Information on the Fingerslayer Blade
"Alert."
At the general's command, the entire Southern Army stood ready, forming ranks before the Town of Sellia, even beginning to deploy siege engines.
Manpower could not be wasted in pointless urban warfare attrition. If the enemy's resistance was too fierce, if necessary, the town could very well be wiped off the map, regardless of its status as a "magic town."
From the outset, Edgar's orders were to avoid losses.
Simultaneously, they released more Winged Misbegotten. These creatures, slow in flight and unable to reach great heights, were best suited for low-altitude reconnaissance and communication.
Although there was a chance of being injured by ground attacks, it could also force the enemy to reveal their positions.
They continuously searched the town.
Rumbling shockwaves persisted, like a long serpent darting back and forth, repeatedly giving chase amidst the ruins. Clearly, both sides had entered a deadly pursuit, engaging in high-mobility combat. Traces of Glintstone sorcery were also unceasing; the spectral sorcerers of the entire town were pouring out.
One could imagine that the enemy consisted of more than just the group Frieren was facing.
A Winged Misbegotten suddenly waved its small flag, issuing a warning.
"Engage!"
Some spectral sorcerers charged out from the main gate. The arrogant Southern Army soldiers raised their staves and immediately began casting spells.
However, the front-rank shields easily blocked the attacks, followed by a rain of arrows that annihilated them, including some impatient unlucky ones further back, who vanished into ash.
"Mere reckless fools," Edgar paid them no mind, instead ordering, "Divide the forces to encircle the Town of Sellia from the outside and seize the high ground. Be prepared, we may need to coordinate with Her Majesty's encirclement at any moment."
"If necessary, spare no enemy."
"—As you command."
These days of being tempered by war had made the Southern Army execute orders without fail, their efficiency top-notch. They moved quickly, their footsteps thudding as they surrounded the target.
Even from the center of the town, one could see catapults being set up on the high ground, and even Trolls lifting giant boulders, preparing to throw.
The Nox people felt their hearts pound with increasing alarm as the battle wore on.
The momentum of the town being surrounded was inherently dangerous. Now, their repeated use of Night Sorcery, hidden weapons, flowing swords, and other means to repel the enemy were all cracked. It was as if they were being treated as training dummies. How outrageous!
The silver-haired girl before them always maintained an appropriate distance. She pursued her targets without pressing too hard, giving the opponent ample opportunity to react.
Clack!
Frieren parried another throwing knife with a horizontal slash, simultaneously dispelling a Night Comet with her staff.
Both sides respectively blocked round after round of attacks, their defenses impenetrable.
Behind these simple movements lay extreme observational skill.
By now, even the slowest Nox knew their attacks were being seen through. However, they hadn't yet attacked with full force. Now was the time.
Woosh!
Suddenly, the large hammer in one of the Nox warrior's hands extended a chain, transforming into a meteor hammer—a completely unexpected move, aimed straight for Frieren's face. Her first instinct was to dodge, but she immediately noticed the swordsman was also lunging.
With a crisp clang, she prioritized parrying the flowing sword. The next moment, a sharp, arcing blade swept upwards towards her, while the chain firmly wrapped around the blade of Moonveil.
Playing this trick? I'll send you flying.
The silver-haired girl yanked hard, unexpectedly sending the Nox monk at the other end of the chain flying in a parabola.
"Damn it!"
Completely unprepared for the opponent's immense strength, he was pulled over. His only option was to drop his weapon and cast a spell instead.
But the swordsman on the other side found it difficult to aim while engaged in close combat.
However, the two were, after all, comrades-in-arms with good coordination. He immediately released a Nightmaiden's Mist on the spot for cover, while equally hard-to-detect Night Comets were fired alternately from a distance.
Not only that, but the surviving spectral sorcerers nearby also launched attacks, a veritable siege.
Yet Frieren, bathed in fiery light, easily parried and dispelled everything, absolutely watertight. It was too fast; the flurry of actions just now was dazzling, making it impossible to see what had happened.
Her strength wasn't an oppressive aura, but fluid skill.
And incomparable power.
The Nox monk who had been thrown earlier couldn't help but rub his arm; that force had made his muscles and bones ache. How terrifying.
Almost capsized.
On the surface, Frieren's style favored skill and magic, emphasizing clean and decisive action. But to overlook her brute strength because of this would be a mistake. That petite body concealed power comparable to a wyrm, or even an ancient dragon. It was simply catastrophic.
"Your Majesty, are you alright over there?" Edgar's voice came through. "Do you need me to bombard the town?"
"No need, I'll finish this shortly. I won't destroy too many things."
"We understand."
