Chapter 50
That night, the group that explored the food stalls joined Colt and Zeke Jaeger at their seats near the festival stage. Colt notices Falco is missing and Udo explains that Falco ran off when he saw someone he knew. A moment later, Falco runs up and calls for Reiner, asking him to come with him.
"Lady Neumann, I brought him here." Falco says as Reiner notices both Eren and Aya. The two of them are sitting together as Eren says, "Hello, Reiner, it has been four years."
"Grey..." Reiner stares at him with slight surprise. "So you really are Eren..."
"Um, huh? Aren't you three supposed to be old friends? Isn't that right, Mr. Kruger, Lady Neumann?" Falco asks.
"Yeah. There's so much to catch up on. I don't even know where to start." Aya says.
Backstage, Willy Tybur is informed that it is almost time for his theater production to begin. He is greeted by Kiyomi Azumabito and her bodyguards.
Kiyomi says, "I wonder if you've seen Lady Neumann?"
"She won't be attending the meeting. She says that she wants to spend some time with her children." Willy says with a smile.
"I see. I wish you the best of luck."
"I appreciate it, Lady Kiyomi." Willy shakes her hand.
"Sit down, Reiner." Eren says. "They're good seats, right? You can hear everything on stage. The building above us is all housing. It's behind the stage, but it's full of people waiting for the curtains to rise."
Reiner gasps with wide eyes, and Aya points her finger at the ceiling. "Directly above us."
"Mr. Kruger, did you hurt your hand?" Falco notices the hand and Eren says, "Yeah. It's just a scratch. Reiner, why don't you sit down?"
Reiner can only frown as he sits down, Falco says, "Well, I think I'll head back."
"No, Falco. You should stay here and listen." Aya says.
"Huh?" Falco looks confused.
Reiner holds up a hand. "Falco... Just do as they say."
The Warriors and Warrior candidates marvel at how much of the Marleyan military is present at the theater, along with the sheer number of dignitaries and reporters from around the world.
"But why is Lady Neumann not present?" Porco asks.
"She won't be here because of her two children." Zeke says, "And of course, Willy Tybur agreed with her absence."
"Falco and Mr. Braun aren't back yet?" Udo asks.
A soldier comes to them and turns to the Warriors. "Warriors of Marley, Commander Magath has summoned you."
After a silence, with Falco glancing at each person, Reiner finally asks, "Eren...I've should've known it was you the whole time. Whenever you go, Aya will always go with you. But why did you two come here?"
"Same reason you did." Eren says. "Don't you get it? The same reason you did. Because we had no other choice."
Aya looks up and says, "Sounds like it started. Let's listen."
As Willy's speech begins, those down below are listening in, Willy begins to reveal what the war is about with the Titan war and how the first member of the Neumann family was good friends with Ymir and blessed with great power. They fought alongside Ymir for years in the tragic wars that claimed many lives, but after Ymir's death, Neumann was also dead because of the bond with the Founding Titan.
"But now Lady Neumann has returned to Marley, she is the one who could possibly be our savior as it was preordained. I am sorry to say that she cannot be with us now because she gave born to two new Neumann children, but soon, she will lead us to victory."
"You hear that, Reiner? Isn't that why you destroyed the wall? You guys were trying to save the world. Weren't you?" Aya asks.
Meanwhile, the soldier escorting Pieck, Porco Galliard, and Zeke Jaeger orders the latter to go to the gate and has the other two follow him. On their way, Pieck spots her Panzer Unit, the soldiers who man the guns on her Cart Titan. She takes a moment to enthusiastically greet them before coming back to follow the soldier. Eventually, the soldier escorts them inside a building. When Galliard asks where Magath is, the soldier takes out a knife and cuts a rope, triggering a trapdoor, and trapping both Pieck and Galliard underground.
"What's going on here?" Falco thinks. "Why is Vice Chief Braun so scared? Isn't Kruger an old friend of his?"
Then he realizes how Eren says that he's from Paradis and his goal is to protect Aya, and the fact that both Erich and Carla look like him. "Could it be-?!"
