[Started on March 12, 2021]

[01:18 hours, Philippines]


Please review! I always reply. Guest reviewers get replies here, user replies get replies via PM.


=== (Fun Fact) ===

Hange Zoe may also be "Hanji Zoe" or "Hans Zoe" according to the Wiki.


=== (Game of Gods) ===

After the battle of Shingashina, five years prior…

"Dad? I'm… I'm sleepy."

"Don't worry, Eren. Just trust me."

"Eren?"

"Eren?! What—"

"Doctor Yaeger."

"W-what?! Who-who's there?!"

"The boy who saved your son. Last I recall, I did not save him only for him to be killed by his father."

"No."

"No? What do you mean 'no'?"

"I'm not killing him. I'm helping him save humanity!"

"Doctor Yeager, let me be frank." SMACK! "I know about the outside world. I know who you really are. I have my Grandfather to thank for that. What I don't know, let alone understand, is that for some odd reason, you're here in the woods with your son."

"Grandfather? No, that doesn't matter. If you know who I am then you know what I am!"

"Hardly. Grandfather tells me things he feels need telling. Everything else, I have to find out on my own. Now, again, why are you here? Did you have something to do with that fire earlier?"

"… Yes… I started it."

"You better have a very good explanation then. Otherwise, you came here at a bad time. A very bad time."

"How do I know you won't tell the government?"

"Pfft. Please. They killed my father, and my mother is still missing. Everyone says she's dead, but I never buried her."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't. All you have is my word."

"… Okay…. I'll tell you..."

=== Chapter Six: Battle of Trost District (II) ===

Annie Leonhart flies through the buildings killing titan after titan.

At first, the plan was to have her kill them in order to keep her cover from being blown. But, after seeing the powers of Naruto and Satsuki the night before? "There's no way we can win," her mind says.

WOSH!

As she zooms past from roof to roof, she checks her gas. "About just enough to make it back to the supply tower," Annie's mind muses. Landing on a roof, Annie then has a thought. "Wait, supply tower… why… why haven't we been supplied yet? Don't tell me I'll have to transform into a Titan—" her thoughts are cut short as a sight catches her eye.

Men, women, and teens, all wearing the brown jacket of the military, stand scattered up on rooftops further on ahead.

Now! After being presented with the choice of joining them or standing alone on a roof? Annie chooses the wise, and primal decision similar to those of fish; to stay within the school as a form of protection. With that said, she swings and flings herself to the scattered and haphazard group of recruits.

Landing calmly, she looks around and sees Reiner and Bertolt. She goes to speak with them while ignoring the murmurs and mumblings of others.

"Annie!" Bertolt smiles. "You're safe!"

The young woman nods while her face is as stoic as ever. "I am, but not for long." She then taps her gas canister. "I'm almost out of gas," she says before looking around. "Almost like everyone else here." Annie then takes her time to look around and, to her surprise, she sees Armin nearby leaning against a wall. She looks around again and she cannot help but voice, "Wait, where's—"

Unfortunately, Annie is cut off as the sound of zipping wire and hissing gas rings out as Mikasa Ackerman lands on the same roof she is on.

"Mikasa," Annie greets flatly.

"Annie," Mikasa returns the greeting in kind. "Just us?"

"Hey, guys!" Sasha shouts as she lands on the same roof as her two fellow Shadows. "You made it!" She then looks around, almost comically, really, an act that is hardly fitting for the situation. "Where's Eren?"

Mikasa agrees. "I want to know that, too."

Annie shrugs. "Armin's over there. He's probably nearby."

Looking around, but finding nothing, the Ackerman decides it to best to ask directly. "Armin, where's Eren?"

"Eh?" Armin's head snaps up.

"Come to think of it, where's your squad?" Reiner asks while looking around.

"I…" Armin starts, but the rest of his words are caught in his throat. "Do I tell them?! Do I tell Mikasa about Eren?! What if… what if they will think I'm just a coward?! Wait, no, they'll hate me more if I just stay quiet! But Mikasa is too over-protective of Eren! But—"

"Armin."

The boy in question snaps his head to look at his childhood friend.

"Where's Eren?"

