‘Heh! No need to worry about the missing scroll. I can always get it from Malcolm.’

​ Eren thought to himself as he continued to read the book’s description. Owning this book had cut down the cost of the spirit beast spell in half for Eren.

Eren was very interested in the spell after he found out what it could do. It seemed to be so much more than just summoning a beast to fight with you. For starters, if there was sufficient compatibility between the beast and the ranker, the latter would be able to gain the former’s inherent spells for themselves.

Having a spirit beast was akin to having a permanent partner one could count on. The inherited spells from the spirit beast were a bonus. In addition, these spells would be part of the ranker’s existence. As such, they would get upgraded automatically to the next tier if and when the ranker and their spirit beasts broke into the next rank.

Eren also remembered that Malcolm had said that some battlemages used this spell to bring variations they needed to utilize in their class. They would take the risks involved with two or even three spirit beasts in their arsenals to gain their inherited spells.

These battlemages would choose their spirit beasts according to their various requirements. Battlemages preferred inherited spells over normal ones because they were more efficient.

Adding more spirit beasts than they could afford halted rankers’ journeys for longer than usual. So battlemages who traded on this path were not many.

Still, Eren was especially tempted to try this spell despite knowing the disadvantages. That’s because he had two mana cores. He concluded that the path of artifact smithing was a long-term project. And taming spirit beasts could offer him some respite until he got on with the program.

Eren needed to find a beast suitable for him as well as get the array scroll that was part of the spirit beast spell. He also needed to enter the Awakened rank and travel here with his natal body for the spell to work as intended.

‘Overall, a successful haul.’

Eren sighed before taking everything Rog had to offer to him. He then looked at the assassin’s headless corpse stoically.

When he was alive, Rog was his enemy. Nevertheless, the assassin helped him greatly in his quest after his death. Thus, he bowed to the headless corpse before half emptying a vial of potion on it.

Rog’s body and his head caught on fire as soon as they made contact with the potion. The vial that Eren had emptied on the corpse was a potion bomb. The potion bomb’s vial was supposed to be thrown at the opponent for it to generate a blast.

Eren watched Rog’s corpse getting burnt in flames. He thought for a while before approaching Jacob’s corpse. He emptied the rest of the potion bomb’s vial on the corpse and lit it up on fire as well.

When the potion bomb concoction was used in this way, both corpses were incinerated in a matter of moments. Eren had decided to offer these last rites to both of his benefactors, who had helped him in one way or another.

Killer had called Eren conniving. And that was indeed true. However, Eren had not led Rog here to kill him when they first met. He just wanted to get information out of him through the mission.

Why Rog would lie about his relationship with Jacob had nothing to do with Eren. That’s why he had asked the assassin to pay his dues so that he could be on his way. Fortunately or unfortunately, Rog chose to silence Eren by killing him. That’s when he decided to return the favor.

Eren had various thoughts swirling inside his head as he watched the two corpses disappear into nothingness in front of his eyes. Before long, there was only Eren in the underground space– standing alone and looking at the void with an unflinching gaze.

For some reason, Eren felt upset that the world of Gilaahan was so brutal. Then he felt weird about himself. Because he knew that the feelings he was currently feeling weren’t enough to stop him from advancing further.

‘People die.

We all have an expiration date written somewhere for us. I had to die to respect life and all that it has to offer.

So I understand a few things more clearly than anyone else I have come across with. No matter the circumstances, being alive isn’t a sin. There’s no crime in living for oneself.’

Eren mumbled to himself before walking in the direction of the underground space’s exit. He had decided to practice his spells more and prepare more for his eventual exploration of the testing grounds of the Bear’s Creed.

***

Eren found himself in an isolated chamber that was nothing but an empty hall of about 40 meters in length and breath. This was the spell testing facility Stardust guild had for its members to use.

Members had to reserve the facility in advance and pay the required fees. The chamber’s walls were strengthened by the runes, making it durable enough to handle any spell he executes inside it.

Miranda was on the other side of the hall, waiting for Eren to cast his spell. He needed a target to see the spell’s effect after all. He also needed to test the spell’s viability in actual combat. Miranda was an apt sparring partner to test that.

“Ready when you are.”

Miranda said while spinning her ice-element spear around. She could see that Eren’s mood was a bit gloomy ever since he reported that the last spell he took was a scam. And that the ranker who had posted it ran away before paying him.

Eren ignored Miranda’s inquisitive gaze and cast the spell he had bought from Malcolm the last time he had met him. He had practiced the same spell on his own for two days straight after he got out of the underground space.

Eren narrowed his eyes and activated his mana circuits. He raised his hands and spread his mana sense in Miranda’s direction before mumbling the spell’s name to himself.

“Alfem!”

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