Chereads / The Empire of Titans / Chapter 29 - Titan Serum

Chapter 29 - Titan Serum

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Chapter 30 (Levi's Titan), Chapter 31 (An Ackerman Titan), Chapter 32 (Annie's Loyalty), Chapter 33 (Graduation), Chapter 34 (The Breach of Trost), Chapter 35 (The Counter Attack), Chapter 36 (The Battle of Trost), Chapter 37 (The Past, The Present, and The Future), Chapter 38 (A Purpose), Chapter 39 (No Time Left), Chapter 40 (A Soldier or A Warrior), Chapter 41 (A Signal in The Sky), Chapter 42 (The Traitors of Humanity), Chapter 43 (The Clash of Titans), and Chapter 44 (A Dream of Joy) are already available for Patrons.

"Do you think Captain Levi is angry?" Armin whispered, his voice hushed to a barely audible level. He leaned in closer to Mikasa, his eyes locking with her gray irises. Ymir stood stoically beside them, her broom sweeping methodically across the floor as the trio worked to clean their quarters. The morning had started off with a stern order from the captain, demanding that they tidy up their room before being allowed to venture outside the castle walls. Ymir seemed unfazed, almost indifferent to the prospect of angering the captain.

As the first rays of morning light crept over the horizon, the sun rose above the old castle, casting a warm, golden glow across its ancient walls. The castle, which had once stood tall and proud, now appeared fragile and weathered, with walls that were barely five meters tall and threatening to crumble with each passing moment. Despite this, the castle was still a sight to behold, with many openings and crevices that allowed vines to creep and wind their way around the walls, creating a stunning tapestry of green and brown. Small animals would often use the castle to hide their food.

Armin had expected they would spend more time cleaning the old castle, but Captain Levi had informed them that today Eren and Historia were the only ones who would clean. Ymir's eyebrow had twitched in annoyance, knowing her pure, innocent Historia would spend the entire day scrubbing and sweeping the dusty, dingy corners of the sprawling castle.

But Ymir knew why Captain Shorty was punishing Eren and Historia. She had been awake for hours by their screams of pleasure. While she was happy that Historia and Eren had finally slept together, it seemed Captain Shorty wasn't excited as them, Ymir was half-convinced to protest, but she was a little wary of him. She had heard from Mikasa last night how Levi had defeated Eren in his Titan form without much trouble.

He's a Blessed Eldian like me, yet, he still lost, Ymir thought as a shiver went through her body. She had heard of Captain Levi, someone more capable than a whole brigade of Elite Soldiers. Ymir had been convinced that was due to him fighting only mindless titans, but Eren's loss proved that Levi didn't have the title of 'Humanity's Strongest Soldier' for naught.

Ymir could only sigh in relief, knowing Captain Shorty was on their side. Who knows what will happen when he can turn into a Semi-Titan Shifter? I really hope he becomes like the Warhammer Titan. It would be hard to bring him down, Ymir thought with a small smirk, almost feeling bad for Marley, Almost, but she knew Eren, despite losing, hadn't used his most important ability as The Attack Titan.

Since they only needed to clean their rooms, Ymir, Mikasa, and Armin quickly finished the job before walking outside the castle.

As Armin took a deep breath, he felt the fresh, crisp air of the morning enter his lungs, invigorating him with new energy. The sun had begun its ascent into the sky, casting a warm glow over the landscape that stretched out before him. The gentle rustle of leaves sounded in the distance as a cool breeze carried the sweet aroma of blooming flowers over to him. As he stood there, basking in the sun's warmth, he heard the joyful chirping of birds emanating from a nearby tree, their melodious songs intermingling with the rustling leaves and the gentle breeze. As they walked closer, the sound of raised voices drew him closer until he could see Hange and Captain Levi standing face to face. It was clear that they were in the midst of a heated argument, their voices rising and falling in a rapid cadence that suggested neither was willing to back down.

