Eren's POV
- Mi... Mikasa. I told you not to tell! - I said. Hell, I told her not to tell my mom about me wanting to join the scout corps.
- Eren!!! - she screamed. - What the hell are you thinking?! Do you have any idea how many people died in intelligence?!
- Yes. Yes, I do. I do. - I replied confidently.
- Eren. Why do you want to go outside? - My mom asked me worriedly.
- I want to find out what's going on outside the walls..... - I said, almost shouting.
It wasn't just a desire - it was my need. It was unbearable to sit in a cage when you know that something more is hidden outside it.
- I see - standing up from his chair, said Grisha Yeager. - Soon arrives my ship, so I have to go
- Honey, wait. Talk to your son! Explain to him. - my mother was desperately trying to get my father to talk some sense into me.
- Carla. When a man sets a goal for himself, he should not be prevented from achieving it. - my father replied calmly.
- Ahem. Ahem. Eren. Remember that room in the basement that I keep locked all the time. When I come back, I'll show it to you.
My heart fluttered. He's gonna show me the basement?! I had tried so many times to get in there, but the door was always locked and Dad only waved me away when I asked. Now he was telling me this himself? I felt my lips stretch into a smile.
- R.. Really!!! - My voice broke out with delight, and I could barely contain my outburst. My eyes went wide and there was something like a whirlwind inside me. Is it really true! My dad himself is going to tell me the secret I've been waiting for for so long! I couldn't believe it and at the same time I was insanely happy that I would find out soon?
Dad had just left, and the silence that was left after his words rang in my ears for a long time. I stood next to the door, feeling the tension in the air become almost palpable. Mom didn't let up and started talking again, as if her words could stop me.
- What?" I tried to react, but she paid no attention.
- I insist that you give it up. Only a crazy person would think of joining the Intelligence Corps. - her words were full of despair and fear. She couldn't understand that it was important to me. I couldn't sit in this house knowing that there was something more beyond the walls.
Anger came over me and I couldn't hold back any longer.
- Oh, is that it?! Insane?! And I'm convinced... that those who chose to live as dumb cattle within these walls... are ten times more abnormal! - It came out with rage. I walked away without even looking at her. I couldn't stay here. I had to leave.
- Eren...!!! - Mom screamed, but I was already far away. I couldn't listen to her screaming anymore.
Third-person POV
After Eren left, Carla stood there, quietly gasping with excitement. She looked back at Mikasa who, standing nearby, was carefully watching everything that was happening.
- Mikasa... - Mom squatted down, trying to hide her anxiety. - He has a talent for getting into trouble. So always stick together if something unexpected happens.
Mikasa nodded silently, her eyes full of determination.
- Uh-huh. - She replied calmly, but there was concern in her voice. She had always been there for her, and now, as always, she was to take care of her brother.
Meanwhile in the alley...
Three teenagers surrounded Armin, pressing him against the stone wall. One of them, the tallest, held him by the collar and looked him in the eye with disdain.
- So, heretic, you don't like being hit? Then hit him back! - mockingly said the bully, holding Armin with one hand and swinging threateningly with the other.
Armin, despite the tremor in his voice, answered firmly:
- No more... I'm not going to stoop to your level!!!
The words caused a wave of discontent among the trio.
- What what what?! - They shouted in unison, frowning.
But Armin, gathering all his strength, continued:
- You know I'm right, and that's why you hit. There's nothing to object to. Thus confirming my rightness!!!
Anger gripped the ringleader. He squeezed Armin's collar harder, his face contorted with anger.
- Shut your mouth, smart ass!!! - he shouted, swinging his fist, preparing to strike.
At this moment, a loud voice reached them:
- Quickly stop!!! Have you lost your fear at all!
Eren, with anger on his face, ran towards the bullies. His shout made them stop, but not retreat.
- It's Eren! Come for our souls, you little bastard?! - One of them said mockingly.
However, their laughter was abruptly cut short when they noticed a figure behind Eren.
- I... It's Mikasa!!! Let's get out of here quickly!!! - shouted one of the boys, releasing Armin from his arms.
The three hastily disappeared into the back of the alley without even looking back.
Eren stopped next to his friend, grinning widely.
- Ha... Ha! Look how they tucked their tails when they saw me! - he said smugly.
Armin, smiling slightly, adjusted his collar:
- They probably darted away when they saw Mikasa.
Eren reached out his hand to Armin, but the latter, despite his heavy condition, stood up himself, holding back the pain.
- Hey, buddy, you okay? Let me help you up.
- It's okay, I can do it myself. - Armin brushed it off slightly, but still used Eren's help for more confidence.
By the river...
