CHAPTER 27: JUDGMENT OF LIVING FIBERS

The air there was thick as raw meat. The walls pulsed to their own rhythm, squeezing and dilating like the alveoli of a hungry lung. Each of Eren’s steps produced a wet sound, as if he were treading on freshly expelled organs. The lights that had guided them until now — luminescent mosses, pulsating fungi — extinguished one by one behind them, forcing the group to move only forward.

The corridor opened into a wide, oval hall, whose living dome contracted and inflated at irregular intervals. On the ceiling, veins of light ran through the grooves of the organic structure, and on the floor... corpses.

Not complete. Just remnants: hands with contract rings, fragments of melted grimoires, mouths still open in screams that no one would hear anymore. The atmosphere there was not of death. It was of failure.

The system flickered once, hesitant:

[Your Bond will be tested]

And nothing more. No instructions, no maps, no hints. Just the warning. Kaela stepped forward, eyes wide, but not growling. Nyssa shrank against Eren’s leg, trembling as if the air vibrated against her gelatinous form.

Eren said nothing. He just walked.

The ground gave way.

For a moment, everything turned to light. Then, darkness. When he regained his vision, Eren was alone.

"Of course. Individual test. Dramatic."

Around him, the space was distorted. There were no walls — just a darkness that seemed to suck in attention, shaping itself according to the gaze. When Eren looked to the left, a throne appeared. When he looked to the right, a field of bodies. The center, however, revealed the figure waiting there like a mirror etched in rancor.

It was him.

Not exactly. The copy wore a cloak of monsters sewn with bones. Behind him, three creatures tied in magical chains — a Kaela with extinguished eyes, a Nyssa reduced to a motionless orb, and a third Eren did not recognize.

Perhaps a fusion of the two. The copy smiled with teeth that clinked like metal.

"This is what you will become. " said the copy, with the same voice he hated hearing recorded. " When you stop pretending to care."

Eren responded with deliberate silence. The copy approached, and the system reacted:

[Projection: INEVITABLE DEGENERATED EGO]

[Level: ? | Hostility: Increasing]

The figure raised one of his hands. From nowhere, chains appeared trying to ensnare Eren. He dodged with precision, effortlessly — his eyes were not on the creature. They were on the shadows around. This was a test. Not a combat.

"If that’s all you have, then you missed the mark."

He wrote runes in the air, and the chains unraveled. The corrupted-Eren advanced, roaring insults about bonds, about the pleasure of breaking creatures, about the freedom of possessing everything. Eren waited until it was close. Then, he spoke:

"I don’t have monsters. I have tools. But you’re not even a tool."

The phrase cut through the air like a scalpel. The projection shattered. The system vibrated:

[Emotional fragment purged: ABUSIVE DOMINION]

[Progress: 33%]

In the next moment, the scene fragmented, and Eren fell.

Now, Kaela.

She was in a golden cage. She wore a pink dress, with frills, necklaces, and makeup — ridiculously feminine. Around her, human children laughed, pointed, and called her "cute pet." A tamer appeared and patted her head. She smiled.

Eren walked through the illusion without hesitation.

"You’re not this, Kaela. Get out."

The wolf looked at him, her eyes tearing up. The fantasy seemed to resist. The tamer’s voice said: "She belongs to me. You tamed her, but I refined her."

Eren touched the cage wall. The runes on his arm glowed. He murmured:

"Instinct. Attack."

Kaela roared. The fantasy shattered. She returned to her lupine form, tearing the image with her own claws. The cage vanished.

[Emotional fragment purged: FORCED DOMESTICATION]

[Progress: 66%]

Finally, Nyssa.

She was chained to a table. Around her, a circle of tamers watched, giving commands. She responded like an emotionless AI:

"Do you wish for me to melt the enemy? Do you wish for me to transform?"

She was obedient. Cold. Without will.

Eren walked up to her and whispered:

"You never truly obeyed. You were always curious. You always got in my way."

Her voice changed.

"I... got in the way?"

"Yes. And I trusted you more because of that."

The chain broke.

[Emotional fragment purged: IDENTITY NULLIFICATION]

[Progress: 100%]

The system exploded in light:

[Trial overcome]

[Returning to collective consciousness]

Eren awoke, panting. Kaela was kneeling, trembling. Nyssa embraced him. The center of the labyrinth was silent. But for the first time, it pulsed in peace.

Before the group could rest, a new light appeared ahead. A soft, golden glow, non-hostile — and yet unsettling. An altar emerged, shaped from the very fabric of the labyrinth, and upon it, a faceless entity made of veils and floating symbols. There was no body, only intention.

The system flickered:

[Superior Bond offer available]

[Absolute Contract: Suppressed by alternative proposal]

The entity spoke, not with a voice, but with direct pressure on the mind:

"Total control. No desire. No emotion. They will obey as extensions of your being. Perfection of order. No failure. No betrayal."

Eren crossed his arms.

"And what are the costs?"

Silence. Then the answer: "They will cease to be themselves."

