Frieren in Elden Ring

Lehman changed his questioning tact, beginning to subtly inquire about what the demon had seen and heard concerning the Family's master. He

Lehman changed his questioning tact, beginning to subtly inquire about what the demon had seen and heard concerning the Family's master.

He controlled the opponent's answers while taking notes, a practiced ease about him.

No action is ever entirely without a trace. As long as there's an action, some clue will be left behind. Therefore, he wasn't disheartened by the initial lack of progress and continued to investigate. However, under the control of his Shadow Magic, the target's life force withered, its condition visibly declining.

"Cough, cough."

Even with the heavy reinforcement of Shadow Magic, it was difficult to save its life force. In a fit of violent coughing up blood, this body finally succumbed, its breath extinguished, gradually turning to ash.

To have held on until now was already a testament to its will.

Sighing, Lehman calmly said: "Although the intelligence isn't much, I have a few deductions."

"Those responsible for this operation are very likely forces under the Corrupt Sage and the Shapeshifting Sage. Some of them should have personally arrived here. Both of those individuals have caused legion-level slaughter on battlefields, making them very troublesome."

"The so-called trap plan has two main focal points: one, the Tomb of the Fallen King itself. Two, the controlled royal army."

The intelligence ended there, but the situation hadn't improved in the slightest. They only knew it was getting worse.

"What does the President think?"

Everyone exchanged glances, then turned their attention to the silver-haired girl.

After a moment of thought, Frieren replied: "According to the information he just revealed, a large number of adventurers have already arrived. In that case, Flamme and Lord Vain will explore with them. Lehman and I will go test the King. There's no need to worry about diplomatic etiquette. Just consider us as having arrived early."

"Since it's a faction infiltrated by demons, what's the point of playing coy? It's better to openly catch them off guard to protect the other side of the operation."

"Once we've all checked the maze's outer perimeter, let's begin. A fight is inevitable."

The silver-haired girl's assertion was decisive.

The battle began.

Without a doubt, Frieren was the most prepared. She was eager for battle, ready to find trouble for the demons.

Her stance was clear: a labyrinthine kingdom infiltrated by demons was an enemy. It could only be a stumbling block, and it was better to simply cleanse it. This domineering style caused her teammates to pause slightly, but they eventually nodded in agreement.

Even if they did nothing, the enemy would attack first. It was unavoidable.

Lehman added: "I've collected all the evidence along the way. It's enough to prove the disaster caused by the Labyrinth Kingdom's negligence, as well as the demon infiltration."

"Exactly. Political implications must be considered." Vain echoed: "I'll help you prove it. Now that the Association is targeted by demons, it means we've found the correct path to resist. We must protect our achievements."

"Don't worry, I came here precisely for that."

The two represented the more official side of the team, prioritizing post-battle arrangements rather than just fighting.

"Then, send the message, okay?"

Frieren gave the final order. She was the absolute core of the small team, and also their superior. Since the general strategy had been decided, there was no time to waste.

Hearing this, Lehman gathered his letters. The familiar would transmit the evidence backup along with all intelligence gathered so far to the North.

"We've done everything we can for now. The rest is up to us."

With that, Flamme let out a clear laugh, her face full of anticipation.

Indeed, choosing to embark on this expedition with her master's team was the right choice. It felt so adventurous, truly like those legendary heroes known across the lands. Now, she was one of them. How could she not be excited?

She had a strong premonition: the journey to the Tomb of the Fallen King would be unexpectedly turbulent.

"Alright, don't get too excited." Frieren patted the red-haired girl's head, warning: "You'll be exploring the palace first later. I might not be able to look after you."

"Okay."

"I guess the demons chose the Royal Tomb as a trap because there's a powerful, unmissable monster inside. Perhaps they've already begun guiding it. So, let's prepare. The enemy might be beyond our expectations."

"Do we need to wait for reinforcements?" Vain asked.

Lehman shook his head, denying: "The mission is reconnaissance. We can't stop at this point. We need to continue investigating."

