Chapter 18
Grabbing the Knife
Puerto Rico was an odd place, he decided there and then. Since moving there he had always heard disdain for the US. "Lack of supplies", "not doing enough", or variations thereof. Oh, he knew it could never be the entire population of the American territory, but as the bus rolled steadily ahead, all he could think of was...
"Man... for disliking the US, people here are really excited for this..."
Perhaps a redundant thought, but what else could he think of? The crowds snapping pictures of the combined fleet out in the blue ocean made it difficult for cars to move properly in the streets of the old city.
San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, had been steadily amassing military vessels from various countries, and the shift in a previous couple of months was still palpable. More salesmen on the streets all trying to take advantage of the crowds as they prepared for what arguably had to be one of the biggest historic moments in world history, with their otherwise insignificant island in the middle of it. He could see the green fields of the ancient Spanish fort that still stood. As usual, people were in the grass, still flying their kites, but he saw plenty more looking at the fleet in the distance.
The bus lurched to a stop and the bearded professor excitedly said "Alright, guys let's go, let's go. We don't know when they'll open it, but it can't be too long now."
As the college students hopped off the bus, an older one walked up to him, saying "Dude, that's the New Jersey!"
Frank said "Yeah, I hear her guns aren't operative, though. They basically just made her seaworthy again."
"I know, but still... A battleship going to war... man, if it was the Bismarck... oh, that would be awesome."
Frank didn't reply to his friend's strange fascination with World War 2 German weaponry. Oh, it wasn't like he was much better, majoring in history, but he did wonder what was so appealing about it. Oh, well. Not his place. No, he was more curious about how many other ships were there.
He reached into his backpack, grabbing a pair of binoculars before peering into the sea. He spotted a single Union Jack in the distance that belonged to some kind of destroyer he would probably guess wrong if asked about the class, but he couldn't make out any other flags or ships aside from the New Jersey and her escorts, sighing in mild disappointment as his classmates chatted amongst one another.
"Says there's like five tasks groups going in, so... that's what, 30 ships?" one asked.
"Maybe more." said another.
"Should send more, to be honest. You're gonna need a lot more than that to fight an entire planet." a third one said.
"Aren't the reverse United Nations over there only at early-twentieth-century tech?" one of the few girls mumbled.
"Well, yeah, but still. It's an entire planet." the first one replied.
"We shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place if you ask me. Only reason we're staying is because of that idiot in the white house." the second one bemoaned.
Frank finally said "Last I checked, we're not invading either. It's more of a defensive campaign like in 1991."
"What do you call all those ships then?"
"Uh... a defensive force, duh..." Frank said, shifting slightly in place.
"Uh-huh... Well, regardless, we shouldn't have gotten involved. Should just let these people sort it out themselves."
"Would that be the better option?" Frank asked.
"I don't know, I just know that this whole thing... yeah, I don't like it."
Frank eyed the fleet without another word, his eyes falling on the former museum ships.
How long until they go through?
"Guys!"
Frank turned around, noting everyone was looking at their phones.
It didn't take a genius to figure it out.
The invasion of Paradis was underway.
And the fleet that was arguably needed to end the war was still on earth.
…
Lieutenant Youji Itami sighed as he spoke into the radio.
"Look, Admiral, we can hear you just fine, the problem is that we can't go outside to confirm if the portal is open or not. Not until tonight."
Kuribayashi tried to ignore it. She kept her eyes peering out the small gap between the curtain and the window, staring at the man in all black who pretending to read a newspaper across the street. It was obvious, however, that he was staring at their little hideout.
Wish they just let me off the chain already... I could beat these guys no problem...
Her lieutenant kept talking, almost as if he were countering her silent wishes.
"The safety of the ambassador is our priority, sir... yes, I understand. We'll get back to you tonight."
Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as the man across the street got up and left. She focused instead on the Japanese representative as he asked his questions.
"What is it?"
"The task force wants to open the portal early and push in immediately... now that word's out the invasion's starting... well... Americans being eager to go fight isn't entirely new."
The representative said "We have several destroyers in that task force as well, you know... I'm sure they want in just as bad."
"Maybe. Maybe. But I think this is just urgency based on wanting to partake in the war, not so much actually help people." Itami sighed.
Shino stayed quiet.
"Why is that, Lieutenant?"
"It's a World War 1 army at best... any idea how well they'll perform against modern tanks, close air support, and precision weaponry? They might as well be a medieval army. Even if they have the manpower, they're not accomplishing a single goal of theirs. Mark my words."
At this Shino asked "What about us? Think we stand a chance against a mirrored version of the Kenpeitai?"
Itami said "We have some assault rifles that outclass whatever guns they may bring. Why?"
"Cause our friend across the street left his post."
Itami perked up, his lips forming a thin line as he let out a heavier sigh, grabbing a cigarette from his pocket and a lighter.
"Well... Shino... maybe you'll get some proper action soon... get the guys ready... we may have to set ourselves up for a defense."
"A defense?" the Representative asked.
Itami only nodded grimly.
…
Kenny Ackerman was still not used to the amount of cooperation he was seeing. Not even his late teams had this level of cooperation amongst their ranks. They were loyal, certainly, and they didn't fight or argue a whole lot, but this...
He watched as someone, pale from living underground and another pale from a relatively easygoing life in Wall Sina, both carried a crate of recently assembled artillery rounds outside. It was a kind of desperation, some perhaps imagined, some not, but the fact was that the world turning against them had almost fully united the people within the walls.
Mostly...
"We should've just sunk those damned ships..." he heard someone to his left mumble.
He glanced at Djel Sannes, the man crossing his arms and staring at the production in the factory.
Kenny huffed, not disagreeing.
"I get it, there's no use arguing about it now. But they're going to land men. Men that want to slaughter everyone here. The plans to make towns, inhabit the rest of the island, all that is on hold. People may begin starving again and food rationing is probably going to be ordered once again..."
"Assuming it gets very bad, perhaps." Kenny sighed, watching as more young men carried crates outside.
"They asked us for our services... they ignored us... think they'll blame us if they fail?"
Kenny shrugged, saying "They have soft hearts... say, did I ever tell you about my first time meeting King Reiss?"
"Huh?"
"The old coot... could've squished me... didn't..."
"Yes, I know... but what about it?"
"Maybe these people feel a degree of responsibility to end the war with as few deaths as possible, civilian-wise at least. And maybe they have the power to do so? It doesn't really matter. All we can do is provide what support we can."
Djel only nodded, as another pair of workers carried another crate of ammunition outside.
"Think our forces are prepared? The ones we trained, I mean."
Kenny only shrugged.
He could only imagine the ongoing chaos at the front.
...
"Hunter 1-6, we've got bad guys on our six and we're headed your way. Say again, bad guys on our six!"
Ryan shuddered at the radio transmission. They'd already been battle-carrying a HEAT round, but now it seemed like the fighting was going to hit them sooner than they had anticipated.
Much sooner.
He swallowed.
"Hey, relax, we had worse odds in that district, remember?"
"You say that... but... think about it... they just killed God only knows how many people... like that... and now... they're throwing them at us like-"
"Yeah, I'd rather not think about it, thanks..." Darnell said before getting on the radio. "Hobbes, how's your crew?"
"Holding positions." came the swift reply over the radio.
Ryan mumbled "Germans... how do they sound so relaxed even now?"
Darnell turned to him, saying "Germans never get rattled, not in Verdun, not in Stalingrad, not even during Berlin's downfall, they're all nutjobs that can only think of work. It's why they can't tell jokes."
"If all they can do is focus on work, then why were their tanks so bad back then?"
"Because they made them overly complicated for the extra work. Ever have to change a wheel on a King Tiger? They could've only made it that way for the extra work hours, I swear."
"Ask him."
"Hey, Hobbes?"
The radio crackled back "Yeah?"
"King Tigers... what's the deal with their wheels?"
"They were placed like that for added suspension."
"Did it add any suspension?"
"Negative."
There was a half-hearted chuckle, a needed relaxation from the pre-combat nerves.
They stopped as they could just faintly make out a distant booming sound, even within the tanks.
"Alright... fun's over... Ryan, get another Sabot round ready."
"Got it."
Martinez groaned, adding "Just like early on... we hit where we can with the main gun and co-ax where needed."
"Yeah."
First over the horizon were the trucks with the civilians, followed by some MRAPs, all at full speed as they almost flew over the dunes in the desert.
Ryan swallowed, gripping the 120-millimeter sixteen-pound Sabot round a little tighter.
A tanned Humvee jumped over a dune, almost losing control as it sped on across their line of fire.
And then they came.
Their heads peered over the horizon briefly before their misshapen torsos and waving arms were visible, the creatures running, some crawling on all fours as they sped steadily towards the main line of tanks.
"Contact! Martinez, see that one fat prick with the red hair? Bearing two-four-seven, range Four thousand meters and closing fast."
"Identified!"
Ryan was focused on waiting for the main gun to fire so he could load the shell, but he imagined the monsters crossing into the M1 Abram's effective firing range rapidly as Darnell spoke loudly after a moment.
"Yeah, well, he's not really my type..."
He waited a moment.
3,950.
3,940.
It vanished behind a hill before peering over the next.
3,900 meters away.
"Fire!"
"On the way!"
The tank shook as the 120-millimeter main gun fired, and Ryan could just make out the explosion of other tanks nearby doing the same. He imagined the rounds impacting the attacking mass of monsters. They weren't going to miss. Not with targets that size. The rounds would fly through the air, clearing thousands of feet every second before slamming into the advancing monsters, cutting their numbers down.
"Martinez! Fast-moving fat one! Range thirty-eight hundred."
"Identified!"
He sucked in a breath, loading the Sabot round.
"Up!"
"Fire!"
The Abrams shook again.
…
Willy sat on what could arguably be called a sort of "situation room", the chair was comfortable but it did little to alleviate the stress he was feeling. He knew of the men readying to disembark, he could see some of the warships inching closer to shore, the titans having long since chased the enemy deeper into the mainland.
But perhaps worse of all was the look General Calvi was giving him. The man wasn't betraying any emotions, nor was he saying much of anything, occasionally acknowledging something an officer told him, but mostly just staring out to sea, away from the island with a resigned expression.
General Osman entered, loudly saying "The soldiers of the world are ready, gentlemen. Let's review the information!"
Willy stood up, not speaking as the generals gathered over the map.
It was the Romanov General who said "Our cavalry shall disembark first and foremost. We will scout ahead, determine where the enemy is positioned, and initiate probing attacks."
"Indeed, meanwhile our forces in the north shall do the same." the Frankish general replied, tapping the northern tip of the island on the map.
"Excellent, The bulk of our forces will be moved behind the Romanovs... this route, west to east... it's the shortest route to the walls."
"Assuming the titans made them retreat back into the walls." Calvi sighed.
"I'm sure they would. Had Zeke been here we would've done it with less. Now they face triple the titans."
"And we've lost three-fifths of our human shields."
"It's enough."
Willy said, "What about the east... the Germanic forces really plan on taking it alone?"
The general smirked, saying "We are fully devoted."
Willy nodded, and said, "Then all that's left is to give the go-ahead."
…
The mountains were quite a familiar sight for him.
The distant blue sky, the green landscapes, the rolling hills, the desolate beaches. Anyone that had been to Normandy or Provence could draw parallels.
The Pre-dreadnought warships deploying troops onto the land were unique to him, however.
For Captain Caesar Khesar, it was a pitiful sight as he observed through his binoculars. The men down below were rowing, fighting the waves as they approached the island with some haste. His attention shifted to the larger ships.
He could still see some civilians, unfortunately. Tied to railings, out in the open, a clear sign for any coalition forces that thought they could kill a ship. He could only imagine how cold some of them were. He then wondered how safe these "men" felt with their human shields keeping them out of the maws of American anti-ship missiles. He then wondered if the soldiers below felt that safety as they stepped onto the beaches and moved into the grassy fields that had very little cover.
"God, they don't have any idea..." he muttered to no one.
"Batteries are set, captain." his radio crackled.
"Good." He replied quickly, turning his attention to the rustling brush behind him.
Hannes emerged saying "Those the first wave?"
Caesar really wasn't certain about the accent of the people in this other world. It was almost like the accents he had heard from the British officers he often interacted with, but there was that tinge of foreign, almost alien, accent to it.
But it was close enough to English he could manage it.
He continued studying the men below through his binoculars, saying "They seem to be."
Hannes turned to him with worry lining his face.
"Ah... and... we're just going to let them land?"
"Correct."
"I see... captain, I have to be honest, I don't quite understand this plan here. Why not hit them while they're on their smaller boats?"
"A variety of reasons. Primarily, close air support isn't exactly available for us right now. They're probably circling over the eastern side of the island... waiting for the bigger wave to land."
"Yes, but the current intent involves them land there anyway."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Well, corporal, the enemy seems to be under the impression that they have a chance because of their technology, their manpower, their sheer numbers, which to be fair are genuinely unprecedented. But they don't have a chance. Not really. We don't sink ships with civilians, but if we had to, we would. We've done so before." he added with a tinge of regret.
Then he said "But we don't, so we're letting them believe they have a say in what's going to happen next. We're letting them play their hands uncontested. Give them their chance to organize, to prepare their weapons. Then, hit them when we think it's best. Really make them see how futile their efforts are."
"Futile?"
"Indeed. Oh, we have our concerns. Our munitions may run out if they're so insane as to throw every man, woman, and child at the meatgrinder... but history has shown the opposite to be true. You can't win battles with mere numbers anymore."
Hannes shuddered, saying "I used to be worried of just titans... I hadn't thought about how awful a world without a common enemy to fight could be."
Caesar shook his head.
"Unity out of necessity can only get you so far. Oh, look... they're already pushing out."
Hannes turned to the beach, seeing that indeed, the men in bright blue uniforms were beginning to move out of the beach, some quickly taking a hill and placing what appeared to be machine guns as other men behind them began carrying large crates towards those positions.
Getting on the radio, Caesar said "Olivier, mark those positions for the flyboys. We need to focus on the guys moving towards us."
"Copy."
"Captain, when do we engage?" Hannes asked.
Glancing through his binoculars once more, Caesar grimaced.
"Soon enough. They're already marching in formation... they'll be within the Howitzer's range in... oh... ten... fifteen minutes? Assuming they don't stop anywhere, of course."
He shook his head then, noticing how young some of the soldiers down below appeared.
"A waste. A damned waste."
…
"How's your leg?" Matt asked as Nanaba awkwardly stepped out of the Humvee, the shadows of the massive trees looming high over them as soldiers continued moving ammunition into machine-gun nests.
Slinging the Garand over her back, Nanaba kicked at the mossy ground beneath them with her injured leg and muttered "It works alright, still...
Mike Zacharias only said "Don't push yourself too much." before walking off.
Matt glanced at his watch as Jake began checking the radio with the rest of the company.
Nanaba asked "What?"
Matt frowned, saying "Been two hours... no updates yet."
"Oh."
"Should've sunken those ships when we had the chance..." Jake muttered.
Dave quickly said "Come on, they're full of civvies. And we can bomb them all once they're ashore."
"Yeah, and what if they come ashore with civvies?" Jake asked.
Nanaba only raised her hands, saying "Boys, please, it doesn't really matter right now, does it?"
"Matters if some of us die."
"We're not going to die."
They turned as Lieutenant Troy marched over.
"Jackson, get that Humvee over by those trees with the red markings and hold that position, make sure White has a proper shot at those hills over there at two thousand yards give or take. They'll come from that direction."
Then, he turned to Nanaba.
"There are guys on the trees, they're going to provide cover fire from above, we'll focus on the ground. If we have to pull back try to stick to the trees. These thick branches should stop most rounds..."
Nanaba nodded.
Troy quickly said "There's a bunch of them. They're already headed this way."
"Already?" she asked, shocked.
"Yeah... given their uniforms, they're probably German, or their equivalent. They tend to move a bit faster when it suits them."
"I... I see..."
