"Like Clayman, she's entered a half-awakened state."
Damien remained seated in the courtyard, while the Ice Empress and Egorpon, dropping their playful antics, watched Frey's transformation with tension.
"Indeed."
Violet spoke: "Due to intense emotional fluctuations, the power of [Transcender] is using Frey's six hundred years of accumulated energy as fuel to push toward the True Demon Lord awakening."
"Will it succeed?"
"It will definitely fail."
Violet's answer was certain: "Unlike Clayman, who amassed resentful spirits through slaughter, Frey's absorbed souls are far too few for a full awakening."
Thus, Frey's transformation was more like her body instinctively drawing out its potential in the face of danger, making a desperate stand.
[Frey]
Magicules: 890,000 EP (Half-Awakened)
As Frey reappeared, her body was wreathed in pure white flames.
The terrifying pressure was, in truth, a bad sign.
Her inability to control this power was proof of her failed awakening.
Huff… huff…
Frey panted heavily, unconcerned by the failure to become a True Demon Lord.
It was only her first attempt.
Though it consumed the souls she'd gathered over centuries, wasting six hundred years, souls could be collected again.
But if she lost here, that would be true ruin.
"Just a bit more!"
"Just a little more, and I'd have died by your hand."
Frey glared at the Snow Empress and Artoria, who had returned.
She never imagined she'd be pushed to such a pathetic state.
The memory of the Snow Empress's palm strike still filled her with boundless fear.
Without [Transcender], she would've been instantly defeated by this woman!
One of the Ten Great Demon Lords, nearly one-shotted by an unknown Demon Lord Seed.
If word got out, how could she face her title as a Demon Lord?
Of course, if Frey knew the Snow Empress had no intent to kill, only to seal her, and that defeating her required at most four palms, that would've been the ultimate blow.
"Can you still fight?"
Artoria stepped in front of the Snow Empress, whose magic was heavily depleted after using the Divine Rings' ultimate move.
"A slight miscalculation."
The Snow Empress hadn't anticipated Frey's half-awakened state.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have used all her Divine Rings' power at once.
Still, one ring remained as a magic reserve.
With double her base magic, the Snow Empress could still fight.
Moreover, Great Nature wasn't just for show.
Within it, she could recover magic rapidly.
Phew.
Hearing the Snow Empress, Frey was the first to breathe a sigh of relief.
That strike had been too terrifying.
Even in her half-awakened state, recalling Eternal Recurrence, Frey lacked confidence to face it head-on.
"I can't take the lead, but I can still assist."
With full magic and all ten rings, sealing Frey was beyond her now.
But killing her? That would've gone from four palms to eight.
She could still crush her instantly.
"This time, I dragged you down."
"No need to say that!"
Artoria replied, "No one could've predicted this!"
"Anyway, leave the rest to me."
Once more, Artoria stepped forward, sword raised. "I'll be your opponent, Frey!"
As she moved, several shadowy figures resembling her appeared at her sides.
One slash, and multiple figures struck in unison.
"This move again!"
Frey wasn't fighting one person but multiple Sabers, even Heroic Spirits resembling her.
Against this onslaught, despite her overwhelming magic, Frey couldn't turn the tide.
These Holy Spirits, each rivaling her main body, unleashed enhanced Noble Phantasms one after another.
Frey was thoroughly battered.
Her half-step into True Demon Lord status gave her no real advantage.
"Damn it!"
Frey's combat skills were inferior to Artoria's.
Even in combat experience, Artoria outclassed her.
After just a few clashes, Frey abandoned close combat, opting to create distance for ranged bombardment.
But the Snow Empress wouldn't give her the chance.
Great Nature's various seals trapped Frey like quicksand, inescapable.
"Hahaha!"
A blonde girl in a blood-red gown leaped high behind Artoria, her face alight with wild glee.
"Finally, my turn? Umu!"
"Behold my glory..."
"Hear the thunderous applause..."
"Sit down and praise... My Golden Theater!"
"Kingdom of Heaven and Hell..."
"My heaven, reconstructed! This is where the limelight shines!"
"Aestus Domus Aurea!"
A Reality Marble within a Reality Marble.
Though the Aestus Domus Aurea's power paled compared to Great Nature's Unique Skill, the dual suppression disrupted Frey's rhythm, leaving her overwhelmed by multiple Sabers in close combat.
"Fuck off!!!"
Frey roared, unleashing magic to tear through the Aestus Domus Aurea.
But before she could catch her breath, earth, water, wind, and fire, controlled by the Snow Empress, engulfed her.
Frey had grown stronger, but not that strong!
Her magicules had increased but hadn't reached the million-level magicules breakthrough.
Thus, her magicules remained on par with Artoria's.
Without an Ultimate Skill, she was, at best, 2.5 times stronger than before.
"We can win!"
Realizing this, Artoria's attacks grew fiercer.
"Annoying pest!"
After another struggle, Frey slashed through wildly growing trees that entangled her like tentacles.
She dodged Artoria's strikes, using her speed to gain distance.
"I admit, you're strong!"
"But this isn't over!"
The Sky Queen looked down on the Reality Marble, raising her hands as vast magic formed intricate arrays in the sky.
"She's trying to destroy my Reality Marble!"
"No, Frey's planning to escape!!"
The Snow Empress instantly saw through Frey's intent.
Unable to defeat Artoria, she opted for a strategic retreat.
As a nation's ruler, she'd foolishly played a one-on-one knight's game with Damien.
Realizing her recklessness, Frey decided to withdraw and leverage her numerical advantage to attack Damien later.
***
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