The Devil With A Human Heart
Chapter 4
The first month for the recruits was hell. They knew it wouldn't be easy, but they weren't expecting it to be this brutal. It was borderline barbaric. If you tried to help someone, you'd risk penalization for the whole group. Since Kruger and Zeke were practically veterans, they were fine with most of the stuff.
It was the year 841, and Zeke expected to get his titan in two years since that'll be Tom Ksaver's last year of the term. It was painful to grow attached to someone who's a Titan Shifter and then have to eat them to carry on the burden. Zeke was preparing himself for that moment, but it was still tragic.
Kruger will receive his Titan in two years. It lines up with Zeke. Kruger was prepared to take over the mantle. Eren had to cast away all of Kruger's tears. He'll have until he's twenty-six.
A part of Kruger wishes that everything was normal. He could live here with his mom, get a "normal" job to make ends meet as an Eldian and die. However, it seems something, or someone has plans for him.
He was sure he wouldn't be here if it weren't for his childhood dreams about Frieda. Weirdly, a girl you've never interacted with is your driving force to step into hell. Kruger didn't care about this place…his "homeland." It didn't feel like home anyway, just someplace he had the misfortune of being born into.
"ENOUGH!"
Over the past month, Magath had been much more strict than usual. Even when Kruger was starting, he was never like this. It made the eleven-year-old wonder what changed the man. Magath began to list the top six recruits who'll stay since they're the ones the higher-ups were most impressed by.
And fate seemed to play the piano here when the names were called.
Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, Annie Leonhardt, Marcel Galliard, Porco Galliard and Pieck Finger.
Kruger and Zeke were exempt since they'll inherit a Titan anyway. The people who worked beyond the norm were on the backlist. They'd have a shot if the chosen ones were suddenly kicked out of the Program. It was a nasty process. Of course, this was also a nightmare; those who failed would go home, and their living conditions wouldn't improve. Disownment was, unfortunately, very common to those who entered the Program, thinking they'll pass with no bumps on the road.
Kruger and his new teammates were sitting in the lobby. No one cheered at this moment as Magath's dominant presence shut down all excitement for the kids. They were no longer kids from this point on. They were men and women, warriors. That word plagued Kruger's mind for so long. He didn't understand what that word truly meant. Was it for the glory of his homeland? To make the difficult choices others can't? He didn't understand.
"Unfortunately for you all, there are six of you, and as such, we're going to be putting in almost four years' worth of training into two. Zeke Yaeger will receive the Beast Titan when he's seventeen. Kruger Yeager will receive the Attack Titan when he's thirteen," Magath spoke with no room for a question.
"The higher-ups are getting desperate."
Everyone was confused but remained silent, waiting for their Commander to continue.
"We're preparing a special mission to retrieve the Cooderinate, an extremely powerful Titan that is, unfortunately, on the wrong side. We're hoping for you recruits to be trained thoroughly. When you're the age of ten or eleven, you'll all be ready to inherit one of the five titans we have for distribution."
"What about the sixth one?" Reiner asked again. Kruger looked at Reiner with slight annoyance.
Magath rubbed the bridge of his nose." It is dubbed the "Nation Destroyer." That is all I can give you, Braun."
Reiner nodded as his curiosity was once again sedated.
"Back on topic. You'll receive a lot more training with few breaks. If you'd like to back out now, you're more than welcome to do so. We won't judge."
No one moved. Their resolve had led them this far. Magath looked hard at everyone, trying to snuff out the weak links, and to his surprise, he found none. However, Braun was shaking immensely. Magath knew about Braun. Eldian Mother and Marleyan Father. That was forbidden. Magath guessed Reiner was here to receive acceptance from his Father and to make sure his Mother had a decent roof over her head.
However, Magath wouldn't let his emotions dictate who passes. Only results mattered here.
"Very good. You all have two days off before you sink your foot back in lava. These will be your living quarters. You're allowed to go to your families as well."
With that, Commander Magath left, and the room was silent until Magath left.
"Hey, Braun, what's your problem?"
"Huh?"
Kruger felt his brow twitch. He got into fights a lot, so he knows when one will happen. Zeke looked amused. Annie walked into a corner and watched while the others seemed ready to diffuse the situation.
"You're shaking like a cornered lamb."
Reiner looked at Porco with confusion before he looked at his hands. Porco shook his head; embarrassment could be seen before he laughed.
"I have no clue why you're here. You're incapable of keeping up with the rest of us."
Reiner felt his face heat up with anger, his fists clenched, his knuckles turned white, and then it started. Reiner had tackled Porco out of his seat.