Matt said, "We have that KSK platoon here, too, right, El-tee?"
Troy glanced as his PRC-152 radio squawked an acknowledgment and he grabbed it before turning around and walking away, answering to Matt, "Yeah. They're on the right flank. Get to your positions!"
"Great. We're fighting Germans with Germans. It's a fair fight."
"Fair fight? They lost both World Wars."
"Exactly. A fair fight."
Nanaba only shook her head, muttering "I can't get accustomed to the idea of killing other people like this."
Matt only said "It's self-defense. Someone breaks into your house to kill your family, you kill them. Sucks for them, but you didn't ask for this."
She nodded, her frustrated expression remaining as she fired a hook of her ODM gear up into a tree.
Then, in a smaller voice, she said "Comrade!"
"Ah?"
"Let's win this fight, alright?"
Matt nodded, then walked over to the Humvee, wordlessly climbing up and grabbing the MK-19 as Nanaba flew up into the trees. Radio chatter and acknowledgments sounded along the waves as the troops remained silent.
Jake finally said, "I wish we were with the eastern detachments."
"Why?"
"We're purely defensive. They're defense and offense. Once the artillery breaks them..."
"Yeah."
Dave quietly said, "We're not going to let them dig trenches, right?"
"Yup."
"They may bring in some artillery of their own."
"That's what CAS is for." Jake sighed.
Matt nodded slowly, then, tapping the back of Jake's head, he said "We're going to win."
Jake shrugged.
It was a simple phrase if anything. Perhaps too simplistic. Win what? How? When? Why? Did it matter?
But he nodded, adding "Yeah. This isn't Vietnam."
Then, over the waves, a message arrived.
"Contact!"
…
Ahmet Hamza felt ice-cold as he walked under the hot summer sun. The Eldian Island of Paradis was, as far as he had seen, relatively nice. The sand beneath them was almost homely, welcoming even. The massive footprints of titans left on the ground were the only evidence of their existence at the moment. Yet he felt the danger clinging to his every step. As though one wrong move would end him up in a coffin despite no danger visible.
No enemy aircraft circling above that he could see.
The soldiers on the port had long since retreated.
The booming artillery in the distance had stopped a long time ago, likely after having killed all the titans the World Union had sent their way.
Briefly, he wondered if any of the people he had rounded up had been in that horde. Had his actions directly contributed to this?
Well, yes, they certainly had, but how much was the question on his mind?
Would it be worth it?
Maybe if they won.
Maybe.
An older man laughed, saying "Hey, up ahead! Look!"
A pair of horses stood on a hill.
"Romanovs! They've made it this far! Victory must be at hand!" the old man yelled.
Ahmet didn't say anything. His new commandant was, for lack of a better word, frighteningly detached. Always smiling, always laughing, and always looking ahead with wide child-like eyes. He'd heard stories in the months since he was changed to the old officer's company. Oh, nothing he could prove, he hadn't been there to see it. But from "killing a titan with a handgun" to "destroying a Marley port with a cigar", the man was apparently a hero of countless battles.
Apparently.
Again, he hadn't seen anything, but as he glanced to his left, he saw Marley's forces moving in trucks and stopping by a ridge of rocky hills.
It must have been nice. Having trucks to transport soldiers instead of marching like everyone else. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't jealous of the Romanovs and their horses. But no, such was the job of the infantry of the Middle Eastern Alliance. Despite their greatly superior weapons, transportation technology that wasn't devoted to trains was almost nonexistent within their forces. Not that he could complain. The Germanic states and the Franks hadn't technically had a modern army by their standards until recently. Still, why the top brass hadn't requested some more vehicles from Marley was beyond him.
As he pondered this, the officers gathered nearby and he could overhear them.
"Scouts confirm they're just beyond the ridgelines, the areas where grassy fields and sandy desert touch. Approximately six kilometers from here." one said.
Another, a Romanov, he could tell, added "We can charge. Test their strength."
"Hold on, Valeri, we have no idea what weapons they'll be throwing at us. Your men could be charging into a machinegun nest." that was his company commander, he recognized the tired voice.
The Romanov officer said, "And how will we find out without a probing attack?"
It was the Marley officer that said "A pronged probing attack may work. Our artillery is still being offloaded. If it's a small position it may be enough to break it. If it's not, we could pull back and then pound them with artillery before trying again."
"I should remind you that we are on a schedule, gentlemen. If we are attacking, then we must commit."
Ahmet frowned. It was his company commander again.
The Romanov officer said "My division should be enough. Why wait for Marley's artillery when our cavalry and infantry should be more than enough?"
The Marleyan officer was quick to snort, saying "If you wish to throw your men at the enemy with this little knowledge-"
"Commander, please... we saw that they only have some sand-colored boxes hiding behind some hills with what appear to be guns. Even if it's a machinegun and artillery position, if we charge in quickly, we should be able to break them! Are we not set on ending these devils once and for all? Shall we not go all out? Be the first to taste their blood?"
No one objected.
The Marleyan commander only added "A three-pronged assault. Send your cavalry to try to break their center. The infantry will initiate an attack on their flanks. If it seems too dangerous, pull back your forces immediately."
Wait, they're really doing this? Without artillery?
The decision, it seemed, really was final. His company began to move almost immediately, the old man singing some anthem Ahmet hadn't heard before. The steps he took felt heavier as he went up a hill. The smell of horses was faint, but as he glanced to his left, he could see some of them in the distance. So many of them, all bunching up.
Someone, one of the men he hadn't memorized his name yet, muttered "That man is sending in his entire cavalry division? At once?"
"Romanovs and machine guns haven't had a very good history. It falls to us to break these devils it seems." another replied, almost gleefully.
Ahmet was silent.
Each step was a little heavier, each breath felt like he was suffocating, and his hands shook as he held the rifle.
Then, he reached the top of the hill, seeing the desert that stretched quite a distance before, far away, he could just make out grassy fields and distant mountains.
Ahmet swallowed, knowing what lay in between.
Off in the distance, he began hearing orders passed along the lines. A simple word, really, a command all were familiar with by now.
"Foward!"
His company commander began to sing again, walking calmly down the hill.
To his left, Ahmet was seeing the cavalry advancing. A slow push at first before, suddenly, almost majestically, the riders became a fluid wave of bodies. As though they and all their horses were synchronized as one powerful force, the echoes of their yells and gallops audible even to them.
He heard murmurs, men reluctantly admitting it was an awe-striking sight to behold. Infantry, even as organized as their own, couldn't do what cavalry forces could. Even if they had become rather obsolete thanks to the devil's intervention with titans and recently human creation in the machine gun, Ahmet could still appreciate just how incredible they looked, speeding ahead.
He knew Marley's forces were likely pushing further to the left. Whether on foot or by a vehicle he was uncertain, but there was, for once, a sense of unity among the World Union militaries. This was, very much, a force of humanity, out to destroy what threatened it.
And yet his steps felt no less heavy.
Something caused him to pause then. He thought he heard someone exclaim, or perhaps it was a question? A soldier seeing something and asking what it was perhaps? Regardless, he heard something and paused, only briefly.
Then he glanced at the horizon and froze.
There were plumes of smoke rising neatly into the sky, eerily fast and growing in number. At first only four, then eight, then twelve, then he couldn't count more as men pushed him on before pausing themselves.
Several of his comrades saw what he was seeing and also stopped but the infantry kept trudging along slowly now.
"What are you stopping for, men? Forward, children of Saladin!" the company commander yelled.
An officer called out "Commander!"
The old man only yelled back "Artillery fire at best! It is always inaccurate and it is always scarier than effective! Keep moving forward!"
The old company commander began singing ever louder now, and some began following him, but Ahmet was eyeing the smoke trails. They were going high. Higher and higher. Certainly towards them but from how far away were these men firing from and just what in the world were they firing at them?
Slowly he turned to the cavalry charge.
The thousands of horses and men.
Did they see the incoming artillery? Did it matter? It was clear even if those in the front could see it, they couldn't just turn around and run away, not with a thousand horsemen riding right behind them.
Wait, no, they were able to see it! The ranks began to spread out slightly. Quickly he grabbed his binoculars, eyeing the charge.
Ahmet was sure it was a good idea as it would certainly make it difficult for the shells to directly hit someone, and even if they had loaded some kind of cluster munition, fewer men would be hit. Right?
What Ahmet didn't and could not know was what was about to rain down.
But hearing it was certainly a sign of the horrors to come.
Ahmet had the privilege of seeing the first bit of steel rain slam into the cavalry strike with such force it almost seemed like the ground had come up and devoured the men. It wasn't a single shell or a simple cluster munition. Ahmet saw the casings detach; he saw the bomblets for a split second before they obliterated the Romanov cavalry like a massive hand swapping down various ants in one swing. One of them would have been enough, but he was staring as more rockets flew towards the area the cavalry had been on, each just as heavily destructive as the first.
Any soldiers that had been marching forward stopped right there and then.
The realization was immediate.
"Take cover!" his lieutenant screamed, and all across their lines, men ducked down as the screaming rounds flew towards them. Those behind the hills were lucky, shielded by the impact despite the terrible sound driving Ahmet insane on its own. He dropped his rifle, shielding his ears as the ground shook.
Not too far another bit of artillery impacted the sand, then another, and another.
For Ahmet, the worst part was the brief moment between the screeching and explosions that shook all of the surrounding ground, where he could hear the injured men screaming like crying children. He shut his eyes tightly, dust and sand lifted into the air by the attack making it difficult to breathe as he lay there, trying to make himself as small as possible.
Then he felt a strong arm on his shoulder lift him up and get him on his feet despite his legs barely capable of holding his own weight in the onslaught.
The old man, the company commander, the man who had allegedly done so much picked him up, glaring at him. He shouted something, Ahmet couldn't quite tell what, but the man quickly repeated it louder just as another rocket slammed into the ridge, not too far away.
"Standing makes you smaller for the artillery from above. Keep marching forward! Grab your guns men! Children of Saladin! Forward!"
Ahmet only stared for a second, the old man calmly walking ahead, ignoring the carnage surrounding them and the still falling rockets as if they weren't even there.
Ahmet wondered if the old man was singing his anthem then. He wondered if the anthem was religious, or one passed by the old man's family, one of a long-forgotten nation. He wondered if the man's family had hidden the song through the many centuries of Eldian oppression. He wondered how much more there was to the song.
But it mattered not.
A rocket slammed, not into the company commander, not even close. But it was close enough. Something had been dislodged by the dirt, creating shrapnel that flew and cut down what few men had stood to charge after their commander in a split second.
He saw the men, company commander included, all briefly flinch before falling over, unmoving.
The sand beneath them was reddening with blood.
Ahmet turned, searching for an officer.
He saw none.
What he did see was men running back behind the hills, where the rockets weren't hitting.
With a shaky breath, he grabbed his rifle and ran back up the hill.
…
Hanji Zoe observed the MLRS batteries strike the attacking World Union forces from the command center.
It was all eerily surgical.
The MLRS batteries that had caused the Rodd Reiss titan so much trouble had been saved up, allowing the tanks to take care of the titans, left to wait as World Union forces amassed and marched towards a kill zone. She had watched as they waited for the enemy to organize, to make the first real move.
Then, just as calmly, she watched them obliterate and break the attack in less than a few minutes. The drone footage from the ongoing barrage of rockets was terrifying to contemplate.
Someone said "Seems all attempts at pushing the western flank have been halted, general. No losses on our side. They're pulling back behind their hills. Tanks didn't even have to engage."
General Connor nodded.
"They'll probably bring those artillery guns with them next. Get the flyboys to mark them as priority targets. We need to make them know how outclassed they are. Break them before they can land any hits."
Hanji shuddered at the clinical nature of the general's words.
This was, without question, a mass slaughter.
Had they not slaughtered almost a thousand men in not even an hour? And this was just the western part of the island. All other positions were silently waiting for the attack to begin in order to unleash hell.
Unleashing hell... appropriate phrase.
The horrors they would inflict on the enemy were defensive, certainly, but horrors nevertheless. Coincidentally, no less than what the enemy wished to do to them.
But they would be resented for this.
Connor spoke suddenly.
"Ammunition?"
"We're using less than anticipated so far, general."
"Good. Good."
"Sir, the northern force has begun moving."
"How many?"
"Brigade strength... they waited a fair bit and are pushing towards the mountains."
"Artillery?"
"They're already set up... twelve guns at the moment."
"Well, technically commander Kitz is in charge of forces there, but Captain Caesar's DeFacto in charge... he calls in close air support you give it to him."
"He says he's confident in the Canadians, sir. Mentioned possible enemy artillery locations, however."
Hanji watched as Connor shrugged, glancing briefly at their eastern border.
She asked, "Do you think their big push will come quick?"
Connor said "I don't know. Sooner we end this the better, though. Better to deny them any big push."
Hanji nodded.
"What about the second Gate?"
"It's coming along."
"And the teams on the mainland?"
At this, Connor shook his head, saying "Radio silence until the fleet gets here."
Hanji felt her jaw clench in fear.
Ideally, no fighting would have to take place on the mainland. But she was all-too-aware of the Eldian population still interned in Marley and other nations. If the World Union decided to destroy them all in revenge... could they do anything?
Should they?
She needed a moment to think.
"Excuse me." she sighed, stepping outside.
The base was now silent for the most part. Aerial forces had taken off for the most part. People were already in their positions, most noise coming from the Gate as supplies continued flowing through.
She covered her mouth, holding in the urge to vomit.
Her whole life, everything she had worked for, sacrificed people for...
It was always in the back of her mind, but now, seeing the results, seeing the death, the hate with which men who not even a year ago she would've likely considered allies in fighting the titan threat charged into American kill zones, all just to kill her and the people she had to protect.
Reality was a cruel mistress it seemed.
She composed herself just as footsteps began to approach.
Glancing at the equally tired-looking teenager, she only asked "Yeager. What is it?"
…
Kitz felt his leg actively shaking up and down as radios nearby crackled orders.
The frontline wasn't a place for him, but he had to be there. He'd always been terrified of fighting. Really, he had joined the military hoping for an easy life. Then Wall Maria was breached and officers were needed more than ever.
He didn't leave then, but it was almost entirely luck. Had he been even a little younger he would have been killed in the reclamation attempts, but he'd been given an important position guarding the very important district of Trost.
And there he'd remained.
Until now.
Rico walked over, passing a hand through her hair, the M1903 on her back still not fired as she said "They're beginning to advance and captain Caesar expects their artillery to fire... soon."
Kitz nodded. He glanced at the Canadian artillery.
"I should feel... something, shouldn't I?" he asked aloud.
Rico asked "Sir?"
"Those weapons are not going to be killing titans, they'll be killing people. I should feel something other than relief it's them and not me, shouldn't I?"
Rico didn't answer.
Kitz sighed, adding "Right... they want us dead. So no choice then... right?"
"It is what it is. We'll think about it as it happens. Same as back then."
Kitz forced a laugh, then turned to look at the artillery guns that would be engaging the enemy.
Probably too soon.
The twelve Canadian M777 Howitzers were already lined up, eight soldiers around each, the trucks that had towed them having barely moved away. Rico adjusted her glasses, faintly able to see some of the drones she knew would be directing the guns.
A radio crackled, and someone acknowledged.
She held her breath.
Orders were shouted suddenly. Men began to scramble.
One of the Americans, the Marines on an MRAP went over, saying "Commander, enemy forces entering kill zone."
They both glanced at Kane, who only stared back at them without a word.
"Is everything... prepared?" Kitz asked quietly.
Kane said, "It is."
Kitz nodded.
"Then... do what you must."
The words were barely out of his mouth and the Canadian batteries began to adjust.
"Quadrant four-twenty-six..."
The men adjusted the Howitzers, Rico noting they weren't relying on their sights. They didn't even have to be within visible range of the enemy to know where they were aiming. Rounds loaded.
"Verified!"
"Ready!"
"Stand by!"
She sucked in a breath, covering her ears.
"Fire!"
