After the meeting concluded.
Everyone, having received their orders, departed in a hurry; there was no time to waste.
Every minute and second spent here saw corresponding movements from the Royal Capital's army. During this time, everyone received war reports confirming that the enemy was indeed attempting probing attacks. Thus, the generals departed one after another.
Those who remained were the ones with different arrangements.
"Mimic Tear, I have summoned my entire legion of Spirit Ashes. Aside from Latenna, I temporarily entrust their command to you. Feel free to expend them as needed."
"Understood."
She knew very well that her responsibility was heavy as one of the few Demigod sorcerers in the Soul Cinder Army.
After all, Queen Rennala had to remain to guard the Academy headquarters, while Ranni would be accompanying her Lady Mother on the expedition.
Frieren turned to look at the others.
"We will contact you when we secure the Forge of the Giants, Florisaxx. Until then, maintain air superiority over the Royal Capital's army. Contact Lansseax as well; I don't require the Ancient Dragons to have a clear stance, mainly just to keep monitoring the movements."
"As you command."
The position of Farum Azula was unclear, but that was not the most critical factor.
Because the stop prior to the Royal Capital in Frieren's expedition was Farum Azula itself. Regardless of their attitude, a decision would have to be made; even if they were unconvinced, they would be made to submit.
Moreover, the forces of Farum Azula were long past their prime; they had enough to defend, but insufficient power to attack.
The Golden Dynasty had taken hegemony from the hands of the Ancient Dragons, so it was eighty percent likely they wouldn't need the dragons to participate in this war anyway, to avoid the risk of them exploiting the situation. It was better to simply ignore them, though neither side wished to push the Ancient Dragons to the enemy.
So, maintaining surveillance was enough.
"Trina, you follow me. We'll search for Millicent along the way. It will be quite cold up ahead, will that be a problem?"
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I only require some of your body heat."
After answering softly, the violet girl's body began to curl up. Like a single petal wrapping around Frieren's body, she resembled a cape, and soon that face quietly lay prone on Frieren's shoulder and fell into a deep sleep.
Seeing this, Melina and Ranni looked unkind, but for the sake of the plan, they didn't waste words.
The next moment, the four-armed puppet girl also began to shrink, transforming into a doll's size to sit on the silver-haired girl's other shoulder. The modified vessel could change its volume.
In any case, her true body was a soul.
After learning Frieren's technique of altering the body's state based on the soul, this level of modification was not difficult for a genius mage.
The four of them exchanged glances and nodded. Everything was ready.
The squad was formed.
Beside them, Rennala gave her final exhortation: "The plan you are to execute is the most difficult, the most perilous, and also the most important. But you must not force yourselves. Do not forget that there is still the retreat path of holding the Academy. Go, but you must return safely."
She watched the group leave, her heart full of worry, but she could only endure it. An elder should not drag them down.
Even with the Full Moon Queen's mastery of astrology, she could not divine the road ahead. Fate converged here; the conflicts accumulated over thousands, ten thousands of years in the Lands Between were about to reach a conclusion. No one could predict the future.
She could only watch a fast horse galloping at full speed, advancing toward the northernmost part of the world.
Of course, Frieren's squad was not the only one in motion.
Wind surged and clouds gathered over the Altus Plateau. As the Royal Capital's army proactively dispatched troops to clear obstacles again, unrest stirred everywhere, and the atmosphere of war was sensed by all.
Windmill Village no longer sang and danced.
These bodies of semi-living corpses craved land possessing Grace the most, such as the distant Volcano area. Under the grace of the Great Rune Frieren had enacted, the magma that flowed year-round had gradually extinguished, becoming lush and green, with the scent of dew carried on the wind.
The villagers should have been dancing, but the reconnaissance teams of the Royal Capital's army moving frequently these past few days made everyone afraid to be too active.
What if the Leyndell Knights decided to subjugate the living corpses in passing?
However, the mindset of these elite soldiers was likely that leaving a group of madmen behind could cause trouble for the Soul Cinder Army, so they didn't pay them much attention.
But someone did pay attention.
The villagers looked at the corpse of the Godskin Apostle beneath the windmill with lingering fear; it was too dangerous. A passing one-armed swordswoman had engaged in a fierce fight with him, winning and leaving. The aftermath had already dismantled a small half of the village.
As long as the god of plague was sent away, it was fine; they couldn't withstand the torment.
Millicent looked back at the Windmill Village behind her, and the feeling of the Godskin Apostle's Black Flame.
A bit dangerous, but for her, it was no longer a problem. Her own strength was constantly growing, and coupled with the top-tier reinforced sword gifted by Frieren, it was enough for self-preservation.
Next, she would head toward the snowfield. That sense of connection was becoming stronger and stronger.
"I am coming, Malenia."
The location of Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, became clearer. It was not a problem; she would follow her intuition. During this time, she had become stronger, her swordsmanship had advanced further, and the seemingly distant journey would be measured and traversed by her own two feet.
