The Power of the Strongest Demigod

Radahn fired an arrow. Carrying a trail of purple-white mana, it plummeted with a roar, stabbing down from directly above.

Caught off guard.

The challengers were dumbfounded. Such arrow speed? Such range? In the blink of an eye, it was overhead. If it exploded, wouldn't they, unable to disperse in time, be wiped out in a single pass?

Suddenly, another wisp of blue mana met it head-on, deflecting and dissipating its force. A Carian Retaliation from one staff had caught it steadily. The materialized magic could actually intercept a physical arrow—truly a divine skill.

The other staff swung out a fully charged Night Comet.

Boom!

Frieren's counterattack exploded a deep crater beside Radahn, the bottom charred black. The others looked on, puzzled. Did she miss? Was it blocked? Only the two shardbearers knew it was the result of a gravitational pull; he could actually tug on magic itself.

In one round of exchange, both sides had gauged each other's approximate strength. Neither was the type to be easily dealt with. As fellow sorcerers, their available methods were certainly more than what was on the surface. The challengers were still in shock when they noticed the silver-haired girl continuously stacking enhancement effects on herself where she stood, lights of various colors flashing.

She didn't forget to apply buffs to her teammates as well.

"What are you standing around for? Once you get the buff, run!" Frieren urged loudly. "In the first phase, we need to shorten the distance. During this time, leave the ranged attacks to me. You all just focus on charging with all your might. Begin—"

"Be careful."

The group exchanged glances for a moment and then immediately dispersed. Now was not the time for pleasantries; cooperation was all that mattered.

Noticing his opponent's change in tactics, Radahn didn't counter immediately but carefully observed his surroundings. The small warhorse beneath him began to run, also maneuvering quickly. He knew by instinct that the one to be most wary of was undoubtedly the silver-haired girl.

Their auras crossed, a sharp confrontation.

In contrast, Frieren moved cautiously, not summoning her spirit steed. She wasn't familiar enough with the environment yet, opting for conservative combat first. Both shardbearers chose to start with movement and positioning. For a moment, the battlefield fell silent.

On the high castle walls, the spectators held their breath. Because their field of vision was wider, they could clearly see a tornado forming in the distant dunes—a sign of immense magic, cultivated over many years, stirring the four corners of the world with a single move. Facing a formidable foe like Frieren, even Radahn chose to mobilize his full magical power.

The stars were loosening. The fixed, starry sky actually showed a hint of wavering, proof enough of the tempestuous storm that was to follow, brewing with killing intent. The New Lord of Souls, at the peak of her power, was not to be outdone. She was still applying enhancements while moving, her aura climbing steadily.

It was almost impossible to count them all. Those that could be distinguished included Flame, Grant Me Strength, Golden Vow, Oath of Vengeance, Resonance of Fury, and the Veteran's Standard. She renewed her buffs while running, clearly intending to maintain them throughout the entire battle.

Neither side was in a hurry, each warily eyeing the other. Therefore, the real variable lay with the other challengers. They were continuously shortening the distance.

"The official start of the battle will probably be signaled when they engage the enemy," Melina murmured. "This is likely the most difficult battle yet."

So far, she had experienced all sorts of battles alongside the Tarnished. The one with the highest stakes was this Combat Festival. She even had to prepare for the worst; there was a possibility of falling here.

"No, the battle will start a bit later. The real signal is the stars."

"What do you mean?"

She wasn't surprised by Ranni's spirit form actively speaking to her; after all, they had long since discovered each other's existence.

"...I can feel it. My brother has proactively released some of the magic that seals the stars, so he needs time. And Frieren needs it too, because her style has always been to observe the enemy's moves; she won't attack rashly. Even those challengers won't change the strategies of these two."

"By the way, I thought you were with Blaidd."

"Like you, I am on guard against enemies in the shadows." Ranni looked around and said firmly, "The Lord of Blood will definitely come."

Since the Combat Festival had begun, they had to keep an eye out for Frieren.

Swoosh!

The one to escalate the level of combat first was Radahn. He drew his bow and shot at Blaidd, who was charging at the very front. Augmented by gravity magic, the arrow arrived in an instant, leaving no room to dodge.

However, another arrow was faster. Forged of glintstone, it collided with and destroyed Radahn's arrow. It was Frieren's snipe; she was constantly monitoring the enemy's movements. The half-wolf, charging out of the smoke, didn't even blink, closing the distance with great strides.

