Chapter 58: Echoes of the Veil

The pendant felt heavier in Eren's palm, as though it carried the weight of an entire forgotten history. Its intricate carvings pulsed faintly under his touch, sending a cold shiver through his fingertips. He sat at the edge of his bed, the dim glow of the academy's lanterns flickering against the walls. The system's warning echoed in his mind.

Unpredictable consequences may occur upon use.

What if activating the pendant truly brought forth something he wasn't ready to face? Was this another trap? Or was it the key to understanding the mysterious forces watching him?

His instincts screamed caution, but he was never one to hesitate for long.

Eren exhaled sharply, making up his mind.

"System, activate the pendant."

A notification blinked before him.

[Warning: Unknown artifact detected. Proceeding with activation…]

The air in his room thickened as a low hum vibrated through the walls. The pendant's carvings lit up, shadows twisting unnaturally along the floor. Eren gritted his teeth, his muscles tensing as a foreign energy seeped into his skin.

Then, the world around him shattered.

---

A Step Into the Void

Darkness engulfed him, swallowing the room whole. For a moment, there was only silence—an unnatural stillness that made his heartbeat thunder in his ears.

Then, voices.

Whispers, dozens of them, slithering around him like unseen serpents. Some were soft and gentle, while others held a malicious edge.

"He bears the mark…"

"A cursed fate…"

"Will he become one of us? Or will he be erased?"

Eren clenched his fists, forcing himself to remain steady. His system glitched for a moment, static lines running through his interface before stabilizing.

Then, out of the darkness, a figure emerged.

It was the hooded person from the library. But here, in this void, they were more than just a shadow. Their form flickered, as though they existed between realities. Their voice, when they spoke, carried a weight that sent chills down his spine.

"You are reckless, Eren."

Eren's eyes narrowed. "And you are cryptic. How about some actual answers?"

The figure chuckled—a hollow, echoing sound. "Answers come with a price. Are you willing to pay it?"

Before he could respond, the darkness around them shifted. The void trembled, and suddenly, Eren found himself falling.

---

The Vision of the Marked Ones

Eren crashed onto solid ground, the impact rattling his bones. He groaned, pushing himself up, only to freeze at the sight before him.

A battlefield.

Hundreds of warriors lay motionless, their bodies marked with the same glowing patterns as his pendant. Their eyes were lifeless, their weapons shattered. The land itself seemed twisted, as though reality had been bent and broken.

Then, he saw them.

Towering figures cloaked in black mist, their forms humanoid yet monstrous. Their faces were obscured, but their presence alone radiated a suffocating aura of dread.

One of them turned, its empty gaze settling on Eren.

"He is not ready."

Eren barely had time to react before the figures lunged forward.

A searing pain shot through his chest as his system flared with warnings.

[Danger! Unknown force detected!]

[Initiating emergency expulsion!]

The world blurred again.

---

Back to Reality

Eren gasped as he was thrown back into his room, the force of his return nearly knocking him off his feet. The pendant in his hand was ice-cold, the glow completely extinguished.

His heart pounded as he processed what had just happened.

The battlefield, the fallen warriors, those monstrous beings… what did it all mean?

And more importantly—

Had they seen him?

A notification popped up on his system.

[New Quest Unlocked: Secrets of the Veil]

[Objective: Discover the truth behind the Marked Ones.]

[Reward: ???]

Eren exhaled slowly.

Things had just become far more complicated.