Moreover, Millicent had an intuition that she would meet Frieren at the Haligtree.
The two had been parted for a long time, but fate was connected once more. Sharing the stage of this struggle for the title of Lord, sooner or later, they would reunite.
"He insisted on fighting me, but turned out to be so weak."
Emerging from the Sainted Hero's Grave, Frieren glanced at the corpse of the Black Knife Assassin beside her. This was the one who had just ambushed the passing squad.
At the entrance, Melina held Torrent, waiting while keeping guard over the surroundings.
Seeing Her Majesty slashing and collecting her way through the underground labyrinth before finally coming out, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"It should be a Black Knife Assassin affiliated with the Royal Capital. After all, the Golden Dynasty recruited a batch during the Shattering. This one was likely guarding the grave and intercepting people like us in passing. Unfortunately, she met you. How was the harvest?"
"Not bad."
The silver-haired girl weighed the black dagger in her hand a few times. The name was simple, but in the Lands Between, no one was unaware of it: [Black Knife].
[Dagger once used by the assassins who murdered Godwyn the Golden on the Night of the Black Knives.]
[Through a ritual, the singular, twisted blade...]
[...is imbued with the power of the stolen Rune of Death.]
[Unique Skill: Blade of Death]
[Unleashes the power of the Rune of Death to fire a blade-like projectile. In addition to dealing immediate damage, the blade reduces the enemy's maximum HP and continues to sap their HP for a certain time.]
The intensity was not low; it was usable, not to mention it was a famous weapon renowned worldwide.
Today, it finally fell into Frieren's hands. In addition, the grave she just exited also yielded the "Crimson Seed Talisman," "Dragoncrest Shield Talisman +1," and "Leyndell Soldier Ashes," among others.
As expected of the most affluent Altus Plateau; the foot of the Royal Capital was dripping with oil.
A profit.
It seemed the journey through the Altus Plateau wouldn't be boring. On the contrary, she would harvest a large pile of unexpected treasures.
Melina, sharing her thought process, spread out the map and said:
"According to intelligence, although the Royal Capital's army has proactively cleared a portion of the underground catacombs, the difficult ones—which are the valuable ones—have not yet been opened. Considering a route that is on the way... we can explore a portion of them."
"Then let's be quick about it."
During her journey through the Altus Plateau, Frieren brushed past Leyndell Knights several times.
Thanks to the Unseen Form she had just obtained in the magic tower and the passive effect of the Concealing Veil, her tracks were not exposed the entire time. To date, they still did not know the Soul Cinder King's movements.
Besides, these were just scouts.
The Ranni doll on her shoulder muttered:
"It must be the First Lord preparing to clear the Altus Plateau."
"After all, any grave or cave on the road could become a garrison position, and subsequently a springboard for attackers, not to mention their function for resource supply. The Royal Capital's army intends to harvest the resources on the Altus Plateau from these past years in one sweep."
Although they were scattered, there was no lack of Runes.
Using them to reinforce the army for a wave wasn't a loss; at the very least, they couldn't be gifted to the enemy. Furthermore, it was a way to hone the army in preparation for the offensive.
By the same logic.
In fact, the Soul Cinder Army was also deeply cultivating the area around the Volcano, pulling out all the adjacent catacombs and caves, as they could become enemy territory. Both sides were actually already in a state of war, gearing up for a fight.
However, Frieren felt no tension.
It wasn't as if she hadn't experienced the atmosphere of a massive army bearing down in past worlds; her pace remained unchanged.
Following the map Melina indicated, she arrived at the Second Church of Marika. This place was adjacent to the Volcano not far away, a zone where the Royal Capital's army had weak influence, and it was also on the way to the north.
The statue within was already draped in vegetation, desolate and dilapidated. One could only pick up a Sacred Tear and some Magic Grease.
The Maiden prayed before the statue as always.
"Speaking of which, it really makes one's mood complicated. Marika is also Radagon, my father."
"You want to pray too?"
"That would be too strange. In what name? Regardless of the name, at least I personally am incompatible with Queen Marika like fire and water. I must replace her Order."
"This journey can be considered a confirmation of all our resolves," Trina, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly lamented.
The Saint was indeed right; everyone was more or less related.
In a sense, Frieren didn't need any psychological preparation; she just needed to get it done. In contrast, they—especially Melina—had to clarify their true hearts and prepare to part with their Mother, Marika, forever.
Hum!
Suddenly, a landscape-ruining disturbance arrived. It was an attacker dressed in Mohgwyn Dynasty attire.
Violet Bloody Finger, Eleonora.
Almost at the moment of her appearance, this attacker rushed toward the praying Melina, attempting to take the first point. However, she hadn't anticipated that the gap between the two sides exceeded her estimation. What arrived first, striking later, was Melina's Blade of Gold flame, sweeping across all directions with Holy attribute.
