Chapter 133

The instant those blood-red eyes appeared, a chill ran down Eren's spine, and goosebumps erupted across his body as every hair stood on end.

When Eren's gaze met the crimson pupils, a suffocating despair surged across the spatial divide, bypassing the Holy Shield and piercing directly into his mind.

Like a tidal wave, the despair flooded Eren's mental sea, attempting to drown it and pollute his soul.

"Buzz!!!"

At that critical moment, the Angel's Staff in Eren's hand quivered slightly.

A warm, milky white glow flowed from the staff into Eren's body, wrapping him in a maternal warmth. The soothing stream alleviated his stiffened body and dispelled the suffocating despair that sought to overwhelm him.

Using the reprieve provided by the Angel's Staff, Eren quickly severed his gaze from the crimson eyes. He fortified his mental defenses, building layer upon layer of barriers in his mind.

Prepared, Eren didn't hesitate. He charged straight toward Room 404.

Bang!

With a powerful kick, Eren blasted open the door to Room 404.

Inside, a pitch-black figure stood by the window, gazing silently at him.

This shadowy figure, apart from its eerie crimson eyes, was entirely composed of writhing black threads, constantly twisting and contorting.

The threads extending from the corpses outside were connected to the tangled mass emanating from this shadow. These threads had woven the suffocating nightmare that engulfed the Peace Apartment.

At the same time, the shadow was greedily drawing despair from all around it, using the suffocating emotions as nourishment to accelerate its development.

Eren's sudden arrival seemed to provoke the shadow, causing it to frantically absorb more despair, as though trying to complete its maturation before Eren could act.

But a secondary forbidden item wasn't so easily perfected.

"So this is the 'Shadow of Suffocation,' huh?"

Slashing through the dark threads attempting to ensnare him with the glowing Angel's Staff, Eren advanced steadily toward the shadowy figure.

Finish it while it's weak.

The embryonic state of the 'Shadow of Suffocation' presented the perfect opportunity for Eren to eliminate it entirely. Armed with the Angel's Staff, a weapon capable of countering such malevolence, Eren wasn't about to waste the chance.

Room 404 was small.

In a few determined strides, Eren closed the gap between himself and the shadow.

Although countless threads sprang from the figure in a futile effort to stop him, the sacred light of the Angel's Staff severed them effortlessly.

When Eren was within three meters of the shadow, ready to strike it with the Angel's Staff, the figure made a sudden move.

Its crimson eyes detached from the body, hurtling toward Eren like blazing meteors.

"Hmph."

Sensing the danger, a flash of anger crossed Eren's eyes. He channeled the full power of the Angel's Staff, activating its twin abilities:

[Protection]

[Might]

A radiant holy shield, a finger's width thick, enveloped Eren, while he swung the massive staff with all his enhanced strength, aiming for the incoming crimson eyes.

The sacred glow of the Angel's Staff collided with the ominous crimson pupils in a dazzling explosion of light.

Boom!

Blazing silver-white flames erupted from the staff, engulfing the entire room in a flash.

In mere moments, everything inside Room 404—tables, beds, sofas, chairs, even the concrete walls—was reduced to ashes under the sacred flames.

By the window of Room 404, the shadowy figure stood motionless as the purifying blaze consumed it.

The scorching light seared away the writhing black threads clinging to its body, turning them into ash bit by bit.

As more threads were burned away, a frail, translucent figure began to emerge from within the shadow.

When the sacred flames had nearly incinerated both the black threads and the majority of the figure's body, a hint of clarity returned to its amber eyes.

Despite the searing pain of the flames burning its very soul, the frail figure let out a sigh of relief.

"So... it's finally over..."

Realizing that its soul would soon be obliterated, the translucent figure didn't show the slightest panic. Instead, it offered a genuine smile.

Turning to Eren, who was gripping the Angel's Staff, it said:

"Thank you... for not letting me become that monster..."

"I have nothing left to repay you with, but I'll give you the power of that creature..."

As it spoke, the translucent figure's shadow stretched out beneath it, extending slowly toward Eren's.

The movement was slow enough that Eren could have dodged or even struck the shadow with the Angel's Staff to destroy it entirely.

But as he watched the figure smile amidst the sacred flames, Eren dismissed the thought.

He stood still, allowing the small shadow to merge with his own.

The moment the two shadows merged, the translucent figure was consumed entirely by the holy flames, vanishing into nothingness.

At the same time, fragments of unfamiliar knowledge flowed from the shadow into Eren's mind.

(End of Chapter)

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