Chapter 53

Era of Humans is the fifty-third chapter of Yamada Kanehito & Abe Tsukasa's Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Summary
Right after the events of the previous chapter, the group of mages begins to execute their plan to conquer the dungeon. They split up and begin to fight the clone they are the best matchup against. Fern and Frieren remain behind to fight Frieren's clone. In a flashback, Frieren delivers Flamme's will to Serie, who tells Frieren that due to Flamme's efforts, an Era of Humans will soon arrive. Serie warns Frieren that if she is killed, it will be by the Demon King or a human mage. In the present day, Frieren smiles as Fern blasts her clone with Zoltraak.

Plot Details
Right after the events of the previous chapter, Denken asks if the pair of Frieren and Fern will be alright fighting Frieren's Spiegel clone. Frieren reassures him they will be fine, explaining that it's easier to predict the clone's movements with fewer people. She also points out that while victory would be guaranteed if the group of mages fought together, most would perish in the battle with no time to summon the golem to escape. Richter confirms that the rest of the mages are assigned to hinder the progress of additional clones heading towards the deepest chamber, as Frieren believes that being cornered on both ends would lead to everyone's demise. Frieren and Fern then enter the hall housing the elf’s clone, while Denken prays for their success. As the hall's door closes, Denken and the rest of the mages begin to discuss which members of the group pose the biggest threat to themselves, in order to give everyone the most advantageous matchup possible.

The battle commences inside the hall as Frieren engages her clone with Destructive Lightning: Judradjim, and the clone responds in kind with the same spell. Fern observes that the clone behaves exactly as Frieren predicted. Both Frieren and her clone cast Hellfire Summoning: Vollzanbel, disrupting the clone's mana detection long enough for Fern to hide behind a pillar. Frieren deduces that the clone will now be on the lookout for Fern but will struggle to do so, as it is occupied with an equally matched opponent. As the clone closes in on its original, Frieren reflects on the fact that she understands her own fears best.

A short flashback begins from before the battle where Frieren assures Fern that she has trouble detecting the human mage once she conceals herself completely. Fern asks Frieren about whether Zoltraak would be enough for an attack on the clone to which Frieren responds that it is as it's the quickest spell to cast. Frieren explains that Zoltraak is a relatively new spell among elves, so she lacks the automatic reflexes to defend against it. This means that the slightest of moments would have to be spared for her to initiate a counter. She also explains that Fern has been a natural user of the offensive spell since birth, rooted in her deep connection to the foundations of a natural mage, which is precisely why Fern's Zoltraak poses a mortal danger to Frieren. The flashback ends as Fern begins to cast Zoltraak directed at the clone who is in close quarters with Frieren.

In another flashback, the scene reveals Frieren and Serie engaged in conversation. Serie believed she would never meet Frieren again due to Frieren's apparent disdain for her. Frieren then unveils her true purpose: delivering the last will of the deceased Flamme. It had been fifty years since Serie had last encountered the human mage. Serie, without displaying any particular emotional reaction, simply claims that Flamme had been a pupil she had raised on a whim after being asked by Frieren if the news saddens her. Serie proceeds to read the will and notes that it resembles more of a report than a will. When Frieren inquires about the contents, Serie shares that the Emperor had given official approval for widespread research and exploration of magic within human societies, which once viewed all forms of magic as demonic. Flamme had played a pivotal role in influencing the Emperor's decision, even taking on the task of educating the newly established Imperial Mages. The primary purpose of the will was to implore Serie to assume the responsibilities left behind by Flamme. Serie expresses disdain at Flamme's greediness, as approving the research of magic had already been a major achievement. When asked by Frieren about its significance, Serie explains that it means that the largest empire on the continent has now begun to research magic and use it for military affairs, which will encourage surrounding countries to follow suit, with magic spreading over the continent in just a few decades. This signifies an era in which mankind will be able to use magic and, in the foreseeable future, oppose the Demon King and his army. Serie and Frieren both smile as they reflect on the significance of this change, and Frieren comments that Flamme's achievements are truly incredible.

The moment is abruptly disrupted when Serie reveals that this is not what she truly wants. She tells Frieren to return and declares that she would never agree to such a will. Serie explains that magic is meant to be special, and she does not intend on teaching anyone who is not talented. With disappointment, Serie claims that she and Flamme could never truly understand each other in the end, reinforcing her earlier statement that she only raised Flamme on a whim. Frieren then mentions that Flamme had already predicted Serie's exact reactions, surprising Serie. Frieren adds that Flamme still wanted to tell Serie that her dream had come true, regardless.

Before Frieren takes her leave, Serie invites her on a walk, claiming that they have all the time in the world. As the two stroll through a forest, Serie reveals that Flamme’s dream was an era in which anyone could use magic, adding that things like serving mankind and opposing the Demon King had not mattered to the human mage initially. Serie discloses that Flamme's cherished spell since her childhood was the seemingly trivial spell to produce a field of flowers, a preference that had always baffled Serie. Flamme's deep love for magic was so profound that she wished for the entire world to embrace such magic, a dream that Serie initially dismissed as something befitting only young girls. She believed that such an era would unfold only long after Flamme's own lifetime, given the transient nature of human existence compared to an elf's enduring life. Nevertheless, Flamme ultimately became the pioneer of humankind's magic. Frieren opens up about Flamme's characteristic hastiness in making decisions as if she was always in a hurry. Serie explains that the lifespans of humans mean that they exist in a place far closer to death than the two of them and that they cannot afford to postpone crucial decisions. This stands in stark contrast to elves, who can choose to defer the same decisions for a century or even a millennium.

As the two elves approach a cliff, Serie tells Frieren that with Flamme's efforts, the Era of Humans is rapidly approaching. In a mere thousand years, humans will begin to overtake elves in magic. Serie instructs the young elf not to neglect her training, emphasizing her point by saying that if Frieren is to lose her life, it will either be at the hands of the Demon King, or a human mage. With a smile, Frieren responds that she is looking forward to that era, as she will have the opportunity to encounter various new mages and spells. The flashback then cuts back to the present battle, where Fern successfully lands Zoltraak on Frieren's clone as Frieren smiles triumphantly.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Frieren
 * Fern
 * Kanne
 * Lawine
 * Denken
 * Richter
 * Methode
 * Laufen
 * Dünste
 * Frieren's Spiegel clone
 * Serie (in a flashback)
 * Flamme (in a flashback)

Locations

 * Ruins of the King's Tomb

Battles

 * Fern and Frieren vs. Frieren's clone

Events

 * The group of mages begins to enact their strategy to conquer the dungeon

Spells

 * Judradjim
 * Vollzanbel
 * Zoltraak