Eren was serious when he told Edgar that they would meet once the Lazarus Project was completed.
Edgar's diary had been a valuable resource for Eren, and it was time for him to reap the rewards directly from the diary's creator.
Like Edgar, Eren had a strong interest in delving deeper into Sansara Sage's knowledge and creations. He admired Edgar's pragmatic approach, which allowed him to break free from the narrow perspectives commonly found in Anfang.
Eren didn't want to waste his time and resources reinventing the wheel when predecessors like Sansara Sage had already paved the way. He had numerous pending projects on his agenda and needed to embark on them without delay. The research materials of Sansara Sage would serve as a solid foundation, enabling Eren to develop his own ideas upon it.
Sage Edgar was the right person to guide Eren in these endeavors.
He had many inquiries about the complete inheritance he had received from Sansara Sage. By providing Edgar with pertinent information, Eren could also benefit from Edgar's actions and research. It would be akin to two students of the same teacher sharing their insights to enhance their learning speed and grasp over the subject taught by their teacher.
Additionally, Eren wished for Sansara Sage's artificially created daughter, Maya, to remain with him even after leaving Anfang.
The butcher believed that Maya could offer him significant advantages, provided he maintained their alliance after the Lazarus Project's conclusion. To achieve this, Eren could use the knowledge he gained from Sage Edgar to keep Maya engaged and interested.
The chronic planner in Eren didn't allow him to rest even when he was at a crucial stage of the Lazarus Project.
The chronic planner in Eren didn't allow him to rest even when he was at a crucial stage of the Lazarus Project.
***
'Hmm? It looks like I came back at the right time.'
Eren watched Eliza's new vessel from a distance and noted the fatigue in Layla and Leela's expressions. He could read in their eyes that despite their exhaustion, their determination to keep the project going remained strong.
'The more I look at it, the more sure I get. This vessel creation process is similar to the artifact creation process in many ways.'
Eren couldn't help but draw parallels between creating a compatible vessel for someone and crafting a compatible artifact. Both processes followed similar principles, but creating a suitable vessel presented significantly more challenges.
Eren had substantial experience as an artifact creator over the past nine years. While he didn't fully understand the homunculi's difficulties, he recognized the nature of their work due to his extensive background in artifact creation.
'Hmm. If it was me, I would have taken a completely different approach to reviving someone.'
He contemplated an alternative approach to reviving someone. The current method, in his view, essentially gave Eliza a fresh start in the race.
Although it wasn't inherently flawed, it lacked creativity and might yield suboptimal results. Nevertheless, Eren decided to put such thoughts aside.
'If your enemy is making mistakes, the best thing you could do is stay silent,' the butcher thought to himself. He then focused on assessing Reen's condition and breathed a sigh of relief upon finding her stable, with minimal harm done.
It wasn't that Eren was completely fine with Reen's current state. But considering the worse outcome he had imagined, this was still a better result.
'It all depends upon how that old hag acts after occupying the new body though. She, Layla, or Leela wouldn't try to mess with me until she is yet to occupy the vessel perfectly compatible with her soul and Elemental Attainments.
However, once the soul had been transferred and the compatibility had been confirmed, that would be when the real test of their characters began. Mine as well.'
Eren thought to himself as he watched the two sisters work hard to make the Lazarus Project a success story.
'Was… was I worried for nothing? All the preparations I made. All my trump cards. Were they obtained in vain?'
As he watched Layla and Leela's efforts, Eren questioned whether his paranoia had been unfounded. He contemplated the implications of Eliza adhering to their original arrangement.
'No. I can't think like this. Preparing for the worse is one thing. But I shouldn't wish for her to backstab me just so I could do the same to her. It would have the opposite effect on my mindset going forward.'
Eren had another thought as he felt the effects of the Sativa Stick completely revitalizing his mind and body. Even though it was a stressful situation all around him, he felt nothing but calm and peace at this time.
***
After ensuring the vessel was fully prepared to receive Eliza's soul, Layla shouted to her sister, "Leela, the vessel is ready." She glanced back at Leela, who stood inside the southern Array Eye. Leela nodded in acknowledgment and activated the runes on the Shallot's Mirror once more.
Tendrils, resembling octopus limbs, emerged from the mirror's surface. Composed of pure Spiritual Force and bearing the appearance of liquified mercury, these tendrils carried the securely stored Soul Seed from the Shallot's Mirror.
These tendrils moved slowly, guiding Eliza's Soul Seed toward the newly created vessel. They wound around the vessel, enveloping her limbs and torso before raising her higher.
Layla manipulated these tendrils, directing Eliza's Soul Seed to enter the new vessel through the space between her eyebrows. The Soul Seed entered the vessel as if it was made out of nothingness. It disappeared into the vessel before it sprouted inside.
This sprouted Soul Seed devoured the Spiritual Force provided to it by the tendrils of the Shallot's Mirror. The Spiritual Force the artifact provided was akin to water for the Soul Seed, which helped it germinate and grow.
As Eliza's Soul Seed entered the new vessel, an intense surge of mana permeated the surroundings. The previously clear sky, housing the calm eye of the storm, darkened rapidly, and streaks of lightning illuminated the horizon.
Rumble!
When the new vessel's eyes opened fully for the first time, a deafening clap of thunder reverberated, challenging the limits of the onlookers' eardrums and infusing their souls with an unknown energy.
A special kind of Rankers' Calamity had been issued.