"Levi, we need Eren and Historia. I understand you-" "I don't want to hear it. The next time they decide to pull something like that, they should do it in the forest or a hotel somewhere. When they're on active duty, they should act like soldiers. When they're on free time, they can do whatever the hell they want." Levi interrupted with a cold glare that made many shudder, except Hange, who laughed, not really bothered by his glare.

Unlike Captain Levi, Hange always believed there was nothing wrong with wanting to release stress. They were soldiers. Still, even they needed to release tension once in a while, whenever that was through sports, fishing, hunting, or the pleasure of being with someone else, Hange knew quite a few in the survey corps from the top of her head who had relationships with each other and often would sleep together when they thought no one was looking or listening.

Hange knew Levi wouldn't bulge. She herself had heard them. The castle walls weren't as good as they used to be, one could easily hear someone walking on the top floor from the first floor, so their screams of pleasure in the middle of the night echoed through the walls like Speakers.

Everyone had woken up looking at each other awkwardly until Levi told them to go outside and leave the brats to him.

With that in mind, Hange decided to do tests on Armin, Mikasa, and Ymir. Since Eren and Historia weren't available. Hange turned to the Titan Shifter trio standing five meters away from them.

"Ymir, can you please transform and show us how you can move around Trees," Hange spoke to the tall freckles girl who nodded nonchalantly. Everyone backed away as Ymir bit down on her hand, blood welling up between her teeth. The air around her crackled with energy, and a bolt of yellow lightning struck her. The bones, muscles, and tissues formed around her, slowly forming the Jaw Titan. The transformation was a sight to behold. Ymir's body grew larger and more muscular, her skin turning into hard, scaly armor. Her eyes glowed with a fierce intensity.

Hange squealed loudly at the beauty in front of her. Despite seeing it before, she felt excitement every time it happened. While Levi rolled his eyes before murmuring 'Ugly ass Titan' under his breath.

The Jaw Titan stood tall and proud, measuring a staggering eleven meters in height, with four powerful legs that seemed to effortlessly support its massive frame. Its teeth glistened in the sunlight, made of crystal, while its jaw was broad and strong, resembling that of a powerful tiger. But it was the flowing dark hair that cascaded down the back of the titan, reaching all the way to its broad shoulders, that truly captured her attention. And Hnage gazed upon the creature's razor-sharp fangs, which looked more like swords than teeth. The Jaw Titan looked at Hange, awaiting her orders.

"Alright, time to see how good the ODM gear is against her," Levi ordered his team, as they all used the ODM Gear to grapple into trees with Ymir following behind in her Titan form. Levi watched as The Jaw Titan was displaying her unmatched agility and strength by scaling the towering trees with ease. Every muscle in her body was flexed as she clung to the rough bark, her razor-sharp fangs sinking deep into the wood as if it were butter, leaving behind deep gouges that seemed to almost break the trees in half.

"Levi Squad, your duty is to be faster than her," Levi ordered his team with a hard look. They all nodded without hesitation as Ymir started jumping from tree to tree with Levi Squad on her heels.

Soon, they all learned that Ymir's Titan was excellent at jumping on Trees and faster than ODM Gear. After hours of chasing each other around, Ymir came out of her Titan before biting her hand to create a second one. However, unlike Eren, who could still control his Titan even in the second transformation, Ymir's Titan the second time was only seven meters tall standing on her four legs, and her fangs were no longer made out of crystal, but instead simply flesh and bones.

After trying to see her speed again, this time, Levi Squad was able to keep up with her. After Thirty minutes, Ymir's titan suddenly went immobile before falling down from the tall tree and crashing down with a deafening thud that reverberated for hundred of meters. The impact sent shockwaves through the land, and the ground trembled as the titan lay motionless, surrounded by a cloud of dust and debris.

"Stand Back," Levi ordered everyone before zipping down to see Ymir trying to come out of her Titan. Unsheathing his sword, he quickly cut down the muscles glued to her face.

