The chamber walls pulsed with an otherworldly glow as Eren raised the sword of light, its warmth spreading through his arms. But even as he focused on the gathering shadows, his mind churned with the echo of those words: "...pondering over the deaths that happened in another time..."

A monster lunged, and Eren's body moved before his thoughts could catch up. The blade sang through the air, leaving trails of light that cut through the darkness. Something felt different – familiar yet strange, like muscle memory he didn't remember acquiring.

Have I really done this before? More than just once?

The thought sent a chill down his spine as he parried another attack. When he'd first arrived here, he'd attributed that constant sense of déjà vu to the Regressor's Return, to that single previous life he thought he'd lived. But now...

He caught Aria's eye across the chamber, and for a split second, he saw a thousand different versions of her – dying, living, fighting by his side. The feeling of displacement hit him harder than any physical blow. How many times had he met her? How many times had he watched her fall?

[System Alert: User has begun to understand the nature of Regressor's Return] [Skill Unlocked: Adaptive Combat] [Loading combat data... Please wait...]

Suddenly, information flooded his consciousness – not memories, but pure combat knowledge. His grip on the sword adjusted automatically, finding a perfect balance he somehow knew but had never learned. His stance shifted, body falling into forms that felt as natural as breathing.

"What the—" Jin's voice cut through the chaos as Eren flowed between attacks like water. The blade became an extension of his arm, each movement precise and deliberate. Where before there had been power, now there was an almost beautiful efficiency.

Eren's muscles burned with familiar strain, his body trembling as it tried to process centuries of combat experience flooding back at once. Different weapons, different styles, countless battles fought across time itself. The sword techniques alone were overwhelming: thrust combinations he'd mastered in lives he couldn't remember, parries perfected over iterations he'd forgotten.

[Adaptive Combat Synchronization: 0.25%] [Warning: Neural pathway overload imminent]

As his blade danced through another perfect combination, a chilling thought struck him. What if... what if he wasn't really him at all? What if this version of Eren Valestrix was just another iteration, another attempt at saving the realm?

Those other versions of himself – even the one that had gone mad with darkness – they weren't just possibilities or alternate paths. They were him. Different versions who had lived, fought, and ultimately died trying to accomplish what he was attempting now.

[Adaptive Combat Synchronization: 0.35%] [Warning: Neural load approaching critical threshold]

The fragments weren't gone – they were within him. Some wouldn't surface until he grew stronger, others might wait until he entered the tower, but they were all there, pieces of a shattered whole waiting to be understood.

If I could just return to that space, he thought, his blade carving another arc of light, if I could just understand...

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And then he remembered. There was someone – a mage whose mastery over the mind had earned her legendary status throughout the magical kingdoms. One of the three Transcendent Mages, whose very name was spoken with reverence and fear.

His grandmother, Althrea Valenstride.

The thought almost made him miss a parry. The Valenstride family – a name that carried both power and bitter history. The animosity between their families ran so deep that even attempting contact could spark a magical war. But if anyone could help him navigate the fragments of his consciousness, understand what the Regressor's Return truly meant...

[Adaptive Combat Synchronization: 0.4%] [Warning: Multiple consciousness integration strain detected]

"Eren!" Jin's voice cut through his thoughts. "Whatever you're thinking about, focus! We're not done here!"

His body moved with impossible grace, executing combinations perfected across countless forgotten lives, while his thoughts raced ahead. The Tower, the trials, his growing power – all of it seemed to be triggering these emergences. But what would happen when more versions surfaced?

[System Alert: Trial completion detected] [Analyzing performance...]

Suddenly, the shadows dissipated, and a warm golden light filled the chamber. Healing potions materialized before each of them, floating in gentle spheres of light.

"Wait," Aria said, catching her breath. "Isn't there supposed to be ten trials? We haven't even finished the fifth..."

The Nexus Core's voice filled the chamber, carrying an unusual note of pride: "Regularly, there are indeed ten trials. However, I purposely increased the difficulty far beyond normal parameters to test your true worth. The talents and individuals who have taken this test this year have far surpassed what we have seen in previous years. In fact, after the Era of the Beginning, you are only the second batch to show such prodigious ability."

The Core's voice took on a more contemplative tone. "Sometimes, the Nexus must shield the truth in order to truly test its participants. Your team adapted magnificently to each challenge, each revelation. We are... excited to see how your journey will unfold."

A massive door of pure magic materialized in the chamber wall, its surface rippling with ancient symbols and powerful energies.

"Thank you for attending these trials," the Nexus Core continued, its voice resonating with warmth. "All of you have passed. Now walk with pride, oh Champions of the Nexus."

The door slowly opened, spilling bright light into the chamber. Eren felt the weight of his sword, his achievements, and his questions all at once. They had succeeded beyond expectation, yet this victory felt more like a beginning than an end.

Aria and Jin moved to stand beside him, their presence steady and reassuring. Yet as Eren looked at them, those phantom memories flickered again – countless versions of this moment, of these friends, of these battles. The sword of light hummed in his grip, responding to his churning emotions.

"Ready?" Aria asked, her voice gentle but firm.

Eren nodded, though his mind was already racing ahead to what waited beyond. Somewhere out there, his grandmother Althrea Valenstride held answers he desperately needed. But reaching her would mean navigating centuries of family hatred, risking a war between magical houses that could tear the realm apart.

Just what am I? The question burned in his mind as they approached the door. What did all those other versions of me die trying to achieve? And how many more fragments of myself will surface before I find the truth?

The light from the doorway washed over them as they stepped forward together. Behind them, the chamber that had tested their limits began to fade. Ahead lay unknown challenges, hidden truths, and the growing mystery of Eren's fractured existence. But for now, they walked as Champions of the Nexus, their footsteps echoing with purpose through the ancient halls.

[System Alert: Fourth Trial Complete] [Final Status: Champions of the Nexus Recognized] [Access Granted]

End of Chapter