Chapter 3: The First Skill
"!"
"What's happening?"
"What's going on?"
The two boys by the river looked in terror at the sky, and Mikasa, who quickly stopped her hand, also turned abruptly.
What a colossal creature...
Beyond the towering walls, reaching over fifty meters high...
A giant with no skin, only crimson flesh, revealed its forehead and eyes!
All the residents of the Shiganshina District raised their heads—watching in terror at the colossal presence!
"Boom!"
A massive roar echoed once again!
The sturdy walls that had guarded the people for centuries—
Crumbled under the foot of that giant!
Shattered stones flew out like bullets, smashing houses, crushing flesh, leaving behind crimson paths!
A huge crack appeared on the top of the high wall!
Titans, over ten meters and twenty meters tall outside the wall, now poured in!
"Ah!"
"No!"
Terrified screams and cries continued to echo!
This place had already transformed into an abyssal hell!
【The Joker: The plot is starting~】
【Dark Flame Master: Fast forward to the part where the main wife kills the mistress~】
"It's Titans! The Titans are launching an attack! Mikasa, let's go back quickly!"
Realizing that the broken wall seemed to have passed through a familiar area, Eren suddenly felt a chill!
"Alright!"
With the situation urgent, Mikasa didn't hesitate to abandon the food on the ground and quickly followed Eren's steps!
"Nii-san! Let's get out of here quickly too!"
The smart Armin understood that they couldn't stay here any longer!
The Titans would soon invade... those man-eating monsters would kill all the humans here!
"Alright!"
With a thought, Alex looked at the scattered food on the ground.
【Purchase 'One Cubic Meter Portable Storage Space' for 1000 points】
【Dark Flame Master: Host still has a space ring? Sure, let's go for it!】
The audience in the livestream happily discussed Alex quick decision to collect all the items on the ground into an inexplicable space.
"Shall we go home?"
The roaring Titans had already entered the residential area, and now Alex's mind was stretched to the limit!
If they were caught by those giant humanoid monsters... it would be certain death!
"No! Let's head straight to Wall Maria!"
Grandpa worked near Wall Maria! It was impossible for him to be at home now!
Rather than being in danger, it was better to ensure their safety!
【Ganyu My Waifu: Armin has been clever since he was a child】
"Then let's go!"
With no more hesitation, the two brothers started sprinting towards Wall Maria!
But Eren..."
Having successfully reunited with his family, Armin, who had now boarded the ship heading towards the interior of Maria, looked towards the shore.
The fallen Shiganshina District had now become a hell on earth. The walking giants stuffed one human after another into their mouths, biting, crushing, and devouring them. Everyone understood that the only chance for survival was to enter the city of Maria.
However, the boat was already full.
"Drop your personal belongings! This way, we can take more people!"
The disciplined garrison commanded the evacuees, trying their best to save the residents of Shiganshina.
And at this moment, the person Armin had been waiting for finally appeared by the ship...
"Eren..."
"Hush..."
The old man pressed down the child's head, signaling him to stay calm. The two numb children walked onto the ship, but there was no sign of Eren's parents.
"Sail! Leave immediately! Hurry!"
The guarding garrison waved, signaling the fully loaded ship to depart as soon as possible.
"Dead?"
Although Alex knew that such scenes were not uncommon in this type of work, watching living humans being devoured by terrifying giants still made him shudder from the depths of his soul.
To survive in such a world... and this was just the "beginning" of the story.
Yes... this was only the beginning...
【Kafka Slave: Hmm, his mother was eaten by a giant】
【The Joker: Yeah, but 'Reiner, why was my mom eaten that day?' Haha! He still has the nerve to ask!】
【Dark Flame Master: Such filial son... Host, stop watching and turn the angle to Mikasa-chan】
【Ganyu My Waifu: Speaking of Reiner, Reiner should appear now】
"What?"
The chats had been talking about Reiner since the beginning...
Who's Reiner?
"Thud."
Heavy footsteps echoed, and everyone outside Wall Maria noticed!
"Thud... thud... thud..."
The continuous sound of footsteps and the faint tremor of the ground—both indicated one thing! The titans had arrived!