"I think this was enough," Levi said; Ymir's skin around her jaw had been grotesquely ripped out, revealing her entire jaw and mouth, and she was incredibly warm. Levi helped her up, holding her on his shoulder as Ymir quickly fell asleep.

After putting Ymir in bed, they tried running tests with Armin and Mikasa's Titan, the Armored Titan proved tougher than the swords of the Survey Corps; Hange made a mental note to talk with Erwin about it. Their blades were completely useless against bone plates, let alone metal plates. Since they couldn't do much with Armin's Titan, Hange told Mikasa to turn into a Titan and try to see if her punches could destroy Armin's Bone Plates.

After hearing the order, Mikasa glared furiously, ready to tell them that she wouldn't do it, but Armin had seen right through her. He quickly reassured her that he was totally fine with this.

She looked at him before reluctantly slicing her hand; Standing at a towering 14 meters tall, her crystallized jaw and teeth glinted menacingly in the sunlight, while her hands, also encased in the same shimmering crystal, exuded power and strength. Levi narrowed his eyes. He could tell this one was the most dangerous.

Mikasa took a deep breath, readying her punch. Armin prepared himself. He was sure his bone plates could stand against her crystallized fists.

As Mikasa exhaled, she braced herself and launched forward with lightning-fast speed, her powerful fist aimed straight at Armin's face. With a deafening crack, her fist connected with his jaw, shattering the delicate bones around his face and sending chunks of flesh and sinew flying in every direction.

In a single devastating strike, her fist completely obliterated Armin's lower jaw and the right side of his cheek. His massive body soared through the air like a shooting star before colliding with the ground like a small meteorite, sending a shockwave through the surrounding area. The trees, which had once stood tall and proud, were now flattened under the sheer weight of his colossal form while a cloud of yellow dust billowed out from the impact site, coating everything in its path with a fine layer of grit.

Hange gasped, as did everyone else except Levi, who seemed to have seen this outcome coming; Mikasa's eyes widened in horror, for a moment completely forgetting she was in her Titan body, rushing towards Armin, her footsteps shattering the ground beneath her like glass, Armin's titan body laid motionless in the ground, steam coming out of his jaw, making it clear he was healing.

"Armin!" Mikasa called him concerned, ready to turn his titan body around and pull him out herself when his arm twitched. Digging his hand into the ground, he pushed himself to stand up. Mikasa sighed in relief but saw the Armored Titan's lower jaw was missing, as was a good portion of his right cheek, showing the flesh beneath, still healing.

"Armin, are you still there?" Hange asked, keeping their distance, just in case Armin had lost control of his Titan, but Armin simply nodded before giving them a thumbs up, leaning his head backward, the flesh at his titan's nape popped open with a burst of steam, his actual body soon coming out from the Titan's nape.

Strands of muscles still glued to his face, Jumping down swiftly, he bit down his hand, creating a second body.

Strange, Ymir was exhausted by the time she created her second body, yet, My second body is completely the same as the first one. Perhaps it's because she's a Blessed Eldian. Maybe they use much more stamina to transform than someone who is not a Blessed Titan. Armin thought deeply in his thoughts.

After a few more experiments, Armin tried to transform a third time, and it seemed he had reached his limit. His titan body was only nine meters tall. His armor now was only covering his upper chest and nape. The rest of his body was no different from a normal pure titan. His face, without the bone plates, looked very similar to Armin's face.

Unlike the rest, Mikasa could hold her first titan body for much longer, around three hours, before getting exhausted, but when she tried to come out of her nape, she couldn't do it by herself. The moment Hange cut the tissue that glued her face, Mikasa lost consciousness right away.

"Well, Eren did say the first time it took three days for Mikasa to wake up," Hange said with a little shrug before picking her up in her arms and returning back to the castle.

