"Roar!"
Amidst a furious howl, Greyoll attempted a final charge against Comet Azur, its Scarlet Rot-ridden form still surging forward on inertia. How could it be willing? How could it depart amidst the death of its wyrmkin?
The distance to the silver-haired girl, though merely a hair's breadth, was an insurmountable chasm.
More than one Azur Comet materialized from thin air, mercilessly bombarding the colossal white wyrm from all sides.
They easily pierced its scale armor defense.
By this point in the battle, Greyoll could no longer maintain its magical resistance. Faced with the cerulean torrent infused with Frieren's immense mana, it disintegrated in an instant, its flesh vanishing rapidly in mid-air.
As long as it was a stationary target, Comet Azur was absolutely effective.
The mana even pierced through the Aeonian Flower bud, carving a trajectory straight through, parting the clouds and scattering debris.
"Alert!"
Edgar, fearing some Scarlet Rot contamination might fall from above, was relieved to see it all vanish in mid-air. From start to finish, every aspect of the battlefield had been considered.
Meanwhile, the Southern Army had basically cleared out the monsters congregated in the Dragonbarrow region.
Only when they came to their senses did they realize that at some unknown point, an Aeonian Flower comparable in size to a small city spanned the sky. Vaguely visible within its petals was the rapidly dissolving form of Greyoll, the Grandmother of Dragons.
A legend had fallen here.
Having lived through long ages and witnessed much history, it was a part of many people's worldview, who had grown up listening to tales of the great dragon.
Now, Greyoll had finally returned to Dragonbarrow.
Released.
Scarlet Rot could no longer torment it or its wyrm brood. It was indeed time to draw a line.
Historical, living fossil though it was, it had to make way for clean land. The contamination could not be allowed to associate with these sky-faring creatures and spread afar.
They watched in awe as the scarlet flower slowly bloomed, like a grand arena, scattering the white dragon's mana, which transformed into phantoms of light and shadow, burying it completely.
The victor on this stage was the new Lord of Souls, personally bidding farewell to the Grandmother of Dragons.
Frieren activated Flame, Grant Me Strength once more before beginning to heal.
It was dangerous for her to have actively absorbed a portion of Scarlet Rot; the god behind it had likely sensed it. However, she wasn't afraid. It wasn't as if she hadn't killed gods before; it was just more of the same.
Obtained [Greyoll's Roar] Incantation.
It was a high-tier incantation, capable of manifesting the power of the "Ancient Dragon" Greyoll, one of the "Legendary Incantations."
[Transforms the caster into a dragon to unleash a roar. Lowers the attack power and defense of surrounding enemies.]
[That "Grandmother of Dragons" Greyoll, a rock mountain that must be revered.]
Not bad.
It possessed traits like seeking hidden targets, passing through walls, and high impact force, but its consumption was a bit high. For Frieren, who had numerous offensive methods, it wasn't outstanding. More importantly, it involved transforming into a dragon, and she couldn't just randomly transform.
Perhaps it would be useful for Marika Melina? But she was still in the research phase; it shouldn't be prematurely defined.
She just didn't know if the transformed Greyoll would be corrupted. Never mind, if she were to transform, it would be into this top-tier ancient dragon. Once she acquired Ancient Dragon Incantations, there should be new discoveries.
The harvest was plentiful; she liked anything of legendary status.
"That was far too risky."
Melina, still shaken, only sighed in relief after seeing her injuries completely healed.
What a terrifying constitution! To absorb Scarlet Rot head-on and even digest it, suffering only minor injuries. How strong was her resistance? A move that should have been a killing blow hadn't even caused severe damage.
"Dangerous, but it cleaned things up thoroughly. It was worth it."
"True. Apart from the Aeonian Swamp and the Lake of Rot, the contamination here in Dragonbarrow was the most severe and deadly."
"One accumulates rot energy, the other spreads death." Frieren's tone was icy. "They are both priority targets. If they are not completely dealt with, Caelid will return to its polluted state."
"So, you're going to the Lake of Rot?"
"Mm."
She had heeded the Finger Reader crone's words from earlier. Coupled with clues provided by players, it was best to find the swordsman of Miquella's Forest.
As Melina, the maiden accompanying the Tarnished, she could only agree.
