The battle between Eren and Callista took an unexpected turn as the latter unleashed her hidden arsenal of spells.
The once familiar and void-of-anything battlefield transformed before Eren's eyes, morphing into a lush green landscape as potent Nature mana surged through the surroundings. The very essence of nature seemed to come alive, as monstrous plant lifeforms materialized in every direction.
These creatures possessed bodies made of twisted vines, gnarled tree trunks, and an assortment of vegetation. Their monstrous heads lacked eyes but sported menacing noses and sharp, jagged teeth that gleamed a vivid shade of green.
Giant vines snaked through the air, moving with a mind of their own, slithering like serpents as they sought to ensnare Eren within their grasp. The creatures were adorned with thorns and other natural defenses, making them a formidable force to reckon with.
To Eren's surprise, Callista's command over her spells exhibited a remarkable range and variation. As an Evoker empowered by the elemental forces of Shamanism, she possessed a freedom that rankers did not. With proficiency rivaling that of traditional Summoners, she summoned these monstrous plant lifeforms to aid her in the battle against Eren.
Recognizing the danger of engaging Eren in close combat for an extended period, Callista strategically relied on her plant monsters to maintain a safe distance. Eren's mastery of his weapons made him a formidable opponent, capable of breaching defenses with ease given enough time. Hence, Callista's decision to employ her summoned creatures as a protective barrier proved wise.
Though Eren attempted to close the distance between them using various means, he found himself constantly impeded by the abundance of plant monsters on the battlefield. However, Callista was not content to remain on the defensive. She countered Eren's advances with a barrage of elemental spells, utilizing fire, water, and wind element spells to assail him.
Additionally, she hindered his movements with earth-element spells, employing earth-elemental creatures resembling gigantic moles with unnaturally sharp, monstrous teeth. Their sturdy exoskeletons rendered them resilient against Eren's weapon attacks.
Eren skillfully dispatched some of the plant and earth-type monsters, launching precise strikes at opportune moments. However, Callista promptly replaced the fallen creatures with newly summoned pawns, ensuring a continuous onslaught against Eren's progress.
Despite achieving his objective of showcasing the power of his bulk weapons, Eren's satisfaction waned. He yearned to not only demonstrate his weapons' abilities but to triumph over Callista, driven by the desire to beat the first Evoker he had encountered.
Amidst the fierce battle, the four Matriarchs observed with increasing satisfaction, witnessing the impressive performance of Eren's nameless blades. The display surpassed their expectations, prompting them to consider signing a non-exclusive contract with Eren and placing orders for bulk weapon manufacturing.
Valeria had suggested to Eren and Callista that they could stop their duel as the weapons had been thoroughly tested. However, Eren's focus extended beyond the weapons themselves. He remained determined to overcome Callista's advantages, fueled by the burning curiosity to test his mettle against the formidable Evoker before him.
"Damn it. She's tougher than I thought," Eren muttered under his breath, his gaze fixed on Callista standing confidently at a safe distance. His eyes narrowed as he concluded, 'Evokers will pose a significant challenge for regular rankers if they ever come out of their woodworks.'
Escape was his priority as Eren maneuvered swiftly, evading the treacherous trap laid by the relentless plant monsters. Streaks of lightning crackled from his fingertips, obliterating the vines attempting to impede his path. Frustration gnawed at him, knowing that the vines were adapting to his movements, seeking patterns in his offense and defense to devise a countermeasure.
To address the threat of being surrounded by multiple adversaries, Eren had exchanged his daggers for two nameless swords, formidable C-ranked artifacts imbued with multi-element compatibility. He deftly sidestepped a fiery breath unleashed by an earth-element monster, retaliating with a barrage of Aqua Blades unleashed from his dual blades. The water-element spell coursed through his weapons.
Furthermore, a cluster of Water Whips materialized near the fire-breathing earth-element mole monster, ensnaring its massive 15-foot frame, effectively restraining its movements. As the earth-element monster attempted another fiery assault on Eren's escape route, an Aqua Storm erupted, engulfing the monster in a tempestuous torrent of water. The creature and its fiery breath dissolved within the storm's watery embrace, illuminating the surroundings with hues of red and orange.
Steam billowed as the scorching heat evaporated some of the conjured water, dissipating the typhoon-like storm. The monster's once-defined shape, now distorted and vanquished, a result of Eren's adept utilization of spell fusion to expedite its demise.
Understanding dawned upon Eren regarding Callista's Blessing. Bestowed by the Great Mother, it granted most of her followers a simple yet potent Ability. The intentions that seeped into the Nature mana were related to growth and nurture. This was why, through the infusion of her Nature mana, Callista could amplify the power of all her elemental attacks, effectively doubling or even tripling their strength, contingent upon her mastery of the ability.
Furthermore, the sacred ground consecrated by the Great Mother provided an additional boon to Callista's spells. The abundance of Nature mana enveloping her required minimal effort for its conjuration. It amplified the potency of her spells further with minimal effort.
As an Evoker, she already held an advantage over Eren when it came to mana consumption. Even if Eren could hold his own against Callista's attacks, a long-drawn battle was not in his best interest.
From artifacts to spells, everything Callista used and employed was designed to let her take advantage of her blessings. The synergistic effect of various buffs bestowed Callista's summoned creatures with enhanced size and heightened ferocity. Eren found himself expending a significant amount of mana to dispatch them, realizing the inefficiency of such a prolonged battle.
Though still afforded a sliver of breathing room in his clash with Callista, Eren felt the walls closing in. His grip on the nameless swords tightened as he swung them with determination, cleaving through the encroaching monsters that served as obstacles.
Amid the chaos, the butcher pondered his predicament, realizing the necessity of unveiling his own trump cards.