"Who do you vote for?" Zeke asked as he watched the two kids fighting.
"I'm more of an underdog, so I must pick Reiner for this one."
Zeke raised an eyebrow and looked at Kruger, his face telling his cousin to elaborate on his choice.
"Yeah, sure, Porco is right. There isn't anything remotely special about Reiner. He's average at best, but his resolve burns brighter than us here," Kruger explained solemnly. He didn't understand why, but he had high hopes for Reiner.
"I suppose you're right," Zeke voiced with no emotion. Kruger had no way of deciphering what Zeke felt.
Two years had passed for everyone rather quickly. With its trials and tribulations, no one managed to struggle behind. Surprisingly, Reiner has become more determined after a good TED talk, No one knew why or how Reiner started becoming a force to reckon with, but they all knew it had to do with Kruger.
Kruger has been helping all the candidates in the last two years except for Zeke. The Boy Wonder was able to handle himself quite well. It didn't come as a surprise to everyone. However, Kruger was more motivating than Zeke was. Kruger made sure to give a morale boost to everyone. Even the timid Bertholdt was becoming more outspoken, albeit with a low voice. At least he still had the guts to speak.
Kruger noticed that Bertholdt had a crush on his sister, and Annie knew as well, but she didn't try to deter Bertholdt, almost as if she was waiting for him to tell her. Kruger didn't care about love or anything. He didn't even know if he loved Frieda. She was just someone who appeared in his dreams like a parasite.
That didn't sound warm-hearted.
Being around Eren does that to a person. Eren is a very distant man who is hard to reach out to, only responding to questions with a few words. Kruger wonders if he's adapting that type of style. It might help him in Paradis.
Right now, though, Kruger was asked to follow Eren somewhere, so much so that it looked like a deserted underground area. Kruger didn't know what was happening but felt it was time to receive the Attack Titan.
But why in secret?
"Kruger."
Of course, Eren's voice was monotone, but it still gave Eren a demanding presence. It had an acerbic feel to it. It just fits Eren as a whole.
"Yes, Sir?"
"Sir? Good, it seems you're less sharp-tongued than before. I assume you know why we're here?"
Kruger felt his heartbeat drop and his eyes getting heavy. It was Eren's time to give up the Attack Titan. Eren noticed the lack of answer and sighed as he took out two syringes, but it was odd. Kruger squinted his eyes and saw on a large vial it said "Jaw."
"Listen, this is a risky play here. However, I'm willing to gamble the stakes. As you can tell, this little bottle has the title "Jaw." on it. You know why?"
Kruger took a minute to come up with an answer, his fingers rubbing his chin before his eyes sparked with realization. Eren nodded at this as the one he was entrusting with everything quickly caught on.
"How did you get Jaw Titan Spinal Fluid?"
Eren gave an uncharacteristic smile that seemed just to fit the older man. He was extremely tired, tired of everything. He made some headway in many things but could have done more in the grand scheme. That all changed when he heard a voice in his head that day. Eren looked at Kruger with a calculative gaze. That day the voice said, "Save that girl." Kruger didn't know what the girl was until he heard from one of his "comrades" that he would have a bit of fun when they saw a girl walking around past curfew.
Eren decided to follow that person, and what was happening was clear. Eren saw a bunch of dogs chasing a little girl no older than eight. Eren was torn between ignoring it and blowing his cover or saving her. Eren then felt a presence next to him, it was opposing, and Eren had no choice but to save the girl. He killed the dogs from a distance, keeping his identity hidden. Thankfully it was nighttime, so Eren could blend in with his surroundings and take the girl with him. She soon became a constant recurrence in his dull existence, and then her son.
Eren shook those thoughts aside and stared at his successor with determination. "I stole a lot of Titan Spinal Fluid."
Eren gripped his satchel and handed it to Kruger, who took a peek inside. The boy's eyes widened as he saw the large amounts of Spinal Fluid. All of them were duplicates of the Titans here in Marley, even the Warhammer.
"Warhammer? How? As you told me, I thought that was in the Tybur family?"
"You seem to forget I'm a Spy. I wasn't called "The Owl." for fun, kid," Eren sighed before a smile crept on his face.
"Listen, these will be able to upgrade your Titan or any other Titan Shifter ally you make, specifically the Founder."
"Wouldn't it be better for me just to snag the Founder?"
Eren contemplated that approach but refused to tell Kruger why that was a terrible idea if he wanted to keep the future safe. Eren had to keep some secrets in the dark for things to play out.