His greatsword had already swung towards the target.

"Let me see the might of the strongest demigod."

Arriving after but striking first was Radahn's greatsword. It seemed about to hit Blaidd's head, but suddenly, Radahn's body paused—it was Alexander's full-force punch landing on his waist. He didn't move an inch, but that momentary shift in attention was enough for Blaidd's greatsword to strike his breastplate.

Crack!

Unexpectedly, Radahn twisted his body, using the spike on his shoulder armor to deflect the blow. Immediately after, a shockwave spread out from him as the center. Caught off guard, the few who had just managed to surround him were knocked back, avoiding the brunt of the force. No wonder he so generously welcomed the invading enemy; he could repel them at any time. Simultaneously, he leaped into the air, actively retreating a hundred meters.

What exaggerated mobility! His body seemed to have no weight, as light as a feather when moving, yet becoming like Mount Tai crushing down once in combat.

"Dodge, quickly!"

The moment Frieren reminded them, she unleashed a Carian Phalanx, pouring it out.

Sure enough—it hit Radahn's dense volley of shots. This time, he had fired dozens of arrows at once, each comparable to a siege crossbow bolt. Fortunately, they were intercepted by a sorcerer of the same caliber. They landed just a short distance away, their sharp points grazing past their heads, cutting a few strands of hair. If they had hit a person, it would likely have been a bloody mess on the spot.

Fortunately, with Frieren's cover, the challengers were full of confidence. So far, all of the Starscourge General's attacks had been intercepted, and they had been buffed with enhancement magic on top of that. It was so reassuring. One couldn't help but envy the Southern Army; how awesome must their group battles usually be.

Woosh!

Suddenly, a fierce wind swept across the beach, reaching from earth to sky, as if connecting to some otherworldly magic. Rolling mana projected from the starry sky, augmenting his body. He was clearly siphoning vast, roaming energy, or rather, reclaiming it. He was taking back a portion of the magic that had locked the fate of the stars for millennia because Radahn sensed a difficult battle ahead.

He let out a low roar. Amidst the terrifying pressure, his muscles swelled, his posture becoming heavier.

"Fall back now!"

Although Frieren's reminder was timely, not everyone could react. The speed of thought and physical action are different. When Radahn used gravity magic for rapid fire, no one could dodge. Amidst a continuous series of booming explosions, a great cloud of sand rose. The magic arrows, renowned for their destructive power, swept in all directions, their battlefield dominance worthy of his name.

Seeing the battle's rhythm disrupted, Frieren immediately used healing.

Blessing's Boon!

The super-wide-range recovery magic fell like droplets, virtually becoming a small shower. The warriors who had been covered in wounds just moments ago quickly scrambled to their feet. The silver-haired girl flew to the very front; only she could take the next offensive.

Frieren dared not be careless. From the very beginning, she used Comet Azur, stacked with countless buffs. At short range, a cerulean torrent shot straight forward.

Woosh!

Almost simultaneously, Radahn drew his bow and shot a continuous wave of gravity energy, a direct confrontation.

The two terrifying magical attacks collided perfectly, condensed to the extreme, then shattered their stability and bloomed in all directions. A deafening boom echoed in their ears, accompanied by a ground-shaking rumble, as dust obscured the sky and sun.

The one sent flying was the sturdy man on horseback, who smoothly merged into a tornado. In contrast, the silver-haired girl also took a few steps back to stabilize her stance. Before her was a pile of flesh and blood. Her fully buffed attack had, of course, torn through Radahn's defenses, but that flesh was mostly hollowed out and occupied by Scarlet Rot—another monster with no vitals.

"The magic's path was deflected just now, losing some of its attack power. Such precise gravity magic. I'll have to consider mid-range combat."

The experienced Frieren made a rough judgment after a brief exchange. At this moment, only endless yellow sand remained in her vision.

However, Radahn was not the type to take this opportunity for a sneak attack. A roar, accompanied by a shockwave, blew away the troublesome cover. Immediately, his warhorse charged at full speed, attacking straight ahead.

The silver-haired girl actively charged forward. In an instant, the two entered close-combat range.

Rock armament!

