What on earth was happening?
The soldiers stationed around Lake Agheel stood ready, orderly assembling and setting up ballistae aimed at the Bloody Fingers.
Unfortunately, their bolts were blown aside mid-flight by the swirling magic, nearly deflected back at them. This was a battle they absolutely could not interfere in.
They watched as the azure torrent clashed with the cursed blood energy. With a tremendous roar, the former pushed back the malevolent power; the situation became completely one-sided, the latter unable to sustain itself.
Frieren stepped forward, increasing her output once more. Whoosh! Her soul power poured forth like an inverted waterfall washing over the land, instantly shattering the magical protection of the five Bloody Fingers, sending them flying back, heavily wounded.
Then, the azure torrent ceased. The silver-haired girl, demonstrating perfect control, stood leaning on her staff.
Behind Frieren, the lake water had evaporated, exposing the dry bed. Rain began to fall from the sky—the condensed vaporized lake water.
The resident dragons fled in panic, screeching as they departed, not daring to linger. The clash between these two was something they couldn't afford to get involved in; time to scram.
The most heavily injured was the leader, Nerijus. A large hole had appeared in his abdomen; any ordinary person would have died long ago.
Yet, the wound wasn't bleeding! On the contrary, a bizarre power continuously repaired his flesh, forcing him back onto his feet. The spark in his eyes had dimmed, losing its luster; compared to before, he resembled a flesh puppet even more.
"It's useless no matter how many times you strike me down! This is the Blessing of Blood!"
"Merely superficial. You are no longer yourself."
"What do you understand? In the Lands Between, achieving results through power is paramount! Nothing else matters!" Nerijus beckoned. "You lot, get up too!"
As he spoke, the other four summoned Bloody Fingers also rose, though their bodies remained unrepaired, moving like zombies.
Schlick!
Suddenly, one of them was impaled through the chest by a sharp blade, immediately followed by decapitation. The headless body stumbled and finally collapsed into the lake water.
Standing behind him was a cloaked man wearing an iron kasa, his posture upright, poised for action.
Bloody Finger Hunter, Yura.
"Apologies, Your Majesty, for interfering in your battle. But I couldn't stand by, and I do have some scores to settle with these guys."
"Any variable is part of the battlefield. You are welcome." Frieren didn't mind the sudden intervention, openly welcoming him. An extra helper she wasn't responsible for was fine. They were strangers who met by chance; each could handle their own side of the fight.
Now alert, the Bloody Fingers wouldn't let Yura easily ambush them again. One peeled off to engage him, the clang of fierce battle echoing continuously. Yura's grudge guaranteed a fight to the death.
Besides, everyone in the Lands Between knew these Tarnished hunters were troublesome, notorious villains constantly exerting some special influence from behind the scenes—vipers waiting to strike from the shadows.
However, the silver-haired girl remained calm and composed throughout, completely unshaken by the ambush. The situation was now three against one.
Most people would have lost patience and attacked by now, but Frieren continued to maneuver defensively with her shield, seemingly more focused on observing and memorizing enemy movements than acting like a battle mage.
"Mongrel! Dawdling around! I'll end you right now!" The power of Cursed Blood enveloped the three Bloody Fingers, reaching its zenith.
In the next moment, they moved as one, so fast they cut furrows across the lake's surface, like a single sharp sword thrusting across the battlefield for a precise strike.
Yet, the silver-haired girl easily blocked one attack with her Brass Shield, while her staff parried another. Immense strength, bottomless, utterly immovable! How much energy was hidden within that petite frame?
Parry!
In an instant, she flung two Bloody Fingers away as Nerijus's dagger stabbed straight for her throat, missing by a hair's breadth. Even though he was fast, he couldn't match Frieren's movements.
The next moment, a Magic Sword pierced his heart. It wasn't over.
Suddenly, the target's body exploded with glintstone crystals—the simplest crystal scattering technique, yet executed with the finesse to detonate inside a human body.