"Everyone, don't worry. I'll take responsibility as leader and do my best to protect you."

Since Frieren had said as much, there was truly nothing to hesitate about.

The sense of security brought by the Mage of the Mythical Era was unparalleled. Now, they also experienced the unwavering support of Flamme, the true disciple. They looked back at the valley they had come from; rubble blocked the path, leaving no option for retreat. Only forward.

The four set off towards the horizon.

The messenger familiar, with its broken body, flapped its wings and sped through the wind and cloud streamers, pointing towards the distant, towering royal city complex.

It gave its all, reaching the high tower with its last vestiges of life, almost plummeting to the ground.

Suddenly, a hand firmly grasped the familiar. It was a demon.

"To have sustained such heavy injuries—was it sent out only when danger was imminent? It seems the plan has already sprung a leak." He quickly walked towards the attic. "Sage, there's a situation!"

In the shadow of the tower stood a demon clad in a luxurious robe and wearing a crown, yet faceless. A keen gaze seemed to emanate from it.

After receiving the letter, he sighed.

Dozens of demons constantly gathered around, forming a small squad, all holding their breath in silence.

Not good.

They rarely saw their lord so serious. Even if they couldn't see his expression, they knew there was bad news. Had their ambush been broken?

"This idiot sacrificed himself and killed no one. Fine, but it's also his fault." The faceless demon's tone shifted: "Because the opposing team is led by Frieren."

"Wait, could it be that Elven Mage?!"

Frieren's reputation preceded her. Mentioning the battle of the fortress, her name was unavoidable. She represented the current pinnacle of magic, her fame echoing across the land. They hadn't expected the Magic Association to send such a grand gift. Perhaps they could truly eliminate them all at once.

As the letter circulated, they realized it wasn't just Frieren. Flamme, Vain, and Lehman were also serving as her lieutenants.

So, the Association has gathered its elite old, middle, and young talents, huh? And their class composition is flawless, clearly prepared for a dungeon raid.

A once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity.

The Shapeshifting Sage said proudly: "It doesn't matter. That mythical-era demon in the Tomb of the Fallen King gets stronger the stronger its opponent is, and it isn't afraid of numbers. We'll guide it a bit, try to make the clones act independently to cooperate with our battle. Do as I say."

His commands made the demons nod repeatedly, filled with admiration.

"Lord, just in case, do we need to ask the other Sages to send reinforcements?"

"No need. We already have the Kingdom as a pawn. There's no need to mobilize more personnel and alert the enemy. This one's pretty much an open hand, isn't it?"

"As you command."

Several shadows dispersed from the tower.

Outside the Tomb of the Fallen King.

The stationed soldiers stood ready, fully armed and maintaining patrols. Among them, mages also assisted, not missing any detail.

The officer commanded: "Adventurer teams and Association personnel will arrive as reinforcements during this period, but we cannot relax. We've already suffered twenty monster attacks. We cannot be complacent."

"Understood, we will continue to reinforce the outer perimeter defenses."

The labyrinth excavation work was harder than expected. In just a few months, monster disasters occurred frequently.

Some of these came from the tomb itself, with certain areas being used as nesting grounds. Others were simply attracted by large magical reactions, making the area bustling.

Too busy.

Even though it was not far from the Royal City and heavily guarded, everyone still struggled for quite some time. With the recent arrival of reinforcements, they finally stabilized the situation, preventing the monsters from breaking through their defenses and becoming a laughingstock.

The soldiers weren't panicked, because previously this place was mostly an archaeological site. Their inability to react immediately was normal.

Now it was time to thoroughly conquer the labyrinth.

"Report: Reinforcements from the Magic Association Headquarters have arrived. Grant passage, sir."

The sudden news invigorated everyone. They immediately formed neat ranks to welcome them, their morale soaring. The adventurers nearby also watched with interest, curious who this rapidly rising super organization had sent.

They only hoped it wasn't the kind to hold them back, like the ignorant noble fools who tried to explore the labyrinth some days ago.

They arrived.