"Choose what path you want. I won't be there to stop you, Kruger. Anyway. These vials all have different abilities that one Titan might not have. Like the Attack Titan, there is only a little going for it besides being the most physically adept. Of course, depending on the inheritor, it could be the weakest of the bunch. That's why we're evening the playing field."
"So we're creating a hybrid of the Jaw and Attack Titan? This is a huge gamble," Kruger tried to sound confident, but his voice was cracking like a vase, and he was quite honestly afraid because there was a chance this won't even be a success.
"That is right. Depending on how we inject this, you could become abnormal and fail to eat me, or you could become a full fledge Jaw Titan."
"Is that even possible? I mean, wouldn't I need to eat the inheritor of the Jaw?"
"There's a twenty-five percent chance to become the actual Titan, a duplicate, but you won't be as strong as the original for many reasons. Your regeneration will be slower, and the time to stay in the form will become harder. You'll most likely lose your sanity. That is all I can say about that."
After that, the duo remained silent as they looked at the large underground walls.
Eren remained stoic and sat on the ground, and Kruger followed suit. "What I'm about to tell you will change everything, Kruger. I need you to listen and then ask questions afterward. Got it?"
Kruger heard the urgency in his mentors' tone and sat in silence. Kruger was anxious as he could feel the sweat pouring down his face. It wasn't even hot! Kruger was burning up. Why was he like this? What could be so important? Kruger wanted to save his Aunt and Uncle by taking the Founder or working with them. Eren made it sound like he must team up with the Founder.
He didn't understand and probably never will.
"Are you familiar with a lady called Ymir?"
Kruger furrowed his brow. "I believe I heard my Uncle say that name before, but I never cared much."
"Good. That's a start," Eren held his breath for what felt like hours before speaking again. "Ymir is the first ever Titan Shifter, our founder in a sense. The story depicts she made a deal with the devil, which isn't the case. To the Eldian Empire, she was a miracle worker sent from the gods. Some merely think she was a young lady who came in contact with the source of all organic life. Do you see a pattern?"
Kruger's eyes shined again as he realized everything. There was no set truth. Everything seemed like a lie! This goes against what Kruger was taught. Truths should be brought to light, while lies should be kept in the darkness.
"I'll take your silence as a yes. As you can tell, anyone can become a demon or a god. Even you felt nothing but hatred for this world the day your Aunt Dina and Uncle Grisha were sent to Paradis to carry out their sentence as Pure Titans. To combat such hatred and achieve your goals, you must also experience hatred and use that hatred to fight for the freedom of this world."
Kruger's eyes went blank as his knuckles were clenched, turning pale by the second. Eren did nothing to stop the boy, almost like he encouraged Kruger to keep feeling that hatred that he was trying to keep in control.
Eren stood up and began to prepare for the process. He stared at Kruger again and inwardly smiled as he saw the boy's aura practically flare to life.
"I'll do it. I'll get into the walls, find whoever the Founder is, and take it from them. If I can't do that, I'll form a treaty with them so they can turn my Aunt and Uncle back to normal. If this power truly is a godsend, they can return humanity to those who lost it. I'll bring truth to this world of lies, and only after I do so will I finally rest."
Eren held the syringe up, with a slow and steady steam of smoke flowing up. "Well said, Kruger. You will meet up with two people when you reach the shores of Paradis. However, you must apply the skills I taught you to get there. As of now, everyone should be alarmed by the missing Attack Titan. Wait a week, then leave to make it less suspicious."
"How will I get on the boat? I may be tall, but I still have baby fat."
"An old friend of mine will get you aboard. It won't be comfy, but it'll get the job done. I will inject the Jaw Spinal Fluid first so the transformation can work. I hope you turn into a 5-meter to keep our location private. Next, you will eat me and most likely forget what happens. However, you'll remember at certain points."
Kruger nodded with determination. Eren gave a blank face as he removed his gray cloak and neatly placed it on the ground. Eren stared at the cloak one more time before closing his eyes.
Eren proceeded to inject the serum into the right spot on Kruger's neck, and as he did so, he muttered. "I love you, kid." And before Kruger could respond, a flash of light interrupted him, and in Kruger's wake was a 5-meter humanoid creature with tanned skin and long black hair. Its face was the most striking feature, with a white, armored-like faceplate with sharp teeth. Its fingers were white and looked as sharp as katana. Its body was slightly disproportionate.
Eren looked at the spectacle with a victorious smile on his face. His…no, their gamble paid off. This pure titan had the characteristics of the Jaw Titan, but it was a Pure Titan. The Titan looked at Eren, but the glistening waterfall from its eyes shocked the man as it gripped him in a bone-crushing squeeze.
