Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil Chapter 2016: Controlling the Fiendish Forms

The following morning.

A gentle breeze swept across the open training grounds situated near the western cliffs of White Raven Island, beneath a perfectly clear sky.

The area had been cleared beforehand on Eren’s command, providing a space vast enough for aerial maneuvers and combat drills. On this day, however, the grounds were intended for a different objective.

Eren stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his sharp gaze sweeping over the twenty Root captains currently kneeling before him.

Having survived their S-Rank Calamity, every one of them had successfully undergone their fiendish transformation. Their physical forms still displayed the marks of their changed nature—glowing eyes, horns, peculiar sigils, and shifted auras—yet their stances remained firm and composed.

Marina and Azurea stood behind Eren, observing the scene with silent fascination. Even the dragon sisters felt a sense of awe at the rapid pace of development.

"You have all managed to come this far," Eren declared, his voice projecting a calm yet undeniable authority.

"However, this is not the conclusion of your path. Your fiendish forms grant you immense strength, but power without control is a hazard—both to yourselves and those in your vicinity.

View these fiendish forms as a mechanism to amplify your intent-based magic, utilizing your own intentions as the fuel. These states will undoubtedly allow you to manifest far more potent versions of your intent-based magic.

Nevertheless, this process continuously drains your emotions, which places a heavy burden on your demon souls. Once your emotional reserves run dry, your demonic souls become volatile, causing you to lose all authority over them.

This instability is not a flaw of the demon souls themselves. Without demonic intentions, the very survival of a demon soul is at risk. They may lose their grip on their physical vessels or forfeit their capacity for reason.

A demon possessing a physical body is known as a fiend. However, a fiend that loses its rationality is reduced to a mere primal beast, incapable of independent thought. Such creatures are easily hunted by those who are weaker but more cunning, simply because their minimal intellect is exploited against them."

The twenty S-Rank Root members remained silent as they listened. Despite being elite S-Ranked experts now, their eyes were filled with deep reverence. Not a single person dared to interrupt.

Eren lifted his hand, and in an instant, his own physique began to warp. Horns sprouted from his temples as his eyes shifted to a void-like black, radiating a crimson glow. Sin Series markings etched themselves across his skin, and his aura transformed immediately—becoming more primal and dominant.

He had manifested his Oni form, though he had modified it slightly through the influence of his Sin Series powers.

Eren lacked a natural demonic form. Being the legitimate successor of the Elder Ichor bloodline, his white-haired transformation served as a symbol of his sovereignty over all demons. It could not be classified as a demonic form, as God Aleph was not a demon by birth, but an Elder God; thus, his true form was divine in nature.

Even so, Eren maintained total control. By utilizing the versatility inherent in Reen’s bloodline traits, he was able to access a genuine demonic state through alternative means.

Eren inhaled deeply before continuing.

"This is the legacy you have inherited. But you must not let it define you. Instead, you must define it."

With a simple flick of his wrist, his demonic traits started to recede. His skin smoothly transitioned back to its original tone, the sigils faded away, and his eyes regained their typical, sharp composure.

"This is a feat you can also achieve," he remarked. "Assert your will. Begin by centering your focus on your core. Reach out to the demonic mana circulating through your veins and pull it back. Envision it as smoke being gathered into a bottle."

He signaled to the group.

"Begin."

A heavy silence initially filled the air. Then, one by one, the Root captains attempted to follow his lead. They concentrated on their cores, steadying their breaths. They allowed the mana to flow before trying to retract the external physical changes.

The task proved difficult.

Low grunts of agony escaped some of them. Reversing a fiend transformation was essentially reshaping one's genetic structure in real-time, causing pain on a cellular and spiritual level.

Others faltered halfway through the process. One warlock nearly collapsed when his horns retracted, only for his skin to erupt with a chaotic glow of excess mana.

"Do not rush," Eren advised with patience. "Proceed step by step. You have already looked death in the face. Do not let a minor hurdle like this defeat you now."

As time ticked by, the first success occurred. A tall witch, whose neck and arms were covered in markings, gradually returned to her original human appearance. She exhaled softly, opening her eyes with a small, tired smile.

Successes followed in quick succession. One after another, they managed the feat.

An hour passed.

Ultimately, all twenty Root elites regained their human-like appearances. Their claws retracted, and their horns disappeared. Their eyes returned to their natural states. To a casual observer, they seemed exactly as they were before the Calamity.

Yet, the atmosphere surrounding them suggested otherwise.

The mana they radiated was incredibly concentrated and sharp. Their presence felt like a suppressed tempest, overwhelming and dangerous. They appeared human, but no Ranker with even a shred of intuition would mistake them for what they used to be.

A faint smile touched Eren’s lips.

"Excellent work," he said, giving a nod of approval.

The Root members stood with newfound pride and confidence. They had mastered the art of carrying their immense power with subtlety, like a blade that remains sheathed but ever-ready for blood.

"From this moment on, your fiendish forms are your hidden trump cards," Eren informed them, his eyes scanning the group. "They serve as your final insurance or a sudden surge of power to crush your foes. Deploy these forms with a specific intent. The trials ahead will challenge that resolve. Remain prepared."

The twenty fiends performed a deep, synchronized bow.

"Yes, my lord!"

Their collective voices were carried by the wind from the cliffs, echoing across the entirety of the island.

In that moment, Eren detected two familiar mana signatures approaching from his flank. He shifted slightly as Ivor and Hettie drew near, their gaits steady and their expressions filled with pride and esteem.

Ivor grinned broadly as he reached Eren's side. "That was quite a show," he remarked. "Turning twenty of our finest into S-Rank fiends and then instructing them to wield that power like seasoned veterans... you truly make the impossible look effortless."

Hettie nodded in agreement, a smile on her face. "Their strength exceeds my wildest expectations. This marks a turning point for the Root, and it is all thanks to your guidance, my lord."

Eren let out a short smirk, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. "I merely provided the path. They are the ones who walked it."