The blonde swallows hard... and steels his resolve. "They're… they're all dead," he finally lets out. "I… everyone from my squad…" tears swell in his eyes as he looks Mikasa in the eye. "Mina Carolina," he sniffs, "Mylius Zeramuski, Nac T-Tias…" his voice breaks and rises, "Th-Thomas Wagner… Eren Yeager!" now, Armin shouts in anguish. "Squad 34 has been completely annihilated!"

The eyes of everyone present, and within hearing distance, widens.

How can they not? Especially after hearing that even someone from the Top Ten, someone who certainly knew how to motivate people, died.

Yet, as all hope seems lost, a new, yet familiar voice greets the cadets.

"You mean to tell me…" the sound of boots tapping the tiles grows as he gets closer.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"That one of my students…"

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Just died?"

All eyes turn to stare at a blonde man they know all-too-well. A man, who can suddenly appear and vanish like the wind.

Naruto Uzumaki.

The man now walks, at a very steady pace, towards one Armin Arlert.

The fellow blonde male can only voice his reply in one word. "Huh?"

"That isn't the case," Naruto says. "If he died, I would know."

Mikasa's heart flutters. "So, he's alive?" she cannot help but ask. Yet, to her dismay, Naruto opts for ignoring her question with a shrug making her glare at him. Perfectly expected. Still, the blonde chooses to change the subject to something that is perfectly valid to question.

"So, why are you all just standing around here?"

"What?" everyone's mind unanimously utters. After all, he should know they barely have any gas left, right? Not only that, but no one is even bothering to resupply them! Surely that should be obvious enough!

And yet, Sasha Braus chooses to answer the man's question, albeit rather timidly. "I-it's because w-we don't have enough g-gas climb the walls, s-sir."

Naruto gives a prolonged 'ahhh' before nodding his head in understanding. "So," he takes a breath… and then his next words come without rest. "Because you don't have enough gas, you all just plan to die here, become titan food, leave all your friends and family, even your pets, perhaps, and of course, that involves shitting and pissing yourselves at the same time while you get eaten. Is that it?"

The response is as expected.

All those around him stare on with disbelieving looks. Some give him looks more of shock, others more of shame, while others, still, give looks that show more of anger, yet no matter which looks he gets, he can clearly tell that each look contains each of the three emotions listed and his response… is a simple, and innocent, "What?"

To his surprise, someone actually answers. "That was… just a very casual way of saying things." It is Annie who voices her thoughts, and whatever look she may have had is now gone and is once again replaced by her stoic expression.

Naruto simply shrugs. "What, are you all expecting a speech to motivate you?" He chooses to wisely ignore a very light blush on the face of one Mikasa Ackerman in favour of continuing, "Hey, I don't know about you, but I'd rather die fighting than die begging."

Murmurs shuffle around. Whispers are shared, and mumbles are processed.

But the blonde man has more important things to do.

"Annie, Mikasa, Sasha!"

On instinct, drilled into them from Naruto and Satsuki's training, they form up with their salute. "Sir!" Their minds completely ignore the now growing number of stares they are receiving.

"You three, spearhead towards the tower," Naruto explains. "I'll be right behind you. If you trust me, you will live. Understood?!"

"Sir! Yes! Sir!"

"Good," the man smiles at them. "Go."

Like clockwork, the three launch their wires and hooks and swing away.

Naruto looks around and smirks. "Anyone who wants to die like useless pieces of shit, feel free to stay! Those who wish to fight on until their last breath, with the hope that you will see your loved ones again, to the tower! Your choice, dipshits!" And just like that, Naruto dives off the roof.

With his dive, so too go the hearts of the cadets. Yet—

WISHHH

"SEE YOU LATER, WEAKLINGS!"

Their spirits soar when they see the blonde fling himself farther than any of them ever could. And then his words sink in.

"WEAKLINGS?!" Jean Kirstein shouts in outrage. "I SURVIVE AND YOU CALL ME A WEAKLING?! YOU EVEN REFUSED TO TRAIN ME!" He immediately rushes to the edge of the roof and flings himself after his former special commandant. "LIKE HELL I'LL ACCEPT BEING PUT INTO THEIR LOT! I'LL SURVIVE!"

His proclamation causes a chain reaction.