"And the bonuses?"

"None that you haven’t already forced."

Eren raised an eyebrow. Then he turned, looking at the companions behind him. Kaela, still marked by the previous projections. Nyssa, with her appearance still unstable. He returned his gaze to the entity.

"Then what’s the point of all this?"

The entity hesitated. The veil trembled, wavering as if crossed by a current of doubt. The response was whispered:

"It’s just a test."

"I figured. — Eren slowly turned his body, back to the altar. — If it were to press a button and become a puppet king, I would have manipulated Ser Modell until I got his reign."

He walked toward the darkness ahead, his steps rhythmic. The system reacted:

[Offer declined]

[Alignment preserved: Path of the Mutable Bond]

The altar began to dissolve, as if it had no foundation to exist. The walls of the labyrinth trembled, not as a threat, but like a body in relief. Kaela approached slowly, eyes downcast, and knelt beside Eren. Nyssa coiled around his leg, as if something pulled her emotionally. The warmth of the place changed: once oppressive, now comforting. As if the labyrinth... approved.

Eren remained impassive. There was no honor in refusal. No heroism. Just calculation. The new contract offered no real advantage. And he didn’t make bad bets. The decision was logical. And that was enough for him.

Eren approached the center of the final room. There was a structure unlike anything the labyrinth had presented so far: a leafless tree, made of exposed nerves and strands of light woven like aerial roots. It pulsed silently, and each beat emitted a sharp note inside the mind. It didn’t smell of wood. It smelled of dry lightning and forgotten memory.

He did not hesitate. He reached out and thrust his hand into the living trunk. The impact was immediate.

[Trial completed]

[Anomalous bond recognized as... singular]

[New route unlocked]

The tree split in half like wet silk. One of the walls of the hall dissolved, revealing a hidden chamber. The new room was low and wide, illuminated by white crystals. In the center, open rune boxes, shelves made of bones and glass, and atop a pedestal, something that seemed to breathe.

Eren entered cautiously. The system emitted a softer, almost reverent sound, and a new window appeared:

[Spoils Acquired – Core of the Living Labyrinth]

[Grimoire: Language of the Eloquent]

[Description: Ancestral book that allows monsters to develop clearer and more refined communication with the tamer. Affects intonation, vocabulary, and even emotions.]

[Bonus: +2 Communication for all linked creatures.]

[Essence of the Labyrinth]

[Description: Residual core of the living tree. Can be used as an alchemical catalyst, fusion material, or magical fuel. Rare.]

[Bonus: can amplify any affinity spell by 150% once per use (3 charges).]

[Rune Belt of Bonding]

[Description: Magical artifact that synchronizes the tamer’s emotional energy with the creatures.]

[Passive effect: increases passive affinity with any creature over time (cumulative scale per positive interaction).]

[Bonus: +1 affinity per hour of contact.]

[Fragment of Whispering Memory]

[Description: Translucent stone containing the emotional echoes of an ancient Tamer.

Using it may reveal secrets, lost techniques, or psychic connections with forgotten entities.]

[Bonus: ???]

[Translucent Web Mask]

[Description: Mask made with living filaments. Makes the user invisible to creatures that use magical detection.]

[Bonus: 5 minutes of invisibility per activation (twice a day).]

Kaela approached one of the items, sniffing the mask. Nyssa gleamed under the essence’s glow. Neither spoke, as if the place demanded respect. Eren calmly analyzed everything, storing the objects in the most useful order. Each item was valuable. But more than that: all seemed to have been created for him.

The system concluded with a final phrase:

[Spoils linked to the Path of the Mutable Bond]

The room was also filled with chests, books, and magical artifacts.

[Unique items:]

[Grimoire: "The Language of the Eloquent" (makes monsters speak more fluently)]

[Rune belt that increases passive emotional affinity]

[Essence of the labyrinth: small living sphere that pulses and can be used as rare alchemical material]

As Eren rummaged, the system displayed:

[Spontaneous evolution detected]

[Nyssa: +3 intelligence | stabilized form | bipedal locomotion: unlocked]

[Kaela: +2 charisma | expanded vocal empathy | heightened protective instinct]

Both are more human-like: Kaela speaks more clearly, Nyssa stands firmer and taller, almost adolescent.

Eren notices something new: his body has lost hair. His arms remain strong, but smoother. He sees himself in the reflection of a puddle and sarcastically comments about "evolving into the mascot of mascots."

The system displays:

[Fusion effects maintained: 50% of the statuses of each linked creature]

Kaela approached, her broad shoulders shaking the air with her mere presence. She looked at Eren and clicked her tongue.

"TCH. You look different, boss."

Eren raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"I’m more aerodynamic. You should try it."

Kaela growled lightly, but with humor.

"I prefer fur where it matters! Strength, claws, presence! Hahahaha!"

Nyssa walked delicately, her steps now firmer, her body more defined. She stopped beside Eren and touched his arm.

"Yes."

Eren responded, almost as if it didn’t matter.