To speak pessimistically, everything done so far was merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Because true death was absent, some creatures would inevitably be tainted by rot energy before dying, thus beginning the cycle of becoming monsters again. At best, they could be suppressed to a threshold; it was very difficult to eradicate them.
She had long told her partner that part of the reason was that Destined Death was sealed away, guarded by the strongest assassin.
To believe in such superstitions was not Frieren's way.
She paid no mind to difficulties of this level. Just as she had said before, she would both purify the rot and seize Destined Death, a two-pronged approach to heal the entire Lands Between.
"Optimistically speaking, purification can at best guarantee Caelid suppresses the rot for the next thousand years."
"That's enough, Melina. We haven't known each other for long, yet we've experienced so much. Life is about depth, not length."
Very ample.
Her research progressed at human speed.
Frieren took a step towards the edge of a petal, her body as light as a feather drifting down. Her other hand reached back as if rolling up a scroll, causing the Flower of Aeonia to rapidly contract and shrink, a beautiful and dreamlike sight.
The moment she landed on the ground, the scarlet flower had completely retracted, once again adorning her head.
This breezy scene seemed as if nothing like vanquishing a legendary wyrm had just occurred.
Soldiers hurried over to protect her. They had expected Frieren to look grim after such a fierce battle. Indeed, she had many wounds, but they were healing rapidly. Her aura was undiminished, her edge still sharp, as if she could fight another round. Could it be that even Greyoll hadn't inflicted fatal damage?
The new Lord of Souls' half-armor bore slight scratches, and the hem of her mage robe was stained with blood, but otherwise, her presence was imposing.
"Your Majesty, it's wonderful that you're alright."
Edgar spoke while vigilantly scanning the surroundings, fearing an ambush from behind. "Just now, a scout spotted the shadow of a Blood Noble. They truly are like lingering ghosts."
"It doesn't matter. Sooner or later, they'll lose their composure and jump out themselves. For now, just ensure the army can provide rapid support."
"Your Majesty, what is our next step?"
"Everyone is tired. Rest here. It's a good time for me to do some purification."
"What?"
Frieren answered with practical action. She raised her staff with both hands and thrust it hard into the ground. The light of her primary Great Rune flared behind her, bathing her body and stimulating even greater magical power, a full-out effort.
The Scarlet Rot in the soil was slowly absorbed, each faded patch replaced by a field of flowers.
The symbol of destruction receded, and a sea of flowers, carrying beauty and hope, swayed with the wind, scattering a refreshing fragrance, an incredibly moving sight.
The silver-haired girl sat in the flower field and coughed a few times.
"I absorbed too much Scarlet Rot in a short time. I need to take it slow. It will take time. This is a good opportunity for you all to rest. Afterwards, we'll go to the Lake of Rot together. That place is more critical."
"As you command."
The twenty thousand soldiers of the Southern Army, having witnessed this miracle firsthand, were genuinely impressed. So, her battle with Greyoll was to conserve mana for purification and to protect all the soldiers.
The contamination of Dragonbarrow could now be declared history.
On the third day after Greyoll's fall.
After resting for a day, the twenty thousand soldiers of the Southern Army began cleaning the battlefield, piling all the wyrm remains together, which, along with the remnants of other rot creatures, formed a small mountain.
They were veritable living breeding grounds for Scarlet Rot. Even now, it didn't mean the energy within them was gone. There was only one way:
Incineration.
A pillar of black smoke shot up from the ground, accompanied by a pungent smell that spread far and wide. Not only conventional flames but also wyrm breath and Magma Wyrm lava were poured onto it, ensuring not a trace remained.
"These things should have disappeared long ago. Let your bones be turned to ash."
"Be thorough, turn over the corpses. They need to be burned more completely, leave no residue."
"Quickly, dig firebreaks. Don't let the fire spread to the flower fields."
The soldiers moved in an orderly fashion, especially avoiding the flower fields Frieren had created, which in just three days had spread all over the mountains and plains.
You call this excessive consumption?
She claimed that absorbing too much Scarlet Rot affected her performance, making people worry if she would lose control. As a result, the area of the flower field continued to expand during this period, easily covering the hill where the Grandmother of Dragons once resided, and further spreading to the surrounding areas.
