(A week before the Midterm Exams)
The looming arrival of the seven towers at the academy was scheduled for a week hence. Eren, having joined forces with Ezio, found himself in a situation where he didn't need to ponder much about the upcoming ranking battles. Their ranks were within a mere 20-point difference, and they agreed to maintain their current standings in the next battle to prevent any complications.
So, the ranking battles proceeded smoothly, virtually without a hitch, with Zephyr unsurprisingly clinching the top position once again. However, an interesting development arose when Zephyr challenged Eren to a duel.
Eren, without hesitation, declined the challenge and chose to forfeit the match. His reason?
'I have an image to uphold now.'
Indeed, Eren had become something of a hero within the empire, his fame rippling throughout the academy, and the name 'Pendragon' resonating within its halls.
Eren's decision was not without strategic wisdom. He knew full well that facing off against Zephyr would likely result in a resounding defeat, perhaps even serious injury, as the ruffian was known for his lack of restraint.
Eren held no interest in participating in a battle he was destined to lose; he wasn't an adolescent seeking applause and admiration from his peers. Therefore, he opted for a strategic retreat, choosing not to show up for the battle, much to Zephyr's discontent as he claimed an unsatisfied victory.
Nevertheless, now that the ranking battles had concluded, there remained a week before the arrival of the tower representatives and the commencement of the midterm exams. Eren's ongoing training with Professor Joshua was progressing smoothly, and he was successfully bridging the academic gap created by his prolonged absence.
Despite these commitments, Eren found himself with an abundance of free time. It was during this period of relative leisure that he decided to delve deeper into his own status, seeking to understand the intricacies of his abilities.
"Status," Eren uttered, and within moments, a holographic projection materialized before him. Eren had grown accustomed to this phenomenon, and it no longer surprised him as it once did.
︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻︻
Name : Eren Pendragon
Titles : <Regressor> <Apostle of the Forgotten God>
Realm : 3 - star knight
Aura : The Aura of Vulnerability.
Blessings : <Blessing of the Fire Dragon>
Weapons : <Rifle of Death>
?Stats?
<Variable Stats>
[Strength - 9.92 ]
[Stamina - 9.68 ]
[Agility - 9.54 ]
[Perception - 10.40 ]
[Vitality - 7.85 ]
[Magic power - 7.53 ]
<Invariable Stats>
[Intelligence – 6/10]
[Perseverance – 7/10]
[Luck – 4/10]
[Charm – 5.1/10]
?Skills?
? 36 Poisons of the Poison Queen - ???
? Trap Formation - ??
? Black Sun - ?????
?Techniques?
? Force of the White Fang - ?
? Asteroid's bare handed brawl - ??
? Dance of the Death God - ?????
?Abilities?
? Intermediate Sword Mastery
? Intermediate Spear Mastery
? Beginner Marksman Mastery
? Death's Embrace
︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼︼
As he perused the details, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unfamiliarity with many aspects. The 'Death's Embrace' skill, for instance, was an enigma to him, as it had remained inactive ever since the time when he killed the King of Oni. He had yet to even discover the conditions required for its activation.
Similarly, 'Dance of the Death God,' another skill within his repertoire, still lay dormant. Its activation seemed tied to his emotions, a passive skill that remained elusive in its awakening.
Yet, it wasn't just these two skills that had gone unused. 'Trap Formation' and '36 Poisons of the Poison Queen' had also been neglected since his transmigration, despite being valuable abilities. Eren couldn't help but lament the squandered potential of his own abilities.
There were numerous occasions where Eren could have effectively employed these skills, but he had been sidestepping them, opting instead to focus on acquiring more elaborate abilities. However, a nagging void persisted within him. These very skills had been his lifeline in his past life, and he couldn't ignore the impulse to relearn them.
Smaller skills like 'Force of the White Fang' and 'Asteroid's Techniques' held significant utility when woven into the midst of battle, but Eren had inexplicably avoided employing them, recognizing this as a clear misstep.
Even the new aura he had achieved remained veiled in mystery, leaving him with the nagging sensation that there were still many aspects of himself he needed to unravel and understand.
Despite his substantially increased stats and the fact that he had long surpassed his past self, Eren couldn't rest easy.
The looming presence of a spy plotting against his family's back prompted a sense of urgency. However, he understood the folly of relying solely on a trump card like the 'Rifle of Death God.' He remained inherently weak and recognized the need to improve his sword and spear skills to advance further. Yet, an inexplicable discomfort seemed to arise whenever he held a sword, as if it simply didn't suit him. Even the Fire dragon had conveyed a similar sentiment with a mere gaze.
Eren was on a quest to find his true path, a way that would lead him to the pinnacle of his abilities.
"Hmm...No, I'm not feeling it."
He lowered the mace he had been posing with and muttered to himself.
Eren had heard people say that when you held a weapon that truly suited you, your body would react in response. However, he had never experienced such a feeling, so he decided to experiment with various weapons, seeking that elusive connection. But so far, success had eluded him.
"What are you doing?" Ezio, entering the training ground, inquired as he observed Eren's perplexing behavior.
"Just trying out some weapons."
"The ones you have are not enough?!!", Ezio asked in amusement.
"Sword, spear, gun...none of them seem to suit me, so I'm trying to see if any other weapons might be a better fit."
Ezio stared at Eren for a moment before muttering to himself, "Strange..."
Puzzled, Eren asked, "What?"
"Huh? Nothing, I was just thinking how strange it is for you not to know which weapon suits you, especially after you advised me to use chakrams during our weapon selection... Very strange, isn't it?"
Eren turned around, at a loss for words. It was, indeed, peculiar that he had offered advice to Ezio on weapon selection when he himself was struggling to find a suitable weapon.
Nevertheless, Eren persevered in his quest to discover the right weapon.
He also decided to dedicate the remainder of the week, leading up to the midterm exam, to crafting some of the 'Poisons of the Poison Queen' and resurrecting the dormant skills from his past life.
"This one isn't it either," he muttered, casting aside a rapier and reaching for gauntlets to continue his search.
***
On the tranquil shores of the western sea, basking in the gentle caress of the early morning sunlight, a woman stood in quiet contemplation, her gaze fixed upon the seemingly boundless horizon. Draped in a pristine white gown with a cloth encircling her head, she exuded an aura of sanctity that seemed almost divine.
Moments ticked by, yet the woman remained rooted in place, unmoving as if in communion with the vastness of the ocean. It was only when a girl, appearing to be between the ages of fifteen and sixteen, called out to her that she finally tore her gaze away from the endless sea.
"Saintess, the sea is quite turbulent today; perhaps we should return," the girl implored, her voice laced with concern.
The woman, addressed as the saintess, turned her attention to the girl. Only now did her face come into view, revealing the blindfold tightly bound across her eyes. It was a sight that no longer surprised the girl, for she had become accustomed to it. After all, her role by the saintess's side was that of a guide.
"It is not the sea, child, but the times themselves that are turbulent," the saintess replied, gently placing her hand on the girl's head before stepping back from the shore.
The girl regarded the saintess with a blank expression. Such enigmatic statements were not uncommon from her, and she had long since stopped trying to decipher their meanings. Regardless, she faithfully trailed behind the saintess, pondering why she had been assigned this role when the saintess seemed to navigate effortlessly even with her eyes veiled.
"A Paragon is rising in the east. Soon, he will be here" the saintess murmured, her steps carrying her forward.
"...and so shall be the chaos that follows him." she added cryptically, her voice carrying an ominous weight as they moved away from the sea.
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