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

unedited

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙵𝙸𝙵𝚃𝚈-𝙵𝙸𝚅𝙴,
𝓣𝚁𝙰𝙸𝚃𝙾𝚁.

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HANGE WAS CURRENTLY WITH MAGATH, as Magath was looking out through a telescope towards the harbor where the Yeagerists were residing. "I can't believe Floch made it here this early." Hange spoke.

"It's all over for us if the Yeagerists destroy the flying boat. Why haven't they done it?" Magath questioned.

"Who knows. They're likely unsure that we're still alive and trying to stop Eren. Destroying the ship is simple, but after the world is destroyed, it'd take decades to recreate the technology. I'm sure they'd want a flying boat to explore the continents once it's empty. Perhaps their primary goal in occupying the harbor was to get the Azumabito with their ships and technicians under control." Hange replied. "However, if they learn that we're here as well... I'm sure they'll smash that flying boat into pieces in an instant."

"Even if we had the power of the Ten Titans, stopping them would be difficult."

Magath closed his telescope. "But if we falter here, we would have no chance to take down the Founder." He began to head back down. "Let's think of a plan—"

He paused as he looked up at the smoke that was covering the sky.

"We have to kill them all at once. That's our only way to secure the flying boat. We'll use the power of all of our Titans alongside your weapons to do that. Okay?" Annie was saying.

"Hold on a second." Connie protested.

"Why?" Annie asked.

"If we indiscriminately attack the harbor, the Azumabito will get caught in the crossfire." Mikasa replied.

"She's right!" Connie agreed.

"They might be distant relatives to you, but to us, they're enemies who attacked our homeland." Annie said.

"No. It'll be problem if we let the Azumabito die, Annie." Pieck said before looking at Onyankopon. "Isn't that right?"

"Indeed. I should be able to pilot the flying boat on my own. But without the Azumabito mechanics, that thing is just a plain boat with no wings. Its wings are currently folded to make it easier to transport by sea. And of course, just extending the wings won't be enough to make it fly. It was originally meant to be transported to the hangar, receive maintenance inspection and perform flight drills before it's used for operations." Onyankopon explained.

"About how long would that take?" Reiner questioned.

"I don't know. Ask the Azumabito." Onyankopon answered as Mikasa looked down at her bandaged wrist.

"I see. So we need to protect the Azumabito and secure them enough time to get the flying boat ready. On top of that, you're also going to tell me that you don't want to kill any of the Yeagerists trying to stop us?" Annie guessed.

"I don't want to kill them. Some of them are our friends from the Training Corps, you know?" Jean responded.

"Then what's the plan? Tell me. How exactly are we going to keep the flying boat and the Azumabito safe while securing them enough time to get the ship ready all without the enemies charging at us? Tell me, Armin. Tell me your plan. Just like you did when you cornered me." Annie said.

"That plan doesn't exist. Either we settle this in one go, or we mess up and lose the flying boat." Pieck informed.

"Hold up. We're here to save people! And yet, the first thing in our plan is to kill our fellow islanders?! Why is this happening?!" Connie exclaimed.

"You can't save everyone, Connie. No matter how hard you try."

All heads turned when Simon limped over towards the group. "S-Section Commander! You shouldn't be moving!" Armin exclaimed.

"I'll be fine, Armin. I'm good as new. Thank god for Titan regeneration." Simon reassured. "Let me ask you this question. All of you may be hesitant to kill the Yeagerists out there. But them? They won't think twice about killing you."

Everyone went silent at Simon's statement. "Then what's the plan? Tell me. How exactly are we going to keep the flying boat and the Azumabito safe while securing them enough time to get the ship ready all without the enemies charging at us? Tell me, Armin. Tell me your plan. Just like you did when you cornered me." Annie said.

"That plan doesn't exist. Either we settle this in one go, or we mess up and lose the flying boat." Pieck informed.

"Hold up. We're here to save people! And yet, the first thing in our plan is to kill our fellow islanders?! Why is this happening?!" Connie exclaimed.

"You're right. To begin with, none of you have any obligation to do this with us. Nor any obligation to make a hard choice like this. If you'd been in our place that day, you probably wouldn't have chosen to breach the wall. Unlike us." Annie said.

"The four of you don't have to fight. Just watch from a safe location together with Gabi and Falco. If the Yeagerists find you, you'll be forced to decide whether you want it or not. But don't get involved." Reiner said.

"So you're telling us to just watch you kill each other?" Connie questioned.

"That said, can this really be solved just with a Titan rampage?" Jean also asked.

Simon snorted. "Well, Eren seemed to think so." He thinks to himself before the sound of Hange and Magath coming down from the slope got his attention.

"I'm not interested in becoming a spectator. I already killed four Yeagerists with my own hand anyway." Hange informed.

