In the aftermath of the defeat of Reiner & Bertholdt, Marco stands with Hange, Mikasa, Jean Miche & Nanaba, all of which looking towards the rapidly evaporating body of Bertholdt's Titan. Connie took Sasha atop the wall as she was wounded, and Mina was ordered to take the barely alive Moblit up as well to wait for Marcel.

Meanwhile closer. To the body, Eren drags Bertholdt behind him, the large Male missing his arms and legs. He walks up to and kneels over the body of Armin, burned to a crisp. He then hears a crash as the Cart Titan lands on a rooftop nearby, and he spots Zeke on top with a very wounded Ymir next to him.

"Ymir?" Eren asks seeing her unconscious body in the Titan's mouth. Eren quickly grabs Bertholdt and holds him up placing a blade to his neck. "Just try and come closer! Make one move to take him and I'll slit his throat! Ymir! Wake up!"

"I found you... Eren Jaeger, right?" The man asks. Eren pushes the blade closer to Bertholdt's neck. "You don't look a thing like your father."

"What?"

"Believe me, Eren. I get it. I know how you feel. The both of us are just victims of your father. I'm sorry, but he's brainwashed you."

"What are you talking about?"

Some rocks hit the ground from above the wall as Marcel is already jumping down with his gas blasting and with most of his blades still, as only a moment or so behind him, Levi. "You're kidding. They chased me all this way? What monsters. Let's call it a draw, Marcel, Levi. We're in no shape to fight now. Bertholdt. I'm sorry, but this is the end for you." The cart Titan turns to run away as a hook hits one of the crates on its back.

"I'm not finished with you yet!" Marcel shouts. The Titan jumps away forcing Marcel to let go and continue giving chase to it.

"Eren, someday, I'll come back and save you from this."

Meanwhile Marco jumps down and crouches in front of Reiner who has his eyes covered.

"Reiner. What's this metal case we found in your left breast pocket?" Hange asks. "Before Marco could get your limbs entirely off you fought him long enough with whatever strength you had left to grab it. So, what's inside? Suicide pills? A bomb?"

Reiner weakly responds. "It's a letter." He says.

"A letter? What does it say?" Hange asks.

"It's for Marcel. Annie wrote it, before Bertholdt & I joined the scouts. Whatever you do with me, or have done with Annie, just make sure he gets to read it. He's the only one who knows the code to open it, or that's what she said. the codeword is "rage.""

Hange hums. 'Only after we've inspected it. Now then. I've got lots of questions you could answer, but... you're a tough one. If you don't wanna talk, I can't make you. So I'll ask this. Will you cooperate and tell us everything that we want to know?"

"I won't."

"Thank you, Reiner. It helps to see that you're ready for death."

"Hange, Wait! We- need him alive. So we can steal his power." Jean shouts.

"We don't know the situation with Levi & Marcel on the other side. And we don't have the time to go and confirm it ourselves." Hange says grimly. "These Titan powers have exceeded our understanding too many times. We thought we had him before. I refuse to underestimate his owner again. I'll start by beheading him, but that's not enough on its own."

"This isn't like you, Hange. If we back down from the chance to cure our ignorance, then what hope do we have of beating the titans down the road?" Jean says.

"Jean... I still have almost all of my gas. I can go verify things with Eren first and foremost, then on the other side of the wall." Marco says.

"Marco, Miche, Mikasa." Hange speaks up.

"Yeah?" Mikasa says.

"Ma'am." Marco salutes.

"How much gas do each of you have left?"

"I still have most, I could make it over the wall." Miche admits.
"I can make it to Eren." Marco says confidently.

"Not enough to fight anything." Mikasa speaks truthfully. "I think I could reach Ereh and Armin, but then I'd be out."

"Well, that's more than I have. Go, Marco, Mikasa. Go and evaluate the situation. Miche, get up the wall and evaluate the situation up there. Refill your gas, retrieve the syringe from Levi or Marcel, and bring it back to me. If you're unable to do so then regardless of reason, Fire off a smoke signal. That will be my cue to end Reiner."

Mikasa nods. "Understood. Yes, Ma'am." Marco stands immediately. The pair blast away headed towards the body of the colossal titan. When they arrive at the location, they find Levi who's watching Eren cheer on the burned to a crisp body of Armin.

"That's Armin?" Mikasa says her eyes watering.

"Captain! Get the syringe!" Eren shouts. Levi messes with his ODM gear. "Turn Armin into a titan, and then we can have him eat Bertholdt! Hurry up and inject him!"

"Right."

Marco seeing this quickly fires a red flare into the air Hange, notices this and just as she's about to go for the kill on Reiner, the Cart Titan comes running behind her as Jean grabs her and gets her out of the way as it grabs Reiner with its mouth as Marcel blasts around a corner.

