Realization, and a Clear Promise

With a swing of her sword, shields shattered. With a flick of her finger, even the fiercest warrior stumbled. Because they were barbarians, defeating their leader would demoralize them. So the girl advanced, accompanied by whispers like the roar of a dragon.

"Zun Haal Viik" - Dragon Shout - Disarm

Shields slipped from hands, spears and swords fell to the ground. Even the tall, Elder Ghruul, who were like walking trees, couldn't hold onto their rough staffs.

All they could do was roar, trying to overwhelm Surtr with their numbers and weight, bare-handed. However, the Fear Aura weakened their fighting spirit, and even the most battle-hardened warriors could not withstand Miss Surtr's straight punches.

"Free Choice Punch - Randomly Throwing Attacks" - The Flame-haired maiden controlled her strength well. She ensured that this punch would at most cause hemiplegia, not be a complete limb split in two.

She pressed on, against the crowd and the toxic mist spewed out by the gurgling air. The advantage of numbers was meaningless under the precise control of her strength, for they lost their balance when they touched the hem of Miss Surtr's skirt, wobbling and crashing together before falling to pieces.

Self-selected Fist - Many Falls - She is proficient in all grappling techniques against humans or non-humans, against two hands or four arms or centipedes, and can put them into practice... She can even use a grappling technique to capture and knock down a slime, so these barbarian warriors who have only brute strength but cannot hold a weapon are naturally no problem at all.

Ten minutes later, she overcame all obstacles and arrived before Elder Goru, who was commanding the battle. With a single punch, a freshly baked concussion descended upon the world—the morale of the Goru barbarians completely collapsed. Not a single one died; the Fear Aura terrified them, causing them to scramble and disappear into the forest.

"A mob," the girl thought. "But who can she blame?"

She glanced at the sky; there was still quite some time before she could set off.

21/75?

Section 208. Awakening, Clarity of Agreement

Time can feel long while you're waiting.

The time is very short when used.

During those three hours, the Undead Legion launched probing attacks—hordes of beasts, roaming Ground Giant, and even cursed creatures, including the Giant Frog that spewed poisonous curses, were all driven to the area where Miss Surtr was. And yet, without exception, they all met their end at the girl's sword.

Surtr doesn't intend to kill them.

Therefore, none of them died completely in this battle.

But Surtr stripped them of their mobility, terrified the beasts, broke the giants' bones, and deprived the cursed monsters of their ability to unleash their curses.

Time flowed on, from the afternoon toward the slanting rays of the sun. And when the exact three-hour mark arrived, Miss Surtr gently lowered her eyes.

—My mood has calmed down.

—Now, I can perfectly control every effort I put in.

Close your eyes, open your eyes, and flames burn within your pupils.

She still didn't know the way to the Undead Legion Mausoleum, but she could sense the Lords of Cinder gathering in a certain direction. While she prepared herself, her opponent was already fully prepared.

That's good.

Take a step forward. The rocks and clods of earth then part to either side.

—I am... Surtr. I should be ready.

Miss Surtr thought to herself. She knew she was prepared for more than just battle.

She continued forward, the trees burning with each step. The hills cracked open by her will. The ground trembled, and a chasm tore open in the center of the uneven wasteland, into which she stepped, the earth behind her melting with each step she took.

Forward, forward, your breath is like boiling magma. The path behind you transforms into a scorching pool of fire, and all obstacles, natural or man-made, are destroyed by this blazing tide.

Beyond the wasteland lay vast plains. Many abandoned villages and towns stretched across the scorched, barren land.

Beyond the plains lay the swamp, a place rife with toxins. And this sticky, damp soil could not stop the spreading flames.

She walked forward, and the swamp beneath her feet transformed into parched, hard earth. Vast swirling vapors rose from the intense heat, billowing into the sky and forming thick clouds.

The temperature was too high, so there was no rain. Many swamp natives, scorched by the intense heat and terrifying aura, hurriedly fled outwards.

She continued on her way.

There were no obstructions or inconveniences. Some of the local inhabitants of Fran watched her from a distance, uneasy and fearful at her approach. Several Crystal Lizard fled in panic from their hiding place, causing quite a commotion along with the giant crabs that also lived in the swamp.

They were supposed to be obstacles.

But the fear of the powerful ultimately outweighed the Undead Legion's allure and guidance—they slunk away, venting their frustrations far from her. Some conflicts arose between the Gollums living around the swamp and the cursed Giant Mushroom, but the bloodshed among these natives went completely unnoticed by her.

She simply continued forward, forward— the Flame Altar of Farron spontaneously combusted with her progress. The protective gates leading to the shrine shattered along with their Guardian Magic the moment they opened at her will. As she stepped inside, some Faran natives, showing signs of ethereal transformation, retreated fearfully to either side of her path. Even the Ghruul Guard, arrayed in tight formation at the shrine entrance, growled uneasily at her, abandoning any courage to fight.

She stared at them, and they retreated.

As they retreated, a caravan surrounded by the Ghruul Guard, but unable to approach due to the presence of the Guardian Miracle, appeared before her.

—I am Surtr. I am ready.

Miss Surtr thought to herself that she knew the decisions she had to make were not limited to fighting.

Breathe.

The girl sensed her exceptionally lively and vibrant inner self.

She saw the curtain of the caravan lifted for her arrival, and the Fire Keeper and Filianore —no, let's call her Ferrenor—emerged from the carriage, offering her a welcome and sweet smiles.

The Gollum Guards seemed to sense something; they retreated cautiously, respectfully, and quietly from both sides of the shrine, leaving only the sealed shrine entrance beside the three—the Farron Undead Legion was ready for battle, and they wouldn't leave this most suitable home ground now, lest they be unable to give their all in the ensuing engagement.

So she looked at them.

They were also looking at her— the Fire Keeper's gaze was hidden behind her blindfold, her vision focused solely on her form. As Lian looked at her, she subconsciously glanced to the side, slightly surprised to find Kal'tsit not there.

Lotus is Lotus, Filianore is Filianore. The contract has been made, but the time for its fulfillment has not yet arrived.

—I haven't freed her yet, so she doesn't belong to me.

—She hasn't been liberated by me yet, so there are other people in her eyes besides me.

"Surtr ..." Ren asked her as she was pondering, "That Miss Kal'tsit?"

The Flame-haired maiden looked at her calmly.

"Kal'tsit has her own things to do," Miss Surtr replied. "I don't know what she's doing right now. But I know she's safe—I trust her abilities and decisions. We'll meet her in the right place after the exploration of Ashen Lake is over."

"It seems I've done something unnecessary." Lian lowered her head slightly.

"Not at all." Miss Surtr walked toward her—the vast land outside the shrine was already being spread by the flowing molten fire. And each step she took was accompanied by a warm breath.

"You helped me understand myself, giving me a clearer grasp of my true self and the situation I face—achieving this goal requires the combined effect of many factors. Countless coincidences led to my conclusions, and your help was an indispensable part of that."

Lian was slightly taken aback. In her understanding, Miss Surtr wasn't someone who could casually utter such simple yet riddle-like words. However, since the fact was now before her eyes, it meant that something far beyond her expectations and even her understanding had happened to Surtr.