Frieren the Unknown

The Godrick soldiers simply could not fathom why Frieren, dressed as a mage, possessed such mastery of warrior techniques. Her swordsmanship was exquisite, unparalleled. Combined with the ever-shifting magic greatsword, she reaped through their ranks the moment she charged in. No one could stand against her for even a single exchange. Her momentum was unstoppable.

Arcs of light flashed continuously throughout Stormgate – the afterimages left by the silver-haired girl's high-speed movements. Pale blue magic effortlessly sliced through armor, felling targets who could offer no resistance.

"It's no use! We can't fight her head-on! We have to retreat!"

"No retreat! Send the Trolls forward! Someone get back to Stormveil Castle for reinforcements!"

Amidst the chaos, they managed to organize a makeshift human wall, attempting to block Frieren and buy time for a swift horseman to break away. It wasn't far to the castle walls from here; reinforcements could give them a fighting chance.

Swoosh!

Unexpectedly, a single magic arrow materialized in the air, piercing through both rider and horse hundreds of meters away. The soldiers stared in stunned silence. That shot had crossed such a distance, bypassed their defenses, and struck its target with godlike skill. Every aspect of this attacker screamed 'extraordinary.' Were they truly witnessing someone about to challenge a demigod shardbearer single-handedly?

"I won't let you leave," Frieren's cold voice sent shivers down their spines. The mana rising from the silver-haired girl began to burn hotter, suggesting she intended to end things quickly. "Of course," she added, "if you are willing to surrender and submit, that's also an option... This is how one recruits subordinates on the path to kingship, correct?"

"A mere Tarnished!" one of the soldiers spat back defiantly. "You're a complete unknown! What right do you have to grasp for the throne? In these Lands Between, only the Lords who hold fragments of the Elden Ring possess true legitimacy! Besides, you bear the features of a lowly demihuman!" He gestured crudely towards his own ears.

Fearful though they were, their faith in Godrick's strength and the established order, sanctioned by the Elden Ring itself since ancient times, remained firm. What was some nameless nobody compared to that?

Frieren paid the insult no mind, but she noted the immense significance attributed to the Elden Ring fragments. Melina's descriptions hadn't conveyed the full weight of it; the soldiers' palpable reverence spoke volumes. The fragments weren't just symbolic crowns; as Great Runes, they possessed extraordinary power in themselves. Wielding a fragment signified legitimacy and membership within the system endorsed by the Two Fingers – not something ordinary people could aspire to.

"Then let's get this over with," Frieren declared, raising her staff. To avoid drawing too much attention from Stormveil, she lowered the altitude of her Farron Arrow Rain, but compensated by increasing its piercing power even further.

The line of Godrick soldiers standing together was instantly annihilated. The Trolls managed to withstand a few blows but ultimately couldn't escape defeat. Frieren advanced step by step, staff swinging in one hand, shield raised in the other, pressing the non-existent line. Truthfully, it was already over. Within a few exchanges, their forces had collapsed like a landslide, and Runes flowed into her. The confined environment of Stormgate, unlike the open plains before the Gatefront, had ironically made it easier for Frieren to annihilate the enemy. Soon, silence fell over the passage.

She walked up to a barely breathing soldier and asked, "Where in the castle is Godrick?"

"Don't even think about it!" he gasped.

"Then perhaps you could tell me how powerful he is?"

"Hmph! Lord Godrick holds a central piece of the Elden Ring! Combined with his grafting techniques, he can fight with countless weapons! You cannot comprehend the power of the Golden Lineage! We serve the Golden Order! We will never side with you—"

Before he could finish, Frieren granted him release. There was no need to be sentimental with enemies; when decisiveness was needed, one acted. Still, the soldiers' loyalty was genuinely surprising. In her reality, what was a mere lord? Most would have fled long ago. Honor and loyalty had become increasingly scarce during the wars against the demons. Was it the 'game' setting that made things more idealistic here? She didn't dwell on it and began cleaning up the battlefield.

At this point, Melina materialized.

"Frieren, if you wish to become Elden Lord, conquering region by region is indeed a viable approach. Leyndell, the Royal Capital, is protected by the Grace-Given Lord. To truly enter it might require initiating what would effectively be the Third Siege of Leyndell."

"Don't be misled by their defiance," Melina continued. "The symbolism of the Elden Ring fragment is paramount. Possessing one is equivalent to holding a crown. However, you will also need the support of influential nobles. There are still some functioning human settlements in Limgrave. The backing of the people is indispensable." Since the Tarnished seemed interested, Melina offered her counsel.

The silver-haired girl nodded thoughtfully. "As they said, I'm currently a complete unknown, having just arrived." She was always pragmatic about such things. "In any case, Stormveil Castle likely won't be conquered easily. Taking it later is always an option."

"Two Great Runes are required to enter the Royal Capital," Melina advised. "Though, if possible, I recommend obtaining as many as you can."

"Understood."

"There isn't a distinct hierarchy of strength among the fragments held by the different demigods; their effectiveness depends on the situation." Suddenly, Melina's eye lit up. "You can use more than one type of spirit ash... perhaps you can also contain more than one Great Rune? Wouldn't that make you akin to a god?"

"I have no interest in becoming a god," Frieren stated flatly. "Marika was supreme, yet she suffered for it. No good."

"Just a thought," Melina conceded. "Tarnished are meant to become Lords. And I believe you are indeed well-suited for conquest and battle. In the Lands Between, the god imposes the law, while the Lord conquers and rules."

"Can you tell me more specifics about the Great Runes?" Frieren asked. They were necessary, not just to bypass the capital's seal, but their power intrigued her.

Melina patiently detailed what she knew, explaining how all the demigods of the Golden Lineage had been granted fragments of the Elden Ring, which ultimately led to the Shattering wars. She focused on the locations of the current shardbearers, drawing a representation of the complete Elden Ring on the ground, then sketching the shapes of the different fragments held by various demigods, showing how they would fit together if reassembled.

Unbeknownst to Melina, Frieren was contemplating something else entirely: It shattered so completely... I wonder if reforging it in the First Flame would repair it?

"...I understand the basics now," Frieren said, refocusing. "Let's set our goal as collecting Great Runes and conquering the lands. Since we'll eventually need to enter Leyndell anyway, we might as well take a look at Limgrave's 'royal capital,' Stormveil. Let's confirm the entrance location first."

As she spoke, Frieren finished organizing her spoils. Compared to the relative abundance of useful items at the Gatefront, Stormgate had yielded meager loot, with little worth keeping. Ordinary soldiers rarely dropped anything good, so she mostly just salvaged the best examples of standard equipment for her collection.

Storage complete. After sorting everything neatly, she summoned Torrent and, as usual, performed a wide-range mana sense sweep to check for anything missed. It would have been nice if there was a hidden chest like the one in the basement earlier, but alas, no such luck this time.

"No hidden enemies here," she reported. "But... there's a life sign coming from that ruined shack up ahead. She seems very afraid?" Frieren looked questioningly at the cloaked girl behind her.

"Many Tarnished attempt to challenge the demigod Godrick," Melina explained. "Most end up becoming part of his grafting experiments. That's likely a survivor. Perhaps she knows something useful."

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