Kabe no Shinobi
Chapter 10: Trial
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Attack on Titan, or any of their characters.
Naruto lay on his bed, confined within a dimly lit cell underneath some building inside wall Sina. A torch burned quietly in a corner of the corridor, casting everything in an orangish hue.
Two guards stood on each side of his cell-door, keeping silent watch over their 'prisoners'.
Eren was confined to the cell next to his own, and apparently still unconscious from all the strain of yesterday's events.
Naruto sighed. He'd been asked to come quietly. That there would be held a trial to decide what to do with him and Eren. He'd allowed himself to be apprehended just to see if he could come to an agreement with the government, seeing as he'd revealed himself anyway. Still, this was boring as hell.
He perked up at the sound of footsteps, two people by the sound of it, coming down the stairs.
"Sir!", the guards saluted, and Naruto raised an eyebrow. 'Someone important?'
"At ease." A vaguely familiar voice answered. "I'll want a moment alone with the prisoners."
The guards left and Naruto sat up in his bed, curious to know who'd come to see him.
Measured footsteps approached his cell until two figures came into view.
The first stood tall, quite a bit taller than Naruto himself. Demeanor, calm and collected. With blond hair kept neatly parted on the left side and striking icy-blue eyes that held a sort of grave intensity Naruto associated with people in positions of authority.
Next to him stood a shorter man with raven hair and a disinterested expression. As if he couldn't care less about being there. Both wore survey corps uniforms, sans the green cape worn during missions. Both men Naruto knew and recognized.
Erwin met his eyes. "Naruto Uzumaki..."
The Survey corps Commander took a seat on the chair opposite his cell, back straight and expression nautral.
"You gave us quite the headache when you disappeared, brat." Levi said leaning against the dungeon wall with his arms crossed. "But seems you got caught in the end."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, bemused. "You realize I can get out of here whenever I want."
Levi didn't respond.
"Last time we spoke; you couldn't understand a single word we said. You've made remarkable progress during the span of a single year." Erwin pointed out.
Naruto grinned self-satisfied. "Yeah, I picked up some words here and there."
Erwin's lip curled upwards, the tiniest smile. "You say you could escape, yet you come willingly and choose to remain. Why?"
Naruto shrugged. "I've got nothing better to do... And I'm curious."
"I see."
Erwin remained silent, so Naruto decided to ask a question of his own.
"So, what're they gonna do about me and him." Naruto tilted his head towards Eren's cell.
Erwin sighed. "You are currently in the Military Police's custody. Your fate will be decided through court, by Darius Zackly, the commander-in-chief of the three military branches."
Naruto nodded.
A pause.
"What's your objective, Naruto."
"Objective?"
"What is your plan moving forward."
Naruto thought for a moment. "To find a way home."
Erwin's eyes glinted in the low torchlight. He picked out a key from his pocket and stared at it intently. "Home... I heard about your home from Commander Pixis. An unlikely story. Yet abilities such as yours are unheard of... Tell me, what will you do once you find a way home."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. Wasn't that obvious. He'd go home of course. Back to Konoha. To his friends. What was the man playing at?
"I'd go home." he answered curtly. "What's it to you?"
Erwin's eyes rose and met his own with blazing intensity. "And what of the people you'd be leaving behind?"
He was taken aback by the question but hid it quickly. "What about them?", he asked.
"Let's say you find a way home tomorrow. Could you live with yourself knowing that you left innocent men, women, and even little children behind. Waiting to be titan food. You've seen firsthand the horror of titans, and the people living their everyday lives in fear."
Naruto mulled that over. Honestly, he hadn't thought much about it. His longing for Konoha and his friends had been so strong that he hadn't stopped to actually consider it. That these were people with families and friends of their own. If he left, these people would remain. And would most likely be dead within a couple of years.
Naruto turned away hiding the conflicted look on his face, unable to meet Erwin's piercing gaze. He felt a knot in his stomach, suddenly ashamed of his selfishness.
Erwin didn't let up. "I ask because you present a very unique opportunity. Because your presence could change the tide of this war against the titans." The commander's voice echoed off the dead walls as if taunting him.
He knew for a fact that his presence would change the tide of this war.
But… was this his fight? He knew some of their history. The outside world overrun by titans and humanity driven behind these walls. He wanted to help, but ridding an entire country, or world- or whatever- of titans… 'it's too much. It would take forever'.
He didn't have time to stay here that long. He had a life to return to. People who depended on him back home. And his dream to become Hokage.
"You don't even know me." Naruto bit out. "For all you know, I could be an enemy."
Unconvinced, Erwin plowed on. "No. An enemy would have left us to our inevitable demise at the hands of the titans during the breach. An enemy wouldn't have gone through the effort of saving soldiers and civilians alike."
Naruto wavered for a brief moment. He wanted so desperately to go home. And yet… Erwin was right. He couldn't leave these people behind to die. Like lambs to the slaughter. It wasn't right.
It... That wasn't his way.
Erwin seemed to sense his moment of hesitation. "Besides, don't you think an alliance would benefit us both? If you were to help the scouting regiment during excursions, we would provide you with all our knowledge of the outside world."
