Chapter 21 Memories of the Future

When Eren and Zeke watch the memories of when he was nine years old, Zeke says, "Grisha has loved you and raised you freely. So... our father never brainwashed you...?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you." Eren says."We neer had to wander his memories for years."

"But then, why did you betray me? He passed his Titan down to you without telling you a thing." Zeke says. "Yet, you keep fighting just as he wished. Eren, why did you refuse to end this conflict? What did you plan on doing with the Founder's powers?"

Eren says, "Something that should've been done in the first place. And who said I refuse to end the conflict? I am just me, I always have been."

Then they watch how Eren saved Mikasa, and he continues, "I guess you thought the two of us were the same, but you're wrong. If someone tries to steal my freedom away... I won't hesitate to take theirs. Our father didn't make me that way. I have been like this since birth."

"Since... birth?" Zeke is confused.

"You won't find the pathetic little brother you waned in me or someone who conveniently shares your emotional scars either. What I see here is a man who can only define himself through the continued denial of Grisha Yeager's wish to restore Eldia. A pathetic man still haunted by his dead father." Eren says.

"If so, this man is grateful to that father. For his acts opened his son's eyes, ultimately saving the world from the danger Eldia poses. You could even say it was that father who saved this world, ironic, isn't it?"

Then they watch how Eren wrapped his scarf around Mikasa, then they change into the basement where Grisha is writing the three books.

"Humanity has not perished." I see. What grand words he left behind." Zeke stares into the book and mutters.

And then the time changes to the day when Bertolt broke the wall. "Eren said he wants to join the Survey Corps." Mikasa said to Carla.

"What are you thinking? Do you know how many people have died because they dared to venture outside the wall?"

"Yes, I know!" Younger Eren retorted.

"Eren, why do you want to go outside?" Grisha asked.

"I hate the idea of spending my whole life inside the wall, ignorant of what's happening in the world outside. And besides, if there's no one to carry on, everyone who died up to now will have died in vain!"

And just as Grisha was about to leave, Carla said, "Wait... Honey!" Talk some sense into your son!"

"Eren... when I get home... I'll show you what's in the basement that I've been keeping secret all this time." Grisha said.

"Really?" The younger Eren said.

After Grisha left, his face turned into dread as he was walking towards the Reiss Chapel. Once he confronted the family, he yelled, "I am an Eldian and I have come from beyond the walls! I... like you, am a subject of Ymir! King of the walls! Please, you must kill the titans attacking the walls at once! Before my wife... and my kids! Before the people of the walls are eaten."

"We can't escape our sins. The time has come for the subjects of Ymir to face judgment. Man is far too weak in the face of such massive power. The tragedy of the titan war opened my eyes, to that someone must keep the power of the titans out of human hands. If the power of the Founder were to again fall into the hands of the weak, the world would be turned to hell once more. In order to protect the world, we must accept our sins. Our only choice is to perish."

Zeke and Eren were watching as Zeke says, "I feel as if I would have gotten along with that lady. But this family will soon be slaughtered by Grisha. You said you saw this memory before, and that it made you lose all hope in our father. Was that... another lie?"

Eren says nothing as they continue to watch. "My home is beside the breach in the wall! I live there with my wife my son, and my daughter, the people who live in these walls know nothing about the crimes committed by their ancestors! All because you stole their memories! You call this atonement? Domming us to be eaten by titans, ignorant to the end?!"

"No, no matter how we may repent, we Eldians can never return the human lives we took. But what we can do is never take another life beyond our walls. So long as we remain ignorant and accept the world's rage... we Eldians will be the only ones who have to die. There is no point in trying to convince me. And... even if you do take the Founding Titan from me, you can't..."

"Who said I can't." Grisha suddenly says, which causes them to be shocked. "I am the descendent of the Yeager Family, the Royal Family that holds the Attack Titan. Thus I'll be able to use the full power of the Attack Titan. From a long time ago, the inheritor of the Attack Titan never obeyed others, and I know why! It's all been to resist the self-righteousness of the king! Yes, for this one moment. It's we've all been led to this memory! The Attack Titan is capable of manipulating time! Thus we can see the memories of its future inheritors. In other words, it is capable of knowing the future!"

"The future... I don't understand..." Zeke gasps.

"The Attack Titan's wha - I've never heard..."

"I also knew that you would be unaware of this. Because even if you ARE the true royal family of the Founding Titan, the vow to renounce war keeps you from using the Founder's full power as well. I will eat the Founder here and I will end this ridiculous vow that is the future already set out for us!"