It wasn't that they worried a demigod would be in trouble, but rather to see if their superior intended to dismantle the stronghold. Since she planned to keep it, they would first conduct a careful encirclement to avoid large-scale destruction.
As soon as her voice fell, the longsword in Frieren's hand lit up.
The Nox swordsman's internal alarms blared, but it was too late. Then, the light bloomed.
Clang!
In the nick of time, he barely blocked it with his sword. His hand throbbed painfully, his arm numb, and his weapon immediately flew out of his grasp, spinning away.
Another slash, and his Nox breastplate shattered, leaving a deep gash. At the critical moment, magical cover from the monk allowed him to roll away, narrowly saving his life.
"The craftsmanship of this armor is different from that in the Lands Between? I struck with the force I'd use against light armor, but it's sturdier."
Frieren muttered to herself, weighing Moonveil.
"The Nox civilization possesses unique forging techniques, indeed different from those current in the Lands Between. You can use more force," Melina reminded her.
Truthfully, she didn't understand why her partner favored attacks that were just 'good enough.'
Little did she know, after experiencing all sorts of attribute resource management, one subconsciously controlled their output.
"The underground world is worth researching."
She sheathed her blade.
This simple action made the hearts of the two Nox individuals leap to their throats. They stared intently at her every move.
However, the next moment, the silver-haired girl vanished from their sight. Sword energy swept out, severing the swordsman's body.
That ray of light continued unabated, bisecting a street. Buildings along the way were cleanly cut in half, as if by an invisible force.
Moonveil barely managed to withstand the mana Frieren poured into its weapon skill; an ordinary weapon would have been ruined long ago.
Thud!
The moment the severed torso hit the ground, it turned to ash.
From beginning to end, he hadn't reacted, his eyes staring blankly as he finally realized the situation. Unfortunately, it was too late. If he had retreated in time, he wouldn't have died here. But for someone whose mind was affected by madness, how could one speak of calmness? The other Nox monk still didn't stop.
Just as Frieren's new strength was yet to fully emerge, streams of mana converged upon her.
Nightmaiden's Mist and Night Comet were used alternately, providing cover while maintaining an offensive rhythm.
Thops's Barrier!
Perfectly blocking them, her gaze locked firmly on the enemy in the mist. Such petty tricks were, at best, rudimentary magic, utterly meaningless. It was time to end this.
Sword energy flared again, piercing the clamor of the magic town, bringing utter silence.
Crack!
The moment Frieren sheathed Moonveil, blood spurted from the Nox monk's body. With a thud, he collapsed, on the verge of death.
She thoughtfully looked at the blade; its mana resonance had deepened further.
Truly a high-quality weapon. In terms of growth potential, it might not lose to Limgrave's treasured Grafted Blade Greatsword in the future. It counted as the second-best weapon in her hands. Clearly a sorcerer, yet the two best weapons she had collected in the Lands Between were katanas.
Then, she looked at the defeated foe she had intentionally left with a breath of life.
"If you are willing to tell me intelligence regarding the Eternal City—time is short—tell me specifically what angered the Greater Will, then I can heal you."
"No need. My homeland is destroyed. I do not wish to recall it."
"What if I say I will kill Astel in the future? Consider it revenge for you all."
Huh?
Beside her, Melina's eyes widened. How had it so quickly come to confronting a killer dispatched by the Greater Will? As expected of you, audacious to the extreme.
"The Fingerslayer Blade." The monk's voice was filled with pride, imposing even in his final moments.
"Sounds very powerful by its name."
"Indeed. The supreme treasure of Nokstella, Eternal City, a weapon capable of killing the envoys of the Two Fingers, threatening the interests of the Greater Will. If you do not die at the hands of General Radahn, when the stars open the way, then seek it in the underground. Inheriting the Fingerslayer Blade is also inheriting Nokstella's resistance..."
His voice gradually faded, finally falling silent.
The last Nox person in Sellia, Town of Sorcery, bid farewell. Now it was completely calm, but the magnificent style of the Eternal City still lingered here, destined to stand for a long time.
Although they were enemies, Frieren still felt a sense of the vastness and vicissitudes of time.
Their resistance had ended in failure, their hopes pinned on the future. Regardless, at least the news of the Eternal Dynasty's supreme treasure wasn't buried.
Who wielded it wasn't important; what mattered was the spirit it embodied—the courage to contend with the heavens.
"Many thanks."
Frieren performed a priest's bow and healed his spiritual scars, in consideration of the important intelligence provided, and also as a tribute to the last descendant of Sellia. With this, a chapter of history closed.
