Near the gaol on the edge of Castle Morne's ramparts.
Looking down from the height towards the coast, they saw a Leonine Misbegotten, eyes blazing, roaring at the sky. Its originally gaunt body swelled with muscle, growing significantly taller.
It glared viciously at Frieren and Edgar on the wall, roaring provocatively.
No mistake. One is the obstacle Frenzy must kill; the other, a target to demonstrate Frenzy's power. Venting madness is all that matters. With this thought, the Leonine Misbegotten picked up a bizarrely shaped weapon – the Grafted Blade Greatsword.
A legendary sacred relic, capable of boosting all the user's attributes for a short time.
The two descended slowly from the stairs.
"I know of Your Ladyship Frieren's strength, but if possible, please allow me to personally cut off its head later. Especially, we must reclaim our sacred relic!"
"That sword?"
"Yes. Even if Castle Morne is lost, the Grafted Blade Greatsword must be retrieved from the hands of the defiler. It represents the pinnacle of grafting techniques applied to weaponry, carries too much symbolism, and should not fall into enemy hands."
"Of course. You can be the main attacker first; I am a sorcerer, I'll support you from the rear and provide aid if necessary."
Since Edgar insisted for the sake of honor, she was willing to cooperate.
Reclaiming the sacred relic for the host should be part of the mission. It would also help build a good relationship with the castellan, lest revealing her stance later turned them into enemies.
The next moment, the man in silver armor raised a halberd, his bearing extraordinary. The seemingly simple weapon held astonishing energy – countless Smithing Stones smelted into one.
A +8 Halberd.
Already exceedingly rare; one might not find another in all of Limgrave.
It spoke volumes of the deep heritage of Castle Morne's nobility. Such a weapon couldn't possibly be accumulated in just one or two generations; the material cost alone was an astronomical sum.
Sensing the threat, the Leonine Misbegotten lunged forward abruptly.
The Grafted Blade Greatsword clashed with the halberd. A crisp sound echoed, and the shockwave pushed back the crashing waves.
The pair of mortal enemies, neither yielding, began a high-speed exchange of blows, back and forth like a gale. Their two figures crisscrossed along the coastline, carving ravines, Frenzied Flames clashing with storm-like force.
Edgar's offensive was fierce.
For the moment, Frieren's support wasn't needed. Melina, beside her, explained:
The castellan was a Banished Knight, a lineage tracing back to the Storm Lord's forces. After their defeat by the First King, his subordinates lost their master to serve, hence becoming "Banished." But because they were all valiant warriors unmatched by thousands, they were favored by various factions and enfeoffed as knights.
"...You will encounter more Banished Knights later. They are among the most elite knights, potentially becoming heroes in the future."
According to the simplest, roughest classification in the Lands Between: Soldiers, Elites, Knights, and Heroes were considered the mortal tier.
Above that lay the divine realm, difficult to measure. Ordinary people lacked the capacity to judge, often resorting to comparing legends – whoever was more famous left a stronger impression.
Boom!
Suddenly, the Leonine Misbegotten raised the Grafted Blade Greatsword and unleashed its Ash of War: [Oath of Vengeance]. All its attributes surged for a short period.
It grinned wildly with arrogance.
"How dare you defile that sacred relic! You deserve death—"
Furious, Edgar then felt the immense greatsword sweep towards him, terrifyingly fast. In the nick of time, he braced his halberd before him, blocking the blow, but was violently pushed back, losing his balance.
The next moment, the monster leaped high, preparing to smash down. But mid-air, a Glintstone Arc flew towards it. With a crack, an arm was instantly severed, sending it crashing to the ground, rolling in agony.
He hastily regained his stance, steadying himself, unable even to give his teammate a grateful glance – the previous assault had been too swift.
The web of his thumb ached!
After losing an arm, the Leonine Misbegotten endured the excruciating pain, letting the blood flow freely, yet still picked up the Grafted Blade Greatsword. Its mane was replaced by Frenzied Flame, and wisps of fire emanated from its eyes, igniting the surroundings.
Its aura was even stronger than before. Perhaps now it should be called the Frenzied Lion.
Edgar had the will to fight but not the strength to prevail. The accumulated injuries and fatigue from the past days were taking their toll; he was likely no longer a match for the Misbegotten...
Suddenly, a warmth like sunlight enveloped his body.
A healing spell replenished his condition just in time. Otherwise, given the monster's brutality, it would surely have pressed the advantage. Now, it had something else to consider: Frieren had officially entered the battlefield.
"Lord Castellan, perhaps you should step back a bit. This thing is very dangerous now."
"Alright. But you must be careful! The Grafted Blade Greatsword is a legendary weapon, sharp and incredibly heavy, difficult to resist head-on. It has also activated its Ash of War; be sure to maintain distance."
Too late!
Before the words faded, the Frenzied Lion pushed off with its legs, charging rapidly, encompassing even itself within the kill zone.
But Frieren moved faster. With one hand, she counter-attacked with her staff, knocking the greatsword aside. With the other, she grabbed the fully armored knight and leaped far back.
The combat intuition and strength displayed in that instant were astounding.
Edgar steadied himself after the world stopped spinning, subconsciously touching his brow. A few strands of hair had been severed. Truly a legendary weapon, that was close.
"Leave it all to me."
The silver-haired girl held her staff in one hand and the Uchigatana in the other. Magic power surged mightily around her, causing the tide to recede and winds to rage. Even the arrogant pressure of the Frenzied Flame was pushed back. A flicker of fear flashed in the Misbegotten's eyes.
Then, Homing Crystal Soulmass projectiles shot towards it. It hastily rolled to evade.
These direct attacks could barely be handled, but an overwhelming killing intent descended from directly overhead—
Farron Hail! Magic arrows easily pierced its flesh, followed by Crystal Soulmass impacts blasting gore everywhere. Even so, it barely held on, the buff effect still active.
ROAR!
An unwilling roar erupted from deep within its throat. The monster dragged its broken body into a desperate charge.
Unexpectedly, Frieren also advanced. Raising her Uchigatana, a sharp clang rang out as she forcefully parried the Grafted Blade Greatsword, knocking the legendary weapon spinning from its grasp. Parrying such weight? What immense strength!
The Leonine Misbegotten had no time to think. Farron Flashsword was already upon it.
The magic blade instantly tore several bloody holes in its massive body, followed by the Uchigatana piercing its chest for a critical finisher.
It collapsed with a thud, barely breathing.
"As agreed, the final blow is yours, Lord Castellan Edgar."
"Thank you for giving me a chance to reclaim my honor... No, honor is already lost. I am merely taking vengeance on the enemy who stole the sacred relic."
The Banished Knight pierced the Leonine Misbegotten's head with his halberd. No matter how resilient it was, it could no longer struggle. The malevolent power of the Frenzied Flame vanished without a trace. Even the hidden controller was alarmed.
Never expected the new Tarnished to be this strong. From engagement to resolution in just a few breaths. Need to replan for the long term.
Crack!
Edgar severed the monster's head, which would become a trophy for Castle Morne. Then, sighing, he collapsed onto a nearby rock, looking deeply at Frieren.
"The Grafted Blade Greatsword I leave to Your Ladyship. It shouldn't be buried in some remote place. Perhaps Leyndell, the Royal Capital, would be a fitting stage."
"You're not concerned about my stance?"
As they spoke, their respective subordinates arrived, having heard the commotion.
____
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