The edge of the Consecrated Snowfield.
Snowflakes as large as goose feathers were whipped by the gale, slapping against Frieren's face.
She draped a plush cloak over herself, covering Trina and the Ranni doll perched on her shoulder. Both were maintaining a low-mana operational state; after all, neither possessed a complete chaotic body of flesh and blood, leaving them without a way to generate body heat against the cold.
Behind her, Melina donned a hood that obscured the upper half of her face, her mysterious appearance just as it was when they first met.
The two exchanged a glance filled with nostalgia.
"Originally, we should have taken the lift to reach the Consecrated Snowfield, but the Royal Capital is undoubtedly heavily guarded, and it doesn't fit our route. Have you thought of a countermeasure?"
"We'll fly over, of course. It will just be a bit cold, so you all just need to hold onto me."
"Simple and efficient. That is very much your style."
The spectral steed Torrent withdrew into the whistle. However, Frieren was in no rush to begin the flight. Instead, she summoned Latenna's spirit and asked, "Can you sense the person we need to find on the snow mountain?"
"Although it is faint, I have a connection. Even in this wind and snow, I will not lose my way."
"Good. Your bloodline connection will be our navigation beacon. Everyone, hold on tight. We are going to leap over the glacier."
Ignite!
Before her voice had even faded, Frieren invoked a wisp of the power of the First Flame. Her armor and cloak took on the appearance of embers, yet they were not hot at all—only emitting a perfect warmth.
Trina, who was already drowsy, simply fell fast asleep. The small Ranni doll used her four hands to hug the elf girl's long, pointed ears. Melina hugged her from the front as always, as if listening to her own heartbeat.
An inexplicable sense of happiness rose within her; she felt fired up.
The silver-haired girl gave a dashing smile, pulled the power to the max, and prepared to challenge the forbidden zone of The Lands Between right now.
Gravity Sphere!
Purple-white energy seized everyone, pulling them straight up from the dry ground in an instant, transforming them into a meteor soaring toward the towering mountainous region. Simultaneously, a barrier rose, blocking out all the sharp snowflakes and ice crystals. coupled with her acting as a super-sized heater, it guaranteed not a trace of cold would seep in.
Before them, only steep cliffs were visible, meaning they had to ascend rapidly while hugging the mountainside. A significant portion of the view was obscured by snow covering the barrier.
Fortunately, Frieren had never relied solely on vision.
In a place like this where visibility was low and the ears were filled with the noise of the storm, everything was chaotic. Only ultra-wide-range sensing was reliable, and it had to possess precision as well.
Impeccable.
In the entirety of The Lands Between, only the strongest mage possessed the skill to dare attempt this.
The sound of the wind in their ears suddenly spiked several times over. Everything became open and vast. Although it was still a whiteout where nothing could be seen clearly, one could feel the grandeur of heaven and earth, unobstructed and free.
"We have ascended to the Consecrated Snowfield."
Ranni shouted to remind her companions; as a mage skilled in ice attributes, she naturally noticed the details.
At the same time, Latenna drew her bow and fired. No words were needed; she used the arrow to point in the direction connected to her bloodline. Seeing this, Frieren shifted to a dive, speeding forward along the boundless plain.
It was too vast, even wider than imagined, making it very easy to lose one's direction.
She was reminded of her adventures in the snowfields outside the barrier when she was a second-generation undead. It had been just as disorienting, and filled with various hidden monsters. This place was no exception; she had already sensed several malicious creatures.
They were pressed for time today, so she would let it slide.
However, the enemies would not let the opportunity pass. In her perception, they were actively closing in. Hazy shadowy outlines emerged from the distant snow.
Melina warned, "For years, no one has set foot in the Consecrated Snowfield, so it has formed its own ecology. Once an outsider enters, they are easily discovered. It is unavoidable."
Especially since Frieren's magic was practically like shining a light in the dark.
Before she finished speaking, roars came from the wind and snow ahead, rising and falling, menacing and aggressive.
The enemies had arrived.
The silver-haired girl made a prompt decision: "We will use Latenna's guidance as the main route. I will gradually advance toward the magician's tower marked on the map. That's the plan. Prepare for battle."
The blizzard grew heavier, dulling even her sensory perception.
It was hard not to be reminded of the experience in the snowfields beyond the wall; it was pure torture, so she had to be one hundred and twenty percent vigilant.
Suddenly, a giant red bear lunged out, flying through the air with a wild flurry of claw strikes. Combined with its heavy, powerful momentum, it was enough to crush any target to death without suspense. However, it had chosen the wrong opponent—the most difficult one.
Bang!
Frieren swung the Dark Moon Greatsword, swatting the bear's paw aside. At the same time, she charged the Weapon Skill—
Something's wrong!
She abruptly backstepped. Almost simultaneously, a Glintstone sword struck the ground where she had stood, followed by a series of pursuing attacks that had calculated her footsteps perfectly.
Ranni, on her shoulder, immediately waved her hand to counterattack—interrupting it.