Predictably, he was reduced to little more than shredded meat, collapsing into the lake with a splash, yet still managing to kneel, glaring venomously at his attacker... Where was she?
After striking, Frieren had once again pulled back to observe, almost making one laugh in exasperation.
"You enjoy rhythmic combat?"
"I focus on observing the enemy. Further observation leads to learning. Battle isn't just for victory itself, but also for constantly improving one's mastery." As she spoke, the silver-haired girl didn't forget to cast Golden Vow.
Melina, beside her, watched with curiosity. Against demigod-level enemies, Frieren fought daringly, giving her all, like in her fierce battle against the Fell Omen.
Facing lower-tier opponents, she didn't mind controlling the pace to think carefully—stillness within motion, finesse within roughness.
Rushing the offense wouldn't end the fight faster; it might even allow the enemy to hold back more trump cards for future ambushes.
What should you do?
At this moment, in the grand palace of the Mohgwyn Dynasty, Mohg truly faced a dilemma. If he didn't increase the magic output, Nerijus's meager power wouldn't last another round; his opponent was, after all, a genuine Shardbearer. Yes, at least her strength deserved recognition.
But if he wanted to continue boosting the power to probe for more information, his own magical attributes could easily be exposed, alerting the King of Limgrave to the specific existence of the Mohgwyn Dynasty.
Mohg glanced at the giant cocoon behind him. In a daze, some voice seemed to urge him to ignite more magic. Right, a Tarnished destined for lordship will inevitably become an enemy. Test her further now.
BOOM!
Cursed Blood churned in Lake Agheel, roaring furiously. Crimson flames surged, creating tornadoes that reached the sky. The energy focused solely on Nerijus.
In an instant, his body turned to ash, transforming into a semi-magical entity. Only a remnant will, resonating with the distant controller, generated an even more terrifying pressure, aimed squarely at the sole enemy, incidentally absorbing the other two Bloody Fingers.
"You deserve more formality from me, new demigod Frieren."
"...This Cursed Blood seems to originate from the direction of Caelid?" the silver-haired girl analyzed calmly. "Could the ruler of the Mohgwyn Dynasty be some hidden major figure?"
"Hidden? Ridiculous! The world never accepted me! But it matters not. As long as we possess power!" Actually, they were somewhat similar. Mohg, an Omen child locked away in the sewers at birth, blamed his appearance.
Frieren, though beautiful, had non-human features that were hard to ignore; in the Golden Order's heyday, she too would have been exterminated.
"What a wonderful world this is! Power... is the mark of legitimacy! But only one of us can define what constitutes legitimacy in the next age!"
Amidst maniacal laughter, Nerijus was completely consumed by Cursed Blood, transforming into a towering red giant. It had become another kind of pure puppet, dripping curses, continuously polluting Lake Agheel—something Frieren absolutely could not permit.
"You've gone too far." As she spoke, the silver-haired girl's magic surged even higher. Simultaneously, she unleashed a powerful dispelling purification, forcefully counteracting the Cursed Blood pollution. She simply overwhelmed it with sheer mana, not through any specific counter-property.
Nerijus, attempting to vex Frieren with pollution, had to cease the meaningless energy expenditure. Left with only a sliver of obsession, he solely desired to crush his enemy; otherwise, he couldn't die content. "I will not betray the Lord of Blood's blessing!"
The next moment, he plummeted from mid-air, crashing into the lake and creating a deep crater. He gripped his dagger, aiming at the silver-haired girl; the weapon had become twisted and malformed, radiating malevolence.
Frieren raised her hand, constructing a barrier that easily enclosed the area, preventing any energy from escaping.
What?! This seemingly simple action involved profound skill in barrier magic. How could a battle mage know such things? And its strength seemed considerable; it would be hard to bypass without defeating the caster herself. No wonder she had the confidence to control the battle's pace.
'I owe it to the inspiration from a genius apprentice of mine regarding barrier arts.' In terms of concealment and precise identification, she was far inferior to Flamme, but using it purely as a tool to shape the battlefield wasn't difficult.
