Bai Shi looked at the Trolls, their eyes glowing with a searing yellow light, their faces twisted in agony, and confirmed that they were indeed possessed by the Frenzied Flame. The Frenzied Flame... Melina tightened her cloak, then tugged at the corner of Bai Shi’s sleeve. “The Frenzied Flame is present there.” Bai Shi nodded, and the two of them quickly departed. The Frenzied Flame's potential for destruction was immense, but there was no need to hunt down and exterminate every soul afflicted by it. While the means of its transmission were unknown, it was clear that despair was a beacon for the Frenzied Flame. And in certain environments, despair was highly contagious. They were simply powerless, filled with despair for the world. Of course, if they attacked others or attempted to spread the flame, they would have to be dealt with. Seeing that Bai Shi and Melina were concerned, Leda recalled what she knew and offered an explanation. “That is Yelough Anix. It seems to have been a rather important region before the Age of the Erdtree.” “There’s a mine behind those ruins that yields high-quality smithing stones. The Haligtree once considered reopening it.” “Unfortunately, the natives were not very friendly and difficult to communicate with. Coupled with the need to prevent the spread of the Frenzied Flame, the plan was ultimately abandoned.” Bai Shi smiled. It was a good thing they hadn’t. An Astel known as the ‘Stars of Darkness’ was hidden down there. Speaking of which, he wondered where the Astel that appeared after the Radahn Festival had gone. One had escaped back then, and there had been no sign of it since. And he had no way of knowing if new Astels and Fallingstar Beasts had continued to fall to the earth. He hoped no more strange creatures would be dropping into the Lands Between in the future. The group trekked toward the end of the Consecrated Snowfield. The vibrant red flowers beneath the ancient trees grew denser, gradually forming a solid carpet of crimson. Finally, as they passed the base of another towering ancient tree, Leda spoke softly. Thıs content belongs to 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⚫𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖⚫𝕟𝕖𝕥 “There are members of the Mohgwyn Dynasty stationed up ahead. We found this place but didn’t deal with them immediately, for fear of alerting our true target.” “These enemies from the Mohgwyn Dynasty don’t seem to rotate their guard. It’s always the same few, and they’ve grown complacent.” “Please wait a moment. We will take care of them quickly.” Bai Shi had little interest in such small fry. Since Leda and her companions wanted to handle it, he let them. Leda and Dane crept forward silently, then charged into a hollow in a tree that offered cover. They had long since scouted the movements of the Mohgwyn Dynasty Knights here. Before the others could react, they swiftly eliminated two of the Blood-Fingers. The Blood-Fingers and Mohgwyn Dynasty Knights stationed here had grown numb over the long years, never imagining they would be attacked. Only then did the other enemies belatedly rush out. Freyja leaped high into the air, bringing her greatsword down in a Lion’s Claw that cleaved a Mohgwyn Dynasty Knight in two from head to toe. With their numerical advantage rapidly diminishing, the difference in strength became glaringly obvious. The remaining enemies were quickly and utterly defeated. In just three to five minutes, Leda plunged her sword into the chest of the last Mohgwyn Dynasty Knight, ending a battle that was less a fight and more a one-sided slaughter. Only then did Bai Shi and Melina walk over, glancing at the bodies of the Mohgwyn Dynasty Knights and Blood-Fingers on the ground. There had been nine members of the Mohgwyn Dynasty here in total. After the first three were killed, the rest had stood no chance. Leda meticulously wiped the blood from her blade, restoring the ornate sword to its former pristine state. Sheathing her weapon, Leda guided Bai Shi to a massive, fallen ancient tree trunk nearby. They only needed to cross this natural bridge formed by the tree trunk to reach the cliff's edge on the other side. An ancient, weathered portal stood right at the verge of that cliff. “The portal is right there. Once activated, it will take you to the Mohgwyn Dynasty, where Mohg’s true body is hidden.” Hearing Leda’s words, Bai Shi nodded. They had finally arrived. However, Bai Shi didn’t rush in immediately. Instead, he looked at Leda. “You all should rest for a bit.” “Don’t be so quick to refuse. As we agreed, once we’re inside, no matter what happens, I won’t be responsible for your lives.” “You’d best consider your companions.” Leda hesitated. Their