Eren stepped into the dimly lit cell of the Sea Dragon Empress, his appearance drawing a stunned gaze from the Sea Dragon Empress.
"As you can see, we are on the same side," Eren stated calmly, reaching for the shackles crafted by the Holy Priestess. "I have no intention of harming you."
He refrained from breaking the magical shackles themselves, aware that doing so would alert the Holy Priestess.
Instead, he focused on the chains attached to the old walls. With a strong force, he pulled out the shackles from the wall. He freed the Sea Dragon Empress, granting her partial freedom.
Exhausted, the Sea Dragon Empress lost her balance as soon as her hands were freed. She was almost about to fall to her knees when Eren grabbed her by the shoulder, supporting her.
"Are you alright?" he asked, guiding her gently to the ground to rest. Her body still carried the weight of the Holy Priestess's shackles around her ankles, wrists, and neck, putting a heavy strain.
"Mmm!" The Sea Dragon Empress tried to speak, but the gag prevented her from uttering a word.
"Oh, right," Eren responded, "I need to remove your shackles, but doing so will alert the Holy Priestess. Once they're off, you must escape immediately. Do you understand?"
The Sea Dragon Emperor was confused about Eren's identity but she still nodded her head.
She sensed the purity of his dragon bloodline, even purer than her own. The essence of the Celestial Dragon could be felt in his use of Dragon Tongue, hinting at his purer lineage.
To her, he seemed like the true heir of the Celestial Dragon that the sea dragons worshiped. His aura emitted a familial warmth, completely unaware that this very man had played a role in her capture.
Even though the Sea Dragon Empress wanted freedom, she also didn't want to put the person in front of him at risk. If he was the real descendant of the Celestial Dragon then she had to protect him.
She nodded, agreeing to follow his instructions for now.
He also could not leave the shackles behind. Although they were useful in keeping Sea Dragon Empress under his control, they could also help the Holy Priestess detect her later on.
He had to break them and leave them right here, unless he wanted to be in an even bigger mess later on. He could only use treasures, accompanied by his raw strength.
Putting his strength behind the dagger, he struck the shackles to shatter them and free the Sea Dragon Empress.
Clank~
His treasured dagger hit the shackle.
"Huh?" Eren's eyes narrowed as he watched the treasured dagger shatter into small pieces, flying everywhere. Meanwhile, the shackles had not even a single scratch behind them.
'Not even a scratch?' Eren was taken aback by the strength of these shackles. The problem wasn't in his strength but the durability of the treasured dagger.
Even the high grade dagger could not break these shackles? He wondered if he had no other choice but to use his abilities that might risk exposing his real identity.
He quickly shook his head, rejecting these thoughts. If he exposed his identity, then more than the Holy Priestess, he had to worry about the Sea Dragon Empress stabbing him.
As much as he preferred him because of his pure aura, she hated Great Elder Ren with even more passion.
Eren opened his inventory, looking through his items to see if there was anything else he could use.
'This incomplete dagger...'
His gaze soon fell on a dagger that he had taken in the Coastal City. It was also because of this dagger that he had to face Aster, which brought a disaster upon the Celestial City.
This was the Overlord Killing Dagger which was still incomplete. However, even in this incomplete form, it was a legendary rank dagger.