One after the other, the cadets fling themselves after the spearhead heading towards the tower.

Soon, all cadets but one fades into the distance.

"Armin, are you seriously not going?"

The young Arlert twists himself to see another Naruto Uzumaki standing right before him. "How—" his mind begins to ask, but he halts the thought. His mind goes back to the first and last time Naruto showed such skill… during the sparring session against Satsuki.

"Arlert," Naruto calls snapping the boy from his thoughts. "I asked you a question."

Armin swallows. "Y-Yes sir," he says. "I'm weak."

Naruto scoffs. "Physically? Maybe," he shrugs in agreement. Then, to his fellow blonde's surprise, he places a hand on his shoulder. "Mentally? One of the greatest I know of."

"What do you—"

"You had a question, didn't you?" Naruto cuts him off. "I saw that look. What was it?"

The younger one swallows… before conceding. "Sir, why… if you can make so many copies of yourself like back then during your spar with Satsuki… why aren't you doing it now? You… you can save everyone!" His voice cracks with the last word. "I… I couldn't even save my squad."

"See," Naruto smiles. "A sharp mind. You remember. No one else outside of my Shadows seems to remember, but you do." Comfortingly, he pats his fellow blonde on the back causing the boy to give a slight 'UMPH' at the pat.

"Shadows, sir?" Armin manages to ask after regaining his composure.

"Yes. With a capital 'S', mind you."

"Mikasa, Sasha, Annie, and Eren, sir?"

Naruto smiles. "Bingo." And he says nothing more.

"Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"M-May I request an answer for my earlier question?"

The Uzumaki sighs. His eyes look on in the distance as another him, along with three of his Shadows, followed by all the rest, make a beeline towards the tower. "If I did that, if saved everyone, they would never learn. Sure, I can destroy all the titans in an instant, but there is a war coming. A war far grander than any of you, as of this moment, can fathom," Naruto explains. He continues, "Heed my advice, Armin."

The boy in question freezes, yet he gives the older blonde his full attention.

"Trust no one but me and my Shadows," Naruto says, his eyes cold and hardened. "There are things you are yet to know, but you will soon enough." He glances to the back wall of Trost and frowns before turning back to face the boy. "Now go," he says. "I can give you a boost to catch up."

"How—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Armin finds himself screaming after being flung towards the others.

All in courtesy to Naruto throwing him with via a front flip over his shoulders.

Thankfully, "Umph!" another Naruto catches him.

"I'm dropping you. Keep up with the group," The older of the two says.

"Y-Yessir!"

And indeed, he is dropped. Thankfully, while Armin is far from the most physically fit, he is still skilled enough to use the ODM as all graduates and soldiers should.

He keeps up.

=== (Game of Gods) ===

Levi Ackerman, dressed in his Scouting Regiment uniform, stands as one of his men gives their last breath while Petra, one of his other subordinates, looks on sadly as another soldier loses their life in this war.

However, the grieving can wait.

"Levi!"

The man in question turns to face his superior. "Erwin," he acknowledges.

"Pack up. We're going back to the wall."

Levi grunts, annoyed. "My men will have died for nothing."

"The Titans are all converging towards Trost," Erwin says, and he leaves it at that.

Levi, however, counters. "Naruto's there. We can continue on."

"That may be so, but I still wish for us to return. He is only one man after all."

The Ackerman snorts. "As am I, Erwin," he counters, but then immediately sighs and concedes. "You don't know what he's capable of, but fine, let's head back. I owe my brother that much." He whistles for his horse which gallops from out a nearby corner and Levi swiftly mounts it. "HYAH!"

Petra can't help but voice her question. "Brother?"

"A man who's been working in the shadows for quite a while, that is Levi's brother," Erwin explains. "You'll meet him soon. My gut is sure of that."

=== (Game of Gods) ===

As the four in the spearhead make a beeline towards the tower, Naruto calls out from behind his three students. "Sasha! Annie! You head on ahead! Mikasa! Hang back!"

"What?! Why?!" Sasha shouts almost bursting into tears. She can't handle it alone! "I can't handle it alone!"

Naruto, for his response, rolls his eyes. "Sasha! Annie! Do you trust me?!"

Sasha hesitates, Annie almost freezes.