"Even in a state like this…you still give the meaning of a crybaby. I guess demons do possess a heart. All you can do now is keep moving forward, when and even after you die."
Those were the last words Eren spoke as the sharp teeth of the 5-Meter Titan clamped down on him, biting him clean in half. There were no screams of anguish or muffled yells. The only thing Eren felt at this moment was clarity. Now, it was up to Kruger to carry on his mission.
His burden, his dreams, and his will.
A minute after the 5-Meter Titan consumed Eren, the nape exploded with steam, clouding the area before a shadow appeared, and out came the body of Kruger. He walked down the Titan's corpse and landed next to Eren's gray coat, which was neatly folded. Kruger looked at it, and his orange eyes began to shine before tears cascaded down his face.
"I will complete the mission, Dad."
Kruger managed to return home just before Zeke and Annie would stop by. Kruger reached the kitchen to see his mom sitting on the chair. Kruger looked directly into her eyes, and he could tell that she knew what happened. Faye couldn't muster up a word. Neither could. All they could do was hug one another and cry. The tears they flowed were enough to convey how much damage they had taken after Eren's death.
They knew the man would shake his head with a disapproving frown on his face if he were to be there still. He wasn't; that was the most painful feeling they had the displeasure of knowing.
After ten minutes of consoling one another, Kruger and Faye sat opposite one another.
"They're looking for your Titan. I assume you'll be heading to Heaven to rescue your Aunt and Uncle?"
Kruger steeled himself and breathed calmly. It was best to keep your emotions in check in moments like these. "I am."
Faye poured the hot tea into their cups. Steam immediately left the polished white cups as they both took one as silence reigned again. Faye didn't look at her son. Her eyes peered into the cloudy pool that her tea had formed.
"And there's no way I can convince you otherwise?"
"No."
Faye's eyes moved to Kruger, who was staring at her with his rare orange eyes. She nor his biological dad possessed such alluring eyes. Faye was immediately pulled into those eyes. She could feel his emotions running rampant while he tried to keep his exterior sharp and cold. She almost saw the spitting image of Eren when she looked at her son.
Faye's lips curved into a shaky smile. "I figured. It's better than leaving a letter."
"Mom, what will happen to you? Couldn't I bring you with me?"
Faye tilted her head. "It might be possible. Hair dye is rather hard to come by but is easily applied. You were born with my hair color before it suddenly went black."
Kruger tilted his head at this in a cute way. "I had brown hair?"
"You did," Faye said as she sipped tea. "It turned black around the time you were four. Did you forget?"
Kruger placed a hand on his forehead. "I think I forgot a lot of things, Mother. I'm assuming it's because I took Eren's Titan."
"Memory loss does seem to be a factor when inheriting a Titan. I'm not knowledgeable about that, and I could care less. We're supposed to meet Eren's friend, who will guide us to Paradis in a week. Right now, we must make it seem like you didn't steal the Attack Titan."
It has been a hectic week. The higher-ups questioned Kruger if he had any part to play in the missing Titan, this had never occurred before, and they needed to question everyone about this. With the Attack Titan out of Marley's grasp, their power has taken a drastic toll, and other nations will soon use this opportunity to plan.
It was time for Kruger and Faye to leave. One of Eren's old friends, Kirch, put them into crates. He was a Marleyan which caused Kruger and Faye to be wary of him, but he showed no signs of hostility or deceit. He also looked tired, a similar appearance to Eren. They fought for a long time, and nothing changed during their time.
It was a painful revelation, but it increased Kruger's motive of getting the Founding Titan in his hands. Suppose Kruger had to be honest. He was quite scared. He was only thirteen, so the weight of the entire world on his shoulder seemed like torture. He was thankful that his mom was able to dye her hair black. She was able to sneak in with Kruger.
It was an unbearable ride, the shakiness of the boat upon the harsh waves would make anyone nauseous, but Kruger and Faye remained quiet. They may be in crates, but the moment one makes noises, it'll be over for them.
"Hey, Kirch, we're here. You coming to see Sergeant Gross turn those demons into Titans?"
The thick and venomous voice of one of the Marleyan officers spoke from outside the boat. They were on the docks when the one who spoke noticed Kirch wasn't with them.
"I'll catch up in a minute. I'm not as young as I used to be," Kirch said with a dry chuckle, getting the official to laugh and walk up the stairs.