On stage, Willy shifts from telling the established story known by the rest of the world, to the truth passed down through the memories inherited by the Tybur family's War Hammer Titan. Rather than Helos or the Tyburs, Karl Fritz was the one who ended the war and saved the world. They also mention how the Neumann Family are also driven away by the people they swore to protect, and are almost prosecuted.
"The true heroes who should've gotten the glory were the Neumann's...they countlessly sacrificed their lives for the cause to bring peace to our world so many times that their blood is on our hands. And since Lady Neumann is their last descendant, we owe it to her and her future family to protect her own future and secure it. But even that is being threatened..."
Meanwhile, far from the theater, Magath takes a report that the Warriors and the soldiers sent to get them have gone missing. He has a search team look for them and wonders if it has begun. Beneath the trap door, Galliard wonders aloud about the pit he and Pieck find themselves in and Pieck suspects it was created to restrain Warriors, being too cramped for them to transform without being squashed to death.
The crowd murmurs as they absorb Willy's story. "But recently, an uprising took place on Paradis Island. King Fritz's peace was undermined by a person who stole the Founding Titan. Once again, there's a threat to our world... a rebel against peace. His name: Eren Yeager!"
Falco notices how Eren heals his wounds, he says, "You tricked me... And here I respected you... But you tricked me!"
"I'm sorry, Falco." Aya says, "But you have to know, this guy right here did the same thing as we did."
"And we really need your help, after all. Since you've been at the hospital for some time, I'm glad that you helped my sister."
Falco also realizes that Dr. Kruger is Eren's sister, and he gasps, "The letters! The ones you had me send! What were they?!"
"They didn't reach my family, but they did reach my comrades. After all, our family is here in Liberio this whole time." Eren says while holding Aya into a hug.
"So Erich and Carla really are your children..." Reiner says.
"The threat of Paradis Island is the stampede of millions of Colossal Titans - a rumbling. As I mentioned, the vow to renounce war prevents the King's bloodline from fully using the Founding Titan. But currently, this 'Eren Yeager' who possesses the Founding Titan may begin this rumbling at any moment. Once the rumbling is set into motion, there is nothing we can do. Nothing but tremble at the footsteps of doom, fleeing in vain. All lands and civilizations will be trampled, literally razed to the ground."
"That's right, it is just like Willy says- I'm the bad guy. I might just destroy the world." Eren says. "But to me, you were the bad guys, too. That day, when the wall was destroyed and Titans invaded my hometown, I watched my mom get eaten."
Falco looks at him with wide eyes at his words.
"I couldn't understand." Eren continues. "Why, Reiner? Why was my mom eaten by a Titan?"
"Because... on that day, we broke the wall." He answered.
"Why did you break the wall?" "To sneak in during the chaos and see how the King would react and to see if a Neumann blood is still alive..."
"What was your mission?" "To retake the Founding Titan and save the world... also bring back a Neumann blood back..."
"I see... If it was to save the world, you didn't have much choice." Aya says.
Reiner looks away. After a silence, he speaks again, "Back then, you told me: 'I'll make you guys suffer and die in the worst way possible.' Isn't that why you came?"
"Oh, I vaguely remember saying that." Eren says.
"Huh?" "Just forget it. True, I saw everyone on the other side of the sea as my enemy. But then, I crossed the sea, slept under the same roof as them, ate the same food... Reiner, I'm the same as you."
"Sure, there are jerks here, but good people, too. Across the sea, within the walls... It's the same. But you guys were taught everyone in the walls was a devil. You were children who knew nothing, but it was drilled into you. You were just kids. What could you even do? Right, Reiner? Hasn't that been eating away at you?"
Reiner kneels and yells, "No, you're wrong, Eren! Aya! That day, when Marcel was eaten, Annie and Bertolt tried to turn back and end the mission. But I... I talked them into it and made them go on! I wanted to be a hero! I wanted people's respect! It's my fault! Your mom was eaten by a Titan because of me! I'm sick of this... of myself! Just kill me!"
