Tower this time were enough to overturn the situation.
Meanwhile.
Millicent, wandering on the Altus Plateau, held her sword in one hand and shielded her brow with the other. Only then did she witness a wisp of shadow colors from under the Erdtree's strong light. Although she was unclear on what had happened, she sensed a familiar magic.
After all, this Solar Knight Sword of hers had once been imbued with the other party's magic.
Frieren was in danger again. No, or rather, she had actively sought out dangerous elements for a fight to the death.
This monarch never lacked news while walking the Lands Between. Even on the Altus Plateau, which was most wary of the Lord of Cinder, numerous legends circulated. For instance, she had previously seen a man named Corhyn mention that she had defeated the lift garrison single-handedly...
Truly never settling down for a moment.
Moreover, Millicent inexplicably had an intuition that a storm was brewing in the Northern Haligtree.
She touched the wound on her severed arm; it throbbed faintly.
Even though Frieren had fully healed her and given her a Gold Needle for suppression, it still itched with a reaction to Scarlet Rot. This proved even more that the direction was correct: target, the Haligtree.
Underground.
Rogier and D, advancing along the Erdtree's root system, stopped simultaneously. Violent tremors caused a cliff to appear ahead; amidst the crashing loud noise, a deep void was revealed, devouring all light.
"We can't go forward. The changes to the root system from this earthquake will continue. Previous reconnaissance results are useless."
"No, this isn't a simple earthquake."
Rogier closed his eyes and rubbed his sockets, feeling that some dusty memories had been added to his mind.
The Shadow Seal was effective on information itself; many people would subconsciously forget or ignore it. But a sorcerer who frequently studied various histories naturally remembered. Combining this with the recent movements in the South, he keenly realized what had happened.
"The worst-case scenario is that a new God and King have appeared."
"Let's go back. The underground roots can no longer be explored. Later, we'll find Frieren and ask her if she has any interest in the Deeproot Depths."
Even D's masked face showed surprise.
"Wait a minute, aren't your words contradictory? If a God-King combination has appeared in the Lands Between, the first spearhead will be aimed at Frieren. She will die."
"She will win."
Rogier's certain answer made him unable to resist laughing. "That is even more explosive news. The only ones who can defeat another pair of God-Kings are a God and King themselves... Anyway, let's go back first."
____
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