Fists clenched and with a soundless sigh of resignation, he turned back to meet Erwin's gaze head on. He walked up to the iron bars of his cell.
"I need information, everything you've got. I need access to reports, logs, maps. I'll cooperate, but I won't take orders from anyone..." His eyes slid towards Levi, and he grinned wide. "Anyone."
Levi's eye twitched visibly. Erwin seemed relieved and slightly amused.
"We'll be partners. Helping each other." Naruto clarified.
Erwin nodded. "We'll share all the information we have." Then he smirked knowingly. "But the trial first, yes?"
Naruto nodded and went back to lay down on his bed, arms crossed behind his head. 'Yeah, this is the right thing to do. I can't leave these people to suffer.'
Sakura had called it a 'hero complex'. Wanting to save everyone. Being unable to turn his back on other's suffering. And honestly, he couldn't deny it. It just wasn't his style. Haku, Zabuza, and Wave Country. Neji during the Chūnin exams and Gaara at the invasion. Granny Tsunade… Sasuke.
Besides, Erwin did make another good point. Working together would help him too. Even with his shadow clones- searching an entire world for a way back to his own would be extremely difficult. He would accept all the help he could get.
"Ugh," Someone groaned in the cell next to him. Eren, Naruto realized.
"-where am I?"
After a brief conversation with Erwin and Levi in which Eren confirmed that he wanted to join the survey corps, and that the basement of his old home in Shiganshina might hold answers about the Titans, the two left.
Eren eyed one of the guards outside his cell. "Um, I need to use the restroom."
"You just went." The guard answered, pointedly avoiding looking in Eren's direction.
"Then... can I have some water?" he tried.
This time, the other guard answered. "You're not getting a damn thing, got it?" the man bit out, voice laced with disgust, then added in a lower grumble, "Damn monster."
Eren eyed his handcuffs with dismay. He could understand why such precautions might be necessary, but still, it hurt. To be seen and treated like some kind of beast. As if he would go berserk at the drop of a hat and slaughter everyone in sight.
"Maybe you should consider shutting your trap, then? Monsters are dangerous, ya know." Someone barked from the cell next to his own. He knew that voice, but from where?
"Wha'd'ya say, you lil'-?!"
"Oi, Waltz." the first guard warned sternly and shook his head at the other man. There was some quiet grumbling and a few curses, but the guards stopped talking completely after that.
Eren tried to recall who the voice belonged to. He hadn't known anyone else was being kept down here. Who though? Was there someone else who could turn into a titan? Then he remembered the blond-haired, blue-eyed guy from Trost. The one who'd saved his, Armin, and Mikasa's lives when Weilman had wanted to execute them.
"N-Naruto? Is that you?"
"Yep, it's me."
Eren felt shocked and was subsequently hit with a pang of worry. "Why're you down here? Wait- Mikasa. Armin. Are they down here too?!"
"Nah. Just us."
"Oh." Eren sagged in relief, concern melting away. "But why are you down here? You can't turn into a titan."
Naruto was about to answer but halted when he heard footsteps approach and the door to the dungeon slam open.
Suddenly it went quiet. Too quiet.
Naruto sat up slowly, waiting with bated breath.
He blinked and before he knew it there was a woman hanging off the bars of his cell. Brown hair done up in a ponytail and wearing glasses.
Naruto jumped. His heart nearly exploding out of his chest. 'Where the fuck did she come from?!'
Her face was shoved halfway through, eyes wide and manic like some sort of serial killer.
"Naruto!" she yelled. "Long time, no see! How've you been! Sorry to keep you waiting, but it seems you're finally getting out!"
"Uh, Naruto, who's-"
Before Eren could finish his sentence, she was gone. And by Eren's undignified squeak that sounded more like a little girl than a teenage boy, she'd managed to scare the wit out of him too.
"Eren, right?! I heard you can turn into a titan; I can't wait to study you in detail!"
"I- I'm not sure I -"
Ignoring Eren's response, she continued. "I'm Hange Zoe, a Survey Corps squad leader." Then she gestured to a tall blond-haired man whom they had missed completely in the wake of her eccentric entrance. "And this is Mike Zacharias, also a squad leader. We're gonna escort you to the court room. But first," she lifted a pair of handcuffs "you'll both have to put on these."
After exiting the dungeon, they were led by Hange and Mike though a long corridor. The interior was bare but clean, and somehow added a certain amount of intimidation knowing they were heading to their own trial.
They walked in relative silence… until Mike leaned in close to Eren and sniffed.
Eren flinched away and Naruto did a double take. 'The hell...?'
Hange took notice and explained. "Don't mind him. He makes a habit of smelling people he's just met," Mike grinned like some creep "then smirking like that."
Naruto dodged Mike's attempt at smelling him. "O-oi! Ever heard of personal space?"
Hange laughed at their antics. "Don't worry. I don't think he does it to be derisive."
She came to a stop in front of a large, finely carved oak door with long, vertical, iron handles.
"Oh, we're already here! Sorry, I got caught up in our chit-chat. Well, I'm sure it's fine. It's probably better if I don't explain, anyway."