Aya says, "Reiner, we're not going to kill you. Instead, you've already suffered much."
Aya helps Reiner to his feet, but Aya says, "You're free, spend more time with your family, that's what matters."
Just then, Reiner widens his eyes as he finally notices Eren's hand holding Aya's other hand, and he passes out on the ground.
"Reiner!" Falco gasps.
At the same time, Willy yells, "To the enemy forces of Paradis... a declaration of war!"
Just then, thunder strikes from above the stage, and Willy is immediately fried to his death, much to everyone's shock. And heavy rain appears as everyone starts running.
"Where did that Thunder come from?" Gabi asks in surprise.
"Look over there!" As Udo points out in the distance, they see a Titan standing at the port close to the sea.
"A Titan?!" Zofia asks in shock.
"That's the Weather Titan!" Gabi says. "She killed Willy Tybur!"
Falco looks at Reiner and says, "What did you do to him?"
Aya says, "We just take away the Armored Titan from him. He will be dead after 2 years, I'm sure that Gabi will be delighted that her cousin isn't going to die because of the Curse of Ymir."
Eren says, "It seems like the soldiers are approaching, should we dance, my princess?"
"We should." Aya says as they take off their outfits, revealing the ODM gear underneath, Falco can only gasp in shock as both Eren and Aya rush out and swiftly kill all the soldiers with just blades.
"What is going on..."
At the same time, Lara gets to the stage and sees Willy's body, she says, "Brother... You fulfilled Tybur's duty admirably."
"You must be Lara Tybur, right?" Just then, bursting out of the ground, Eren stands in front of her with blood on his body, and he starts to glow as he changes into a Titan.
Lara is surprised as she also quickly changes into a Titan, but before she can be fully complete, Eren rushes in and sends a heavy punch across her face.
As the soldiers are trying to engage the Titan, they are all killed with Odom shooting rifles at them, including General Calvi. Aya arrives and says, "Make sure not to hurt the innocents, attack the soldiers and kill them only."
"Of course." Odom says as Aya leaves to find Peter and Dina.
Watching from afar, Commander Magath is informed by his men that the War Hammer Titan risks defeat, General Calvi and the rest of the military command are presumed dead, and the Warriors are still missing. His men urged him to order the evacuation of the VIPs. However, Magath instead fires a rifle.
"It's a useless plink, but this signals the beginning of Marley's counterattack. To think they'd make such a great entrance. What's more, it looks to be the usurper of the Founding Titan - the Attack Titan. Eren Yeager had come in person!" Magath says. "Save us a trip to the island. Get in position! Prepare for battle!"
Aya is running until she finds Colt, Gabi, Udo, and Zofia together. Gabi asks, "Lady Neumann! Have you seen Falco anywhere?"
"I heard that Reiner's with him, they should be safe. Anyways, you need to get out of here as soon as possible." Aya says.
"But..." Gabi says.
"Lady Neumann is right, we'll bring you to the shelter and we'll think of a plan." Colt says.
"As for me, I'm going to join the fight." Aya says as she rushes away.
The fight between the Attack and War Hammer Titans continues, with the latter using its power to make a large spike emerge from the ground, impaling the Attack Titan from the abdomen and raising it several meters above the ground.
From the pit they are trapped in, Pieck and Galliard feel the rumblings caused by the battle. Pieck deduces that the Titans are probably fighting and that this is probably the reason why they were led away. At that moment, the Panzer Unit comes to their rescue, and Pieck reveals that this is because she decided to take measures after noticing that the soldier that would eventually lure them into the trap was suspiciously following them. The two Warriors are taken out of the trap and informed by their rescuers about the battle between the War Hammer and the Attack Titans.
Aya finds Katrina, who has returned back to her human form and joins Peter and Dina. Aya says, "Did we evacuate the innocent people?"
Peter says, "Annie, Armin, Ms. Dina, and I manage to get the citizens into safety, but some of the wagons have bombs set on them and some of the VIPs are killed."