"No you fucking don't!" Marcel shouts as he moves forward.

He goes to give chase when Hange shouts at him. "Marcel, don't chase them! Chances are you'd just get killed, even if you had gas left."

"I have most of mine left, Damn it! I had one job! To kill the Beast Titan and avenge dad! And now it's gone!" Marcel says pounding his fist on the floor.

"Son of a bitch!" Jean says angrily. He then looks down speaking quietly. "This is all my fault. He'd be dead. He needed to die. Why'd I open my mouth?"

Hange looks to Jean. "I told you, the decision was mine. Let's regroup with the others."

"So, who's left?" Marcel asks.

"Us four, Mikasa, Eren, Miche, Nanaba, Sasha & Moblit, but just barely." Hange admits. Meanwhile, just as Levi is about hand Eren the syringe a pair of hands slam atop the roof their on, as Marlo & Floch arrive carrying the body of Erwin with Sandra just behind them

"Captain... I finally found one of you. It's the commander. He's hurt! His stomach is gouged, and his insides are all torn to shreds. The blood just won't stop!" Floch shouts.

"We thought that injection might be able to help him, but... what do you think?" Marlo asks.

"Huh...?" Eren says as Levi stops. Levi takes the case with the syringe back and holds it close to himself as the pair continue to bring Erwin's body onto the building. "Captain Levi."

They then have Levi check, where he feels a bit of breath. "It's faint, but he's still breathing. Erwin. You're alive. Who here still has most of their gas?"

"I do sir. I can go look for Marcel." Marco says.

"Do so, quickly." Levi orders.

"Hange should still have Reiner, assuming she didn't kill him immediately." Mikasa says.

"If anyone else has gas take Armin to Hange, have Marcel meet up over there. You know what has to happen. Erwin gets the first shot." Levi says.

Eren goes up against Levi. "You can't. You told me you'd use yours on Armin."

"I'm going to revive the person who can save humanity." Levi says. Mikasa draws her blade and Marco seeing this grabs her wrist trying to hold her back. "You two. Do you have even the faintest damn clue... what you're doing? It's Erwin first... the commander of the scouts... and you're telling me that Marcel may have to watch him suffer longer than your friend? There's no time for this. Just get out of my way." He goes to step forward but Eren places a hand on the container. "Eren. Check your emotions."

"Sorry, Captain. Can't do that. Tell me. Why didn't you give Armin the injection right away?"

"I was thinking about Erwin, and Marcel. Considering the chance that Erwin was still alive, or that Marcel would get wounded against the quadruped or the beast Titan he gave chase to."

"But you couldn't have known that Floch & Marlo would carry the commander here, or if Marcel is injured. There's no way you could see that coming!"

"You aren't wrong, Eren. But the fact remains, he's here now. So we'll revive him first." Eren grabs the container harder as Mikasa jumps for Levi but instead is kicked down by Marco who she attempts to attack but is blocked by one of his Ymir blades. "You know just as well as I do. Without Erwin's leadership, humanity can't beat the titans!"

"He's right, Mikasa. Don't be crazy! There's too much at stake here." Floch shouts. She glares towards him causing Floch to step back and Sandra to hide behind Marlo as Eren speaks.

"No... it's the same with Armin. He's just as important."

"Eren!"

"Think about it, think about what he's done. We used his plan to take back Trost with that boulder. He was the one who realized what Annie was. It was his idea to avoid the titans by coming here at night! He's the only reason we uncovered Reiner's hiding spot, and the only reason we defeated Bertholdt! We only got this far because of Armin! I can't save humanity, and neither can the commander! But Armin can! Tell him, Mikasa!" Eren shouts.

"Please, Captain. Just let go." Mikasa says.

"You're Just being selfish. Erwin's our leader." Sandra shouts.

Mikasa turns to glare harshly at her. "No. shut up!"

"Why should I?! Do you think you're the only ones who've suffered through all this? Not that you asked, but..."

Floch: steps forward. "On the other side of that wall, there's not a single soldier left alive. The Beast Titan threw crushed boulders at everyone. That field is soaked with the blood of my comrades. Commander Erwin was the only survivor we could find. He came up with a plan. Found a way for us to strike at the beast Titan, and so we did. My comrades were smashed to bits just as he'd planned. I'm sure the last thing they felt was fear. All-consuming fear, when I realized the commander was still alive, I almost finished him off myself, though, Sandra stopped me. But then... Sandra recognized, that would be a mercy. And I thought to myself that he ought to taste more of this hell. Suddenly I understood. If we want to stand any chance against the Titans, we need a devil! I realized that's what Erwin is, and that it's my mission to bring him back! That's why a coward like me outlived the heroes around him. Because Erwin needs to fight on! So get out of his way right now!"

