It is coming.
As the small squad headed together toward the temple where the Black Blade resided, everyone's heart trembled.
They had no doubt that Frieren could tear the enemy into pieces; it was merely a question of time. To be honest, no one was clear on what would happen once Destined Death was unleashed. Would it simply mean that life in the Lands Between would no longer undergo reincarnation but instead face true death?
Was it that simple?
Everyone was nervous, but they knew even better that they should absolutely not shrink back in the face of new things. On the contrary, they looked forward to the future that the Soul Cinder King would pioneer.
Moreover, the Ancient Dragons had already submitted to Frieren.
Lansseax greeted him, saying, "Would-be Lord Bernahl, I have heard of your great name. If not for an accident back then, you might have ridden the flames to Farum Azula."
"It was not an accident; it is just that only the Kindling Maiden can do it..."
He did not intend to delve deep into that topic, while on the other side, Florisaxx changed the subject and proposed:
"If His Majesty shows any signs of life-threatening danger, we will intervene. We absolutely cannot let Maliketh leave alive. Otherwise, he will certainly take revenge on the Sky City."
"Of course."
The two Ancient Dragon Priestesses reached a consensus, and their compatriots were also rubbing their fists and wiping their palms.
A portion of the Soul Cinder King faction's Ancient Dragons were already circling above the temple, with wind and thunder raging, their imposing manner aggressive.
They had publicly submitted to Frieren.
The message conveyed to the Black Blade was very straightforward: You are dead today.
Bernahl nodded in agreement. "Rest assured. In this aspect, our interests are aligned. If there is danger, I will also take action."
After all, in Farum Azula, this Would-be Lord was the strongest and in the most complete state on their side. His strength was qualified to contend at the level of an Elden Lord, and having suffered no consumption or hidden injuries, theoretically speaking, he could perform even better than Frieren.
But the Soul Cinder King could not be measured by common logic.
Looking out, the Ancient Dragons who were expressing their loyalty swarmed up and tore the Draconic Tree Sentinel to shreds, allowing Frieren to pass through the battlefield generously.
Melina and Ranni, who had originally intended to act, had their kills stolen.
This was a wide, vaulted space, transparent and bright, with excellent lighting.
In the center, impressively, stood the beast clad in linen robes.
"It is you."
Frieren had felt that the Beast Clergyman Gurranq was off from the beginning, and sure enough.
"It is me." He raised his head slightly, revealing the beastly face under the hood, and said, "I did not expect the fledgling Tarnished I met in Caelid back then to become a Lord, and even lay a finger on Destined Death. Everything happened so fast."
"The Bestial Incantations you gave me were not easy to use; they weren't anything good. However, the Destined Death in your hands will certainly satisfy me."
"Then you must show your skill, otherwise you will die."
Maliketh's aura surged violently, his killing intent chilling. For him, the only chance of survival was to kill Frieren. If he did, the group outside would likely scatter like birds and beasts, and more importantly, the new dynasty would be ruined.
He would absolutely not allow a King outside the Golden Order system to rule, let alone one coming to snatch Destined Death.
"Come."
The silver-haired girl took out dual staves as per usual.
Facing such a configuration, Maliketh could not help but furrow his brow. She did not use two max-level reinforced God-Slaying weapons? Was it because she felt his defense was far inferior to the Dragonlord's?
It couldn't be counted as underestimating him; it was true. Therefore, the ensuing battle would lean more toward magic. The strongest killer, having made up his mind, actively reinforced his physique with magic power, preparing his magic resistance.
The moment their gazes met, they moved, speeding away with a whoosh.
Rocks from a Bestial Incantation flew toward Frieren, while the latter dodged sideways and simultaneously fired a Sorcery: Night Comet.
As expected, it missed.
As the strongest killer, how could Maliketh not be clear about assassination methods? Even leaving aside his literacy in magic, his perception of killing intent alone was enough to avoid it. But Frieren's magic was not that simple.
In the next moment, the Night Comet turned a corner, simultaneously splitting into four beams aiming from tricky angles.
Whoosh!
Maliketh slapped them away violently with his long robes, but almost simultaneously, a glintstone sword thrust forward, plunging into his abdomen with a crack.
Frieren's tactile sensation was hard; it had been parried.
Immediately following that, she instantly switched to Sorcery: Explosive Ghostflame. Gray-black flames swept out, forcing back the enemy who was attempting to attack.
The intense necromantic aura, combined with the enhancement of the max-level Prince of Death's Staff, made him keep a respectful distance. If he were hit, it would likely take away a considerable portion of his vitality; he could not drop his guard.
He found it strange. Why was the silver-haired girl fighting more and more smoothly?
Little did he know that in Frieren's view, compared to the Dragonlord, there were many magic choices available to deal with the Black Blade. She didn't need to fuss over magic resistance, lightning, fire, and other attributes; this guy was squishier than imagined.
"Soul Cinder King, do not underestimate the Shadow Beast of the Eternal Goddess." He held his head high and roared.
A sword edge appeared from within his sleeve.
Maliketh charged with extreme speed, his sword energy sweeping horizontally, but it was parried and deflected by the silver-haired girl with a ping. The contest of strength ended in an instant.