Kirch looked around the boat to make sure no one was inside and went to fulfill the promise he had made to his long-time friend.
Up on a wall, dozens of people with blindfolds could be shivering as they sat on their knees. Tears stained the blindfold to their skin, and their lips were shaking in fright. The panicked screams of their fellow Eldians were all they could hear in the mixture of the crashing waves against the boats.
One short and slightly chubby middle-aged man could be seen. He had light-colored eyes and a mustache with wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes. He wore the standard uniform of the Public Security Authorities.
This was Sergeant Gross.
He remained silent as he watched his unit turn the criminals groveling on the ground into Pure Titans of different sizes, from 3 meters to 15 meters. It was unheard of for a Pure Titan to reach anything higher than 15 meters. The man watched the various monstrosities march inland to sedate their endless hunger.
"So, do you guys get sick kicks out of this?" One of the Eldians said with such bluntness in their voice everyone turned their attention to them.
It was a young lady who was about the age of seventeen. She had rare features, but they knew she was still an Eldian. Her almost milky white skin had some officers drooling, but they had to keep their cravings in check. She had short, messy, raven black hair that reached her shoulders, with a wide, single strand being white.
"Sister…"
"No, I wanna hear it before walking these lands like a demon. So, tell me, do you guys bust a load from doing this? I have to say that's some sick kink," The teenager voiced with a drip of venom and sarcasm.
The one next to her seemed to be related. They had similar features, except this one spoke timidly, and her hair was neatly done into a bun despite the messy situation they found themselves in.
"You have a lot of energy for someone about to lose their life. Are you not afraid of death?" It was Gross who spoke. His tone was like a curious cat as he approached the two sisters.
"Death? Why would I be scared of that? I've been around death for a long time. If you're trying to make me piss my dress, it won't work, pig."
One of Gross's officers was walking up with an Eldian in tow, to which Gross wanted to make a showing. "Let me get this one."
The officer didn't question his commanding officer and nodded as he shoved the Eldian forward, causing them to fall and sit on their knees.
"You asked if I get pleasure off doing this," Gross held a syringe in his hand and began slightly chuckled before injecting the serum into the person's neck. "I'm hoping this one turns into a ten-meter, then I'll turn you into another ten-meter and watch you two fight it out."
"Ah! It would be best if you made me an eight meter. That one looks weak," Was the snarky reply of the brash teen as she watched the newly transformed Pure Titan, who did turn into a 10-meter. However, it stood there waiting.
Ignoring the remark, Gross took out a cigarette and lit it up, taking in the harmful content before releasing a puff of smoke. "Get a drop of Titan Spinal Fluid, and you become giant monsters. You can say all say you're human and that death doesn't mean anything to you, but we both know you're lying. However, I will say that a monster doesn't fear death, so maybe you're proving my point. It's terrifying anyone would want you to reproduce."
The teen's silverish-gray eyes stared blankly at Gross. Her expression darkened as she contemplated how to get out of this situation. Like the rest of everyone else, she and her sister were wrongfully accused. She tried to keep a brave face before her crying sister to affirm that they would make it out of this, but her hopes were growing thin.
"That silence. I'm assuming I was correct. You can act tough till the end, but when faced with the reality of your current situation, your shield corrodes, and then you're left defenseless. A pity, if you weren't born Eldian and were born when I was, I would've made you my wife. But we can't get what we want in life."
Gross was about to speak, but a gunshot followed by screaming was heard, getting the Sargent and the two remaining teenagers to look at the source. Everyone's eyes widened when they saw an officer skillfully killing everyone.
"What?" Gross recognized the person, and his eyes had betrayal written all over it. "KIRCH!"
Kirch had killed everyone around. Gross was shocked, as it seemed everyone in the boat was dead. Kirch was a seasoned killer who knew how to be silent like a shadow. Even in his old age, he was still a formidable opponent. Gross was outclassed.
"Sorry, Gross. I'm going to have to ask for a raincheck on that drink," Kirch said before he turned around to signal someone.
Gross and the two girls watched as two figures appeared. One was an older lady and a tall young man, but they could tell he was only a kid.
"I think I remember this guy. He was the one who turned Aunt and Uncle into Pure Titans long ago," The boy spoke.
"Kruger, you know what you must do," Kirch said to the boy, who nodded confidently. His nod washed the doubt on the older man's face, and he managed a little smile. "Gross. It seems you were right. Death is always near; unfortunately, it's here for you."
Gross tipped his hat and wondered what the boy was about to do. For some reason, looking into those bright orange eyes was like looking right at death, an endless void of nothingness. Gross could feel something within those eyes, an eerie presence watching him through the eyes of the boy as if this was nothing but entertainment.
