Chapter 131: Coordination

The messenger unleashed a powerful attack at Eren at the moment where he was distracted.

Eren’s reactions were delayed because of his trip to his Mind Palace. But in turn, it allowed him to guess how the messenger would attack him.

He quickly jumped back just as the messenger’s ice-filled fists swung in an arc that would have cracked something in his chest.

The messenger followed it with a quick step forward and a jab in the middle of Eren’s jump.

It left Eren unable to dodge in mid-air. But he expected this. He curled up his entire body, before shielding himself with a Reinforced Fist.

The messenger’s strike landed on Eren’s shoulders. The ice shattered, sending glass-like shards of icicles embedded onto his battle suit. Eren felt his body immediately cool down, making his movements feel sluggish.

Eren immediately activated the Aspect of the Primordial Fire.

An invisible field of flames emerged from atop his skin, immediately melting the ice that had started to spread its sleet on his body.

It worked!

He had allowed himself to get hit because he read from the Martial Manual that one of its weaknesses was its vulnerability to fire energy. And the aspect of the [Primordial Fire] was the most purest of all fire energy.

The messenger didn’t even have enough time to realize that his attack was useless before Eren stepped back on the ground.

Eren’s feet Reinforced immediately, creating a vacuum in his soles. With perfect purchase on the ground, he lunged forwards toward the messenger.

It surprised his opponent. Most would usually step back and retreat after being hit.

Eren, with his Reinforced fist, struck the messenger right in the middle of his guard where his two hands were raised up.

The messenger thought this would have been enough of a defense against something as simple as a Primal Strike.

But in the next second, a powerful force broke through his guard. The messenger’s eyes widened as both of his iced hands flew away from his face, showing his surprised expression right in front of Eren.

That was no mere Primal Strike, the messenger thought.

With his opponent staggered and without guard, Eren immediately followed that up with his other fist, using a perfect flow of a one-two combo.

He aimed it right in the messenger’s torso.

The messenger had no guard. He couldn’t defend against this. But thankfully for him, the [Crushing Fists of the Arctic] had a technique where it allowed him to imbue his entire body with icicles, protecting him from attacks while also slowing down his enemy upon contact.

Eren’s fists hit the messenger’s torso. The ice immediately tried to imbue Eren’s fists with a slowing effect, thereby weakening its attack.

The messenger realized it too late that this did not work against Eren.

The Primal Strike landed in the messenger’s torso, aimed perfectly where his liver would be.

It was a critical strike. The pain from the liver shot disoriented the messenger. It left him feeling like his entire body had shut down, and he could do nothing but keel over and fall to the ground.

After seeing their vice leader go down just like that, Paupre’s other group members immediately turned their focus towards him.

"Get him!"

"Don’t let him get away!"

"How dare he?!"

Immediately, five people were on him. But two were immediately out of the picture once Celeste emerged from out of nowhere, striking their necks with precision like a predator in the jungle. They fell down, completely incapacitated.

The other three looked towards Celeste, now wary of her.

But Eren took this chance to charge forwards. He immediately unleashed a Primal Strike at one of them, sending them flying back.

Then, he pivoted and dodged a sword strike, catching it with his Reinforced hand. The man’s face was one of absolute shock as he saw Eren’s hand remain unharmed despite holding the sharp blade of his sword.

Eren twisted the sword away from him, before punching his face with the other fist.

A searing hotness appeared on the back of his head, warning him of an incoming attack.

But he knew he didn’t have to dodge it at all.

Celeste appeared from out of nowhere and lunged towards the attacker, swiping her claws at him. It ended with the attacker down on the ground, bleeding with three cuts at his front from his neck all the way down to his torso.

Eren and Celeste stood back to back as another four enemies turned their attention towards him.

This time, it was from the Burly man’s group. They didn’t want anyone approaching the Third Cliffside aside from them.

Without even speaking to each other, both of them moved. Their movements flowed with each other as they systematically disassembled their opponents.

Eren’s Primal Strike devastated their defenses. A single punch left his opponents hurtling back, with their guards or Reinforcements broken, allowing for Celeste to finish them off with ease.

But the more they defeated, the more people came.

This time, both members from Paupre’s group and the Burly Man’s group had stopped their feud and focused on them entirely.

Ten people were on them.

Even with their coordination, they both knew that it would only be a matter of time before they were overwhelmed with too many opponents.

"Don’t worry boss! We’re coming in!"

Suddenly, a shout emerged from behind them.

It took everyone’s attention as they all looked back towards the Second Cliffside.

There, they saw an entirely new group climbing through the Burning Smoke.

At least, what remained of it.

Somehow, the Burning Smoke had completely disappeared where the group of people had walked on. It was as if the smoke were avoiding them entirely!

Those who knew a little bit about Array Formations were immediately shocked.

"They solved it?!"

"How?!"

"Even Sav and the others couldn’t do that!"

Delia led the group. She used the dangerous Array Formation and turned them harmless. Not only that, but she was also able to create platforms that allowed them to climb upwards with ease!