Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil
chapter-1448

Eren wasn't inclined to attain Minerva's true inheritance through this route.

His original strategy had been to excel in all four tests with flawless scores when he was on the cusp of ascending to the Master Rank.

This calculated approach would have afforded him the best odds of securing perfection across all trials. However, his unexpected promotion to the Master Rank, sparked by the unforeseen Battle Trance encounter with the wyvern, disrupted this blueprint.

As such, Eren found himself compelled to obtain Minerva's Legacy under considerably more demanding circumstances by using a crafty yet pain-in-the-ass trick.

While his physical form remained seated, eyes shut in deep concentration, Eren's consciousness inhabited the illusory realm. His tally stood at an impressive 90 out of 100 points, and the adversaries confronting him were progressively growing more formidable as he inched closer to that elusive perfect score. He was just a few steps away from scoring the perfect score. Yet, this had become the most crucial stage of the test.

Alephee had warned Eren that attempting to employ Perfect Paradox once more to gain entry into Minerva's Utopia would prove fruitless. According to her, Minerva's Utopia had integrated a safeguard mechanism that would block any subsequent entry after recording Eren's elevated status. Essentially, this endeavor represented Eren's final opportunity to secure Minerva's true legacy. As such, this round within the test was the most important obstacle for him to clear. He did not have a do-over.

However, not everything was bleak.

Despite operating under the constraints of his suppressed Expert Ranker status, Eren's Elemental Attainments resonated at the level of a Master Ranker. These Attainments proved immune to suppression. Fortunately, this elevated mastery did not bar his entry into Minerva's Utopia, leaving Eren with no room for complaints. As such, he faced the augmented challenges with unwavering dedication and intense focus.

Aqua Blades.

Vicious Vines.

Lightning Wind Fire Shards.

In a rapid succession of elemental spells, Eren unleashed his might. Infusing his heightened Elemental Attainments with a dash of Wrath Mana, he crafted his unique versions of these spells, enhanced through Intent-based Magic. These variants carried amplified power and escalated damage potential.

Death Wave.

Death Rot.

Eren unleashed another torrent of his spells upon the encircling adversaries. The dimensionally restricted battlefield inside the illusory realm made the use of movement spells impractical, so he ceased his evasion.

Preserving his energy was crucial, knowing that the challenges ahead would intensify as he neared the 100-point threshold. Thus, he was cautious not to exhaust himself prematurely.

The ethereal shadows that hemmed Eren were engulfed by his sequential death-element spell onslaught. If the first wave bore the mark of Wrath Mana, the second volley drew from the devouring effect of Gluttony Mana.

Death Wave and Death Rot synergized exceptionally well with Gluttony Mana infusion. This coupling rendered these death-element spells a potent bane to the enemies' vitality. Infused with Gluttony Mana, the death element mana voraciously consumed life force at an accelerated pace, causing the spectral shadows to falter before advancing towards Eren.

Whoosh. Zoom. Thwack.

"Arrrgh! Fuuuuck!"

A visceral curse erupted from Eren as an arrow, too swift for interception, plunged into his right eye. The projectile appeared as if conjured from thin air, a testament to the ranger's mastery of space-element magic. The assailant, stationed at a safe distance, capitalized on the surprise, inflicting a critical wound on Eren.

"This damn ranger has been harassing me for a while now, and he's as slippery as an eel. Whose phantom is that? I'll fucking beat his ass if I find him." Eren's assessment dismissed the notion of a common ranker; this foe employed an entirely distinct spellcasting style, bearing little resemblance to his era.

Eren conjectured that this ranger must have enjoyed equal prominence in his time, given the caliber of powers demonstrated thus far, echoing Minerva's own legendary battles.

"Fuck. No matter how much I want to take a slow and rational approach, this stage won't let me have an easy time."

Eren came to a grim conclusion. This was not the time for conserving mana.

Pulling out the lodged arrow from his eye, Eren harnessed his bloodline's powers. Employing his healing Ability Instant Reset, he accelerated the healing process. Since Instant Reset alone wasn't enough to get rid of such an injury, his slime-type half-blood powers needed to be used at the cost of putting additional stress on his vitality. The worst thing about this fight was the fact that Eren's enemies were not real. As such he could not refill the lost vitality and stamina using Life Drain.

Eren gave up on the conservation of his mana. He summoned a cadre of creatures to divert attention and fashion a strategic opening.

His right eye resembled a gruesome tableau, oozing blood and viscera. Already severe, the injury was exacerbated within the Test of Bravery's pain-enhancing environment.

Though the torment surged beyond ordinary tolerances, Eren's consciousness remained lucid. The pain, while excruciating, failed to unhinge his rationale, enabling him to think coherently amidst the onslaught. He had gone through something much worse when he was working under the Paladin of Pain after all. This amount of pain and misery meant nothing to him.

As his eye mended at an accelerated pace, Eren's mind ignited. Typically, he'd prioritize neutralizing support-type adversaries like healers and rangers, killing them first and foremost before dealing with the rest of the opponents.

Yet, the unique circumstances dictated an exception. His past futile efforts underscored the ranger's invincibility while he was being supported by other spectral shadows. Ignoring this lesson would be suicidal.

Surveying the exceptional ranger with caution, Eren's gaze then swept across the encircling shadows, yielding another insight.

"These pests and the ranger cooperate seamlessly. They phase in and out instantaneously unless I constantly barrage them with spells, pinning them down," he ruminated as his summoned entities faltered against the spectral shadows' relentless onslaught.

The outcome was a first for Eren – his summoned allies, normally formidable, found themselves utterly outmatched by the Test of Bravery's spectral constructs.

"It's time for a change of tactics," Eren contemplated, opting for a repertoire of spells rarely employed.

Shadow Flames.

Shadow Chains.

Shadow Clone.