Before they could protest, they were ushered inside by two guards with only a parting 'good luck!' from Hange.
All talking ceased abruptly once they entered. So quiet in fact, that you could've heard a needle drop.
An enormous courtroom with a massive wooden dais at the front overlooking all else in room. The seat at the top was where Zackly would sit.
Above the dais hung the four military emblems. Training corps, Military police, Garrison regiment, and Survey corps.
Naruto examined the room itself. Smooth marble walls, wooden furniture made of wonderfully sculpted mahogany, and the ceiling decorated with a painting of a group of men brutally assaulting a person prone on the ground.
Rows of benches around the dais formed a square and, in the center, a small concrete platform. Naruto instinctively knew that was where he and Eren would have to stand. Where they could be scrutinized and would have to crane their necks to look up at the judge.
All heads in the room turned to the pair of them and Naruto made mental note of their appearances. Nobles, merchants, priests, soldiers of every branch, and even some that looked like ordinary civilians.
The guards led the two of them to the platform.
"On your knees, now!" Waltz ordered Eren, and the teen knelt, albeit grudgingly. A tall iron pole was placed though his arms and handcuffs, trapping him in place.
He wondered if he would be required to do the same, but the guards just left, and he remained standing.
Naruto searched the courtroom until his eyes landed on the survey corps. Erwin and Levi had been expected but seeing Mikasa and Armin was a surprise. Perhaps it shouldn't have been. They were Eren's closest associates after all and had defied their superiors to defend him.
Naruto smiled in their direction and Armin answered with a timid smile of his own.
That was when Zackly entered the room. Everyone stood up, as was proper in court, and sat once Zackly finally took his seat. He was an older-looking man, with slicked-back silvery hair and neatly trimmed beard. He exuded an air of authority and importance but wore modest clothes. No jewelry or over-the-top expensive dresses like Naruto had seen some noble's wear. Just a simple shirt and pants held up by suspenders.
The man took some time organizing his papers, rolling up his shirt sleeves, then fixing his glasses before he began.
"All right, let us begin." The man rumbled, voice deep. "Your name is Eren Yaeger." Zackly addressed Eren. "And as a soldier, you have sworn to give up your life when called for, for the good of the people. Is that correct?"
"Y-Yes, sir."
"As an enlisted soldier during time of war, military doctrine demands your tribunal be held as a court-martial. As Commander of our armed forces, this matter is left to my discretion." The man informed matter-of-factly. "Any objections?"
Eren shook his head. "No, sir."
Zackly nodded. "Your willingness to cooperate is appreciated. Let us proceed. As expected, covering up your existence has proven fruitless. And unless we publicly disclose your existence one way or another, we risk the outbreak of widespread civil unrest... A choice must be made. And the regiment that takes custody of you will determine your fate."
Eren swallowed nervously.
"First however, while we have witness reports of your actions as a titan, there are still parts of the events during Trost that don't add up." he picked up a piece of paper. "I have here reports that state you were presumed dead by many of your comrades." His eyes landed on Armin.
"Cadet Armin Arlert," Armin straightened "you have been called in as a witness. You were the only member of the 34th cadet unit – except Yeager himself – that survived. It says in these reports that it was you who claimed all of your squad-mates dead, Eren included. How did you come to such a conclusion?"
Armin felt his heartbeat increase. The image of Eren, missing one leg, covered in blood and caught in the Jaws of that bearded titan was haunting enough to give him nightmares. To top it off, he'd never been too good with crowds. The pressure always got to him. His hands felt clammy and there was a familiar knot in his stomach. But one look at Eren, shackled and at risk of being executed, firmed his resolve.
He took a deep breath and centered himself. "Sir. After the initial appearance of the Colossal Titan, we were ordered by our superiors to help the vanguard keep the titans at bay long enough for the populace to evacuate. Our unit was one of the first to head out. However, before we got there, Thomas Wagner, a close friend, was caught by an abnormal... and eaten." Armin recounted somberly. Eren's head fell at the mention of their late comrade. "Seeing that, Eren charged the titan. And in the battle that ensued, all our teammates were lost. Eren himself had his leg bitten off by another titan... I was caught by a 15-meter, about to be swallowed alive when Eren was able to hoist me out at the cost of taking my place. He... When the titan bit down, his arm was cut off, and I though he was lost." Armin sounded as if recalling the event physically pained him. Naruto didn't blame the guy.
"I see." Zackly said, and let the silence linger for a moment in respect for the fallen.
Turning back to Eren, Zackly raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Cadet Yeager, if what Arlert told us is indeed true, then I am curious to know how you survived being devoured by a titan. Missing an arm and leg no less."
Naruto himself was interested in knowing how. 'I remember lightning coming down when he transformed during the operation to seal the breach. But I didn't see anything similar before that. And how would he even transform while inside the titan's belly? Wouldn't expanding his body inside such a small space crush him? Or did the stronger titan just win out? I do remember Eren's titan being way more muscular than the others.'