At the dilapidated entrance of the ruins, crumbling walls and carved pillars guarded a wide, ancient, and majestic main road. At the end of the stone path, a group of people emerged.

Leading them was a small, silver-haired elven girl with twin braids, wearing two crimson flowers that added a touch of otherworldly charm. She wore simple travel attire, walking casually and lightly, as if out for a stroll. But what was most unignorable was the terrifying mana she fully released. She had only just reached the entrance, yet her mana radius had already crossed the street. It was simply an inconceivable realm.

"She's Frieren, the Honorary President? The second known Mage of the Mythical Era of the Elven race!"

"How many years must it take to accumulate this much mana?"

At this moment, Frieren looked around, further unleashing her mana, testing if she could lure out demons. She came in high-profile, wanting to attract as much firepower as possible.

Wait a moment, so even when Master unleashes it to this level, it's still not her full power!

Flamme noticed the subtle tremor in the mana pillar, her lips twitching. It was simply bottomless.

Unbeknownst to her, her own mana reaction was also considered monstrous by others. Frieren was of unknown age, but this disciple, at only 15, was already comparable to a seasoned Archmage.

Indeed, a famous master produces excellent disciples.

The other mage remaining, Lehman, was also exceptional, his reputation gradually rising. After all, he had just recently become Serie's disciple after many years.

He represented the face of the new generation of First-Class Mages, and moreover, the will of the Headquarters. His strength was extraordinary. Combined with his extensive network, he was indeed an unparalleled choice. Some familiar faces present had even worked with him before.

Vain was equally revered, a well-known Northern noble from a long line of military service, with countless merits. As the most experienced high-ranking individual, he served as an advisor.

....Indeed, he was the most suitable choice, even in terms of class composition.

"Welcome."

"Lady Frieren, I am Fenton, the supervisor of the excavation site. And it's been a long time, Lord Vain."

Having familiar nobles present made things much smoother.

The few exchanged pleasantries, then began to subtly inquire about the situation in the Labyrinth Kingdom. At least from the current situation, the demons were still deeply hidden and couldn't be lured out easily.

Unless they were willing to expose a weakness, giving the demons the most opportune moment to strike. But that would have to wait.

"May I ask, what is the current situation regarding the Tomb of the Fallen King?" Lehman asked.

Fenton shook his head and sighed deeply:

"It's terrible. The deeper we excavate, the more ruins we find, and proportionally, many monsters have made their homes there. The result is an even greater mess. We've been circling the outer perimeter for over a year now, unable to dig down to the main tomb. So, we're planning to force our way in."

"Then we will help. Please tell us anything we need to be aware of."

"Oh?"

"You heard right. The Association is here to support your nation's excavation work. Coincidentally, I intend to achieve some results before meeting His Majesty the King," Frieren said with conviction.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. In even older times, great mages and great demons have died here."

Hearing this, the surrounding soldiers and adventurers nodded like pecking chickens.

They had been here all along and knew exactly what had happened. The ancient tomb buried beneath layers of ruins was fraught with peril. A single misstep meant death.

"You don't think that just because we're new here and don't understand the situation, we're just talking, do you?" The silver-haired girl surveyed them seriously: "I won't just make empty promises and order you around. Instead, I'll lead everyone to explore together."

"Really?"

"For a ruler, the most difficult problems must be taken on by themselves. They must go to the front lines to make decisions, and they must lead the team to overcome challenges. If it were easy, I wouldn't be here. I'm here to put an end to the labyrinth's threat. With me here, and with you all here, its dangers will be completely eliminated, just like the countless labyrinths humanity has conquered throughout history."

After hearing Frieren's words, everyone finally felt reassured.

The atmosphere on site became lively, and morale soared. Even the magical detection became more effective.

She led by example, communicating with Fenton as she walked towards the main tomb, effortlessly clearing a path with a wave of her staff, inspiring confidence.

"Just a few words are enough?"

Flamme tilted her head, confused by this.

