Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (葬送のフリーレン)

If anyone can kill you,

it's the Demon King

or a human mage.

ORIGINAL STORY BY KANEHITO YAMADA / TSUKASA ABE

She blocked it.

Not surprising.

From here it will be

a battle of attrition.

They really were here.

It's just as Methode detected.

Don't get in my way.

Right back at you.

Methode figured out the exact locations of our enemies.

If it turns into a melee, we have no chance of winning.

Let's split up and stop the clones

before they assemble here.

We've told each other who our toughest opponents would be.

If it's a tough opponent for you,

it should be a tough opponent for your clone as well.

In terms of being able to communicate and cooperate,

we have an advantage.

If we choose who we fight wisely,

we can have the upper hand to some extent.

If you can't defeat them alone,

try to outnumber them.

It's almost funny how easy it is to fight her.

If we keep this up, we can stop the clones.

Okay, let's go according to plan.

All right. I wish you good luck.

There's one concern.

The total number of clones I can detect

is less than the number of examinees.

And what's more,

I cannot detect our biggest threat, which is Sense's clone.

You're right, I can't detect it either.

We can't overlook the existence of Sense's clone.

If we get caught in crossfire, I won't be able to protect Fern.

Worst-case scenario, we both may die.

I'm not able to detect the locations of Fern and Denken's clones either.

We have no choice but to use more accurate close-range detection.

If you weren't here,

we wouldn't have to worry about this.

First-class mages must be able to

overcome even the most absurd adversities.

This doesn't even count as adversity.

Plus, you get to pass the exam just by covering each other's backs.

It is such an easy, peaceful exam.

We defeated it.

But it's not the greatest feeling.

A surprise attack?

What a monster...

I don't remember stopping my mana detection.

Lawine, you should break your bottle too.

You're mature enough to know your limits, aren't you?

There will be another exam in three years.

Damn it!

I didn't make it in time, huh?

But the outcome wouldn't have been any different

even if I had assisted them.

Even while her back is facing me, I don't see any window of opportunity.

In any case, I still need to at least buy some time.

Aren't you Denken, the Imperial Mage?

What's the situation?

Are you planning on fighting that thing?

I don't think you will win.

I am aware of that.

Hey, Denken, is this a necessary step in raiding the dungeon?

Right now, Frieren is...

I don't need an explanation. Is this a necessary step or not?

It is.

Then I'll defeat it.

What are you talking about?

Denken is the strongest among us.

And first of all, you couldn't even win against Wirbel.

That's not what this is about, though.

Indeed, I am an inexperienced third-class mage.

I am substantially weaker than Denken and Wirbel.

But I'm pretty sure I can win against Sense.

This is the spell I specialize in.

Reelseiden, a spell that can cut through pretty much anything.

It will cut through anything that I deem cuttable.

And it will not cut anything that I deem uncuttable.

So what?

Defensive magic can easily block that spell.

Oh, that's right,

you were watching me fight Wirbel.

Well, defensive magic is made to block magic, after all.

I can't really visualize myself cutting through it.

Is that right?

Then it won't work against Sense either way.

Just from what I can detect, that hair is covered

with multiple layers of magic that work like defensive magic.

Like I said, I don't care about all that logical stuff.

It's all about visualizing.

Hey, wait.

As I thought, Sorganeil won't work.

Hair is part of the body, after all.

It's impossible to keep her entire body within sight.

Reelseiden.

As expected, Übel is the one fighting my clone, huh?

I already know the outcome.

It probably won't even escalate into a battle.

That was two years ago, during the second-class mage exam...

The proctor assigned to the second stage of the exam

was Burg, a first-class mage.

Since the time he became a first-class mage,

he had never once suffered a single wound during battle.

He was a mage who specialized in defensive magic.

The Immovable Cloak.

It's a cloak he made from magic

that was embedded with defensive spells that repelled all offensive magic.

For the second stage of the exam,

the examinees were to aim offensive magic at the cloaked Burg,

and they simply had to make him take a step back to pass.

The rule prohibiting the act of killing

was only there to keep their offensive magic

under control for the safety of the other examinees.

Next.

Nobody was worried about Burg's safety.

I cut too much.

But a nameless girl who was a newly appointed third-class mage

killed him like it was nothing.

I'm disqualified, aren't I? I know.

Can I go home now?

I just have one question.

Go ahead.

How were you able to break through the Immovable Cloak?

Um, have you ever done any sewing, Sense?

No. What about it?

I thought so. You look like your family is well-off.

Or maybe you use magic to take care of all that stuff?

Well, you know,

I'm clumsy, so I've never done it myself either.

But I used to watch my older sister sew all the time.

When you cut the fabric,

you place the scissors like this and slice it in one sweep.

It makes a wonderful sound.

I loved that sound.

Where are you going with this?

I'm talking about visualization.

Fabrics are made to be cut.