Eren paled at the memory. He'd tried to repress them, but it all came back to him clear as day. The image of mutilated bodies and body parts floating around in a pool of blood that threatened to drown him inside his fleshy prison. The metallic stench of blood that clogged his lungs. That woman's head floating right in front of him, tears trickling down her face as she called for her mother.
A wave of nausea washed over him, and he withheld the urge to puke. Taking a steadying breath, he spoke. "I... remember being inside the titan's stomach. All the blood... And people... I remember the anger, and something inside me snapped... Then the next thing I know, I'm surrounded by soldiers on every side, a cannon pointed directly at me. That's all, Sir."
Zackly watched him intently, observing his body language and going over his story. Eren had hoped to see some sign that the man believed him but couldn't gleam a thing past Zackly's stony facade.
"Claiming ignorance! Do you think you can fool us with such nonsense?!" A civilian-looking man barked from the crowd.
Zackly raised a hand and he sat down quietly. "While there is no proof to confirm or disprove your statements, the fact remains that you and Armin are the only ones who can speak to those events. With that cleared up, we can move on." Zackly said, interlocking his fingers under his chin. "The Military Police will now present their case."
A tall, black-haired man in Military Police uniform stepped forward. "Thank you. My name is Nile Dawk, Commander of the Military Police. Our recommendation, following a thorough examination of his physiology, is that Eren Yeager should be disposed of immediately. We acknowledge that Yeager's ability played a part in turning back the latest Titan incursion. However, as has been stated, his mere existence is creating a swell of rebellious sentiment. For the greater good, after we have gathered all the information that we can from him, we would see him made a fallen warrior of humanity."
Naruto could see the merit of such a plan, but it only solved the short-term problem of civil unrest, while ignoring the long-term problem of humanities survival.
"Unacceptable!" A priest yelled. "This verminous fiend has defiled the mighty Wall..."
'Oh great, a Wall cultist.' Naruto thought with a tinge of annoyance. They'd been popping up everywhere recently.
Zackly called for order and the priest quieted.
"And now I'd like to hear the Scout Regiment's proposed plan."
"Yes, sir." Erwin stepped forward. "As the commander of the Survey Corp, I, Erwin Smith, propose the following: Let Eren join our ranks. Reinstate him as a full member of the Scouts, and we will utilize his Titan ability to retake Wall Maria. That is all."
Zackly raised an eyebrow. "Hm? Is that it?"
Naruto was surprised by the short and straight-to-the-point answer.
"Yes. With his assistance, I'm certain we can reclaim Wall Maria. The sealing of Trost speaks for itself. Ergo, I believe our top priority is perfectly clear."
Zackly nodded thoughtfully. "Quite bold. Assuming you were given clearance, where do you plan to launch this operation from? Commander Pixis. The wall in Trost District has been completely sealed, is that correct?"
"Yes. I doubt its gate will ever open again." Pixis answered.
"We'll depart from Karanese District to the east. From there, we'll make for Shiganshina. A new route can be established as we proceed." Erwin explained.
"But that's ridiculous!" A merchant exclaimed. "Our time and money would be better spent sealing up all the gates! They're the only parts of the Wall that the Colossal Titan can break, right? Let's reinforce the blasted things and wash our hands of the entire affair!"
"Shut your mouth, you spineless merchant dog!" One of the scouts shouted back angrily. "With a Titan on our side, we can finally return to Wall Maria!"
"We can't afford any more of your childish antics, or your delusions of grandeur!" the merchant hollered.
Levi scowled. "Squealing louder won't help your case, pig. While we're bolstering our defenses, do you think the Titans are going to stand idly by? And when you say, 'we can't afford,' do you speak for anyone other than your fat merchant friends? Do you pigs even realize that most of our people are struggling just to survive off what little land we have left?"
"I'm simply saying that sealing the gates is the only guaranteed protection we've got!" The merchant responded weakly.
At the mention of sealing the gates, the priest from earlier took offense. "Hold your tongue, you vile, belligerent heretic! Are you really suggesting that we lowly humans meddle with Wall Rose, a gift to us from on high?! The Wall is a miracle. And its divinity transcends human comprehension. Don't you understand?"
Naruto watched the merchants and Wall cultist bickering like dogs over a bone. All of them vying for whatever would benefit themselves the most.
"Order. Order!" Zackly boomed, slapping the table to drown out the noise. When they finally settled down, he continued. "I ask that you save your personal sentiments for a more appropriate venue. Now then Mr. Yeager, I have a question for you. As a soldier, you have made a solemn pledge to answer humanity's call. Can you still serve by controlling your ability?"
"Yes! Iwill, sir!" Eren answered hastily.
"Oh? Is that so? But you just said yourself that you couldn't recall ever transforming. And this report from the sealing operation also contradicts that statement. Just after transforming, it seems you tried to crush Mikasa Ackerman."
That took the wind out of him. Eren's head whipped around to look at Mikasa. His eyes wide and disbelieving.
"And who is this Mikasa Ackerman?" Zackly asked.
"Me! That would be me, Sir." Mikasa answered quickly, stepping forward.
"Alright, then. Is it true that Eren Yeager assaulted you while he was in Titan form?"
Mikasa bit her lip and answered after Rico whispered something to her.