Almost.

The two girls then share a look of resignation. "Fine!" Sasha shouts. "But you better come back alive, Sensei! And take care of Mikasa!" Annie, for her part, simply nods.

Mikasa, however… well, Mikasa complies, yes, but she sends her infamous glare towards Naruto.

A glare that Naruto simply snorts at.

"What?" Mikasa blinks

The Uzumaki plainly states, "Your glares may work on others, Ackerman, but not on me." His eyes land on a nearby roof before going back to those still with the group. "Jean! Connie! Armin!" He shouts getting the attention of all the others. "Spearhead! Now! I'll see you all there!" And with that, he diverts his course. "Mikasa! With me!"

Gritting her teeth, Mikasa follows suit.

The two soldiers land on the nearby rooftop Naruto spotted, and upon landing, Naruto walks over to the nearby edge with Mikasa lagging behind. "That's certainly an annoying issue she has, her fucking obsession with Eren," Naruto muses to himself. "Looks like I better set things straight before it goes any further."

Mikasa, for her part, still maintains a smaller, but still visibly present glare—"ACKERMAN!"—which Naruto promptly snaps away with his shout. She finds herself saluting him on instinct. "S-Sir!"

"Stop with the glare," Naruto waves her off. "You're not still mad at me dodging your question about Eren, are you?"

"…"

The man sighs. "Of course, you are," he says exasperatedly. At this, the two of them look at each other with one showing disappointment, and the other one showing shame, and as she should, in the former's opinion. In effect, the latter of the two breaks the eye contact by turning her head away.

"I'm sorry," she mutters while attempting to hide herself behind her scarf. "I am a disgrace as a soldier," she realizes. "If I can't trust my superiors, how can I protect Eren?"

Pat.

Mikasa's eyes widen as she feels a warm hand on her head. A big warm hand that belongs to none other than Naruto Uzumaki, commander of the Shadow Regiment, and lest she forgets, a man who is only two years older than she. Honestly, she'd push him away. After all, he is touching her out of nowhere. Yet she does not. Still, she voices her thoughts-turned-question.

"Who said you could touch me?"

Naruto, being who he is, smirks and ruffles her hair making her growl. He laughs at that rather cute second attempt at being threatening, and then brings them back to the important subject. "I'm not telling you not to get mad or frustrated," he explains, "but I am telling you that you're worrying for nothing."

"Why?" she growls back.

The whiskered man snorts. "Because Eren holds a power currently beyond your understanding." He then gives a gentle pinch to Mikasa's nose forcing the girl to give out a very cute yelp of surprise. "Now stop growling. It just makes you cuter."

Of course, Mikasa, being who she is, simply gives him a blank stare that promises death. Which of course has the usual side effect when it comes to this story's blonde protagonist.

"Ha! Cute," Naruto jests while turning back around to face the open streets sprinkled with titans. "Wanna grab dinner after today?"

And THAT question causes Mikasa to blink owlishly. "What?" comes her valid response.

"Wanna grab dinner after today?"

"You… you make it sound like we'll win!" she shouts, almost as if outraged by the prospect. Leave it to Naruto to break any stone-faced individual. "You even sound like you know we'll both live!"

Naruto simply shrugs and smiles. "Well, I trained you. Of course, you'll live, but more importantly, if you want to see Eren again, you have to live."

Stomp.

Stomp.

Stomp.

Stomp.

"Huh," Naruto rubs his chin as two titans come into view. "Speak of the devil."

For the umpteenth time this day, Mikasa asks a question that she knows is far from the last time. "What?"

=== (Game of Gods) ===

In the realm of gods, outraged outcries ring out as gods and goddesses exchange accusations, stories, and complaints amongst each other…

Among many of these gods are gods of many worlds, both of past and future. A group of them, comprising a circle of twenty-or-so members, however, are currently discussing the events of a certain world.

"What do you mean he interfered in the world of another god?!" A deep-voiced god demands.

A calmer god replies, "Relax, his son was killed. It is only natural he will wish to help his grandson."

"We gods are never meant to set foot into mortal worlds!" the same god states.

A loud and stupefied scoff is heard. "Really, Zeus? YOU, of all of us, say that?"

