Chapter 39

The conversation between Hange and Annie had changed a lot of Erwin's plans. At first, he was planning to send out Eren and Historia as a bait to lure out Rod Reiss and the Interior Military Police. However, knowing the possibility of Eren's capabilities right now, he decided not to risk it. For those who knew him quite well, this decision would shock them since the Erwin Smith they knew would gamble everything regardless of the consequences. Erwin himself knew what kind of person he was.

If Annie Leonhart hadn't been captured at Titan Forest, he would have gone after her in the inner city regardless of the casualties that the process of them capturing her will have. If Eren Jaegar had been captured by the enemies successfully, he would lead the Scouts after him immediately- just to take him, the only chance of humanity, back whether it meant sacrificing the entire Survey Corps just for one single man or what.

Those were the kind decisions he would make. Making Eren and Historia as baits would be in line with his usual plans. But,

'Let's take another way,' Erwin mentally said.

The Survey Corps never had this many people before after an expedition. Every time they'd come back, they were like a bunch of people about to disband due to lack of manpower.

'There should be another way,' he thought. He didn't want to sacrifice people anymore. He didn't want to see them in his dreams along with their other fallen comrades. His days, their days, have never been this lively before.

'It's all thanks to them,' Erwin knew. His mind slowly returned to one of their past meetings. He was reminded of Law's words that time,

"Everything will work out somehow."

Erwin let out a chuckle. It was unbelievable how a teen could have such confidence.

'Well,' Erwin paused from reading the paperwork in his hands. He looked very thoughtful.

The only sound that you could hear in his office was the fluttering of papers as the wind passed through the window. He was all alone in his office, signing some paperwork (yet again) while thinking of other plans.

Erwin suddenly felt like laughing. He already had such handymen under him, ones as strong as Levi (or even stronger than Levi, Erwin noted secretly). There was no need to overthink for a plan so hard. He just needed to make use of them well.

'Just sending them out will do for now…' Erwin thought. 'Then Law can make on-site plans…'

He suddenly felt it was quite evil for him to do this. Erwin placed a hand on his lips to keep himself from laughing again. His eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Can't be helped," Erwin shook his head. It was just this once anyway. Just to confront the interior military police…

Law had planned to relax the whole day again while reading a book and sipping a nice hot cup of coffee, but a man named Erwin Smith had broken his plans with a smile and the sight of his thick brows. So here he was, meeting with Special Ops aka Squad Levi to plan things out because why not?

'This is why I don't follow orders by anyone,' he grumbled mentally.

"All we need to do is lure them out," Law said bluntly. "Then after that is just freestyle brawling or beating asses up, in Luffy's terms..."

Simple. Law learned to just keep his shit simple so that he won't get a headache when things come to worst. He had learned the hard way that no matter how hard he planned, no matter how detailed it was nor how much he prepared for unexpected situations, as long as there's a variable named Monkey D. Luffy, those plans are doomed to fail.

"That's all?" Levi's brow rose. He had expected a more detailed plan considering how Erwin was letting this older brat lead them.

"Well, rest depends on the capabilities of your men," Law said. "The premise of this simple plan is that your men are capable enough to confront people."

Levi took a look at his squad. "I think they're capable enough..."

"Levi-ya, we're dealing with people here," Law emphasized. "And by confronting people, I mean, able to kill them when they need to." Law ignored the soft gasps and breath hitching in the room as he continued, "I'm pretty sure the interior MPs would be quite excited to kill a Scout or two."

"What... makes you think of that?" Petra managed to ask.

Everyone joined the Survey Corps to help humanity. They trained hard to be able to stay alive and not feed titans. Their commander told them about the truth and now they were suddenly in the middle of conflict against Military Police and the Royalty. They have already come into terms of it, however, their preparations weren't to the point of prepared to harm their fellow humans.

"Just a feeling," Law said. "With how much we know right now, Rod Reiss must be itching to wipe us out to keep the truth forever. The MPs, for me, are just a bunch of hypocrites who are eager to lick their master's shoes."

"You aren't wrong about that," Farlan nodded in agreement. "The MPs should have done sketchy things in secret before..." That included the things in Underground City no doubt.

The people raised in normal towns wouldn't know. But those who have lived their lives in the Underground were very familiar with the sketchy ways of the world.

"Anyways, if anyone can't stand hurting or killing people, you should back out right now," Law said. "You don't want to lose your life accidentally. I'm sure MPs got something in store for us-"

"You're sure?" someone repeated. It was the guy in the squad who was imitating Levi but was failing at it magnificently.