A true devil.
"Remember, self-harm and a clear goal since this is your first time. We need you to focus on breaking Gross's lower body and sending him down there to that Pure Titan."
Kruger looked down at the Pure Titan in the sands. It was simply watching them from below, waiting for one of them to drop and become its next meal. Its brown eyes were blank, and its teeth were flashing with saliva painting them. It was an ugly sight. Kruger threw off his gray coat that Eren wore and took off his shirt.
Kruger was handed a knife, but then a flash appeared in his mind. It showed someone of feminine appearance biting her hands and then a flash of yellow. Kruger needed to find out who this was. Their face was covered by a filter as if preventing him from seeing them. However, they were for sure a Titan Shifter.
Was it a past shifter of the Attack Titan?
Kruger followed the "advice." he received in that flash and bit on his hand, his teeth digging through his skin like a drill. Thankfully, Faye and Kirch were several feet away from the transformation when a bright flash of yellow lightning struck Kruger.
Gross and the two teens had their jaws lowered as they followed the forming Titan from foot to toe. It was a weird yet wonderful sight for the two girls. Something within them snapped, and their breathing hitched. It was like they were seeing a god being born.
Or the devil.
The newly formed Titan was a menacing 18-Meters, which was rare for most Titan Shifters to be at. The highest was 17 meters unless you were the Colossal Titan. It had an extremely lithe build packed with muscles. It had a deep, chiseled eight-pack that glistened from the high sun and tanned skin that would make women's mouth water if it wasn't a Titan. It seemed like a regular Titan, but its face was covered in a white, armored mask and jaw plate. Its hands were also white, with sharpened claws that looked like it was ready to cut down the toughest of materials. Its pitch-black hair trailed the middle of its back, some covering the top of its face, whereas some strands fell down its face, giving it a gothic look. Its bright orange eyes seemed to glow like a lamp in the dark. Its ears were pointy like an elf's.
This was the first successful hybrid of the Jaw and Attack Titan.
Gross was now on the ground panting as sweat fell down his face, and fear gripped him with no remorse. The two girls didn't move an inch at all. They suddenly felt calm and could think rationally, like they had awakened something within them.
The hybrid Attack Titan stood in stasis as if waiting for something.
"He's not…moving?"
After a pregnant pause, the sound of laughter ripped through the air. Everyone but the Titan looked to see that it was Gross.
"The lost Attack Titan? I see now. Kirch, you're a crafty bastard. No matter. Since it seems like it won't move an inch, I'll send a distress signal."
Gross ran as fast as his body could take him toward the docks, but a shadow loomed over him. The Sergeant peeked over his shoulders to see a giant hand grab him with no trouble. The sound of bone crushing could be heard under the immense pressure of the grip of Hybrid Titan's single hand. The Titan seemed to strategically break Gross's legs, earning a shrill scream of pain and lip-smacking as spit flew out of his mouth. Snot seemed to trickle down Gross's nose. All while this was happening, the Titan opened its jaw, and the deep, beastly sound of laughter left its toothy lips.
Everyone was on edge, wondering if Kruger was in control. He didn't move until Gross ran for his life. Perhaps he was getting used to being so high up? This was still his first transformation, and those tend to be the most dangerous for allied parties.
The Titanized Kruger dropped Gross onto the sandy plains below, just a few yards away from the Pure Titan that was waiting for someone to drop. It seemed Kruger had remembered Kirch's words as it bent down and placed his arms on the top of his legs as it watched the Pure Titan move excruciatingly slowly towards Gross.
Everyone was in disbelief as they saw Kruger enjoying what would happen…as if this was entertainment? Faye could only pray that her Son wasn't becoming some monster who enjoyed this.
"Wait! WAIT! KIRCH, BRING ME BACK UP! ORDER THAT TITAN TO BRING ME BACK UP! I WON'T SAY A THING!" Gross screamed as he forced his heavily strained arms to move him away from the ever-encroaching Pure Titan.
Gross's pleas fell on dead ears as the Pure Titan he created picked him up, his broken legs moved lifelessly in the air, and everyone saw something brutal next. Even Kirch flinched as the Pure Titan seemed to play with Gross, ripping off his arms, then his head. No, it didn't even eat him. It just played with him as if it remembered the man.
They heard a clap, and their heads turned to see Kruger's Titan clapping at everything. The Pure Titan down below decided to eat Gross's mutilated remains before scurrying off into the lands that awaited it.