condition was still good; they had some minor injuries, but nothing serious. In the end, after some thought, she decided to take a short rest to recover to their peak condition before entering. Bai Shi and Melina took the opportunity to sit down close together on the tree trunk, relaxing for a moment as well. After a while, a Runebear that had been wandering nearby appeared at the site of the slaughter. The Runebear began tearing at the corpses of the Mohgwyn Dynasty Knights, making a meal of them. It seemed to be a picky eater, taking a bite from one body before moving to another, inadvertently shortening the distance between itself and Bai Shi’s group. Halfway through its meal, the Runebear suddenly changed its behavior. It let out a guttural roar and charged the group resting on the tree trunk. The next moment, it was impaled to the ground by Bai Shi's sword-spear. Planting a foot on the struggling Runebear, Bai Shi brought his other foot down and crushed its skull. The snowfield finally returned to its serene silence. Bai Shi pulled out his sword-spear and flicked it casually, the droplets of blood painting an arc across the snow. In his past life, Bai Shi had read something online about bears. Supposedly, a bear would pretend to be interested in something else to lower the guard of other creatures, then launch a surprise attack after closing the distance. He never thought the Runebears in the Lands Between would exhibit the same behavior. After Bai Shi easily dispatched the Runebear, Leda and the others rose to their feet, nodding to him. After a short period of rest and healing, they had fully recovered. The group walked together toward the portal leading to the Mohgwyn Dynasty. Suddenly, a terrifying roar erupted from behind them. The roar of this unknown beast was completely different from any they had encountered before. The horrifying sound was so powerful that it sent the crimson flowers on the snow fluttering into the air, where they were torn to shreds. Bai Shi turned around, a look of keen interest on his face. After the roar, an immense figure finally emerged from behind the ancient trees. It was, without a doubt, a Runebear. But this was no ordinary Runebear. It was a Red Bear. None of the three, Leda and her companions, would be a match for it in single combat. The Red Bear charged toward them, its eyes filled with ferocious intent. Even on all fours, its shoulders were far taller than the previous Runebear’s. Its terrifying size was such that even a common dragon would likely not measure up to its bulk. Watching the Red Bear charge, Bai Shi stroked his chin and observed it closely. He had never seen a Runebear before; it was completely different from the gray-furred ones native to the snowfield. This creature was covered in black and red fur, the vibrant red hairs forming strange patterns. Combined with its fierce eyes, it truly looked like it was bristling with rage. Furthermore, several large, twisted horns grew from its head—unmistakably Omen horns. He didn’t know if these horns were a natural product of the Crucible’s power. Or if it had developed Omen characteristics from exposure to Mohg’s cursed blood. Did killing a simple Runebear provoke the true master of this territory? To dare to sport such conspicuous red fur in a place like the Consecrated Snowfield, this creature was undoubtedly the apex predator of the region. It had no natural enemies and needed to hide from nothing, hence its brazen appearance. Judging by its size, this must have been the beast that attacked the caravan escorting St. Trina’s Torch. That would explain it. The wounds on the carriage had indeed been caused by a Runebear. As he was thinking, the Red Bear had already closed the distance with incredible speed. It seemed to have caught the scent of Runebear blood on Bai Shi and targeted him specifically. Bai Shi raised his sword-spear, sweeping it horizontally to block one of the bear’s paws. Its other claw took advantage of the opening, whistling through the air as it descended, intending to crush Bai Shi. Calculating the distance with perfect precision, Bai Shi took a single step back, letting the claw scrape past his face by a hair’s breadth. Its attack having missed, the Red Bear pressed its claw deeper into the snow, and a wave of magic instantly spread outward. Bai Shi sensed the power coursing through the ground, ready to erupt, and a look of surprise crossed his face. This move seemed familiar. Could it be...? Just as Bai Shi had sensed, the Red Bear unleashed a ground-shattering stomp identical to the ones used by Godfrey and the Crucible Knights. The magic released by the Red Bear instantly ripped up the frozen earth beneath the thick snow, sending