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

edited on march 12th, 2022 @ 12:11pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝙾𝙽𝙴,
𝓦𝙸𝚂𝙷.

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LEVI KICKS THE DOOR OPEN as they sent three barrels down the stairs, confusing the enemies. Levi and the others then charged in the cavern as Sasha aimed her bow as she shot an arrow that was on fire at one of the barrels.

Sasha shoots at the barrel, making it explode as the barrel was filled with gunpowder.

Levi comes out of the smoke followed by Josiah and Mikasa, using their ODM gear.

"Here they come!"

"Shoot 'em down!"

The Interior Police pointed their guns at the three. The others fired green smoke signals at the trio, covering them from the Interior Police members.

"Twenty-four." Levi mumbled. "Thirty-two."

"Thirty-five enemies! They've gathered behind the pillars! Continue the plan! We'll take 'em all out right here!" Levi ordered.

"All troops, spread out! Surround them one at a time!"

The others along with Hange and Moblit followed after Mikasa, Levi, and Josiah as Sasha only remained, shooting arrows at the barrels along with Armin who was firing smoke signals.

"More smoke?! Shit! Where'd they go?!"

Jean appeared from behind the man and decapitated him.

"Over there! Fire!"

Green smoke signals were fired in front of Connie, covering him from the enemy. The two Interior Police members fired where Connie was as he ended up getting away.

"I missed?!"

"Where are they?!"

Connie appeared from behind the man, slicing his back.

"You're mine!"

Sasha shot the woman in the chest, sending her down to the ground.

"Sasha!" Connie exclaimed.

"Connie! Hide in the smoke and fight!" Armin called out as Sasha readied another arrow.

"Take this!" Three men shouted at Hange, pointing their guns at them.

Armin fired green smoke in front of Hange, blocking the view of the men. Hange appeared out of the smoke, stabbing their blade into the man, blood spattering all over their face.

Sasha shot another arrow at a barrel, making it explode.

"The hell's with that girl?!" A Military Police member asked, pointing his gun at Mikasa.

Mikasa dodged the bullet and slashed every single member that was near her before kicking another one to a cavern pillar.

Josiah looked over to see Levi following a blonde soldier, he looked over to see Levi being stopped by Kenny, who shot at him, barely missing Levi.

"Yo, Levi. Not that I've got time to waste on you, but... If you get past here, it'll all be for nothin'." Josiah heard Kenny say, as well as the sounds of his gun being reloaded.

Levi appeared above Kenny and tries to slice him, but Kenny blocked it with his gun.

"You're a spunky one, damn." Kenny commented.

Levi kicks Kenny, escaping from him and Kenny tried to shoot him, but Levi managed to dodge it.

Josiah went off to find more enemies, that is until someone shot at him, making the brunette use his ODM gear to connect himself to a nearby crystal pillar before looking up.

"It's a shame our first meeting has to go like this." Treyton began. "Josiah, my son!"

"So this must be my deadbeat father that Mom mentioned."

Josiah throws a sack filled with gunpowder as Treyton shot at it, making it explode. He came out of the fire before clashing his blade with Treyton's gun.

"Who would've thought my first meeting with my son would go like this." Treyton stated.

"You have no right to call me that!" Josiah shouted in anger. "Where were you when I needed you?!"

"My attention would've made you softer!" Treyton responded, trying to shoot at Josiah in which he dodged.

"You left when Mom needed you, you good-for-nothing piece of shit!" Josiah exclaimed.

"You're stronger with those daddy issues, Josiah!" Treyton claimed.

Mikasa was following the blonde soldier, trying to swing her blade at her, but she dodged. Hange appeared from underneath her as the blonde tried to shoot her.

"Huh? Both of your shots were way off! You like to live recklessly, too?!" Hange asked.

The blonde lands on a pillar and shot Hange's shoulder, who tried to dodge before swinging Hange around. Hange was sent flying to a pillar before falling down onto the ground.

Everyone stopped and looked over at them. "Hange-san!" Jean called out.

"Now! Fall back to the final defensive post! Time to regroup!" The blonde soldier ordered as the rest of the Interior Police followed her.

