Frilian at Elden Ring

Following the direction of the attack, they saw a white figure of Lyman.

"This is trouble."

When defending, Vlame reacted faster than anyone else, and the same was true for attacking. He raised his hand and bombarded Lyman's white shadow with a broom star, which Lyman blocked and then disappeared into the shadow.

Only then did the adventure team realize they were under attack. How embarrassing! They were a full two steps behind.

"Sorry, we were too slow to react."

Wayne reassured him, "Don't worry too much. This is a battle between archmages. Those who are not strong enough should focus on self-preservation and cover for each other. Also, it's now certain that the enemy can replicate their own abilities."

"So that's how it is. There are stone tablets in the tomb that record that it must be inhabited by monsters from the mythological era, the Water Mirror Demon."

However, before anyone could think further, another beam of light struck.

Boom boom!

They were completely blocked by Vlame's barrier, but many of the magic-wielding enemies were also revealed, most of them familiar faces, copied from each other.

"Command is now in your hands, Commander Wayne."

"Don't stay at the bottom of the steps to fight. Everyone, get deep into the tomb immediately, take turns providing cover, and watch out for blind spots. Take Vlame's counterattack as a signal, and we'll prepare to charge."

The red-haired girl, understanding the unspoken message, raised her right hand and released a dark mass of ancient, vengeful spirits.

These death energy clusters expand rapidly in suitable environments, achieving twice the result with half the effort, growing larger and more numerous with astonishing efficiency, absorbing energy from within the tomb to grow.

"Bomb it hard!"

At his command, the swarm of skeletons flew toward each white figure, completely enveloping the target.

Although slightly slower, their sheer numbers and explosive power were their greatest asset. A constant rumble of explosions shook the earth and sent the world reeling from the shockwaves. At the same time, Wayne gave the order, and the group, under cover, sped across the steps, dodging and weaving their way into the depths of the tomb.

After escaping unscathed, they were panting and covered in sweat. They quickly checked the pursuers behind them, but fortunately, they were suppressed by magic and hid.

That was close, thank goodness Vlamed reacted quickly.

Boom!

The series of dull, collapsing sounds sent a chill down my spine. Although I couldn't see into the distance of the maze, I could at least tell that the way back was cut off and the continuously collapsing ruins had covered the entrance that had been cleared with great difficulty.

"Oh no, are we going to be trapped here and die—"

Before anyone could speak, Wayne suddenly stabbed his sword into the ground, the cracking sound accompanied by sparks making one's teeth ache.

"If you're on the front lines against the demons, you'll be punished for saying discouraging things. A cowardly soldier will not only prevent himself from making calm judgments, but he will also harm everyone else."

He looked around and said firmly, "Fenton will rescue them. They will clean up the exits again; otherwise, it's a waste of money if they don't start work."

"Currently, the enemy is in the open while we are in the dark, and we are on their home turf. But they are merely clones, with very poor intelligence and no ability to adapt, so they are not worth fearing at all."

"And don't forget that the only disciple of the God-era Mage is here. If the danger gets too serious, President Frillian will come to our aid."

"Immediately go on high alert, check your personal belongings, and get fully armed."

"—If you understand, then answer yes."

"Yes!!!"

The imposing presence emanating from Wayne spurred everyone into action, and they subconsciously began to act in an orderly manner. At least they all understood one thing: only by working together could they overcome the difficulties, and even if they were afraid, they had to grit their teeth and endure it.

He winked at the red-haired girl, and the two of them took the lead in guarding the position where the clones had attacked, holding the front line.

Volame felt a tightness in her chest when she saw the kind old man get angry for the first time.

Feeling the gaze, Wayne's lips curled up slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Just trying to scare people. That's how it is on the battlefield. Sometimes you have to make military orders more terrifying than the enemy to keep people in line."

"Appreciate further details."

"As a leader and subordinate, when faced with challenges, you must go to the most dangerous places, face the most difficult tasks, weigh the enemy and your own forces, and determine the chances of victory. Morale is very important; it is the guarantee of survival for us weaklings. It seems that President Frilian did not teach you this, or perhaps she did not need to."

"Actually, my master mentioned it, but she didn't have the chance to use it. She had too much knowledge that she had nowhere to use."

"Truly a great scholar worthy of the mythical era."

"She told me that when dealing with someone who's hiding their true intentions, I should take the initiative—"

The golden pillar struck Volame, and then she stepped forward, using Magic Realm, Radiant Sword Array, and other techniques, her aura rising steadily.

The red-haired girl's aura surged at this moment, her magic seemingly materializing and about to burst through the ceiling—it was simply outrageous.

Call the stars!

The sudden gravitational vortex pulled the white figure from the shadows towards them. She had been waiting for a long time, her greatsword raised high. With a sweep of light, the clones of the adventure team were instantly torn apart and killed in one blow.

The enhanced absolute power easily breaks through barriers, making any enchantment seem like paper.

"Defense is meaningless in the face of me."

After the attack, the surviving clone unleashed a magical attack, but Vlame was faster. He used his hound-like footwork to dodge the magic bullets while simultaneously wielding two Caria Swiftswords.

The killing was like a raging torrent, layer upon layer, yet without a single superfluous movement, a precise kill.