【The Joker: Finally, here comes Reiner】
【Ganyu My Waifu: The only shining moment~】
【Kafka Slave: Eh, Reiner should only be in his teens at this time, right? Doing such things even before adulthood】
【Dark Flame Master: The trio of traitors are still kids now, but this damn kid is only ten years old?】
The constantly scrolling chats leaves no room for leisure on the Alex now.
Because... at the end of the street, an irregular titan has appeared!
It is draped in white 'Bone Armor,' accelerating towards the city gate non-stop!
"Fire! Fire!"
"Lower the city gate! Quickly!"
Approaching the ships inside the wall, people raise their heads, looking at the titan charging towards the city gate.
The bombardment's firepower does not budge the giant's massive figure in the slightest!
And the city gate, falling continuously to block the path - that is the colossal target of the Armored Titan!
"Boom!"
Explosive smoke and dust rise together! Under the radiance of the setting sun, the titan's figure ruthlessly pierces through the Maria city gate like an arrow!
The blood-red light of the evening sun...
At this moment, through the hole, it has already shone into the interior of Maria's city walls...
[The Joker: Looks like there will be rivers of blood flowing now~]
The three high walls, starting with the outer Maria city wall, have completely fallen...
This means... a large number of humans are about to perish, devoured by the titans.
"Here... no longer belongs to humanity."
【Due to special reasons, the livestream is temporarily closed】
...
Maria's Wall has completely fallen, and everyone is forced to retreat within the Rose Wall...
But the lost land and the surplus of people will ultimately become a huge problem...
Under the starry night, Alex, already at the shore, follows the Legion's control and is assigned to a corner sufficient for rest and sleep.
However, facing such turmoil... despite the constant guidance from the chat, he is still burdened with heavy thoughts and unsettled emotions.
Surviving in this world of titans...
He is too weak, lacking strength.
Just like Eren roaring on the ship, wanting to kill all the titans.
If, as the chat says, he must join the Survey Corps, the Wings of Freedom...
Then, can an ordinary salaryman like himself be as lucky as those main characters and survive in the mouths of those titans?
Looking back at the sleeping Armin and his grandfather, Alex sits uneasily, devoid of sleepiness.
He needs to become stronger.
No matter how funny and ridiculous the chat is, he himself is indeed in a hellish world right now!
Here, only by becoming stronger... can one qualify to survive.
Just like those legions with strange devices that can fly in the air!
There are also devices available for purchase in the system, but he has no idea how to use them!
【Vertical Maneuvering Equipment: 500 points】
And in the livestream system, items that can be redeemed for points, usable for improving strength and purchasing...
Knowing nothing about the anime world, the only thing Alex can understand is this—
【Experience Book】
"Is experience used to level up?"
However, his panel shows no level whatsoever; it seems this functionality doesn't exist.
The only thing displayed is—
【No skills at all】
"Are experience books used to improve skill levels? Or... increase proficiency?"
【Experience Book (One Day): 10 points】
【Experience Book (One Year): 3650 points】
How to interpret it seems to be related to time-based progression.
Through the contributions of the viewers, Alex has indeed accumulated a considerable amount of points.
But if he wants to convert those points into skill books to enhance his strength...
"I still lack a skill..."
How to acquire skills?
He initially thought of browsing through the points market, but the strange sounds around him made Alex slightly alert.
It was a very light sound, extremely faint in the night.
As if something was struggling on the grass... fabric or fur scraping against the ground...
And even... low growls resembling those of wild beasts...
"What's going on?"
The unknown danger in the darkness makes Alex uneasy, especially since the livestream cannot be opened at this moment, and there is no almighty viewer to answer his questions.
The young man cautiously searches the surroundings...
Sure enough!
"Where's Eren?"
The place that used to belong to Eren for resting is now empty!
Eren has been taken away?!
Who did it?
Wide-eyed, the young man instinctively stands up!
Mikasa is still sleeping in her original position, but Eren is nowhere to be found!
'Should I go look for him?'
'Could there be danger?'
Not understanding the unfolding events, Alex suddenly doesn't know what to do!
If he is not present, everything will follow the plot, and the protagonist cannot just die like this.
But could his presence cause the plot to deviate...
In a daze, he seems to hear the sound of chewing...
"Damn it..."