"Yes..." Mikasa answered, her voice small.
There were murmurs and gasps from the audience, and Eren seemed as shocked as they were.
"I knew it! He's a wolf in sheep's clothing!" someone accused.
She felt a pang of worry that they might judge Eren off that alone. She added swiftly, "However, he also saved my life twice before. And in each circumstance, he was using his Titan ability. The first: shortly after Trost fell. I was nearly killed by a Titan. But then Eren came. He stepped in and protected me. The second time: he transformed to shield Armin and me from cannon fire. I implore you to take these facts into consideration!"
"Objection!" Nile called. "I have reason to believe that personal feelings play a large part in her testimony. Let the record show that Mikasa Ackerman was orphaned at a young age and was subsequently taken in by the Yeager family. What's more, our own internal investigation into this matter led to a most shocking discovery."
The man paused for dramatic effect. "Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman, at the tender age of nine, dealt with three adult kidnappers by stabbing all of them to death. Granted, this was done in self-defense. All the same, one cannot help but question the violent nature of the act. Knowing all of this, should we really invest in him? Money, manpower. Perhaps the very fate of us all?"
That tidbit of information took Naruto by surprise. 'Three men at the age of nine?' Even back home, that was young. At least in Konoha. Sure, they were taught how to kill in the academy, but the first kill usually happened as a Genin. Which you only became at twelve unless you graduated early. Not that he thought worse of them for it. Whoever had tried to kidnap two nine-year-old kids probably deserved it.
"Maybe he's a Titan that snuck in here after taking the form of some little child he ate?" Someone from the audience cried, then the man turned on Mikasa. "Maybe she's one, too! I bet she's not human either!"
"Yeah, you're right!" Another agreed. "Dissect her too, just to be safe!"
Eren startled, fear and concern gripping his heart with icy fingers. "What?! Hold on a second! Maybe I'm a monster, but you leave her out of this! She's innocent!"
"Like we'd trust you!"
"It's the truth!" Eren shouted back, frustration mounting.
"She must be one if you protect her!"
Eren gritted his teeth. "Stop it!" he yelled so loud that the audience was shocked into silence. "You're wrong. About it all. But you're so intent on pushing selfish agendas, that you're blind to what's in front of you."
"Wh-what?"
"None of you have even seen a Titan, so why're you so afraid, huh?" Eren continued. "There's no sense in having power if you're not going to use it to fight! If you're too scared to fight for your lives, fine. Let me do it! You- You're all cowards! Just shut up. And put all your faith in me!"
The silence that ensued was broken by Nile's outraged cry. "Take aim, dammit!" his soldiers hurried to follow the order and a dozen guns were leveled at Eren. Naruto was out of firing range the instant the order was given, wary of a possible altercation.
It was unnecessary though, because Levi had already kicked Eren so hard across the face that it sent a tooth flying.
The act made all seize in their tracks, stunned. Naruto watched silently.
"You know, personally, I think nothing instills discipline like pain." Levi's voice promised just that. Pain. "You don't need a good 'talking-to'. What you're in need of, boy, is to be taught a lesson. And you happen to be in perfect kicking position."
What ensued could be describe as nothing short of brutal. Kicks, knees, stomping. By the end of it, Eren was wheezing, almost unconscious, and bleeding all over the floor.
"N-Now hold on, Levi!" Nile cautioned.
"What is it?"
"…It's dangerous. What if he gets angry and turns into a Titan?"
Levi scoffed. "Don't be silly. After all, you guys want to dissect him, don't you?"
Naruto watched it all unfold. Levi was right. 'How'd they expect to dissect Eren? Did they think Eren would just take whatever they did to him lying down? If I were to be executed, I'd rather go down fighting than bow my head and accept my sentence like some common dog.' Besides, Eren had a point. He was useful. Just 'cause they'd lost the will to fight, didn't mean they had to hinder him. What was there to lose anyways? They were pretty much doomed. At least with Eren, they had a fighting chance.
"During the time that he was transformed," Levi continued "they say that Yeager was able to kill twenty Titans before he finally ran out of strength. As an enemy, his intelligence makes him all the more dangerous. But I could still take him down without a problem. How many of you can say the same? Before you torment the beast, you'd better think. Can you actually kill him?"
Naruto pondered that. Was that why Erwin hadn't felt the need to actually go into detail about his plans? Because he was confident in the fact that the survey corps was in fact the only regiment with the skill required to contain someone like Eren.
Erwin spoke up suddenly. "Sir. I have a proposition."
"Proceed."
"There's still too much we don't know. And no doubt, his danger will be ever present. As such, I suggest this: Eren Yeager will be placed under Captain Levi's supervision. And we'll conduct a recon mission outside of the wall."
Zackly leaned in slightly, interested. "Yeager will join you in this excursion?"
"Yes. Then you can look upon the mission's results yourself. And if he successfully controls his ability... Eren will have proven his value to mankind."
"He will be closely supervised?"
Erwin nodded.
"And if he should lose control?"
Levi answered this time. "I can definitely kill him if it comes to that. The only downside is there's absolutely no middle ground."
