"Call Pixis and Erwin. We are taking Trost back," Eren commanded, his voice unwavering. The weight of his words lingered, leaving everyone around him in disbelief. What was he planning?
Petra quickly launched a flare, signaling the Scouts for immediate reinforcement. The streak of light shot through the sky, catching the attention of Erwin, who had just finished cutting down a few Titans. Without hesitation, he ordered his squad to move toward the flare's origin.
From the top of the walls, Commander Pixis and the Garrison Regiment had already witnessed Eren's transformation. The sheer power he possessed was undeniable. As they watched from a distance, the question burned in the minds of those who saw him: was Eren a savior or a threat?
But Pixis, the old tactician, remained calm, his mind already assessing the potential of what he had seen. His sharp eyes narrowed, contemplating Eren's power.
Erwin and the remaining scouts gathered at the spot, the tension in the air thick as they approached. Eren glanced down at Mikasa, whose head was still pressed against his chest. He softly whispered, "Oi Mikasa... Lemme talk to the commander..." His words broke through her daze, and realizing how long she had been holding onto him made her face flushed red with embarrassment. She quickly let go, straightened up, and saluted Erwin.
Erwin, watching them with a faint smile, felt a small sense of relief. It was good to see Eren and Mikasa reunited after all the chaos. But the commander's eyes soon shifted to the decomposing Titan body behind them, the sheer magnitude of what had transpired sinking in.
He turned back to Eren, who stood before him, realizing the magnitude of the situation they were in. Eren's powers were a potential weapon for humanity's survival—an asset that, sooner or later, would have to be revealed to the world. Still, how they wielded that power would determine the future of the walls.
Eren, Levi, and Erwin huddled closely, their expressions unreadable as the weight of their next moves hung over them.
But before they could discuss anything, the clattering of boots and weapons interrupted the conversation. The Garrison Regiment, led by Pixis, appeared from the shadows, faces etched with fear, distrust, and tension. Swords and rifles were clutched tightly, ready for any confrontation.
Eren's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. "What's the meaning of this, Pixis?" His voice carried disappointment, laced with a sharp edge of frustration.
Pixis, however, was unfazed, his usual calm demeanor intact. "Apologies, Vice Commander Eren. I wasn't aware they'd be so terrified once they found out who the 'owl' really was…" His tone held a mix of sarcasm and veiled criticism, though he subtly gestured for his men to lower their weapons and stand down.
Erwin stood quietly, watching the exchange, though the tension between him and Pixis was palpable. Pixis, eyes narrowed, turned his focus to his old friend as he joined the little circle. "So, Commander Erwin... what's the excuse this time?" His tone was low and edged with distrust.
Erwin sighed, acknowledging the unease. "I won't pretend I didn't know, Pixis. I was simply waiting for the right moment." There was an underlying tension in his voice, an understanding of the delicate situation they were all now caught in.
"Well, I can't say I blame you for that," Pixis replied with a slight shrug, though his eyes never left Erwin's. His gaze then shifted to Eren. "So, what now, Yeager? What's your next move?"
Eren, calm but resigned, answered without hesitation. "We plug the hole in the wall. After that, I'll get arrested for sure, and the rest will be up to the king—whether he chooses to kill me or let me live."
His voice carried the weight of inevitability. He knew what would come after, the heavy consequences of revealing his powers. Everyone around him fell silent, the enormity of Eren's words hanging in the air. The battle for Trost was far from over, but now the political battle for Eren's fate loomed just as large.
"Well, we'll see. For now, if you intend on retaking Trost do it quickly… can't really enjoy vodka until then," Pixis said, taking a few swigs from his bottle of alcohol before offering it to Eren.
Eren, with a moody expression, accepted the bottle, taking a few bold sips. Levi, always on edge, quickly voiced his concern. "Idiot, you'll get drunk..."
Eren brushed off Levi's warning but instantly regretted it, coughing violently before throwing up. The alcohol was far stronger than he anticipated—pure, almost medicinal-grade alcohol typically used for treatment, not consumption.
Pixis, chuckling, patted Eren on the back. "Not for everyone, I suppose."
After the brief interruption, Erwin's voice cut through the atmosphere. "So, Eren... What's the plan." His gaze was sharp, intent on hearing the young soldier's strategy.
Eren nodded, his eyes scanning the soldiers gathered around, all awaiting his next words. Taking a deep breath, he began to outline his plan. His voice was steady as he spoke, laying out his ideas with clarity and determination. It was a bold strategy, one that combined not just brute strength but tactical precision.