Marlo's eyes widen. "So that's why you asked for my help, Floch?"

Floch goes to rush Mikasa and as she goes to attack him, Marlowe grabs Floch holding him back while Marco & Hange grab her landing alongside Marcel.

"Hange. Marcel."

"No. Don't tell me... no way!" Jean says wide eyed.

"Marcel, where's Reiner?" Levi asks.

"Lost him. The Beast Titan took him from the others and escaped on Hange's orders. One titan, and two people. Erwin gets the shot." Marcel says analyzing the situation. Mikasa starts shouting as Marcel closes his eyes looks to the sky.

"I understand how you feel, but most of us are dead! We can't afford to lose our commander, too! The scouts must endure! If we lose our symbol of hope, we lose everything!" Hange says.

"I know that, but Armin could help us, too! He's special!" Mikasa shouts almost deliriously.

"You're right... he has an amazing mind, one on par with dad, maybe better than, that said, dad is far more experienced, and a natural born leader." Marcel looks down before turning to Mikasa. "Listen, Mikasa, there are people all of us want to bring back, too. Hundreds at this point."

"Ever since I joined up with the scouts, every day brought a new farewell. When Bartholdt transformed, Moblit pushed me into a well, before someone, I don't even know who or how pushed him towards me, but the person who saved him was most certainly vaporized. But, you need to understand. Eventually, you'll have to let go of everyone you've ever met. I know that's tough to accept. It's tough for me, too. It's hard to stay sane living like that. It hurts. I know. But even so, all of us just have to push forward." Mikasa seems to give in and just as Levi is about to go, Eren's hand grabs his ankle.

"Captain. Do you... know about... the sea? It's like a lake, but enormous. So big that it stretches past the horizon. And it's full of salty water Armin told me" Floch goes to grab him, but is kicked away by Marlo, Marcel lifts Eren up on his shoulders, the smaller boy having Eren lean against him

"What was that for?" Floch shouts.

"Levi, will make the right choice, no matter what is said." Marcel says holding back a struggling Eren. "I can't do this without letting my emotions interfere. Call it sis."

"Evacuate the area, we don't want Erwin to eat one of us instead of Bertholdt."

Marcel zips away with Eren as Marco helps get Mikasa away, the others all flee the scene with those conscious landing nearby to watch. As they fly away however, Levi places Bartholdt on the far end of the roof top as he thinks to the conversations they've had. 'Good grief. They're all the same. Whining like brats about this dream or that.' As he prepares to inject Erwin he glances at Armin briefly as Erwin nearly dead flings his hand upwards "Did you just-?"

Erwin speaks faintly. "Excuse me... but how can we be sure that there aren't other humans... living somewhere far away from the walls?" Levi then thinks of the words that made Erwin lead the charge.

"Give up on your dream and charge to your death. Lead those crying children straight to hell." Then he thinks of something Kenny told him.

"We humans are all the same. Every last one of us."

"I'll reach the beast titan and tear him apart."

"Thank you. I needed that." Erwin says Levi then let's out a sigh through his nose.

A few moments later Berthold awakens to the sound of a building nearby breaking. He looks over as a titan with blonde hair grabs him. And he starts screaming in fear. He looks over towards, the others and smiles seeing, Marcel, Connie, Eren and the others. "Guys, please! Help me!" When the titan places him closer to its mouth he screams even more. "Annie! Reiner! Ni-!"

He's then crushed as Marcel steps forward watching with all eyes glued to Bertholdt.

"I don't get it. Captain, why?" Floch asks. Next to him, is Marcel, with Levi, Miche, Nanaba & Hange. And laying next to them, his last few breaths very imminent, Erwin.

"Do you think... you can forgive him someday? He became a devil 'cause he had to, to protect his son. We were the ones who put him up to it. And in the end, when he had finally been set free from this hell, we were about to bring him back for more. But I think... it's time we let him rest. Erwin, I told you I would kill the beast titan, but that'll have to wait."

"He's already dead." Hange says.

"Oh." Marcel says quietly. "Miche, could you guide me to the orphanage here in the city?"

Miche nods. "Sure."

Marcel takes Erwin in his arms as the pair drop from the rooftop with Levi, Hange, and Nanaba joining them. The five walk down the streets of Shinganshina District until arriving at a building with a boulder smashed through the center of it. As they walk through they find a door, partially rotted that on it is a black wooden heart and on it says, the kids best friend, Marcel. Opening the door, they find a room that's seemingly intact from any damage, save for a broken glass window.

Chapter End.