"Hm. Then I have made my choice. Eren Yeager will be placed in the custody of the survey corps to conduct this excursion. His fate will be decided by the outcome." Zackly finalized. "With this matter settled. We will take a short break, then reconvene to discuss the matter of Naruto Uzumaki." That said, Zackly stood and walked out.
Eren was released from his bonds and helped out the courtroom.
[After the break.]
"Ahem. Let's begin. Your name is Naruto Uzumaki, correct?"
Naruto nodded.
Zackly picked up one of his papers. "I've read the reports on you, and they're... Curious, to say the least. In this one, a report written by a cadet by the name of Dina Fischer, it states, and I quote, 'When I was about to be eaten by a titan, a mysterious youth saved me. He had spiky, blond hair, blue eyes, and stood perhaps a couple of centimeters taller than myself. From where he came, I don't know. Nor how he killed that titan. But one moment it was about to eat me, and the next it was dead. Though I note that he yelled something strange right before he killed it. Something which I couldn't understand. What makes this encounter so strange, is that he didn't have any gear or blades on him at the time. Afterwards, he asked me if I was alright, what the problem was, and when I explained that my gear was broken, he carried me up the wall to safety. This again, was done without any 3DMG.'"
He took a breath, then continued. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, this report suggests that you killed a titan bare-handed and then proceeded to scale a fifty-meter-tall wall carrying a young woman, without any gear."
Some in the stands snickered, but Zackly paid them no mind. "Do you deny these claims?"
"No." Naruto responded.
"This is not the only such report either. In fact, almost any mention of you is succeeded by displays of power, that frankly, would be more at home in fairy tales."
The snickering grew louder.
"However, there are too many of these reports for me to dismiss them as flights of temporary madness. Especially when Commander Pixis himself claims to have witnessed your superhuman abilities. So, Naruto, to settle the matter once and for all, would you be willing to demonstrate one such feat?"
Naruto didn't answer, instead opting to walk towards one of the walls. The snickers were silenced when Naruto did the supposedly 'impossible' and walked up the wall. Without using his hands. Body parallel to the ground.
They gasped.
"He's... Walking up the wall."
"What the hell?!"
"Impossible!"
Zackly lost his composure for the first time during the trial. Almost outright gaping at the sight. "Astounding..." the man whispered, speechless.
After a moment to compose himself, fixing his glasses and brushing a stray strand of hair back, he eyed Naruto with more than a little wariness.
"How is that possible?" the man inquired, unable to keep the wonderment out of his voice.
"I have something called Chakra, it's a type of energy my people possess. It allows us to enhance our bodies and do things that would normally be impossible. Like what I just showed you." Naruto explained, keeping it short and easy to understand.
Zackly nodded slowly, fascinated by the concept. The ability to walk on walls alone had many uses. But the boy had said that his people had chakra. No one inside the walls had this 'chakra'. That meant…
"Your people... You are not from here?"
Naruto didn't hesitate. "No."
The previously silent crowd suddenly roared to life.
"He's from outside the walls!"
"There's another civilization, we're not the last of humanity!"
"What if he's a spy!"
"Don't be taken in by his lies!"
"Order! ORDER!" Zackly bellowed over the uproar.
Naruto listened to their wild accusations with a blank face, though internally, he felt like laughing. Did they really think he wanted to harm them?
He turned his back to Zackly, facing the crowd.
"If I really were an enemy, and wanted to destroy humanity, I could've done more harm by not lifting a finger during the battle for Trost. I've been here for an entire year, and I've yet to cause any trouble. The only thing I want to do, is find a way home."
"And where is your home?" Zackly probed.
"I don't know." Naruto answered bluntly. He didn't think his theory about being from another dimension would go over well with these people.
Zackly raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"
"I kinda just woke up in the forest of giant trees. My memories of how I ended up there are messed up."
"Sir, this is ridiculous!" Nile protested. "His abilities are unknown to us, and he's been avoiding the government for an entire year! He could be a titan like Eren Jaeger. The fact that he hasn't stirred up any trouble yet doesn't prove he's an ally. The Armored and Colossal titans only made themselves known after a century, and then waited five years before attacking again! He could be biding his time, for all we know."
"That is true." Zackly acquiesced, acknowledging the possibility.
Naruto sighed. "Doesn't matter. Whatever you decide here today, the fact remains that I'll do what I want. I can leave this place whenever I want to, and none of you would be able to stop me. As it is, I'm only here out of courtesy."
They listened, floored at his brazen defiance in the face of the government. It took a moment for the act to sink in for Nile, and just as it did, he ordered the guns aimed.
At the same time, to everyone's eyes, Naruto vanished.
"What?!"
"Where'd he go!?"
Erwin's eyes widened. '…such speed.' He scanned his surroundings for the blond.
Naruto kept talking while the audience searched for his location. "I just want to find a way home, but I can see that you people have it rough, and that I can help. So that's what I'll do. Not because you ordered me to, not because you threatened me, but because I feel like that's the right thing to do. Though I won't put aside my search."
"There! He's up there!" Someone exclaimed.
The crowd looked up and saw Naruto hanging from the ceiling… by his feet.