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Levi and the Scouts clashed with Kenny's squad, charging straight into their defense. All to reach and rescue Eren and Historia. However...

Levi and his squad were walking through a tunnel. Armin and Moblit were behind them carrying Hange.

"It's gotta be a way through if it's all plugged up." Levi thinks to himself, staring at a hole in the ceiling that was leading towards the outside of the cavern. "Shit. If only we had some gunpowder left..."

Suddenly, a yellow light appeared as it was almost blinding.

"That's..." Jean started to say.

"A Titan transformed?" Levi finished.

"Eren!" Mikasa and Josiah shouted.

Strong winds came at them. "Th-This place is gonna collapse!" Sasha exclaimed.

The wooden planks that were covering the hole then fell. "Captain!" Armin called out, making Levi turn back. "The hole!" Armin informed, pointing at it.

"Armin! Moblit! Take Hange and get the hell out of here!" Levi ordered.

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The squad went through the hole in the wall which lead them to the room where the yellow light was. Josiah could see Eren and Historia on a high pillar. Eren was chained up and shirtless while Historia used keys to try and free him.

Historia was thrown back due to the impact but Mikasa quickly caught her.

"Give me the keys!" Josiah informed as he landed down next to Levi.

"Captain? You guys..." Eren trailed off, stunned.

Historia handed the keys to Josiah as he rushed over to Eren with Jean.

Josiah was unlocking on Eren's right hand before handing the keys to Connie.

"Connie, hurry!" Josiah told him. Connie takes the keys.

"Forget about me! 'Siah! Hurry and escape!" Eren begged as Connie begins to unlock Eren's left leg.

"You seriously piss me off, Titan boy! God, what do I even see in you?!" Josiah cursed.

"Shut up already, you topless wimp! It's not just a Titan! There's dudes with guns coming for us!" Jean shouted as well as Connie finally unlocks the shackles on Eren's leg.

"He's loose!" Connie exclaimed, handing the keys over to Jean.

"I think... That's way bigger than the Colossal Titan, isn't it?" Sasha asked.

A part of Rod Reiss' Titan hits the ceiling and breaks the crystals, making it fall to the floor. But they managed to get away before it did so.

Everyone was in the back of the room. Eren was holding onto Josiah's wrist as they watched Rod Reiss' Titan transform, destroying everything in its path.

"Shit! There's no way out!" Jean said.

Josiah felt Eren's grip from his wrist let go as he fell down, sobbing.

"I'm sorry, everyone..." Everyone stood there as they watched Eren cry, hair being blown in their faces. "I've been nothing but useless... Ever since the very beginning, I was never the hope of humanity..."

Eren then paused, looking to his right. "Armor?" He questioned.

"What's this? Think you're some tragic hero?" Jean asked as Eren looked at him. "When have you ever accomplished anything by your strength alone?"

"What a weakling." Connie added in. "We've been through much worse than this."

"Not that I wanna get used to it!" Sasha exclaimed.

"Still, it's going to suck trying to navigate through all that." Connie informed.

"I'll take Eren." Josiah spoke up.

"We can't go nice and slow for you, so hold on for your life." Jean told Historia.

"Right." Historia nodded.

"It's useless. We can't escape." Eren informed.

"So do nothing? You wanna sit here and hold hands till we're crushed or burn to death? Because we're enemies of humanity?" Historia asked.

"You know, I hate doing this to you every time, but..." Levi who had been quiet the entire time, spoke up. "Eren. You've gotta make the choice."

Eren was quiet for a few seconds as he gritted his teeth. He grabbed some bottle that was laying on the ground before letting out a battle cry and running towards Rod Reiss.

Eren bit into the bottle he picked up, he jumped off and another beam erupted. Eren soon transformed into his Titan form, crystals spreading out around him as everyone watched in confusion.

"What... the...?" Connie questioned.

"Everyone! Get underneath Eren!" Levi shouted, as everyone soon ran underneath Eren who protected them from the falling shards, everywhere started to collapse around them.

Eren's Titan form started to crystallize, they waited for a bit before realizing it was safe to move they got Eren out of his crystallized Titan body.