"Utterly boring! Die!" In the blink of an eye, Nerijus was before her, suddenly slashing with a vicious horizontal strike aimed at her neck.
But it was blocked by a longsword (Clang!). The sharp ring indicated a parry, momentarily stunning him. The blade instantly struck again. He hastily rolled away, barely dodging the attack.
At this moment, Frieren wielded her staff plus the Grafted Blade Greatsword, emphasizing offense, pressing relentlessly.
Her initial image holding the Brass Shield led him to underestimate her, unaware it concealed terrifying sharpness. According to intelligence, the King of Limgrave demonstrated the power of a battle mage during the siege of Stormveil Castle—her reputation was well-deserved. She was another grandmaster after Radahn. When she chose to attack...
Swish!
The silver-haired girl's Glintstone Pebble flew faster than thought. "How can you cast a low-level spell so quickly?!" By the time he reacted, a bleeding hole had appeared on his shoulder.
No response came. The next attack was terrifying lightning falling from the sky. Nerijus barely dodged it at his current speed, but a numbing sensation spread through his body—the water conducted electricity!
He quickly crossed his arms, blocking with his daggers. But he didn't expect Frieren to raise her hand and unleash another Soul Stream. It struck his body with the suffocating feeling of being battered by waves.
Intense soul pressure transmitted along with it; this time, it was imbued with soul damage, even resonating with that distant wisp of consciousness. The mastermind? Her perception seemed to glimpse... an Omen child in ornate black and red robes? But the pressure was real—undoubtedly a demigod.
"Who are you?!"
The question, laced with soul damage, reached the very center of the Mohgwyn Dynasty, shaking the surroundings. Even Mohg, with his power, raised an eyebrow, but the next moment, he dispersed the probing sense.
This was his absolute domain, after all; the surprise attack merely caused a momentary lapse. No matter. Just the power of a pawn, tested on a whim. He had gathered some intelligence.
"This is a warning, Frieren! Remember the Lord of Blood!" He laughed maniacally, spreading his arms. A giant crimson sigil linked to the puppet, granting it final strength. Burn everything! Do whatever you want next.
Sensing Nerijus's frenzied roar in response, Mohg grew even more pleased, feeling the world stir with activity for the first time in ages. Since the Shattering War, everything had been stagnant, boring. The Shardbearers, fixed in their balance of power, were even more tedious.
Had someone finally arrived? A Tarnished to break the stalemate and claim the throne? How could he allow her to reign supreme? This was merely the first round.
Lake Agheel.
Hearing that imposing response, Frieren's expression darkened. This being displayed far greater strength than Godrick; he was likely among the top-tier demigods. "...Only revealed a title but no name. A demigod not recognized by the Golden Order?"
She had no time for deep thought, because the madman before her had gone completely berserk. Nerijus clutched his head, screaming at the sky: "I feel it! My god has withdrawn his gaze! Yes! He abandoned me! But he also gave me a sacred mission: I must kill you!"
"A mission? Even if it's just delusion? Rest assured, I'll give you a proper send-off." Frieren's magical longsword grew sharper.
Pierce!
Another simple, unadorned thrust pierced his body. "Useless! I abandoned this shell long ago—Aargh!"
Lightning Spear flowed down her staff. Using different magic through the same medium was exquisite finesse, something he couldn't possibly have anticipated. Simultaneously, Frieren swung her longsword, cutting into his neck with a flash of light.
At the last second, he desperately blocked with his hand, but the paralyzing sensation continuously drained his strength. How is this possible? I received the final, strongest blessing! "My god... lied to me?"
"No. I just think since he left, there's nothing more to test. So, let's end this quickly." Before the words finished, the longsword sliced into his neck.
Nerijus suddenly spat a stream of Cursed Blood, forcing Frieren back. He turned and fled wretchedly, scrambling on all fours, trying to muster every ounce of speed—faster, faster!