Steam erupted from the nape of Kruger's Titan, and the boy pulled off all the sticky flesh surrounding his face. His eyes were heterochromatic, one was orange, and the other was blue. There were no pupils. Everything in his left eye was blue before returning to its uncanny orange.
"I'm going to be brutally honest, kid. That was some impeccable control. It was like you knew what to do already. I was prepared to handle you if you lashed out, but you didn't."
That was a lie. Kirch had no way of handling Kruger, especially with his 18-Meter height playing a huge part in this. Kirch wasn't young anymore, and even though he was desensitized about many things, seeing a grown man have his limbs ripped off and played with while being alive was a traumatizing sight. Kirch had the right to be fearful. He wasn't like Eren, who would've enjoyed the sight, too. He was a bit down to earth when it came to other lives.
"That's reassuring," Kruger's voice held no sarcasm as he chuckled nervously. Kruger turned his head to the two girls and walked up to them. Around his eyes were pinkish lines, and around his jaw were curvy lines that seemed like the teeth of the jaw titan.
"Now THAT was cool. I heard someone stole that damn Titan, but I didn't think a kid did!"
"Sister, don't you feel sad about that guy dying the way he did?"
The disheveled-haired sister shook her head with a wide grin. "Fuck no! He was preaching about death, and when it was his turn, he begged to be saved. That's hilarious."
Kruger turned his head to the side, his long, raven black hair covering some of his eyes like a curtain. "To be honest. I slightly enjoyed it. I was in a dream state before I woke up and saw him trying to run away. Then I remembered my objective."
"We're in your debt! My name is Hilda Ackerman," Hilda introduced before Kruger cut off her bindings.
"I'm Helga Ackerman…her sister. We weren't supposed to use our last names as it was forbidden, but I guess that doesn't matter anymore," Helga introduced with a bitter tongue click.
"Fascinating, two Ackermans? You'll be able to secure a safe passage through the Titan-infested island."
Kruger looked at Kirch with eyes that asked a question, which Kirch knew.
"From what I studied, Ackerman's were the swords and shields of the Royal Family. They were believed to be mere myths in this day in age. I didn't think I'd be alive to see anyone from that family anymore. They were the product of Titan Science. As such, they're super soldiers."
"Now that you mention it, old man, I feel stronger. A jolt ran through my veins when the kid transformed."
"I experienced the same thing," Helga muttered as she rubbed her scalp.
Kirch nodded at this and sighed. He was glad he did some research on the Ackermans. If this is the case, the future which Kruger will bring about will be easier.
Faye walked up and slowly rubbed Kruger's face with her soft hands, which Kruger seemed to appreciate. He was getting taller, so she was slightly looking up at him.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, mom. I think I can get us through the Island, but the walls are so far away I can't even see them from here. It may take days. I have enough energy for one more transformation. I didn't use a lot of energy for this one."
Kirch watched as the four seemed to come up with plans on how to survive. This would've been a glorious moment if Eren was here, Kirch missed the damn bastard, but he lived on through Kruger, as do all the Attack Titan predecessors.
"Here, take these," The group turned their heads to Kirch, who seemed to have handed them a device. "I will be making runs here once a month on a full moon. If you need to meet with me about anything, use that telecommunication. I will relay any new advancement Marley is working on so you can keep tabs overseas."
Faye breathed in a heavy amount of air and looked at Kirch. "How will you fake our deaths?"
"It's already done, young fairy. I will look over Zeke as well."
"If possible, can you look after Annie Leonhardt? She's a short girl with blonde hair and blue eyes."
"That seems to be the trend nowadays. Sure, I'll keep watch as well. It would be best if you got going. I sent out a distress signal. The ships are going to explode in a few."
Faye took this moment to hug Kirch, much to the older man's surprise, who reciprocated it.
"Thanks for everything. We'll finish the mission, no matter the cost."
Kirch paused for a moment before giving a light nod. "It's time for the new generation to take its first steps. The road will be treacherous. Friends may be enemies, and enemies may be friends. You'll never know unless you keep moving forward."
END
Traitor Of All Traitors: I hope you enjoyed what I did with the Attack Titan in my story. Truthfully all I could think of was that Berserk State we saw in the anime, so I went ahead and did some new things. The Berserk State is there, and I hinted at it in this chapter. And yeah, Kruger and Annie will be Brother/Sister here. Armin isn't one of my favorites in the series (actually, a lot aren't), but I will try and make Aruani possible.
AN: And done! A LOT to unpack here. I feel I did well on this prologue arc. Now things are getting set into motion.