"They're probably going to dump the fault on us!" Katrina grits her teeth. "And there are also some people being trampled on because they are so selfish that they care about themselves."
Aya says, "Eren and Odom took care of the people at the stage, so I'm going to assist them, and if possible, I'm going to take the War Hammer Titan."
Then Aya leaves, and at the same time, Pieck and Porco manage to get out of the building.
"The Weather Titan and the Attack Titan appear during the speech, and the Weather Titan killed Willy while the Attack Titan is now fighting the War Hammer!"
"Where's the Cart's gear?" Pieck asks.
"At HQ! We'll have it done in 15!" "Make it 10!"
Porco says, "I'm going ahead."
Just then, much to their surprise, they see the Scouts flying in with their ODM gears.
"What the-?!" Porco sweats while Pieck's mouth drops and her eyes widen. "You're kidding... There's no way!"
The Attack Titan releases itself by breaking off the end of the spike that was impaling it, and barely avoids an attack by the War Hammer Titan which attempted to strike it in the head with a hammer made of a hardened Titan substance.
The Attack Titan then prepares to charge against its enemy, but it is hit by the cannons of the Marley soldiers. Lara manages to use her hammer to attack Eren, ignoring the hardened fist and destroying the Attack Titan's head. Eren is also shown himself in his ODM gear.
"Usurper, Eren Yeager. Do you have any last words?" Lara asks.
Eren closes his eyes and says, "Now or never, Mikasa, Aya."
And with that, both girls dive into action, the soldiers of Marley watch in utter shock as the woman they thought is on their side aids a 'Devil' in attacking one of their own. Even Willy's little sister is in shock as she feels many thunder spears land into the nape of the neck of her titan and blows up.
Aya manages to touch the final Titan and her hair is now pure white as snow. She commands, "Everyone! Attack now!"
Magath and Koslow gasp in shock as they didn't notice that the scouts suddenly appear behind them and send Thunder Spears at them. They explode when they hit the cannons and kill the soldiers in the process.
Eren turns to Mikasa, "I'm glad you all come."
Mikasa frowns, "Please... Eren, Aya...come home."
Aya asks, "Did Erich and Carla get to safety?"
"Commander Hange and Moblit have them." Mikasa says.
"Good." Aya says.
Hiding inside a building, Commander Theo Magath makes a call to order an entire Marleyan army division and the off-shore fleet to gather at the battlefield and seal off the internment zone, emphasizing that none of the "island devils" of Paradis Island should be allowed to escape; and especially the holder of the Founding Titan, Eren Jaeger, and Aya Neumann, who betrayed them for the devils.
As the room is blown up by the Scout Regiment, the Marleyan soldiers located on the roofs try to shoot them, but the Scouts retaliate by shooting them with pistols attached to their anti-personnel ODM mobility gear.
Katrina notices Floch and rushes to say, "Floch, does anyone in the building evacuated?"
"Except for some soldiers, should I bomb the building?" Floch asks.
"If there's no innocents or children, then sure." Katrina says, and Floch bombs the building, after that, Jean rushes and yells, "Hey! You gonna burn the whole zone down! What part of keeping civilian casualties to a minimum don't you get, Floch?!"
"It's their fault if they refuse to follow Armin and Annie to leave. Did you forget how they massacred humanity inside the walls?! We were eaten alive, damn it! They've got it coming!"
"You're still saying that?" Jean asks.
"It is just as Eren says, we need to fight! What we need... is a devil like him!" Floch says.
At the same time, Mikasa says, "So this is the War Hammer Titan?"
Aya frowns and says, "Yeah. But those soldiers seem to have planned that we're gonna attack... they place bombs inside the VIP carriages so that they can blame the whole fault on us."
"Guys... it's not over yet." Eren says as he points at the War Hammer Titan trying to get up.
"Impossible! We blew up its nape!" Mikasa says.
"And while we were talking, we just lost our chance to get the War Hammer Titan to us..." Aya frowns. "The War Hammer uses hardening to make whatever it needs. That must be why it won't die, no matter what we do, Mikasa, Aya."