So strong.
Her strength was indeed terrifying; no wonder she could fight evenly in melee combat with the Dragonlord.
Conversely, Frieren retreated with her brows locked tight. she thought it was imbued with Destined Death, but there was no reaction.
"You aren't using that killer move?"
"No need," Maliketh murmured. "I am the keeper of Destined Death, not its user. I absolutely cannot let this treasure of the Golden Order be stolen again."
To this day, he still brooded over the Night of the Black Knives, and Ranni's aura outside was particularly annoying.
Frieren didn't care about all that and instantly started with Incantation: Ancient Dragons' Lightning Strike.
Crackle, crackle!
Red lightning spread and sowed itself along the ground. Each bolt was enough to tear through armor. Even Maliketh instantly leaped high, climbing up a stone pillar.
However, under the light tap of slender fingers, the lightning howled and tracked him, aiming at his position and blasting down a thunderbolt. In an instant, it turned the stone pillar into fine powder and even shattered the temple dome; it was unstoppable.
Although he dodged in time, Maliketh was not at all at ease; a tuft of his fur had already turned charred black, entwined with electric arcs.
This proficiency in Lightning Strikes was no less than that of an Ancient Dragon.
It was just that she didn't use lightning when facing the Dragonlord earlier, which counted as Frieren acknowledging the opponent as the number one lightning element mage in the Lands Between. But facing Maliketh? Forget it, he would be served with Lightning Strikes.
The dignified strongest killer, being chased down, gnashed his teeth. Did this not imply he was inferior to Placidusax?
Bang!
Long defense must eventually fail. A moment of carelessness allowed a bucket-thick bolt of lightning to hit his torso. A small half of his linen robe evaporated instantly, accompanied by a cry of pain.
Almost simultaneously, Frieren waved out a Sorcery: Comet Azur.
Unfortunately, only the first beam hit before he rolled and dodged it. In terms of agility, the Beast Clergyman looked clumsy but was comparable to humanoid enemies—agile and fast.
Incantation: Beast Claw.
Inverted sharp claws rolled up from the ground, heading straight for the silver-haired girl, slicing off a few strands of hair. This move was quite fast, yet it still couldn't find an opening in Frieren. This movement technique made even Maliketh feel the pressure.
Relying solely on his current Beast Clergyman form, he feared it wouldn't be enough... Just as he was pondering, the enemy also made a move.
Her entire body began to flash with various buff statuses.
Frieren hadn't used them when fighting the Dragonlord. Now, she was using them to make up for the earlier consumption, using buff statuses to fill in her originally imperfect condition.
"If you are unwilling to take out Destined Death, I will give you a hand."
"Shameless boasting."
Maliketh scoffed coldly. His mouth was unforgiving, but in reality, his heart was in his throat.
After the several rounds of exchanging blows just now, he had already understood how troublesome Frieren was. Whether it was judgment, reaction speed, or combat thinking, she was impeccable—worthy of being the powerhouse who defeated the Dragonlord.
Clearly, she had the consumption from earlier, so how was she still this strong?
However, the good news was that the opponent's mana performance was not outstanding, unlike the large-scale magic operations she frequently used when fighting Placidusax earlier.
There was a chance of victory.
Pondering this, Maliketh charged rapidly, exerting the Bestial Incantations to the extreme. Claws fluttered, Beast Stones were dense, and shockwaves and smoke echoed throughout the temple. Under his speed and power, countless stone pillars collapsed, and the ground rumbled, covered in cracks.
However, the more he fought, the more startled he became. He simply couldn't touch Frieren; she was completely unharmed.
She didn't even counterattack; she simply watched, then constantly dodged using Sorcery: Miriam's Vanishing, Sorcery: Night Maiden's Mist, and Sorcery: Unseen Form, maintaining patient observation.
"Didn't you declare you would force me to undo the seal?"
Maliketh's provocation received no response. The silver-haired girl continued to go her own way, remaining calm and composed throughout.
Buzz!
Suddenly, Frieren's two staves transformed into Sorcery: Carian Slicer respectively. He was naturally clear about this combat magic that emphasized speed and risk, but wasn't this taking a desperate gamble?
In the next moment, white shadows flashed before his eyes, blue light crisscrossing to carve a cross.
"Such fast swordsmanship!"
While he exclaimed in admiration, his chest was dripping with fresh blood. Although the wound wasn't deep due to the nature of the Slicer, it was the first time he had bled since the battle began. This was not a good omen; he had to catch this guy.
Unfortunately, Maliketh's angry counterattack missed once again.
His combat style had likely been figured out. Frieren had been observing while defending earlier, and now was the time—
Sorcery: Carian Piercer.
The blue sword edge precisely tapped the right hand holding his sword. It couldn't even be counted as an attack, just a technique to temporarily interrupt him. Immediately after, the staff in her other hand swung out a Sorcery: Adula's Moonblade in a horizontal sweep, filling the beast's body with frost breath.
Following that, Divine Beast Dancing Lion Stomp, Sorcery: Zamor Ice Storm, and others poured out in a rush, making Maliketh's movements sluggish.
