"Zero…"
Eren's voice resonated through the battleground, his eyes filled with determination.
He had surpassed his opponents' expectations once again, completing the countdown on his own before executing the movement spell he had inherited from the Maniac Creator. In the previous skirmishes, Eren had used the spell with limited capability, hindered by the absence of a mana core. However, this time, armed with both a mana core and experience, he embraced the spell without hesitation.
The lightning-element movement spell bore a simple yet fitting name: Blitz Steps. As Eren cast the spell effortlessly, his legs became enveloped in flickering tongues of lightning. While his adversaries struggled with each spell they attempted, the newly minted official ranker moved with a grace and ease that belied his recent breakthrough. It was as if he had employed the spell countless times before, a testament to his rapid growth.
With a swift swish, Eren vanished from his previous position, leaving his opponents momentarily baffled. Their gazes darted around in search of the elusive figure, but they were too slow to react. In a fraction of a second, Eren materialized next to Stan, his fists ablaze with streaks of lightning.
Time seemed to slow for Stan as he felt a brutal impact strike his chest, propelling him into the air. Confusion etched upon his face, he managed to catch a glimpse of Eren standing not too far from where he had been just moments ago. Lightning crackled around his hands, a testament to his dominance in the battle.
Stan's thoughts were interrupted by a pained cry from Jayce, who had witnessed the assault on his companion. Jayce had already fortified his body with a stone skin spell, a shield of earth-element mana covering his form. But Eren's strike was too powerful, overcoming the defense and inflicting significant damage. Jayce's body contorted under the intense vector force, his injured shoulder adding to his misery.
With lightning-swift reflexes, Eren grabbed Jayce's arm, seizing the opportunity to launch a follow-up attack. Adjusting his stance, he targeted Jayce's vulnerable Adam's apple, his fists guided by the principles of Jeet Kune Do. No sensitive spot was off-limits.
The pain consumed Jayce as Eren's blows rained upon him. It felt as though a hammer had ruthlessly assaulted his shoulders, followed by an equally devastating blow to his neck. His windpipe crushed, Jayce struggled to let out even a gasp, the severity of his injuries evident. Despite being renowned for his exceptional defense as an earth-element ranker, he was left defenseless in the face of Eren's relentless assault.
But Eren's own body bore the marks of battle. Lightning had a tumultuous relationship with earth-element defense spells, and despite his mana defense layer, his knuckles began to bleed under the strain of his powerful strikes. Moreover, Jayce's counterattack had fractured Eren's femur bone, causing excruciating pain to surge through his body.
The next onslaught came from Ralph, who unleashed a fiery punch aimed directly at Eren's face. The impact sent Eren hurtling backward, his vision blurred by the searing pain. The flames mingled with his own mana, invading his system and intensifying his suffering.
In a desperate bid to alleviate the agony, Eren channeled his mana, focusing on his face region. He expelled the foreign fire mana with a remarkable display of control, dousing the flames that had engulfed him. Ralph watched with surprise as his attack was nullified, realizing that Eren possessed an exceptional talent.
"This guy is a prodigy," Ralph thought to himself, his surprise quickly transforming into a determination to eliminate Eren. He pressed forward, launching another punch followed by swift legwork, denying Eren any respite. Jayce and Stan, having recovered from their initial shock and pain, joined the assault, casting their spells with relentless precision. It was now a battle between two factions of rankers, each side unleashing their arsenal without restraint.
The clash raged on for several minutes, both sides utilizing their spells and martial prowess to strike at the heart of the opposing force. Eren fought with unwavering perseverance, employing every move and technique at his disposal to inflict precise attacks on his opponents.
Yet, the strength in numbers weighed heavily against Eren. As his injuries worsened with each passing moment, he realized that his powers alone were insufficient to overcome this life-threatening predicament. He fought on, utilizing his digested memories with exceptional skill, but the odds seemed insurmountable.
Being an official ranker was not enough. Eren needed a miracle, one that defied the annals of human history.
The question lingered: What form would this miraculous intervention take?