"I-I changed too, Eren! Now I walk with little legs, look!"

Nyssa took two exaggeratedly firm steps, as if learning to strut.

Kaela let out a sound that was between laughter and offense.

"If you fall face-first, you’ll turn into a puddle."

Kaela laughed like muffled thunder.

Eren stepped back a bit and picked up the grimoire "The Language of the Eloquent." He opened the cover. Letters rearranged in the air, forming runes that briefly danced before disappearing.

"So that’s why you’re speaking so well."

"I already speak very well, thank you!"

Kaela growled, proud.

"And think? I was born brilliant! I’m still alive, aren’t I?"

Nyssa blinked, her cheeks turning bluish.

"I... think it might help me, yes. I’ve always had... trouble choosing words. Like... when I want to say I like someone, but... it feels like I’m going to melt. Literally. And then I do melt. Sorry."

Kaela patted the slime’s shoulder.

"You’re learning. Just don’t let any fool enchant you, okay?"

"I only let Eren..."

Murmured Nyssa, before hiding her face in embarrassment.

Eren ignored the final part, lifting the rune belt. At his touch, he felt a slight resonance in the runes he carried on his arm.

"This one... will do."

Kaela brought her snout closer, sniffing.

"It smells like trouble. Or relief. Not sure yet. I like both."

The system vibrated again.

[Passive affinity: growing...]

Eren sighed.

"Let’s get out of here."

Kaela widened her eyes.

"Wait, does that mean I have to wear shoes now? Huh? Put me in a dress, and I swear everyone will feel the wrath of Kaela!"

Nyssa held back laughter, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Eren in a dress... Kaela in heels... world ending..."

"A slime that talks too much turns into a doormat!"

Grunted Kaela.

Eren simply walked towards the exit, feeling lighter — literally — sharper, more... strange.

But looking back and seeing his companions bickering with slaps and banter, he knew: the bond remained strong. And whatever came next, he would face it with them.

Even if they were all one step closer to something he didn’t fully comprehend.

Humanity.

Silence fell like a veil. A silence so profound that not even the system dared to display notifications.

High above the room, almost invisible against the dark ceiling, something moved. A glistening web descended slowly, translucent like wet glass, until it revealed an immense creature: a spider with a dark carapace, adorned with shining threads and multiple milky, blind eyes — and yet fixed. Its movements were not threatening, but calculated, studying every detail of the trio before it.

The creature stopped a few meters from the ground. It didn’t fall. It hovered. Watching.

Then it spoke. Its voice didn’t come from a mouth but vibrated directly in their minds — slow, fragmented, like a foreign echo trying to sound human:

"You... survived. Different... you are from the others."

Eren instinctively moved his hand towards his weapon, his eyes narrowing. Kaela positioned herself between him and the spider, shoulders tensed, ready for attack. Nyssa just took a step back, watching intently, curious.

The spider didn’t attack. It didn’t move. It just hovered, and completed:

"Do not run. Do not fight. Do not scream. I... only see."

Eren maintained his firm stance.

"And what exactly do you want to see?"

"The bond. The change. The... exception. I am Morwynn. Blind Weaver."

The name reverberated in the air as if it had its own weight. The system chimed, but without clear messages. Just a slight vibration.

Kaela growled:

"What kind of creature name is that? Sounds like the title of a bad poem."

"H-how do you know what poetry is, Kaela?"

Asked Nyssa.

"Kaela always wanted to say that."

Replied Kaela proudly.

"Not a creature."

Said Morwynn.

"I am... stitching. I am... embroidery of chaos. Curious."

She circled them once, suspended by her own web like the pendulum of a mental clock. Nyssa, enchanted, approached, tilting her head.

"You are... beautiful. I’ve never seen anyone like you. Are you... tamed?"

Morwynn recoiled a bit, weaving another thread and moving away from the slime.

"No. Never. No one... survived... until you."

Kaela took a step forward.

"And do you want to fight, then? Huh? Gonna test your courage here with us?"

Morwynn remained still.

"Neither... nor. I... collect."

Eren furrowed his brow.

"Collect?"

"Voices. Forms. Reactions. Bonds... not physical. Not contracts. Woven."

She spun slightly in her web, as if meditating.

"The wolf’s courage... the slime’s fluidity... his thought. You don’t weave chains. You weave... tremors."

Nyssa smiled, somewhat foolishly.

"That’s good, right?"

Kaela huffed.

"Sounds kind of weird. But Kaela is happy not to be called a mascot."

Morwynn approached Eren. The spider’s head tilted slightly to the side, as if she studied him with non-existent lenses.

Eren crossed his arms.

"What do you want?"

Morwynn spun in silence for a few seconds.

"For now. By choice. By... test. No contract. Just... thread."

The system responded:

[Unstable Link initiated: Morwynn wishes to test your usefulness before the Bond]

Eren took a deep breath.

"I see. Another test, then?"

Morwynn vanished into the shadows in a fluid motion, as if the world pulled her into another dimension. Her presence could still be felt, but she herself disappeared.