"More importantly, humanity does not have much time left. I saw the Titans moving from the shore, giving off a massive amount of steam. Judging by their speed, they've already arrived on the continent of Marley. The closest Marley's cities in the northeast must have been annihilated by now. I didn't expect they'd cross the ocean this fast." They continued.

"Who knows how many have been killed already."

Magath suddenly grabbed Yelena by her mouth. "Tell us where Eren Yeager is heading! I'll keep breaking your arm until you tell me!" Magath exclaimed.

"Magath!" Hange shouted out as Magath released Yelena.

"There's nothing to fear. I won't kill you." Magath reassured.

"Well, that's a relief. I've changed my mind. I don't want to die until I've seen how all of this ends." A tear slipped from Yelena's eye. "If you take me with you, I might tell you Eren's destination."

Hange grabbed onto Magath's shoulder. "We must secure the flying boat first." They informed.

"We don't have time to torture her now!" Onyankopon added on as Magath looked up, seeing Gabi as he turned around.

"Connie. Armin. Mikasa. Jean." Magath called out their names. "I want to apologize for my behavior last night. We were wrong. I spoke so flippantly about justice. Even at this late stage, I cowardly tried to justify my own actions. All because I was afraid to reflect on myself and see the despicable side of Marley within me. This isn't your responsibility. It's wrong to place sins of the past on your shoulder just because of your race."

Magath then turned to the Warriors. "Pieck, Annie, Reiner. There's no reason for you to be burdened with this world's hatred, either. But... We do have the responsibility to remember this foolish, blood-stained history and pass it to future generations. Eren Yeager wants to erase everything. We must not let him. So long we continue to avert our eyes from our own foolish acts... This hell will never end." Magath then bowed. "That is why... I beg you. Please overlook our foolishness just for now."

"I refuse." Armin finally spoke after a moment of silence. "To just stand by with clean hands."

Magath straightened back up, a look of shock was plastered on his face. Simon was tying up his hair in a bun.

"Alright, I've made my decision." Simon spoke, causing everyone to look at him. "My father abandoned our people by escaping to the walls with my brother and I in tow. Reiner, Annie, I'll fight with you. It's what my mother would've wanted, and as long as my heart is beating, I'll fight."

The group heard some mumbles in protest as they turned to see Levi was awake. "I don't give a fuck what you think, Levi. With you out of commisson, they need all the help they can get. Three Titan shifters fighting is better than two." Simon told his husband.

More mumbling followed as Simon scoffed. "So what if I don't have anymore protection? I can handle myself, thank you very much." He said as the group look at the two in confusion.

"How are they communicating?" Reiner asked.

"Who knows. Must be due to the fact they've known each other their whole lives." Connie responded.

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"Floch! Where are you?! Where are the Azumabito?!" Armin asked as him and Connie were on horses. Floch opened up a window.

"Armin?!"

"Floch!"

"Where have you been? What are you on about?" Floch questioned.

"I was chasing the Cart Titan! They have the Armored with them! They escaped by the sea! We will lose them if we don't chase now! We need the flying boat immediately!" Armin replied. "Hurry up and have the Azumabito get it running!"

"What are you talking about?" Floch asked.

"And what are you standing around for?! Didn't you have anyone looking after the Cart?! Wasn't it obvious they'd escape to the south?! They killed Jean and Onyankopon, you know!" Armin continued on.

"Armin! There's the flying boat!" Connie shouted, pointing towards the boat as Armin rushed over.

"Floch! Hurry up and get the mechanics out here!"

Armin and Connie stopped in their tracks as they got off their horses and rushed towards the flying boat.

"Stop!"

"Stop right there!"

"Daz! Samuel! What are you guys doing?!" Connie asked before noticing the bombs on the flying boat. "Are those bombs?!"

"Disconnect them right now!" Armin ordered.

"We're using that ship to chase after the remaining Marleyans escaped by the sea!" Connie added on.

"Hold up!"

"Both of you, calm down!" Samuel said. "Actually, there is suspicion that you two are working with Marley and trying to stop the Rumbling using this flying boat."

Armin and Connie widened their eyes. "H-How could we ever do something like that?!" Connie asked.

"That's right! What'd become of this island if we stopped Eren?!" Armin questioned.

"Y-Yeah, you're right." Daz replied.

"We're finally saved now... so there's no way you guys would put this island back into danger, right?" Samuel asked.

"Of course not!" Connie responded.

"That's a relief. I wouldn't know what to do if you two betrayed us." Daz claimed.

"Anyway, just hurry up. Disconnect those bombs." Armin said as both Daz and Samuel glanced at each other.