The explosion shook the ground as twelve 155-millimeter M795 rounds, courtesy of the US Army, were fired from the Canadian M777s almost all at once. Rico could only imagine what that looked like as they flew towards their targets.
And there was no waiting for impact.
She saw the men immediately begin moving to reload, officers yelling commands the soldiers obeyed in rapid succession.
Rico glanced at the munition trucks and crates.
I guess the question is who breaks first?
…
Captain Caesar held his breath as he heard the rounds whistle overhead, but didn't bother to look.
Instead, he kept his eye on the force they had targeted.
By now they would hear the whistle of incoming rounds. Maybe get a second to react.
To their credit, those that heard it reacted immediately, ducking down before screaming and trying to warn others to do the same.
It didn't do them much good.
The rounds impacted the area, the men being for all intents and purposes devoured by the clouds of smoke, literally there one second and gone the next.
He saw officers who had stopped marching, and immediately try to give orders to dig in.
Oh, there you are...
They fell immediately before he even had to ask his marksmen if they had seen the officers and just before the second barrage of rounds landed on the men that had seen the officers die to gunfire and not artillery.
Chaos would only be a guarantee then.
But to his surprise, it did not materialize.
"What in the world...?"
The men in blue uniforms did not dig in, nor did they retreat.
Instead, they charged forward.
Running as explosions erupted around them.
Above the falling artillery and distant explosions, he could just faintly hear them scream in defiance as they charged ahead.
Caesar grimaced and went for his radio yet again.
A waste. A damned waste...
…
"Keep firing! Make those bastards pay for every inch they take!" Ilse heard someone shout as an M249 SAW unleashed a long burst of automatic fire, lighting up the field from behind some trees. The cracks of automatic fire were coupled with more direct and far slower rifle fire from the Survey Corps scouts up above.
The ammo boxes she carried were heavy on her back as she reached a machine gun nest. It turned out the holsters for ODM gas tanks held ammo boxes fairly well.
She dropped the ammunition just as an M2HB fired in short bursts, the gunner squinting as he fired. Ilse didn't dare to imagine the range the combat was taking place in, where both sides could just barely see each other.
Even then a round slammed into a nearby rock, pieces of it flying off and bouncing off the machine gunner's helmet.
Ilse ducked behind a tree, pushing up to the American position, yelling "Ammo!"
"Leave it here! Go!" a short woman with an M4 yelled, before glancing again through her binoculars.
She nodded, placing a box down before taking a brief look at the machine gunner. As Ilse got a glimpse of the warzone, she couldn't blame the man for squinting.
The enemy barely appeared as ants on the distant field.
But there were a lot of them, the green hills littered with their grey silhouettes in the still early morning.
She stepped out of the machine gun nest and used her gear to go up the massive trees.
"Vice Commander!" she said as she got to the top.
Mike Zacharias didn't say anything, eyeing the scene beyond the forest. Without acknowledging, he pointed at the other boxes tied to the tree's four-foot-wide branches.
She nodded and picked up a heavy one as best she could.
40-millimeter grenades... these go to...
She dropped down, whisking through the trees carefully before landing and rushing behind the coalition line.
This was where they were at their weakest, where it would be World Union infantry facing off what infantry the coalition could spare. She didn't dare glance at the fields to her left, barely hearing the loud roar of men charging across a field of bullets, trying to get to the forest.
A Bradley IFV, now painted like the forest, branches adding to the camouflage, fired its Bushmaster in rapid succession, the 25-millimeter rounds falling to the dirt below, and Ilse did her best not to imagine the gun ripping other people to pieces the way it had also done to titans once.
Focus, Ilse... focus on making sure your comrades can keep fighting!
She saw the up-armored Humvee and cringed as the gunner was firing in long bursts, the other two occupiers outside of it, doors opened, rifles out, firing in semi-automatic.
"Ammo!" she yelled.
Jake turned, recognizing the girl and waving her over.
Ilse dropped the box, glancing out of the forest and freezing briefly, the wave of human bodies could be easily seen dropping like flies as they tried charging forward. The occasional red tracers could be visibly discerned, but the way some bodies simply dropped was telling of just how much lead was being thrown at terminal velocity down the range.
And yet...
An enemy round bounced off the Humvee's door; another one slamming into a tree soon after.
Ilse ducked down as Jake said "Right side! Right side!"
At once, men far away shouted as one, and Ilse saw bodies pop up over the horizon, a charging grey mass of bodies with small muzzle flashes briefly visible before she ducked down.
Matt growled something, shifting his aim before another long burst of 40mm grenades from the MK 19 roared down the field, and Jake gave Ilse a half-smile before glancing back up and firing another shot.
No more rounds seemed to impact, so Ilse swallowed before standing up. She placed the ammo down, and yelled "Don't die!"
Dave shouted back "Trying!"
Jake gave her a shaky nod.
Matt said nothing, firing another long burst, staring ahead unblinking.
Ilse used her ODM gear to fly back up the trees, running across the branches, relatively safe from gunfire it seemed.
Survey Corps scouts fired slowly, and cautiously, perhaps not even trying to hit their fellow man, enemies or not, but they were actively trying to suppress the forces pushing on their part of the massive battlefield that the island of Paradis had become.
She got back to the command post, Nanaba yelling into the radio.
"Yes, enemy canons! I can confirm them from here!"
Ilse didn't hear the response, but she assumed it was encouraging when Nanaba yelled "Two F-35s, five minutes out!"
Mike kept eyeing the field with his binoculars.
Ilse didn't hear his response, simply picking several boxes of 5.56 NATO rounds and dropping them off yet again.
She would do her part as she always had.
…
Being 30 thousand feet up into the air was something not really appreciated by those who didn't actually pilot the planes.
The curvature of the earth, the clouds, the visibility of the blue ocean... the sense of freedom one could just feel up there, so far from everything down below. The F35 pilots didn't comment on it, however, the pair of multi-role stealth fighters quickly banked to the east.
Or, perhaps compared to where they were from, the west.
It wasn't their job to think about figuring it out.
The coordinates had been relayed by the lone AWACs that had been brought along early into the operation. Coordination was an often-ignored aspect of aerial operations. How could they hunt titans if they didn't know where their allies were?
Now it relayed CAS missions on a human enemy as it did on battlefields back on earth.
Gone was the perhaps satisfying feeling of using powerful bombs to destroy inhuman foes, the sense of genuinely achieving an abject good for others even unrelated to the operations.
Now it was surgical and cold again.
The pilots didn't comment on it, their engines roaring as they sped towards their targets.
The forest of giant trees that lined up neatly with a massive river on the island came into view, and the large army trying to charge into it was visible even from high up, their ships still disembarking troops, the Rules of Engagement still forbidding them to attack due to the presence of civilians. It didn't really matter. They couldn't keep the hostages on land.
In a way, the World Union had given the American military what the forces of North Vietnam never did: an all-out conventional battle.
The North had never done so because American firepower would have simply annihilated them. Even the infamous Tet Offensive had been such a resounding defeat that if it wasn't for the impressions it had left on the world stage, it would have only been seen as a resounding defeat.
One did not simply go up against a force with superior firepower with everything they have. That was foolish. It would expose too much, it would take away manpower one couldn't afford to lose when facing a superior foe, it was too much buck for too little bang.
And yet here they were...
The targets were confirmed.
Weapons were free.
Had the term "sanitize the battlefield" been used to describe a bomb run?
The pilot ignored the stray thought as 24,000 pounds of munitions fell on the enemy force below. The entire battlefield was covered in dust and smoke, the mass of humans vanishing into it like nothing. The special helmet worn by the F35 pilots allowed them to see exactly what effects their bombs had down below as they circled around.
Yeah, "sanitation" was an apt description.
…
Willy Tybur stared out the window of the warship, but his mind was focusing exclusively on the reports coming from behind him.
"The main force has been halted. They cannot get past enemy artillery."
"Army group west is attempting to charge into the lines. No information on their progress."
"Group North confirms it cannot advance. Enemy artillery."
Finally, General Osman snapped.
"Damn it all! It's been four hours! How are they doing this much damage so quickly...?"
Every officer was silent.
General Calvi finally said "We knew this would happen. I don't understand why you're so surprised."
"Because this is... it's worse than we could have anticipated. We can't even set up our artillery positions!"
The Germanic general replied with a cold "What do you mean worse? It's but the first day and losses are at an acceptable level."
The Romanov general stared at the table with the large map of the devil's island.
"They annihilated our cavalry... they're destroying our artillery before we can properly set it up... these damned devils are toying with us!"
Calvi clapped his hands together once.
"Gentlemen, I recommend we pull our forces back and prepare a defense of the mainland. At least that way we can control the field they attack instead of the other way around."
"No."
All eyes turned to Willy Tybur.
"We have to keep trying, don't we? We can't just let their sacrifices be in vain."
Osman quickly said "He's right. Too many good men have fallen and we've yet to introduce our experimental weapons!"
"Can they even get close enough to use them? Their aircraft will probably shoot our airships out of the sky."
"Airships, perhaps... but we still have our anti-titan rifles and the Germanic anti-trench division! They will even the odds somewhat, I'm sure!"
A sailor ran over with a slip of paper, handing it to Calvi.
Calvi passed it along and said "Then I suppose we will find out how well they do. Army group East is advancing. They say the heavy artillery has stopped."
…
Ryan heard the tank button up yet again.
"See 'em?"
"Yeah."
"Alright, we're going to battle-carry canister. Ryan?"
"Up."
The radio crackled.
"All Hunters, be advised, we will be advancing outward towards the beach. Apaches will be providing support..."
Here's hoping there's no friendly fire...
"...Germans will advance on our left and flank enemy forces there. We're going to block their escape to the beach. Break their attack before it gets any traction."
"Acknowledged."
"Jawohl."
The M1 Abrams' engine began to purr then, the ground shaking as the Abrams beginning to lurch forward in one formation.
Then he heard a loud Ping as though a larger-than-average round had hit the tank.
Then another.
"Oh, hey, they're shooting at us."
"Yeah, big rounds. Think these guys have the AT rifles?"
"Maybe... keep an eye out. Shoot first."
Then they pushed out in force.
…
Ahmet lay still in the small ditch he had practically dug on his back, just lying in what might as well be a shallow grave, pretending to be dead. Not that anyone believed him and not that anyone seemed to care. Guys on his left and right were ducking behind the hills, rifles aimed at the unseen enemy on the other end. Few were moving forward despite the artillery having long since stopped. Attempts by overly excited officers to push men forward were mercilessly punished.
He saw a young officer, perhaps even younger than himself, scream at the men, grabbing one and trying to shove him over the hill before shrapnel from an explosion ripped through the man's neck, sending him to the floor in a bloody heap, the soldier he'd forced to stand up barely crawling back down in time to survive.
"Cowards... where are they?"
"Probably hiding behind those hills, just like us."
"Shut up."
"What are our leaders thinking?! This is madness!"
"We have to punish and end the Eldian threat, moron!"
"With what?!"
"Our guns will arrive soon! We just have to hold out!"
"How do you know?! Huh?!"
And so it seemed.
Ahmet remained silent, clutching his rifle tightly and trying not to think about everything.
Distant shots rang out.
Louder ones than the normal rifles.
He heard someone chuckle.
"Ah, see? Those are our guys!"
"Must be the demolition teams. Let's see how these devils like fourteen-millimeter bullets."
Then a terrifyingly loud explosion responded to the rifle fire.
Ahmet shrank as he tried burying himself further.
One of the men to his right shakily asked "W-what is... what is that?!"
"An armored car? No... it's... get the anti-titan rifles! Shoot them!"
He heard rifle cracks; a machine gun roared.
Someone, perhaps a late arrival, dropped down with an anti-titan rifle next to him, inserted a round, and took aim without paying him any mind.
Ahmet shakily glanced up to see what was coming.
He looked up in time to see the Anti-titan rifleman shoot at one of eight incoming sand-like boxes on tractor treads that had long cannons on their front.
If the round had any effect on the war machines he couldn't tell.
In response, the man quickly loaded another round, turned to the others, and screamed "Distract it!"
Immediately several of the men stood up, opening fire with their bolt action rifles, probably firing faster than anyone else, perhaps breaking records among even people who shot guns in competitions.
Ahmet only laid there, staring at the approaching monsters as the anti-titan rifle fired again.
But it didn't seem to matter.
The main gun on the enemy vehicles spat smoke.
A massive explosion sounded off nearby before he heard the echo of the main gun's roar.
Then the men around him turned into a red mist.
Ahmet screamed and ducked further into the small ditch as the war machines sped past their positions leaving few survivors.
Men behind him the lines ran, and the vehicles ran those that couldn't get out of the way in time over as easily as grass, crushing them like insects, getting ahead of them with little difficulty, rifle bullets bouncing off them, the unsteady sand not stopping them.
Then from above a new sound.
A distant roar, more loud thumping.
Then he saw what could be described as massive dragonflies fly overhead, firing guns into the soldiers below, not necessarily killing them, but almost trying to herd them.
This... this is the island of devils...
…
Ilse ducked behind a large rock, next to a man with a light machine gun she didn't recognize.
The German KSK operatives continued firing at the incoming soldiers with pikes on their helmets. The situation in the quadrant was looking more and more as though it would turn into a close-quarters battle, and that meant she had to get out of there as soon as possible.
A round bounced off a tree and someone from out on the fields screamed "Feiglinge! Sie werden mit dem Rest brennen!"
The Machine gunner cleared a jam on the HK MG5 and responded by firing a long burst, the MG5's muzzle glowing orange due to the sustained fire. Ilse winced as another round slammed into the rock she hid behind. The two German machine gunners kept their guns "talking", one firing a burst, then the other. Sometimes one was longer, sometimes shorter, but the firing was constant.
The KSK officer kept shouting something on the radio, barely audible now as the gunfire reached a crescendo.
Then, above even that, a familiar sound rang out that caused the dirt around the attackers to erupt into smoke and shattered rock.
The A10s flew low, the lead jet firing the 30-millimeter autocannon onto the assaulting infantry, less to kill and perhaps more to startle, giving them a heads up that a new player was on the field.
The other three had other plans.
The JDAMs fell from a touch higher up, but they impacted the same, 500 pounds of force immediately forcing a complete stop on the attackers.
Even with their maneuvers and numbers, there was little way to simply escape the bombing out in an open field.
Ilse briefly glanced up, quickly ducking back down as she saw the cloud of dust hadn't cleared yet.
"They're getting closer... probably trying to deny us the advantage of air strikes." someone muttered.
She didn't reply, dropping the ammunition off as no new gunfire came from the cloud of smoke on the fields beyond.
Trying... yes...
There was a painful satisfaction in knowing they were all failing.
…
Caesar saw smoke come from the positions the enemy artillery had previously been in, their ammunition crates having caught fire and detonated suddenly, the strikes not leaving any survivors to rescue the ammunition in time it seemed.
Then he turned his attention to the men below.
They were digging, desperately so, all as artillery rained around them with only the mercy of there not being enough guns to fully cover the entire area they were digging in.
At least not all at once.
Hannes walked over then, asking "Sir, the forces to the east have successfully encircled the invading forces."
As more plumes of smoke and screams came from down below, Caesar only nodded, saying "Good... then maybe this will all end soon."
He eyed one of the men setting up a large wooden pole.
It was almost like those of a sailboat, albeit holding a very different purpose.
"Radio..."
"What...That thing?" Hannes asked.
"Yup. A hundred years ago you needed those massive antennae to communicate wirelessly. One simply has to wonder what they're reporting back, no?"
"I would hope they ask to withdraw..." Hannes muttered.
"As do I, but don't hold your breath. Fanatical men led by fanatical leaders can result in far more death than regular conflicts." He added grimly.
Another rain of artillery rounds fell on the men digging their trenches below.
Then up above, he saw the Marine Harriers strafe the men digging trenches from high up. 25 millimeter rounds sending dirt and stone flying, most rounds missing the men.
But those that hit...