His two Starscourge Greatswords were respectively covered in a thick layer of rock, easily breaking through the petite girl's Twisted Wall of Light defense. Frieren didn't mind, nimbly leaping to avoid it. In her hand, she smoothly swept out a Moonlight Sword slash stacked with Storm Stomp. The target was instantly covered in a layer of white frost. Radahn shattered the ice in an instant, but what followed was a dark moon pushed towards him by Frieren.

The chalk-white sphere exploded on his body.

You break my barrier, I weaken your magic resistance. A fair exchange. After a round of close-quarters combat, neither had gained an advantage.

Seizing this opportunity, the other challengers swarmed forward. Great Horned Tragoth's great hammer slammed viciously into Radahn's back, causing his movements to pause. An opening move to break his balance, immediately followed by the swords of the Old Man and Blaidd, which drew blood—a fluid sequence. Although they hadn't undergone special coordination, their rich combat experience told them what to do, their minds in sync, linking their actions.

The effect was minimal. Apart from bleeding a little, he was unshaken, even recovering quickly. Meanwhile, the dual-wielding greatsword sorcerer roared at the sky, shockwaves splashing out. At this moment, Frieren intended to reapply her defensive barrier, but the ensuing attacks gave her no chance.

"Everyone, be careful! The Elden Ring fragment and Radahn are highly fused! He's now in a state of an activated Great Rune!"

Boom!

Suddenly, he created a purple vortex, drawing everyone in. Those who couldn't stand firm were captured by gravity.

But one figure actively leaped out.

Millicent, in a state enhanced by an Oath of Sunlight, struck with all her might, specifically targeting the weak points in his armor, cutting a gash and drawing flesh from his chest. In a trance, the light of the Great Rune actually flashed. No mistake, that power-filled energy was familiar to everyone in the Lands Between—the supreme power of the Elden Ring, strengthening his body.

"Did you see that? That spot is the weak point!"

"Watch yourself!"

A greatsword slammed towards the red-haired maiden. Having just delivered a desperate blow, she had no time to dodge. The sharp edge descended.

Suddenly, a pulling force from behind threw Millicent up. In the same predicament were the other challengers, circling around Frieren's gravity sphere. At the critical moment, a second gravity spell snatched them from the jaws of defeat. In front of Radahn, she was still a novice. It was best to avoid using gravity magic and becoming constrained, but using it for rescue was no problem, easily pulling people back.

After his attack hit empty air, he immediately pursued, his target aimed straight at Millicent.

Boom, boom, boom!

Continuous downward smashes, a super-high-frequency attack, enveloped the target. The greatswords swung so fast they left afterimages.

At this moment, Millicent felt she was doomed, but unexpectedly, the even more agile silver-haired girl arrived first—a complete defense.

"What grudge do you have against him?"

Fully defending against that wild flurry of attacks made Frieren's arms go numb. She had forcibly parried them with her staff because there was no time to switch weapons. After a round of exchanges, she herself had almost lost her balance. Radahn, charging with no regard for defense, was like a wild beast, and coupled with a demigod's combat intuition, he was extremely difficult to deal with.

"I don't know, but I will bear this hatred and defeat him."

As she replied, Millicent used Waterfowl Dance, perfectly filling the gap left by Frieren. Simultaneously, Tragoth and Blaidd held the front to prevent a breakthrough. Truly a series of perilous situations.

She moved her arms and gathered her mana again. The brief exchange just now was proof enough: General Starscourge was extremely lethal to sorcerers. So far, she had been rescuing more than attacking, also to have someone at the front to probe. Since it was a battlefield, being besieged or ganged up on was normal. It was good that everyone was willing to share the pressure. However, Frieren regretfully discovered that Radahn was far from using his full strength. He had probably reserved most of his power for an opponent of the same caliber. The way he had suppressed Millicent earlier showed he had plenty of strength to spare.

Bang!

Suddenly, the Old Man was viciously struck by a Starscourge Greatsword. Even a swordmaster like him hadn't expected the opponent to swing it like a door panel. He was sent flying, unconscious.

He could no longer help. The first challenger was out.

"Don't worry about us, Frieren! You can't cover everyone! Fighting Radahn is the greatest cover!"

"I know. I've probed what I needed to. Let's enter the next phase." The silver-haired girl's staff aimed at the target. "You agree, right? I won't let you deflect the trajectory this time."