Odom also arrives and says, "The military on the left side has been taken care of."
"Good." Aya says, "Assist Armin and Annie to evacuate the Eldians."
Odom leaves as the War Hammer continues to attack, Eren also uses his gear to escape just like the three of them. Lara yells, "Lady Neumann! Why have you betrayed us?"
"Who said I'm on your side, to begin with? Sure, a Neumann can lead the war to victory, but they never mention which side of the war, and if I have to choose, I'm always by the Founding Titan's side."
"YOU TRAITOR!" As she is about to attack again, Eren says, "Get its attention. If this works, I can eat the War Hammer Titan."
At the same time, Colt and the others are waiting for Falco and Reiner, and Gabi, being the impatient one, rushes out as Colt yells, "Gabi! Where are you going?"
"I'm joining the fight too! If I can beat those devils, I will be able to become the Good Eldian and get to be the next Armored Titan."
"You're still saying that?" Udo yells, but Gabi already leaves.
"Wait Gabi!" Before Zofia and Udo can chase after them, Colt quickly stops them and says, "Enough!"
Finding a convoy of reinforcements, Gabi requests to be allowed in one of the cars, but the gate guards order her to go home. At that moment, the area is attacked by the Scout Regiment, who strike the soldiers with bombs and bullets. As one of the guards tells Gabi to run, he is also killed by a sniper and Gabi spots his killer, Sasha Braus, atop a nearby roof.
"The side's blocked off. Let's go, Sasha." Connie comes and says.
"Connie... Did you forget about the lights?" Conny then places a lamp in the corner of a roof and the two go to find their comrades. Watching them flee and infuriated even further by the killing of even more people whom she knows and loves as she looks at one of the fallen guards' bodies, Gabi grabs the rifle left by one of them.
Eren, Aya, and Mikasa are still fighting the Titan, and Eren says, "I remember... there was something abnormal with how the War Hammer materialized. It was the first time I have seen a titan form from the feet up. Not from its neck but from beneath the stage it was standing on...so that's where its body is."
Eren says, "Mikasa, give me the Thunder Spear."
Mikasa nods as she gives Eren one, and Eren throws the Thunder Spear at the ground behind the War Hammer Titan, and it breaks off and Lara emerges crystalized.
"Aya! Mikasa! Break the wire!" Mikasa and Aya rush to break the wire, and it is then the War Hammer Titan falls to the ground.
"Mikasa, make sure the War Hammer Titan isn't going to move again, Eren and I are going to take the War Hammer Titan power."
Mikasa nods as she starts to fly around the titan, but just before Aya and Eren can take the powers, Porco appears with his Jaw Titan and manages to push Eren to the ground and grabs it in the air.
"What the..." Eren is surprised as he tries to struggle free.
"Eren!" Mikasa and Aya yell in worry.
"Grey Kruger, no Eren Yeager... I know you're not a normal bodyguard of Lady Neumann. I've been waiting for this moment! I'm retaking the Founding Titan!" As Porco opens his mouth, just then, Levi comes and slices the Jaw Titan's nape, and at the same time, Aya quickly uses her ODM gear to save Eren.
"What the..." Porco is shocked and Aya yells, "Dad! You're finally here!"
Porco notices Levi and says, "Was that him? Is that... Ackermann?! And did Lady Neumann say, Dad? That means Lady Neumann is not only a Neumann but an Ackermann! That's two times worse!"
Levi glares and says, "Touch my son-in-law and you're dead." Then Katrina also arrives and she fires a bomb at Porco, causing a lot of damage to him as he falls to the ground. When he looks up again, he sees all of the scouts flying around.
"You're kidding! Can't you see I'm a Titan?! These guys are just humans, yet they're coming to kill me?! These guys... They're the devils of Paradis!"
And here is my own version of the attack on Liberio. And as you can see, Udo and Zofia aren't going to die, and Aya already takes Reiner's Armored Titan power. I hope you like this chapter.