Just stop, you poor bastards...
…
"Halted?!"
"Encircled?!"
Willy covered his ears as the generals screamed at the men reporting the awful news.
"The... the officers that encircled them are on a line, sir. They-"
"Put the bastard on!" Osman demanded, storming over to the radio room.
Willy was silent.
A voice came over the waves, the man saying "World Union Fleet, we have captured the majority of your forces coming from the east and halted all other forces not far from their invasion points. Lay down your arms and accept peace terms. I will repeat this message until I get a response."
The message repeated.
Osman grabbed the microphone from the operator and said "You have done nothing! The arms of the world are all aimed at Paradis and will remain as such!"
The messenger paused, as though he hadn't expected a reply.
After a moment, the man said "We have several companies worth of your men. We can return them to you alive and well and begin negotiations again. Paradis only wishes to be left alone, stop sacrificing people pointlessly."
Osman barked back "This is nothing! The will of the people cannot be shattered so easily! We will throw ourselves at your beaches again and again and again!"
Willy sighed "Someone get him off the radio, please."
Calvi stood up, but Osman loudly said "We will never surrender!"
The radio then said "We're not seeking surrender! We don't want to bring back the Eldian Empire of old!"
"Shut him up... I don't want to hear this devil's lies..." Osman ordered darkly.
Calvi sighed, saying "Osman, it's safe to say the plan has been a resounding success in bolstering the enemy's resolve and weakening our own."
"Enough... we still hold the number's advantage."
"Oh, well so did Marley back when Ymir was but one titan, and we still lost."
Willy covered his face.
The other generals in the room were silent.
Calvi said, "Call our men back... we should focus on defense, not this pointless endeavor that could be pushed back so easily."
Osman darkly asked, "Are you saying all these men died for nothing?"
"Certainly not. But if we wish to accomplish anything for them, then we must shift strategies."
No one seemed to object.
"Gentlemen, this isn't working! Surely you all see what I see!"
Finally, Willy said "He's got a point... begin recalling what men we can... Osman, if you can go to the mainland, we may be able to begin preparations for an invasion... maybe we can go over some of the unused weapons."
"That's right! The Airships! Marley's air force might-"
"We saw their aircraft... they're not competing with those fast-flying things. Defensive actions, gentlemen, that is the name of the game."
Willy nodded slowly.
Tiredly.
The room was deathly silent.
Osman finally said "Fine... but let's not call the men back... if they're being truthful and are keeping them alive, it'll be a drain on their resources. Not ours."
Willy only said "Fine... just... prepare."
…
Hill Zero One saw yet another ambulance unload several wounded enemy soldiers.
Armin did his best not to think of it. The bloody cloth, the bandages.
The looks of disdain were the worst.
Not one of the soldiers there, not the enemy ones, wanted to be treated. Those that could resist had been sedated. Those that couldn't, actively glared at those trying to help them, regardless of race.
As if simply being on the island was a curse upon itself.
"I still don't understand..." he mumbled.
Mikasa turned to him without a questioning glance.
"All of this... and for what?"
"It is who they are... they wanted this, Armin. Remember that."
Armin nodded very slowly.
The 104th had been on standby all day.
In case an area needed reinforcements. In case the enemy broke through somehow. In case someone snuck in titans and those needed dispatching.
What a joke.
It had already been demonstrated how effective modern weapons were against the deadly threat of the titans.
Against normal flesh and blood human beings?
"Not one of them managed to break through. We don't even know how much blood they shed trying yet, and they still kept coming. I just... I just don't understand why."
"No one can, Armin."
Both of them turned and saw Eren, hands in his pockets, a tired expression on his face as he walked over.
"Eren! What are you doing out of-?"
"I have a plan."
Mikasa paused, head cocking to the side slightly, like a confused dog.
Armin asked "What do you mean? Plan about what?"
"It's something I've been thinking about since we experimented trying to understand whatever this thing inside me is."
"The... the titan power?"
"Yeah... whatever this is, it's what's led up to all of this." Eren placed a hand on his head.
"All of it." He repeated quietly, a jet landing on the runway drowning out his words.
"What are you planning?" Armin asked.
Eren was silent for a moment, his lips forming a thin line as he seemed more than a little uncertain.
Forcing a smile, he said, "Armin, remember how we wanted to see the ocean, the mountains of ice, the rivers of fire?"
Armin nodded slowly.
"I... I still want that. But I don't know how to... achieve it. But I think there's one way I can try."
Mikasa, now concerned asked, "Eren, what are you thinking?"
Walking behind him from the dark, Hanji tapped him on the shoulder, saying "Alright. I set up the transportation. We'll be ready to go in five minutes."
Armin interjected "Go? Go where?"
Eren's forced smile vanished, a tired look in his eyes as he said "We're going to try and finish this once and for all."
"C-commander Hanji?"
Hanji said "It's a long shot... technically we're taking advantage of our friends from beyond the gate being distracted. I don't think General Connor really had any idea what he signed when I asked him..."
Armin went wide-eyed, saying "Are... are we breaking some laws?"
"Not technically."
"E-Eren, this... should we be doing-?"
"Armin, we have to do what we have to in order to gain our freedom."
"But what are we going to do? What can we do?"
Eren looked at his hand, his father's key lying on his half-open palm.
His jaw clenched, and then without another hint of emotion spoke.
"We're going to wipe them all out."
…
Night had come painfully quickly, and Shino Kuribayashi felt the somewhat discomforting green glow of her NVGs shine against her reticles.
"Ugh... how much longer?"
Lieutenant Youji Itami only shrugged in response, cleaning his PDW with a cloth as the Japanese representative slept on a wooden chair.
These weren't the best circumstances to be in, stuck in another world that was itself living in a different time. A time that militarization was more than a little popular, and hate was far more common.
Well, when wasn't hate common?
The reasons changed, but it still prevailed in some form, did it not?
Shino sighed and glanced back down the window, the port town outside sound asleep and quiet to the point she could hear the ocean currents. The moonlight made it easier to see, but the NVGs certainly helped. The cloak she had on wasn't particularly comfortable, and her fairly bare Type 89 wasn't something that would make her look like the more popular American or British special forces, but she liked to imagine she looked at least somewhat tactical.
She highly doubted the Japanese population would much approve of this special deployment even if it was to secure a representative and take some weight off the coalition's shoulders. The JSDF was, despite its title, not much of a "force". It excelled in humanitarian missions, and even those were somewhat controversial back home. The scars of the Second World War left Japan in a somewhat unique situation as a pacifist nation.
The, frankly, unprecedented response by the so-called "World Union" didn't change that in spite of Japan's growing involvement to help what for all intents and purposes were fellow Japanese.
Hizuru seemed like a truly neutral party. Its military not big enough to be a threat, but its allegiance to the World Union still made it so direct support was difficult.
She scratched under the NVG's straps, shifting her hair a bit.
Right, one thing they never taught the kids was just how damn uncomfortable the gear was.
She huffed, turning to her watch.
0149 hours...
"Hey, lieutenant, the Coalition Fleet is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, right?"
"Yup."
"Timeframe?"
"Eh... five or six in the morning if everything goes well."
Shino nodded, slowly glancing back out the window.
Then she froze.
"Lieutenant... possible contact. Six men, all in black suits, armed..."
"What?"
"They're coming down the street, sticking to the buildings but I see them. One of them has a big gun, el-tee, I don't-"
"Relax, breathe... let's take a look..." Itami muttered, moving over to her vantage point and glancing out the window with his own NVGs.
He stiffened at the sight.
"Damn it... wake the others up, I'll see what they want. Maybe this is some misunderstanding, but..."
There was a knock on the door below.
Shino felt her eyes grow wide and immediately went to make sure a round was chambered in her Type 89.
"Ugh... stick to semi-auto, alright? I don't want you hitting anyone by accident."
She nodded, then quickly got up and went to the bunks in the small cabin.
Youji Itami adjusted his tie, and put on the best smile he could muster.
He grabbed a candle, went to the door, and opened it without a second thought.
"Hello-hello, it's been- Hey, wait a minute..." he said, changing demeanor.
"You're not sister Kaitlin!"
The four men standing at the door each raised an eyebrow in eerie synchronization, dark glasses hiding their eyes.
Secret police... crap.
The tallest of the men smiled and said "Apologies mister... err..."
"Ah-ha-ha, Youji! I'm visiting my friend and we're awaiting-"
"Visitors, yes... may we come in."
"Oh, I apologize sincerely, but my friend is asleep and asked not to be disturbed." he forced a smile again, doing his best to pretend he didn't just see a man in a dark cloak quickly hide by a nearby corner, rifle in hand.
"We must insist, see... we have reason to suspect Eldian spies resided here."
"Oh?"
"Indeed."
"Oh. I see I see... I can assure you there are no Eldian spies here mister... err..."
The man ignored the question, stepping forward as if to try and intimidate him into backing off.
"I assure you, Mister Youji, there were indeed spies."
"Oh. I see I see... might I ask what proof you have?"
The man's friendly smile turned ever so slightly crooked.
The three men behind him reached into their cloaks, each holding a single handgun.
Look like C96 Broomhandles... great.
"Mister Youji, if this does not concern you, we may grant you to the count of ten to step out of the way."
"H-hey now, I simply-"
"Otherwise we will consider you a conspirator and execute you on the spot." the man said, lifting his cloak and showing off a bright katana.
Itami swallowed.
But the show had to go on.
"W-well, sir, I have some things to collect-"
"One."
"And my... my wife is quite-"
"Two."
"H-hey, hold on a second, I'm no conspirator, I just try looking out for-"
"Three, four, five."
"Oh, that's not fair."
"Six, seven, eight."
"You're really going to just kill me, a good citizen of Japan?"
"Nine- what did you-?"
Itami slammed the door on the man's face, throwing a flimsy hatch, locking it as much as it could be locked.
He shrugged to himself and ducked down.
Bullets cut through it instantly, loud booming explosions.
"Damn it all, contact! Contact!" he screamed up.
"Kodoha?" he heard someone, maybe Kuribayashi, maybe Kurata, but the codeword was apt.
In case of discovery by unfriendly forces within Hizuru, radio silence was to be broken and the codeword was to be broadcast to what allied forces could hear.
"The Imperial Way" had once been a radical faction within the Imperial Japanese Army.
And while Hizuru wasn't entirely like Imperial Japan, they had been warned of possible dangers even within its territories.
And now the worst was happening.
"Yeah, send it!" Itami yelled back as the door came off its hinges.
He sucked in a breath and whirled around, unloading the H&K MP7's magazine into the men standing outside.
The katana dropped to the ground uselessly as the man fell to the floor, his three comrades falling with him.
Itami began getting up, dropping as a round buzzed overhead.
Men screamed and suddenly the sleepy town was full of men firing rifles and charging toward the house.
"Fall back!" he yelled, grabbing a magazine and gunning out the backdoor.
…
Levi Ackerman eyed the radio with disinterest, the young member of the 104th, Marco Bodt listening in on something or other.
He didn't particularly care, his leg shifting up and down where he sat.
"Captain."
He glanced up, Petra handing him some warm tea, and an even warmer familiar smile on her face.
She looked different, thinner, older.
"Thanks." he breathed, taking the tea without another word.
"Any word from back home?"
"Last we heard the invasion was halted. Looks like the World Union is licking its wounds."
"The real drama will come in the morning when everyone knows."
The glanced at the CIA woman, her blonde hair swaying in the late-night breeze as she looked out the window.
Levi frowned, turned to Petra, and whispered "After this, you should retire."
"Captain?"
"There's no need for a Survey Corps after. You didn't sign up to be a soldier that fought other humans."
"I..."
"Take my word for it. You're skilled at killing titans. Not people."
"I... are you going to retire, captain?"
Levi paused at that.
The CIA woman huffed, saying "Wow. Just tell him you love him already."
Petra stiffened at that.
"Don't look at me that way, you're a kid. It's natural."
"I..."
Levi stood up, shaking his head as he said "Thanks for the tea. Get some rest and don't say something you'll regret."
Her face dropped, she nodded slowly, saluted once, then turned around and left.
The CIA woman shook her head, saying "You don't let a girl down easy, huh?"
"We're at war. There's no guarantee of anything. Better she keeps any feelings like that to herself until she gets home."
The woman only nodded, saying "Fair enough, but still, the day is only worth living because of tomorrow, is it not?"
Levi said nothing.
"I'm saying you should plan for something after this... war."
Levi was silent for a moment as if looking past her and the walls around them. Then, he spoke slowly, as though in contemplation.
"Erwin had plans. They're untenable now."
"Why?"
"He had faith in people. I think he saw the humans that lived beyond the wall as ignorant of our circumstances at best. He had no idea of airships or how big everything really could be, let alone how much hate was harbored towards us. Now... now it's just a different war of survival."
"You're gonna need kids for that."
"What is it with you people and asking who likes who? You act like children."
"It's a way to pass the time. You can ask me. I won't be offended."
"I don't care."
"Ouch."
Marco suddenly spoke up "H-hey, miss... captain..."
"What?" they both asked at once.
"The... the Japanese detachment- the ones working near Hizuru?"
"What?"
"Uh... Code... Code... Ko-do-ha? It's garbled but I think that's what they're saying."
"Oh... oh no..." the CIA woman muttered, running up to the radio and listening in.
"Lieutenant, speak to me, how do you copy?"
"Miss- We...Pulling back to the... -bor! We have one casualty, no fatalities!"
"Damn it all!"
"W-what do we do?"
"Nothing we can do. Paradis probably already got the transmission, but them confirming it means someone's onto us there... and that might mean someone just might be onto us here as well."
Levi got up with a frown.
"Doesn't matter, this all ends very soon."
…
Jean Kirschtein stretched, M1 Garand hanging loosely from his shoulder.
Mina Carolina let out a tired yawn.
Jean yawned in return, then said "Ugh... why are yawns so contagious?"
"Don't ask me... I thought we'd be called over to the front by now."
"Apparently not. Be glad about it. Won't need to fight those... men."
"I'm not complaining, I just... I don't know. This all feels so... quick."
"Quick?"
"Fast, like... everything is happening so fast. They invaded, and... looks like they were stopped."
Jean shrugged.
"I'm wondering about the counterattack... like... the big one."
"Are they going to?"
She pointed to the four large planes still on the tarmac.
"Those have been built and ready all day for the last week. What are they waiting for?"
"For troops to carry."
Daniel Caine walked over with a tired expression.
He sat down next to Mina and sighed.
"U-uh... sir?"
"Huh? Oh... sorry. President called my boss. We want to end this little scuffle as soon as possible so he approved a joint strike on the port of Liberio."
"The... port town? Right across the ocean?"
"Yup... enough for those C130s to drop some paratroopers and head back here. Plan was already drafted but pending approval. So... yeah... we're counterattacking."
"That's... that's good, right?" Mina asked.
Daniel huffed, saying "Maybe. It could have one of two side effects. Cause, keep in mind, the goal here is to deny them from having a quick port to resupply their fleet, which will force them to abandon their little blockade of Paradis. But this will either send the message that they can't win... or it will inspire more people to take up arms."
"O-oh..."
"And we're not invading anything after that. If this next operation doesn't get us some deal, then nothing will... It could easily turn into another forever war."
Jean and Mina fell silent.
What could be said?
As long as the threat of the Rumbling was real, as long as Eldians could become titans, as long as the world was angry at the crimes of the past...
Jean sighed.
"So, it's that grim, huh?"
Daniel shrugged.
"I like to be an optimist. So many countries are backing you guys, I like to think the world might forget in exchange for trade offers. But... well, that's what we thought would happen in Iraq and Afghanistan... so who knows?"
No one spoke for a moment, all of them eyeing the four C130 aircraft sitting idly by.
Silent.
Waiting.
…
"Zeke, I... I really-"
The deafening silence was enough.
If the prison was uninhabited then maybe Dina Yeager could muster the courage, but her son, her now-adult son, was not only glaring at her from his cell but there were four others locked up down there as well.
