"As you command, Your Majesty."
Since Frieren had so forcefully expressed her desire for him to stay, Alexander indeed had no reason to seek his own end. His current vitality was sufficient to sustain him for a while; moreover, as she had said, the Jarwright techniques from the Land of Shadow could repair him. It would not be difficult to survive at least until the Lands Between prospered once again.
Thinking about it carefully, he was indeed looking forward to the brand-new Order ruled by the Soul Cinder King.
"So, Your Majesty, you must become the King."
"Of course."
Along the way, she did not know how many people had said this to her. Frieren had carried the weight of the world before, but the weight had never been as clear as it was on this journey. Everyone's expectations were kept in her heart; they were the purest blessings, hopes for a future era of abundance.
"There is something you must take with you."
Alexander removed a piece of debris from the crack in his abdomen. It had already solidified, looking more like a piece of agate jade, translucent and blood-colored. It had become a talisman, one containing extraordinary power, condensing the blessings of heroes.
After all, he was the one who had collected the corpse of Starscourge Radahn, as well as the remains of heroes who had traveled the Lands Between for many years.
Frieren received it with solemn hands, sensing immediately that it was a top-tier talisman.
[Shard of Alexander]
[Shard of a warrior jar who once perished but was granted a new life.]
[Greatly boosts the attack power of skills.]
[Scraps of stewed flesh cling to the shard, and tatters of ornaments can be seen mingled within. It seems to be a relic of a red-haired champion.]
Just listening to the description, it was extraordinary—a talisman that simply and crudely increased the attack power of Skills. In most cases, one relied on various buffs before unleashing a Skill, but the Shard of Alexander directly amplified the final step. Its versatility was incredibly strong; once equipped, there was basically no need to take it off.
"Thank you for your talisman. It is priceless."
Frieren felt the special weight; the mana transmitting from it was no small matter. It resonated directly with Weapon Skills and could be put to use with various weapons. Moreover, looking at the description, how was it still related to Radahn? Everyone's fate was surprisingly still connected. Or perhaps, it was an ill-fated connection.
After gifting the talisman, Alexander said, "Regrettably, the help I can offer you ends here. Go, Your Majesty. I will rest here for a while and then return, please rest assured."
As soon as his voice fell, he shifted into a comfortable position and lay on the ground, snoring loudly, acting quite relaxed.
Although he was a Hero-level powerhouse with a certain degree of self-preservation capability, in the territory of the Ancient Dragons, it wasn't quite enough. To be this carefree showed he truly had a big heart.
Frieren looked around, and several observing gazes slowly retreated. They would give the Soul Cinder King face; Alexander would not be harmed. What was more, everyone had little interest in a Warrior Jar, and even respected the collector who housed the remains of heroes.
[Message: Sadness ahead]
[Message: Why did Pot Bro suddenly explode? Was it because I used too much force?]
[Message: Two Skills emptied his health bar, zero combat experience.]
[Message: It's a pity. It must be that Pot Bro felt his life was coming to an end and simply used a trial to conclude it. He recognized that Ah-Tui (The Tarnished) is the strongest warrior in the Lands Between; it could be no one but you.]
[Message: This time, it was his funeral.]
[Message: From Caelid in the far south to the Sky City, what a long journey. Pot Bro witnessed you defeating Starscourge Radahn, defeating the Lord of Blasphemy, defeating the Fire Giant, and watching as you are about to become Elden Lord. In his mind, you have long been number one in the world.]
[Message: Besides Alexander, Skill Teacher Bernahl also accompanied us to the Sky City, right? But why are they all farewell endings?]
[Message: The Lands Between is just like this; the endings of side quests are either death or disability.]
[Message: Actually, Pot Bro and Bernahl are similar. Both felt that having reached this point, they might as well test if Ah-Tui can walk to the end. If the strength is sufficient, then they can leave with peace of mind.]
[Message: Too lonely.]
[Message: Coming to the Sky City relied on the fire Melina kindled, yet arriving at the Sky City is still a farewell. It's ominous.]
[Message: After all, this is the graveyard city of the Ancient Dragon race.]
...Frieren hadn't expected that just as one wave settled, another would rise. There was still the matter of Teacher Bernahl to resolve. In his view, the two of them probably counted as competitors. Both aiming for Destined Death? Why couldn't they cooperate? It was likely more of a death wish.
She thought of Vyke. That senior had no attachment to the lonely world and went to his death generously, falling just before the new era.
So be it.
She would talk when she met him. Since she could persuade Alexander, she definitely had to persuade Bernahl as well. He was one of the first people to see Frieren when she first arrived in the Lands Between; she still hoped he could witness the end.
The silver-haired girl stood up and looked around, her spiritual power spreading out. Most of the area had already been explored, and the resources in the Sky City were fewer than imagined. Currently, the most precious talisman was still given by Alexander's old friend. It was estimated that the valuable items in Farum Azula were all on the Dragonlord and the Black Blade.