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Everyone was staring at Eren's now hardened Titan form. "That's what I call hardening. Even after cutting you away, the Titan hasn't disappeared." Levi spoke, turning over to Eren. "Pretty impressive, yeah?" Eren turned away, lost in thought.

"That bottle..." Eren mumbled. "Oh, yeah! Right before I turned into a Titan, I drank that "Armor" bottle..."

"Yeah. You couldn't do it at all before now, but you used the hardening power. And saved all of us. In the blink of an eye, you devised and built all this. Yeah, the construction looks shoddy, but... I bet that's how the walls were made, too." Levi kneeled down next to him. "In other words... It's possible for us to plug that hole in Wall Maria now. A lot of enemies and allies have died along the way, and getting this far hasn't been pretty, but for as ugly as it's been, look at the position we're in now."

"Captain!" Sasha called out, entering the cavern from a hole. "We've secured an exit!"

"Armin's safe! Hange-san and Moblit, too!" Connie added on.

"Well done." Levi told them.

Sasha and Connie ran over to Eren. "Eren!" Sasha shouted.

"You okay?" Connie asked.

Sasha bowed in front of him. "We're all safe, thanks to you! But to be perfectly honest, when you ran off prancing while crying like a baby... I thought we were doomed!" She announced. "It's over, over! Get it together, nincompoop! Quit bawling like a snotty-nosed brat!" is what I thought."

"Hey..." Connie said to her as Levi looked up at the squad.

"Let's go. We're going after that big-ass Titan." He informed.

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Everyone was soon pulled out of the crystal cavern and got to the top to see the destroyed grounds which left a trail from Rod Reiss's Titan which could be seen in the distance.

Soon, everyone was riding on their horses and wagon as they headed towards the Titan which they met up with Erwin and the other Scouts. They slowed down when Erwin came into view.

"Erwin." Levi spoke.

"Everyone all right?" Erwin asked, glancing at Hange who laid in the wagon.

"Hange's our only casualty." Levi responded.

Hange waved at Erwin in reply. "Seems like nothing too serious. Well done, everyone." Erwin said.

"I've got a whole slew of things to report, but first..." Levi began.

Erwin turned to him. "What's that Titan?" He questioned.

"It's Rod Reiss." Levi responded as Erwin's eyes widened. "I think we'll need your call on this, Commander."

Erwin gave a side glance to Eren and Historia. "Regardless, we don't have time to stand around here and chat. Return to Wall Sina." He ordered, turning away.

"You're going to let that big ass Titan crawl right up the wall?" Levi asked.

Erwin turned back to look at him. "To Orvud District, actually. That's most likely where it's headed." He replied.

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All of the Scouts soon followed behind after Rod Reiss. Flynn was listening to what happened to Eren and Historia, which they were telling Hange now.

"Let's put this all together... Basically, Rod Reiss was after the Founding Titan, the Titan power inside Eren. However, unless it's someone with Reiss blood, you won't get it's true potential. Though, even if a Reiss obtains the Founding Titan's power, they're controlled by the First King's will and refuse to liberate humanity from the Titans. Eh? Well, isn't that interesting..." Hange said tiredly.

They paused before speaking up again. "According to the First King, this is true peace? Now that's a weird way to look at it." They finished.

"In other words... we still have an option. If that Titan eats me, Rod Reiss will return to a human. Which means it's still possible to have a true Founding Titan." Eren spoke up.

Mikasa looked over at Eren. "You can't..." She informed.

"Seems that way." Levi stated in a blunt tone. "We could capture Rod Reiss once he becomes a human. Undo the First King's brainwashing. If we could do that, it might open up a path to save humanity." He paused. "Plus, Eren... Are you saying you're fully prepared to let that happen?"

Eren turned to Levi and gave him a straight look. "I am." He replied as Jean, Connie, and Sasha shared a look with one another.

"Eren, you can't..." Josiah protested.

"You're forgetting our other option." Historia began. "First of all, the current plan is full of flaws. One, there's no proof that you can undo Rod Reiss' brainwashing. No matter how much you restrain him, if he alters humanity's memories, it's over. Basically, there's too many factors about the Founding Titan that we just don't know."