Even a battle-hardened hunter of warriors had to evade.
Bad situation.
She had originally intended to launch a sneak attack and incidentally draw the Royal Capital's army, teaching these destroyers of the Mohgwyn Dynasty a good lesson. The result was an unfavorable start.
"Mohg's remnants are truly numerous."
The words ringing in her ears were accompanied by the frost of the Moonlight Greatsword, which swept through the Violet Bloody Finger's body in an instant.
Everything happened too fast. By the time she stiffly turned her head, she realized Frieren had circled behind her without any warning. An eye for an eye—delivering a fatal blow to the despicable person who struck first with a sneak attack.
The Dark Moon Greatsword, tempered over a long time, was one step away from being a god-slaying weapon; its power was immense.
The struggling Eleonora spun her twinblade. While lifting it, she drew out blades of blood energy, releasing them in an enveloping whoosh.
Very fast.
But for Frieren, it was far from fast enough—not even close.
At the same time the Skill was activated, she strolled lightly—dodging the slash filled with blood curses. The aura sweeping past her body was weaker than imagined; after all, the Formless Mother, the Outer God of Blood, had been expelled following Mohg's defeat. What remained was not worth mentioning.
The Prince of Death's Staff released the Sorcery: Ancient Death Rancor at zero distance, instantly beating the life out of Eleonora. Everything happened in a flash. With a thud, the corpse fell to the ground.
[Eleonora's Poleblade]
Only a sharp blade, blood-red at both ends, remained stuck in place, seething with murderous spirit and full of evil nature.
[Twinblade of Eleonora, the Violet Bloody Finger, forged in the Land of Reeds.]
[Her mastery of the sword was akin to a whirlwind, but now her legacy is stained by accursed blood.]
[Unique Skill: Bloodblade Dance]
[Leap up to unleash a whirlwind of slashes. Follow up with an additional input to perform an attack that ends in a backward evasion.]
A weapon suitable for inflicting blood loss; the players' messages rated it as passable.
In addition to this, there was an outdated collectible, the [Purifying Crystal Tear], capable of purifying the countdown curse and dispelling the "Lord of Blood" Mohg's terrifying blood ritual.
He was already dead.
Unfortunately, for Frieren who had completed her mage build, it was of little use. Moreover, the power related to Cursed Blood required an Outer God to continuously influence the Lands Between. Now, it was greatly discounted, no longer what it used to be.
The small interlude did not delay the group's itinerary.
They couldn't stay in one place for too long. After all, they were collecting while traveling, and time was tight.
Not to mention, the Leyndell Knights were constantly patrolling; it was best not to expose their tracks.
Both sides were now fighting an intelligence war. If the Royal Capital learned too early that Frieren's target was to go from the Consecrated Snowfield to the Mountaintops of the Giants, it might disrupt the plan—or at least cause trouble. It should be avoided if possible.
Of course, the audacious Frieren still stopped by a church alongside the highway to the Royal Capital, because it related to the Ancient Dragon Cult and concerned the abilities of the Dragon Knights.
Before entering Farum Azula, collecting some information was necessary.
Unfortunately, the Stormcaller Church marked on the map was smaller than imagined, containing only a single chest.
[Dragonbolt Blessing]
[One of the incantations of the Capital's ancient dragon cult. A superior incantation.]
[Summons lightning to bolster the caster's body.]
[Attacks ricochet off the caster more easily, and resistance to all status effects is increased. However, lightning damage negation is reduced. Only those loved by dragons can survive the ordeal of cladding their bodies in lightning.]
Frieren possessed quite a few high-tier Incantations, but few that buffed herself. It was just that the cost of reducing damage negation was too dangerous.
Using it to fight Ancient Dragons would actually increase the difficulty; it wasn't very useful.
The silver-haired girl stretched her waist.
"...We've collected just about enough in the Altus Plateau. Let's continue north and reach the Consecrated Snowfield region as soon as possible. Where is the next stop?"
Hearing that Frieren was a bit tired of collecting, everyone relaxed. After all, detour after detour while living in fear was too exhausting. Ultimately, heading straight for the destination was more convenient and could lower the risk of discovery.
Melina took out the map, checked it carefully, and selected the best route:
"Windmill Village."
"Intelligence says it is relatively peaceful there, and it is located in a remote area. It is a possible resupply point we will pass by."
"There probably isn't a peaceful place left in the Altus Plateau now. Anyway, let's go take a look first."
Frieren, full of interest, mounted her horse and rode off.
She looked back one last time at the towering city walls, more magnificent than Lothric Castle. The next time she arrived, it would be the moment the city was breached.
____
New Story: FGO: Building a Lostbelt from Scratch, the Winner is Canon
🔥We're handing out that '25% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ New releases are dropping, plus get exclusive content & updates.
✅ Help us unlock community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 180 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan