Like a Dream, an Illusion, a Bubble, a Shadow

Dugu Qing and Frieren had only encountered the clone once, and there were still many things they didn't understand.

It's unclear what exactly the clone copied from itself.

Power, magic, techniques? Spells? And perhaps memories?

In that case, our own mage should be able to use mind control magic to control the opponent and easily end the battle!

The group gathered together, discussing the battle plan.

"Tap tap~"

A heavy footstep came from around the corner.

Covered in wounds, Dunst leaned against the wall and slowly walked out.

Methode's heart tightened. She stepped into her boots, walked up to Dunst, took out the Holy Scripture, and began to heal the wound on his shoulder.

"My friends, everyone..."

Dunst regretfully informs everyone that Edel, who is skilled in mental magic, encountered an attack from a clone of Jian Ze and used Escape Golem to escape the labyrinth.

"Is that so? In that case, we can no longer use mental magic to control the clones."

Denken looked somewhat saddened, his face grim.

"Even if she were still alive, it wouldn't work, because the clone doesn't have a heart; it's merely a precise imitation of the heart's functions."

Dunst recounted Edel's analysis.

Frieren's smile vanished, her brows furrowing slightly. "It seems we can't easily defeat the clones now!"

She was able to easily defeat Dugu Qing's clone because she had the help of the more powerful Frieren. Now, facing Frieren's clone, she has no one stronger than Frieren to help her...

Denken, Methode... analyzed the clones, searching for any potential weaknesses.

Lavina and Kanne approached from afar, panting, to deliver some breaking news.

The clone has no weaknesses; it is an absolutely perfect being.

The one controlling the clones is a monster from the mythical era, the Water Mirror Demon.

According to the advance team of the maze strategy, Lavina's elder brother said that the Water Mirror Demon, who controls all the clones, has no combat power of its own and is hiding in the deepest secret chamber.

Only by defeating that guy will all the clones disappear.

"So, in the end, it's still going to be a tough battle!"

"There's no other way but to fight."

All hope vanished from everyone's mind, and they prepared for a decisive battle with the enemy.

Dugu Qing's heart sank. Was he going to face off against the clone of Frieren head-on?

With only two hundred years of magical power and a dozen years of magical experience, can he really win?

Fern looked at Denken calmly and inquired about the details.

"So, the ability to replicate and imitate so precisely is like a copycat's function, right? Then the weaknesses arising from the behavior pattern must also be the same as the original, right?"

Denken nodded slightly.

Fern rested his chin on his hand, pondering the situation carefully, and confirmed one of Frieren's weaknesses. "In that case, there should still be a way to deal with it."

Frieren looked at Fern with a puzzled expression.

Fern made Frieren stand against the wall and launched a normal attack at her.

Frieren raised her hand in defense, interrupting her magical detection for a very short time the instant she used magic.

Dugu Qing looked at Fern in surprise, not expecting her to be so perceptive, able to discover even such a small weakness. No wonder she is the youngest Third-Class Mage in history!

The group sat together and, based on Frieren's weakness, devised a battle plan.

Lavina and Kanne suddenly started arguing again.

Lavina couldn't argue with Kanne, so she pounced on him, straddled Kanne, pinned him down, and grabbed his twin ponytails.

Kanne wailed loudly, pounding the floor with his fists.

Everyone was astonished by the two beautiful young sisters; even in the midst of a crisis, they still had the mind to joke around.

If they don't fall from grace, their future will be limitless!

After Fern revealed that he had a way to kill Frieren, he was worried that Frieren would be upset, but she seemed quite happy.

Fern was puzzled. "Ms. Frieren, you seem to be very happy!"

Frieren smiled gently and affirmatively, "Yes!"

She blinked her blue eyes, recalling the scene from many years ago when she stood on the cliff with Serie.

"If anyone could kill you, they would either be Demon King or a human mage."

Serie's golden hair fluttered as she worried that as humans grew up, they would threaten the elves and damage their supreme status.

His words revealed the confidence and pride of Mage of God, his fear of death, and his pursuit of control.

At that moment, golden sunlight streamed down, a gentle breeze ruffled her bangs, and Frieren calmly gazed at the sea of clouds, her thoughts wandering...

Death is not scary; death is like a cool night, allowing one to sleep peacefully without worry.

That's right, many people are afraid of death, and in order to avoid it, they even spend their remaining time fighting against it.

But Frieren was never afraid of death. In her mind, death was an extension of life, something to be neither afraid of nor avoided.

It comes naturally and goes naturally.

Like the birth and death of the universe, like a dream, like a bubble, like the evaporation of a black hole, like the disappearance of a butterfly, like dew, like lightning...

Isn't that ironic?

Human emperors and generals desperately try to prolong their lifespans, but Frieren, can look at death with equanimity, gazing at it from a superior perspective.

Unfortunately, Frieren possessed a near-eternal lifespan, and in the long river of time, she experienced far too many sensations she did not wish to experience.

Now, the model student Fern suddenly tells Frieren, "I've discovered your weakness."

Frieren was secretly pleased; what a good discovery!

Vadashi is a human being, a living being, and he too feels sadness, cries, and sheds tears... How could he not have weaknesses!

Fern, who was able to discover her own weaknesses, must have been very attentive to herself in her daily life!

Otherwise, how could one possibly discover their own weaknesses?

In contrast, it's somewhat disheartening that Dugu Qing didn't even realize his own weakness.

Well!

Dugu Qing must usually focus all his attention on food and creating magic, only caring about traveling, enjoying the scenery, and admiring the flowers and the moon... It's really sad!

Thinking this, Frieren gave Dugu Qing an encouraging look.

Please keep an eye on me in the future, my dear friend!

Dugu Qing floated in the air, wondering what Frieren's gaze meant, and blinked her eyes curiously.

The group shared all the intelligence they had gathered and formulated a battle plan.

Frieren suggested that not too many people should enter the main hall, otherwise it would cause huge casualties.

Denken asked Frieren who she needed help with.

Frieren's gaze lingered between Dugu Qing and Fern.

Fern is gentle, thoughtful, and exceptionally talented; compared to other humans, she is truly a genius.

But...

Dugu Qing Qingxian possesses unparalleled talent, innate wisdom, and unmatched wisdom in the world. He is a peerless genius, the only one of his kind in Frieren's life.

Choosing Fern might result in Fern being injured, and could even lead to his death in battle.

Choosing Dugu Qing almost guarantees a win; who knows, if Dugu Qing encounters danger, he might have a burst of inspiration and invent another magic spell?

So, Frieren spoke up and made her choice.

"Dugu Qing, just come in with me. The two of us will definitely be able to destroy the clones."