An unexpected event unfolded that caught both Kino and Eren off guard.
Tiamat, driven by its disdain for Aleph's presence within Eren's soul, launched a formidable spiritual attack. However, the repercussions of this assault extended beyond the intended target. The integration of Aleph's Soul Imprint into Eren's very being meant that Tiamat's assault also affected his consciousness.
Though Eren comprehended that Tiamat's wrath was not directed specifically at him but rather at Aleph's Soul Imprint, he could not evade the full impact of the wyvern's ferocious spiritual onslaught. The spirit force of the attack added to his already overwhelming mental exhaustion, brought upon by the taxing process of the Spirit Contract, pushing him perilously close to the precipice of unconsciousness.
As Eren's weary form collapsed, his eyes shut tightly, and his face met the ground with a resounding thud. At that moment, a peculiar stillness settled upon the world, unnatural and unsettling. Vibrant hues faded away, leaving behind a desaturated landscape devoid of color.
The sudden drop in temperature sent shivers down Kino's spine and Tiamat's scales, but it wasn't a mere change in the weather. It was a chilling spiritual assault, a counterforce unleashed to counter Tiamat's own attack. Kino's eyes widened in horror as she stared at Eren's slumbering figure that was the origin of this all-consuming spiritual attack, realizing the gravity of the situation.
In an instant, a cloud of mana surged through the air, causing Kino to instinctively recognize the impending danger emanating from Eren's motionless form. As she watched him sit upright, a wave of foreboding washed over her. This was not the familiar Eren she had come to know.
Tiamat's well-intentioned spiritual attack had inadvertently shattered the restraints that held Aleph captive within Eren's soul. Now, Aleph's consciousness surged forth, seizing control of Eren's physical vessel.
The wyvern, overwhelmed by an instinctual, primal fear, could sense the sheer potency radiating from the presence now in command over Eren's body. It was as if this entity possessed the unfathomable ability to single-handedly slaughter thousands of wyverns like Tiamat, armed solely with an intangible weapon intent.
"Hm? So I am in charge now?" A voice resonated through Eren's mouth, his seated form remaining fixed to the ground while his gaze wandered in confusion.
Had Eren been awake, he would have recognized the origins of the voice. It was Aleph's voice, capable of inspiring and instilling fear in equal measure. Aleph's very essence seemed to evoke a range of emotions within those who encountered it.
The idea of someone possessing such control over people's emotions with their mere presence was nothing short of terrifying to Kino. She, too, understood that the source of the voice was linked to the dormant presence deep within Eren's soul, a presence that had willingly slumbered.
In their previous encounter, Kino had managed to suppress this entity using a soul-based technique, allowing Eren to regain control over his Hex gear. However, in this moment, Kino realized that her success in sealing away this presence stemmed from its own desire to be sealed. She knew that she lacked the means to prevent someone like Aleph from meddling in Eren's affairs if that was truly their intention.
"Don't get carried away; you overhyped lizard," Aleph's deep voice echoed through Eren's mouth, a tone so unnatural it sent a chill down the spines of all who heard it. His gaze fixated on Tiamat, radiating a menacing aura.
"Know your place and stay within your limits. If I truly desired to harm Eren or you, it would have been done long ago, leaving you no time or means to retaliate," Aleph spoke with unwavering confidence and dominance, struggling slightly to maintain control over Eren's body. He almost lost his balance, teetering on the verge of stumbling backward.
However, with a mere thought, Aleph manipulated the gravity of the world of Gilaahan within his sphere of influence, halting his fall and suspending his body in midair, just an inch above the ground. This new Eren, as light as a feather, regained his composure with a casual wave of his hand. He proceeded to crack his neck with a series of audible pops, fixing his piercing gaze upon Tiamat.
"Tiamat is it? Keke. What a grandiose name for a wyvern that has not even come out of its shell. Tell me, do you require a demonstration of my powers to subdue you?" Eren's voice, ancient and resolute, cut through the air. His presence emanated an undeniable readiness to slaughter hundreds of pure-blooded dragons, creatures far superior to Tiamat. As if he had bathed in dragon's blood before one too many times.
While wyverns, whether pure-blooded or not, held little fear of death and lived with unwavering pride, there was something deeply unsettling about Aleph's existence. It injected a primal sense of fear into Tiamat's consciousness, a realization that provoking this entity had been a grave error. After all, there were fates far more harrowing than mere death.
Tiamat emitted a low, rumbling growl directed at Aleph, his body frozen in a defensive stance. The mighty wyvern desired to retaliate against Aleph's presence, yet his limbs failed to respond to his commands. He couldn't rise to his feet or employ his wings for takeoff.
All he could manage was a menacing growl, a warning to convey his unwelcome attitude. Aleph's lips curled into a wicked smile, fully aware that he had subdued Tiamat. Anticipating the dragon's thoughts, he spoke with a casual tone, "Fear not, you overhyped lizard. I won't make a habit of seizing this lad's vessel. This incident was a result of your own doing. I have no interest in hijacking this man's body and spoiling my own plans," Eren's voice assured Tiamat, emphasizing that such takeovers would be infrequent occurrences.
With the matter settled between them, Eren shifted his focus to Kino, approaching her while levitating in the air.
"Who... who are you? Are you a Greater Demon? No... an Archdemon? Or perhaps one of those mythical Demon Princes from the tales I've heard?" Kino's voice trembled, her complexion drained of color as she regarded Eren with a mixture of fear and existential dread.
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AN: Demonic Rankers were first explained in chapter 101.
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