Upon hearing these words, Armin could only react with visible fear on his face "D-Excuse me..."
Eren took a deep breath, as if searching for a determination that threatened to break.
"Even I can tell that, as unreal as this plan sounds, the Titan power could be a useful tool in the army's hands. I know it sounds crazy... but if you can convince the military that I'm not a threat, then I trust this can work. That's what we'll do. But if you can't convince them..." Eren clenched his fists, a slight tremor in his voice. "...I'll go with the original plan."
"You have 15 seconds to decide." He paused before adding firmly, "Can you do it or not? I'll hear everything you have to say."
"Eren... why are you entrusting me with this decision?" Armin asked, trembling.
"Because you're good at thinking under pressure, aren't you? I'm sure you'll find the best option for both sides. I trust that."
"When did I ever do something like that?"
Eren smiled faintly, a nostalgic expression crossing his face.
"It's been five long years... A lot has happened since then, hasn't it? If you hadn't called Hannes-san at that time, we'd be dead."
Armin lowered his head, recalling all the times he had felt useless.
"If you have something in mind, I'll trust your judgment," Mikasa added calmly, though there was determination in her voice.
"We're in your hands, Armin," I said in a tone that sought to show confidence. But when I got closer, I added quietly, "Make sure to mention using the Titan's power to reclaim the city. If everything goes well... I have a plan."
The words of his friends weighed heavily in the air. Armin gritted his teeth, facing his fears and inner doubts. Finally, he lifted his gaze with a newfound look of resolve.
"I'LL WIN THEM OVER OR DIE TRYING!" he exclaimed, standing abruptly and walking toward the soldiers, leaving his maneuvering gear on the ground.
"TRY TO LOOK AS DEFENSELESS AS POSSIBLE!"
"STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU SCUM!" roared the mustachioed leader.
"HE IS NOT AN ENEMY TO HUMANITY, SIR! WE HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TITANS, AND WE WANT TO SHARE IT!"
"STOP BEGGING FOR YOUR LIFE! WE WON'T LISTEN TO YOU! YOU'VE ALREADY REVEALED YOUR TRUE COLORS, AND YOU'RE STILL TALKING! IT'S RIDICULOUS!"
The commander, his face contorted with rage, raised his arm in a signal to fire.
"IF YOU FAIL, WE'LL ELIMINATE THE DANGER YOU REPRESENT! DO YOU HAVE ANY PROOF?!"
"THERE'S NO NEED FOR PROOF!" Armin shouted, his voice filled with desperation.
"EXCUSE ME?" the commander snarled, clenching his teeth.
"YOU YOURSELVES SAW HOW EREN FOUGHT AGAINST THE TITANS! AND YOU ALSO SAW HOW THE TITANS SWARMED AROUND HIM!"
The soldiers murmured restlessly.
"THAT MEANS THE TITANS SEE HIM AS WE DO: A HUMAN, A PREY! NO MATTER HOW WE LOOK AT IT, THAT'S UNDENIABLE!"
Silence reigned for a moment.
"It's true..."
"He was on our side..."
Exactly. The only thing we know for sure is that Titans devour humans. Without exception. Armin had dismantled every accusation, but I knew something he hadn't considered:
The fear and ego of men surpass any logic.
"WE WILL ATTACK!" the commander bellowed. "DON'T BE FOOLED BY THEIR TRICKS! NO MATTER HOW CLEAR THEIR SPEECH IS!"
The commander's voice grew frenzied:
"WE CAN'T ALLOW THEM TO REMAIN AMONG US!"
Eren, Mikasa, and I watched Armin in silence.
"I WAS, AM, AND WILL BE A SOLDIER!" Armin shouted with superhuman strength.
"I DECLARED THAT I WOULD DEDICATE MY HEART AND SOUL TO THE RESTORATION OF HUMANITY! THERE'S NO AMBITION MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN GIVING MY LIFE FOR THAT IF NECESSARY!"
