Chapter 70: The Unforgiving Path

A suffocating silence filled the air as Eren stood in the center of the ruined chamber. The black crystal had shattered, leaving behind nothing but flickering remnants of dark energy. His breath was ragged, his body trembling from the wounds he had sustained.

But he had won.

The battle against his other self had pushed him to the brink. He could still feel the sensation of the dagger piercing his side, the weight of his own darkness pressing against his soul. The whispers in his mind had not faded completely. They still lingered, reminding him that the line between power and destruction was thinner than he had ever imagined.

"I didn't break… but I came close."

Eren looked down at his Grimoir of Infinite Malice, its pages glowing with newly inscribed runes. He had unlocked something forbidden, a power so vast that it sent chills down his spine just feeling it course through him.

"But at what cost?"

---

The Changing Grimoir

Eren's Grimoir trembled, reacting to his emotions. New pages had appeared, filled with ancient symbols and diagrams that had been sealed away until now.

His eyes scanned the text, and the words burned themselves into his mind.

"Abyssal Dominion."

A spell unlike anything he had seen before.

Unlike his previous spells, this one didn't just manipulate shadows—it created them. It allowed him to pull darkness from the void itself, shaping it into absolute destruction. But the text warned of something else.

"Power demands balance."

Eren clenched his fists. He had been given a glimpse of what he could become if he let the Grimoir consume him. That future—where he stood atop mountains of corpses, empty, alone—was a warning.

"I won't let that happen."

But would he really have a choice?

---

The Exit Appears

A deep rumble echoed through the chamber, and in front of him, a gateway of shifting energy formed. It was unlike the obsidian doors before—this one looked like a tear in space itself, swirling with silver and black.

The trial was over.

This was his way out.

Eren took a deep breath, steadying himself. His mana reserves were low, and the battle had drained him more than he had realized. He had won, but there was no celebration.

There was only one thought in his mind.

"I need to get stronger. Faster. Before it's too late."

He stepped through the gateway.

---

Return to the Surface

Eren's vision blurred as he felt himself being pulled through the void, the pressure of teleportation weighing down on him.

When his feet finally touched solid ground again, he was no longer in the underground chamber.

Instead, he found himself standing in the moonlit ruins of an ancient temple.

The Trial Grounds had vanished.

As he looked around, the cold wind bit against his skin. He was back in the real world. But something was different.

His Grimoir pulsed again, and an overwhelming sense of awareness flooded his mind. It was as if he could feel everything—the shifting shadows, the subtle energy in the air, the presence of people watching him from the distance.

Wait.

People. Watching him.

---

Unwanted Witnesses

Eren's body tensed as he scanned the area.

Two figures stood at the edge of the ruins, cloaked in darkness. Their presence was unmistakable—they were watching him, analyzing him.

He could sense their aura, and it was powerful. These weren't just random passersby.

They had been waiting for him to emerge.

"Tch. So much for a quiet return."

One of them finally spoke, their voice calm but laced with curiosity.

"So, you're the one who awakened the Forbidden Trial."

Eren didn't respond immediately. He wasn't about to reveal anything to strangers. His grip on his Grimoir tightened, and the book responded, a low hum of dark energy rippling through the air.

The second figure chuckled.

"Relax. If we wanted you dead, you wouldn't be standing."

That didn't reassure him in the slightest.

He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

The first figure took a step forward, their silhouette becoming clearer in the moonlight. A woman, clad in dark robes embroidered with golden runes, her emerald eyes glowing faintly.

"Call me Lyra."

The second figure—a man with silver hair and an unsettling smirk—leaned against a crumbling pillar.

"And I'm Veylen."

Lyra's gaze sharpened. "We're here because your awakening wasn't subtle. The entire academy felt it."

Eren's breath hitched.

The academy… knew?

Veylen chuckled at his reaction. "Shocking, isn't it? The moment you broke the final seal, a surge of mana burst through the entire region."

Eren cursed internally. He had been so focused on surviving the trial that he hadn't considered the consequences of unlocking the Grimoir's hidden power.

If the academy had noticed…

Then it was only a matter of time before they came looking for him.

---

A Dangerous Invitation

Lyra studied him for a long moment before speaking again.

"We came with an offer."

Eren's expression remained unreadable. "I'm not interested."

Veylen snorted. "You don't even know what it is yet."

Lyra ignored him and continued, her tone unwavering.

"You're not the only one who walks the path of forbidden power."

That made Eren pause.

Lyra's lips curved into a small smile. "There are others like you. And they're waiting."

Eren didn't answer immediately. His mind was already racing through the possibilities.

"Others? Like me?"

Did she mean other Grimoir users?

Or… something else?

Veylen pushed off the pillar, stretching lazily. "Think about it. You've already chosen this path, haven't you?"

Lyra nodded. "The academy won't welcome you much longer. But we will."

She reached into her cloak and tossed something toward him.

Eren caught it instinctively—a black sigil etched onto a silver coin.

An invitation.

To something much bigger than he had imagined.

---

The Path Forward

As Lyra and Veylen turned to leave, Lyra gave him one final glance.

"When the time comes, you'll know where to find us."

And just like that, they vanished into the shadows.

Eren looked down at the coin in his hand.

A choice was before him.

Stay on his current path—alone, fighting against the forces closing in on him.

Or step into the unknown, where others like him were gathering.

The path forward was uncertain.

But one thing was clear.

There was no turning back.

---

Author's Note

Hey everyone!

This chapter was intense! Eren's power has finally awakened, but now he's facing new dangers and unexpected opportunities. Lyra and Veylen's group will play a major role moving forward, and their true motives are still a mystery.

What do you think? Should Eren trust them? Or is this a trap?

Drop your thoughts below, and I'll see you in Chapter 71!

— bloodyking99