Totems lit up one by one in the sky. It was Comet Azur, fired in an omnidirectional, three-dimensional volley. They lit up with the speed of lightning, suddenly enveloping Radahn.

Boom!

Even someone as sturdy as him couldn't withstand the coverage of several cerulean torrents. His defense lasted only a moment before he was sent flying and disappeared from sight. This one blow had consumed all his enhancement buffs.

"How much damage did that do to him?"

As Millicent asked, she noticed Frieren's brow was tightly furrowed, looking at the skyline. Then she turned her head and shouted:

"Run! Watch out above!"

Before her words faded, a meteorite streaked across the firmament. And not just one; its tail dragged a rolling plume of thick smoke from friction and fire. A simple flight passed over the battlefield, lifting countless rocks from the ground into the air, like stars paying homage to the moon.

To think all these things were lifted purely by gravity magic. What terrifying energy! Even the people on the castle walls could feel the wind pressure from the meteorite's cover. Facts proved Frieren's reminder was correct, because they began to circle and build up power. Circling accelerated them, bestowing further gravitational velocity, much like a swarm of summer gnats, but the rumbling roar heralded doomsday-level power. If they were to crash down, forget survival; there would be absolutely no bones left.

At this moment, General Starscourge finally got serious.

"Here it comes."

The next moment, the meteorites fell—one, two, three, until they covered the entire beach battlefield. The earth shook, and dust blotted out the sun.

First, the shockwave overturned all uneven dune shelters. Then, the scorching wind evaporated all moisture, and the super-high temperature and pressure caused the ground to crystallize. The spreading dust was suffocating, one's lungs boiling. Even taking deep breaths, one felt their life force continuously draining away, their vision reduced to a blur. The height of the sandstorm even surpassed the walls of Redmane Castle. The spectators couldn't help but cough violently, and felt cracks appearing in the brick walls.

They looked at each other and had no choice but to move away from the edge of the wall.

"Who can still move?"

Blaidd, standing up from the sand, looked around. Fortunately, he had hidden inside a dune in time; otherwise, he would have been in trouble. But it seemed not many were left who could help. The situation was not good.

Had he become the sole survivor?

"Me."

Alexander raised his hand, also pointing to Millicent hiding under his jar-body. Both were battered but still had the strength to fight. Not far away, Tragoth also shouted back. As expected of the thickest armor.

However, their happiness didn't last long. The dust was rapidly dissipating. It wasn't the sea breeze blowing it away, but a massive mana siphon creating a storm. It came from the center of the dunes. What was it?

With a loud bang, Radahn descended from the sky. Before his feet were steady, a sword light erupted from the ground.

"For the glory of Caria!"

An arc of light flowed, splitting mountains and parting seas. Released from the dunes, it carved a chasm to the coastline, already unstoppable. Meeting it was a Starscourge Greatsword, simultaneously enhanced with rock armament and gravitational distortion. Even so, it forced the strongest demigod back step by step. A spell that was an instantaneous burst was now sustaining a contest of strength.

This is bad. Can't clash head-on. Must parry it away.

He used all his strength to swing his greatsword to the side, flinging the arc of light away. In an instant, the sandstorm dispersed as if in a valley with a sliver of sky. When the sword energy reached the ocean, it continued unabated, carving a rift valley. The churning seawater roared, yet it couldn't fill the chasm for a long time.

At the end of the ravine stood the silver-haired, silver-armored maiden, condensing mana in her hands.

The blow's might.

Loretta's Greatbow.

Gravity Arrow.

Both sides, by mutual agreement, adopted long-range magical coverage, maneuvering while exchanging arrow for arrow in the air. Each strike was enough to open a gap in the castle walls, yet now they were just ordinary probes. It had only been moments since the last fierce offensive, without even a need to catch their breath. They didn't look at all like they had been through a draining battle, growing stronger as they fought, even displaying an endless stream of new abilities.

A worthy opponent, a brilliant talent; it was difficult to determine a victor.

While running, both sides first inflicted damage with ranged magic. As the distance shortened, injuries had already appeared. Several glintstone arrows were embedded in Radahn's body, bleeding.

Frieren, in contrast, was relatively neat. Thanks to her small size advantage, the gravity arrows were not easy to hit, but now both sides had reached a range where they could engage in close combat.

Glintstone Kris!