He struck his chest with his fist, his voice resonating between the walls, filled with determination.
"ALLOW THE TITAN'S POWER TO JOIN OUR RANKS!!! WITH IT, WE CAN RECLAIM THE CITY!!"
He closed his eyes and continued shouting, maintaining his stance firmly.
"I WILL USE THE TIME I HAVE LEFT BEFORE I DIE... TO DEFEND THE STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE HE REPRESENTS!!!!!!!"
In slow motion, the man's arm stretched as the order to fire was seconds away. Just before it was issued, a hand grabbed his extended arm.
"That's enough."
A bald man stood next to him without any concern.
"As fragile as a twig, as always. Didn't you see what a beautiful salute that was?"
"COMMANDER PIXIS...!!!"
"I just arrived, but I think I made it just in time... You handle the reinforcements... Leave this to me."
"Something tells me it'd be wise to listen to them."
Dot Pixis... the highest-ranking administrator of the southern region, including Trost. A man with all the authority, including the security of key districts for humanity, and also...
A strange man.
"... I don't think I ever found one... I wouldn't mind being eaten by a Titan if it turned out to be a beauty."
A very strange man indeed.
He led us to the top of the wall, where he asked Eren to tell him everything.
"I see... if you go to that basement, you might find answers to all your questions..."
"Yes..."
Pixis remained silent after Eren's confirmation.
"Sir... do you believe me?"
"For now, I'll keep in mind everything you've said, even though there's no positive proof. I think that's the best path."
His gaze shifted to Armin.
"Anyway... since you're trying to gather material to clarify this mess... I'll personally see to your protection and that of your friends."
Armin shifted uncomfortably in place as everyone smiled at him.
"Recruit Armin... right?"
"SIR!!"
"You mentioned earlier about using the Titan's power to reclaim the city. Were you serious... or was it just a desperate plea?"
"T-that was... both... Before stepping forward, Kiyotaka told me he had a plan and to make sure to say that... so I blurted it out in desperation, and on the other hand..."
He turned to look at me.
"I fully trust that he has a plan."
I stepped forward, shoulder to shoulder with Armin.
"... Eren can carry that huge rock to the destroyed gate and block it. If we manage to distract the Titans, I'm sure we'll succeed..."
----
"...Recruit Eren..." Pixis crouched in front of him, his face covered with seriousness.
"Can you seal that hole?"
"...YES, I WILL, SIR! NO MATTER WHAT!!!"
Pixis gave him a firm pat on the shoulder "WELL SAID! THAT'S HOW A REAL MAN SPEAKS!!" He stood up and shouted down from the wall "CALL THE OFFICERS! WE NEED TO DISCUSS STRATEGY!!"
"Uh..." "No way..." "This is madness..." "...He accepted so quickly," we all said at the same time.
"There's a very important issue that needs consideration before we proceed with the plan... The commander is very aware of the situation," Eren began in a worried tone.
The titans aren't our only enemies...
"We're racing against time. Move... young soldiers."
"ATTENTION!!!"
Standing atop the wall was Pixis, with Eren at his side holding a military salute "I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THE STRATEGY FOR RECLAIMING THE TROST DISTRICT! OUR TARGET IS THE DESTROYED GATE! REACH IT AND CLOSE IT!!!"
Terrified, the soldiers could do nothing but watch, their eyes filling with pure terror.
----------
"So... what's your plan, Kiyotaka?"
"First, we need the trust of your soldiers. It would be as simple as affirming that Eren is a satisfactory result created consciously by humanity to fight against the Titans..." I spoke in a monotone tone, face to face with Pixis "Leave no trace of doubt about his ability to control it."
----------
"LET ME START BY INTRODUCING THIS YOUNG MAN, EREN JAEGER, FROM THE RECRUITS UNIT!"