Eren Yeager

As the day wore on, Eren found himself feeling increasingly weary after tirelessly wielding his broom, damp towels, and buckets of water to ensure that every surface was spotlessly clean. He had been determined not to leave even a speck of dust behind, and his efforts had paid off, as evidenced by the sparkling cleanliness of the entire castle. However, despite his commitment, Eren couldn't help but feel the strain of the physical exertion, his hands aching and his skin coated in a layer of grime that clung stubbornly to his nails. He couldn't believe his palms hadn't started to bleed from the prolonged pressure of holding the broom for so many hours.

Historia had cleaned with Eren, he would often try to help her, but she would tell him she wasn't tired. The floors were so immaculate, so polished, and so pristine that it almost seemed as if they were made of glass. The way the light of the sun poured through the stained-glass windows and bounced off the floors was breathtaking.

During the day, they had heard the sound of thunder outside, Historia would occasionally glance outside just to see what everyone else was doing, and after over twelve hours of cleaning, with little to no rest, Captain Levi entered the room they were cleaning, they saluted, especially Historia who felt a little nervous.

As soon as Levi entered the room, his sharp and observant eyes scanned every corner of the area, searching for any signs of disorder or neglect. His gaze landed on Eren and Historia, who stood nervously, waiting for his inspection. Levi's face remained stoic as he approached them, his finger trailing across the smooth surface of a nearby table, his eyes darting back and forth as he checked every nook and cranny. His finger traced along the edges of furniture and surfaces, searching for any speck of dirt or dust. It seemed that Eren and Historia had done their job well, and Levi was pleased with their efforts.

"A job well done. I'm a little impressed, I checked the bathroom, and it was clean enough that one could eat there. You and Historia can rest now, and you don't have to do this again unless you decide to pull something like that again." The moment those words left his mouth, Eren and Historia collapsed onto the plush sofa, their bodies weighed down with exhaustion. Eren slumped down and sighed deeply, relieved that the day's chores were finally completed. Historia, equally depleted, sat beside him, struggling to catch her breath.

Eren's empty stomach growled loudly, causing him to groan in frustration. "I'm hungry," he muttered under his breath, feeling his hunger intensify with each passing moment. He knew he sounded just like Sasha, the food-loving member of the training corps, but he couldn't help it. The pain in his stomach was becoming unbearable, and he swore he could eat an entire cow all by himself.

After joining the others, Eren quickly noticed that Mikasa was absent as Hange Squad was preparing dinner for all of them. Apparently, Nifa knew how to cook.

The members of Hange Squad were Moblit Berner, Nifa, Rashad, Abel, and Laud.

Moblit has short, smooth, light hair parted down the middle. He is of average height and build but often carries a worried expression due to his superior officer's wild and impulsive personality. Moblit wore the typical uniform of a member of the Survey Corps with a button-up shirt underneath.

Nifa was a relatively of slim build and average-height girl with short dark hair that had straight bangs and straight ends. She had bright eyes and was only slightly taller than Captain Levi. She was wearing a filled, loose-fitting, long-sleeved dress with dark boots and a front-laced corset.

Rashad sports a short, light-colored haircut with it, trimmed close to the scalp in the back. He was wearing the standard Survey Corps uniform.

Laud has neck-length brown hair that he keeps tied back. He is only ever seen wearing the typical uniform of the Survey Corps.

Abel was a man of average height with light skin, short blond hair, and light stubble on his chin and cheekbones. He was wearing thick-rimmed glasses with bands around his head to prevent them from falling off in combat. His clothing consisted of the typical uniform of the Survey Corps with the green cloak worn on expeditions.

"Where's Mikasa?" Eren asked, looking around the large dining room of the castle as they all sat around a large round table made of wood. The soothing sound of the wood cracking and popping in the hearth. The warmth emanating from the fireplace enveloped them. Abel brought out a tray of steaming cups of tea, and the scent of the fragrant brew filled the room. The steam rising from the cups was hypnotic, and they watched as it swirled and danced in the air.

"Mikasa is resting, she turned into a titan today, and she needs to rest," Hange explained. As Hange delicately lifted the warm ceramic cup to her lips, she took a small sip before letting out an audible sigh of contentment. Abel was still the best of them when it came to making tea.

