Eren entrusted Naya with the final strikes against both Carvel and Akass.
It not only allowed her to avenge Birmond's death but also provided her with an unexpected catharsis, soothing a sense of unrest she hadn't recognized within herself.
"I still find it hard to believe that Birmond's experiences and Elemental Attainments ended up with you," Naya materialized beside Eren, her voice gentle and contemplative.
Eren responded with a faint smile, his eyes showing a hint of amusement.
"Well, I didn't set out to acquire Birmond's powers personally. It just happened that the chance was there, and I took it. Hope you get my perspective," Eren said, his shoulders lifting in a nonchalant shrug. He moved around Akass' lifeless body, studying it with keen interest. Even in death, the massive wyvern emanated an aura of danger through lingering mana signatures.
"I don't mind. In fact, it's better this way."
Naya's head shook. She remained still, watching Eren's actions closely. She was gradually peeling back the layers of Eren's character, uncovering a straightforward and comprehensible individual.
With each passing day, her grasp on his true nature tightened. He was her master, and she was his loyal demon beast companion. There was no need for them to hide things from each other.
Eren seemed content with his victory this time. In contrast to his previous encounter against the previous wyvern, he had taken care to preserve Akass' remains. He contemplated his kill trophy, squatting by the wyvern's side and running his hand over its draconic hide. The moment his fingers made contact, a palpable surge of energy coursed through him.
'Both targets are down. No need to hang back, everyone. Proceed to assist others. Let's wrap up this battle and secure a victory for "dear" Edinburgh,' Eren's voice resonated through the communication channel, reaching his trusted guild members.
'Understood,' Tumko's response echoed, representing his entire squad's compliance.
'Sure thing, Eren. But keep your vigilance,' Sara Stark chimed in a doting manner before obeying the orders.
With Sara and Tumko's squads departing to support fellow combatants, Eren was left alone with Naya near Akass' lifeless body. Following Eren's lead, these two seasoned Rankers directed their teams to join the ongoing engagements.
***
With Carvel and Akass now eliminated, the kingdom of Edinburgh could be considered to have secured victory in the contest for the region. Yet, Eren was determined to complete his task of eliminating as many Layos Rankers as possible before the Anfang Alliance intervened to halt the official battle.
In the confrontation against Carvel and Akass, Eren and Naya had essentially stood alone. However, Eren had ingeniously employed a distinctive Battle Array Formation, strategically orchestrated by his guild members acting from a distance.
Several months prior, Eren, disguised as Leo Longblade, had been abducted by a group of formidable Rankers. During this incident, he had been captivated by the artifacts and array formations his captors had utilized to confine and neutralize his powers.
These captors, skilled artifact forgers from various corners of Edinburgh, had developed a unique artifact set comprising five rings. This ensemble enabled them to suppress Eren's physical attributes and Elemental Attainments related to shadow elements. It could be considered an innovative manifestation of a Battle Formation.
Unfortunately for the abductors, Eren's Elemental Attainments weren't limited to the shadow-element alone. And that's how a formidable Battle Array Formation failed to give Eren's enemies an advantage. The failure to see through Eren's myriad Elemental Attainments had cost his abductors their lives despite their seemingly "foolproof" plan.
Refusing to remain at the receiving end of such formations, Eren sought to wield the power of suppression himself. He too liked bullying stronger entities.
Regular Battle Formations didn't pique his interest. So he aimed to engineer a highly advanced formation that could trap formidable beings in an inescapable web.
Eren took the abductors' concept and array formation, refining it to his own design since he had discovered a way to blend the fields of artifact creation and array formations seamlessly. He meticulously fine-tuned the artifacts and optimized the runic array formation inscribed upon them, constructing an effective suppressant for Akass.
Only now did Eren understand why his adversaries had often deployed Battle Array Formations against him. When employed skillfully, they offered a means for weaker entities to overcome mightier foes.
For instance, Tumko Darata, Sara Stark, and their respective squads were merely at the Expert Rank, far from being a match for Akass. Yet, by harnessing their collective power through the ring artifacts and Battle Formation, they could effectively immobilize Akass long enough for Eren to deal the decisive blows.
This suppression tactic nullified Akass' Elemental Attainments and his abilities, while also subduing his physical attributes. Eren expanded the number of rings capable of serving as Array Operators. Moreover, the suppression effects could be amplified through the participation of additional Rankers operating as Array Operators.
As long as they remained within a specified range, the effects of the Battle Array Formation would seamlessly combine and act upon the chosen target, designated by the wearer of the prime ring artifact. Eren, of course, donned the prime ring, singling out Akass as his intended victim.
***
Eren discarded the original concept of the five rings' restricted roles as a set and, drawing upon his mastery of Hex Artifact creation, reimagined a wholly novel artifact set never before witnessed in Anfang. An artifact set that could be used by so many Array Operators at once as soon as the Battle Formations inscribed on the rings are deployed.
Before the start of his battle with Carvel, the butcher directed all members of Tumko and Sara Stark's teams to don these ring artifacts. This strategic move distributed the load of powering the array formation against the draconic entity across all team members. This collective effort shielded them from being overwhelmed by both the immense draconic power and Akass' retaliatory spiritual assaults.
By altering the array formation's fundamental structure and improving the five-ring artifact, Eren eliminated the necessity for Tumko and Sara Stark's squads to remain in immediate proximity. Moreover, the ring artifacts inherently concealed the presence of their wearers, bolstering the element of surprise.
Eren cunningly averted Akass' ability to pinpoint the sudden source of his overwhelming suppression. Upon confirming Carvel's demise, Eren triggered the Battle Formation through Tumko and Sara's squads. He then harnessed the full potential of his Hex Artifact Set, obliterating the formidable wyvern, Akass, in a remarkably swift interval.
Among the Edinburgh Rankers, Akass was hailed as one of the most formidable adversaries. Consequently, his swift demise was destined to reverberate across both Edinburgh and Layos, becoming a matter of widespread discussion.
The butcher paid no heed to Carvel's smear campaign against him, nor did he seek to bask in the glory of slaying Akass. His foremost concern was to prevent any dent in his reputation from becoming an obstacle to the Lazarus Project. He aimed to deflect scrutiny until he was adequately prepared. The surest method to do that was to fulfill the assignment bestowed upon him by the kingdom of Edinburgh.
"Hmm. Given that this artifact-enhanced Battle Formation has enabled me to finally kill this overhyped lizard, let's name it the Akass Formation," Eren mused, choosing to name his refined Battle Formation. Naturally, he harbored no intention of attributing credit to the deceased abductors who had initially sparked the idea for this formation.
AN: Eren/Leo gets kidnapped by the abductors in chapter 1348. He decides to adopt the five-ring Battle Formation for his use in the same chapter.