"WE HAVE CONDUCTED SECRET EXPERIMENTS ON TITAN TRANSFORMATIONS, AND HE IS A SATISFACTORY RESULT OF THOSE EXPERIMENTS." Pixis resounding voice filled the air with a mixture of authority and tension "EREN HAS THE ABILITY TO CREATE A TITAN BODY AND CONTROL IT AT WILL. HIS MISSION WILL BE TO TRANSFORM, TAKE THAT LARGE BOULDER NEAR THE GATE, AND SEAL THE BREACH THE TITANS HAVE OPENED."
A restless murmur swept through the ranks.
"YOUR ROLE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS TO PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS! PREVENT THE TITANS FROM REACHING HIM UNTIL THE GATE IS SEALED!"
----------
"We don't need to fight the titans???" Eren asked, confused.
"E-Excuse me for butting in. I know I'm just a recruit..." Armin crouched over the map and lowered his head before our superiors.
"It doesn't matter. We're listening."
"...We know the titans follow large concentrations of humans. We can use that to lure them away from the walls, keeping the titans at a distance with minimal contact. Then, we can take them down with cannons without incurring casualties."
"...But we can't leave Eren completely defenseless. We need to assign a small elite group for his protection since we can't avoid direct confrontation with the titans that cross through the breach. That's why we need the team."
"Understood... Alright, let's clear the map. Now the plan just needs proper adjustment."
"The problem with the plan is that it only holds if Eren manages to seal the breach. As long as that variable remains unknown, the entire strategy is unstable," Armin said with doubt.
"Very true... It's perfectly normal to feel like you're sending countless people to their deaths when the main part of your plan remains uncertain," the superior added.
"Isn't that how we've always fought?" I replied, my monotone voice laced with indifference.
"Every objective humanity has ever pursued has been riddled with uncertainty—discovering more about the titans, reclaiming Shiganshina... nothing has ever been guaranteed. At least this time, we have something tangible to hold onto."
The superior could only sigh "You're exactly as Pixis described," he muttered, shaking his head in exasperation "We also have a time issue. While we talk, more and more titans keep coming in without end, and each second reduces our chances... not to mention that Wall Rose could be breached at any moment—"
I interrupted him "Then we have no choice but to use fear to our advantage"
----------
"Then let's use fear to our advantage," I said coldly
Pixis arched an eyebrow "What do you mean by that?"
"Give them the option to retreat. Make them think they're free to choose... and then, when they hesitate, crush them."
"Make them understand that fleeing will only doom those they love. If they don't face their terror here, their families will live it firsthand."
"Now I understand why Erwin is so interested in you. You're both the same kind of demon," Pixis laughed harshly, covering his face with one hand.
----------
"I WON'T LET YOU USE MY LIFE FOR THIS NONSENSE!" shouted a desperate soldier.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK WE ARE? DISPOSABLE SWORDS?"
"HUMAN WEAPONS, EH? WHO CAN TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY?"
"I'M OUT OF HERE!" another one exclaimed.
"COUNT ME IN TOO!"
The tension was palpable.
"If this continues, order will collapse," whispered a superior.
"SAY YOUR PRAYERS, YOU DIRTY DESERTERS," roared the mustached leader, drawing his swords. "I'LL CUT YOU TO PIECES!"
Before the situation spiraled out of control, Pixis raised his voice from atop a platform:
"THOSE WHO WITHDRAW NOW WILL BE PARDONED!"
The soldiers were stunned.
"WHAT?"
"TITANS ARE TERRIFYING CREATURES," Pixis continued. "ONCE YOU EXPERIENCE THAT TERROR, MANY CAN NEVER FIGHT AGAIN."
The soldiers lowered their gazes, remembering the moments they froze in fear, cried, or saw their comrades die.
Pixis took a deep breath and delivered his final blow:
"BUT THOSE WHO WANT TO LET THEIR PARENTS, SIBLINGS, AND LOVED ONES EXPERIENCE THAT TERROR FOR THEMSELVES... CAN FLEE NOW!"
A deadly silence stretched over them.
No one moved.
No one dared to step back.