Who else in the entire Lands Between possessed such unfathomable magical power? Boundless, truly grand.
If the patch of flower field at the border was considered an accidental miracle, then the super magic displayed before twenty thousand people was replicable, sufficient to save Caelid.
Center of the flower field.
The silver-haired girl, kneeling beside her staff in meditation, gradually opened her gem-like eyes.
"The expansion of the flower field has reached its limit," she murmured. "In the depths where the contamination is dense, this is probably the extent, only covering the Dragonbarrow area."
"That's not important. Are you alright?"
Melina was primarily concerned: after days of rushing about and absorbing so much Scarlet Rot, was the Tarnished okay? Why had she so easily tamed the Scarlet Rot? It was almost like a direct affront to the Goddess of Rot.
Thinking carefully, perhaps Frieren was more suitable than Malenia.
This one didn't actually reject Scarlet Rot; on the contrary, she literally made it bloom, only appearing stronger.
But after a glance at the silver-haired girl's unwavering demeanor, she felt reassured. Mere Scarlet Rot was unworthy of eroding her.
"I'm fine."
As she stood up, Frieren patted her shoulders, and a shower of petals rained down, as if she had just had a flower bath. A delicate fragrance emanated from her entire being, dreamlike and ethereal.
She stretched lazily, adjusted her armor in the process, ready to go.
"Resting for such a short time, you truly are energetic." Melina, no matter how many times she witnessed it, was impressed. "No one is rushing you. You could actually take your time."
"Because I'm learning to live like the short-lived species. That's the secret to maintaining passion."
"If according to your plan, you reclaim Destined Death in the future, there will indeed be many long-lived species. But then again, powerful humans in ancient times could live very long. The mainstream concept in the Lands Between has always been a slow pace."
"So our rapid march will catch people off guard."
"Yes."
The two exchanged a smile, their thoughts increasingly aligning, a perfect understanding between them.
Next, Frieren summoned Edgar and a group of officers to discuss the specific route to the Lake of Rot and a series of preparatory measures.
They were about to head to the most dangerous place in Caelid.
Even General Radahn on his hill might not inflict indiscriminate slaughter, but the Swamp of Aeonia destroyed every life equally, without exception. So, they had to be extremely vigilant.
Three full days were enough for news of the Dragonbarrow campaign to spread, especially for the locals of Caelid, it was simply shocking news.
Redmane Castle.
Alexander, who had just arrived, heard soldiers discussing:
"I can't believe Greyoll actually died! Is that kind of monster stronger than a demigod?"
"It doesn't matter anymore. Anyway, they're all defeated foes of the new Lord of Souls. To think she even took down the largest rot creature. Is she truly immune to rot as legend says?"
"I heard Frieren created a flower field in the soil of Scarlet Rot."
"Can she defeat the General?"
"Hard to say. I still think sealing the stars is stronger."
"The conditions for a one-on-one duel between demigods are too difficult. This time, with so many experts assisting, the outcome of the festival is unpredictable."
Growing more shocked the more he listened, Alexander quickly went up to inquire, only to learn that a fierce battle between 20,000 Southern troops and a legion of rot creatures had occurred in the Dragonbarrow region. Greyoll and Frieren had fought a decisive battle, ending in the latter's complete victory.
Huh?
Hadn't he missed a world-shaking battle? If he had known, he wouldn't have separated from them there.
Alexander said, "Also, you don't need to doubt the truth of the flower field legend. I fought alongside Frieren around Fort Gael. There was indeed a rain of petals brought from the border by the wind; it's the effect of her magic."
"So you've met Her Majesty?"
The voice asking was resonant and powerful. It was a half-wolf clad in armor and a cape, standing tall and imposing.
"I am Alexander, Warrior Jar. I have indeed met Frieren."
"Blaidd pays his respects."
"It really is you. I've heard your name... You've achieved much in Liurnia, serving that Lunar Princess."
"Iron Fist Alexander, right? I remember you should be from Jarburg. There have been many new changes there, refurbished under a plan supervised by Frieren..."
The two chatted for a few sentences, coincidentally both talking about the currently active new shardbearer.
Her ambition was known to all, undisguised.
