The Great Barrier ｢
Summary
A dejected Macht sits inside the destroyed Fortress City of Weise and laments his failure to feel new emotions. Before he can proceed to leave the city, however, Serie appears behind him and demands he return the city back to normal or be killed. It turns out that Macht cannot return the city back to normal, which Serie takes note of and concludes it is because Macht is a monster who cannot understand humankind and thus cannot construct a visualization of himself returning people back from gold. Enraged at her provocation, Macht attempts to use his magic on her, but it is reflected back onto his own body, making the demon take a step back.
When asked about her identity, Serie introduces herself as a Great Mage who has lived for so long that even the demons have forgotten the fear she brought. Macht, realizing that the enemy is different than everyone else he has fought, dispells the curse applied on himself and engages in battle. They fight for a while, where Serie effectively neutralizes all of Macht's attacks, taunting the demon in the meantime to his chagrin. In the midst of their confrontation, Lernen and another first-class mage intervene, temporarily containing Macht in a magic prison. Lernen appeals to Serie to leave the demon alive until they can find a method to return Weise back to normal. He proposes that the first-class mages will seal Macht inside a barrier until a solution can be found, and Serie accedes to his proposal after he persists in asking her, and Macht is thus sealed inside the Fortress City of Weise.
Macht's memories conclude as Frieren and Denken finish the initial analysis of his memories. Frieren continues to analyze the memories in more depth. Due to the process taking up too much of her mana, Frieren cannot move afterwards and relies on Fern for help. At the same time, Solitär shows up at the Great Barrier of the Golden Land and begins to break it down.
Plot Details
Macht remains inside the Fortress City of Weise after bringing about its destruction, to the point of losing track of how many days have passed. He laments the fact that he still remains alive in spite of the Stone Bracelet of Servitude's command, meaning he has failed to gain any new emotions. The demon tells himself that he cannot stay inside Weise forever and decides to leave, yet he still clings to the feeling that he has been able to grasp something back when he decided to destroy the city. He resolves to move on and make it work the next time, but Serie shows up behind him, declaring that there will be no next time for him and demands he return everything to normal.
Macht is caught off-guard as he was not able to detect her mana until she declared her presence, and asks who she is. Serie restates her demand, saying that a demon should not risk his life to keep the city golden. When Macht still does not return the city to normal, Serie smirks. It turns out that Macht himself cannot revert his magic on people. Serie explains that magic is the world of visualization. As such, transmuting people into gold is not equivalent to recreating people from gold. Since Macht is a "monster who does not understand human beings", he cannot visualize himself turning people back from gold, thus rendering his curse irreversible once cast. Macht is greatly angered by Serie's statement. Notwithstanding the threat she is to his life, he turns around and grabbed Serie's shoulder, attempting to cast his magic on her. However, the curse begins to affect his hand instead, making the demon retreat.
Macht quickly realizes that his magic has been deflected back onto him. Serie says she would have been able to reflect the curse onto his whole body if he had tried to turn her to gold a little more seriously. He questions how it is possible, since the principles of Diagoldze are indecipherable with the magical techniques of mankind. Serie tells him that there is no need to understand its principles, since the magic she is using, Curse Reversal Magic: Mistilziela, simply reflects anything it perceives to be a "curse" back at the caster. She calls it the proof of mankind's wisdom during the Mythical Era, as well as an extremely primitive magic which disregards all analysis. It is a magic she dislikes, but it is perfectly suited to deal with Macht. She chides Macht for the destruction of Weise, commenting that he has quite overdone it.
When the demon asks her identity again, Serie introduces herself as a Great Mage who has lived so long ago that even the demons have forgotten the fear she used to strike in them. Macht acknowledges her as different from all the reckless daredevils who have challenged him before. He reverts the curse reflected on his right hand and turns his cloak into a golden blade. He lunges forward and strikes Serie with it. The elven mage defends herself with a space-warping magic, musing on how fascinating it is that Macht is capable of returning his own body from gold. She attacks back with a blast-type magic, which Macht defends himself from by remaking his coat and turning it into gold as a shield. Serie recognizes that he can revert the coat as well. She taunts Macht that in spite of the excellent magical technique he possesses, he still cannot construct a visualization of remaking people from gold; in the end, even though he is close to the pinnacle of magic, he is but a monster in nature.
Macht appears insulted at this insinuation, telling Serie to shut up. He remakes his sword and attacks Serie with multiple Zoltraaks. The elf effortlessly blocks them with defensive magic before unleashing an explosive counterattack. As the explosion fades, Macht is revealed to have guarded himself with a sphere of defensive magic, which intrigues Serie even further to see a demon capable of using multiple kinds of magic. She asks Macht what magic he is about to show her next, but before Macht can respond, a first-class mage appears and interrupts the fight. He summons a small barrier to seal Macht inside as Lernen approached the battlefield.
Macht and Serie both remark that their battle has been interfered with. Serie scolds her apprentices for making unnecessary interferences as she has told them to stand guard outside. Lernen appeals to Serie that if she kills Macht then, they will lose the magic of Diagoldze forever and with it the chance to save the Fortress City of Weise. Serie lightly chastises Lernen for the idea, claiming that Macht is too powerful to be left alive. If Macht feels like it, he will be able to transform the entire Northern Plateau into gold. Nevertheless, Lernen persists with his request and proposes that the first-class mages present will seal Macht inside the Fortress City of Weise until they can find a way to revert the curse, no matter how long it will take. Serie expresses her skepticism at the prospect yet accedes to the proposal regardless, declaring she has already lost interest and they can do whatever they liked. Lernen thanks her for the permission and proceeds to form the Great Barrier of the Golden Land along with the other first-class mages present.
Back in the present, Denken and Frieren have finished reading all of Macht's memories. Frieren continues to analyze Macht's memories further. The process has consumed a large amount of Frieren's mana, rendering her all but motionless as a consequence. As Fern comes behind her to support her, she says her apprentice will have to help feed her, change her clothes, bathe her, and tie her hair. Fern retorts that it is what she always does for Frieren anyways, but is cut off short as she senses an enormous amount of mana for a split moment. On the edge of the barrier, Solitär shows up, declaring that it is time to decipher the Great Barrier of the Golden Land.
Characters in Order of Appearance
Locations
- Fortress City of Weise (the Golden Land)
Battles and Events
Battles
Objects of Interest
Spells
- Spell to Transmute All Creation into Gold: Diagoldze
- Curse Reversal Magic: Mistilziela
- Zoltraak
- Defensive Magic