He has to do something!
Getting up from his position, the young man cautiously makes his way to the street without waking the people around him...
But before he even reaches the small grove where the sound is coming from, he is stopped by a hand reaching out from the darkness!
"Wait, curfew at night, you can't wander around casually!"
"Hmm? Wait a minute, are you a friend of Eren's?"
A tall man emerges from the shadows, wearing the uniform of the Garrison Regiment!
A shield and a black rose are imprinted on the back of the man's uniform, and the 3D maneuver gear hanging from his waist is undoubtedly genuine.
"Are you... Mr. Hannes? You're the one who took Eren on the ship, I remember you!"
Recognizing this somewhat downcast guard, Alex breathes a sigh of relief.
"Hmm? A friend of Eren's?"
"Yes! But now, Eren is..."
"What happened to him? Oh, by the way, I just saw Mr. Grisha, who rescued me. Is something wrong?"
Mr. Grisha? Isn't that Eren's father?
If it's that Mr. Grisha... or maybe he just went to chat with Eren?
With the suspended anxiety gradually easing, Alex no longer intends to disturb the original plot:
"It's nothing... I might have overreacted... But Mr. Hannes, why are you still not resting so late?"
"..."
With the boy's question, the man's expression darkened once again.
"Because... I want to become stronger. I want to be able to kill Titans and save more people!"
As a guard saved from a serious illness by Mr. Grisha, he couldn't even save the doctor's wife and had to let the Titan kill their mother in front of the children...
This shame was something he couldn't share with his colleagues.
But this guilt and pain, like a searing iron in his heart, forced Hannes to find someone to confide in, to unburden himself!
"...By saving Mikasa and Eren, you should have reassured Mrs. Carla, right?"
Having listened to the guard's recount of the past, Alex could only offer such comfort.
"Even if you kill that Titan... there will still be more Titans."
"Since Eren's mother is already pinned down by a giant boulder, then..."
"I understand. It's just that Eren made me realize that I shouldn't be so weak... Perhaps, the time of peace was too long, even causing us to forget how to face Titans."
Over a hundred years of peace... except for the Survey Corps going out, other soldiers have hardly faced Titans.
But from now on—the situation will be different!
"So, you're practicing at night?"
Looking at the blades on the guard's thighs, Alex had some thoughts...
The Vertical Maneuvering Equipment— it is a personal equipment that uses grappling hooks and jet propulsion for rapid aerial maneuvering. When facing Titans at least ten meters tall, ordinary people can effectively approach and cause damage only with the help of this equipment.
And paired with this device is a special long blade...
The blade is already sharpened by special forging, resembling a slender parallelogram, connected to the handle...
Unlike directly connecting to the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment, the indispensable handle is distinct and has essential control capabilities.
Because of fighting Titans, there might be blade issues—the troops often carry spare 'blades' that can be easily replaced to have the blade in a new state.
This weapon is crucial for facing Titans in the future!
"Can you... teach me how to use this blade?"
"What?"
Hearing the boy's request, Hannes was very surprised.
He only wanted to practice at night to vent his depression and resentment.
But then he saw this child, and inexplicably, he felt very compatible with him.
Hannes even had a strange feeling that this was not an undeveloped child but an adult male of similar age, who might also be troubled by work and resentful of his own inadequacy.
A strange illusion...
He originally just wanted to chat with the child and inform him not to speak casually about his shameful past, but now...
This child wants him to teach how to use a blade?
"What do you want to learn this for?"
"Because... I need strength... I need the ability to protect the people I care about."
Maybe he doesn't have talent, but at least he has time now!
If he starts practicing early, coupled with the assistance of the system! Alex is confident he will not be weaker than anyone else!
As long as that's the case, he won't fall behind!
"...Are you also going to join the Corps? Fight against the Titans?"
"Eren will definitely join the Survey Corps, and the rest of us will probably join as well... Simply put—it's to fight for the future of humanity!"
Although he knows nothing about the plot!
But that doesn't stop the young man's blood from boiling!
"Alright!"
"Although I don't have much time, at least I can teach you some of my expertise!"
"Afterwards... you'll have to practice on your own!"
...
【Acquired Skill: Blades (Chopping Weapons) Application!】