The Academy buzzed with anticipation as the announcement of the Elite Taskforce Trials swept through its halls. Whispers filled the air, students discussing strategies, alliances, and possible challenges they might face. For many, this was the opportunity of a lifetime—a chance to prove their mettle and rise among their peers. For Eren, it was another carefully calculated step toward solidifying his position.
The Trials were divided into three stages: an endurance-based test, a combat trial, and a final challenge involving teamwork and strategy. Each phase would test not only individual abilities but also the capacity to adapt and cooperate under pressure. It was a deliberate design meant to weed out those who relied solely on raw power.
Eren's mind raced as he observed his competitors. The Academy's brightest and most ambitious had stepped forward, their expressions betraying a mixture of confidence and nerves. Among them, he spotted Liora, the girl with fiery determination and a sharp gaze that seemed to dissect everything in her path.
"Welcome, candidates," announced Professor Draxon, the overseer of the trials. His voice boomed across the courtyard, silencing the murmurs. "The Elite Taskforce is not for the faint of heart. These trials will push you to your limits, revealing your strengths—and your weaknesses. Only those worthy will rise to the top."
The first stage began in the labyrinth. It was a sprawling maze of twisting corridors, shifting walls, and traps designed to disorient and test endurance. Eren studied the map he had been given briefly before it dissolved in his hands, leaving him with only a fleeting mental image of the layout.
As the gates to the maze opened, a cold wind swept through, carrying with it the faint smell of damp stone and something more ominous—danger.
Eren stepped into the maze, his expression calm but his senses on high alert. The moment the gate shut behind him, the walls began to shift, grinding against each other with an eerie, mechanical precision. It was clear that this was no ordinary maze. The Academy's ingenuity was on full display, each corridor potentially leading to traps, illusions, or challenges meant to drain a candidate's stamina.
He moved swiftly but carefully, relying on his sharp memory to navigate. The first obstacle came in the form of a pressure plate that triggered a barrage of arrows. Eren sidestepped with fluid precision, his movements almost unnaturally graceful. His heightened senses, a lingering effect of the grimoire's influence, allowed him to anticipate and react to threats faster than an average human.
Still, he kept his powers suppressed, ensuring that he appeared just competent enough to pass unnoticed among the Academy's evaluators.
Halfway through the maze, he encountered Liora. She was cornered by a mechanical beast—a hulking construct of gears and steel, its glowing red eyes fixed on her. Sweat dripped down her brow as she dodged its attacks, her breathing labored but her determination unwavering.
Eren paused, weighing his options. Helping her could reveal more of his abilities than he intended. On the other hand, leaving her to fend for herself might raise suspicions, especially if she survived and remembered his inaction.
"Need a hand?" he called out, his tone casual.
Liora glanced at him, her pride evident in the way her jaw tightened. "I can handle this."
The construct lunged at her, its claws raking through the air. She dodged, but her movements were slowing, her energy draining. Eren sighed, stepping forward.
"Consider this a team effort," he said, drawing the attention of the construct.
He moved with calculated precision, using its own momentum against it. A well-placed strike to its core caused the construct to falter, its gears grinding to a halt. Liora delivered the final blow, her blade piercing its exposed mechanism.
The beast collapsed, and she turned to Eren, her expression a mixture of gratitude and irritation. "I didn't ask for your help."
"No," he replied, his tone even, "but you needed it."
The two continued through the maze, an unspoken truce forming between them. They encountered more challenges—illusionary traps that played on their fears, puzzles that required keen intellect, and more mechanical guardians. Each time, they worked together, their contrasting strengths complementing each other.
By the time they emerged from the maze, the sun was setting, casting a golden hue over the Academy grounds. They were among the first to finish, their performance drawing the attention of the evaluators.
"Well done," Professor Draxon said as they approached. His gaze lingered on Eren for a moment longer than necessary, as though trying to decipher something about him. "But this is only the beginning. Rest well, candidates. The next trial awaits at dawn."
Eren nodded, keeping his expression neutral. Inside, his mind raced. The maze had been a calculated risk, but it had paid off. He had demonstrated competence without revealing too much, and his alliance with Liora, however temporary, could prove useful.
As he returned to his quarters, the grimoire's voice echoed in his mind, its tone laced with amusement.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Eren. These mortals are pawns in a much larger chessboard."
"I know," he replied silently. "But even pawns have their uses."
The grimoire chuckled. "Just remember—every choice you make has consequences. And some paths can't be undone."
Eren didn't respond. He already knew that. His path was set, and there was no turning back.