Not good.
Coming back to his senses, he immediately assumed a parrying stance, only to find Frieren half-covering her arm and jumping sideways, lightly raising a slender glintstone edge.
Could this move be—Weapon Skill: Waterfowl Dance.
White streamlines sped around Maliketh's body, tearing his robes and bringing up bloody light. In an instant, the floor, stone pillars, and dome were all dyed red. Everything happened in a flash, leaving him covered in cuts and bruises.
The silver-haired girl, having passed him by, sheathed her sword and looked back with composure.
Sorcery: Comet Azur!
The seamlessly connected blue torrent blasted onto the Beast Clergyman, sending him tumbling backward through the air with disordered breath.
From beginning to end, he hadn't been able to react. Every one of the opponent's moves struck from a blind spot, contrary to normal combat styles. Was this the observational power of a King?
Even without relying on stats and over-spec magic, she could do this?
He couldn't care to think too much. At this moment, he was stumbling and on the verge of death; he had to go all out.
"Forgive me, Marika..."
Maliketh stabbed a dagger into his palm with a crack, slowly extracting a wisp of black-red magic power from it. It entwined into a solid form and grew larger, finally bringing out an ultra-greatsword that looked like obsidian, emitting the densest aura of death in the Lands Between.
The fully released Destined Death emitted a terrifying coercive pressure, making hearts tremble.
The bystanders outside the temple looked at each other in blank dismay, all feeling the threat. As expected of one of the ruling powers, the power sufficient to bring death to all living beings was unleashed. Now was the complete Black Blade.
Maliketh's strength in this state had to be re-evaluated.
Yet no one had ever witnessed it. The first to clash with it was the Soul Cinder King; the outcome was unpredictable and full of suspense.
Frieren revealed a look of confusion.
She murmured, "It's not fully unsealed. I can feel that the rule of Death hasn't appeared yet."
"Correct. You have to kill me and take Destined Death. As long as it is in my hands, it cannot manifest as the rule of the entire Lands Between."
Maliketh lifted his robes with a whoosh, revealing a posture of a beast poised to pounce. The most iconic feature was none other than a head of long white hair dancing in the wind, and a slender body that did not lack muscle definition, firmly wrapped in black armor.
Armed to the teeth, with no blind spots in any aspect, distinctly in his strongest form.
"Come fight!"
Having guarded the temple for many years in boredom, how could he not look forward to a duel to the death? Everything was just right; he would exert his utmost.
In the next moment, Maliketh charged fiercely, causing a loud ping.
Impressively, Frieren had urgently switched to the Dark Moon Greatsword for a precise block, forcibly stopping a move amidst scattering sparks. A move he was certain of had failed to work.
Failing to achieve suppression at the opening meant the offense and defense shifted.
The silver-haired girl flew past with a Weapon Skill: Dragonwound Slash. This time, it was Maliketh's turn to block.
The two sides went back and forth, clashing at zero distance with ultimate martial arts. At this moment, he finally kept up with a powerhouse of the Elden Lord level in terms of basic physique, but he made a new discovery:
The gap in technique was still there.
The dignified strongest killer actually couldn't completely occupy the advantage; the opponent adapted to his combat rhythm very quickly.
If Frieren had figured him out during the long defensive counterattack earlier, that would be one thing. But now, he had comprehensive physical enhancement and was using Destined Death—he could be called reborn. Why could she still not find an opening?
"Your heart is in turmoil. Being anxious often leads to mistakes."
Before her voice had faded, the Moonblade swept across, leaving another avatar cut on Maliketh's abdomen. Wisps of cold air penetrated it, endowing it with anti-magic properties.
This was bad. If this dragged on, the Soul Cinder King would be able to use large-scale magic again.
Having guarded Destined Death for a long time, his perception of rules was very keen. For example, Frieren's current reality was not what everyone understood as "too exhausted so she has to reduce magic casting," but rather "the previous magic involved a conflict of rules," so she had to keep a low profile temporarily. There was only one solution:
Wait.
Once she judged that the world's rules were no longer in intense conflict, she would cast wantonly again.
He had to grasp the opportunity.
He raised the greatsword high and slashed ruthlessly at the ground, opening up ripples of Destined Death that surged endlessly and spread in all directions.
Even Frieren, who was prepared, raised her brow and dodged hurriedly. However, a wisp of black-red magic power still climbed onto the finger of her right hand, rapidly attaching itself along her life aura.
It was much stronger than Melina's Destined Death.
She made a prompt decision and cut off the finger with one stroke of her sword. In the next instant, it regenerated within the Soothing Sunlight, but Maliketh had already killed his way to her face.
Power of Death, Unleashed!
Black-red sword energy crisscrossed in all directions, cutting through space, filling the entire temple under his power.
In a single encounter, Frieren was dyed with Destined Death. The sentence from the rules of the Lands Between descended.
_____
New Story: Bleach: Dominating Soul Society in One Sting
✅ Read 40 chapters ahead on every series!
✅ Unlock supporter-only perks and news!
Let's reach these milestones together:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 free chapter for all readers
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 bonus chapters for all series!
👻 Walnutchan on P...