Law nodded. "Well, if MPs don't have any hidden cards in their arms while staying here inside the walls, I can say they all have lived in vain. They have so much time in their hands, unlike Survey Corps who kept fighting titans... If it was me, I would have done something productive..." He trailed off. Well, he hasn't done anything productive in regards to their situation yet- oh well, their rest period was great though. They had years to recover from the great war.

"Isn't it fine for everyone to go together? As long as Levi, Torao, and I are there, nobody will die!" Luffy said. "Shishishishi~ after all, we are strong!"

Isabel pouted. "How about me and Farlan?! Aren't we strong as well?"

"We are stronger!" Luffy said bluntly. It wasn't being arrogant or haughty but simply the truth.

Everyone looked at the youngest boy in the team helplessly. Except Law and a albeit part of Levi, no one was taking him seriously.

"... I still recommend not to push yourselves," Law said, looking at the handpicked soldiers of Levi half-seriously. "Dealing with humans is harder than titans- unless they are titan shifters like Jaeger-ya and Leonhart-ya."

"..."

Levi's duo brats made outsiders feel strange. Listening to the older one feels like they're being reminded by some older man than themselves or someone of the same age. Meanwhile, the younger one was just pure weird.

"Let's adjourn for now," Levi decided. "Think about it for a day and we'll do the real thing tomorrow."

And so they were dismissed.

"Law, Luffy..." Levi called out. "... Want to spar?"

"Oh, oh~ I wanna watch!" Isabel exclaimed. While Luffy's eyes twinkled. He wants to do anything right now.

"Spar! Spar! Spar!"

"I'm gonna pass on that..." Law said. "Ah, Levi-ya, can I meet those Reeve Company fellows? I think I will need their cooperation for tomorrow's mission."

"Hm... Go with Farlan," Levi grunted. "Let's go you arrogant brat." He ruffled Luffy's hair hard. "Let's see how good you have become."

Eren's head muddled as he was once again fished out of his titan body. He could hear people talking around him, but he couldn't process what they were saying. His eyesight was blurry, but he could make out the figures of his childhood friend and adoptive sister: Armin and Mikasa. It seems like he overdid it again. But even though he overdid it, there was still no progress. He was such a disappointment. Eren fainted with such kind of thought.

"We'll rest for a couple of days..." Hange said. She scratched her head. "Eren is too hardworking!"

"He wanted to master it as soon as possible," Armin said. "Eren was pretty anxious about it..."

"We still have time. Until we get the royals out," Hange said. "We can't move until they can be dealt with anyways."

"I'll... return to the basement now," Annie said. She had nothing to do. Why bother staying out?

"Ah," Hange laughed awkwardly. "Sorry for having you join us every time."

"... It's nothing," Annie said. It was nothing. Normally, prisoners don't get such privilege of going out and such. Here she thought she was gonna get tortured until they're satisfied. After all, she had killed their comrades.

"Boys, help out carryin-" Hange stopped herself from calling Jean and the others as she saw Mikasa single-handedly carried Eren in a princess carry.

"..."

'Eren's gonna be angry when he hears about this,' Everyone on the scene thought. They can already see the teenager's angry, red face, screaming at Mikasa with embarrassment.

Eren, who had no clue what was happening in the conscious world, felt as if he was floating. Broken images filled his mind. He felt deja vu hit him. He had dreamt of this countless times yet everything turns into mush and forgets when he wakes up. He felt very frustrated and helpless at this.

"If I can remember..." He clenched his hands.

So what if he can? What would he do to the memories he would have recovered?

Eren doesn't know. But...

'Maybe it can ease my helplessness... Maybe I can find something new- remember something important I've forgotten,' he thought. "Why me, dad? Why do I have this power?" he asked to no one.

The days he spent experimenting let feel how inferior he was nothing different between him and other titans. Other than his intelligence as a human, he had no other value. He can't crystallize like Annie can, he doesn't have a natural armor like Reiner, he wasn't as big as Bertholdt's titan. He was the only weapon at this side yet he can barely go against their enemies. He might be their burden as well. Many people died for him and he couldn't even meet their expectations…

Am baaaaaack~ Alive wuwuwuwuwuwu /o/ I almost became a pig while having fever... I slept 20 hrs a day (≧艸≦*) Tried to make this longer... still can't reach 2k. This little one needs to train hard!