Beside her, Melina was also tracing on the map and said, "Aside from the temple where the Black Blade is located, we have walked through all the open areas. We haven't found the Dragonlord."
"The time-space rift must be hidden somewhere."
Ranni had too much experience dodging the Two Fingers' assassins back in the day; she knew that so-called concealment especially required covering the entrance.
Frieren frowned slightly. Following the aura Placidusax had released earlier, the trail had cut off, so there was a high probability he wasn't in the main part of the Sky City. Strange. Then he should be in the zone of broken ruins? According to what Bayle said back then, could it be on some collapsed fragment?
Let's try and see.
With this line of thought, Frieren waved her hand to signal her companions to follow. The group specifically sought out those broken ruins of the Sky City. Not only that, but she was also constantly observing the messages on the ground.
[Message: Dragonlord, I've arrived at the Sky City. Where are you? I'm going to pluck another head off you.]
[Message: Not far, it's right ahead. Do you see the burial pit with beastman skeletons next to it? It's still empty. Lie down inside to trigger the time-space rift. The hidden Elden Lord-level BOSS is coming.]
[Message: The clues are too few, how was I supposed to think of this? Relied entirely on a guide to figure it out.]
[Message: I felt it was empty here and something had to be placed in it. The result of lying down was encountering a temple and a slumbering giant dragon.]
[Message: Is this still the Lands Between?]
[Message: Can't wait. Dragonlord, lending your room to take a shot to suppress the Frenzied Flame... But since I'm already here.]
Frieren had been paying attention to the messages, and coupled with her sufficiently large spiritual perception range, she expectedly found the inconspicuous burial pit described by everyone. Its appearance had no connection to the Dragonlord whatsoever. But she understood with a single glance: the power of space-time could not be faked.
No wonder one had to use Miquella's Needle here to suppress the Frenzied Flame when afflicted. It both isolated the possible influence of Outer Gods and maximized the coagulation of the sealing energy of that instant.
To prevent Melina from becoming the sacrifice to burn the tree, one could say painstaking efforts were made.
"We have arrived."
Standing before the burial pit, Frieren spoke decisively. After carefully sensing it, her two companions also wore solemn expressions. With the rift laid out right in front of them, how could they not detect it? The problem was that it was too narrow and unstable, allowing at most one person to pass. Moreover, it might collapse during battle.
As expected of the gradually collapsing Farum Azula; a stable place simply did not exist.
The three circled the time-space rift in the burial pit, observing carefully. It indeed led to another vast space, but it was tottering, even more fragile than the Sky City swept by wild winds, liable to explode at any moment.
What would happen if a closed space-time exploded? They didn't know. No one could guarantee anything because no one had seen it. The place to meet the Dragonlord was dangerous to begin with, let alone the risk of making an enemy of Placidusax.
Melina put away the map and proposed, "We can also solve the Black Blade first, then go to the Royal Capital, and finally discuss the matter of the Ancient Dragon race. Anyway, with their concept of time, they shouldn't be in a rush for this moment. Should we wait?"
"Since the Dragonlord has issued an invitation, there is no reason to avoid it. This is a duel between Kings. You decide, Your Majesty."
Ranni felt that a battle was inevitable eventually, so it was better to resolve it now. The two looked at the silver-haired girl in unison.
"As soon as I enter, you two return to the ground level of the Sky City. Do not stay in this ruin zone," Frieren warned solemnly. "This time-space rift won't hold up for too long."
Not to mention that the power of the First Flame possessed certain space-time attributes to begin with; colliding with the Dragonlord would make the aftershocks even fiercer.
Her meaning was very clear: defeat Placidusax first.
Worry was worry, but Melina would absolutely not stop her. Since it was so, she nodded and said, "We will wait for your triumphant return. Do not take risks; at worst, fight a delaying action with him."
"We will likely see Your Majesty's battle halfway through. This seal is very fragile," Ranni murmured.
"See you later."
Frieren lay flat in the burial pit generously. In the next moment, the figures of her two companions gradually blurred. A vast power of space-time wrapped around her. In the blink of an eye, the tornadoes and the dilapidated city all vanished, replaced by a fierce whirlwind. As the ruins pieced together, they enveloped the silver-haired girl, making her feel weightless as she reached the skyline.
She disappeared from the worried gazes of Melina and Ranni.
This was an empty plaza. Stone pillars stood in great numbers around it, positioned as if to guard it, faintly holding up the King in the sky.
Looking up, there was impressively a giant dragon with wings retracted like a sphere, two heads extending toward the firmament, seemingly looking back, seemingly gazing. The ruler of the Ancient Dragon race, the founder of the first dynasty in the Lands Between, the most ancient Elden Lord—at this moment, he floated in mid-air, sleeping quietly. He was like a statue, solidified together with space-time, as if to reach through eternal eons.
