Chapter 128: Hurry

Paupre and his group chose to solve the Array Formations of the Second Cliffside by not solving it at all. They instead chose to use the healing capabilities of the Medical Sector in order to power through the burning smoke preventing people from climbing up its walls.

Eren saw the Medical Sector examinees put their hands on Paupre’s group members, supplying them with R?zoň to increase their healing capabilities.

This allowed them to basically ignore the burning smoke. But of course, if things really were that simple, then it wouldn’t be in the Second Cliffside.

This kind of healing was not sustainable. Meaning, in order to heal those group members, the Medical Sector examinees had to sacrifice their own health and wellbeing in order to heal the others.

"They’re allowing themselves to get burnt?" Sierra asked, horrified to see it in action right in front of her.

Paupre’s group continued to scale up the walls. Each of their members had a corresponding Medical Sector examinee who was feeling the full brunt effects of the burning smoke, all the while, using their own Psions to heal others.

"Why would they do this?" Abe asked. "Why would they sacrifice their own health to help Paupre’s group?"

From an outsider’s perspective, it seemed needlessly sacrificial. Even if they were allies, this didn’t mean that they had to sacrifice their own health just so that Paupre’s members could climb up the walls.

Eren knew only one reason why.

"They’re getting paid, that’s why," he told them.

He didn’t know the exact situation, but it was easy to guess based on what was happening.

Paupre had allied with the Medical Sector group and promised them great wealth and rewards. Of course, if it only contained some sunspores and some resources, then they wouldn’t have accepted it.

This could only mean that Paupre’s sponsors were the ones propulsing this alliance.

The Crownless Yellows. An Elite Awakener Organization behind Paupre. According to Pang Cai, the Crownless Yellows and the Cai family had been feuding from the very beginning of the Cataclysm.

So, it was easy to guess that they must be an organization that dealt in business. They were business rivals with the Cai family, hence the vendetta against each other.

And since they were considered an elite organization, they must be rich as well. Rich enough to buy the loyalty of a Medical Sector group.

A simple promise of a lootbox, or a guarantee of employment after this License Exam would make any examinee agree to do anything they wanted.

Including sacrificing their own health to ensure that Paupre and his group succeeded in conquering this Territory.

"How are we going to cross this Cliffside?" Henry asked. "We don’t have any Medial Sector allies to help us negate the effects of the burning smoke."

Eren turned towards Delia and her group.

"What else? We’ll disable the Array Formations and walk ahead."

Delia stepped forwards. "If you teach us how to disable it, then we’ll do it."

Her group members behind her all nodded. Excitement billowed from their faces. They were a lot more receptive of Eren’s teachings after realizing that it worked wonders for their own use.

Eren gave them the technical spiel about the Array Formation.

"It’s an Area-Of-Effect technique. It uses the symbol for Wind and Moistness. You have to take care and ensure that the symbols for them don’t overlap, otherwise it would cause the smoke to become even more agitated..."

His words were like a flashlight in the middle of darkness. It lit the way for their enlightenment.

They immediately understood the essence of the Array Formation just from listening to him explain it in such simple terms.

It wasn’t that they were good at Array Formations. It was that Eren taught it too well. He explained the concepts in such an intuitive manner that they were able to comprehend it with ease.

Delia and her group became even more impressed by Eren. He truly seemed to know everything about Array Formations that veteran Awakeners hadn’t even thought of!

And so, Delia and her group of Academic Sector examinees practiced the Array formations for a few hours. They followed Eren’s advice of feeling the symbols in their imagination, rather than in reality.

It would only be a matter of a few hours till they found the solution to completely solve the Second Cliffside.

However, it was at this moment that they heard something in the distance.

A rumbling of the ground. Lava spewing forth, painting the ceiling of the cavern a bright red.

Eren and his group looked up to the top of the miniature volcano and realized that there were people beginning to climb the ascent!

Just as Paupre said, he was going to conquer this Territory very soon.

"They’re already starting! We have to climb the Second Cliffside soon," said Sierra with urgency.

Delia frowned. "We are confident that we’ll be able to disable parts of the Burning Smoke in the Cliffside. But it’ll be slow. We haven’t had time to practice our Array Formations."

They all turned to Eren, looking to see what he would say.

"Delia. Start to configure the Array Formations. Do it even if it’s slow. Just make sure that it’s safe. I will run after Paupre and his group."

Hearing this, Eren’s group members were immediately alarmed.

"But what if you get severely burned from the smoke?!"

"We need to catch up to them... but it’s too dangerous."

"Maybe Paupre and the others are still preparing. Maybe we have more time than we thought."

But Eren shook his head. "I can take care of myself," he assured them.

He was the only one who could run up the cliffside with his Primal Step. Theoretically, if he could do it fast enough, he wouldn’t sustain any burns. As long as he climbed the Second Cliffside in less than thirty seconds, he would be okay.

He stepped forwards, readying himself to sprint up the Second Cliffside.

Just then, he saw Celeste walk up beside him. "Someone has to babysit you," she said with a teasing smile.