chunks of rock flying. Anyone standing their ground would have surely been thrown off their feet. But Bai Shi had already reappeared in another spot, completely unaffected by the stomp. Now his curiosity about the Red Bear grew even stronger. He hadn’t seen anything before. He might as well see what other moves it had. Having its attacks miss one after another sent the Red Bear into an even greater frenzy. And since Bai Shi was only dodging and had yet to attack, it charged forward once more without restraint. Upon reaching Bai Shi, the Red Bear swung both of its massive paws in quick succession. The swift claws created a vacuum, and vortexes of wind spiraled around them like phantom talons. This astonished Bai Shi even more. This thing could even use storms? However, using storm abilities in front of Bai Shi was clearly not a good idea. With a slight exertion of his power, the storms winding around the Red Bear’s arms instantly turned against it. The vortexes carved deep gashes into its forelimbs, leaving them dripping with blood. Bai Shi could now confirm that this Red Bear was a native creature of the Lands Between, its Omen horns a clear mark of the Crucible's influence. This Red Bear was truly formidable. Its strength and speed were immense, and it possessed both earth-shattering stomps and storm abilities. Bai Shi felt that Godrick probably couldn't beat this bear. He had seen enough of its moves. There was no need to hold back any longer. Bai Shi leaped into the air, landing squarely on the Red Bear's back. Feeling Bai Shi on its back, the Red Bear grew even more enraged and feral. As the apex predator of the snowfield, when had it ever been so humiliated?! The Red Bear immediately swung its claws back, trying to swat Bai Shi off. But Bai Shi casually dodged, causing all of the Red Bear's attacks to land on its own back. Realizing it had no way to harm Bai Shi, the Red Bear immediately charged toward a thick, towering ancient tree, as if intending to ram it head-on. Bai Shi shook his head. It was still just a bear, after all. Its intelligence was a bit lacking. Seeing the Red Bear’s plan, Bai Shi waited quietly, only leaping off nonchalantly a moment before it was about to collide with the tree. However, the Red Bear didn't slow down. It actually ran straight up the tree trunk, then leaped down, attempting to crush Bai Shi from above. Oh, right. Bears can climb trees. Bai Shi raised his sword-spear, undoing all the seals that limited its form, and it expanded to its true size. Bai Shi made no other move. He simply held the massive sword-spear aloft, pointing it at the falling Red Bear, waiting for it to impale itself. Seeing the weapon expand to a size beyond its comprehension, panic flickered in the Red Bear's eyes. Unable to change direction mid-air, it could only swat a paw forward, allowing the sword-spear to pierce the fur and flesh of its shoulder and graze all the way down. The Red Bear crashed to the ground in a heap, landing right in front of Bai Shi. Bai Shi looked at its head, which was several sizes larger than a normal Runebear’s, and sent a vicious kick into its jaw. The kick was so powerful it sent the Red Bear’s entire upper body airborne, saliva flying everywhere. The massive impact caused the bear’s brain to rattle inside its skull. After a moment of dizziness, its fury was reignited. The pain pushed its rage to the absolute limit. As its body fell back down, it propped itself up with its front paws and let out a ferocious roar at Bai Shi. The blizzard in the Consecrated Snowfield was shattered by the roar, as if the very storm had been halted for an instant. The flowers on the ground were ripped up by their roots, flung into the sky, and then shredded by the sound waves. Even the nearby Dung Beetles abandoned the items they had been collecting for years, unfurled their wings, and hastily flew away, scrambling to escape. Nearby, Leda and her companions were all shaken by the sheer force of the roar. Blood trickled from their ears, and their internal organs pulsed from the shockwave. Melina also frowned, not out of pain, but because it was simply too loud. When the Red Bear finished its roar, it was met with the sight of a dragon’s head, its massive jaws agape, lunging towards it. It couldn’t believe any creature could withstand its roar. The next moment, Agheel's dragon head snapped down on its own. But the Red Bear was not one to back down. It opened its massive maw, and their jaws locked in an X-shape. At the same time, it hooked its claws onto the dragon’s upper and lower jaws, looking as though it might break free at any moment. Bai Shi smiled, and a terrifying flame began to gather within the dragon’s mouth. Instantly, the