The creature, a grotesque amalgam of muscle and fury, was now charging towards them, its heavy steps sending tremors through the arena floor. Lucy instinctively tightened her grip on her celestial key gauntlet, the uselessness of it gnawing at her.
Eren, adrenaline coursing through his veins, felt a familiar surge of defiance. He wouldn't go down without a fight. But even his most powerful Titan form wouldn't stand a chance against this monstrosity.
Suddenly, L's voice cut through the rising panic. "Hold on!" he exclaimed, his voice sharp and focused. "We need to lure it towards the platform."
"The platform?" Eren echoed, confused. "Why?"
L pointed at the metal cage enclosing Deus, his dark eyes gleaming with a newfound intensity. "That platform seems oddly… conspicuous. Deus trapped himself there. It could be a weakness, a control center for this beast, or worse."
Lucy's eyes narrowed. "So you're saying we use the monster as a battering ram?"
"Not exactly," L countered. "More like a battering ram with a mind of its own. We need to misdirect its focus while staying mobile."
Eren, while still wary, had to admit the audacity of the plan had a certain appeal. "So, what's the plan then, Sherlock?" he asked, a hint of his usual bravado returning.
L smirked faintly. "Simple. We create a distraction, enough to lure the beast towards the platform, then use the arena itself to our advantage." He gestured towards the colossal obsidian walls, their cryptic symbols glowing ominously.
Stolen novel; please report.
Before Eren or Lucy could question him further, L darted towards a nearby wall, his movements surprisingly quick for someone of his stature. He crouched, his gaze fixed on the symbols. Eren and Lucy exchanged worried glances, unsure what the stranger was up to.
Suddenly, L's fingers began to trace the intricate symbols on the wall, his movements precise and practiced. Eren's heart pounded in his chest. Was he…?
A low rumble resonated from beneath the ground, and the symbols on the wall L was touching flared with an intense, electric blue light. The rumble intensified, growing into a deafening roar as the ground beneath the creature began to give way.
The beast let out a surprised bellow as the section of the arena floor it was charging on crumbled, sending it tumbling into the newly formed pit below. A thick cloud of dust billowed upwards, obscuring the creature's form for a moment.
Eren and Lucy stared in stunned silence. L, his expression unreadable, dusted himself off and turned towards them. "See?" he said, a hint of triumph in his voice. "A little strategic manipulation can go a long way."
The dust cleared, revealing the enraged creature trapped in the pit, clawing furiously at the smooth, obsidian sides. Its frustrated roars echoed through the arena, but for now, it was contained.
Lucy, a spark of hope rekindled in her eyes, looked at L with a newfound respect. "You did that? With those… markings?"
L nodded curtly. "A rudimentary understanding of basic alchemy combined with a keen eye for detail can be surprisingly effective." He paused, his gaze scanning the arena once more. "However, this is only a temporary reprieve. We need to find a way to disable the creature permanently, or at least find an exit before it breaks free."
Eren, his fighting spirit reignited, grinned. "Then let's get to work, Sherlock. We've got a monster to disable and a God-King to dethrone."
A determined glint mirrored L's gaze. As the dust settled and the creature's enraged roars filled the air, an unlikely alliance had formed. In the face of a seemingly insurmountable challenge, Eren Yeager, Lucy Heartfilia, and L. Lawliet were ready to fight back.