Vain chuckled: "Because the President understands that everything, at its core, must be accomplished by people. Most people are like scattered sand, and when they encounter difficulties, they'll shrink back, try to be lazy, or ignore them. So, someone needs to lead them. Not by simply ordering them around, but by providing careful analysis and showing them that success is inevitable, and that the difficulties aren't so hard."

"It sounds easy but it's hard to do. Flamme, you'll reach that level of thinking someday. Pay close attention to Master."

The red-haired girl nodded thoughtfully, feeling that her master possessed true leadership qualities.

"Northwest direction—"

Suddenly, Frieren's warning made everyone subtly stiffen. Looking far into the distance, it took three breaths before they vaguely discerned the figures of numerous monsters appearing on the other side of the mountain.

What an exaggerated sensing range. She had foreseen the danger before anyone else present.

Great.

Troubles never come singly. From the crumbling ruins outside the tomb, a series of roars suddenly erupted. Monster after monster appeared, snarling and baring their teeth, targeting those who dared disturb them.

A war was inevitable.

As the monsters approached the firing range of the defensive line's arrows, people clearly saw that most of them were gargoyles, monsters that frequented the areas around the tomb.

They resembled bats, their bodies draped with corpses, as if sculpted as one, appearing eerily grotesque. Unlike living beings, they were full of deathly aura, their chilling presence making everyone, even in broad daylight, shiver.

Truly bizarre.

This group of monsters seemed to have been provoked into collective action, rushing forward in a mighty surge.

"Everyone to your positions! Adopt defensive battle formation!"

As the officer, Fenton gave the order with calm words. Although the scale was unprecedented, it still left time for a reaction.

The preparations were quickly completed in rapid succession. Mages, longbowmen, and other spellcasters took their positions. They had fought around the Tomb of the Fallen King more than once, so they were experienced and unflustered in crisis.

Even if the number of gargoyles reached over a hundred, they couldn't shake the defenses, because in addition to the long-established fortifications, there was also a trump card present today.

"Then let's join in."

Frieren looked at her teammates, who all agreed.

Demon infiltration of the Kingdom's upper echelons was one thing; supporting the exploration team was another. They couldn't allow losses.

Moreover, they suspected that the frequent monster attacks were closely related to the mastermind behind the scenes. Since that was the case, they might as well engage and see what happened.

As they were conversing, the first wave of gargoyles had already flown overhead, hovering and observing their positions, not rushing to attack. The soldiers on the ground carefully aimed. These creatures had very tough skin and couldn't be easily penetrated; they had to seize the right moment.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled, and a small section of the fortifications began to collapse.

"This place is falling! Help!"

Amidst shouts, dust billowed. It was a sand worm monster, its gigantic maw protruding, sharp teeth arranged in a vortex, opening and closing. Every tooth gleamed with chilling sharpness.

The targeted soldiers scrambled to escape, but found the ground continuously collapsing into sand, about to drag them into the monster's mouth.

Perfect!

A glintstone arrow pierced the sand worm's head, killing it with one blow. The fire intensity was utterly relentless.

After firing one, Frieren was still not satisfied. She turned her staff, sequentially aiming at the chaotic sand worm monsters. Since you intend to cooperate with the aerial forces, I'll annihilate you first. We must ensure our footing is safe. The goal is to leave none alive.

Amidst whistling sounds, a blue stream of light enveloped the entire area, never missing its mark. Each release killed a sand worm.

It seemed casual, but the single-target piercing damage was extremely powerful.

Ordinary mages watched in awe. To achieve high frequency, high quantity, and high accuracy coverage was already outrageous. Even more outrageous was that the power never diminished. It was like a person running a thousand meters while maintaining a hundred-meter dash speed. How was that possible?

"The ground is yours, Master." Flamme reminded: "The gargoyles are coming soon. I'll use a barrier to reinforce the defense."

Fenton nodded.

The ground firepower was sufficient. What was lacking was a defensive plan to stabilize the position.

The red-haired girl raised her magic staff. A powerful wave of mana diffused, yet there was no other movement, leaving everyone puzzled. What was going on? The gargoyles, having relaxed, let out a mocking shriek and charged straight in.