Standing imposingly in the heavy snow was a red shadow. She had seen one at the Magic Academy: a Red Wolf, possessing considerable magical talent. Not only that, but this one was clearly more wild and ferocious than the one belonging to Radagon, a monster forged by the battles of the snowfield.
It had formed an alliance with the giant bear.
The two hegemons naturally did not welcome outsiders, especially those full of hostility, so they struck first to gain the upper hand.
On the other side, Melina unleashed a Golden Wave, forcing back the giant bear that attempted to follow up. Otherwise, it would have certainly coordinated with the Red Wolf to form a pincer attack, which would have been slightly troublesome.
After a brief clash, they vanished into the heavy snow once again.
Simple combat was easy for the squad, but being interfered with by the Consecrated Snowfield's special natural phenomena was a different matter. Moreover, this place was at the edge of the Altus Plateau; too much commotion might be detected, which did not align with their stealth tactics.
"Continue deeper."
Frieren summoned the spectral steed Torrent, carrying Melina as they galloped into the heavy snow.
Along the way, attacks from the Red Wolf and the giant bear came periodically, and surrounding monsters were also drawn in one after another. For a time, demons danced wildly.
Among them were wild wolves, imps, and other monsters, ready to launch sneak attacks at any moment; guard could not be lowered. Fortunately, it was this squad of demigods that had come. Clearing them out at range while traveling put little pressure on them.
If it were an army, however many entered would likely be bogged down and lost.
Whoosh, whoosh!
The continuous magical clash in the air was a standoff between Frieren and the Red Wolf, with Glintstone shards constantly exploding.
She alone could conduct a magical battle while steering Torrent, multitasking with flowing ease, and actually suppressing the aggressive beasts.
"We have reached the depths of the Consecrated Snowfield," Melina shouted a reminder.
"Understood. It's time to finish them off."
No longer holding back, Frieren waved her staff, unleashing a sweeping black flame. The Incantation she had just obtained from Windmill Village erupted instantly, washing over the pristine white snow. Whoosh! It spread to the surroundings, incinerating the earth and vaporizing the white snow.
The target was not the beasts, but the environment itself. With this one move, the surroundings surprisingly became bright and open; the wind stopped, and the snow ceased.
The might of a single person temporarily dispelled the disaster that plagued the Consecrated Snowfield year-round. Moreover, this was a newly acquired Incantation—a display of skill that could be called godlike.
"Roar!"
Sensing the threat, the fur of the Red Wolf and the giant bear stood on end.
Traces of grey-black flame still lingered on their skin; clearly, it was unpleasant.
Frieren's move, cast without regard for mana consumption, naturally affected the two hegemons. as for the peripheral trash like the imps, they were turned to flying ash on the spot, not even residue remaining. The power of Godslayer Incantations was no joke, especially in the hands of a top-tier mage.
Did they really have to fight to the death?
Such terrifying power caused the Red Wolf and the giant bear to make a retreating motion for a moment. Their expressions were fearful, involuntarily considering whether a fight to the death was worth it. However, Frieren gave them no time to prepare.
Sorcery: Rykard's Rancor!
Scorching balls of torch-fire lit up in the wind, rushing straight toward the two beasts. The latter hurriedly dodged.
They barely avoided them, but a cluster of flames ignited on their fur...
Wait, the flames were tracking. They actually turned around and sped toward their positions, looking as if they were about to hit.
The Red Wolf hurriedly used magic to shoot them down.
The giant bear, unskilled in magic, became the unlucky victim. Frieren fired a Sorcery: Comet that bloomed with Glintstone debris upon hitting its body. The struck area was a bloody mess.
Had it not been for the Runes it accumulated by devouring enemies over the years, strengthening its body, this single strike would have been fatal.
Bear Roar!
A powerful sonic shockwave spread out, angry and domineering. The heavy snow swept up, and stone spikes were even torn from the ground. However, the silver-haired girl did not dodge or evade. She rode her horse forward into the bear's roar, the phantom of a giant dragon rising behind her.
"You are far inferior to Godfrey's roar. Witness a true roar."
Immediately after, a Dragon Communion Incantation activated, and flames erupted instantly.
Super-high temperature breath struck the giant bear's body, igniting all its fur. No, it was a penetrating wound; a bloody hole was chiseled into that robust body. The wound was scorched, cooked from the inside out.
A single strike resolved the monster that had occupied the Consecrated Snowfield for years. Clean and efficient; once committed to battle, she could kill enemies rapidly.
Not good. This is bad.
Seeing this scene, the Red Wolf tucked its tail, realizing this was not an enemy it could contend with, and escape was impossible.
It could only lead her to the Putrid Avatar; only by diverting the disaster would it have a chance.
With this thought, it leaped and vanished into the wind and snow, simultaneously dodging a snipe from Sorcery: Loretta's Greatbow. Looking back, sure enough, the silver-haired girl was chasing on horseback. Since it had come to this, it had no choice but to provoke that troublesome thing.
"The Red Wolf seems to want to lead you somewhere," Melina murmured with furrowed brows. "It is said that there is an Avatar of the Putrid Tree in the Consecrated Snowfield."
