A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on september 3rd, 2021 @ 1:00pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙵𝙸𝚅𝙴,
𝓡𝙴𝚂𝙿𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙴, 𝙱𝙰𝚃𝚃𝙻𝙴 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝚃𝚁𝙾𝚂𝚃, 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙴𝙴.

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"I'LL KILL THEM ALL."

"Eren."

Eren snapped out of his trance to see Armin holding onto him with Josiah and Mikasa standing in front. The four of them were surrounded by soldiers.

"Eren?" Mikasa questioned.

"You all right? Can you move?" Armin asked. "Look at me. Eren. Listen, you've got to tell them everything! They'll understand!"

"Armin." Eren muttered.

"You catch that? He said he'll kill us all."

"There's not much else you can make of that. Son of a bitch wants to eat us. You watch!"

"What the hell are they talking about? What is this? Why are all their blades pointed at us? Those are meant for taking down Titans. What's going on? And what's with that look? Are they terrified of me?" Eren wondered.

"Cadets Eren Yeager! As well as Mikasa Ackerman, Josiah Verlice and Armin Arlert! The four of you have jointly committed an act of high treason! Whether or not a swift execution is the result depends on you! Any attempt to move from where you stand, anything I deem the least bit suspicious, will be met with cannon fire. Do not test me." Wellman exclaimed.

"What?"

"Answer carefully, Eren Yeager. What exactly are you? Human? Or Titan?"

"Wh... What is that supposed to mean? Why are they all glaring at me like that? It's like they're looking at a monster. Oh god, is that what they think?" Eren thought.

"I'm sorry, sir! I don't understand!" Eren replied.

"Son of a bitch is playing innocent." Wellman muttered. "Answer me, you monster! Don't try to stall with pretend ignorance! You won't stand a chance! You'll be blown to hell before you can assume your true form!"

"What true form?" Eren questioned.

"Please! Scores of us saw it happen! You emerged from the carcass of a fallen Titan in full view of your comrades! We've met a strange creature like you slip through and infiltrate Wall Rose. Under the circumstances, even though you're a sanctioned soldier by His Majesty, you are a risk I am well within my rights to eliminate! I will not let the situation stand! Every moment I squander mulling over your supposed innocence puts us all in further jeopardy from attack by the Armored Titan!" Wellman shouted.

"Do you understand? I cannot waste any more time or manpower on you! My conscience will not falter to watch you die!"

"As soldiers, they all know the price of their position. If they're this committed to defiance under threat of death, so be it. They won't be persuaded. And as you say, it's just a waste of time." Rico muttered.

"Sir, please! This may be our best chance! We'll expend far less artillery if he's in human form!"

Mikasa stepped forward. "Excuse me! I wouldn't. Not while I'm standing here. Unless anyone's feeling up to the task, in which case, well, I'm happy to demonstrate my own technique. On you. And every last inch of your traitorous flesh." She informed.

Josiah stepped forward as well, standing next to her and pulled out his blade. "I'd like you see you try, you pigs! You even think about touching Eren and I'll cut you where you stand!" He threatened.

"Sir. Mikasa Ackerman was assigned to the elites fresh out of training. Equal to a hundred soldiers, easily. Josiah Verlice is right up there with her. If we lost both of them, it'd be quite the tragedy."

"Guys. Somebody talk to me now. What the hell is all this?" Eren asked.

"Mikasa! Josiah! You can't fight against humans! Inside the walls, there's nowhere left for you to run!" Armin exclaimed.

"Whoever comes at Eren deals with me. I'll take on the entire regiment if I have to. This isn't the only way!" Mikasa responded.

"We need to just talk it out! They don't understand what's happening! They're all just scared." Armin argued.

"That's the issue with you, Armin. You think everything can be solved if we just talk it out. The Garrison can and will kill Eren with no questions asked. Talking it out won't do shit." Josiah told him.

"Am I the only one here who doesn't think I'm a Titan? Dammit! Why can't I remember how I got here? I'm too weak to stand up. And if I say the wrong thing... Is this it for me? Killed by people? What was that he said about me coming out of a Titan carcass in front of everyone? Is he insane? Why is no one making any sense? That was all a dream. Or... If not... My sleeve. Does it mean my arm grew back? Am I really one of them?" Eren wondered.

"That's not possible. What happened to me? Why?"

"One more time! Are you a human being or a Titan?" Wellman questioned.

"I'm human!"

It was silent as Wellman had a deadpanned expression. "So you say. Forgive me." He said as he began raising his hand up. Josiah widened his eyes. "I'm left with no choice. When push comes to shove, all of us are monsters."

