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

Since we have such little information,

we should prepare just in case it doesn't have a mind.

In that case, we'll have to use sheer force.

Is that possible?

I don't know.

Um, in that case...

I might be able to kill Mistress Frieren.

Yeah?

Yes.

Well then, let's draft up a plan.

ORIGINAL STORY BY KANEHITO YAMADA / TSUKASA ABE

First, let's make sure we're on the same page.

In the event that the clone has a mind,

we'll use Edel's hypnosis magic

to break through my mental defense.

-And to have Fern kill me. Is that right? -Yes.

How can you say "yes" so easily?

Dünste.

Where is Edel?

We were attacked by Sense's clone,

and she dropped out of the exam.

I see. And Blei as well?

I was able to run to safety because he bought me time.

I hope he was able to escape safely.

Don't mind me! Go!

But...

Anything's better than having zero participants pass.

I have information.

Will you cooperate with me?

I was willing to do that from the very beginning.

Is there anyone who can heal?

I have Scriptures, so I can perform simple healing magic.

Thank you.

I see.

So the clones don't have minds.

That's right. According to Edel,

they're just imitating the workings of a mind very precisely.

But they don't have a real mind.

Now there is no easy way of defeating it.

We have to draft up a plan with that in mind.

That being said,

there are still too many unknown factors.

The biggest issue to focus on

is the identity of those clones and the caster of the spell.

We can't take action until we understand their nature.

We especially need to find out if they really don't have any weaknesses.

If that clone is really on the same level as Frieren,

some of us may end up dead.

I won't give any answers.

I thought so.

It doesn't have any weaknesses.

The one manipulating the clones

is a monster from mythical times called Spiegel.

Lawine.

How do you know?

My oldest brother was part of the advance party sent by

the Continental Magic Association to raid the Ruins of the King's Tomb.

So you had information?

No wonder you were able to make it this far.

But what you did wasn't very logical.

If you knew, you should have

shared this information and cooperated with us from the beginning.

No one seemed to be in the mood to cooperate.

Plus, Frieren and Fern went in ahead of us before we knew it.

And you, old man,

are the type to abandon your comrades if it's not against the rules.

Why would we cooperate with you?

You really got on their bad side.

I am, indeed, an old man.

But it hurts when you say it to my face.

-You should probably apologize. -Sorry about that, old man.

According to the observations of the advance party,

Spiegel is on the other side of that door,

inside the treasure vault.

Supposedly, the monster itself

is weak and has no means of attack.

If you defeat it, all the clones will disappear.

That matches up with the results from our mana detection.

The monster is beyond that door.

But that door has a powerful binding spell cast on it.

I noticed that too.

My clone must have done that.

The spell that shuts the door of a treasure vault at the risk of your life.

It's one of the most powerful binding spells in all folk magic.

That door will not open unless the caster dies.

We could ignore the door completely and break down the wall,

but it probably has a workaround for that too.

Either way, in order to get to Spiegel,

we have no choice but to defeat that clone.

Then you'd better hurry up.

What do you mean?

Spiegel creates clones of everyone inside the dungeon.

And those clones

instinctively flock to the innermost depths over time.

Aside from my brother's unit,

most of the members of the previous advance party were annihilated.

They were annihilated right here,

just before the innermost depths.

I see.

Excuse me.

The clones imitate the workings of a mind very precisely, right?

That means they have the same behavioral weaknesses

as their originals, right?

Most likely.

In that case, we might have a chance.

What is this "weakness" you're talking about?

Mistress Frieren,

can you please stand by that wall over there?

Sure.

This is...

It can't be...

Unbelievable...

Did you notice?

-Do you get it? -No.

This is, indeed, Frieren's fatal flaw.

Why didn't I notice this when I fought her?

No...

I knew she was skilled, and that preconception prevented me from noticing.

The moment she uses magic,

her mana detection is interrupted for a split second.

Isn't that a common mistake made by apprentice mages?

I've always been bad at that.

If you were aware of it, why didn't you tell us?

Because it's embarrassing.

Now is not the time to be saying that.

But all her other skills are just too exceptional.

Very few mages would be able to actually

take advantage of her flaw.

Anyway, let's just start a strategy meeting.

Even if we get rid of Frieren's clone...

Mistress Frieren, you look like you're having fun.

Yeah.

Sounds like we have a plan.

Eisen, you distract the monster while I attack from the side.

Frieren, you provide covering fire.

What about Heiter?

He has a hangover, so he's useless today.

He's dead.

I just remembered how

we used to have discussions like this when we fought dungeon bosses.

All right.

Let's start our raid.

Can we win?

Don't worry.

There is no such thing as a dungeon that can't be raided.

I'm the mage from the party

that has raided the most dungeons in history.

Are you sure you want to fight Frieren's clone

all by yourselves?