Chapter 132

Under the control of the 'Shadow of Suffocation,' the twisted corpses surged toward Eren in waves.

As they approached, the sight alone was harrowing, but the oppressive sensation of suffocation grew even more intense.

The oxygen-deprived air seemed to warp into an enormous, invisible phantom, commanding the advancing tide of corpses, as if trying to engulf Eren completely.

At that moment, a radiant silver and golden light surged from Eren's right arm, rapidly coalescing into a massive, sacred staff before him.

The moment the staff materialized, a wave of divine energy swept across the scene.

The unstable and distorted phantom dissolved instantly under its holy aura.

Even the advancing horde of corpses froze momentarily.

Although they soon resumed their bizarre, crawling movements—reminiscent of something straight out of a horror film—they were noticeably slower in their approach.

Bang!

With the strength-enhancing power of [Might], Eren swung the massive metallic Angel's Staff with ease, smashing a nearby corpse, shadow and all, into the distance.

The immense power, inherited from an angel, crushed the corpse's chest entirely. The sacred energy of the staff, with its double damage against malevolent entities, obliterated the shadow controlling the corpse, permanently eradicating it.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Eren swung the Angel's Staff in wide arcs, clearing a circle around himself of corpses and shadows alike.

But despite his success, no trace of relief appeared on his face.

While the Angel's Staff was highly effective against the shadows, every swing rapidly consumed the limited oxygen in his body.

Ordinarily, a trained individual could hold their breath for a minute or two underwater—some experts could even last ten or twenty minutes.

Eren, while not reaching professional levels, could normally endure for ten minutes or so.

But under the strain of intense combat, which drained his oxygen reserves even faster, he wasn't sure how long he could hold out.

And to make matters worse, the oppressive suffocation in the building continued to intensify with every passing second.

Gradually, it went beyond merely physical suffocation. An invisible force began pressing on Eren's spirit, inducing a mental sense of asphyxiation as well.

It was as though he had been cast into the depths of the ocean, deprived of air, while immense pressure squeezed the remaining oxygen from his body and weighed on his very soul.

"I can't drag this out any longer. I need to find that embryonic Shadow of Suffocation, and fast..."

Shattering another shadow with his staff, Eren made his decision.

Following the faint threads connecting the shadows, he strode deeper into the Peace Apartment.

As if sensing his determination, the embryonic secondary forbidden item seemed to react.

The shadows around Eren went berserk, launching suicidal attacks in a desperate bid to stop him.

Some corpses, in a crazed frenzy, scrambled ahead to block his path, their rotting, pale hands clawing at him from all directions.

[Holy Shield]

A luminous, sacred barrier enveloped Eren, protecting him from head to toe.

The decaying hands striking the shield sizzled upon contact, blackened by its divine energy.

Some corpses struck with such force that chunks of rotting flesh were burned clean off their hands.

Using the shield to his advantage, Eren swung the Angel's Staff in a wide arc, carving a path through the horde.

Without wasting time, he sprinted down the corridor toward the apartment's depths.

Behind him, the nightmarish horde of corpses surged, clawing desperately at his retreating figure.

The scene resembled a surreal, macabre painting: countless ghastly figures clawing at a lone radiant silhouette, trying to drag it into the abyss.

Time was of the essence. Without pausing for a second, Eren rushed into the fourth floor of the building, where the threads converged into a dense web.

The long corridor on this floor was pitch black, devoid of any light.

Even the moonlight and streetlights outside seemed unable to penetrate the darkened windows, leaving the hallway shrouded in deathly silence.

With the faint glow of the Angel's Staff, Eren used Spirit Vision to trace the countless threads leading into Room 404.

Room 404?

The number on the slightly reflective doorplate made Eren pause.

What an ominous number.

The door to Room 404 was ajar, with a narrow gap barely wide enough for a finger.

Through the gap, Eren could see the threads controlling the shadows streaming out.

Beyond the threads, an even darker void loomed within the room, surpassing the oppressive gloom of the hallway.

As Eren peered through the gap into Room 404, a pair of bloodshot crimson eyes suddenly emerged from the abyss.

(End of Chapter)

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