Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

Ivor's skin prickled with unease upon hearing Eren's words.

"You… you intend to provoke Eliza even before the Project starts?"

Ivor attempted to maintain a façade of composure as he asked in a steely tone. To a large extent, the scion of House Osan managed to convey that he hadn't lost his cool.

Eren chuckled in response to Ivor's words before continuing.

"You are kinda right to some extent. Eliza indeed might not be pleased if I move against you at such a crucial time. But to be honest, she likely anticipated this when she sent you to me. So, neither her plans nor mine will deviate significantly from their original course.

I'm merely being open with you now because I'm extending a hand of friendship. I got to be honest here whether you like it or not.

There's a third option for you as well: don't side with Eliza or me. In that case, I won't come after you and you can go your own way. I'll even help you by providing you with some resources. I'll help you lift the restrictions Eliza might have put on you and set you free. You can do whatever you want with that freedom.

But remember, if I fail to conclude the Lazarus Project as I intend, that old hag will surely come for you. Choose wisely; either way, I'll respect your decision," Eren explained in an even tone.

Ivor didn't doubt a word Eren said. He recognized the gravity of this stage in the Lazarus Project. He had already made up his mind, but Eren's honesty made his choice easier. It was something he hadn't encountered often over the last decade.

Ivor took a deep breath and raised his glass in a toast to Eren, clinking it against Eren and Alephee's. "I'm with you, Eren. In truth, I think I already was. But after this conversation, I have no doubt," Ivor declared before taking a hearty sip of the ale offered by Eren. Eren and Alephee exchanged smiles and followed suit, sealing their newfound alliance with a drink.

***

"Eren, do you genuinely trust Ivor enough to form a friendship with him? Or did you say those things to him just for the sake of it?" Alephee inquired with curiosity, after Ivor had departed and left Eren and Alephee alone to finalize certain details of their plan.

"I'm not just talking about his support during the Lazarus Project. Will you maintain a friendship with him even after the Project concludes?

I ask because you've killed his brother Isaac and grandfather Isen. I understand that Ivor wasn't on the best terms with his family, but as they say, 'blood is thicker than water.' What if, in the future, he grows more ambitious and decides to seek revenge?" Alephee posed the question with a serious tone.

Eren smiled at Alephee's remark before responding.

"You know, Miss Timeless, my aunt Nina used to share some fundamental principles of a Ranker's life with me when I was very young. She often recited a saying that went, 'trust him not whose kin you have slain, no matter how young he may be, for often grows the wolf in a boy,'" Eren said as he refilled his glass with more of the White Raven ale.

Alephee began to ask another question, but Eren interrupted her with a continuation of his thoughts.

"However, my father had a different perspective. He said, 'wolves can become your greatest allies if you know how to use them wisely. You just need to ensure that you're the bigger and badder wolf when you're the one giving the orders,'" Eren explained and sighed.

"That's not to say that the hand of friendship I've offered him isn't sincere. It's up to him how he chooses to use it," he concluded, settling the matter.

***

The following days were a whirlwind of activity for Eren. His first order of business was to reach out to the Last Blood Bastian and arrange meetings with factions that had been friendly towards him.

During these encounters, he emphasized the pivotal role that the upcoming war between Edinburgh and Layos would play in the future of Anfang's half-bloods. When questioned about details, Eren simply urged the half-blood clans to place blind trust in his words for the time being and support him in the upcoming task.

Among the factions within the Last Blood Bastian, House Fenris stood out as one that had unwavering faith in Eren. Although it wasn't entirely clear what Eren was planning, House Fenris extended its full support and inquired about the type of assistance he required.

Eren requested that the half-blood factions aligned with him dispatch their high-ranking members to join him on the battlefield. Additionally, he asked for high-ranking half-bloods to protect the city he had established – the City of White Raven.

Specifically, he sought Master Ranked half-bloods or entities with even higher Ranking Status for these roles. He told them Expert Ranked entities wouldn't be useful in the challenges that were waiting for them up ahead.

House Fenris' cooperation encouraged some other factions to come forward. These factions were willing to bet on Eren because of his previous track record.

There were those that held reservations. These factions, which had initially supported Demonmir and his plans to supply Hex artifacts to the kingdom of Layos, were understandably displeased with Eren for disrupting those arrangements, as they had been intended to benefit the Last Blood Bastian.

Furthermore, there were factions like House Lowin that remained uncertain about Eren's cryptic proposal to participate in the war between Edinburgh and Layos. Eren didn't disclose his reasons for having half-bloods safeguard his city while Edinburgh and Layos engaged in a full-scale war, leaving these factions puzzled by his requests.

Eren made no effort to persuade these hesitant factions to join his cause. With limited time and patience, he chose to share his plans only with those factions that had expressed their support, outlining his requests and expectations to them.

Harnessing the power of space-element runes and Echidna's Authority, Eren embarked on a journey to visit the diverse monster tribes scattered throughout Anfang. Accompanied by a few of his loyal monster allies from his private monster army, he reached out to these tribes and presented his requests, just as he had with the half-blood factions.

Eren's plea to the monster tribes, particularly directed at the S-Rank monsters, was to rally to his side in his time of need.

Inevitably, the monster tribes were curious about Eren's motives and questioned why they should extend such significant support. Eren's response was brief but impactful, as he solemnly declared.

"Help me, and I shall break the chains that bind you."