Shouldn't a normal person be rushing to obtain a second Great Rune? Moreover, with rot rampant and the situation turbulent and full of conspiracies, she was instead methodically purifying the contaminated land bit by bit.
Now everyone understood. Her priority on this journey was to eliminate the Scarlet Rot. This kind of behavior inspired only one thing:
Awe-inspiring spirit.
Anyway, the item was in the hands of Starscourge Radahn. There was no rush. She wasn't afraid of others coveting it.
From beginning to end, the new Lord of Souls' operational logic was to restore the Lands Between.
For this, she even went so far as to kill Greyoll first, even knowing it would weaken her strength. So what? The nonchalance displayed by her various actions wasn't it a deterrent in itself? Before the majesty of a true sovereign, those schemers paled in comparison.
"I estimate Castellan Jerren is waiting for Frieren," Alexander asserted. "But the active Blood Dynasty won't let this opportunity slip by either."
"Indeed, the situation is very critical."
"It doesn't matter. Aren't there still us, the participants of the combat festival? Our fighting strength is abundant."
"It seems you crave a grand stage."
"Yes, I want to travel the Lands Between and witness all the strong warriors. Only then will it be an experience worthy of a legendary Warrior Jar."
With that, Alexander waved and temporarily departed. "I'll rest first."
Blaidd nodded. He also had a mission: to report the current situation to Ranni.
Outside Redmane Castle, on the secluded and empty backside of a hill, a place from which all directions could be observed.
In the shadow of the upward slope, Blaidd took out a Snow Witch Doll.
A glimmer of lunar magic lit up.
Far away in her tower at Caria Manor, Ranni slowly opened her eyes, awakening from her slumber, proactively responding to the other token that resonated with her. It was indeed Blaidd reporting:
"Your Highness, the Battle of Fort Gael and the Battle of Dragonbarrow have successively occurred in Caelid. The Blood Dynasty is also active. The specifics are as follows..."
He recounted the latest intelligence in detail.
At first, Ranni's face was calm, but upon learning of the Grandmother of Dragons' fall, her gaze sharpened.
Frieren was genuine, doing her utmost to clear the Scarlet Rot, even disregarding the lure of a Great Rune. Her pace consistently embodied the philosophy of revitalizing the world. It could be called an arrogance that disregarded the Blood Dynasty's movements, and also a form of dominance.
Bring it on.
Through her actions, she had already responded to the intrigues. Daring to enter Caelid so openly, she had no intention of playing convoluted games with them.
"Your Highness, is there anything I need to do?"
"Continue to monitor closely. Also, investigate the matter of the Aeonian War more. I always feel Miquella's hand was behind it, but I don't know the details yet."
"As you command."
"With Frieren there, there's no need to worry. I estimate the army is preparing for a large-scale annihilation battle."
Although Ranni knew this ally acted straightforwardly, she was consistently cautious. The continuous dispatch of troops from Limgrave to the front line indicated that hidden dangers were being resolved. After all, success depended on a single decisive battle. Her own rash intervention could easily do more harm than good.
She would confidently entrust it to the new Lord of Souls. Moreover, there was still the puppet as a backup plan.
In reality, she only wanted to see her brother one last time, and then bid farewell, but unexpectedly, she encountered Caelid's numerous schemes.
So be it.
Perhaps she could help her ally.
"Your Highness, is the situation in Liurnia alright?"
"The Grace-Given King's small contingent of Night's Cavalry is conducting raids, tying down the troops around the Grand Lift. He should be waiting for the right moment to make a judgment. Once he confirms Frieren is bogged down in Caelid and cannot easily disengage, he will definitely adopt aggressive tactics to probe us."
"Isn't that very dangerous?"
"Yes, but don't underestimate Liurnia's strength. Leave it to us. The real key to breaking the siege is the Caelid battlefield. If Radahn is defeated, everything will naturally fall into place."
Ranni believed the Royal Capital wouldn't launch a large-scale war in the short term; the performance on the southern battlefield was key.
Setting aside the fact that she could act for a longer period after cultivating soul magic, the Abyss Watchers alone were not easy to deal with.
A probing war would occur around the Grand Lift.
Blaidd no longer hesitated, took a deep breath, nodded, and then cut off the connection.