They gaped, google-eyed and at a loss for words. Naruto even heard a squeal in the background that sounded distinctly like that Hange woman from earlier.
'I just showed them I could stick to walls. It really shouldn't have come as such a surprise.' Naruto thought. 'Though I guess it's understandable, considering they don't have chakra here.' It wasn't every day that your understanding of the laws of physics got upended.
"Nile, stand down!" Zackly commanded once he was back to his senses, and Nile backed off reluctantly. Naruto hopped back down to the ground and found Zackly's attention back on him. "Uzumaki, it's true that you haven't done anything that could harm us, as far as we know. You've actually done more for our cause than we ourselves have managed the past decade. I will not discount your help and the opportunity it provides. However, seeing as you're the first sign of human life outside these walls in known history, we cannot let you go unchecked either. There are rumors of your abilities on the streets. And the people are already at our doors demanding answers about Eren Yeager. At the very least, we'd need to put you under one of the branches of the Military. So as to show we have control of the situation."
'Sounds reasonable',Naruto thought. He might have the power to easily overwhelm them, but these people had jobs to do as well. And him walking brazenly into their home and declaring he was above the law probably didn't sit well with them either, regardless of his power.
"That's fine with me. But like I said, I won't put aside my search."
Zackly nodded. He took a sip of water and cleared his throat. "Alright, the two branches vying for custody are the Military Police and Survey Corps, correct? Nile, what is the MP's proposition?"
Naruto saw Nile share a look with one of the priests before he spoke. "While we cannot write off Uzumaki's contributions during the battle for Trost, the fact remains that he's a foreigner. He said earlier that he'd been here for an entire year, learning our language and of our society. Who's to say he isn't some spy tasked with gathering Intel. And if he isn't an enemy, why didn't he reveal himself earlier? He's a security risk, Sir. Our suggestion is that we gather any Intel from him that we can, then wash our hands of him." Nile concluded.
Naruto had no doubt about what 'wash our hands of him' meant and scoffed mockingly, showing exactly what he thought of it. Zackly nodded and turned to Erwin.
"And what is the Survey Corps' proposition?"
Erwin stepped up, meeting Naruto's eyes for a brief moment. "I believe it is quite obvious. You said yourself that Naruto provides an unprecedented opportunity for humanity inside the walls. With him, we could recapture wall Maria. If he were to join the survey corps, we would include him on the next excursion, alongside Eren. He would act as an additional failsafe. Furthermore, it would not impede his attempts to find his home, seeing as the objective of the survey corps is to explore the outside world."
Zackly looked over to Pixis. "Pixis?", he asked, wondering if the eccentric garrison commander had anything to add.
"I would be inclined to agree with Erwin on this matter." Pixis replied. "The survey corps would be the best choice."
Zackly hummed.
They marched down the winding dirt road through the forest, the snorting steeds moving at a slow trot.
Naruto rode abreast a now fully healed Eren, Levi, and the special operations squad. The awkward silence was making him slightly uncomfortable.
That was until Hange pulled up right next to him, almost toppling over Oluo. There was an excited gleam in her eyes as she pulled out a pencil and notebook from somewhere. "So, Naruto, tell me about chakra. What can it do? How do you use it? Everything! I want to know it all!"
"Well, um…" He scrambled for words, taken aback by the sudden onslaught of questions. He looked towards the others, but they seemed just as interested as she was, patiently waiting for his answer.
Holding the reins firmly with one hand, he scratched his head, thinking of the best way to explain it. "Chakra is… energy." He began lamely. "But more than that, it's a kind of life force." He saw their raised eyebrows. "What I mean is that it's something that everyone has. Animals, plants, people. It's in the air, everywhere."
"Is it something you breathe in? Like oxygen?" Hange prodded.
"No, no. It's… well." Naruto waved his hand around awkwardly not knowing how to go about it. He thought about it for a second, before being hit by an epiphany. It was like a lightbulb lit up in his head, and he brought down his fist on an open palm. "Ah, I got it!"
Hange raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
"So, people have this thing called a chakra pathway system or you could call it a chakra network." He began anew. "It's like how the heart pumps blood through your veins, to the rest of your body. Just that instead of blood, it pumps chakra."
Petra, Gunther, and Eld pulled closer, fascinated.
"A chakra… cardiovascular… system." Hange mumbled, scribbling furiously.
Naruto held up two fingers. "Chakra is made up of two things. Spiritual energy, which comes from the mind, and physical energy, which comes from the body."
"Spiritual energy…" Eren mumbled with wide eyes.
"Fascinating." Hanged whispered. "So, you combine them to create chakra, yes?"
Naruto nodded. He waited till' she was done taking notes before continuing. "I know there are three hundred and something Tenketsu spread throughout the body. Though most are only able to use those located in the hands and feet. "
"Tenketsu?" Petra asked, trying the foreign word, "What's that?"
"They're points where you can release chakra." Naruto clarified.
"Is that how you were able to walk up the wall without using your hands?" Hange inquired. "By using this chakra through your feet?"
"Yup."
Oluo scoffed, "Walk up walls? That's impossible."