The small, sharp point, coupled with the agility of Hound's Step, allowed her to send the blade towards Radahn's chest. Suddenly, his mount moved with all its might, dodging it perfectly. Frieren, having missed, smoothly stepped on his shoulder, the slender blade transforming into a greatsword as Lion's Claw descended, grazing past his ear. It was dodged. Simultaneously, a Starscourge Greatsword swung upwards.

Though in mid-air, the silver-haired girl simply used a gravity sphere to pull herself away, then launched another offensive. Radahn, without hesitation, met her charge. At almost zero distance, one would think any movement would result in contact, yet both sides, with their super-high-speed attacks and defenses, remained untouched, whether in terms of movement, swordsmanship, physique, or magic, they were impeccable, watertight, flawless.

True ultimate strength has no weaknesses, not limited to the means of a sorcerer or a warrior.

Mastery.

The level of a top-tier demigod was fully embodied in them, dazzling, leaving only afterimages crossing paths.

"This is her fighting at full strength?" Millicent murmured. "Swordsmanship is just a very small part of her power, isn't it?"

"No. All of her powers constitute her strength," Blaidd's voice was full of excitement.

As expected of the New Lord of Souls. The chances of victory had increased. At this moment, he drank from his physick, preparing to rejoin the battlefield. Including himself, the few remaining challengers would charge together, offering their martial prowess as a tribute. Once surrounded, Frieren could use even more magic. In an instant, Ancient Death Rancor filled the surroundings, continuous skulls accompanied by soul magic attacks.

Even the strongest demigod couldn't hope to dodge such an ultimate offensive attribute. Radahn let out a roar of pain, but it was more of excitement. His body thrilled, even his Great Rune vibrated.

Resonance!

How could two Elden Ring fragments not be excited to be together? The next moment, he mobilized his great power, augmenting his entire being. Health, mana, and stamina all increased, breaking through existing limits. Rolling power was on the verge of erupting, incomparable.

Amidst a furious roar, a purple-white shockwave forced everyone back. Immediately after, he slammed his greatsword into the ground.

Both a weapon and a staff, now operating at full speed.

Frieren, being the primary focus, felt the sharp edge strike her Meteorite Staff in her left hand. She had to use her right-hand Lusat's Staff to pull with gravity to barely catch it.

Crack!

However, her armor still cracked. The mere sword energy drew a column of blood from her body. She didn't even have time to recover from her injuries, because after knocking her back, the next blow fell on Millicent and Blaidd. There was no time. She could only give them each a Sunlight Heal, enough to keep them hanging on by a thread.

For a battle of the highest level, missing a good opportunity could be fatal. Choosing to support meant giving up on dodging.

A rock-covered sword slammed into the silver-haired girl's body.

Weapon skill, Endure!

Frieren, enveloped in white light, took half a step back. On the surface, she held firm, but in reality, her internal organs were shaken and bleeding. Fortunately, her balance wasn't broken, her poise abundant. This was the chance for a counterattack—

Fell God's Flame instantly covered Radahn's armor, immediately turning him into a man of fire, yet he still charged forward without stopping.

Clang!

Great Horned Tragoth's massive warhammer slammed into his back, causing his movements to pause.

Seizing this opportunity, Frieren immediately charged Soul Stream, trying this true-damage move. Unfortunately, a Rock Sling rose from the ground to block the attack. After it missed, she, by experience, immediately switched to evasive maneuvers, leaping to dodge the ensuing shockwaves.

Although Tragoth had also predicted it, his full heavy armor wasn't flexible enough. He took a sweeping Rock Blade strike head-on and was sent flying.

The annoying one was gone. Prepare to go all out.

Radahn roared at the sky, then kicked off with both feet, soaring into the sky and disappearing into the clouds.

What's happening?

The people watching on the castle walls were bewildered. Logically, General Starscourge, holding a great advantage, had no need to leave the field. Or did he feel his advantage wasn't enough, needing to make other preparations to crush the already injured final strong enemy? Only Frieren was worthy of the strongest demigod using his full power.

Charge.

With a whistle, the spirit steed appeared. Grasping the reins, the silver-haired girl galloped swiftly towards the widest, flattest stretch of coastline.

"What is she doing?"

"Fool, look at the sky! Everyone, take cover!"

Unbeknownst when, the clouds had vanished from the sky, leaving only a rain of rocks floating quietly.

_____

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