My Girlfriend Is Stronger Than the Demon Lord – Volume 41 (Chapter 48)
"The Trial of the Unbreakable Bond"
The world around us dissolved again, melting into a blinding white expanse. No sky. No ground. Just emptiness stretching in every direction. Even sound seemed muted, swallowed before it could echo.
Only Aria, Lyseria, and I remained.
Then the Architect's voice resonated through the void:
"Trial Three. Bonds. Demonstrate the strength of what you claim cannot be rewritten."
Aria stepped closer, her hand finding mine. "Stay with me. Whatever form this takes, we—"
A sudden force ripped us apart.
I stumbled backward, my fingers grasping empty air. "Aria!"
She reached for me, but the void stretched between us like an infinite chasm, pulling her away until even her light began to dim.
Lyseria shouted something—brief, desperate—but she, too, vanished.
The Architect spoke again, its tone neither cruel nor kind:
"Lone identity: Eren. Without Aria's presence, define yourself."
My breath caught.
This was its test. Without Aria's magic, strength, or protection—who was I?
In the distance, distorted silhouettes formed—false Aria figures, shifting like mirages. They whispered:
"Why would she choose you?"
"You slow her down."
"You're replaceable."
Each voice cut deeper than any blade. The void wanted me to crumble, to admit I was nothing without her.
But even trembling, I forced myself to stand.
"I'm not her equal in strength," I said aloud. The illusions paused. "I don't need to be. I'm her partner. I choose her. And she chooses me."
The whispers wavered.
"I'm Eren. I stay by her side not because I'm the strongest—but because our bond is real. That's who I am."
The illusions shattered like glass. Light surged across the void, condensing into a narrow path.
At its far end, Aria reappeared—kneeling, breath unsteady, as if she had faced her own trial.
"Eren…" she whispered, tears shimmering in her eyes.
I ran toward her, and she met me halfway, pulling me into her arms with desperate strength.
When our hands touched, the void stabilized around us, glowing gold.
The Architect's voice returned:
"Bond confirmed. Trial Three: complete."
But its tone shifted—no longer neutral.
"The final trial awaits."