The trinity was sitting on the grass by the river. There was a stone road nearby, and there was silence in the air, only the quiet sound of the water creating a calm atmosphere.
- I told them... that humanity would have to leave the walls sooner or later, and they started beating me, and called me a heretic.
- Armin said this with a note of frustration, slightly looking away from his friends.
Eren, slightly indignant, replied without aggression:
- Damn, why do they have to look at you like an asshole for wanting to go outside!
Armin shrugged slightly as he continued:
- Well... it's because for the past hundred years, humanity has lived without a care under the protection of the walls. People are afraid to make a mistake and let 'them' in. The royal government has stated that any actions turned to exploring the outside world will be taboo.
Eren shook his head, not hiding his indignation:
- The king is just a coward, that's all. It's our lives, we take the risk, it's our decision!
Mikasa, sitting silently beside him, calmly intervened:
- I don't think so. It's best to forget about it. Nothing's going to happen.
Eren turned to her as if expecting a different answer:
- Wait, why did you turn me in to my parents! You promised!
Mikasa shrugged slightly while looking at him:
- I don't remember promising anything.
Eren shifted his gaze to Armin with disappointment:
- So what did they say?
Armin sighed, shaking his head slightly:
- Well... they weren't too happy about it.
- Yeah, I can imagine. - Armin replied ironically.
Eren reacted a little annoyed:
- What, you too!
Armin continued thoughtfully:
- Well, it's dangerous, though I completely understand your point. It amazes me that people think that sitting inside these walls they are perfectly safe. Yes, it's stood for a hundred years, but there's no guarantee that it won't collapse today, or tomorrow, or....
But at that moment, the ground beneath their feet shook. A whirlwind of air from the powerful impact traveled through the alley, and the sound of rumbling reached their ears. All three of them jumped to their feet, wary.
- What is that...? - Eren asked, looking around.
They ran out into the wide street, and in the distance, beyond the wall, they saw thick smoke rising upward. And that's when they noticed something they hadn't expected: the huge head of a titan, fully visible above the 50-meter wall. The titan was so large that its head towered above the wall and its neck was slightly visible. It was a terrifying sight.
The next moment, a loud sound shook the ground as the Titan punched through the wall, and their gazes froze in horror - they realized that more disaster would follow.
Rimuru's POV
When I saw this titan, I was honestly a bit shocked. Its head was much higher than the wall, and the figure itself seemed completely incongruous against the background of ordinary buildings and people....
A colossal titan. No, that's really all you can call it. I knew there were titans in this world, but to meet such a giant... It was impressive, but not in the way I expected. Shiganshina's gate shattered, and the titans came through the hole. There was no panic, though I realized that this wasn't just a wacky world, but true chaos. I was in no mood for battles with these monsters at all. I had come here to rest. Just to rest.
But I'm not getting any rest in this world. "Just a fancy vacation," I muttered, angry that I was back in the middle of a freaking disaster when I'd expected to just enjoy my vacation.
I started saving people, but without much of a return. I felt like I should have, but let's be honest, I was more interested in leaving it all to someone else. That's not why I came here, after all. At some point, I felt a little tired. But the thought flashed through my mind, "Hey, you're in a clone's body. Your powers are limited. You should thank yourself for this little compensation." Yeah, stamina is finite here, but okay, I kept moving anyway.
At some point, in between saving a few people, I heard a familiar scream. It wasn't any particular scream, but for some reason, a memory immediately popped into my head of glimpsing that guy the girl with the black hair was dragging home.
"Well, here we go again. Can't I just be lazy or something?" - I muttered to myself, quickening my step.
"Master, are you sure you're not overworking yourself?" - Ciel's voice echoed in my head.
"Yes, yes, I know that a clone's stamina is limited! Thanks for reminding me!" - I almost hissed. Man, I was so sick of being reminded of obvious things.
"Be careful," came Ciel's voice, but I wasn't really listening anymore. Closer, somewhere in the center of town, something was clearly going on. And I couldn't leave people to their fate.
I heard the same scream again. There was no question about it - I ran there without thinking. Just more people to save. Simple as that.
Third-person POV
Eren ran through the streets of Shiganshina, feeling his lungs burning from lack of air. He repeated to himself like a mantra:
- She made it. Of course she did. Now we'll turn the corner, and our house will be standing.....
Each step seemed heavier than the last, but he couldn't stop. Mikasa followed him, barely keeping up with his impetuous movements.
When they finally reached the house, Eren froze. It was as if his heart had stopped. The house had been destroyed. One of the giant pieces of the gate had fallen right on top of him, and the roof had collapsed like a house of cards. Among the rubble, he spotted his mother. Her legs were caught in the beams and she couldn't move.
