Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

The Great Mother's statue moved.

A fleeting moment passed before the Great Mother's statue mustered enough consciousness to comprehend her surroundings and the reason for her manifestation.

The sacred ground quivered beneath her as she maneuvered her stone-like form, casting her gaze upon her surroundings. Eventually, her eyes descended upon the Amazonians prostrating before her.

Parting her lips, the Great Mother issued forth her voice, an enigmatic melody that resonated like a cryptic prophecy uttered by the heavens. Her divine words possessed an ethereal power, capable of penetrating the depths of one's soul if the recipient possessed the capacity to comprehend them.

However, the Great Mother soon realized that her message failed to penetrate the comprehension of her audience. After all, the land of Anfang seldom nurtured beings with the ability to commune with the divine on a regular basis.

With a gentle shake of her head, the Great Mother's hair came to life and fluttered in the air. Her statue diminished in size at an astonishing pace, taking a single stride forward. Though it seemed like an eternity had elapsed, Eren blinked, finding himself locked in the gaze of the Great Mother's statuesque eyes, now infused with divine intellect.

"What a delightful surprise to find you here, Inheritor of Elder Ichor," the Great Mother's statue addressed Eren, her gaze imbued with a peculiar fascination. A subtle smile graced her countenance, exuding an aura of benevolence and assuring Eren that no harm would befall him.

The Great Mother's statue remained unchanged in appearance even after utilizing it as a conduit to communicate with Eren. However, it had undergone a noticeable transformation, now standing slightly shorter than Eren himself. Despite the diminished stature, the statue still retained the depiction of a pregnant Great Mother, her divine essence emanating an intimidating aura.

Eren couldn't help but fixate on the statue's enlarged stomach, a testament to the Great Mother's pregnant form. As if following his gaze, the goddess herself glanced down at her belly, seemingly realizing in that very moment the portrayal bestowed upon her by the Amazonians.

"Hehe, my children across numerous worlds have depicted me in various forms. I must confess, some find solace in this particular rendition," the Great Mother playfully remarked, tenderly caressing her stomach with maternal affection.

"I hold no disdain for any form cherished by my children, so I welcome it. However, does it trouble you? Perhaps a strained relationship with your own mother?" the goddess inquired with a playful glint in her eyes, as if capable of glimpsing fragments of Eren's past and his connection to his mother merely by being near him.

Before Eren could respond and assure the goddess that her pregnant form didn't bother him, she decided to take action. Raising her hand, the Great Mother beckoned forth Nova—the decapitated body and head of the Ironskin bear, which obediently flew toward her. Eren chose to remain silent, curious to witness the goddess's intentions for the lifeless bear.

The goddess appeared visibly distressed upon beholding the decapitated form of the Ironskin bear, as though genuinely saddened by the creature's demise upon the sacred ground dedicated to her.

With awe-struck eyes, Eren observed as the Great Mother closed her eyes and rested her right hand upon her pregnant belly. When she withdrew her hand, the pregnancy bump had vanished, replaced by a dense concentration of Nature mana hovering above her palm, forming a sphere. With a determined will, the Great Mother began to shape the mana sphere, transforming it into a three-dimensional runic diagram reminiscent of an embryo.

Sending the embryo-like diagram toward the lifeless bear's body nearby, the Great Mother swiftly enveloped the carcass, forming a protective shell-like layer over it. The runic patterns within the three-dimensional diagram glowed with vibrant hues as the Great Mother employed her powers.

A colossal mana storm materialized in the skies above the sacred ground, the Great Mother harnessing the power to infuse life into the deceased Ironskin bear. Once more, dark clouds amassed against the bright sky, a result of the Great Mother's intervention.

It became evident that Anfang's World Will had taken notice of the Great Mother's desire to disrupt the natural order, evident by the potency of the thunder and dark clouds surpassing Eren's Expert-level powers by a long shot. The sheer density of mana integrated into these atmospheric phenomena suggested they could harm the Great Mother should she proceed with the resurrection of the dead bear.

"Just this once, I promise not to meddle in your affairs for a thousand years," the Great Mother proposed a deal to Anfang's World Will in a grim tone just as the thunder threatened to strike her down. Remarkably, it seemed her proposition immediately struck a chord, for the thunder ceased, the lightning vanished, and the clouds dissipated as swiftly as they had appeared.

Eren's gaze remained fixated in astonishment as the Great Mother's power mended the lifeless bear's body. The decapitated head found its place once again, and all grievous wounds were mended.

As the embryo-like 3D diagram enveloped the bear, emitting sounds akin to a heartbeat, the creature's form began to diminish in size. The bear regressed from its adult state, transforming into a bear cub. Concurrently, the mana beast's rank diminished, decreasing in ranking status as well.

Only when the beast's rank had regressed to a lowly D-Rank did it cease shrinking, now standing as a harmless 4-foot bear cub. The embryo-like 3D diagram receded from the bear cub's body, vanishing within its chest where its heart resided.

A tremendous surge of Nature mana materialized abruptly, nearly overwhelming Eren and the surrounding Amazonians. Yet, the Great Mother remained in full control, wielding her powers with precision, offering protection to those in her vicinity through her ethereal abilities. With her astonishing display, she had successfully resurrected a deceased bear back to life.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The once dormant heart of the bear reawakened as the embryo-like 3D diagram encased it. Although the bear had regressed in age, it now thrived with renewed life. Serenely, it appeared to slumber, at peace after the Great Mother had restored its body, mind, and soul.