Eren made a mental note to check on her later. Suddenly, Nifa appeared from the kitchen, deftly balancing a tray of steaming bowls with a tantalizing aroma that wafted toward their noses. The food was soon brought to them, and as they dug in, the flavors exploded in their mouths - a hearty stew with tender chunks of meat, simmered to perfection, accompanied by freshly baked bread drizzled with just the right amount of savory oil. After working the entire day, Eren enjoyed the taste of every bite of food, reminding him a little of his mother's cooking. Each mouthful was a delicious reminder of his childhood, filled with warm memories of family dinners and laughter. Despite the exhaustion that still lingered in his bones, Eren felt content and happy, and grateful.

"Nifa, your cooking is amazing." Eren praised with a bright smile towards the auburn-haired girl, who was slightly surprised before smiling cutely.

"Eat as much as you want, Eren,"

The evening was spent discussing about their missions outside the walls, mostly the happy occurrences. Two Hours later, As Eren lay still in his room, his eyes were transfixed on the twinkling lights that filled the night sky like tiny diamonds scattered across a black velvet canvas. The quiet stillness of his surroundings was only interrupted by the occasional rustling of leaves outside. The room was dimly lit, with the only light source coming from the faint glow of the stars that shone through the closed window. Eren couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as he gazed up at the vast expanse above him, his mind going back to that day when the Wall was breached. He still remembered the eyes of the Colossal Titan looking down on them. Eren felt his anger boiling on the surface. As his breathing rapid, he could see him as if he were right in front of him. If he extended his hand, he felt like he could grab him.

Stoppppp

Eren clenched his teeth in anger. He remembered the titan grabbing his mother before sinking its teeth in her and swallowing her whole. Eren remembered the blood flowing through the air, splattering on the ground.

Those that try to take away my freedom. I won't hesitate to take theirs.

Tomorrow

The following day, Eren and everyone else were in the field around the castle. Mikasa had woken up early in the morning, still feeling tired, and told them she couldn't turn into a Titan again until at least a day had passed.

"Well, no need to dance around the bush, Historia and Eren, you know what to do," Levi said sternly. Tomorrow the cadets needed to return back to the Training Corps.

As Eren and Historia stood side by side, their eyes locked in a shared moment of determination. With a solemn nod, they both brought their hands to their mouths and bit down hard, drawing blood. Electricity crackled around them as two bolts of shimmering golden lightning struck them in unison. The surge of power coursed through their bodies, igniting the transformation of their Titans with energy. In mere moments, the forms of their Titans had taken shape, looming over the field with an aura of pure strength. Historia raised her arm in a salute, a clear signal that she was fully in control of her Titan's power.

"Very well. Hange Squad and Mike Squad, get to work." Hange shouted at her fellow scouts, carrying multiple syringes. They first started with Historia since she wasn't yet used to using her Titan. They wanted to be done with her as soon as possible.

They took blood from Historia, Hange expected the blood to vaporize as usual, but the blood stayed in liquid form. After taking blood from Historia's Titan ten times, they quickly noticed she was getting tired.

"Enough, take spinal fluid from Eren. No more blood from Historia." Levi ordered them, who quickly nodded. As they did their job, Ymir helped Historia out of her Titan, she quickly noticed that her skin had gone pale, and she looked exhausted.

"Historia, hey, are you alright?" She rushed towards her and held her in her arms, trying to help her stand up. However, before they could even take a step, Historia fell on her knees, coughing blood and her nose bleeding profusely.

"Why isn't she healing?" Mikasa asked, running up to Historia and looking at her pale face from up close. The blonde girl coughed blood again, barely standing on her knees. She felt even more exhausted than she did when she transformed the first time.

After taking Spinal Fluid from Eren and filling ten syringes, Eren came out of his titan in haste before running up to Historia.

"Bring her inside," Levi ordered, but Eren quickly shook his head.

"No need. She's just very exhausted. The Titan ability is healing her. She needs rest and eat food." Eren quickly interrupted them before pulling her in his arms and carrying her back inside the castle.