As he continued, the soldiers listened intently, many of them exchanging glances, visibly amazed by his foresight and understanding of the battlefield. The skepticism that had lingered around him began to dissolve, replaced with growing respect.
Erwin, whose eyes hadn't left Eren, smiled. This was why he had placed so much faith in him, making him Vice Commander. Eren's raw strength was one thing, but it was his potential as a leader, his ability to inspire and strategize, that Erwin believed in. " I never knew Eren was this smart..." Armin thought.
"Well then, let's not waste any more time. Trost is waiting," Erwin said, his tone carrying the weight of impending battle. The rest of the soldiers rallied, ready to follow Eren's lead, as the fate of Trost hung in the balance.
Eren's plan was daring, yet the stakes were clear. He would transform at the far east of Trost, drawing the attention of every titan within the city. The idea was simple but effective: the eastern side would be flooded with titans, leaving the Levi squad and Eren a window of opportunity to reach the boulder near the gate and plug the breach. Meanwhile, a contingent of soldiers would act as bait, keeping the titans at bay and preventing them from interfering with the operation.
The area buzzed with mixed emotions after hearing Eren's plan. Determination was palpable, but doubt lingered. Some couldn't help but question his intentions. What if he's just pretending? What if he turns against us?Even worse, What if he can't lift that boulder? The uncertainty hung in the air like a storm cloud.
"Hey, Mikasa, you're with me," Eren whispered to her, his voice low. Hearing those words, Mikasa's heart skipped a beat, her expression softening. It was all she ever wanted—to stay by his side and protect him with all her strength. But beneath her joy, Eren had his own worries. He had already transformed three times today, his body stretched to its limits, barely healing from the damage. Could he really manage both a partial transformation and then the full one necessary to carry that boulder?
He didn't have time to dwell on his doubts. Pixis and Erwin quickly gave their nods of approval, trusting in the strategy. Three teams were deployed: one to keep the titans distracted, the Levi squad to protect Eren, and the final group tasked with slaying any titans that broke through the distraction and headed toward Eren.
Eren took a deep breath, preparing himself for what lay ahead. The weight of the mission pressed on him heavily. Everyone was watching, and the fate of Trost rested on his shoulders. But he had no choice but to move forward. It was time to prove, once and for all, that he was humanity's greatest weapon—or its biggest risk.
Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie, having already transformed once, were drained of the energy required for another transformation. Annie, though capable of pulling off one more, knew it would be futile. If she tried to interfere with Eren's plan, both Levi and Eren would obliterate her without hesitation. So, she stayed quiet, resigned to watch as the regiments followed Eren's orders, splitting into groups as planned. However she did intend on sending her pawns and witnessing from afar amidst the chaos.
"Ackerman! Don't disappoint me," Eren commanded, his tone filled with determination as Petra helped him equip his ODM gear. Mikasa saluted, but an unease stirred inside her. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as she watched Petra interact with Eren, her hands adjusting his gear with skill and precision. Yet, relief washed over her when Hange told her that Petra was already married to Levi. That knowledge soothed her, but only slightly.
Even so, her jealousy wasn't completely quelled. The way some of the girls from the Garrison Regiment stared at Eren with blushing faces made her heart race with frustration. A few even had the audacity to approach him, shyly asking if they could be friends. Mikasa's eyes narrowed, a subtle tension in her expression. She knew she had no real competition, but that didn't mean she was about to let her guard down.
In the midst of all this, Eren remained oblivious to the attention he was getting. His focus was on the mission ahead, though the weight of Mikasa's gaze never really left him. It was a moment of calm before the storm, and deep down, Mikasa knew that whatever happened next, she wouldn't let anyone or anything come between her and Eren—not even the threat of the titans or the battle looming ahead. Some girls sensing the weight of Mikasa's death stare hesitantly left.
"Levi squad, move out!" Levi commanded, his voice cutting through the tension. As the team advanced towards the east, Eren focused his energy, biting into his hand with brutal force, triggering a partial transformation into his titan form releasing a gush of steam. The ground trembled as titans swarmed the area, drawn to Eren's presence. Meanwhile Eren quickly discarded his titan form, Levi's squad moved swiftly and stealthily toward the boulder, executing their part of the plan with precision.
Once they reached the boulder, Eren bit his hand again, attempting to fully transform. But something was wrong. His body remained human, and he continued to bite his hand again and again, blood dripping, flesh torn and exposed.
"Eren, what's wrong?" Levi asked, maneuvering closer to him, his sharp eyes catching the repeated attempts at transformation.
