Chapter 55

Second Stage Exam End is the fifty-fifth chapter of Kanehito Yamada and Abe Tsukasa's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Summary
Right after the events of the previous chapter, Methode seeks out Wirbel's group and asks for their cooperation. Wirbel agrees that his group will fight Denken's Spiegel clone, while Methode herself will fight Fern's clone. The previously defeated Spiegel clones return, and the mages fight a war of attrition until the main body of Spiegel is defeated, with some being eliminated in the process. Frieren takes a blow from her clone in order to give Fern a bigger opening, and Fern manages to deal a fatal wound to the clone. It is able to retaliate with a powerful attack, but this leaves it open for Frieren to finish it off with Zoltraak. With the clone dead, the seal on the door breaks, and Frieren defeats Spiegel, ending the exam. Sense congratulates all the remaining participants and says that they have passed the second stage of the exam. Meanwhile, Frieren has gotten stuck in a mimic again.

Plot Details
Around the same time as the end of the previous chapter, Methode meets with Wirbel, Scharf, and Ehre. Methode explains the situation to Wirbel and requests his assistance. Scharf discloses that they have already dealt with three clones. Methode senses that Sense's clone has just been crushed by Übel, which comes as a surprise to Scharf, but Wirbel is unsurprised as he knows that the matchup was in Übel's favor. Methode explains that a battle between mages is akin to a complicated game of rock-paper-scissors that is difficult to predict and involves a myriad of moves.

Wiirbel agrees to assist the mages in holding back the clones. He asserts that he is not the type to trust others but is not foolish enough to let a winning opportunity slip away. Methode tasks Wirbel's group with fighting Denken's clone, while she will confront Fern's clone. Methode needs to concentrate on detecting Fern's mana alone. Ehre asks if she can handle Fern's clone alone, as Fern is quite strong, to which Methode replies that she is one of many talents and that stopping someone is her specialty. Additionally, she has also confirmed that restraint magic would work on Fern.

After the death of Sense's clone, Land is puzzled as Sorganeel is cast on him once again. Übel and Land's clones approach Denken, Übel, and Land despite having been killed already. The three are additionally flanked by clones of Kanne, Lawine, and Laufen. Denken and Übel express excitement at the prospect of a battle of attrition, while Land, still unable to move, asks to retreat.

In the meantime, Frieren and Fern continue to battle against Frieren's clone as Frieren tries to think of a way to create an opening that Fern can detect and take advantage of. A short flashback from before the battle shows another conversation between Frieren and Fern, where both realize the need for a greater opening than just mana detection for the two to emerge victorious. Frieren assures Fern that she will create an opening for the clone to attack her, and that as long as she makes an opening, her clone will make a bigger one in turn. Fern is concerned, but Frieren assures her that it would not be fatal, as long as she can concentrate on her defenses. Before Fern can decide on a strategy, Frieren tells her apprentice to surprise her, as she has always underestimated Fern, which relieves Fern and assures her of a chance for victory.

As the flashback ends, Frieren's clone fires an offensive spell that breaks Frieren's defensive spell and damages her before attempting to fire another one. Fern manages to catch the clone off guard with another Zoltraak to separate Frieren and her clone before bombarding the clone with multiple offensive spells that manage to inflict fatal damage. Before Fern can end the battle, the damaged clone casts an undetectable spell from the ground that pushes Fern violently against the wall and breaks her staff. Fern deduces that this is the apex of magic but smiles, as the spell creates a very big opening for Frieren to destroy the clone. Frieren praises Fern and states that it has likely been eighty years since she had to resort to using that spell. With the clone finally defeated, Frieren was finally able to conquer the dungeon by firing at the now defenseless Spiegel. This results in the destruction of all the clones in battle with the mages. Scharf and Ehre once again collapse on the ground and ask Wirbel to carry them.

With the dungeon now conquered, Sense stands between all of the successful mages and a mountain of treasures before congratulating the mages on their achievement that rivals that of first-class mages and, accordingly, states that they have passed the second stage of the exam. Denken asks where the greatest contributor to the group's achievements, Frieren, has disappeared off to, only to find the elf stuck inside a mimic chest, requiring Fern's help once more. Laufen supposes that she can relate to the elf's sentiment.

Outside the dungeon, the failed mages all gather around. A fascinated Edel speaks to Richter about the incredible abilities of the golems and their use of recovery magic before the latter asks who she is.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Wirbel
 * Methode
 * Scharf
 * Ehre
 * Frieren
 * Fern
 * Denken
 * Land
 * Übel
 * Kanne
 * Dünste
 * Laufen
 * Ton
 * Richter
 * Edel
 * Übel, Land, Kanne, Lawine, Laufen, Richter, Methode, Wirbel, Scharf, Ehre, Fern, Denken, and Frieren's Spiegel clones

Locations

 * Ruins of the King's Tomb

Battles

 * Übel, Land, & Denken vs. Übel, Land, Kanne, Lawine, and Laufen's Spiegel clones
 * Kanne & Dünste vs. Richter's Spiegel clone
 * Laufen vs. Methode's Spiegel clone
 * Ton vs. Wirbel, Scharf, & Ehre's Spiegel clones
 * Methode vs. Fern's Spiegel clone
 * Wirbel, Scharf, & Ehre vs. Denken's Spiegel clone
 * Frieren & Fern vs. Frieren's Spiegel clone
 * Frieren vs. Spiegel

Events

 * Ton is eliminated from the First Class Mage Exam
 * Fern's staff breaks
 * The Ruins of the King's Tomb are conquered
 * Frieren, Fern, Denken, Übel, Land, Wirbel, Scharf, Ehre, Methode, Kanne, Laufen, and Dünste pass the second stage of the First Class Mage Exam

Spells

 * Unnamed restraint magic
 * Sorganeel
 * Nephtear
 * Bargland
 * Defense magic
 * Zoltraak
 * Doragate
 * Vollzanbel
 * Unknown attack unrecognizable as magic