He finished raising his hand up. Josiah dropped his swords as Mikasa had the same thought.

"Come on! We gotta move!" Josiah informed. "Head for the wall!"

"Wait! No!" Eren exclaimed as Mikasa grabbed onto him. It was then that Eren saw the key to the basement as he remembered a memory.

Eren pushed out of Mikasa's arms as he rushed forward. The cannon fired as Eren grabbed onto Josiah, Armin, and Mikasa before biting into his hand as a flash of lightning appeared.

However, the cannon ball didn't hit him as Josiah looked around to see they were surrounded by a Titan's skeleton.

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In the year 845... the Colossal and Armored Titans suddenly appeared, destroying the wall, along with the life we'd known.

Humanity abandoned Wall Maria, losing twenty percent of its population and a third of its territory, to retreat within Wall Rose.

And in the year 850, in Trost... Once again, humanity could not stop a Titan invasion. Eren Yeager had been devoured by a Titan, but reappeared, emerging from a mysterious Titan.

《 𝖯𝖱𝖨𝖮𝖱 𝖳𝖮 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖢𝖴𝖱𝖱𝖤𝖭𝖳 𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖭𝖳𝖲 》

"Marco... I can't... I can't fight the Titans anymore!"

"What happened?" Marco asked.

"My friends were eaten right in front of me! I saw them devoured, and I didn't even feel sad or angry... all I could think was, "I'm so glad that it wasn't me!" But... next time, it'll be me. I realized something. Essentially, our job is to fight the Titans until they eat us, isn't it?"

"I'd rather die right now than be eaten!"

The soldier grabbed his blade as Marco stopped him. "Stop it... get ahold of yourself! You aren't the only one. Everyone is struggling with that fear! Look at Sasha!" He said.

"Even after what happened, she is still a proud soldier!" Marco added.

Sasha then started screaming in agony. "I have a terrible stomachache. May I go join the wounded?" She questioned.

"I can't do this anymore!"

"Stop it!"

"I guess that gag order was indeed necessary." Jean commented. "Just look at them now. If they learn about Eren..."

There was a sudden flash of lightning along with a cannon shot as everyone looked up.

"A cannon shot?" Reiner questioned.

"Why only one?" Jean added.

"Look! Smoke! From inside the wall!"

Everyone was in panic, wondering what happened. "It can't be... a Titan's steam?" Jean wondered out loud as Reiner used his gear to fly up.

"Wait!" Jean called after him. Bertholdt and Annie quickly followed after him. "Hey..."

The four of them stood on the rooftop. What they saw was a half formed Titan protecting Armin and Mikasa.

"What is going on here?" Reiner asked.

The Titan then moved its head over to the soldiers. "It's alive..." a soldier mumbled.

"Captain Wellman!"

"J-Just look at it! It's too dangerous to get close!" Wellman exclaimed. "Maintain your position and remain on high alert! Maintain your position! Have the gunners load another round!"

Steam then appeared as Eren fell out of the nape. He pulled his arm out of the tendons.

"What is this?" Eren wondered.

"I remembered hearing the cannon fire... and then there was a horrible sound, a shock wave, and heat... Are we inside a huge skeleton—" Armin rambled on.

"Eren protected us." Mikasa interrupted.

"That's all we need to know for now." Josiah added.

"Hey! Are you guys okay?!" Eren asked.

"Eren! What is this?" Armin questioned.

"No idea... But this thing will soon dissipate like any other Titan corpse. Let's get away from it!" Eren said as he emerged.

"Are they in shock, or just waiting to see what we'll do? The Garrison isn't doing anything right now, but... they'll afraid again before long." Eren informed.

He looked at the Titan bones. "After showing them this, I doubt we'll be able to talk our way out. But I do remember one thing... the basement. The basement of my house. Dad said if I go there, I'll learn everything." Eren continued, holding the key.

"This happened to me because of him, too. If I go to the basement, I'll probably learn what the Titans really are."

Eren then banged on the bones. "Damn it! Then why did he hide it? Isn't that information what thousands of Survey Corps soldiers died for? Isn't it humanity's last hope? And he's been keeping it locked in the basement of our house? What the hell was he thinking? Where the hell has he been the past five years, anyway?" He rambled on.

"Eren. Right now, we have other priorities." Mikasa informed.

"Yeah."

"The smoke's clearing."

"When you see them, attack."

"Let end it here."

"Don't move yet!" Wellman ordered. The Titan bones then started breaking.