Also eyeing her with curiosity.
Or perhaps resentment.
"I... I wish I could express how much I regret everything... I'm so sorry I wasn't there, that I... that I didn't step in when your father hurt you."
Zeke Yeager didn't respond, his eyes turning away from her.
It was just perfect!
So many promises, so many options, all to lure him out and throw him in a hole where he can't do anything and they could keep an eye on him.
They never intended to go along with his plan. Why would they have?
The powerful sedative didn't wear off until it was too late, and now... now he was stuck. Oh well, at least there was some comfort knowing his mother was suffering quite a bit alongside him.
Even if she was free to roam about.
Of course, there was also the added issue of-
"So... Zeke betrayed you when he was just a kid and you were turned into a titan over sixteen years ago?"
"Annie, do mind your own business, please."
Annie Leonhart scoffed, saying "Why should I? Everyone's been playing each other. The Eldian King lied about the Rumbling. Marley lies to entice warrior candidates. You lied to Marley to enact this... insane plan..."
"It would work."
"You have no guarantee!"
"And what would you suggest, pray tell?"
Annie fell silent.
"That's what I thought."
Dina said "Zeke, I... I can't agree with your conclusions... I know-"
"Enough, please. There's no fixing the past. What's done is done and it cannot be mended, mother."
Reiner Braun groaned from a few cells away, saying "Please, shut up... guards, shouldn't they be somewhere private?"
Dina saw pair of Military Police officers smile at each other as if the whole thing was quite entertaining.
It was to be expected, really. These... "warriors", had killed so many people without mercy. There was no fixing that.
Just how there was no fixing her inactions around Zeke. No fixing that the Royal family had ruined the Eldian heritage for the world. The millions upon millions dead, the horrifying wars, the enslavement, the cruelty...
There was no way of fixing anything, just living with the consequences.
Even with a gate to another world constantly providing them aid.
She heard the footsteps rushing down, the guards turning briefly, eyebrows raised as a familiar figure ran downstairs.
Eren Yeager marched past the guards, a nervous glimmer in his eyes as he said "Miss Dina, I think we can solve at least one problem."
She blinked, no less confused.
Eren was trailed by his two friends, Armin and Mikasa, and the commander of Survey Corps, Hanji Zoe, telling the guards something she didn't quite catch.
Zeke was, however, interested.
He walked to the cell door and peered over, asking "Who is that?"
Eren turned to Zeke without a word, eyeing him up and down with uncertainty.
Dina said "He's... Grisha's son... your half brother."
Zeke winced at the words as if a million questions popped into his mind.
Eren quickly said "Look, right now that doesn't matter. Dina, remember when we went into the Paths Realm?"
Dina nodded.
Zeke then sputtered out "You went into the Paths?!"
Dina, again, nodded.
"That... that's all... what did you see?! What happened in there?!"
Reiner got up, saying "Can't you keep it quiet?"
Dina covered her ears.
Zeke said "Reiner, shut up! I need answers, if-"
"ENOUGH!" Eren shouted.
No one spoke.
Mikasa smiled ever so subtly.
"The power of the titans is the direct cause of all of this... we know that... worm thing... it's stuck to the founder. Passing on generation through generation for thousands of years. For the first time in all that time... I think we're in a position to reject its power and get rid of it for good."
At the plan, Zeke crumbled to the ground in a heap, pressing his face into the iron bars.
"You're as foolish as father was..." Zeke sighed.
Eren scoffed, saying "What alternative do we have, huh? A silent extermination of all Eldians?"
Zeke shrugged, saying "It would be the option where people suffer the least."
"No, it wouldn't! That's just... that's not how it works! We know of the other world, we know people still suffer there regardless of titans! We can't..."
Eren straightened slightly.
"We can't get rid of suffering... we're not gods... we're humans. But we can exterminate all titans off the face of the earth!"
Silence.
Reiner scoffed, saying "You're about as hard-headed as the day we met, Eren Yeager... but you don't have any actual plans for doing something like that, do you?"
"Reiner..."
"It's not an insult. I've never been into this... Paths Realm... but what exactly is your plan? Tell the source of the titans to just shrivel up and die? You might as well ask an out-of-control fire to not burn the houses with kids on them."
Then, stepping closer to the cell door, he said "And like Zeke's stupid plan... you don't have a guarantee, either."
It was Hanji that said "At this point, we think we need to try. It will eliminate global concerns about the Rumbling. Even if they hate us, we won't be the global threat they fear."
No one spoke.
Hanji, with an ever more tired sigh, added "Plus, if you lose the ability to become titans, we can actually move you to a proper prison where you can be visited by your families... in private."
Annie's eyes sparkled at the thought.
Dina spoke up then.
"But... what's the plan then? We were essentially thrown out of paths, and... and I felt like I couldn't say much to the Founder, it... it was... terrifying."
Eren nodded, then said "We can't just... drop dead and let this go on. If we just stay like this we guarantee there will be another attack and another and another until eventually they get the upper hand or... or someone snaps and destroys everything."
Finally, Zeke said "So... you believe that ridding the world of titans will improve things? Genuinely?"
Eren turned to Zeke and said "It won't solve everything. But it's a step forward."
Zeke nodded slowly, then stood up.
"I suppose that's all we can do... I take it your plan is to just... make contact with my mother and enter paths?"
"Uh... not alone."
"Pardon?"
Eren turned to Mikasa and Armin.
"I don't know what I'll face, but... I need them to pull me out if... if something goes wrong."
Zeke eyed the teenagers standing near his half-brother.
They looked so young despite the military uniforms.
Had he had to kill them he wouldn't have batted an eye. His goals were always so much more grandiose than the lives and deaths of several million people.
Zeke eyed his mother for a moment.
His jaw clenched, the memories of his father forcing him to become a warrior, to go against his own wishes, to be ready to do whatever it took in order to restore an ancient Eldia.
He said, "My plan... is superior... but if you so wish, then I'll try to assist you as well."
"Zeke?" Dina said.
Zeke Yeager added, "It's quite cramped in here, so... getting rid of our titan abilities may be worth a shot."
Eren eyed him suspiciously.
Zeke then said "I did a lot of research into the concept of the Paths... I believe I can be of great use if the goal is to ultimately rid ourselves of the Founder's titan abilities..."
Eren turned to Dina.
"Alright..." she said, stretching a hand to Zeke.
Eren sucked in a breath, and turned to Mikasa and Armin, briefly looking past them at the other cells.
"Eren."
He turned to Armin.
"There's no forgiving what they did... but if we fail here, it's possible this will just happen again and again."
He nodded, stretching a hand.
Mikasa and Armin both placed their hands on his and Eren turned to Dina.
She nodded, holding Zeke's hand.
Hanji said, "Good luck, we're all counting on you, just... try not to end the world, alright?"
Eren nodded.
Dina laughed nervously.
Then he went to take her hand.
Eren's index finger had only grazed Dina's ring finger when the world around all of them fell away.
Zeke's cell was gone.
The underground dungeon had vanished.
A black sky and endless sand surrounded them.
Armin swallowed, shakily saying "This... this is the place, right?"
Eren nodded. Moving his hand away from Dina's.
Zeke looked around silently before musing out loud.
"Indeed it is... Time feels... different. Those... cloud-like objects up above seem to be tree branches leading up to the Founder's tree, and..."
He huffed.
"Well, there she is."
The five individuals turned to see the small and frail shape of Ymir marching toward them.
But she wasn't alone.
Eren's eyes went wide.
Armin shakily asked, "W-who is that?"
Mikasa stepped forward without a word as if preparing to pull Eren away.
Dina covered her mouth.
Zeke only frowned.
"That, my dear boy... that is the original founder of the Eldian Empire. King Fritz."
…
The USS George H.W Bush was a sight to behold even at night. Being the largest in the Western Hemisphere and one of the largest warships in the world, she's one of the most advanced warships in the American arsenal.
After her maiden voyage in 2011, she and the USS Harry S Truman had been part of the United States Navy's Atlantic Command. Both were nuclear carriers. Both with some of the deadliest aircraft to rule over the skies of the world.
Now they were both parts of the two Carrier Strike Groups heading across to another world.
He glanced quietly at the Nimitz Class carrier across the waves, the Truman's red "give 'em hell" battle flag was waving silently in the wind.
The captain's interest, however, was invested in the large portal opening up inside the recently constructed dock.
He glanced at his watch in silence.
Then came the question.
"Is it set?"
"Aye, captain."
"Excellent... is the Atago set?"
"Aye, captain."
It was... perhaps an odd choice.
Not his place to question it.
The smaller Japanese destroyer and her own sister ship, the Ashigara stood nearest to the portal that would connect both worlds.
It had been tested already over the weeks.
Drones, small boats.
Resupplies for the JSDF contingent guarding the Japanese representative to Hizuru.
News of the attacks on Paradis was already bad, but now...
Now it was time to put everything into motion.
Orders came suddenly.
The captain gave a single glance at the officers, the men quickly manning their stations.
He gave one last look at the other ships in this multi-national fleet.
Two carrier groups.
Three task groups.
It was mostly the United States and the UK.
But he eyed the elements of the Pacific forces that had tagged along. The Japanese, sure. They had more than an ally in the region to protect, as Hizuru was essentially Japan as well, but he wondered what strings were pulled to allow the Turkish frigate to tag along.
Perhaps to deal with some of the prisoners captured on day one.
God only knew how many men surrendered.
Then there were the Iowas.
Impressive, beautiful ships.
Only useful now for air defense thanks to their Phalanx Closed In Weapons Systems.
They were mostly symbolic gestures.
He could only imagine how a military from the very early 1900s would react to what a modern battleship looked like, let alone how obsolete they were now.
The cannons on the New Jersey and Missouri still were a sight to behold regardless of their lack of use.
The radio call came in then.
The captain of the Atago acknowledged they were approved to push on.
He didn't get to see the portal open properly, but he did see the massive shadow it created as the dock no longer became a simple hangar-like structure, but a fully functioning portal between worlds.
Over the line, he could just faintly begin hearing calls for support.
Not in English.
He sucked in a breath.
Then the Atago vanished into the shadows, her sister ship following soon after.
His captain only said "Ahead slow, ladies... show time."
...
Youji Itami swiftly changed magazines on his MP7 as a wooden crate exploded due to gunshots from across the street. The docks were fairly defensible. Lots of corners, lots of crates that acted as cover and concealment, and once Project Arrowhead was activated, it should be the first place the Naval Coalition arrived in.
If he had a larger army, he would be having a much easier time.
As the Japanese representative shakily took a few shots with his Sig Saur, Kurata lay next to him, clutching his bleeding shoulder...
Well, the situation was not exactly ideal.
Peering over one of the many bullet holes, he could see shadowy figures running from one place to the next. Firing and moving, trying to keep his paltry force to defend the docks.
He heard a long burst from his left, glancing and yelling "Shino, don't waste ammo!"
She didn't retort, ducking back down and reloading her suppressed Type 89.
"Where are the reinforcements, damn it?!" he heard Kurata scream.
"On the way! Just hold on!"
Something exploded behind him.
"Dynamite! Those bastards are throwing dynamite sticks!"
"Damn it! Rep, keep your head down!"
The man did as told, Youji noticing his Sig Saur had locked back, empty.
Damn it...
It really wasn't like the movies.
He never expected it to be that way and he was still shocked.
He'd only wanted to enjoy his hobbies. So many good anime had come out, so much that he was missing.
Perhaps worse, who would pay for his ex-wife's indulgences? She could barely care for herself, and the divorce had primarily been to benefit her!
He cursed under his breath, trying to think of a plan.
Then...
"Lieutenant Itami, this is the Atago... How copy?"
Itami glanced at his radio and smiled slightly.
"Read you ten-by-ten, Atago! You're going to be coming up first?"
"Affirmative. What's your situation?"
A bullet slammed into a nearby crate, splintered pieces of wood hitting his right cheek as he said "Pinned down... still."
"Understood, lieutenant. Mark your position with smoke, and keep your heads low."
"Got it! Shino! Damn it, pop smoke and get down!"
Shino stopped in the middle of placing a bayonet onto her Type 89, shouting "Smoke?! They're here?"
"Yeah! They need to know our positions, so pop smoke and keep your head low!"
She smirked.
"Yes, sir!"
…
Hizuru's Secret Police were nothing but the best of the best.
Accuracy was comparable to that of the germanic states.
Training as grueling as Marley's.
Weapons were provided by the Middle East Alliance.
And most importantly, the ferocity of ancient warriors that were long gone but never forgotten.
Still, these... traitors... their weapons only confirmed the danger of the men from another world.
As he inserted yet another clip into his automatic handgun, The Major could only angrily wonder why they were attacking here?
Was the fight not on that island of devils?
Why subvert the will of the World Union? Go against what everyone knew was the best for everyone?
Why fight so ferociously to subvert the will of the majority?
Was this other world so backward?
Still, to their credit, they had kept his men pinned. Wounded, even killed a few.
Quite the impressive feat. Made all the more impressive thanks to the lack of civilians to hit, but... well, those had been evacuated quite a while ago for such a scenario.
He smiled at his foresight.
And he smiled at the fact they didn't try seeking civilian hostages, rather running to the docks immediately, cornering themselves like rats.
Oh, he could smile.
Perhaps he would allow them an honorable death if...
Oh, and now they were trying to hide behind red smoke?
Pathetic, really. Now they couldn't shoot accurately at them given how thick it was.
"Charge! Charge now! Charge right over their-"
He didn't see it, but he felt the shell slam into a house, liquifying the men taking cover behind it.
As he turned to see the damage, a second explosion rang out next to it.
W-what kind of...?
He glanced, barely getting a glimpse past the red smoke, but it was massive.
And terrifying.
It was a different ship from those he had seen. The gun it carried moved far too swiftly to belong to Marley or the Mid-East Alliance.
And the flag...
That flag was unknown but it reminded him of ancient samurai symbols.
He swallowed.
Then ran as more five-inch shells crashed against his now greatly outgunned police force.
But he ran for a different reason.
Word! Word must get to the World Union fleet! The enemy is here in force now!
…
Willy Tybur's eyes shot open. The sunrise brought very little comfort to him as he sat upright on the uncomfortable chair.
The aide was holding the folded-up paper for him.
Willy took the written down message that had come by telegram and read it once.
He quietly passed it to the other generals.
They read it.
Osman was the one who spoke first.
"We need a new plan... a new strategy."
"Does sitting down to negotiate sound like a good idea?" General Calvi asked.
Osman said, "And face yet another Eldian Empire?"
"At this point, I wonder if there's much of a choice left. Most areas we landed on have been impossible to push out of. Even the specially trained Germanic Forces were practically wiped out!"
The general of the Germanic states sunk in his chair without a word.
"We still have millions of men at our disposal! We can still fight!"
Calvi raised his hands in exasperation, saying "It's not about fighting or not, it's about whether it's worth it or not!"
Willy said nothing.
"Gentlemen... we have no idea what this enemy fleet is capable of, but we have seen their aircraft dominate the battlefield. If we don't have the counter to this enemy right now-"
"General! Emergency telegram from Liberio!"
All eyes turned to the private, the man handing Willy the paper.
Willy winced in shock.
"Grandfather is... is ordering us to..."
"To what?" Osman demanded.
Willy stood up, glancing at the Middle East Alliance General. The man's mustache had greyed in recent months.
"We need to confirm something. If it's true then..."
"Then what?"
Willy said nothing, exiting the operations room with purpose.
Osman and Calvi walked over to the message.
Their eyes went wide with shock as they read it.
…
Time...
Time was a strange thing.
Armin eyed the massive glowing tree on the horizon. Its branches reflected hundreds upon thousands upon millions of images that he somehow understood were memories of the past.
And the future.
He glanced nervously at Eren Yeager.
The young man, the holder of the Founding Titan's power and the best chance at perhaps ending centuries of conflict was glaring angrily at two people that shouldn't even be alive anymore.