The seemingly grand battle devolved into a one-sided chase, garbage time; one side had completely lost the will to fight. Frieren pursued almost with the mindset of finishing up work for the day. Since you have no more tricks, time for total annihilation.
The silver-haired girl casually flicked her staff, unleashing an overwhelming swarm of Homing Soul Crystal Shards, saving herself the trouble of even running him down. Now Nerijus understood even more clearly that Frieren had deliberately controlled the pace; otherwise, these ranged attacks alone would have sufficed—
BOOM!
The explosion cut off his thoughts, tearing apart flesh and the soul within. The burnt-out husk left not a single trace, drifting away on the wind. The notoriously skilled Bloody Finger expert vanished completely in his attempt to hunt the King.
On the other side, Yura had already killed the last remaining Bloody Finger. It was effortless for him, yet his body still trembled slightly. Experiencing demigod-level pressure at near point-blank range inevitably left him shaken.
"Truly spectacular." That Nerijus character had pulled out trick after trick, each more exaggerated than the last, yet remained constantly under control, easily suppressed by the unfathomable Frieren while leaking intelligence...
It was certain now: the Mohgwyn Dynasty possessed mysterious and powerful combatants, far beyond hero-level. While hidden heroes or divine beings might exist in the Lands Between, demigods were surely countable. This likely involved some secret of the Golden Order.
At the same time, the thunder of hooves approached. Treading through the lake water, reinforcements from the southern army quickly surrounded the area. Though they arrived late, they had ultimately mustered a large force. Unfortunately, Her Majesty no longer needed them; she was clean and efficient as always.
"Your Majesty! Apologies for our delay!" The commander of the reinforcements immediately dismounted, saluted, and apologized. It was difficult to help from outside the barrier; intervention was impossible. Everyone could see the enemy's strength was off the charts, necessitating an emergency troop mobilization, which caused the delay, resulting in the awkward situation where they were essentially useless.
"It's alright. It would have been dangerous if you had rushed in rashly. Secure the perimeter for now."
"As you command!" Shardbearer Frieren's orders were absolute. Witnessing victory once again, they were even more convinced and had greater faith in Limgrave. The new demigod was sufficient to protect this land.
Simultaneously, she released a maximum-range mana perception scan. Apart from some malicious bandit auras in Murkwater Cave, which she planned to investigate anyway, everything else was clear.
Frieren never minded sudden ambushes. What seemed perilous to others, including Melina, wasn't a concern for her. Letting the enemy reveal some intelligence was actually a welcome bonus.
"Thank you for your help this time, Lord Yura."
"You flatter me. My contribution was negligible."
"What else do you know about the Bloody Fingers? For example, the demigod potentially behind them? After all, we've made enemies now."
"They're a terrorist group that hunts Tarnished. It seems they ritually kill their own Finger Maidens to join the organization, then enter a place rumored to be called the Mohgwyn Dynasty...
But strangely, there's no trace of it anywhere in the Lands Between. No idea where it's hidden..."
The more he thought, the stranger it seemed. In truth, Yura himself had only recently learned of this figure's existence, suspected to be a demigod. But rack his brains as he might, there were no records; he was completely clueless, making the enemy seem even more sinister.
Frieren, however, already had suspicions, because Sir Gideon Ofnir had mentioned hidden demigods. The Roundtable Hold was also investigating.
Since everyone only had partial knowledge, it proved the Lord of Blood was indeed skilled at hiding, secretly influencing the Lands Between all along, likely responsible for unknown yet far-reaching events. Best to remain vigilant.
The Lands Between truly never lacked types who hid away, only to suddenly pop out and cause trouble someday. Hidden arrows were hard to defend against.
"Lord Yura, would you consider joining me? We both have to face the Bloody Fingers anyway."
"I'm honored, but please allow me to decline. I have already found the path I must walk, Your Majesty. Our connection doesn't end here."
"Then I respect your choice."
"Chatting isn't my forte. It's about time I left. Let's meet again."