"I'm getting out of here." Eren told his two friends as they looked at him with shock.

"Where will you go? And how?" Armin questioned.

"For now, I don't care where. But from there, over the walls, to the basement. Once I become a Titan again." Eren replied.

"Can you do that?" Armin asked.

"I don't know how I do it myself. But I still think I can!" Eren responded. "It's similar to the way you can't explain how you move your own arm. Back there, my only thought was stopping that shell. So that body had no toe he function and rotted away after having served its purpose."

He then breathed heavily. "This time, I'll turn into something stronger. A 15-meter class, the the one that tore apart those Titans." He said as his nose started bleeding.

"Eren. Your nose is bleeding." Josiah informed. Eren wiped away the blood.

"You look pale, and your breaths are ragged. Your body is in bad shape!" Armin told him as Eren wiped away the remaining blood.

"How I feel doesn't matter. I've come up with two options. First, if you don't try to protect me, at least they won't kill you. Although I already caused you trouble. I'm thinking of leaving here alone." Eren informed.

Armin gasped. "No..." He mumbled. "Eren, I'll go, too—"

"I'm coming with you." Mikasa said.

"No!" Eren denied.

"If I can't keep up, you don't need to worry about me. But I don't have to do what you say." Mikasa said.

"I've told you to stop all that! I'm not your little brother, and I'm not a child!"

"Captain, the next round will be loaded soon. Should we attack again?"

"Wait for my signal!" Wellman replied.

"Yes, sir."

"Wait, Mikasa. I said I've come up with two options. Armin, I'll let your decide. I know what I've just said isn't that realistic. The smartest thing to do would be to stay with the troops and use this ability strategically. I know it's crazy... but if you think you can convince the Garrison that I'm not a threat right now, I will trust your judgment and follow your lead." Eren said. "That's my second option."

"If you say you can't, I'll do what I described before. You have fifteen seconds to decide. Whether or not you can, I'll respect your decision."

"Eren... why would you entrust me with this choice?" Armin questioned.

"Whenever things get really bad, you always know the right thing to do. And I want to rely on you." Eren answered.

"When have I..."

"There have been plenty of times. Five years ago, if you hadn't called Hannes, Titans would have eaten Mikasa and me." Eren reminded him.

The Titan bones then snapped in half.

Armin had appeared out of the smoke with no gear and had his hands up.

"You've finally shown your true self, monster! I'll do it! I'll give the signal!" Wellman shouted.

"He is not an enemy of humanity! We are prepared to share all the information we have!" Armin informed.

"I'm not interested in hearing you plead for your lives! How can I believe you, when he's shown us all what he really is? If you say he's not an enemy, then prove it! If you can't, I'll be forced to eliminate the threat!" Wellman exclaimed.

"There is no need for proof!" Armin stopped for a moment. "The question isn't what we think of him!"

"What did you say?"

"I'm told that many of you saw him! Then you saw him fighting the Titans! And you saw the Titans swarm him! That means the Titans considered him food, the same way they think of us! That is the truth, no matter what we may think or believe!" Armin shouted.

The Garrison soldiers started mumbling to themselves, some agreeing with what Armin had said as they lowered their weapons. Wellman noticed this as he raised his arm up.

"Prepare to attack! Don't be fooled by their clever lies!" He exclaimed as Armin went pale. "The Titans' actions have always been beyond our understanding! It's possible they could pretend to be human, speak human languages, and try to deceive us! We can't let them get away with anything else!"

The weapons then went up again. Armin then did the salute. "I am a soldier! I swore long ago to dedicate my life to the revival of humanity! If that pursuit were to cost me my life, I would be glad! If we use his Titan powers and the forces we still have, we could take back this town! With my final breath before my death, I shall wish for humanity's glory, and try to persuade you of his strategic value!"

"Captain Wellman, I believe we should consider—"

"Shut up!" Wellman ordered as he began raising his hand. Eren was ready to bite his hand if needed. However, Wellman was stopped by someone grabbing his wrist.

"Enough." The voice said. "As big as you are, you've always been as delicate as a newborn fawn."

"Commander Pixis!"

"Do you not see his splendid salute? I've just arrived, but messengers have kept me abreast of the situation. You go command the reinforcements. I think we should listen to them..." Pixis informed as Armin dropped to the ground in relief.

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The year 850, in Trost... the sight of Eren Yeager unleashing the power of a mysterious Titan was more than enough to terrify his fellow soldiers.

As Eren and his friends could do nothing but argue their innocence, they were saved by Dot Pixis, the high commander of the southern territories.

