Deathbird and Bell Bearing Hunter

After riding Torrent at full speed for a while, a small, dilapidated hut indeed appeared ahead. It was drafty on all sides, boasting a panoramic sunroof.

Just then, a light drizzle began to fall, leaving Frieren with no other choice for shelter. Resigned, she used her staff to levitate and piece together the surrounding debris. After some effort, the hut finally looked a bit more complete. She considered it a good deed done – one generation plants the trees, the next enjoys the shade.

Night had fallen.

Whenever she arrived somewhere new, Frieren would activate her 'player view.'

She hadn't noticed before, but a quick look immediately put her on guard.

Several bloodstains marred the floor. When activated, the phantoms of players constantly rolled and attacked, then suddenly staggered and fell, clearly engaged in battle with some foe. White phantoms flickered, dodging and weaving, locked in fierce combat with their opponent, yet inevitably meeting defeat. There were several similar cases, allowing her to vaguely deduce that the enemy was humanoid, wielding a weapon like a greatsword, and attacked with considerable frequency.

Messages appeared:

[Be careful, don't linger at night, an enemy will invade]

[During the day, Bernahl, the war master, can teach skills. At night, a Bell Bearing Hunter appears]

[Deathbird ahead at night]

[Remember to get the talisman drop, it's very useful for your main summon]

[I was just looking at the scenery here, how did I suddenly get stabbed?]

This continuous barrage of information sharpened Frieren's attention. She maintained her mana sense, scanning the surroundings while appearing outwardly relaxed. The enemy was likely hidden, planning to use the cover of night for a decisive strike, clearly experienced from numerous successful ambushes.

She decided to wait and see.

She continued observing the actions of the white phantoms in the bloodstains. The extreme disparity in character capabilities made their struggles look pathetic; they were being thoroughly routed. Clearly warriors, yet they'd run out of stamina after just a few rolls and swings, panting helplessly on the spot. Truly inadequate.

By the same token, observing the white phantoms' movements allowed her to infer the enemy's actions. They too seemed slow, even taking leisurely steps at times, offering openings. This implied that the other players operated under a troublesome set of mechanics – everyone seemed handicapped.

In contrast, Frieren's character performance matched her true self, and the enemies behaved exactly as expected according to their nature. In her short time across various games, she had encountered many extraordinarily powerful bosses capable of destroying entire cities, even nations. Some of the magnificent sights she'd witnessed probably didn't even exist in reality.

The messages were useful references, but required careful discernment.

The silver-haired girl showed no sign of sensing danger as she routinely unloaded her luggage from Torrent's saddlebags. The two major battles near the checkpoints had yielded a large amount of weapons and equipment. Standard-issue gear wasn't worth keeping; some items were better suited for storage at a Site of Grace, freeing up her current inventory space.

Clang!

A sharp blade suddenly swept towards the back of her head, but the silver-haired girl, as if prescient, leaped effortlessly to avoid it. She countered instantly, unleashing a Farron Flashsword that sliced through the assailant's armor.

The Bell Bearing Hunter hadn't expected such a tough opponent today. The sneak attack failed, and his armor was damaged… no, it was already cut open. The wound burned fiercely, a testament to the power of the mana blade.

"How did you even detect me?"

He had ambushed countless people here over the years, never failing. Why was his luck so bad today? A warrior's intuition told him this opponent was far from simple. Her mana signature was climbing steadily, becoming far more terrifying than she had initially shown.

Sweat beaded on his brow.

"Blame your own recklessness for misjudging the gap between us. There's a price to pay for that."

As she spoke, Frieren gently stroked her staff, and a sharp edge of power extended from it. The immense mana, condensed to a single point, formed a weapon that radiated a soul-chilling presence. Her piercing gaze locked onto the enemy as she raised her shield, poised to strike. Only now did the Bell Bearing Hunter fully realize his prey had concealed her aura, never revealing her true mana signature from the start. Was it all just to lure him in?

"Don't think that level of power lets you run rampant here."

"Why not try and see?"

"—Such arrogance."

Since her opponent had issued such a challenge, Frieren knew she had to demonstrate sufficient strength. Time to get serious. This marathon of battles, her second day in the Lands Between, couldn't afford any slack.

Just as she prepared to defend before attacking, as was her usual tactic, the Bell Bearing Hunter turned tail and bolted.

So, the trash talk was just a diversion? Even now, Frieren couldn't be certain of his intent. Regardless, she summoned Torrent first and gave chase. The spirit steed's speed easily kept her right behind the fleeing target.

They proceeded cautiously, neither attacking the other for the moment.

"Wait, is this direction leading towards... the Deathbird?"

Sure enough, a massive, skeletal bird plummeted from the sky, the wind from its wings felling a swathe of trees. This must be the monster described in the messages. Upon appearing, it immediately targeted the individual with the strongest mana signature. But the Deathbird wasn't reckless; it circled, flapping its wings, scrutinizing its target. Its body hadn't yet attacked, but the deadly magic of its aura was already spreading outwards.

Just then, the Bell Bearing Hunter stopped, turned, and charged back with his greatsword raised, laughing maniacally as he declared, "You don't understand this place. Victory is mine!"

He missed!

Frieren showcased exquisite evasion skills honed in weapon combat, dodging every strike. Just when he thought a blow was certain to land, the silver-haired girl would reveal another opening, another flaw in his attack… It was incredibly frustrating.

Enraged, the Bell Bearing Hunter relentlessly pushed her back into the deathly aura spread by the Deathbird. However, her resistance was bafflingly high; she remained completely unaffected. Instead, she retracted her mana, adopting a fighting style completely opposite to before—

Ash of War: Storm Stomp!

For the first time since arriving in the Lands Between, Frieren used a native ability. Empowered by her mana, its force was even greater. The instant she stomped the ground, a shockwave erupted, launching the hunter into the air.

How did the scenery suddenly shift to the sky?

The next moment, the Bell Bearing Hunter felt a mana blade slice through his armor, his prized equipment feeling like paper mâché.

Crunch!

The blade passed clean through him. His body instantly went cold, the pain immobilizing him. He couldn't fathom how a mage possessed such formidable combat skills. In mid-range combat, he should have been the victor.

Clutching his wound, he murmured, "For someone like you to linger in Limgrave... Hmph, I miscalculated."

Critically wounded, the Bell Bearing Hunter didn't even have time to witness the Deathbird's dive. A mere ripple of the ensuing shockwave tore his airborne body apart in a shower of blood. Luckily for him, he avoided Frieren's finishing blow, but unluckily, his life now hung by a thread.

Sensing the growing presence of death, the monster grew more excited, letting out a triumphant, keening cry. Its gaze now fixed solely on the silver-haired girl, determined to devour this prey containing such vast power. It didn't care how strong she was or what she was; only the predator's instinct to plunder remained.

"Today has been quite busy," Frieren mused.

The continuous, day-long gauntlet of battles hadn't tired her in the slightest. She grew stronger with each fight, feeling exhilarated. The Astrologer role was rapidly adapting to the mana environment here.

She readily accepted this grand welcome from the Lands Between.

...

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