Looking closely, his four limbs were clasped, curled up in the center of his wings. By Ancient Dragon standards, it was probably infant-like sleep, but his towering physique was terrifying. A posture of a King. Anyone who saw it would feel a sense of reverence rise within them.
As Frieren gradually advanced, the distant cloud layers reflected lightning, echoing with crackling sounds. Wherever her gaze reached, the power of the entire universe concentrated toward him.
The Dragonlord before her showed signs of recovery. The rushing thunder was the rhythm of his heart; the howling wind was the exchange of his breath. Coexisting with heaven and earth, he was one of the most perfect creations in the Lands Between from ancient times to the present, a creature that was the incarnation of a miracle.
Even a Demigod would be fearful and have their strength affected when facing such coercive pressure, yet Frieren still strode forward with great strides, full of anticipation.
This was how it should be.
She had experienced countless battles and seen too many powerhouses. In terms of majesty, Placidusax ranked among the top, worthy of being the oldest Elden Lord. Even covered in scars, he was still full of oppressive force.
"The wind of the Sky City told me your name. Frieren, you have disturbed this place of seclusion."
The Dragonlord looked down from above, the thunder becoming more intense.
"Placidusax, I am here to obtain Destined Death, and incidentally to ensure that the Ancient Dragons do not intervene in this war. Especially you—you need to become 'safe'."
Frieren's words were murderous, and she had already taken out a dual-staff configuration. A meeting between two Kings, at this important period of deciding the new order of the Lands Between, allowed for no trust; neither could guarantee the other would not interfere. In reality, if they were willing to calm down and communicate, perhaps there could be peace, but how would that justify their boiling blood? Their fighting spirit could not be extinguished. Both sides had only one thought:
War.
What order could be discussed without crossing hands? Being sought out by a powerhouse at the level of an Elden Lord, how could the Dragonlord ignore it? Similarly, Frieren was unwilling to just go home like this.
To be honest, what was in their hearts was more of a sense of resonance. Finally, meeting an opponent who could take a beating, so the battle wouldn't end too quickly. At this realm, the chances to enjoy a fight to the death were too few; the opportunity was rare.
Boom!
The Dragonlord stretched his body and landed on the plaza with a crash. His volume was second only to the great Ancient Dragon Gransax, and although covered in cuts and bruises, his scales were the hardest of all.
Accompanying the action of assuming a stance, thunderbolts exploded. Red lightning fell from the sky like rain. His lightning was even more special; it splashed upon the ground, flowing in all directions. Just a single wisp broke open Frieren's permanent barrier.
As expected of the strongest Ancient Dragon, integrating lightning into instinct, existing together with the rhythm of heaven and earth. This wasn't even Placidusax's attack; it was purely the response of nature's mighty force.
A King should command all phenomena.
In response, the silver-haired girl's full-body armor recast itself into black. The mage's robe ignited with ash, fluttering with sparks. The cape and shawl on her back were like a long rainbow of raging flames; her petite body steamed with boundless intense fire.
It was similar to the Soul of Cinder incarnation but didn't count as a second phase; she was merely mobilizing a portion of the First Flame to bless herself and avoid being suppressed. If the war had started earlier, she wouldn't have even been able to bring out this move. It was the Runes from defeating the Goddess of Rot, Dragon Spear Vyke, and the Fire Giant so far that had allowed the Astrologer account's stats to reach a brand-new realm, sufficient to support a portion of the First Flame's energy.
"Good!"
Placidusax grinned and laughed, not sparing his praise for the enemy.
In the next moment, his sharp claws slapped down, crushing like Mount Tai. Frieren, not dodging or evading, countered forcefully with the Sorcery: Gavel of Haima using Lusat's Glintstone Staff.
Thump! A heavy muffled sound swept in all directions.
The silver-haired girl flew backward dozens of meters, but under the effect of a gravity orb, she immediately regained her footing. After all, the weight difference was disparate. Neither side was injured; they cared more about each other's physical strength.
Worthy of being an Ancient Dragon. Even with the First Flame amplification, Frieren could not compare in strength, especially since an Astrologer lacked stat points in this area. It seemed the following fight would focus on range and technique. This meant facing the top-tier magic resistance scales of the Lands Between; she feared that even magic-breaking attributes wouldn't be able to penetrate.
Placidusax was secretly startled, not expecting the opponent to be unscathed. To be like this in the face of his power was truly not easy. One could not measure the Soul Cinder King by the stereotype of a sorcerer, or else one would suffer a loss. Long-term experience told him he must be cautious, utilize the Ancient Dragon's advantages, and have a good contest with this fellow. Regardless of the situation in the Lands Between, he threw it all to the back of his mind, only for the battle of Kings.
Whoosh!
The Dragonlord inhaled and exhaled as if swallowing a hurricane cloud mass. Terrifying high heat refined in his chest, aiming straight for the petite Frieren. And she was similarly poised and ready. This strike was the declaration of the official start of the war.
_____
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