Every cadet was muttering about the plan to retake Wall Rose.

"I have to return to that hell?" The same cadet that was bothering Marco muttered. He suddenly clenched his head. "No! I don't want to die! Let me see my family!"

"Hey, Daz, you're being too loud..." Marco warned him.

"You there! I heard you! Are you saying you want to abandon your mission?"

"That's right! This is nothing but mass suicide! It's meaningless!" Daz shouted back.

"Have you no respect for humanity? For order? If I chose to, I could execute you this minute."

"Go ahead... it's a hundred times better than being eaten by Titans!" Daz stated.

"Stop it, Daz!" Marco said, grabbing his shoulders.

"No! Let me go! I won't go back there!" Daz argued.

The cadets around him overheard Daz's shouts. They began mumbling to themselves.

"Did you hear that?"

"Given the circumstances, I don't blame him..."

"Hey... I hope someone rebels over here, too."

"I'd at least like to choose how I die."

"Hey!"

"I-It was a joke!"

The Garrison soldier got up in her face. "Do it... Be loud... And get others to go along! In the Garrison, plenty of us aren't happy, either. We'll take advantage of the chaos and leave!" He said.

"Leave and go where?" Jean spoke up.

"To see my daughter." The Garrison soldier replied. "Eventually, this wall will also fall."

"Kill me! If you're going to execute me, do it now!" Daz continued to shout.

"You're sure? I'll do it!"

"Attention!" Pixis shouted from above the wall, making everyone stop. "I shall now explain the plan to retake Trost."

"For this mission, our objective is to seal the hole where the gate was destroyed." Pixis announced.

"Seal it? How?" Marco questioned.

"Let me introduce you to the one who will seal the hole for us... From the Trainee Corps, Eren Yeager." Pixis continued, holding his hand out as Eren stepped forward and did the salute as everyone was in shock, including his friends.

"E-Eren!" Connie exclaimed.

"He is the result of a top-secret project to turn humans into Titans. He can create and control a Titan's body." Pixis continued.

"Hey... I have no idea what the Commander's talking about." Connie stated. "Am I just too stupid to get it or something?"

"Would you shut up, idiot?" Ymir responded.

"He will become a Titan, pick up the shattered boulder by the shattered gate, carry it over, and seal the hole." Pixis continued on. "Your job will be to protect him from the Titans while he moves the boulder!"

"Lift that giant rock?"

"Is it possible? Has humanity finally learned to control the Titans?"

"You're lying! I won't put my life on the line for a plan I can't even understand!" Daz shouted. "What do you think we are? We aren't... We aren't pawns for you to sacrifice!"

"A human weapon?"

"He's lying!"

"He thinks we're fools!"

"He's telling us to die here, today! I'm leaving!" The Garrison soldier said as the two girls nodded as they followed the soldier.

One by one, the cadets and Garrison soldiers were leaving.

"Wait! You'll get the death penalty for this!" The soldier told Daz.

"I'll spend humanity's last hours with my family!" Daz argued.

"Here is my decision!" Pixis spoke up. "I shall pardon anyone who deserts now. Once you succumb to the Titan's fear, you can never fight them again. Those who have learned that fear should leave."

"And anyone wishing their parents, siblings, and loved ones to feel that fear should also leave!" Pixis finished.

Some of the Garrison soldiers turned back around after hearing Pixis's words.

"Let me tell you what happened four years ago. About our attempt to retake Wall Maria. As I'm sure you're all aware, that operation was no more than the government's way of dealing with its inability to feed all of the unemployed. It was a culling." Pixis stated.

"The reason no one speaks of it is because by sending them outside these cramped walls, we were able to survive within them." Pixis continued. "All of humanity, including myself, bears the weight of that sin! Because so few escaped Wall Maria, there was never any open rebellion."

"But what about now? If Wall Rose falls, the sacrifice will be more than just twenty percent. The territory within Wall Sina won't support even have of the remaining population." Pixis said. "If humanity falls, it won't be because we were devoured by the Titans. It will be because we killed each other. We must not die even deeper within the walls."

"I beg of you to die right here!"

Josiah spotted a green flare being shot up from the sky from on top of the wall, signaling that the mission has begun.

Eren used his ODM gear to fly through the buildings before biting his hand harshly.

A thunder like sound was heard as green lightning was shown as well as an electric shock wave. When it disappeared, Eren reappeared as a 15m Titan.

However, Eren didn't make a move to pick up the boulder. Instead, he turned around where Mikasa and Josiah were on the roof of a building before slamming his fist down onto them.

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 3544 words.