Yet there they were.
Eyeing them without a word.
It was Zeke Yeager who broke the silence.
"Founder, as a member of royal blood I order you to make the Eldian People Sterile!"
"Zeke!" Dina screamed in horror.
"It's an experiment, mother... and I think I'm right."
The founder Ymir stood still, the old hands of King Fritz softly caressing the top of her head.
The old king glanced toward Zeke.
Suddenly, a voice rang out.
"You are not the one to decide how the power of a god is used."
At this sleight, Eren Yeager angrily said "You're not a god! Playing god is what's led to all this-"
The king's vacant stare turned to him and Eren fell silent immediately.
Mikasa stepped forward now as if trying to protect Eren from the specter of the king.
The specter of the ancient Eldian King replied "What choice was there, then? A power like that of the titans, a gift from the gods... or a curse... it helped us survive. It made us strong. Humanity needs strong leaders, it needs someone that can make sure everything works, that can make sure everyone is safe, and that can make life go on for the better. A gift. But a curse in the suffering that is always required to achieve what is necessary."
At this, Zeke yelled out "You exterminated millions! An innumerable tally of dead men women and children are tied to you!"
The old king, as if tired, said "And so it was before I. Why do you think we had to fight Marley oh so long ago?"
Memories appeared then, of ancient soldiers massacring men, women, and children, feeding them to large dogs, burning their homes, beheading the men, and tying up the women with ropes.
"Strength is a necessity... you can talk about peace and love, but without the strength to protect it, it all becomes worthless. You should all understand that much."
"Killing so many-"
"That was strength back then. It is still a strength today. How did you save the young Ackerman descendant that cares for you so much?"
Eren winced.
"Did you ask kindly, or did you pick up a knife, and slaughter those men?"
The memories were visible right behind the King and Ymir.
A small Eren Yeager, his childish face splattered with blood as he stabbed a knife into another man, over and over and over. The anger and outrage in the child's eyes reflect the carnage of the scene around him.
The King said, "You agree that people have to fight."
Zeke Yeager glanced at his half-brother in abject shock.
Just who had his father raised?
Eren nodded slowly but added "Yes... people have to fight... they need strength to do so."
Then, as if his anger had flared.
"But there's a difference in that and genocide, damn it!"
The king didn't seem to react.
"You are wrong." came the calm reply.
"What?"
"Total extermination. Completely wiping out the enemy that wishes to see those you care for hurt. When a wolf stalks your sheep, you kill it. When various people come to your home to destroy it, you kill them all. Without mercy. Otherwise, they can come back. Otherwise, they might come back stronger. Otherwise, you may lose it all in one fell swoop."
Armin saw Eren's jaw clench.
Dina swallowed nervously, saying "I... I can't agree with that. There is a difference in... in protecting those you love and... and slaughtering everyone."
"Only if everyone out there wasn't a threat."
Dina winced at the words, but the old King continued, his body remaining as still as ever despite the booming voice that seemed to envelop the whole realm.
"The world has turned on Eldia, and in order to defend those it cares for, it needs to ensure another Eldia never rises. There is but one solution. You all know it. You all admit it. And yet..."
Then, turning to Armin, "You wish to ignore it all and find some third option."
Armin swallowed, saying "We just... we just can't agree to the solution. Not like this. Not when there are other options."
The king said "An admirable resolve... but it means nothing to the blade. These values, these ideals... they won't save you. They'll only guarantee your destruction."
Such destruction appeared behind him on the tree. All-consuming flames, bombs falling, people being crushed by crumbling buildings, a never-ending hellscape of craters and corpses as far as the eye could see.
Silence.
"This is a cruel world. It's its nature. It's what it does to those born in it. You are not special because you are born in this world. You just exist, same as everyone else. Even you, my children, the descendants of the Founder Ymir, are no exception."
No response.
"Eren Yeager..."
Eren eyed him for a moment.
"You have the power to end this world and start it anew. It will guarantee those you care for live happy lives, it guarantees no one else threatens their descendants, it even guarantees peace with this... other... world."
"I have no intention of initiating the Rumbling! Those marching giants... those... damned... ugly... monsters!"
Eren glared at him as he yelled "They are all traced back to this! They took my mother! They took away our home! All because of what you did!"
"Eren..." the voice became softer, less commanding, more paternal.
"What?!"
"This has all led up to this moment, yes... your actions here will begin the world anew..."
"What?"
"The Founder... it can see into the future. And the paths needed to get there."
"Yes, but that-"
"Today you will either do one of two things. You will initiate the Rumbling. Crush those portals into the other world. Destroy the enemies that exist beyond the ocean and then, when all is safe... rid the world of titans."
"I refuse!"
"Then you will rid the world of titans... and guarantee the inevitable destruction of Paradis. Maybe not today. Maybe not in a hundred years. But eventually, Paradis will be destroyed by the outside world. That is the only way this will end."
"Damn you! There has to be another choice!"
"Eren, when I built my empire I had no idea it would grow so large or so powerful. I just wished to protect my little corner of the earth. My people. My home... Even now, becoming one with the Paths... I can see how uncaring time can be for man's intentions. "
Then, with a sense of finality...
"Everything ends, Eren Yeager. The power of a god granted to us allows us to peer into how it will end. The old Carl Fritz saw that he could continue the suffering of the world... and chose not to. He knew it could lead to the destruction of the world or of Paradis. He cared not. To him, it was a greater good to return to the world its autonomy at the sacrifice of his own people. That was the vow made that kept everyone you cared for in such misery. And it was exactly that misery your father fought and killed to end."
Sand shifted and Eren glanced to his left, seeing the old king walking away into the darkness, vanishing from sight.
The old King Fritz said, "Your father also made that choice..."
Sand shifted yet again, this time behind them all.
They all turned and froze, Grisha Yeager, holding a scalpel's blade to his hand.
"Right here... I will devour the Founding Titan and wipe out the Royal Blood."
Grisha Yeager's eyes seemed to dart to them despite his focus being elsewhere.
"E-Eren? Dina? What-?"
He saw Zeke, tears began to appear.
"Zeke..."
He gave him a slight smile before Eren shouted "Dad?! How-?"
"It's the paths... time... time works differently in Paths... you're all... you're all together."
"Dad, I-"
"No... Eren... I know what you'll try to say... don't. I know what I have to do."
"Mister Grisha, please, if we can change-"
"Armin... be good. Mikasa... keep Eren safe, alright?"
She only nodded.
Eren yelled out "Dad, this is-"
"And Zeke... I'm so sorry... I should have... I should have been better... but... I'm sorry."
Then, turning away from them, he gripped the scalpel and vanished.
That is the future on which I have decided... that is the only guarantee I have!
The memory of his father sent a cold shiver up Eren Yeager's spine.
The old King Fritz said "So you understand now, Eren Yeager? It is up to you to make another choice."
"You bastard... You could have warned him! If you know about the future, then why not pursue a better one?! Why this one?!"
"Our power is not omniscient. We see what we see, and nothing else."
"Then... then why not try to change anything?! Why all of this?!"
"Because it led to you... and there are no memories to see after you, Eren Yeager."
Eren froze.
"It all ends with you."
…
Hobbes observed the POWs sitting quietly in the sand as they watched the new sunrise, some laying down to pray.
"Think they have their version of Mecca here?"
Hobbes shrugged as Ryan walked over with some coffee. Their tanks parked neatly in a position to quickly mount up and deal with another attack.
But none seemed to be manifesting.
Hobbes took the coffee, saying "The fleet made it through a few hours ago. They'll be here in a few days."
Ryan nodded, asking "Think they'll surrender then?"
"I don't know. It's a big world. They may try to keep resisting or pushing some war effort forever. But I think we've shown how incapable they are. It's not titans they face anymore, either. It's regular flesh and blood."
"And Iron."
"How can you crack jokes right now? Do you have any idea how many died yesterday?"
Ryan shrugged, a sad expression on his face.
"I don't know... met this... kid. Early on. She kind of clung to this other girl, but... I don't know, she grew fascinated with our tech. She uh... she was killed a couple of months back."
"Sorry..." Hobbes replied flatly, sipping his coffee and watching the sunrise.
"Found out she was actually a shifter. Right before we even knew about Marley or any of that thanks to that kid's books. She suffered a lot and... I don't know. She cared for this girl, she... she probably wanted her to be safe."
Then, darkly, "If protecting her was her wish, then keeping these attackers at bay doesn't feel as difficult."
Hobbes shrugged, saying "They're still people. It is a tragedy regardless."
Ryan only shrugged at that.
…
Matt's eyes shot open as someone tapped on the Humvee's window.
He opened the door, seeing a tired Ilse Langnar with a bottle of water instead of ammunition.
She handed it to him without a word.
He took it.
"Where's-?"
"Headed to the CP for something... things are all quiet so I'm trying to rest a bit... no thanks to you, but hey... sun's coming up. They might attack again."
She gave him a very weak smile.
"What?" he asked.
"Well... we're not dead..."
"Yeah."
Shakily, she said "But... I still don't feel alright... this... this is different."
"Yeah."
She blinked a few times, then wiped something from her eyes, whispering "Mother sent me a photo she and dad took recently... I... I want to go home..."
Matt sat up slightly.
"But I can't... they want us dead... all of us. And I should hate them for that, but... I can't."
Matt shrugged.
"My comrades didn't die for this... they didn't die for any of this... We were supposed to help free humanity, not... fight against it."
Matt nodded slowly.
"Can't you say something?!"
"...we're different."
"Huh?"
"We focused on how alike we all were at first. Political problems, dramas, crime, hate... we're different, too. You guys value human life, maybe more than even us back home. We're used to wars breaking out, sometimes justified, sometimes not. But to us, it's just how it is. You guys aren't used to that."
"I... I don't want to ever get used to it."
Matt shrugged.
"I... I'll preserve it. That idea of peace and freedom that Commander Erwin had... I will. I promise."
"Good."
The radio crackled suddenly.
"All Victor Teams, be advised, we have a developing situation..."
Ilse and Matt turned to the radio, confused.
…
Kenny Ackerman sighed as the factory's alarm went off, reminding everyone it was time to change shifts.
He saw the crates of ammunition being carried out with ever-growing efficiency.
Admirable work.
To think most of the kids he was overseeing now were just street rats living in the underground district beneath the capital.
Now they were working together with those from the top for a common goal of survival.
One of the engineers from beyond the Gate walked over, asking "Good morning Mister Ackerman, any grievances to report?"
Kenny shook his head, saying "No problems. Everyone is too busy trying to make sure ammo gets done properly and on time to actually start stealing or fighting."
"Well, that's good to hear. Hopefully, they can keep this up even after the war ends."
"Will it ever truly end given how the world here feels about us?"
The other man shrugged.
Kenny shook his head.
One problem to the next.
He thought back to the words Uri Reiss had spoken to him so long ago.
One day this peace will end...
He often wondered what that crazy old man had meant. What that vast power allowed him to see that made him so damn certain of the future?
He cleared his throat, saying "Whatever, I'm going to go smoke-"
A distressed cry caught his attention.
"Everyone look! Come outside! Come outside!"
"What is it?"
"What's wrong?"
"Why?" Kenny called.
The kid sputtered something, then, finding his voice he loudly proclaimed four little words that, in Kenny's mind, really did end the world.
"The walls are breaking!"
…
Freedom was an ideal with several meanings.
The absence of subjugation, the lack of imprisonment, and the ability to speak, do, or think what one wished.
What even the definitions meant varied on who was asked.
What did it mean for Eren Yeager?
He remembered the walls.
The massive cage kept him and everyone from the outside world as he grew up.
He'd always had that sense of being trapped, watching the birds fly effortlessly over it without a care in the world. A sense that had only grown when Armin found a not-so-permissible book about the world beyond the walls.
Mountains of ice and snow.
Rivers of flowing melted rock.
The ocean.
But that sense of entrapment had almost vanished. It had been replaced with a searing hate for those that killed his mother, destroyed his home, and ensured he could never truly recover from that.
He would never see his mother and father again.
He would never forget what he had seen for so long.
All of that happiness that could have been having been ripped away from him.
And now...
Now he had the power to do exactly that to those that hurt him.
Eren Yeager watched the old King Fritz in silence, the man's hand remaining on the young Ymir's head. The girl hadn't said a word.
"It all ends with you, Eren Yeager." Fritz repeated.
"Then... whatever I ask you to do next... you'll do it?"
"That is the power of the Founder handed to someone, not of royal blood. You can ignore even my will."
Eren stood there in silence.
Zeke, having remained quiet, only said "Eren... if you believe eliminating the power of titans will even give this world a touch of stability, do it."
Dina nodded, saying "This is what Grisha died... and killed for?"
The King reminded then "Doing so will guarantee the destruction of Paradis."
At this, Armin snapped back "You can't know that!"
The king did not reply.
Eren stood there.
It had all led up to him?
"What will happen if I reject the power of the titans? To the Eldian People, I mean."
"Titans will no longer exist, so those... tests one can do to identify Eldians, will no longer work. The coordinate will likely shrivel away. Titan shifters will live their lives to the fullest. Unless killed, of course. But this will not make the hate Eldians see vanish, Eren Yeager."
"I know."
"The Rumbling will."
Eren was silent.
He eyed little Ymir.
And for the first time in a long time, he felt a deep sadness.
"You were never truly free, either, huh?"
The girl didn't react to his question.
"Everyone is a slave to something, Eren Yeager."
Eren's gaze never left the small Ymir.
All that power, all that strength, and she remained a slave forever.
"She suffered enough..." Eren sighed.
No one spoke.
"And you can't guarantee that eliminating titans will result in the destruction of Paradis."
Silence.
"Founder... Please..."
Ymir perked up slightly.
"Vanish the power of titans from the world. You don't have to continue providing it to us. You can go free."
Ymir didn't move.
Fritz asked, "Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"Then it is so."
Fritz removed his hands from Ymir's head.
The girl sighed.
Then, gave Eren the weakest smile he'd ever seen.
She never spoke, and he couldn't tell if it was out of gratitude or frustration.
Fritz vanished first.
Then the tree began to grow dim, slowly disappearing.
Ymir slowly went away as the darkness grew around them until they couldn't even see anyone else.
Finally, soft words rang out as everything went black.
A young girl's voice.
Was it Ymir?
His mother?
He wasn't sure, but it sounded so very maternal, he wanted to cry.
The words struck him as genuine, if not somewhat threatening.
"You've chosen freedom. Try to keep it. Please."
Eren felt his eyes shoot open and the first thing he did was scream in agony.
"Eren!"
"Hold him down!" Hanji yelled.
Eren kept screaming, trying to speak but not finding his voice.
Armin's eyes widened, saying "The... the coordinate! It's coming out of him! Now that it has no host..."
Hanji grabbed her blade, cutting off Eren's shirt, wincing in horror at the sight.
The skin on Eren's back was protruding as if something was trying to rip its way out.
Mikasa cringed as Hanji looked at her apologetically.
She nodded.
With a single expertly made cut across Eren's back, and a slight splash of blood, the creature climbed out, slowly withering away as it fell to the floor of the dungeon.
After two seconds, only an unmoving husk remained.
Eren stopped screaming, breathing heavily as he lay there.
Dina's eyes were wide.
"Eren? Eren, are you alright?"
Eren shakily nodded.
Hanji then asked, "Did... did it work?"
It was Reiner who said, "Yeah... yeah, it worked alright."
They turned to him.
The saw the cut across the palm of his hand.
No steam.
No rapid healing.
Just regular human cells trying to fix the body like anyone else.
Reiner laughed slightly, as if in shock.
Zeke shook his head, staying silent.
Dina asked "Zeke?"
"It left so much unanswered... I wish... I wish I could have learned more..."
No one spoke.
Hanji quickly said "I... I have to go report this! Um... Eren, stay right there, I'll get Nurse Joy!"
Eren groaned, "She doesn't like being called that..."
Hanji ignored him, running up the steps.
Mikasa gently patted his head, smiling slightly.