"Take care."
Hearing the meaningful blessing, Yura nodded solemnly, adjusted his iron kasa, waved goodbye, and his figure headed towards the other end of Lake Agheel, in the direction of the Academy—another person bound for Liurnia of the Lakes.
The small interlude wouldn't affect the overall plan. Even if the enemy intended to cause trouble in Limgrave, it wouldn't slow Frieren's pace.
The situation increasingly proved the need to gather intelligence. It seemed to confirm the player messages seen near Boc: becoming Elden Lord through the normal process might not be the true ending. At least not the "ending where you know the truth."
Frieren had experienced similar plotlines several times; she was familiar with this kind of game trope. Certain things probably needed careful digging after coronation. Hidden forces would eventually threaten the stability she aimed to create.
She was glad to know there was still plenty of hidden content.
"...Speaking of which, Melina, having traveled the Lands Between for so long, do you know where the Mohgwyn Dynasty is?"
"I don't know. But I have a guess: since no trace can be found on the surface, and it's difficult to contact the Bloody Fingers in the sky, it can only be somewhere underground. With the fate of the stars halted, it's very suitable for concealment."
"Underground?"
"I advise you not to explore that place too early, especially since the Mohgwyn Dynasty is very active, unlike the barely surviving Eternal Cities. Although that Lord may continue his schemes, let's adopt a defensive posture first."
"To be honest, a demigod-level enemy intentionally causing trouble is very problematic. After all, the Farron Undead Legion leans towards defense, and I often travel abroad."
It's worrisome when thieves target you, but you can't guard against them constantly forever. Therefore, Frieren was confident in her own safety, but the same couldn't be said for Limgrave. Her territory was out in the open and lacked external infiltration capabilities.
In contrast, the Mohgwyn Dynasty's location remained unknown, yet it commanded Bloody Finger assassins spread throughout the Lands Between. Ah well, no use thinking about it. Eventually, I'll travel the entire Lands Between anyway. I can drag you out no matter where you hide.
Melina sighed. "If only I could assist you properly. Remaining in spirit form is quite inconvenient; otherwise, I could at least help watch over things in Stormveil Castle. I wonder if your Soul Magic could...?"
"Not yet. I need more magical knowledge, specifically related to life."
"No rush."
Coming back to herself, Melina realized she was starting to care too much. She wanted to truly stand beside Frieren and achieve greatness together, placing it on par with her own mission.
Anyway, she didn't want situations like this moment, where a conversation between Tarnished and Finger Maiden looked bizarre to the distant soldiers—was the King alright, always talking to thin air?
"Could Marika have had undisclosed offspring?" The silver-haired girl's sudden, unprompted question made Melina start slightly.
"Why do you guess that?"
"No particular basis, just a strange feeling. For example, the Lord of Grace and the Lord of Blood likely possess Great Runes, recognized by the Two Fingers.
The former especially, besides his shard of the Elden Ring, surely has legitimate bloodline ties, unlike my exceptional case. So perhaps they are descendants of the goddess."
"During the Shattering, the allied Shardbearers had similar speculations, thinking the defender of the capital was some unknown brother or sister thwarting their plans for the throne." The implication was that similar topics had been raised, but the truth remained elusive.
Even Melina didn't know her specific connection to her supposed mother, because the seal on her eye held power and memories... She guessed: if she successfully completed her mission, the seal would remain closed forever; she'd stay in the dark.
Conversely, if unforeseen circumstances arose, the power would be released to cope, accompanied by the truth—something Frieren desperately needed. So, could the seal be opened prematurely to retrieve memories and power without compromising her mission? Was it possible? The thought filled her with a trace of fear.
As for the silver-haired girl, she turned her mind away from these tangled topics and continued, "Everything mentioned just now are long-term plans, whether creating a body for you or investigating the entire Lands Between... The key now is taking Murkwater Cave. We went there and got attacked by Bloody Fingers; perhaps there's some connection between the two."
_____
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