Just as Grisha was about to transform, Frieda was trying to protect her family. But just then, Grisha kneeled down and muttered, "I can't... I could never kill children... I... am a doctor, I save lives..."

"Impossible... but Grisha did take the Founder. He massacred this family, didn't he? It's not as if the past could have changed, right?" Zeke asks.

"Didn't he say... The Attack Titan can manipulate time?" Eren says in a cold tone, and just then, he finds the 15-year-old Eren standing beside Grisha.

"What are you doing? Stand... father!" Eren said. "Did you forget why you came here? Isn't it to get revenge? For your little sister who was being eaten by dogs? For your fellow restorationists, for Dina, for Kruger, you advance on to avenge them, even if you die, even after you die. Dad, you started this story, didn't you?"

And just then, Grisha did the thing and steal the Founder from Frieda and also killed the other family members except for the father. They also saw the 15-year-old Eren helping Grisha out of the chapel.

"Eren! I killed them... even those children. I pulverized them with my hands... I felt it... I killed the Reiss family! All but their father, are you happy now?! Is this what you wanted? Was this what I needed to do to save Eldia?" Grisha yelled at him.

The fifteen-year-old Eren said, "I'm sorry, father. But because of their ignorance, my Mom was killed by the Titans, and more of my friends were also eaten and killed. Not only that, we tried to negotiate with the world, only for the world to gather and declare war on us! Everyone will be killed if you didn't steal the Founding Titan. Father, you've done your job. All you need to do is pass down the Titan to my younger self. You have the Founding Titan, but unlike the other Titans, who could just transfer powers, you still need to let me devour you to pass the Founding Titan. I promised that I will be the last Founding Titan and the Attack Titan."

And after the 15-year-old Eren left, Grisha cried and muttered, "Was this really... the only way?"

Then he noticed the 19-year-old Eren and Zeke. "You are there, aren't you? Zeke?"

Zeke gasps and Grisha says, "From here on, you won't get what you want. It will all be going Eren's way."

"What are you saying?" Zeke asks.

"I saw Eren's memories of what's next. But I never thought it could get so terrible if I don't give him the Founding Titan..." Grisha says while raising his head. "Zeke, is that you?! Oh, how you've grown..."

Then he stands up and says, "I'm sorry. I was a terrible father, I put you through so much suffering, Zeke... I love you."

He hugs Zeke and mutters, "If only... I had spent more time playing with you."

"Dad..." Just then, Eren sighs as he brings Zeke back to reality. He says, "I decided to stop there right now."

"Eren... you were the one who pushed Dad to fight the King of the Walls and the World? If the Attack Titan does have the power to manipulate time, you should also have the ability to affect the past by showing Grisha only the memories that would serve you best... Fa- Grisha hesitated to carry out his duty as a restorationist. If what I saw in your memories was true... and yet he did steal it and entrusted both to you. That's because he saw the memories further into the future. You showed him something, right?"

Eren says, "The Reiss Family has another child as a sole survivor, and she is my wife. The mother of Ymir, when we got into contact four years ago, that was the time when the Vow of Renouncing war finally broke and I saw the memories of the future just like my old man."

He turns around and says, "First of all, I manage to unite the 9 royal families who caused the Great Titan War into one again, and all of them will be the final inheritors of the power of the nine. I've also changed the blood of all Eldians except for the 8 of us so that nobody can turn into Titans and the blood test won't verify that they are Eldians. And finally, the world wants us dead, so I'll take their freedom first by unleashing all the Wall Titans to trample the earth beyond the island. Hizuru volunteers will save innocent children and those who want to join our cause. So far the Rumbling has destroyed half of Marley and 60% of the world population."

"You..." Zeke gasps in shock, and Eren says, "I tried to avoid this outcome, that's why with the help of the only member of the Tybur Family that's also in the volunteers you sent, I tried to warn them, but they ignored my warning and also trying to kill us because we're Eldians. If anything, they got what they want, the Rumbling happened because of their selfish acts."

Zeke widens his eyes and says, "I know I can't ignore the sin that we committed, but if it is for my child Ymir to live in a world where nobody will threaten her and the people on the island, I will continue to move forward."

He says, "And as the King of the walls, I have a meeting in the government that I'll need to leave right now. I kept you alive because you're still my brother. Who knows how many people are willing to kill you for killing Commander Erwin, Mike, and the others."

Zeke can only kneel in defeat as Eren leaves the dungeon.

Here is a new chapter, and in this chapter, we manage to finish the memories of Grisha. And Zeke is beaten. I hope you like this chapter.