Imma gives a little review of this arc and explain what happened in this chapter.
First thing I want to get out of the way. Memories of past Attack Titan shifters will be a plague on Kruger's mind. I know it's hard for Titan Shifters to see past shifter memories, but that's because the transference wasn't done by those with the same blood. (i.e., the Royal Family.) However, I feel the Attack Titan doesn't abide by those sets of rules, and I'm not the first writer to do this. This is actually a thing amongst Eren fanfics (And among Warhammer Titan stories where the MC isn't blood-related.)
Second, Hybrid Titan.
Where do I begin? This may rattle some of you, but I don't want to fit in. A Friend and I have been scheming about hybrid Titans for a while now, and I think the end result is pretty fun since I'm already fucking up the lore as is. Yeah, Kruger's Attack Titan has some Jaw Titan characteristics. Its face is still humanoid, similar to S4 Eren's Attack Titan, but with serrated Shark teeth. Its face is covered in a white mask. I got it from Porco's, so imagine a fusion of that. The hair for Kruger's Titan is Eren's founding Titan's hair, but much shorter. The Heterochromic Eye isn't just for show, either. The pure blue eye is supposed to be the same as the Berserk State of the Attack Titan from the anime…foreshadowing? Probably.
Will this affect the story? Yes, because Hybrids shouldn't "exist." This will cause a lot of commotion.
I created the "This serum has a 25% chance of turning someone directly into that titan." I've not seen this done (I did, but there are no drawbacks?), but I just said to hell with common sense and did it. The drawback is HEAVY as it's artificially made. I can only think of the loss of sanity and the slow regeneration. I think this is fair. You can chalk this up to them still being "Pure Titans" but with one of the Nines power sets. No, the Founder will not be artificially made since that's scary. It'd be weaker, but imagine a second Founder not restricted? That's hell. (Hmmmm)
I wrote Eren Kruger nicely. For a man with such little time, he still played a major role in the story. Only some characters need to be in a series for a long time to be a great characters. Eren Kruger had a role. He did it and went above and beyond. Eren Kruger seemed like a lonely man, so I wanted to give him a "family" in Faye and Kruger.
Kirch is an OC that'll be the first Marleyan Spy for Kruger. He won't appear often, but he will whenever he needs to give information. That's his role in the story.
Hilda and Helga Ackerman. Yeah, where do I begin? Their names are Norse related, Hilda is "Battle Women," and Helga is "Divine Women." or something of the sort. As you can tell, Hilda is a very…vulgar character, she's practically female Kenny, but in all honesty, Hilda is the perfect name for a character like her. She's going to be swearing a lot, so buckle up. Helga is supposed to be her opposite, appearing as a more gentle and caring character, but she's still an Ackerman, so yeah.
We don't see many Ackermans in the main story, so I did that anyway. In most fanfics I've seen with Ackerman as the main OC, they have some character, but they end up being like Levi regarding hygiene (And in character for some reason?). I don't believe every Ackerman is like that, so mine won't be. Helga might be, and as you can tell, Hilda will NOT be like that. I might get "Why are they outside the wall" comments, and tbf not everyone in the royal family was behind the walls either, so that's what I'm going with.
Gross's death, yeah…I wanted him to suffer, honestly. It just felt right. I still suck at those types of grotesque scenes, but this is why I do fanfiction to improve.
As you can all notice, how Kruger was enjoying the sight of Gross's death may have some effect on his character in the future as he transitions himself. He's developing something quite sinister, and only one (or three) characters will be the ones to hold that off.
Overall, this four-chapter prologue establishes the important character for the future, Zeke, Annie, etc. I may have written some unnecessary words, but sometimes they're needed to further the story.
The next chapter will begin the little 2-3 chapter arc. "The Island Journey." Arc. I want to wait to appear inside the walls. That could be more fun, and yeah, this may be unnecessary, but it will help the group of 4 understand Paradis and how Titans operate and have them gain the attention of the Survey Corps. Who knows? I'm still working on that. And also to form a bond and connect.
Yeah, I made a change and brought Faye along with the group. It's better (or worse) to see your son change in real time instead of disappearing and appearing out of the blue.
More Frieda next chapter because why not! (I've been reading all sorts of fanfics with her in it and using that to find a middle ground on how I want to write her. She's a pretty hard character, given all characters that barely appear can be a struggle, but I hope to make her enjoyable. I'm also studying up on noble "language" since I want her to have proper manners and then degrade cause she's around Kruger a lot.)
If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know. Until then, stay safe!