"But... I also got the feeling... that you might try to stop Eren from slaughtering anyone, even if they're enemies." Daz stated as he started to disconnect the bomb. Once he was finished, him and Samuel stared at Armin and Connie. "What's wrong? We disconnected the detonator."

"All left is for Floch to hand over the Azumabito mechanics. Once the flying boat is ready, we need to somehow get everyone on it and leave. If everything works out... There won't need to be any pointless bloodshed." Armin told himself.

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"Don't you think this is strange? If they knew our enemies would be fleeing from the south... it'd be faster to pursue them by locomotive. Much faster than going by horseback. Why would they need to sneak around?" Floch said his thoughts out loud.

"No, I don't have any proof. But... I really should nip any concerns in the bud." Floch pointed his gun to the Azumabito mechanics, causing them to gasp.

Gunshots were fired, getting Armin and Connie's attention, along with Daz and Samuel. "We failed!" Armin thought.

"What happened, Floch?!"

The Yeagerists that entered saw Kiyomi pinning down Floch. "Dammit! Kill her!" Floch ordered.

"I'm not dying without a fight!" Kiyomi claimed as Mikasa soon entered, breaking the nearby window and taking down the armed Yeagerists.

"Ms. Kiyomi!" Mikasa exclaimed.

Floch used his gear to fly out of the room. "We're under attack! Mikasa, Armin, and Connie have betrayed Eldia! Kill them!" Floch ordered.

"They'll shoot Thunder Spears through the windows! Run to the basement!" Mikasa told the mechanics just as Thunder Spears exploded into the room they were in. Mikasa crashed onto the ground.

"It started." Mikasa thinks to herself. "Now it comes to this, we must exterminate the Yeagerists!"

"Lady Mikasa!"

Mikasa rushed forward as the three Yeagerists were shot by Hange and Magath.

"Azumabito! This way! We'll repel them in the basement!" Magath spoke. "Come with us if you want to live!"

Daz walked back to the bomb to reconnect it. "Hey..." Connie muttered.

"Daz! Stop it!" Armin shouted.

Armin suddenly got shot in the mouth. "Armin!" Connie shouted in concern.

"Don't move!" Samuel ordered, pointing the gun at Connie while Armin fell to the ground.

"Samuel..." Connie mumbled.

"Daz, blow up the flying boat now. Do it now!" Samuel ordered as Armin spat out blood.

"Samuel..." Connie said once more. "Hey—"

"You betrayed us, right? Connie. Didn't we make the promise? That we'd get more land... so we can eat meat together! Ugh, shit! Why... must this happen?" Samuel asked himself.

More Thunder Spears were fired at the building. "At this rate, we'd be trapped here to death!" Kiyomi exclaimed. "It's only a matter of time before they kill us!"

"This is fine. As long as we're safe, they can run wild." Magath informed.

"They ran to the basement! Bring more explosives!"

"They want to hole themselves up in the basement with no escape?" Floch asked himself as Reiner, Annie, and Simon were using their gear to propell themselves forward as Simon and Reiner bit into their hands.

The three Titan shifters appeared behind Floch.

"Wait... Could it be... ?!"

Yellow lightning surrounded Reiner, Annie, and Simon before three balls of lightning appeared in the sky.

"So it didn't work... Why does this always happen?" Onyankopon questioned as he was with Pierck, Gabi, Falco, Yelena, and Levi on a hill watching the three Titan shifters transform.

"You can't separate humanity from violence. Isn't that right, Captain?" Yelena asked as Levi didn't respond.

The lightning soon disappeared as Reiner, Annie, and Simon appeared from the steam in their Titan forms.

Some of the Yeagerists were running away from Annie's outstretched hand as Annie crushed one of them while Reiner punched another.

The Yeagerists soon surrounded Annie as Reiner and Simon quickly protected her, landing right behind her.

"Get more Thunder Spears!"

Annie soon chased after them, kicking the three Yeagerists in the air and killing them instantly as their bodies crashed into the water.

Daz had a frightened look on his face while Connie had Samuel pinned down. "Daz! Blow it up! Samuel ordered as Armin crawled over and shoved Daz down.

"Armin!" Daz shouted, shoving Armin off. "Stop it!"

"Please stop it!"

Daz soon pointed the gun to Armin's head. "Armin!" Connie shouted in concern.

"You traitors! Why?! Aren't we friends?!" Samuel questioned.

"You guys are our friends! But... I..." Connie trailed off as Daz was looking into Armin's eyes as Armin remembered Bertholdt's words.

"Someone has to do this!"

Connie let out a scream before shooting Daz in the head, causing his body to fall limp into the water. He then turned over towards Samuel.

"S-Stop it—" Samuel began to beg before his sentence was cut off by Connie shooting him in the head as well.

"Someone has to get blood on their hands!"

Connie soon let out a painful scream.

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

Word Count: 2639 words.