Eren didn't say anything, closing his eyes, suddenly feeling a small sense of accomplishment as his consciousness drifted away.
…
"This isn't possible... you should be able to transform! You're the Warhammer titan!"
Lara could only stare at her bleeding palms.
They weren't healing rapidly.
Her grandfather sat back down, staring at the port of Liberio.
"This... this must be the doing of the Founder somehow... but how could they have activated it?"
Lara asked, "Grandfather, what are we going to do?"
The eldest Tybur only said "You are going to go home. I plan to oversee the operations here."
Lara winced at the graveness of the way her grandfather had said "operation".
"Grandfather?"
"I've called back General Osman... I need a ruthless man for this."
"W-what are...?"
Her grandfather did not reply.
Lara swallowed, not daring to ask anything further.
Shakily, she walked away.
Yelena, however, lowered the listening device with a frown.
"Was this Zeke's plan?" she mused aloud, moving away from the window and hiding her American tool in a suitcase.
She shook her head, and calmly went out to report her findings.
…
"Extra! Extra! World Union invasion of Paradis halted! No goals reached!"
The CIA woman eyed the paper boy with disdain, but it was more out of personal irritation with the way he talked.
No, the real frustration came from the locals reading it aloud and discussing it.
"I'm leaving Liberio first thing tomorrow. We're too close to those devils..." someone said.
"But if we leave how will the city function?!" Another decried.
"Let the Eldians have it. I have to look out for my kids, damn it!"
"But the war effort-"
"Forget it! Let's just try to avoid them as much as we can... if you want to die facing those animals, be my guest!"
She glanced at the exodus of civilians, tossing things down from windows and onto cars, some horse-driven and others motorized.
A few Marleyan soldiers were watching the ongoing situation with indifference.
Among them, a familiar pair of faces approached.
She took a drag from her cigarette and turned to them.
"It's true. Not that the papers are talking about it." Yelena said.
She shrugged.
It was Onyakopon that asked "What's Zeke's plan now? The titan ability was going to be a factor in securing a future for Eldia and... and our own countries."
The CIA woman smiled slightly, saying "I don't think this was part of his or our plan... but it does eliminate some issues, like the wall titans threatening everyone. Suddenly that leaves our forces as your best bet."
"Aren't your forces only making deals with Paradis?"
"At the moment, but... I don't see why people that wish to be free of Marley's yolk would be denied. We're a fairly open-minded people."
Yelena said "If Zeke approves then I'm behind you. However, I worry about the Eldians in the Liberio District... they're not allowed to leave the district, and the Eldest Tybur hinted of wiping them all out."
The CIA woman winced, the earth-shaking slightly beneath her.
Yelena frowned, saying "And that must be them..."
The armored train was absolutely massive. Sloped armor, heavy guns that likely belonged to small warships on the sides, heavy machine guns on portholes, and several large metal crates behind it, each with port holes with guns sticking out of them.
A tank on rails.
It was massive compared to the civilian trains, even visible from the lower grounds of the Liberio Ports as it entered the station across town.
"Osman is being brought in to handle it... he's a butcher, miss. I have no idea the force he's bringing in, but those trains wreaked havoc on Marley's borders last year. It almost escalated into a major war there and then if it hadn't been for the focus on the Paradis operation."
She nodded.
"I'll relay the information. Radio silence is no longer an option. Not with our fleet this close."
"Do you not have an air force?"
"They're being prepared, but it takes time. Couple of days, at least... anything else on this... Eldest Tybur?"
"He sent Lara back now that she can't utilize the Warhammer titan... Miss, it feels like victory is right within grasp. Why move with so much caution?"
A baby began crying as a young mother was pulled into a car, the vehicle speeding away.
"Rules of Engagement." the CIA woman finally said, "We're taking the port to deny the World Union quick access to resupply their ships. It'll force them to leave Paradis without us firing a shot, thus saving the lives of the Eldian Civilians on board, and maybe even forcing the World Union to negotiate."
Yelena shrugged, saying "The men in the volunteer detachment will follow the given orders... I suppose they'll feel comfort your people worry about civilian deaths and rules of war."
The CIA woman said nothing.
A gunshot rang out in the distance.
Yelena sighed, saying "Be careful, this town is becoming a powder keg."
The CIA woman said nothing as the two volunteers walked off, her eyes narrowing as she saw the empty building ahead of her. She watched the kid with the newspaper sell another one to an old man before leaving the street, everything now completely deserted.
Shops were closed.
No vendors were on the streets.
Civilian ships by the docks had vanished.
Her hands then balled into a fist.
"Everything alright, ma'am?" the radio crackled in her ear.
Crow's concern was appreciated, but it was a different issue that bothered her.
"I'm fine. How many World Union troops arrived?"
"Brigade strength from the looks of it... they're dismounting with heavy guns... artillery pieces... some AA weapons from the looks of it."
"Yeah... that's what I thought..."
"Good news is that the train has riveted armored, not welded. The Survey Corps' projectiles should do the trick."
"Yeah..."
A seagull landed on the nearby dock, rubbing its feathers with its beak and picking at something on the wood before flying back into the sky.
How much longer...?
…
General Osman walked over to the smaller boat with a stone-cold expression.
It was a moonless night, and cloudy.
The ocean was black like a devil's heart and appeared to stretch forever. As his sailors waited for him to enter, a voice made him turn around.
"So, you're running away?"
Osman glanced at General Calvi without emotion.
What did that old man know, anyway?
"I have orders... And your... reluctance in this battle... it's shown us that you cannot be trusted with this next operation."
"Fair enough... I suppose I was reluctant to send men to die pointlessly, and I'm sure your characteristics are far more appreciated for whatever is planned."
"It's a defense, Calvi. You were right. We should have focused on that first. That's what we'll do now."
"Then why is the fleet staying here?"
"To bring the men back, of course... and to remain vigilant. Why do you always question orders, Calvi?"
The old man shrugged, his face never betraying any emotion.
"I suppose it's all about having so many underlings happy to please. I tend to appreciate subordinates that ask questions is all. Doesn't hurt to have a dissenting voice, I think."
"Oh, it can when the dissent comes at the worst possible time."
Calvi nodded slowly.
Osman turned to get on the boat but was stopped once more.
"Seventy deaths, forty children among them. Thirty years ago."
Osman only slightly shifted his gaze to Calvi.
"You led that raid so long ago, yes? Cavalry, all with blades. Right on the border. Remember?"
Osman said "Yes. The town was expanding into our territory as Marley had done previously. A good stand is all it takes to make your enemies think twice about making a move."
Calvi nodded slowly.
"I suppose that is the nature of the world we live in. But I wonder if this plan will be as effective as the Eldest Tybur seems to think it is."
Osman said nothing.
"That is why you're being called back, is it not? Most of even my men would happily burn Paradis to the ground, but I think many would have some hesitation in doing the same to a place like Liberio."
Osman frowned.
"Especially now that Eldians can't become titans anymore."
Osman nodded slowly, saying "The present cannot change the past no matter what is rewritten or changed, General. I know what must be done. Your people are soft... too soft..."
Then, perhaps with a hint of sadness "I'm envious."
"Pardon?"
"Please, you never had to scrape by just to get a meal. By the time you were born Marley was already consolidating its power. Our countries in the Middle East? We were just trying to gain stability, and you still had Eldian devils trying to gain the upper hand... life was hard. Cruel. That's the nature of this world. I wish I could grant our enemies mercy, I wish I had that privilege... but I don't. And neither do you."
He turned around entirely, said, "You must learn that if you wish to survive."
Without skipping a beat, Calvi said "Perhaps I don't wish to survive, but to live?"
Osman scoffed.
"You should have been a philosopher... living and surviving... you cannot do one without the other."
Calvi shrugged.
Osman for a final time turned around to get on the ship.
"Not everyone will agree with this plan, General."
"History will judge me. Farewell, General Calvi."
With that, the smaller boat began to sail away, Calvi eyeing the small lights as it pulled away from the main World Union fleet.
He took a match, and lit a pipe, huffing some of the soothing nicotine before letting out a tired breath.
"Yes... yes, it will." He said out loud to no one.
...
As the sun began to set, Sylvia picked up more sticks for the fireplace. The distant fields were still being tended to by her husband and the other men from the village.
Serfdom was not easy living.
But it was living at the end of the day.
The Romanov Empire had ended slavery well over a century prior, along with the collapse of the Eldian Empire, but it was still a rather lackluster mess of a nation.
She picked up another stick, this one a little drier than the others. She smiled slightly, glad to at least be able to have a decent supply of firewood and kindling.
Even in the summer, it was cold.
It was then, just as she placed the stick along with the others, that she heard something rather odd.
She turned around, wincing at the structure that had appeared a few feet away from her, just at the edge of the forest.
She dropped everything as the sound became clearer and louder, a horrifying war cry of trumpets that was coupled with a chorus of men singing painfully loudly.
She covered her ears, backing away from the structure just as the first monster exited it.
It was massive, it had strange tractor-like wheels its eyes were glowing, it-
Wait, this was some kind of... truck? Car?
Sylvia hadn't seen many cars, but she had seen tractors and the lights up front that almost seemed to be monstrous eyes showed that it was a vehicle.
But then what was it doing there?
The T80BV slowly traversed, the speakers blaring the Russian anthem as the tank commander opened the hatch and hopped out.
"People of the Empire of Romanov! You are being liberated!" he shouted as the song reached a beautiful crescendo.
Sylvia blinked.
The nearby villagers peered from their doors and windows as more tanks exited the Russian Gate.
The tank commander's smile didn't disappear.
He hopped off the tank with a box of chocolates, handing them to the young woman, saying "Miss, for you. A token of the Russian Federation's kindness!"
Sylvia only blinked, slowly taking the gift, confused but glad the scary weapons on the vehicle weren't aimed at her and that the strange man spoke her language.
"Now, if you don't mind, would you direct or... oh, better yet, just point in the direction of the oppressors!"
"The... oppressors?"
"The Romanov Military! The ones attacking the Island of Devils along the rest of the world!"
"Uh... well... they have a base six hundred kilometers west, but-"
"Excellent! You're an excellent help! As more equipment arrives, the lives of the people of this village will greatly improve!"
Sylvia blinked, giving a half-smile at the vague promise.
The man gave her a pat on the shoulder, then whirled around, hopping on his tank, saying something before turning around and yelling "Stay in formation, Yuri! You're going to get stuck in the mud!"
"But the other tanks can't advance unless-"
"We are advancing! Have some patience, comrade, by God!"
The T80s rolled ahead slowly.
"What on earth was all that about?" an older woman asked her.
Sylvia watched as more of these vehicles rolled out of the portal.
She turned to her neighbor and said "I... I think we're being invaded?"
"We are?"
"Uh-huh..."
"Huh... they gave you chocolates?"
"Uh-huh..."
"Think they'll go for some money?"
"I don't know."
A different vehicle rolled out, this one also blaring music as men in very green uniforms sat on its sloped armor, waving at them.
Sylvia shrugged, picked up the sticks, and said "I suppose we should keep out of their way."
Her neighbor nodded and went back inside without another word.
…
Gabi Braun angrily stomped the dusty ground under her, yelling "But we HAVE to fight, Falco! Otherwise, they'll kill us all!"
Falco shakily said, "I-I'm just saying that it looks like they're going to negotiate first!"
Udo adjusted his glasses, saying "Given how quickly the attack was halted, it seems the enemy has considerable power."
"They haven't even met real Warriors! They probably take advantage of Marley's kindness and use dirty tactics, like... like sticking bombs to dogs or... or people!"
Zofia said, "Didn't Marley stick bombs to Eldians some years ago?"
"That was different. They volunteered! And it worked!"
Falco sighed, "I know, I know, but... Gabi, you have to realize that maybe this is out of our league."
"Nonsense! We're future warrior candidates, aren't we?!"
The other eight-year-olds only sat there, staring at her in silence.
Footsteps sounded nearby, the large gate into the Liberio Ghetto being opened slightly as the mysterious woman with blonde hair walked inside without a word.
"Have a good day, miss!" the old guard at the entrance waved.
Gabi grinned, saying "Come on!"
"W-? Gabi!" Falco tried, too late as she ran over.
"Miss Marley Intelligence!" she cried out.
The woman paused, eyeing her.
Gabi immediately straightened up, saying "It's true that Marley has a plan to counter the enemy, right?!"
"Huh?"
"The enemy! We have a plan to counter them, right? We have to fight, right? We can't just give up, right-right-right?"
The woman eyed her for a moment.
She nodded slowly, tapping the girl's head as she said "Yeah, we have a plan... yeah, we have to fight... No, you kids need to just keep yourselves and your families safe."
"Yeah! That's why we're training to be warriors! Honorary Eldians that fight against the Devils of Paradis! Pow!" she exclaimed, punching the air.
The woman said nothing, walking slowly away.
Gabi's smile never leaving, turned to Falco, saying "I bet I impressed her!"
"Uh-huh..."
"Just you wait, Falco, Zofia, Udo... we're going to become Honorary Marleyans and save the world! Mark my words!"
…
"All Honorary Eldians have had their statuses revoked starting today!" the booming message from the radio rang through the district at exactly five 'o clock in the morning.
The CIA woman eyed her watch with a groan, noting the dim blue light of the very early morning hours.
Captain Levi walked over to her on the couch, adjusting his harness.
"So, today's the day, huh?" she asked.
Levi only said, "Confirmation code is Rockbell."
"Yeah, I know, I know... Your people are set?"
"Yeah."
"Good luck, and... hey?"
Levi paused, raising an eyebrow.
"Try to make it back alive, alright? We're almost at the end here."
Levi only said, "It never ends."
"I mean the operation, stupid. Seriously, you should retire if you can't even be a little positive anymore."
Levi said nothing, hopping out of the window, using his ODM gear to fly through the district unseen.
The CIA woman glanced at Marco, the young kid still monitoring the radios.
"They haven't detected the planes yet... or our comms."
"Good."
"But..."
"But...?"
The distant booming radio declared "All Eldians report to the main entrance of the Liberio Ghetto Immediately!"
"They're planning a demonstration... and I think they're going to announce the whole titans vanishing situation..."
"God damn it... let me guess, they're concentrating their forces around the ghetto as well?"
Marco nodded.
"It's like these damned animals can't fight without dragging civvies into our line of fire..."
She angrily shook her head.
"Hell with it... Yelena and her squad should also be down there, so... Sasha!"
The girl peered from across the other room.
"Grab your rifle..."
"What? Aren't we in reserve?"
"Marco, how far are the C130s?"
"Uh..." he checked his notes, then said "About thirty minutes?"
The CIA woman nodded.
"Yeah... yeah, that works... coming up with the rising sun..."
She reached over and grabbed her AAC, making sure the magazine of .300 Blackout was inserted before closing the collapsing stock and hiding it under her dress.
"Ma'am, aren't we in reserve?"
"Yeah. Crow's guys and the Delta team are out. Team Levi is getting into position now before the sun's all the way up. Things go to plan, the coastal defenses and AA guns will be gone in twenty minutes."
"But then why-?"
"They're about to slaughter the Eldians in Liberio."
Sasha froze up.
"Marco, stay on the net, let us know if anything changes."
"W-wait, what are we going to do?"
"Oh, you probably won't have to do anything... Me, though... I'm buying time. You'll cover me."
"Uh... y-yes, ma'am... understood!" she said, lifting the M1903 over her shoulder and following after her.
…
Pieck Finger was on her knees, the rifles aimed at her less shocking than her now bandaged arms.
She didn't dare look up to meet the eyes of the people of Liberio.
Not now.
Captain Koslow yelled out "What is the meaning of this?!"
General Osman only "Orders directly from the Eldest Tybur... the Eldians of Liberio are to be eliminated as a threat."
"What?!"
Pieck shook her head slowly.
"It's to send the enemy a message, captain! They care deeply about the so-called Eldians. We start executing them, they won't invade! Simple!"
