The red pillar of energy slammed into Aden's chest with the force of a falling boulder, a concussive roar that should have shattered his ribs and sent him flying into the jagged stone ruins behind them. Instead, the crimson tide met an invisible, absolute wall. The energy didn't just stop; it folded, wrapping around Aden's form like water hitting a boulder, dissipating into the grey silt at his feet without leaving a single mark on his cloak.
Aden didn't even flinch. He didn't brace himself or shift his weight. He simply stood there, his sapphire eyes drifting shut as he exhaled a long, slow breath.
For Eren, the sight was infuriating. He had poured every ounce of his searing Expansion Ache into that strike, expecting at least a grunt of effort from the man standing before him. To see Aden treat his ultimate effort like a mild breeze was a sting to his pride that burned hotter than the Resonance in his veins.