He glanced towards Redmane Castle, situated atop a cliff overlooking a vast expanse of coastal dunes. Now, a murderous aura and dark clouds drifted above the dunes – the presence of General Radahn.
Even the strongest demigod instinctively sensed the atmosphere of the combat festival.
However, the other protagonist had not yet arrived. How much longer would it take? Whether it would go smoothly was hard to say.
"Who's there?"
Suddenly sensing an unfamiliar gaze, Blaidd turned around. In the distance, a Blood Noble who had been quietly observing from behind a rock melted into a pool of blood and disappeared. Clearly, he couldn't be caught.
"You truly are like lingering ghosts. You stirred up trouble with the Grace-Given King during the Shattering, and now what are you planning?"
...
Sellian Crystal Tunnel Exit.
Soldiers dragged the corpse of a Fallingstar Beast onto a cart. Although it had been magically slapped eighteen times, some materials were still left for research. In short, this labyrinth yielded some gains, and a nearby monster den was dealt with.
Monster gatherings of this level didn't affect the army's march at all.
Her Majesty merely passed by here, heard there was a labyrinth, and flattened it with her power. As a Tarnished, she was an opportunist, never letting go of collectibles.
Not far away, Frieren sat on a rock, carefully studying the magic she had acquired from this little interlude:
It was indeed a good thing; after all, it meant one less monster den in Caelid that could potentially be controlled by the enemy. Facts proved Frieren's choice was correct because the Fallingstar Beast inside was somewhat troublesome. If the army had fought it, some unnecessary losses would have been unavoidable.
[Rock Blaster]
[One of the Glintstone sorceries of the Academy of Raya Lucaria.]
[Imbue the end of the staff with magic, thrust it into the ground, and trigger a massive magical shockwave in the surroundings. Continuous casting does not thrust the staff into the ground.]
[Thrust the magic-infused end of the staff at enemies.]
[A high-tier excavation sorcery used by the Glintstone miners of the Crystal Tunnels.]
Average.
No particular power, nor any special mechanics; it was an ordinary spell. Oh well, one couldn't always expect powerful rare rewards. As for the other spoils, they were also mediocre.
For example, a talisman that slightly increased incantation damage.
Upon an unremarkable cloth was a depiction of a group of devout believers worshipping, exuding a certain divinity.
[Two Fingers Heirloom]
[A strip of cloth depicting a masked figure. It boosts the power of incantations. The figure is based on a believer.]
[Firmly believe in the unseen, and offer prayers—]
[That appearance, even a lone founder of a faith could be encouraged.]
[So-called faith might just be affirmation.]
Frieren had no shortage of such low-level talismans. As a collectible witnessing the history of the Lands Between, it was acceptable; she wouldn't refuse such items.
The greatest gain from the Sellian Crystal Tunnel was actually the loot dropped by the Fallingstar Beast:
[Smithing Stone (7)]
The highest reached this level, and there were also some Smithing Stone (6) and (5) to supplement, which was incredibly rare. One had to know that smithing stones were always scarce in the Lands Between, truly strategic resources.
The weapons she commonly used were generally around +4, their actual stats pitiful, relying entirely on skill to compensate.
Some reserved smithing stones had been used to reinforce elite troops. Anyway, she wasn't in such urgent need. Next time, she would finally have some higher-level smithing stones; an unexpected delight.
Suddenly, the ground rumbled, and dust surged.
Frieren looked into the distance; it was clearly the banner of the Southern Army, a force of thousands.
"Your Majesty, the last contingent of troops has arrived! With this, we will have a frontline combat force of 30,000."
Edgar's voice was filled with excitement. The slow march was precisely to wait for the follow-up forces to rendezvous. Now, the complete legion envisioned before the war was finally assembled, truly a collection of Limgrave's finest.
"As long as it went smoothly."
"Shall we resume a rapid march? Please give the order."
"Of course. It's better to resolve the Lake of Rot sooner so we can go to Redmane Castle. Otherwise, there might be trouble here."
At this very moment, dense rot energy rose from the heartland of Caelid. The once-clear lake had become a swamp exuding a deadly miasma.
Complete purification would be difficult; at the very least, it had to be suppressed.
_____
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