Armin turned around to look back at Historia. "True... Even if Rod Reiss eats Eren, we have no guarantee that he'll return to normal."

Historia nodded in agreement. "On the other hand, all we've ever known is destructive pacifists. But as it stands, the Founding Titan was taken from them. This is a once in a lifetime chance for humanity." She turned to face Eren. "Yes... Your father was trying to save us and humanity from the First King. He stole the Founding Titan from my sister... murdered all of the Reiss children... because he had no other choice."

Eren widened his eyes, placing his hand on his head. "Dad..." He mumbled.

"That's right! The Dr. Yeager I know wouldn't do something like that for no reason at all." Armin stated.

"Right. Even without having Reiss blood, there must be a way to safe humanity. That's why he left you the key to the basement." Mikasa added on.

It was silent for a few moments. "What basement?" Sasha then questioned as Jean and Connie gave her a look. "Oh, that whole thing? You mean it's actually important?"

"Uh, yeah..."

"We've finally got a way to plug up the wall. The way I see it, there's only one choice." Jean said.

"That makes life a little easier." Levi commented.

"If it means anything, I agree with that choice. Though, are you sure about this, Historia?" Hange asked, looking over at Historia. "We can't exactly have a Titan like that wandering around inside the walls. One that big, we can't restrain. Meaning..." They trailed off, pointing over to the Titan. "We'll have to kill your father and there's no way around it."

Historia stated at her father's Titan. "Eren. I'm sorry." Eren gave her a confused look. "Underneath the Reiss chapel... I really considered becoming a Titan and killing you." She admitted.

Both Mikasa and Josiah snapped their heads towards her. "What's more, not even to safe humanity... Only because I wanted to believe my father. I didn't want my father to hate me... But now, it's time to say goodbye." Historia finished.

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《 𝖮𝖱𝖵𝖴𝖣 𝖣𝖨𝖲𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖢𝖳 — 𝖱𝖤𝖦𝖨𝖬𝖤𝖭𝖳 𝖡𝖱𝖠𝖭𝖢𝖧 》

The Scouts finally arrived at the Regiment Branch as they got off their horses. "Historia. Forgot to tell you... We need you to do something." Levi spoke up.

"Yes?" Historia asked.

"Erwin's orders. When this battle is over, since you're the true successor to the throne... become the Queen." Levi bluntly replied.

The 104th were all shocked at this news.

Sasha spoke up from behind Historia. "Q-Queen?! Historia?!" She exclaimed.

"The coup d'ètat was successful, but the people won't follow a regiment sitting at the top. What we need is a story to spread. That a true heir retook the crown from the fake." Levi informed.

Historia looked down. "I..." She mumbled.

Connie raised his hand. "Um, Captain? I'm sure you heard what Historia said earlier, but... Well, uh... By leaving her father, she finally broke free from that burden, I guess you could say... And yet, again..." He started to ramble on a bit.

"What?" Levi questioned. "If you have something to say, say it."

"I-In other words... Connie's trying to say... Historia broke free from the Reiss family and has finally found herself. And now you're forcing her into another role? Isn't that...?" Jean trailed off before continuing. "Isn't that... not fair to her?"

"All right." Historia agreed. "My next duty is to be Queen, right? Understood."

"Historia..." Armin mumbled as she turned to him.

"Thanks for your concern. But whether or not it's forced on me is up to me to decide, I think." Historia turned to face Levi. "However... Captain, I do have one condition. Since my fate is my own, I want to lay it all on the line."

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Everyone now stood in a meeting room, Historia walked in with more suitable clothing and gear. "When you're Queen, you can punch that runt in the face." Josiah heard Mikasa comment.

"We've determined the location of Rod Reiss' Titan. It's southwest, approaching Orvud. At this rate, it should reach Orvud District by dawn."

"Understood." A Garrison soldier said, turning to Erwin. "Commander Erwin, we'd all like to hear what your plan is. How do you intend to evacuate the citizens in time?"

Erwin turned to him. "We won't evacuate." He responded.

"Wh-What?"

"We'll have the citizens remain in Orvud District just as they are." Erwin informed.

Soldiers looked around, muttering things to each other.

"Are you insane?"

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

Word Count: 3032 words.