This was the first time Frieren had been injured since arriving in the Lands Between. Although it was just a minor scrape drawing a bit of blood, it reminded her that her opponent was highly skilled, far surpassing the Tree Sentinel.
She didn't attempt to heal it. Opportunities to train while injured were rare, as she seldom took damage. Since this was just a spar, she might as well experience it fully.
"Cough, cough!"
Across from her, Bernahl coughed violently, clearly not faring well either. Even using the Endure skill didn't negate the concussive force of the magically empowered weapon. His internal organs trembled slightly; only his formidable willpower allowed him to suppress the reaction.
That hit the spot! Exchanging blows like this was what a true warrior's spar should be.
"That felt solid. Your armor is well-forged. And it seems like it's been modified?"
"Yes, the Beast Champion Armor has some history. It originally had a cloak."
"Beast Champion? I've heard that beasts can signify kingship in the Lands Between. Is there any connection between that saying and the name of this armor?" Frieren noted, her researcher's curiosity piqued.
Bernahl replied with a wry smile, "The past is best left undisturbed. It's nothing remarkable, perhaps just a coincidence... So, how do you know that beasts can choose kings?"
With a whistle, the Spirit Steed appeared out of thin air – agile, tall, and proud. Even amidst the clashing auras of the two powerful combatants, it remained poised, muscles taut, ready to gallop like an arrow loosed from a bow at any moment.
A fine steed!
With just one look, Bernahl confirmed this beast was extraordinary. He vaguely recalled legends – could it truly be related to the mount of Miquella the Empyrean? Incredible.
"If you win this spar, then I'll tell you a part of my story," Frieren offered, raising her sword horizontally in acceptance.
The next moment, their figures blurred once more. Sword and scepter clashed, the shockwaves gouging deep pits into the ground. Boulders tumbled nearby, and the cliff edge even showed signs of a landslide.
The seemingly heavy scepter danced in Bernahl's hands like a devastating war hammer, sweeping all before it. He built momentum with each swing, every blow stronger than the last, carrying crushing force. Flawless. Amidst his movements, Bernahl remained untouched, avoiding further injury.
In contrast, Frieren adopted a defensive stance, continuously parrying with her straight sword while her magically enhanced weapon in the other hand struck opportunistically from tricky angles.
Truthfully, she wasn't accustomed to sparring. In her reality, fights against demons were life-or-death struggles where she showed no mercy. In games, while objectively holding back to practice different styles, she still rarely engaged in friendly spars.
However, an idea had already formed in the silver-haired girl's mind: strike unexpectedly. For now, she maintained the appearance of an even match as cover.
Their clash carved furrows into the earth. They seemed to have a tacit understanding not to use large-scale destructive abilities, lest the entire Stormhill collapse, causing too much commotion and making the aftermath difficult to handle. In other words, this raised the stakes – a pure contest of martial skill would decide the victor.
Both fighters displayed techniques honed to perfection. It was a back-and-forth exchange, a sonata of clashing steel, sparks flying like burning embers. Their stamina seemed bottomless; one didn't fight like a mage, the other was a monster even among warriors, neither showing signs of heavy breathing yet.
"Torrent, don't worry."
Watching from a distance, Melina gently stroked the Spirit Steed's fur. Despite her words, she was actually quite worried. The Beast Champion Armor was significant; its owner surely possessed strength worthy of kingship, placing him among the Lands Between's elite. He was a difficult opponent. While sparring involved holding back, Frieren wasn't adept at it either.
And there was another concern: If Bernahl was that Tarnished, the one whose maiden had thrown herself into the flames to burn the Erdtree without him reacting, how would he explain it? What impact might that have on this newcomer Tarnished, who was destined, sooner or later, to walk the same path of burning the tree...
Just as Melina pondered this, the silver-haired girl suddenly unleashed a shockwave – Ash of War: Storm Stomp. Having presented herself as fighting like a mage until now, she abruptly switched styles.
Predictably, Bernahl was caught off guard and forced back. His battle-honed instincts saved him in that moment; otherwise, he might have lost his balance.
Clang!
Frieren pressed forward, initiating a parry – turning defense into offense. So, this move could also be used aggressively.
The menacing Devourer's Scepter was knocked off balance, deflected away. Even with Bernahl's strength, he needed to reset his stance. In a high-level duel, even half a beat of delay was enough to create a decisive gap.
Farron Flashsword followed immediately. With the magic sword in one hand and the straight sword in the other, her nimble movements resembled a deadly dance, instantly flashing with cold light—
The blades sliced openings at the neck and chest of the armor, without transmitting any unnecessary force beyond the cuts. The next moment, she had already withdrawn her attack.
Taking a few steps back, Bernahl touched the damaged sections of his armor before it fully registered. Then, he burst out laughing. "Exhilarating! It's been too long. Frieren, you win. Therefore, you shall surely inherit all my battle arts."
"I don't have much interest in warrior abilities, but if you're offering, I'll accept."
"We'll discuss that later. Now, it's time for me to fulfill my promise. Let me tell you about my journey..."
He roughly recounted his travels from the Altus Plateau to the distant Mountaintops of the Giants – a sweeping epic filled with hardships and dangers, yet also a testament to the vastness of the Lands Between.
Frieren noted that the narrator deliberately omitted stories about specific individuals, primarily providing rough map information. That was fine. Discovering the people and events for herself, thinking about them, was part of the immersive magic of this game. Instead, the numerous labyrinths and dungeons hinted at in his brief account piqued her interest. If only she could conquer a few.
Bernahl had no intention of sharing the sorrowful tale of his maiden's death. It was filled with pain and regret; merely mentioning it felt like a stab to the chest, along with his betrayal of the Golden Order. My love is lost forever, and ruin meets my eyes wherever I look.
Hearing this partial account, Melina breathed a small sigh of relief, fearing what Frieren might think if she knew her own destiny involved dying for her mission one day. However, Bernahl's next question made her heart clench:
"Milady, do you have your own maiden?"
"The maiden who was supposed to meet me at the Chapel of Anticipation was already dead. I laid her to rest."
"Did she leave any final words?"
"'Even should guiding grace prove broken, please, become the Elden Lord.'" Frieren recited the words solemnly, as if chanting a sacred creed.
This simple sentence filled Bernahl with deep emotion. So, this was a Tarnished bearing the final wish of another. Her strength wasn't just for herself; she fought for her companions as well. That was why she had become such a rare existence in this world.
"Strange... Forgive my bluntness, but without your own maiden, how do you strengthen yourself with Runes? Or journey to the Roundtable Hold in the future?"
"My original maiden did indeed meet an unfortunate end. But I have a replacement maiden."
Hearing this, Melina's brow furrowed tightly.
...
____
✨ Hello, dear readers of Wancheng Funeral Parlor! 💖 This is the newest release from our beloved Funeral Parlor, a translation we were soooo excited to launch! We're counting on your Reviews and Power Stones to help us on this journey! Yahoooooo! ✨
We'll release an extra chapter 🎁 for every 5 reviews!
Orrrrr for every 100 Power Stones! Come on, come on, come on! The Director has gone crazyyyy! 🤪🔥
Let's go, let's go! 🎉 Want 40 advanced chapters and stories before they hit the web novel? ✨
✨ SUPPORT US HERE! ✨
👇👇👇
💖✨ patreon.com/Walnutchan ✨💖 <- 40 advanced chapters!