"Just as well. We'll solve them together."
Fighting up to this point, Frieren understood one thing: nothing in this Consecrated Snowfield was peaceful.
She had intended to stealthily speed-run all the way to the Haligtree entrance, but the aggro range was so large that she attracted a heap of enemies.
In that case, she would simply clear them all out together, strangling the hidden dangers in the cradle.
Trina suggested, "If Your Majesty can successfully control the Haligtree and mobilize the army, you will definitely have to attack the Royal Capital through this snowfield. Opening a path in advance is also good."
"I think the necessity of the Haligtree army is a question that requires careful consideration," Ranni said, holding a reserved opinion.
As a representative of the Carian faction, she naturally minded the addition of yet another faction.
Hearing this, Frieren looked back with interest. The doll on her shoulder and the violet flower exchanged a glance, as if probing each other.
She looked at Melina again; the latter nodded slightly.
She supported the participation of the Haligtree army. After all, a Lord should have multiple factions under their command; the future landscape required attention to balance. Of course, it was also reasonable for her to oppose Trina alongside Ranni. The key lay in the King's judgment...
Boom!
A Rotten Tree indeed appeared in the distance. However, its hammer struck the Red Wolf, causing the latter to let out a sorrowful howl as its leg was crippled.
It had intended to lure the monster, but unexpectedly, the opponent was a madman who attacked indiscriminately. Damn it.
It had no chance to struggle, because in the next moment, Frieren threw a Incantation: Lightning Spear. It tore through the air and easily pierced the Red Wolf's body. This level of opponent was now beneath her notice.
The crimson beast that ravaged the snowfield fell then and there.
She had been aiming at the Red Wolf from the start, merely waiting for an opportunity. It just so happened that the Putrid Avatar gave the guy a vicious blow, so she followed up to harvest it. There would be no more annoying sneak attacks.
However, it wasn't over. Almost simultaneously, the Putrid Avatar spewed out scarlet energy, full of erosive rot.
Sorcery: Zamor Ice Storm!
Chaotic airflow merged with a cold wind, instantly blowing away the rot.
Following closely behind was a scorching flame breath. The reappearing Dragon Communion Incantation transformed the surroundings into a magma environment.
Even the Putrid Avatar was ignited, surrounded by raging fire that constantly ate away at its body.
Instinctively feeling its life was in danger, it made a move to retreat, but unexpectedly, Frieren had already prepared her next move: Sorcery: Ranni's Dark Moon. A chalk-white azure moon crashed into the massive body with a boom. The combination of heat and cold caused the tree's outer shell to peel off crisply.
More critical was the magic-dispelling property.
The silver-haired girl tapped her staff, and a spear of Chaos Flame pierced the Putrid Avatar's center. The latter immediately thought to counter with Rotten Breath, but it was incinerated all the same.
Frieren was well-versed in dealing with this type of Scarlet Rot enemy. With a fierce exertion—crack—it was cut in two.
Thud!
The moment the remnant body fell, it turned into ash.
The squad of four finally breathed a sigh of relief. After all, a tug-of-war with enemies in the Consecrated Snowfield was not a good idea; the environment was unfavorable. One could not underestimate the harshest land in The Lands Between.
At the same time, they discovered two tears floating where the Putrid Avatar had vanished.
[Thorny Cracked Tear]
[A crystal tear formed slowly over the ages where the Erdtree's bounty falls to the ground.]
[Can be mixed in the Flask of Wondrous Physick. Makes consecutive attacks grow stronger the longer they continue.]
[However, the effect wears off after a certain time.]
Frieren's attack frequency in high-intensity battles was very high, so this was indeed useful. She hadn't expected such a windfall; it would allow for richer Physick combinations, especially during the pre-battle buffing phase.
In addition, the other one, called the [Ruptured Crystal Tear], sounded powerful.
[Can be mixed in the Flask of Wondrous Physick. Causes a self-destruction.]
[A defective crystal tear which possesses no medicinal properties. Yet there are some who see in it a cruel revelation—]
["Faith is explosion."]
Self-destruction?
The baffling description made Frieren pause slightly. Was this for committing suicide?
Then the people who tested it in the past were quite unlucky. Forget it, this was too dangerous. It wouldn't matter if her own body exploded, as she could regenerate with her numerous healing methods, but it wasn't certain if something else might escape in the chaos. Best not to try it.
She spread out her ultra-wide-range perception. Finally, it was quiet; aside from some small mobs, there was basically no danger.
"Frieren, we are almost at the magician's tower you mentioned." Melina raised the map and gestured to the location. Unknowingly, they had penetrated a long distance into the snowfield.
"Good. Once we get there, we'll settle Latenna's matter."
____
New Story: Stardew Valley: What Do You Mean They All Became My Servants
🔥We're handing out that '25% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Gain early access to 40 chapters for all stories.
✅ Enjoy exclusive content and special announcements.
We have set new community milestones:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for all readers
🚀 180 MEMBERS = +5 additional chapters for all series!
👻 P - Walnutchan