Eliza, Layla, and Leela had experienced a moment of apprehension when Eren had nearly attacked the Rankers with his summoned creatures.
The lives of the Rankers present on the battlefield were meant to serve as the sacrifice Eliza required for an immediate restoration of her Sage ranking upon revival. Had they perished before the barrier's activation, Eliza's plans would have been jeopardized.
For a brief moment, Eliza entertained the notion that Eren might have betrayed her at the last moment to thwart her Sage ranking restoration. However, Eren's last-minute decision to withhold his summoned creatures from attacking the Rankers preserved Eliza's designs.
Eliza had to acknowledge Eren's ruthlessness and unambiguous approach. He had staked the entire fate of the Lazarus Project to deceive Garos and the five other Sages. She chuckled, then commented on Eren's remarkable mindset.
"A bluff that isn't a bluff, huh? There were so many things that could have gone wrong. And yet, here we are. I have to say… It takes a special mindset to pull off something like that.
Had it failed, I would have called you a fool. But I'm tongue tied now that you've succeeded. Either way, you're quite the cunning character, little kitten," Eliza remarked, accompanied by a knowing smile.
***
At this juncture, the other trapped Rankers recognized the presence of a second group that had materialized within the secondary domain. Their inability to approach Eren and his allies prompted them to address Eliza, who appeared authoritative to them.
"Ma'am, please, kill that wretch Grimdawn and release us. The kingdom of Layos is prepared to offer a handsome reward," urged a Layos Ranker, directing his plea to Eliza.
These pleas triggered the Rankers from Edinburgh, and they also began making various offers to Eliza and her entourage in hopes of ridding themselves of Eren and his allies.
"Ugh! So irritating! Should I kill these bugs?"
Eliza, however, grew increasingly annoyed. She regarded them with disdain, as if they were mere pests buzzing around her.
Layla intervened to dissuade her. "No need, master. They are the "batteries" we need. Let them live a bit longer," the Little Witch remarked with an almost playful tone. Her demeanor echoed Eliza's cruelty as she surveyed the trapped Rankers.
***
Suddenly, a group of 16 Sages appeared just beyond the expansive Birdcage barrier. This assembly comprised Sages dispatched by the Anfang Alliance and Hansen Lehan, who had barely survived.
"What… what the fuck is this?"
Hansen was taken aback, his eyes wide with disbelief, as he observed the colossal Birdcage barrier. The sudden, drastic transformation was beyond his comprehension, as it had transpired in just a few minutes during his absence.
"Is… is that her? Garos was telling the truth?"
Some of the Sages from the Anfang Alliance recognized Eliza with trepidation, referring to her as the Witch of the Enderflames, as their records had described her. Another Sage confirmed her identity.
"That's correct. It is indeed her, exactly as the records depict her," a female Sage affirmed, peering at Eliza from outside the Birdcage Barrier.
"We… We were too late. What will she do now? Garos had informed us that she was planning to receive herself. How… how could we…"
Realizing the dire circumstances, another Sage acknowledged their lateness and adopted a somber tone as he assessed the Birdcage barrier. Although he had yet to engage with the barrier, he understood that it wouldn't be easily dispelled by anyone among their group.
"Hansen, you need to give us a detailed account of the events. Leave no details out."
Insisted another Sage, fixing a penetrating gaze on Hansen. The urgency in his voice underscored the gravity of the situation.
Now that Argo's death had been confirmed, the Anfang Alliance's primary mission was to ensure that Eliza Samael was eliminated once and for all. Her survival was an enigma to them, but now that they had confirmed it, they were determined to ensure she met her demise.
The Anfang Alliance recognized Eliza Samael's deep-seated animosity toward Rankers associated with Anfang's traditional establishments, as she had been betrayed by the Alliance in the past.
Her revival could spark renewed chaos in Anfang, considering her status as the legendary Titan Slayer from the Calamity Era. Even the collective might of multiple Sages might not be sufficient to suppress her.
***
Hansen recounted all he knew and detailed the events leading up to his abrupt teleportation to an unknown location. He remained uncertain about the fates of his fellow Sages and Garos Renar. However, he declared them to be dead for the time being.
Yet, based on their absence and the dire circumstances, he could only conclude that they likely perished. The fact that they had not contacted the Alliance during such a crisis left him with no other reasonable explanation.
'Did… did he really kill the King's Hand?'
Hansen himself struggled to fully accept his own deductions. However, given the state of affairs and the firsthand accounts he received from the surviving Rankers, he felt compelled to voice these harsh truths.
It was an attempt to grapple with the absurd reality. If anyone had told him previously that Sage Garos would meet his end at the hands of a Master Ranker who had absconded with his Spirit Beast, he would have regarded it as a preposterous jest. Yet, reality had proven stranger than even the most outlandish of jokes.
The Sage Ranker who appeared to be leading this new group of Sages quietly uttered Eren's name under his breath and regarded him with intense scrutiny. He had just heard the account of Eren's actions on the battlefield, and he was profoundly taken aback by the audacious feat Eren had accomplished.
This leader Sage found it difficult to believe that a Master Ranker could vanquish six Sages, including Garos Renar. According to common sense, no matter the stratagems and snares employed by a Master Ranker, they shouldn't have the capacity to eliminate a Sage Ranker.
'First, it was a Demon Prince. And now this! What the fuck is happening today?'
The leader Sage thought to himself.
