Mia came to a decision. She would split from Eren and try to make a run.
It would be great if she gets pursued by a few of Geer’s teammates. That way, Eren’s burden would be reduced. If nobody follows her, she could lead a stray group of Slaadi to this place and cause mayhem that might let Eren off the hook.
This plan was based on the assumption that Eren survives on his own for that long after being attacked by so many of Geer’s party members. All while experiencing the debuff effects of the dart.
‘I won’t try to be an emotional fool here, Eren. But you have to survive or I’ll kill you. I don’t want that kind of burden placed on my consciousness forever.’
Eren smiled bitterly when he heard Mia’s words. He couldn’t help speaking up.
‘You are just being selfish here, Mia. Can’t you just appreciate the fact that your Prince Charming is trying to save you by putting his life on the line? Why must you think about what’s in such a selfless act?’
Mia chuckled when she heard Eren’s words. She felt touched by them and her adoration for him also increased exponentially. As a result, she fought the urge to give in to her emotions and just stay with him till the bitter end. She then spoke up in an emotional voice inside Eren’s head.
‘I am thankful, Eren. But I won’t express my gratitude right now. I’d only express them when you meet me prim and proper the next time.’
Mia said before taking a long breath. Her moist eyes cleared up when she blinked hard. Expressions of determination painted her face as she spoke further.
‘I’d need an opening.’
***
Eren felt relieved when Mia agreed to his terms. He couldn’t fight his opponents who were trying to kill him while holding something back. He needed to give it his all.
Eren needed to unleash the same carnage he had unleashed back on Earth at the time of his infinite mana core awakening. A part of him couldn’t help getting excited thinking about it.
He wouldn’t want to admit it. But there was a part of him that liked dominating his opponents with brute force. There was a part of him that truly liked using his infinite mana core for the most destructive of reasons.
Eren was afraid of that feeling. He had come to recognize over time how addictive it could be. This kind of mental state would make him more of a demonic ranker than a normal one.
However, he needed that part of him to embark on a rampage. He needed to reveal all his cards. And he couldn’t do that while Mia was with him.
When Eren had decided that he would fight all out against Geer’s party, he had signed their death warrants for them in his head. He wouldn’t let any of them survive and live to tell the tale.
***
The time it took for Eren and Mia to come to a decision was hardly half a minute. The duo seemed ready for action when Mia asked Eren to create an opening for her.
‘Opening, huh? Give me a minute.’
Eren said and looked all around him.
‘Seek and ye shall find!’
Eren patted his heart with his right hand while holding the ax. A sudden calmness washed over him when he did that. As if whatever he was about to do next was just something he had to do to find what he was looking for.
‘Whatever doesn’t kill me had better start running.’
Eren took a deep breath and prepared his stance.
There was a subtle shift in Eren’s personality and presence when he had his inner monologue. This shift was observed by everyone in the surrounding area including Mia who was standing closest to him.
Eren stepped up, prompting Geer and his party members to clench their weapons tighter and readjust their stances. They all felt stupid when they did that at the same time, feeling jittery by a single opponent’s simple actions.
But subconsciously, they had started to process the danger Eren posed to them when he looked at them with eyes devoid of fear. His blue eyes, white hair, and pale white complexion combined with his changed body language made him look like a ghost under the moonlight cast by the dual moons of Gilaahan.
They also felt that Eren’s mana signature had started producing fluctuations. As if he was trying to change into someone who wouldn’t make his appearance out in the open.
A broad smile spread across Eren’s face when he saw Geer’s team getting over conscious as a result of his simple actions. He liked the face they were showing him at this point.
They didn’t look afraid. But that was only because their real intentions were hidden underneath the mask of bravery.
“Geer, right?”
Eren asked the man in front of him casually. He didn’t wait for his affirmation before continuing.
“I’d tell you I don’t share that much bond with my guild. I’m only loyal to it because I have signed the binding contract with it.”
‘What the fuck are you saying, Eren?’
Mia opened her eyes wide when she heard Eren’s words. But he ignored her and continued.
“I’d also tell you that the conflict between our two guilds has nothing to do with me. I’m just a regular ranker trying to move up my ranking ladder in peace.
Nevertheless, I know and understand that your ego, greed, loyalty, or whatever restriction is acting on your mind right now will not allow you to find a reason within my statements.
So I won’t say those things.
Instead, I’ll say this.”
Eren started charging his axes with his fire-element mana after saying these words. The two ax blades started exuding an orange-red hue in the dark as a result.
His legs started getting coated in lightning streaks. His body was covered in a lightning cloak. His weapons started humming.
“If you ain’t taking me out, you are going to get taken out.”
