Chapter 79: Dance in the Shadows
Darkness reigned.
The moment Eren released his power, the flickering candlelight was consumed, leaving only an abyss of shifting shadows. His breathing steadied as he felt the familiar embrace of his element.
This was his battlefield.
The two masked assailants, however, were unfazed. Though they had lost their sight, their mana signatures remained sharp and unwavering.
They weren't ordinary killers.
But neither was Eren.
He moved, his footsteps silent as the void. Within the realm of shadows, he was faster, stronger—an untouchable specter.
A whisper of movement behind him.
There!
Eren spun, summoning a blade of pure darkness in his hand. He swung without hesitation, aiming for the attacker's exposed side.
Clang!
A flash of blue light erupted as the masked figure deflected the strike with ease. The force sent vibrations through Eren's arm, and before he could adjust—
Boom!
A pulse of energy detonated point-blank.
Eren was blasted backward, his body slamming into a marble pillar. A sharp crack echoed as the structure fractured under the impact.
Pain flared in his ribs, but he forced himself up, gritting his teeth.
His vision cleared just in time to see the second masked figure rushing toward him, twin daggers gleaming with an eerie glow.
---
A Battle of Wits
Two against one.
Eren knew he couldn't overpower them directly. Instead, he had to outthink them.
He raised a hand, and the shadows responded. Chains of darkness erupted from the floor, striking like serpents toward his attackers.
But the masked figures moved like phantoms. They weaved through the assault, their bodies blurring as they closed in.
Eren narrowed his eyes.
He had expected that.
At the last second, he clenched his fist—
The chains shifted.
Instead of aiming to restrain, they altered course, targeting the surrounding shelves.
Crash!
The massive bookshelves collapsed, unleashing a wave of dust and debris. The library trembled as ancient tomes tumbled like an avalanche.
The two masked figures halted, momentarily forced to evade the cascading wreckage.
Eren didn't waste the opportunity.
He vanished into the darkness.
---
Hunting in the Abyss
He moved unseen, his presence fading into the void. Every breath was measured, every step calculated.
His enemies were skilled, but they had one fatal flaw.
They didn't control the shadows—he did.
Eren circled around them, silent as death itself. With a flick of his wrist, the shadows around the first masked figure twisted into sharp spears.
Without warning, they launched forward.
Shnk!
A pained grunt echoed as one of the spears pierced through the attacker's shoulder.
Eren didn't stop.
He followed up instantly, emerging from the darkness with his blade aimed for the second figure's throat.
But—
Clang!
A barrier of crackling energy erupted between them, blocking his strike.
Eren barely had time to retreat before a wave of force blasted outward, forcing him back.
His feet skidded across the floor, his mind racing.
They're adapting.
The first attacker, though wounded, ripped the shadow spear from their shoulder without hesitation. Mana surged around them, and Eren knew—
They were done playing defensively.
---
The True Test Begins
The air in the Grand Library changed. A suffocating pressure settled over the battlefield.
Eren tensed. Something was coming.
The masked figures raised their hands in unison. The moment they did, the darkness around them warped.
Eren's eyes widened.
They were stealing his control.
The shadows that once obeyed him now trembled, resisting his command. A foreign force corrupted his domain, twisting the abyss into something unrecognizable.
A countermeasure…
These weren't just assassins.
They were hunters—trained to kill those who wielded the darkness.
A slow chuckle escaped Eren's lips.
For the first time in a long while, his blood boiled with excitement.
"You're good," he admitted, rolling his shoulders. "But let's see how well you dance when I stop holding back."
---
Breaking the Chains
Eren took a deep breath, centering himself. If they thought they could suppress his power, they were dead wrong.
With a sharp motion, he slammed his hand against his chest.
A pulse of pure black mana erupted from his body.
The corruption shattered.
The stolen shadows rushed back to their master, forming a spiraling vortex around Eren. His golden eyes gleamed in the abyss as he reclaimed control.
The masked figures hesitated.
And in that moment, Eren struck.
He blurred forward, moving at a speed that left afterimages in his wake.
His target barely had time to react before—
Slash!
His blade cut cleanly through fabric and flesh. A sharp cry rang out.
The second figure staggered back, clutching their bleeding side.
Eren turned to the first attacker—only to find they were already retreating.
His eyes narrowed. So, they weren't here to fight to the death.
They came to test him.
And now that they had their answers—they were escaping.
---
A Parting Warning
The injured figure vanished in a flicker of mana.
The remaining attacker stood still for a moment longer, watching Eren with that same unsettling, featureless mask.
Then, with a distorted voice, they spoke:
"You should have remained ignorant."
Before Eren could react, the figure dissolved into shadows, disappearing completely.
A heavy silence settled over the ruined library.
Eren exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His wounds ached, but nothing felt fatal.
Still, this was only the beginning.
Whoever these people were, they knew too much.
And now, they knew about him.
He looked down at the blood staining his blade, his expression unreadable.
"Interesting."
If they wanted to play this game…
Then he'd show them exactly what kind of monster they were dealing with.
---
Author's Note
Eren faces off against mysterious masked enemies—but who are they? And why do they have techniques designed specifically to counter his powers?
The stakes are rising, and Eren's journey is only getting more dangerous.
Stay tuned for Chapter 80!
— bloodyking99