- Mikasa! We've got to get that beam off! - he shouted, rushing toward the rubble. His hands trembled, but he didn't back down.
The two of them and Mikasa grabbed onto the beam.
- Come on! One, two, three! - Eren exerted all his strength, feeling the wood clawing at his palms.
As they tried to lift the debris, he heard a muffled roar. Turning his head, he saw the titans slowly filling the streets of the city. Their huge figures were moving inexorably towards the center of the city.
- Don't look! Don't look around! - he shouted to Mikasa, himself trying to focus on the beam.
- Eren! Mikasa! - Carla's voice was full of pain and despair. - You have to leave! Leave me! Run!!!
- Of course we'll leave! Of course we will!
Let's just get you out!!! - Eren shouted, again doing his best to move the wreckage.
Carla looked at him with a hard stare, full of determination and bitterness.
- Eren, my legs are crushed by the debris.... Even if you pull me out, I won't be able to escape.
- Then I'll carry you! - he almost shouted, trying to hold back his sobs.
- Why don't you ever listen to me?! Just once, do as I ask!!! - shouted Carla, more grief than anger in her voice.
Suddenly they saw a giant 15 meter tall titan with a frightening grin on its face approaching their house.
- Get out of here quickly, both of you!!! - Carla screamed, her voice shaking with terror.
Eren almost went mad with fear.
- Mikasa!!! Hurry!!! - he shouted, feeling his heart ready to burst out of his chest.
At that moment, Hannes came running in. Grabbing his swords, he looked at the smiling titan, his confidence was unwavering.
- Hannes! No, wait! Take the children and get out of here!!! - shouted Carla, but he wouldn't listen.
- You don't think much of me, Carla! I'm gonna take this titan down and save the three of you! I finally have a chance to repay my savior!!!!
Hannes rushed forward, but when he found himself face to face with the titan, fear gripped him. His hands trembled, his legs froze, and he realized he could not win. He put his swords away, turned and grabbed Eren and Mikasa.
- Hannes! No! Come back!!! - screamed Eren, fighting back desperately.
Carla, realizing she was being left behind, whispered quietly:
- Thank you...
Eren continued to scream and lash out, but Hannes didn't stop.
The titan leaned toward Carla, his huge hand already reaching for the wreckage to reach for her.
And that's when a deafening rumble sounded.
BOOM!
The smiling titan abruptly flew several dozen meters away, as if he had been knocked down by an invisible force. The impact sent shivers under his feet, and for a moment everything around him froze. The silence lasted a second, but it seemed like an eternity to everyone.
Eren, Mikasa, Hannes, and even Carla stared in shock at the spot where the titan had just stood.
Hannes, who had stopped, along with Eren and Mikasa froze in amazement as they looked at what was happening. Before them stood a man of strange appearance. He was small in stature, seemingly a teenager, with silver-blonde hair that shimmered in the sunlight. His eyes, the color of deep sapphire, seemed too calm for such a chaotic situation. He was dressed in simple but clearly sturdy black clothing with a light cloak framing his figure. In his hand he held a thin, gleaming sword that reeked of some unfathomable majesty.
Eren and Mikasa recognized him immediately. It was the man they had encountered when Mikasa had dragged him home. Mikasa immediately remembered the moment when their path had been crossed by this strange stranger, who had stood as if apart from all the panic. She remembered how his presence had seemed to overshadow everything around him, unable to even recognize what it was about him that had caught her attention. And now that man was here again, right in front of them, right in the center of the trouble.
- Hey, we meet again, though not under the best of circumstances, right? - The stranger said with a slight sneer, but friendly, looking directly at the children.
Eren and Mikasa, still confused, looked at him, not realizing what was going on.
Hannes, realizing he was standing there, stepped forward and asked, almost shouting:
- Who are you anyway!
Rimuru took his time answering, as if enjoying the brief pause. He leisurely put his sword back in its scabbard, looked around at the crowd, and answered calmly:
- Who am I? Just a traveler in the right place at the right time.
As he approached the wreckage, he looked at Carla. She looked at the stranger in surprise, but immediately tried to object:
- Go away, leave me alone. Because of my feet...
- Without further ado," Rimuru interrupted her as if cutting off that thought. He grabbed the beam easily, flipping it over as if it weighed nothing. Then he turned to Eren, who, still stunned, stood nearby.
- You have courage, boy. But not enough to survive in this chaos.
Eren, flaring up at such words, wanted to object, but Rimuru had already helped Carla up, carefully handing her over to Hannes.
- Run to safety while you still have a chance.
Hannes nodded silently and gripped Carla tighter. Eren and Mikasa only stared at the stranger, but ran after Hannes, realizing there was no time left for questioning.
