Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

The eastern and western Array Eyes had become inactive.

After all, Lady Zee was no longer contained within the eastern Array Eye, and there was no need for Reen to sacrifice her demonic constitution for Eliza's resurrection.

Reen assumed her human form after the process was completed. She looked like she would regress in her Ranking Status if she was put through the same form of experiments once again.

Eren and Reen exchanged looks. Even though they knew that they had succeeded in executing Project Lazarus for the most part, they both remained calm because they knew that it was not over yet.

Plus, Eren and Reen didn't really feel like it was them who had won considering the fact that they gained practically nothing from this decade-long ordeal. It was only Eliza, Layla and Leela who could derive genuine pleasure from the Lazarus Project's success.

The southern Array Eye remained on standby, overseen by Leela with the Shallot's Mirror positioned behind her. To maintain the Soul Seed Insertion Array's operation, the southern Array Eye had to remain active or on standby.

Layla embarked on the next stage of their plan, taking control of the array formation once again to elevate Eliza's Ranking Status to the coveted Sagehood. With a graceful gesture, she ushered the Mana Essence Sphere into the Soul Seed Insertion Array Formation, firmly placing it within the eastern Array Eye, once occupied by Lady Zee's body.

The Little Witch meticulously adjusted the runic symbols composing the array formation, ensuring its readiness for the impending task. Meanwhile, Eliza assumed a meditative posture inside the northern Array Eye, patiently awaiting Layla's guidance.

Before initiating the process, Layla inspected all elements within the array formation using her keen senses. 'This… this is perfect. I never thought it would go this smoothly,' she thought to herself.

The ethereal tendrils stirred to life once more under Layla's control. They encircled the pure Mana Essence sphere and commenced channeling it through the intricate runic veins within the array formation.

One end of these mystical runic veins concentrated around the eastern Array Eye housing the Mana Essence Sphere, while the other half focused around the northern Array Eye, where Eliza resided. It was reminiscent of a cotton wick, immersed in the reservoir of oil at its base, ensuring the lamp's flame could be nourished and ultimately blaze more brilliantly.

Upon the infusion of Mana Essence extracted from over 40,000 Rankers, the runic mana veins pulsated with energy. They blazed brightly, emitting a searing white light that would have overwhelmed anyone and blinded their vision within the secondary Birdcage Barrier.

Layla swiftly adjusted the Mana Essence output to suit Eliza's present constitution and Ranking Status, only activating the northern Array Eye when she was confident of the quality and quantity of Mana Essence that Eliza could sustain for her current F-Rank status.

Eliza emitted a soft groan as she experienced the surge of pure Mana Essence enveloping her within the confined space of the northern Array Eye. The preparations she and Layla had made previously now came into play, enabling Eliza to absorb the abundant Mana Essence.

The Mana Essence, guided through the Array Formation and optimized within the runic veins, entered the isolated realm of the northern Array Eye. There, the ethereal tendrils approached Eliza, who had maintained her closed-eyed, tranquil stance throughout the process.

These tendrils wrapped around Eliza and penetrated various parts of her body, establishing contact with her Mana Points. Serving as conduits, they supplied her Mana Points with a pure and optimized form of Mana Essence.

'Fufufu. It's working.'

Eliza perceived her entire Mana Circuits activating in response to this sudden infusion of Mana Essence. As she had only recently cleared the rite of passage by overcoming the calamity, her Mana Circuits were still in a rudimentary state.

Eliza seized this opportunity to expand her Mana Circuits and influence her growth as a half-blood Ranker. It was as if the tempering she had received from the Rankers' Calamity was being used to make her even better specimen as a Ranker.

Upon confirming the initial success of this contact, Layla directed the spiritual tendrils toward Eliza's newly formed mana core, providing it with an additional surge of Mana Essence to stimulate its Ranking Evolution.

***

"Damn it. This is bad. Break this damn barrier at any cost. Use all your S-Rank resources. Anfang Alliance will pay the cost of your Sage Rank potions and artifacts getting used here."

The leader Sage declared.

The realization of Eliza's accelerated ascent within the Birdcage Barrier spurred the Rankers outside into a frenzy.

Earlier, they had believed the Witch of the Enderflames getting resurrected in a fresh body was enough to instill a mixture of fear and determination. But they soon realized that the prospect of her regaining her S-Rank status was even more terrifying than her original form.

They knew that if Eliza managed to gain her S-Rank back, it would be disastrous for them. The only thing they feared more than the Witch of the Enderflames was Sage-ranked Witch of the Enderflames.

Eliza, unburdened by the chaos she had caused outside the Birdcage Barrier, started making remarkable progress through the ranks. Her Elemental Attainments as a Sage Ranker had remained intact even though she had acquired a new vessel for herself.

She seemed to bypass the typical hurdles of a Ranker's journey, achieving her Ace Rank with astonishing speed. Adept and Expert Ranks quickly followed.

With each advancement, her Elemental Attainments came to life, invoking the forces of nature across the battlefield. Enderflames emerged from the void, coating the once barren terrain, while the very winds themselves ignited under the influence of her Elemental Attainments.

Roar!

As she ascended, a colossal dragonhead manifested in the sky above the Birdcage, its roar sending shivers down the spines of the witnessing Rankers.

Eliza's presence grew increasingly draconic as she journeyed through her ranks, practicing her clan's half-blood Ranking Technique alongside Layla's efforts to boost her Ranking Status. This led to an enhancement in Eliza's bloodline purity.

But the spectacle didn't stop there. The Sin Series Mana, an embodiment of her demonic powers, swirled within the confines of the Barrier.

Eliza, steadily advancing toward the Grandmaster Rank, retained her connection to her demonic abilities, despite inhabiting a new body.