"Bah! It's MY world—"

Another god cuts him off. "Which you got promptly replace by the likes of Him."

"Him?! Him?! He—"

Another loud and brash god cuts Zeus off. "Is an even higher God than any of us here! He is all-knowing! All-seeing! I suggest you watch your tone!"

"You take His side?!" Zeus asks, outraged at the prospect of another god choosing to support the god who replaced him.

"Oh, shut up! Both of you!" An annoyed god or goddess shouts, their voice carrying both intonations of a man and woman. "We're steering away from the topic at hand!"

Another god agrees. "You're right." Then he tries to steer things in favour of his brother. "I suggest we kill Asura."

"Poseidon, please. You… want to KILL Asura? HA! You're dumber than your brother!" goes another god.

"I have B-R-O-T-H-E-R-S, not just one—"

The same god who insulted Poseidon snorts. "Which reminds me! Hades is the only faithful god out of your pantheon!"

"You little—"

"Boys! Enough!" comes the feminine but still very much powerful order of a goddess. "He's here."

All gods and goddesses present turn to look at the god making their way to them.

It is a god who currently chooses to appear as a man with short blonde hair similar to both Naruto and Minato, and his bare torso shows a lean muscular physique that can give the Attack on Titan a run for its money. Of course, his most distinctive features are how his eyes are glowing white, along with the many markings on his body that look as if they are engraved into him. As for his lower half, he wears white pants with red flaming patterns that are neatly tucked into his golden ceremonial greaves with a white sash around his waist, and what looks to be a white half-skirt more akin to the end of a tailcoat flowing behind him.

"Hello, Asura," greets the goddess. "You're not in your astral form?"

Asura shrugs. "I see everyone's started their own party without me."

Another god snorts. "Oh, that? Zeus was complaining how he was replaced by Him."

"Really? For a petty reason like that? Okay, fine, I'll indulge you. Zeus! Dipshit!" Asura calls out making all gods and goddesses present turn to him.

"What did you—"

"You and your other gods can create things, but first need something to do so. HE," Asura points upwards to emphasize the 'He' he is referring to and the continues, "on the other hand, can create something out of nothing. Or so the humans of the world you formerly ruled says so."

"They don't understand us gods!"

"And you don't understand a higher power! I have not come to irk Him, so let us get the meat of our meeting! I must guide my grandson once again! And as you can see, we need to actually BE HERE, in order for us to talk. I'm sure He, the God of Abraham, is listening in even without being here. In fact! He probably knows all we're going to do and say anyway! That's how much higher he is than all of us! NOW! Meeting! Come on! I don't have all day!"

"Of course," a goddess says with a tone that makes one think she smiled. "It is requested that you do not interfere in their world anymore."

"And if I refuse?" Asura dares them.

"Then we too shall interfere."

Asura smiles. "Then come! After all, this is the Game of Gods."

At his words, many of the gods and goddesses actually flinch. Only a few gods and goddesses dare to stand against him.

"You are aware of the implications of your words, Asura, yes?" Poseidon's voice asks.

Asura's form bursts into an unfathomable ray of light! One that has even the gods present shielding their eyes! "DO NOT LECTURE ME ON IMPLICATIONS, POSEIDON! YOU AND YOUR PANTHEON ARE THE LAST I WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM! AND DO NOT THINK I DO NOT KNOW THAT ONE OF YOU BASTARDS INTERFERED IN THAT WORLD! IF YOU WANT A WAR! I WILL GIVE YOU A WAR!"

BOOM!

And just like that, Asura ruptures into a pillar of light.

Yet his voice echoes. "COME THEN! LET US PLAY THE GAME OF GODS!"


=== (Next Time) ===

Chapter Seven: Battle of Trost (III)


=== (Reminder) ===

Please review! I always reply. Guest reviewers get replies here, user replies get replies via PM.

ALSO! This is F-A-N-F-I-C-T-I-O-N.
Just in case you forgot that you're not the writer and that you don't control the story or even the writer making the story.

That doesn't mean you can't SUGGEST though! Hope to hear from you soon!


[Finished on March 25, 2021]

[12:48 hours, Philippines]


[Proofread on March 25, 2021]

[13:12 hours, Philippines]