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

edited on december 17th, 2022 @ 1:22am

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙵𝙸𝙵𝚃𝚈-𝚃𝚆𝙾,
𝓣𝙷𝙰𝚆.

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THE WALL TITANS KEPT ON moving past as the group was on a rooftop. "It's finished. I never thought he'd planned to slaughter everyone outside the walls. But if those people are gone, so will all the hatred they have." Jean spoke as he finished tying up Falco. "All the enemies that ever threatened our existence will be smushed to death. Leaving nothing but a blank, empty land."

"The thing people beyond the ocean feared the most has happened. Because they deemed us as devils and tried to kill us all. So this... This is what people brought on themselves. There was nothing we can do about it. Isn't that right?"

"But... This... This is too far. This is an unprecedented level of genocide." Armin replied.

"Then... Will you stop him? Stop Eren?" Jean asked. "Eren rejected Zeke's idea to castrate us with his Euthanasia plan. He also rejected the idea to sacrifice Historia to maintain control over the power of the Founding. In other words... Eren... He sacrificed the humanity beyond the walls to protect us. The ones who'll benefit from this genocide... are us."

"You guys are important to me. More than anyone else."

It was silent amongst the group as neither of them spoke a word. An explosion was heard, getting their attention.

"What's that?" Armin questioned. "The Titans... are fighting our soldiers? Did they devour all the Marleyan soldiers? No way. If Eren has control over the Founding Titan, he should be able to control all the Titans!"

"But they're eating our comrades! We must help them!" Jean exclaimed.

"Jean, wait! What are you going to do with that boy?" Mikasa asked, referring to Falco.

"He probably inherited the Jaw Titan. We can't just let him be. And we can at least save somebody who's turned into a Titan by feeding this boy to him. Like Commander Pixis—" Jean responded.

"No. My mom. We'll feed him to my mom in Ragako village." Connie interrupted, glancing at his friends. "All right?"

"Connie, Jean. According to Zeke, that boy is a Warrior Candidate and he's loved by Reiner and those in Warrior Unit. If we were to kill someone close to them like him... it'd provoke a whole new conflict with Reiner and the Cart Titan. If Marley's done for, there's no point in continuing our blood feud with Reiner and others. So—" Armin ranted.

"You're saying my mom doesn't matter?" Connie accused.

"That's not what I—" Armin began to defend himself.

Connie grabbed onto Armin's collar. "Do you even know how I feel going back to my village again and again... just to see my mom being like that?! You're alive right now because you ate Bertholdt, aren't you?! Don't stop me from bringing back my mom to life—"

"Connie!"

A Titan was heading straight for them, causing them to move out of the way and crash on the rooftop.

Connie quickly grabbed Falco and flew away. "Connie!" Armin shouted after him.

"Hold it!" Jean said as Mikasa took out her blade while Armin and Jean followed. "This is bad! We need to deal with these Titans first!"

"There aren't any walls left on this island!"

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Surma was about to get eaten until Shadis swooped in and sliced the Titan's nape. "I don't recall ever teaching you to whimper on the ground in face of a Titan! Put on your Vertical Maneuver Gear! We've got some old units left! Follow me! That is if any of you want to survive!" Shadis said.

"Instructer Shadis!" Surma exclaimed.

Mikasa sliced the nape of a Titan as it crashed down into the building Yelena was in. "Are there any surviving soldiers?! All of you, move to the top floor of the fort! We'll gather the Titans there and take them out! Get all the Thunder Spears you have! We'll handle the rest! Don't let the Titans go anywhere else!" Jean ordered.

"If you care about your friends who've been turned into Titans... Put them to rest here and end their misery!"

All of the soldiers lined up on top of the building, looking at the Titans down below. Jean closes his eyes for a moment before re-opening them. "Let's go all at once!" He shouted as all of them flew down.

"Fire!"

They began releasing their Thunder Spears towards the Titans as the explosions went off instantly killing them.

Armin and Jean glanced over, both of them widening their eyes seeing Pixis.

"Commander Pixis..." Armin muttered.

Jean soon stepped forward. "Let's do this." He said as him, Armin, and Mikasa jumped down.

"Commander... We've made it this far all thanks to you." Armin said as he fired a Thunder Spear towards Pixis' nape and it exploded. "Rest... in peace."

The other soldiers were firing their own Thunder Spears at the Titans as Mikasa sped by, quickly slashing the Titans nape that she came across.

Smoke was rising in the air as all of the Titans had been defeated. "The flames finally began to settle. The Marleyan soldiers have been mostly wiped out. And the Pure Titans are all gone. This place's safe for now." Jean informed.

"I see... Could you now tell us about this daydream you guys had?" Onyankopon asked. "What is Eren doing right now?"

"Exactly as it looks like." Jean answered.

"I see... Is my homeland doomed, as well?" Onyankopon questioned.

"Floch! Are you okay?"

"So, I heard while I was busy dying as the walls came down, you're the one who led the Titan hunt, Jean?" Floch asked.

"So you're alive." Jean simply said.

"Yeah, thanks for your concern." Floch said. "But I can't die just yet. Not during the moment of the Eldian empire's return."

Floch soon pointed his gun at Yelena's head. "Yelena. Gather the Volunteers. You're all under arrest." He declared.

"What?" Jean questioned, standing up from his spot.

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"I'm glad you're fine, Mr. Braus." Armin said as him and Mikasa followed Artur down some steps.

"I feel the same about you. But sorry for calling you during all of this." Artur apologized.

They turned the corner, seeing Gabi, Niccolo, and Kaya. "You... Why are you here?" Armin questioned.

"Please believe me. I don't want to fight anymore. I just want you to give Falco back." Gabi replied as Armin widened his eyes. "I promise we will be gone after that!"

Armin and Mikasa glanced down. "Where is... Falco?" Gabi asked.

"No way... He kidnapped him to feed him to his mother who's been turned into a Titan?" Gabi questioned in disbelief once Armin and Mikasa explained what happened. "Why?"

"Connie's mother was the only Titan that can't move, so she is still there. Connie has been taking care of his mother for four years..." Armin explained.

"The incident four years ago...?" Kaya guessed.

Gabi dropped to the ground. "I-I'm... sorry... Even so... I still can't give up on Falco." She then grabbed onto Armin's sleeves. "Hey, can't Eren Yeager turn Connie's mother back into a human? The Founding Titan can do anything, right?"

"I don't know..." Armin answered honestly. "But if Eren could do that... I think Eren would have turned the soldiers transformed by Zeke back into humans."

"If you don't know, then go ask Eren directly! Does he really have to kill everyone outside of the island? He doesn't have to do that, right? Can't he just attack all military facilities in the world? Go ask him!" Gabi pleaded. "He even stripped Reiner's armor! He should be able to do it!"

Armin widened his eyes at her claim. "Where is Reiner now?" Mikasa asked.

"That doesn't matter right now! He's heavily injured and can't move anyway!" Gabi responded.

Armin kneeled down and grabbed Gabi's shoulders. "The Armored Titan's hardening was undone? When? At what moment?" He questioned.

"As the walls fell..." Gabi replied.

"Armin?" Mikasa said his name.

"Eren said... That he has undone all the hardening..."

In the cellar, Annie's crystal had broke as she was gasping for air.

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

Word Count: 1413 words.