Eren gritted his teeth, frustration and pain etched across his face, but he couldn't force the change. No matter how hard he tried, his titan form wouldn't manifest.
Hange, ever the keen observer, quickly moved in, her expression serious. "It seems like you've run out of strength, Eren," she stated, her voice calm but heavy with concern. "From all the experiments we've done, it's clear—you can transform only three times in a row. The fourth… has never been possible."
Eren's heart sank as Hange's words hit him. His body, already battered and drained, had reached its limit. He stared at the bloodied marks on his hand, frustration boiling inside him. They were so close to retaking Trost, yet his strength was failing him when it mattered most.
Levi, ever composed, spoke up. "We need a backup plan. We're not losing Trost just because you're down. We adapt. Hange, any suggestions?" However before they could think of anything.
The Levi squad paused in their movements, facing off against seven titans, the tension thick in the air. Meanwhile, Mikasa carefully assisted Eren to a nearby house's twitched roof, her hand gently patting his shoulder. "Hey, it's alright… Don't push yourself too hard," she whispered, her voice soft and soothing, like a hum in Eren's ears.
But before she could get another word out, Eren's nose began bleeding profusely, and without warning, he vomited blood. Mikasa's eyes widened in shock and horror, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Eren!" she gasped, her hand gripping his arm in panic. Eren couldn't help but get dissapointed on his own self.
Suddenly, as if struck by a flash of insight, Eren's eyes sharpened with determination. Despite his failing body, a plan was already formulating in his mind. Without wasting another second, Eren stood up, swaying slightly but fueled by an unshakable resolve. Mikasa immediately tried to pull him back, her voice pleading, "Eren, rest for a moment! You can't keep pushing yourself like this!"
But Eren knew there was no time. With a deep breath, his eyes closed, Eren focused, drawing upon a hidden strength. His body relaxed, and in an instant, he tapped into the latent Ackerman bloodline power that had remained dormant within him. A surge of raw energy and adrenaline flooded his veins, igniting his senses.
Before Mikasa could react further, Eren silently launched himself with his ODM gear, his movements faster and sharper than ever before, heading straight for the boulder.
"Erehhh!!" Mikasa's desperate voice echoed through the chaos, begging him to stop, to not push his body any further. But Eren, driven by the urgency of the situation, ignored her cries.
Eren's mind raced, focused on a single goal—retaking Trost, no matter the cost. As he whispered words of resolve, the weight of his comrades' sacrifices pressed on his shoulders. He couldn't fail them. A bolt of lightning struck, and the Attack Titan emerged with a loud hiss of steam, its movements stiff but purposeful. There was no time to waste; Eren knew his strength could give out at any second.
The massive boulder lay ahead, partially submerged in a serene pond that contrasted sharply with the destruction around them. Trost, once bustling, now lay in ruin, but this stone could be the key to turning the tide. Levi's squad, having cleared the area of titans, now hurried toward Eren, ready to guard him during this critical moment.
"Oi, idiot! Quit spacing out and help here!" Levi's sharp voice commanded Mikasa, who snapped out of her trance, her eyes locking onto Eren. Levi zipped toward Eren, his gaze briefly catching on Hange, whose wide eyes and eager expression showed her fascination with the transformation.
"Erehhhhhh!" Hange's shout echoed, but Eren was deaf to everything around him. His massive hands reached for the boulder, gripping its rough, jagged surface as he knelt, adjusting his stance digging into it's hard texture. Every second felt heavy, each movement a reminder of his limited energy. The strain was clear, but he had to push through.
With a deep breath, the Attack Titan's muscles rippled as Eren braced himself, ready to lift the enormous stone. The fate of Trost—and the dreams of everyone who had fallen—depended on this moment.
"ARGGHHHHHHHHHHH!" Eren let out a guttural roar as he strained to lift the boulder, veins bulging under the effort. With every ounce of strength, he hoisted it above his head, his massive Titan form trembling under the sheer weight. "Oi, Eren... You good?" Levi called out, his voice filled with concern but steady.
"How the hell... am I supposed to respond to that...?" Eren thought, his body screaming in agony. His feet, heavy with exhaustion, sank deeper into the ground, forming small craters with each labored step. His bones groaned under the weight, cracking audibly, but still, the Attack Titan advanced, refusing to yield.
Suddenly, after a few steps, they emerged into the open, the towering gate coming into view, however his leg buckled, sending him crashing to one knee. He gritted his teeth, holding onto the boulder as best he could, the weight of it pressing down on his shoulders like the weight of the world itself. "Damn it..." Eren muttered, feeling his strength drain away. His vision blurred, and his breathing became shallow, but he wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop.
