Normally Eren would have had more difficulties achieving Adet rank because of his special existence. However, Kilaba was a monster who had progressed enough in his evolutionary path to allow Eren to overcome his ranking bottleneck without a hitch.
Eren's Elemental Condensation was different from any other ranker though. His mana core began incorporating world law runes of all the grand elements rather than just the ones he was used to.
Eren gritted his teeth and felt every muscle in his body rupture and rebuild. Every cell in his body was now incorporating more of the world's mana into it. His flesh and bones were getting strengthened by mana as if they were artifacts in their own right.
An Adept-ranked mana cloud was soon summoned all around him. His mana core spun with even heightened efficiency than before and drained the mana cloud surrounding him.
After another couple of minutes, Eren's breakthrough into the gaseous state of the Adept rank was stabilized.
Eren had broken into Adept rank once again in this timeline.
However, this did not mean that the process was over.
Way of the water!
Kilaba had an affinity with the element of water. Plus, his elemental attainment as a monster in his 3rd stage of evolution was also substantial. As a result, Eren's water element attainment started increasing at a rapid rate while he digested Kilaba's understanding of the element. Eren entered into a state of epiphany at that moment, and his mana core started spinning again.
This time, it summoned an even denser form of an Adept ranked mana cloud than before. The Elemental Condensation runes related to water etched on Eren's mana core started getting more complex as the core spun around itself while absorbing more Adept rank mana.
Har Jahar started getting more worried about his well-being as he saw Eren's breakthrough with his own eyes. He knew that the breakthrough of the abomination that was in front of him was anything but normal.
He wanted to scream and distract Eren from gaining any more attainment while under the effects of the State of Epiphany. Meanwhile, Sharog focused on her former king some more and attached more runes to his body, shackling every muscle.
Har Jahar and the rest of the audience watched as Eren digested all the gains he was due from Kilaba's kill. Eren could have indulged in his epiphany for longer. But Alephee reminded him that he had more important things to attend to.
Eren opened his eyes with a smile on his face. He was happy. And nostalgic as well.
Nostalgic because it had taken him so long to break into D-Rank in his previous timeline. He knew that those experiences had also helped him get to his Adept ranker faster. His ranking journey was virtually free of bottlenecks compared to his last life.
However, the struggle he had had to face in his past was exceptionally difficult for him. He did not truly enjoy his breakthrough into D-Rank because of that.
"The place is different. My circumstances are unusual. The time is different. Yet. It's still me. It's all me."
Eren mumbled to himself as he looked at his hands and his open palms. They were brimming with youthfulness and energy, unlike the last time. His potential was still in its budding phase, he could feel it.
Eren turned around and saw the same scene he had seen before his breakthrough. He ignored the gazes that were fixated on him and started walking towards Har Jahar once again.
"Har Jahar, oh Har Jahar. Have you experienced something like this? If I kill you now, will you get to see anything I just did? Tell me. Do you want to find out what life is made of after experiencing death?"
Eren said, his voice still deep, that was the sign of his wrath mana even though he didn't have wrath domain anymore. Despite only having a few minutes to spare, Eren had managed to surpass even the wrath flames' standards of water element attainment gains.
Eren had previously digested the water attainment from Langdon when he was still in the Titus tournament. Then he killed off a rebel Orchina from his tribe, which had water element affinity as well as weapon arts related to hammer.
In this time's state of epiphany, Eren had managed to make all his elemental attainments come together, using Kilaba's water attainment as the foundation. He had fused them and created something that was completely his.
Har Jahar watched as Eren came close to him once again. He was now an Adept. The Oni King was not ashamed to show the frustration on his face anymore.
This was no human, beast, half-blood, or monster. This was an abomination that would take on any form when it felt like it. There's nothing wrong with being fearful of abominations.
Looking at his struggles to say something, Eren gestured to Shargo that he was okay now and she could allow him to speak. The latter nodded and decreased the runic restrictions placed on the Oni King. The Oni King took a long breath before asking Eren in a grim voice.
"You… What is your name? What is your real name? Tell me."
Har Jahar asked while looking at the azure flame that was still burning in the distance. A final gamble. He was hoping the god's remnant shadow was paying attention and would help him somehow. Because he had started to realize that Eren had come prepared to kill him no matter the circumstances.
'Don't tell him. This Oni is pretty crafty. He wants you to get cursed.'
Alephee spoke in Eren's mind and the latter looked at Har Jahar with an appreciative nod.
"Good. You are looking for ways to fuck with me even in your dying moments. This is what the land of the faithless is all about. The struggle for survival. Guess you did learn a few things from here."
Eren stopped smiling when he said that. He activated his wrath ability in his usual way once again and injected the wrath mana into his own body, making it gain even more muscular definitions. This also helped him increase his stature a bit. His red eyes started sparking with red radiance as he spoke to the Oni King with an even more monstrous voice than him.
"Fortunately or unfortunately, your struggle ends here."
AN: Eren gets Langdon's water elemental attainment in chapter 558.