Shadow Magic!

The moment the spear rose from the dark corner, she moved as well, sidestepping dozens of spikes by a hair's breadth, while simultaneously unleashing a surge of soul energy that rushed toward the enemy, only to be blocked with a deafening roar.

As expected of a newly promoted first-class mage, but there are still countermeasures.

Vlamour slammed his Hymo hammer, formed from pyroxene, onto the barrier, causing it to vibrate and shake violently.

It's feasible; we can defeat them.

However, surviving white figures emerged from the darkness and joined the attack, making the red-haired girl hesitant to act.

"Leave it to us."

Wayne led his team to withstand the offensive and launched a fierce counterattack that left the enemy unable to raise their heads. His squad swept across the battlefield like a sharp knife.

Since that's the case, Vlamé refocused his attention.

Bang!

This time, the Hymo Hammer, carrying the armor-piercing power of the neutralization barrier, dismantled Lyman's white shadow's defense. Even the monster clone showed a hint of surprise on its face, not expecting such strong destructive power.

It undoubtedly encountered a head-on attack from the sledgehammer and fell to the ground with a thud.

Immediately afterwards, Kalia's Swift Sword pierced the vital points one by one, accurate and fast, completing the attack before the body even hit the ground, so the moment the clone lay down, the end was declared.

Vlame's offensive was not over yet; with a flick of his finger, the Radiant Sword Formation scattered to support his teammates.

Click-click——

They slaughtered the monsters with ease, and the already disadvantaged monsters collapsed immediately when harassed by the Shining Sword. Wayne and his team wiped them out without leaving a single one alive, finally achieving victory.

Seeing this, she leaned against the wall, panting heavily, to rest.

Killing a powerful mage quickly is far more difficult than defeating one, not to mention having to keep your teammates from using large-scale spells. It's exhausting.

"But it went more smoothly than I expected. I guess I've gotten stronger on the journey."

"Thanks to you, we won!"

The group, now safe, couldn't help but express their heartfelt gratitude. Had it not been for Vlame defeating the most terrifying clone, the entire group would have perished here.

"Where to go next?"

187

Chapter 187? I'm beating the King of Cinder.

Vlamé, who had little immersion in the victory, asked about the next step.

In her view, this was just the simplest test, and it was time to relax.

The group looked at each other in bewilderment, and someone in the group took out the maps they had drawn so far to make measurements and calculations.

"Everyone, judging from the current situation, the road back is blocked, and it's almost impossible for us to clear it. Moreover, there will definitely be clones blocking our way. Even if we could, there's a risk of being buried alive in a chain reaction of landslides. It's best to wait for the outside to dig and open up the entrance again."

"My suggestion is to continue exploring."

"Because the outer perimeter of the tomb with the most complex mechanisms and terrain has been cleared, only the relatively clean main body of the tomb remains."

"Waiting for the Water Mirror Demon to continue creating clones is tantamount to sitting and waiting for death."

"How about it?"

Experts are responsible for analyzing the situation and providing professional opinions. Specific decisions will depend on everyone's opinions. Since there are only twenty people, there is ample opportunity to exchange opinions and vote collectively.

He then shared more specific information, including records of demons found in the tomb inscriptions, revealing as much information as possible.

Now it's a matter of either holding firm or moving forward.

Vlame took a deep breath and looked around. The dim, enormous temple building shimmered with a faint light. It was completely hidden in a huge mound of earth, never seeing the sun all year round, but now it was shining with a ray of light, adding to the dangerous atmosphere, as if welcoming visitors.

During a previous conversation with my mentor, she briefly mentioned her experience adventuring in a cemetery, a place she said was so dark that you couldn't see anything at all.

Having experienced this myself, Vlamé is actually quite looking forward to it.

"I agree."

The redhead then looked at Wayne, whose eyes flickered as he considered something else:

On the surface, holding firm seems like the safest option, but the system is constantly evolving. Or, to put it another way, when people have nothing to do, they start to feel anxious, which undermines morale and leads to collapse.

If it were a well-trained army, it would make everyone more resilient to pressure, but it wouldn't work against adventurers from all sides.

Staying behind is tantamount to surrendering.

Wayne replied solemnly, "According to the information we just received, the Water Mirror Demon's replication is limited by both time and space. Within a limited timeframe, it can replicate very few powerful beings. Since we have already defeated the most threatening Shadow Magic, we can continue our exploration."

"Go forward, into the deeper chambers of the tomb. I doubt anyone would refuse the treasures there."

Analyze the pros and cons to boost morale, and add a touch of enticement.

As expected, everyone agreed.

They were all shrewd and naturally understood that clinging to their positions was just as dangerous, so they decided to look on the bright side. Of course, they had to deliberately ignore one fact: the strongest among the Water Mirror Demon clones might exist.

After getting ready, the group continued their journey. Since there wasn't much left to go to reach the main tomb, they decided to make the most of it and explore it thoroughly.

exit.

"Dig faster, faster! I need everyone I can mobilize!"

Fenton, sweating profusely, directed the operation, even rolling up his sleeves to help move stones. With him setting an example, everyone worked hard to clear the collapsed rocks from the passage little by little.