"Oi! Eren! Eren!" Levi's voice pierced through the haze, trying to pull Eren back from the brink of collapse. A group of Titans, drawn by the rumbling, charged toward him. Levi was a blur of motion, cutting them down with brutal precision, but Eren was barely conscious, his world spinning.
"Why... do I... feel so weak...? Why am.... I so useless?" Eren whispered, his eyes half-closed, body shaking from exhaustion. The breach was in sight, just a few yards away. He only needed to push a little further.
"Eren!" Mikasa's voice reached him, cutting through the pain like a beacon of hope. She maneuvered close, her face soft but filled with fierce determination. "You can do it! Believe in yourself... as I believe in you. There's nothing you can't achieve." she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion, a small smile on her lips despite the fear in her eyes.
That was all it took. Eren's chest tightened, but a flicker of resolve burned through the exhaustion. He couldn't let them down—not Mikasa, not Levi, not the comrades who had sacrificed everything for this moment. With a deep breath, Eren forced himself up, his legs shaking as he stood once again.
The air was thick with tension, the weight of every breath palpable against the backdrop of the distant screams and the clash of steel against monstrous flesh. Above, the oppressive clouds began to part, beams of sunlight piercing through and casting an ethereal glow on the Attack Titan as it lumbered forward, its colossal form a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Eren roared, the sheer force of his voice reverberating through the battlefield as he pushed himself beyond his limits. Each step was agony, his muscles straining, bones creaking under the crushing weight of the boulder. But he kept going—there was no turning back now.
"Levi squad, don't let any titan come anywhere near him!" Levi's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the madness. His eyes scanned the field as titans began to emerge from the shadows, their grotesque forms moving toward Eren like a slow, inevitable tide of death.
"Tch, looks like that bitch is somewhere nearby..." Mikasa muttered, her eyes narrowing with cold fury. With swift precision, she launched her ODM gear, propelling herself through the air toward the advancing titans. Her blades gleamed in the sunlight, carving through the air as she prepared to defend the one person who mattered most.
Eren, his vision blurred by exhaustion, kept his focus on the gate ahead, the sunlight filtering through like a cruel reminder of how close yet far salvation seemed. Every step forward felt like an eternity, the weight on his shoulders more than physical—it was the burden of everyone's hopes and dreams.
"No, you don't!" Oluo's voice echoed as he expertly maneuvered through the air, slashing a titan's nape in one swift, lethal motion. The beast crumbled, its body collapsing as he raced towards Eren.
Gunther, Eld, Petra, and Hange fought with equal ferocity, their blades dancing through the air as they took down any titan daring to approach. Hange's manic excitement at the sight of the titans was tempered by the seriousness of the situation—her love for titans was dwarfed by her determination to see humanity survive.
They all moved in unison, a deadly symphony of steel and will, their sole purpose to keep Eren safe. They could feel it—every inch of progress Eren made toward the breach was a step closer to reclaiming Trost. Every titan they killed, every second they bought, brought them closer to victory.
"Ah... Hah..." The Attack Titan's ragged breaths echoed in the stillness as it finally reached the breached wall. With one last, ear-piercing roar, it closed the gate, its broken bones finally giving way. As the colossal form crumbled, the weight of humanity's first victory over the titans settled in. Flashes of flares ignited the horizon, marking the triumph of the Scouts and the Garrison.
Mikasa rushed to Eren's side, pulling his limp, battered form out of the titans nape. She pressed his head against her chest, the warmth of his body mingling with the blood covering her. "Good job... Eren..." she whispered, closing her eyes embracing him, as his blood soaked in her clothes.
The retaking of Trost had come at a terrible cost—148 casualties, including beloved friend Marco Bodt.
Days passed, and the Scouts, alongside the Garrison, were tasked with eliminating the remaining titans lingering in the ruins. But while they fought on the outside, Eren lay unconscious, imprisoned under the watchful eyes of the military police in Wall Rose. His transformation had ignited a frenzy of fear and speculation within the ranks, spreading like wildfire through the interior.
Now, the fate of Eren Yeager that initially rested in the hands of king was transferred to Dhalis Zachery, the Premier of the three regiments. It hinged on the decisions of Dot Pixis, Erwin Smith, and Nyle Doke—whether they would advocate for his execution or fight for his right to live. Tension hung in the air, each leader grappling with the implications of Eren's power and what it meant for humanity's future. The battle against the titans was far from over, and Eren's role in it was about to be decided.