Rimuru moved through the ruined streets, continuing to rescue survivors despite the chaos around him. The screams, the rumbling, the voices of the titans all blended into one endless noise. "I knew this wasn't going to be an easy walk," he thought as he cut through another titan who was already reaching for the injured man.
Then his attention was caught by a loud, piercing scream coming from a narrow alleyway. Turning around, he saw a young woman whom the titan was holding by the head with his fingers.
- This is too much! - Rimuru muttered indignantly. - Are they competing to see who can wreak havoc the fastest?
He dashed toward the titan, using the rubble of the walls as a springboard. Rimuru jumped and found himself on the giant's arm. The sword blade flashed, severing the titan's fingers and freeing the woman. She fell to the ground, gasping with fear, but alive.
- Are you alright? - Rimuru asked, helping her up.
- Yes... thank you... - she whispered, looking up at him with her eyes wide open.
- Then run to the nearest safe place. - He said with a slight smile.
The woman ran, and Rimuru only had time to turn around before he heard a loud voice. In the distance, on a small bridge, stood a priest, raising a book and reciting something in a loud, reverent voice. And right behind him, a titan was approaching.
- Are you serious? - Rimuru shook his head in bewilderment. - This day just never ceases to amaze me.
The priest didn't seem to notice the threat, continuing to read aloud. Rimuru lunged forward again. A leap, a kick, and the titan fell dead.
- 'Father,' Rimuru turned to him, putting his sword back in its scabbard, 'would you like to change the sermon to a safer place?
The priest blinked, looking at him in surprise, and muttered:
- It was a miracle...
- Yeah, right," Rimuru hummed, dragging him by the arm away from the bridge. - And that miracle is about to drag you to safety.
Meanwhile, the people gathered in the harbor shouted, pleading with the soldiers:
- Please! At least take the children! They won't be able to survive here!
The soldiers stood with stone faces, ignoring the pleas. One of them looked away for a second and gestured toward the ship again, silently signaling that no one else would be taken.
Meanwhile, aboard the ship, Eren sat in the corner next to Mikasa, holding the hand of his mom who had passed out. Mikasa watched him carefully, seeing how worried he was.
- Are you alright? - She asked quietly.
Eren gave a surrendered sigh and looked at Carla lying unconscious next to him.
- Yes... No. No! I'm not okay. What if... if... if that man hadn't saved mom, she wouldn't be here.
His words were full of despair, and he clenched his hands into fists, feeling his heart clench at the gravity of the situation.
- I... I'm so weak," he said with a tremor in his voice.
Mikasa looked at him silently, not knowing what to say. Words couldn't ease the pain that was in his heart. She just stayed by his side, not trying to comfort him, because she knew that sometimes words only made the pain worse.
Rimuru's POV
I'm tired. No, seriously, if someone were to ask me right now how I feel, I'd say, "Tired!" These titans, humans, salvation, titans, titans, titans again... It was all mixed up in some endless vortex from which there was no escape. I tore and thrashed as hard as I could, shredding titans and taking people away, but I had almost no energy left. Sometimes I just wanted to sit down and say, "That's it!" But no, I had to keep going, to save the day, because someone had to do it.
When I was finally on the ship, I felt my legs give way. I thought I could say, "Hey, everybody, brave up!" But in reality, I was barely standing. I was really exhausted this time. My head was buzzing, of course, but I held it together. I pulled myself together and thought, "Well, at least someone's saved!" And then our ship finally broke away from the shore.
We sailed a couple of hundred meters, and only then I heard that familiar rumble. As if the earth had shaken and something huge had moved the wall. I see the titan just blew the gate open. Oh, sure, just like that. A thunderstorm from the sky, in our case, destroys everything.
- Yeah, well, we won't be bored here," I muttered, trying to regain some of my strength. On the other hand, are we safe anyway? There aren't many things that can ruin everything. So it's not over yet.
I smiled slightly, even though I was tired. Looking at the ruined wall in the distance, I realized we still had a lot of work to do. But probably not with these titans anymore. For now, I could afford to get some rest.
A glance just below. There, on the deck, sat the very strangers I had rescued from the titan. A young boy and a girl, about five or six years old, and another woman who was now unconscious. The girl recognized me immediately. I caught a glimpse of her stiffening, and then her gaze came back to me. She must have remembered the moment we had crossed paths, the strange stranger standing apart from all the panic. I remember her eyes searching for the answer to the question: what was it about this man that caught her attention? And there I was again, in front of them, in the very center of that chaos.
That boy looked confused, unsure of what to do, and the woman I had rescued was in no better condition. She was lying unconscious. Well, they must have had a bad time in their lives.