Seeing the silver-haired girl's diligent and sincere demeanor, Melina's heart tightened beside her, and she couldn't help asking:
"Are you interested in the Fingerslayer Blade?"
"That's right. It will be useful someday in the future." She pondered for a moment and said, "Perhaps Ranni opened the passage to the Eternal City for it. After all, killing the Two Fingers isn't easy; there aren't many options in the Lands Between."
She herself had many methods, such as unleashing both Mortal Blades, but it was best not to rashly tamper with different rules.
Hearing the Lunar Princess's name, Melina's brow furrowed even tighter. She gritted her teeth and said:
"She's always pondering dangerous things. As a Tarnished, although you need an Empyrean's law, you must also be careful... This is very contradictory. In short, do not put yourself in harm's way."
"Mm."
"To put it bluntly, the moment you touch the Fingerslayer Blade, you might attract a meteorite."
"Rest assured, I will protect you then."
"You should worry more about yourself."
The silver-haired girl nodded nonchalantly as always. After all, in Frieren's mind, it was part of game magic, nothing to worry about.
An overabundance of security was one of Melina's labels for her partner; she had understood this long ago. Nothing in the world could make her afraid, not even the Greater Will. Heaven and earth were less important than her collection.
Oh, that's not right. According to Frieren herself, she and Torrent ranked higher.
After finishing all this, Frieren re-immersed herself in exploration, as if the battle just now and the secrets of the Eternal City were not worth mentioning, not taking them to heart.
"You be careful when the time comes."
"Melina, people of the Lands Between like you probably think the Greater Will is lofty and unattainable, indescribable. I've seen similar things. It's hard to say if they have any autonomous consciousness; it's just a hazy will. Given its status, it wouldn't deign to interfere directly; it would likely choose to dispatch envoys, like the Two Fingers. But the Two Fingers are too weak, aren't they? This is very strange."
"What do you mean?"
"There should, by default, be a militarily powerful envoy, like Astel, or even stronger."
"Perhaps it exists, but what basis is there for such speculation?"
"I don't think the supreme treasure of the Eternal City can kill the unseen and untouchable Greater Will. Perhaps it was for something else, something even ordinary Nox people don't know... Of course, this is just speculation, reminding us that there might be hidden, powerful enemies."
Melina agreed with Frieren's cautious calmness, nodding sincerely.
Indeed.
For example, the entire incident of Marika shattering the Elden Ring clearly lacked a lot of logic. Perhaps there was a deeper game at play.
After her grand pronouncements, the silver-haired girl continued rummaging through chests and cupboards. The intrigues of the Lands Between were none of her concern; when she truly faced them, she would just smash them to pieces.
Her efforts paid off; she indeed found a new treasure:
[Spelldrake Talisman +1]
Unlike the most basic version dropped after defeating a Runebear previously, its magic damage reduction efficiency was superior.
She tried it on briefly then put it away. It wasn't very useful; there weren't many attacks in the world that could break through her magical defenses. Once breached, mere damage reduction wouldn't suffice. It was better to leave the slot for other powerful talismans, which offered better value.
Besides this, there was also a heavyweight weapon, a treasure previously mentioned by players:
[Lusat's Glintstone Staff]
[The glintstone staff of Lusat, one of the Primeval Sorcerers.]
[Only those who have touched the primeval current, that distant ancestral wisdom, can wield this staff.]
[Boosts the power of all sorceries.]
[However, it also increases Focus Points consumed.]
The cost of consuming more mana was irrelevant to Frieren; mana was the last thing she lacked. The key was that Lusat's Staff was sufficiently worry-free. The effect of enhancing all sorceries was perfectly suited for her, making it a staple weapon.
The Demi-Human Queen's Staff that had accompanied her for a long time could only be shelved for now, just like Azur's Glintstone Staff she had picked up earlier in the Academy of Raya Lucaria, as reducing casting time was of little use to her.
Even the Meteorite Staff, once recommended by players, might not be as suitable for her as Lusat's Staff.
A huge gain.
Frieren waved the staff; indeed, its mana resonance was very high. Simply casting a few spells showed an increase in power.
As compensation for the increased consumption, it truly enhanced her strength another notch.
The Astrologer account's strength was becoming more mature. Only by reducing the attribute scaling from other accounts could a new build truly be considered accomplished.
However, right now, she was at best at the level of a high-tier hero, probably no match for Radagon when he first started out.
There was still immense room for improvement in the attributes of this new account alone.
"Your Majesty, the surroundings have been cleared."
Not far away, Edgar and his group arrived, covered in dust. Those spectral sorcerers were no match for an organized army.
"Rest here and, while you're at it, repair the Town of Sellia. It is now our stronghold."
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