However, with a dull thud, they crashed into an invisible barrier. Coincidentally, dozens of monsters bumped against it in an instant. The unseen, honeycomb-like barrier protected the entire position without being triggered.

No, it wasn't a trigger-based system.

Because other magical and physical attacks weren't hindered, such as Lehman's and Vain's protection.

"Are you defining an area, and then generating barriers wherever there's an enemy, thereby achieving precise defense?"

"Why not? Master says this is the most efficient way."

Flamme's casual reply left Fenton and the others dumbfounded. It was true. They had heard of some powerful mages who could achieve precise defense, but they had never heard of it being projected so far, effectively becoming a super-large barrier protecting an entire army.

Its performance combined both accuracy and defense. After all, a two-and-a-half-meter tall gargoyle crashing into it remained perfectly still, a truly impenetrable defense.

The simple-minded monsters had no idea why there was an invisible wall.

"Counterattack!"

At a single command, arrows rained down.

They formed graceful parabolas, ascending into the sky like dark clouds, higher than the gargoyles, then plunged downwards, brutally striking their tough hides. The fletching of the arrows violently shook, tearing at the wounds.

Weapons specifically prepared for monsters weren't expected to be instantly fatal. The focus was on hindering them. By continuously accumulating injuries, even the strongest bodies would decline in condition.

Indeed, monsters hit by many arrows flew sluggishly.

The unlucky ones immediately became perfect targets. The mages on the ground unleashed devastating spells. Their weakness was slightly slower casting and insufficient area coverage, but when coordinated with the army, it was no problem. Every strike was precise, also achieving a one-hit kill effect, or at least severely wounding them, causing them to fall.

Gargoyles that fell to the ground were met with a fierce welcome from the spear phalanx, and after a round of thrusts, they breathed their last.

One round down.

Over thirty monsters had been killed, much smoother than Fenton had anticipated.

Despite the complex team composition, it gathered elites from adventurers, the Magic Association, and mercenaries. There were no mediocrities among those who dared come to the Tomb of the Fallen King. Their cooperation leveraged their individual strengths, breaking through like a storm.

At the same time, Frieren cleared out the sand worms.

She slowly and meticulously examined the tunnels dug by the monsters. They led directly into the dark depths of the tomb. Had it been excavated from the beginning?

"....No, parts of the tunnels show signs of reinforcement, definitely not the work of monsters."

"So someone went in!"

Even more unsettling was the faint flickering of several human figures, yet mana sensing revealed no additional reactions, indicating they weren't living beings. Strange, ghosts in broad daylight, it seems.

Roar!

A hysterical roar interrupted Frieren's thoughts. Following the sound, she saw a mass of black. A gigantic wing, over ten meters wide horizontally, blocked the light, supporting a similarly massive gargoyle hovering in the air, glaring down.

Even compared to beasts, the black sword at her side was no less fearsome.

Its roar carried terrifying sonic vibrations, instantly disintegrating the outer walls and stirring up a storm, causing people to stumble and horses to fall.

"Be careful!" The experienced Vain shouted a warning: "This type of gargoyle has reached the scale of those guarding large temples. It's very sturdy. Maintain distance!"

Unfortunately, the enemy gave them no chance.

The giant gargoyle suddenly swooped down, charging with its entire weight. With a single crash, it shattered the barrier. Seeing this, Flamme immediately switched from defense to offense, unleashing a merciless Soul Torrent. The wind pressure roared fiercely.

However, she wasn't skilled enough. While she was focusing her aim, the opponent had already pulled away, creating a large distance.

As a result, the red-haired girl could only regretfully withdraw.

"Right now, I can't do Master's kind of ultra-long-range shooting."

In the brief offensive and defensive battle, neither side gained an advantage. But the number of monsters continuously swelled. Attracted by the commotion, they surrounded the excavation site. Now, the Tomb of the Fallen King had become a besieged area.

And they were at a geographical disadvantage. If they didn't break out, their losses would be severe.

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