Hange paid him no mind. "What else can it do?"
Naruto shrugged. "A lot of stuff. It's very versatile. Just channeling it throughout your body makes you faster, stronger, and more durable. It also affects your senses. Like making your vision sharper, or nose being more sensitive to smells."
Petra's eyes widened and exclaimed "That's how you were able to jump so high back in the forest! And how you were able to keep up with the horses!"
Naruto grinned. 'That was nothing. Just wait 'till ya seem me at full speed.'
"Amazing." Hange marveled. "To be able to enhance your body to such a degree."
After describing the concept of chakra reserves, they descended into a relaxing silence, content with the quiet.
Naruto let out a yawn. It'd been a rather long day, his hands were chaffed from holding the reins, and his behind was sore as hell from the saddle. The only reason he'd agreed to ride at all was 'cause he didn't know the way to the survey corps HQ.
Still, he had half a mind to just get off and run ahead. Luckily that was when HQ came into sight.
When they finally stopped, he dismounted and worked a bit of stiffness out of his body with some light stretches. At last, he could lay down and catch some sleep.
That was, until Levi decided the place was too dirty and in a dire need of cleaning. At once.
AN:
Yo, I'm back.
I worked hard to make it as good as possible. Hope you like it!
Go ahead and leave a review or send a PM if you have any suggestions for the story. I'm open to ideas. (Answers to some of your reviews are at the bottom).
It seems a lot of people think I've nerfed Naruto. To that I say, yes, I have. Let me explain why.
The shadow clone jutsu divides the chakra equally amongst the caster and his shadow clones. Which means that if he makes 1000 clones, Naruto and his clones would only have 0.1% of his total chakra each.
What people seem to forget is that there is a cost to using other jutsu too. A simple rasengan uses a shit-ton of chakra. Which is why so few people can actually use it. It's an A-rank jutsu for a reason. Not just because of its lethality, but because of how difficult it is to master, and the chakra required to use it.
It's also stated in canon that a person will die if they run out of chakra completely. What kind of dumbass leaves himself with only 0.1% of his chakra knowing they'll die if they run out?
I grant you that 0.1% of Naruto's chakra might still be a lot. But it's definitely not enough to spam rasengan hundreds of times.
Even more ridiculous is how Naruto shared chakra with the entire shinobi alliance in the war arc without breaking a sweat. No matter what you say, I refuse to believe that he has enough chakra to share with 30000 people and then also spam tailed beast bombs, 50 different types of rasengans, and make tons of clones over and over again.
I tried to make things a little more realistic in my story. Naruto made ten clones. Each got 10% of his total chakra. The more clones he makes, the less chakra they have each, the less jutsu they can perform. That's why he chose to limit them to ten. Because he's smart.
If you enjoy the god-like Naruto ff's where he's a genius and strong enough to defeat Madara before he's even old enough to enter the academy, then this is not the fic for you.
Anyway. Sorry for the long AN. A lot of people mentioned in their reviews that Naruto was super nerfed and that I should explain why that was. Well, there you have it.
Q&A:
1freakshow: I'm doing fine, thank you. I'm happy you like the story.
BlueKnight1940: You wanted another chapter, here you go.
R-king 93: Thanks!
Innerpath: Well, the explanation to why he doesn't make a lot of clones is above. Though I do have other reasons too. You'll see why later on in the story.
Rubendrawdriguez: I can see where you're coming from. He might not be exactly how he was in canon. I wanted him to be sharper as a person, but still keep the traits from canon that make him such an enjoyable character.
Hravennas9: Thanks, good fortune to you as well.
IPPY: Thanks, buddy.
Turtleesh: I definitely agree with you. General fic's that focus more on the journey/adventure are often the most interesting. Thank you for the support!
Uiobok 21 veka: I'm glad you liked it mate.
Spacemonkey777: Good suggestion, and it actually gave me some ideas when writing this chapter, thanks!
Harsaenzi68: Here's another one. (And how do you even scream your eyes off? That sounds kinda painful, not gonna lie.)
Navori: Changes will occur gradually as the story progresses. Naruto has only just begun actually changing things from how they were meant to happen. You'll just have to wait and see :)
Volcasiron30: That's a pretty good summarization of the previous chapter.
Webslinger12: Yes, Naruto can definitely make a lot more clones. The question is whether or not it's a smart decision. You can read my thoughts on shadow clones in the author note above if you haven't already. Like you said, I don't want to make things too easy. That's not to say that things are difficult for him now. The normal titans don't really pose much of a threat to Naruto. Thanks for the kind words.
Surya25addanki: Um, no. I don't think that's how it works man. If I remember correctly, Naruto barely managed to lift that stone frog statue when he was training his sage mode. The boulder Eren lifts in AoT is almost as longs as a 15-meter titan in diameter. Which is significantly larger than the frog statue in Mt. Myoboku.
Thornado: Yeah, I really liked his character. Seeing how much his death affected the main cast, really hit the heart.
Candrariski155: I've been reading lots of fantasy books recently. It's helped my writing a lot.
ch1||: Thanks man.
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~Zenix404~