Watching Eren walk away, Armin couldn't help but wonder why Historia had run out of energy so quickly. "Hange, you saved a sample, didn't you?" Armin suddenly asked, looking at the scout woman who was busy analyzing the blood taken from Historia.

"I did, Armin. It's small but more than enough." Hange replied before Eren had injected Historia with the Semi-Titan Shifter serum, Hange had taken a small sample to analyze it in her free time in case she needed it while making the new injections.

Tomorrow

After sleeping the entire day and night, Historia woke up with a small headache but overall felt much better. The moment she walked inside the main room of the old castle, every one of her friends rushed up to her.

"Are you feeling better, Historia?" Ymir asked first, her voice full of concern, as she gently placed her hand on Historia's shoulder, providing a comforting touch. Ymir leaned down to greet her friend with a tender kiss on her forehead, moving away a strand of her golden hair. With a gentle tug, Ymir helped Historia to sit down with everyone else.

"I'm feeling better. I just needed rest." Historia said, a little touched, easing their worries with her bright smile, but she remembered that whenever Hange took blood from her Titan, she would see flashes of a place she had never seen before.

Historia couldn't help but remember the awe-inspiring sight of the mountains made of endless sand that stretched as far as the eye could see. But what truly left her breathless was the magnificent tree that stood tall and proud in the heart of the sandy terrain, made entirely out of light that radiated in all directions, illuminating the vast expanse around it. The tree's branches were so immense that they seemed to reach the heavens above, casting a shadow over Historia that made her feel both tiny and significant all at once. She decided to talk about it with Eren whenever they had time.

After eating breakfast, the scouts led them to the carriage that would return them back to the Training Corps. The scouts of Levi Squad were carrying all their belongings to the carriage.

"And back to that stinky place. I have to be honest. I'm not looking forward to seeing Shadis's "handsome" face." Ymir's voice was dry and sarcastic, causing a ripple of chuckles to spread among those in her vicinity.

Petra was busy placing a sturdy case on the carriage, her eyes fixed intently on Armin as she leaned in and asked curiously, "Do you think anyone else from your group will join the Survey Corps?" Her tone was light. Oluo grumbled loudly as he placed a case in the carriage, but everyone was paying attention to what Petra asked.

"The only one I can think of is perhaps Reiner and Berthold. Everyone else seems to want to join either the military police or the Garrison." Armin replied with a little shrug, Petra looked a little dejected, but she understood the danger of joining the Survey Corps would make many think twice before joining.

"They don't have balls to join," Oluo commented dryly.

"How fast do you think the first serum should be made?" Eren asked, looking at Hange, who had a thoughtful look.

"I'm not sure yet, but I promise you, Eren Yeager," Hange said with conviction, her eyes gleaming with determination as she spoke. She stood tall and resolute as if nothing could deter her from her goal. "By the next month, I will have at least two of them prepared and ready to be used," she declared firmly, her voice ringing clear and true.

Eren looked at her. She seemed even more driven than usual. He reached out his hand, which Hange shook with a firm grip. "I do not doubt that you will deliver on your promise," he said with a smile.

Hange grinned back at him, her eyes shining with pride. "Thank you, Eren. I won't let you down," she vowed before turning on her heel and striding purposefully away.

Shaking everyone else's hand, Eren approached Levi, he politely extended his hand to greet him, but to his dismay, the captain's expression remained stern and unyielding.

"You have done good, brat. Your information and your willingness to help us will help the humanity inside the walls to keep pushing forward. But don't try something like that. Otherwise, next time I will have you clean the castle with your tongue." Levi said with an impassive look. No one else could see it, but Hange could see Levi was getting used to the brats.

Mikasa glared at the midget while Levi ignored the girl. Eren smiled before standing before Erwin Smith.

"Cadet Yeager, as Commander of The Survey Corps. I thank you for your service." Erwin said with a smile before shaking Eren's hand.