flames of Agheel surged forth, completely engulfing the Red Bear. Agonized howls erupted from the Red Bear. By the time it struggled free from the inferno, its once-brilliant red fur was partially scorched away. Blood flowed from its mouth, and its eyes burned with boundless hatred for Bai Shi, as well as a flicker of panic hidden deep within. Looking at the bear’s singed fur, Bai Shi suddenly felt a tinge of regret. This might be the only bear of its kind in the Lands Between. He wouldn’t spare it for attacking him, but the pelt was innocent. It could have been used to make a cloak or a piece of armor. Well, what’s done is done. He might as well finish it off quickly. Bai Shi transformed into a bolt of lightning, appearing in the air behind the Red Bear, his hand grasping his sword-spear, now expanded to its maximum size. He casually dropped the sword-spear from the air, and it shot down with incredible speed, piercing straight through the massive body of the Red Bear. The Red Bear roared on the ground, repeatedly trying to push itself up and break free, but the magic of gravity had already locked it in place. Waves of gravity materialized around it, pinning it firmly to the ground, rendering it powerless to escape. Bai Shi descended from the sky, his Starscourge Greatsword in hand, and brought it down with the force of a falling mountain. As the Red Bear's head flew high into the air, all sound ceased. Gazing at the head—half-burnt, yet still fixed with the ferocious rage it held in life—Bai Shi put away his weapon. There were many powerful creatures in the Lands Between, beings that possessed strength far beyond others of their kind. Like the Red Bear before him, the Ancestor Spirit of the underground, the Stormhawk King of old, and the not-yet-fully-grown Shivr. These beings were born with unparalleled abilities and possessed unimaginable power. This Red Bear could easily be considered boss-level. Bai Shi beckoned Leda and the others, preparing to leave. But surprisingly, Dane, who had been quiet the entire journey, stepped in front of Bai Shi. He pointed to the Red Bear’s claws, then mimicked the bear's attack motions. Bai Shi didn’t quite understand him but could tell there was something special about the bear’s claws. Leda, having spent a long time with Dane, seemed to grasp his meaning and stepped forward to explain. “Lord Bai Shi, Dane is a warrior who fights with his fists and feet, so he has a great understanding of various combat styles and related weapons.” “He has likely recognized that this bear’s power resides in its claws. He wishes to inform you that if they are crafted into a weapon, you should be able to wield its power. You shouldn’t leave behind your spoils of war.” Dane nodded, a smile visible beneath his wide-brimmed hat. Bai Shi understood. So that was what he meant. In the game, there were many weapons made from monster parts, or that were literally parts of the monsters themselves. And he himself had once crafted weapons from the horns of two dragons. He simply hadn't considered what could be made from these claws. If one were to make a weapon from bear claws, it would probably have to be a fist weapon. Bai Shi cut off the pair of claws and stored them in his spatial disc. Now everything was truly taken care of. Bai Shi stood before the portal to the Mohgwyn Dynasty and activated it with his magic. After a moment of dizziness, Bai Shi and his companions were transported to the Mohgwyn Dynasty. They appeared in a stone grotto, below which was a downward-sloping path—the cliffside road leading into the Mohgwyn Dynasty proper. Bai Shi's gaze swept downward, taking in the familiar Albinaurics, the familiar blood-crows. Today, he was making another withdrawal from the blood bank. With his eyesight, Bai Shi could clearly see a magnificent, temple-like building perched atop a distant mountain peak. The Albinaurics below had already spotted them. They all stood up, preparing to repel the intruders. But Bai Shi was not at all concerned about being discovered. He walked to the edge of the grotto and took aim at the distant temple. A brilliant spear of sunlight, radiating an intense heat, coalesced in his hand. He raised the spear high and threw it with all his might. A blinding streak of sunlight shot across the false night sky of the underground cavern, like a dawn breaking through the darkness. The spear of sunlight crossed the vast distance in an instant and struck the temple on the distant mountaintop with perfect accuracy. Blinding light erupted from within, and a massive explosion collapsed a large portion of the temple. And at that moment, Bai Shi's enraged roar echoed across the sky. “Mohg, come out and face your death!”