"I have not received any orders in that regard!"
"I have them right here! On paper! Signed!" Osman shouted, waving the paper around.
The Middle Eastern soldiers, swallowed slightly as the Marleyan soldiers seemed to almost be defending the Eldian Ghetto.
It wasn't intentional, they all certainly knew.
But the cracks in the World Union's alliance were now really showing.
After such a defeat, what else could be expected?
Pieck remained silent as Captain Koslow said "As far as I am concerned, no orders were sent by my superiors! I cannot allow you or your men to enter the ghetto. This is Marley's property and Marley's property to deal with!"
"Captain, do you not understand how close we are to an invasion by the enemy?! If we don't-"
"I will consider your request upon getting confirmation from my superiors, General Osman! We are still an organized and respectable military. If I went around slaughtering Eldians to my heart's content I would likely be doing an overall good... but that would not make me a disciplined soldier, now would it?!"
Osman huffed, saying "Fine, check with your superiors. Be aware that I will report this."
"Perfectly understandable, as will I."
Pieck heard some of the Marleyan guards murmur amongst themselves.
"Didn't that guy raid a border town decades ago?"
"Yeah. If the rumors are true, he was called a butcher before becoming a general. Chopped a thousand heads, Marleyan and Eldian."
"Bastards..."
"Who do they think they are?"
Koslow, however, managed to quietly ask her "Have your superiors said anything new?"
"No. They were gathering some experimental team for a defense of Liberio all the way in Fort Slava... I wasn't informed of any changes yet. Let alone that... that..."
Koslow shook his head, not bothering to give words of encouragement.
She felt the stares, both from the military and civilians.
She was a warrior, wasn't she?
An honorary Eldian.
Did all that work mean nothing now?
Her father had been moved, so even she died...
No, don't think like that! There has to be a way out...
The crowd of civilians gathering there like sheep made her nervous.
We have no weapons... the Marleyan troops are greatly outnumbered even if they decided to help us... damn it, what do I do?!
She saw Reiner's young cousin running among the crowd, trailed by her other small friends.
"Miss Pieck! Is it true?" Gabi called out.
The torn-up special armband was all the proof needed.
Gabi froze up.
As if her young mind couldn't comprehend it.
"N-no..." Gabi whispered.
"Gabi, please, go back home. It's not safe here."
"No!"
"G-Gabi-"
"They're lying! Marley would never betray us like this! I bet General Calvi didn't even approve any orders you rat bastard!" she shouted before Falco and Udo both tackled her, covering her mouth.
"Who is that brat?!" Osman demanded.
Falco yelped as Gabi bit his finger, shoving Udo off her and standing up, yelling "I'm Gabi Braun, cousin to Reiner Braun! I am a Warrior of Marley and I will not-"
*CRACK*
Gabi felt her legs give way as she collapsed to the ground, shaking, staring at the small cut on her leg where the bullet had grazed her.
Her lip quivered in fear as her friends rushed to check on her.
Pieck could only shut her eyes in silent despair.
Osman lowered the handgun, turned to Koslow, and shouted "This insolence is only more proof your Eldian population is a danger to us all!"
Koslow didn't reply.
"Well Christ Almighty, what is all the fuss about?" came a voice that had a southern Eldian accent.
"M-miss... Miss... intelligence..." Gabi shakily whimpered.
Pieck raised an eyebrow as the blonde-haired woman in a dress walked over.
Other people mumbled about her being Marleyan intelligence.
But as she made eye contact with her, only one thought went through her mind.
You're not from Marley's Intelligence Division...
The CIA woman walked over to the gate, the old guards were unsure if they should open it or not, so she did it herself, stepping outside like nothing.
"Captain Koslow, I take it you didn't receive any orders?" she spoke as though she was talking to a young Army Lieutenant that had stumbled on something he shouldn't have.
The Marleyan captain said "I... correct. Are you with Marley's Intelligence Division?"
She ignored the question, saying "Don't bother with the radio. General Osman here failed to inform you that Liberio's Headquarters for the World Union is too busy evacuating to answer any small-time requests like order confirmations."
"What?"
"Why else do you think your radio operator hasn't gotten an answer yet?"
The kid operating the radio only turned to them, shakily moving his head side to side.
Osman said "Indeed. The evacuation is to leave nothing alive in this city but a message to the enemy. You should know as much, miss..."
She ignored him as well, saying "These the Marley Volunteer Force?"
Koslow glanced at the soldiers.
"Yes... why?"
"Good..." then whispering, "Place them in defensive positions, I don't like the looks this guy is giving your men."
To his credit, Koslow whispered back "I already have them in position, but what is going on with command taking orders from these... people?"
She shrugged.
Osman crossed his arms, yelling "Miss, it would do us all a service if you just stand down already. We're all on the same side, are we not?"
"Not at all. You're on that side of the street, I'm on this side."
No one laughed.
"Give me your division Identification number, Miss. We'll show you our orders are genuine..."
She said, nothing, turning back to Koslow and giving him a "can you believe this guy" look.
Niccolo cringed at the scene, keeping a hold of his rifle, though making sure the safety was still on.
It was madness, wasn't it?
The horrible defeats in Paradis.
The panicked mass abandoning of Liberio by civilians.
The tensions between Marley and the Middle East Alliance were always expected but...
To completely wipe out the Eldians of Liberio?
His mind briefly shot back to the girl that complimented his cooking.
Had she been an Eldian volunteer with the Intelligence division? A normal girl?
He tried not to think about it.
It was as if everything he knew was ending, not in fiery destruction, but in a rapid transition that he couldn't fully understand.
Was it like this when Eldia conquered the world before?
He eyed General Osman then, the man saying something to a soldier and the guy walking away.
Despite the face-off, no one was talking anymore.
As if both sides were silently waiting for something.
He walked slightly closer to the entry gate of the ghetto.
Glancing inside, he saw them all.
Eldians.
Descendants of the devil.
They were muttering to each other, all appeared worried.
Not that different from his unit of Volunteers now that he thought about it.
Yelena put a hand on his shoulder suddenly.
"Stay in formation, private..." she said simply.
The tall woman was a frightful sight.
"Y-yes, ma'am... sorry, ma'am..." he whispered back.
For the briefest instant, he thought he saw a familiar tuft of brown hair tied into a ponytail hide somewhere.
He didn't think about it, holding his position.
Osman's foot tapped the dusty street.
Arms remained crossed.
His uniform was clean and untouched.
Her dress was already dusty and worn, and the Honey badger hidden under her skirt felt irritating but she was glad no one had noticed.
Still, she wasn't surprised to hear some of the less than polite comments from the Eldians behind her.
"Wait, she's really Marley Intelligence?"
"I thought she was a prostitute."
"Shush!"
Still, she kept her focus on her opponent.
Osman's unblinking glare bore into her and didn't leave her, which, hey, great for Sasha Braus not being seen on the nearby rooftops, but it was eerie.
She could wonder about him, what had led to these actions.
Instead, she eyed the young man walking over to him with an angry expression.
The soldier whispered something in his ear.
She glanced at her watch, already knowing what to expect.
"Who are you?!" Osman demanded, raising his handgun, which appeared to be a C96, though she wasn't entirely sure what they were called now.
Then, the man turned to Koslow, yelling "She's not Marley Intelligence! The Intelligence Division has no operational groups left in there! I just got the radio confirmation!"
She could have been smug.
Pretend he was lying.
Really, there was a lot she could do to buy time.
Just a little more...
"According to who, exactly? Pieck Finger back here is also Marley Intelligence, has she denounced me?"
"Her status has been revoked starting today! Answer the question or I will have you arrested!"
The CIA woman eyed the man for a second, tired.
So tired.
She forced her confident smile and said "Yeah, alright... you got me..."
"You-"
She didn't let him finish, switching to Turkish and yelling "Silahlarınızı teslim edin. Bugün kimse ölmek zorunda değil."
The men winced, some even slowly lowering their rifles.
Osman shouted back "Keep your weapons on her! She's one of them!"
"No one has to die today, Osman! The war will-"
"Shut up!" He yelled pulling the trigger and hitting her square in the chest.
She held her breath, her vest catching the round, but the impact hurt like hell. She fell to a knee, holding where she'd been hit as if it would bring some comfort.
"Resilient... who there are your allies?! I promise I will let them live!"
Koslow, seeing this, yelled, "You can't do-"
"Captain, if you knew about this you will be next!"
"Everybody calm down! And listen!"
"You..."
"Yeah... yeah, I'll tell you who my allies are... I promise... just... just please keep lower your guns... no one has to die."
Osman barked back "Buradaki herkesin öldürülmesini emretmeden önce beş saniyen var!"
The CIA woman nodded, slowly standing up, raising her arms, ignoring the nervous people all around her.
3...
"Alright..."
2...
"My allies..."
1...
"There."
She pointed to the coast.
A silly maneuver, really.
Had it not been for the distant explosions and sounds of ammunition going off.
Osman and everyone there turned to look at the smoke in the distance.
All but her.
"Sasha... now..." she whispered, not bothering to hide her radio anymore.
The gunshot rang out through the town immediately.
The 30.06 round flew through the air, slamming directly into General Osman's stomach.
Osman gasped, eyed the wound, gripped it tightly, took a step back, and with more strength than anyone could have expected, louder than even the shot from Sasha's M1903, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
"HEPSİNİ ÖLDÜR!"
Yelena responded to the order for mass murder with an order of her own.
"Open fire!" she yelled with a manic grin, lifting her handgun and firing as the volunteers unleashed hell.
Koslow barely reacted in time as bullets flew and rifles cracked, ducking into the ghetto. The two guards quickly opened the gates to let the Marleyan volunteers fall back inside, the civilians running as stray bullets began cutting people down.
The CIA woman gripped her AAC and began firing rapidly, moving back as Yelena loaded a new clip into her C96.
"Fall back inside! Don't let them break through!" Yelena shouted, Niccolo barely ducking behind her as the gunfire cut down several volunteers immediately.
"Guys, things got started here!" she yelled into her radio.
Sasha's voice added, "I see them bringing in cars with bigger guns from here!"
Crow's voice came in then, saying "All air defenses have been taken out, just try to hold them there for a few minutes."
"Copy, what's the current ETA on the-?" the CIA woman was interrupted by small hands gripping her collar.
Gabi Braun had jumped onto her, teary eyes and a furious expression.
"You... you lied to me!" she yelled.
The CIA woman didn't reply, gunfire increasing as some of the Eldian civilians dragged the injured Marleyans inside, some quickly picking up their rifles. Osman's forces not letting up made it difficult, but...
"You're one of them? This whole time?" Gabi cried.
"You're going to-"
The CIA woman jumped when Yelena pointed her C96 at the little girl's head, shouting "Get off her or die!"
Instead, Gabi screamed "You're going to kill us all anyway, aren't you?! Aren't you?!"
The CIA woman pushed Yelena away, and grabbed Gabi's neck, pointing up to the sky.
Gabi sniffed and opened her eyes at the rising sun and let out a weak whimper.
Some of the Soldiers stopped firing then, all noting the strange site.
Four Large Planes flying toward the city.
Osman, holding his bleeding side, shakily said "No."
The CIA woman said, "Get to your family... whether we make life better or not... we're not here to kill you."
Gabi shakily nodded, wiping tears from her eyes as Falco, Zofia and Udo ran over.
"Get out of here!" The CIA woman shouted.
The children nodded, taking Gabi and running off.
"Damned... stupid... kids..." she huffed.
Then, on her radio, she said "Captain Torres?"
"Copy."
"Rockbell. I say again... Rockbell!"
…
Captain George Torres nodded to himself, making sure his M4 was sighted in as the confirmation came.
"Rockbell."
The engines of the C130s roared as he turned to his men.
The two As on their patches on each of their arms stood for "All American" and made it very clear who they were and what they were there to do.
"Rockbell confirmed! Check your gear and ammo, we jump in Five minutes!"
He glanced out the open door at the port town of Liberio.
He saw the rising smoke of the destroyed AA emplacements.
The sun behind them reflected the blue ocean below as birds flew away from the ongoing firefight in the city.
He craned his neck slightly, seeing the large military base at the center of it all, with a noticeably large train in its station.
"Carrier Group is two hours out. CAS one." came the crackle on his earpiece.
He nodded again to himself, his jaw clenched slightly.
This wasn't Somalia or Afghanistan.
They wouldn't have satellites feeding them information.
He eyed the towers of the military base, then huffed.
But their weapons were still good.
Their equipment had been double and triple-checked.
There was a battle plan.
They would have support.
The red light was still red.
"Alright, boys! Let's cut the head off this snake!"
A resounding "Hoo-ah!" came from the men.
The red light turned green.
The men from the 82nd Airborne Division began to jump over the skies of Marley.
A/N: First things first, I have to give many thanks to Jackie Robinson. His fic, "Thus The French Foreign Legion Fought There" was one of the reasons I ever sat down to write this fic, and I asked him if I could include a cameo of his fic's protagonist in this chapter leading the French contingent helping defend Paradis in the mountains. Seriously, if his fic hadn't existed, I can't say Freedom's Ring would have ever been written, so go give his story a bit of love.
Now, I know... took a LOT longer than I wanted and I'm sorry I can't upload as consistently as I used to.
But hey, I promised to end this fic, and... well, we're getting there.
So, NO, guys, the fic is NOT dead. Not while I'm still alive and writing and you guys are still reading it.
Speaking of... Big battle this chapter.
And... yeah, I don't know 100% what more could be done. We have precise counters to pretty much anything they would throw, and if recent events have shown anything, it's just how overpowered a real army can be. Like... this isn't a situation where they can even set up artillery before we blow them up. It's just not going to work out for them in an offensive like this.
So, I doubt the invasion of Paradis would've lasted a day before being entirely driven back out to sea.
Not sure if it's anti-climactic. I kept trying to figure out a way to make it more balanced but, MAN did none of it feel right.
Speaking of...
Eren felt...
I don't know.
I really think this is how season 1 Eren would have carried things out, especially since this Eren hasn't lost as much as canon Eren. Seriously. But... I don't know if he feels a bit OOC.
The idea is that Eren loves his freedom, so he would choose a path that actually unshackled Eldians, so instead of being controlled by Paths and the Founder, they could make their own decisions.
For better or for worse.
Bit libertarian, I guess, but Season 1 Eren had certain views that, while they didn't overall change, were a bit less... uh... let's just say "Final-Solution-y".
Let me know if he felt out of character here, though.
Anywho, should be wrapping up this fic soon enough.
Maybe one more chapter plus the epilogue.
Man, can't believe it's been almost three years...
Well, time for the Reviewer's Response!
Guests- War Crimes.
I mean...
Maybe on the prisoners later on, and I GUESS running people over with tanks is a bit... err... merciless?
But since most of the fighting in this chapter was outside of cities, not much opportunity to really show war crimes... I think.
Guest- Pieck switching sides?
Kinda didn't give her a choice here. Now that Eren got rid of the power of titans... well... she's of no use to Marley.
Guest- NATO wouldn't retreat from the port.
Correct. In ideal conditions, we would probably have just sunk the ships. But pragmatically, it may have been better to show that we abide by the rules of war and let them land in order to destroy them there.
As I said waaaaay back in chapter 1, though, I'm not a soldier (and as readers like TopHatGuy have noted in some of my other fics, it SHOWS), so any advice on that front is always appreciated.
Guest- Is this dead?
Ha-ha! I'm not dead yet!
But in all seriousness, I do apologize for the long wait. Classes, work, a lot of personal stuff... even been planning on turning one fic into an original work (not this one).
But again, I promise to wrap this story up as best I can.
So... yeah, that should be it for this chapter.
Thank you all so much for reading and following this story so far!
If anything felt off or you think could be done better, do let me know, as reviews and criticisms are GREATLY appreciated. I hope to actually have the next chapter out soon... well... as soon as I can. We're getting really close to the end, at least, so there is that. Can't quit now!
Thanks so much for reading!
Hope to see you all soon!
