Chapter 44: The Hegemonkey-King of West Eldia.
It didn't take long for Rod Reiss to make statement of the true nature of his family, and announced his surrender to Gohan to the public. He had also disclosed the truth of the Power of the Titans, the things that he happened to know of course.
"So this 'Vow Renouncing War' is keeping your family from fighting back the Titans without our walls?" Asked Peaure, a rookie member of the press, nominally the Berg Newspaper. The journalist looked at his notes, too many things to take in in one day.
"Aye, the First King of Paradis. Karl Fritz. Had seen too much of the Eldian Empire's atrocities that he couldn't help the guilt. He thought it was about time that we should pay penance for our past crimes." Answered Rod Reiss, tiredly, the man was covered from neck down by a blanket, he was still shaken from his defeat. Historia's hand had been patting his shoulder the whole time. He glanced at his daughter, the only thing that brought him joy in these dark hours of his family and gave her a smile. "Any possessor of my family couldn't do anything about it. My father, my brother and my daughter Frieda had once vowed to put an end to the suffering of our people. But once they acquire the Founder, it's like they had never made such vows ever in their lives."
"So your intention, original intention was to return the Founder's power to your family? Via your second daughter?" Anger was visible in the journalist face, but his tone remained composed and his questions were made to sound as professional as possible. "Would that made everything the same way as it was before?"
Rod gulped and Historia's anger was made visible. Although the illegitimated child acknowledged her father's wrong doing, but this was an intruding question.
"What kind question is that? Father, you don't have to answer this." Grunted Historia as she stepped between her father and the journalist.
"No, Historia. I need to get this off my chest." Surprisingly, Historia was more relieved than shocked upon hearing her father's answer. "It was a mistake. I was a coward. I was too afraid of seeing the future of my family without the Power of the Founding Titan. I was afraid of change if the secret of the Titans is disclosed. If we get out of the Walls, the fear of the uncertainty led to so many of my and my family's mistakes. But we have to face our fear in order to move forward."
"So that's when you decide to transfer the power of your family to Gohan Winters?" It was a pressing question from Peaure, perhaps that's why the press was called the press.
"No,it's a long process. The allegation of conspiracy of Bulma and Gohan Winters was true. But it was not unwarranted, don't be mistaken. They've discovered the corruption in my government. We've done so many distasteful things that I can only beg for a painless death in return, just to keep our power. So we have to go." Rod covered his face in shame as he explained in detail. Historia nodded at him, approval of her father's courage in admitting his mistakes. "My father and my brother before me had attempts on Lady Winters' life even before she made her plot. And I had made this attempt not on just hers but lives of the men and women of Survey Corps. It was a losing war."
It looked like he had surrendered because he had been losing, if not already had. However, Peaure knew that he should jump to conclusion just yet, not verbally of course.
"Some say that you surrendered your throne upon defeat. Do you deny this?" Historia raised her elbows as Peaure made another question.
"No, I do not. But it is to put it out of context if you say that I surrendered solely for that reason." Peaure wrote on his note as the King made his statements. "Gohan Godsend had the strength. He is loved by the people. They have idolized him after Trost, and they idolize him more after he's killed the Armoured and the Colossal Titans. He is support by his mother, Lady Winters, whom I have to admit to be the smartest person I've ever known. I respect her as my adversary and I admitted my defeat. The transgression and deficiency of my family also brought me to the conclusion that we are no longer fit to lead our people. And also that we are Eldians, the rest of humanity hates Eldians. It'd make the world more willing to be….more…" Rod stopped for a brief moment, to find a correct word. "…merciful to us if we let a non-Eldian, unbounded by the Power of the Subjects of Ymir."
"So, Gohan's not an Eldian?" Asked Peaure and Rod nodded, Historia nodded. "Neither is Bulma?" Rod and Historia nodded again. "Neither Yamcha?" Rod and Historia nodded.
"Interesting. Well that explains the tail. Yamcha does look Oriental. And Bulma has her hair." The journalist continued as he wrote his notes. "Now that you mentioned the outside world. What do you know of them?"
"I am as lost as you are." Rod answered.
"According to our prisoner from Marley." Historia stepped up. " They have developed technology that is more advanced than ours."
"Do this prisoner say how many nations are there?"
"She didn't go into details." Historia crossed her arms.
"The Female Titan." Whispered the journalist regarding the prisoner's gender. And then he shifted the topic. "So about Gohan's coronation tomorrow. What part do you play in it?"
"The document is right there." Rod motioned to the paper on the table nearby. An official abdication edict, signed by both Gohan and Rod. "I will make the statement while Historia will put crown on Gohan's head herself."
The door creaked open, Nanaba walked in the chamber. Coming with her were Ymir, Connie and Sasha and two Premier soldiers . This was also the day that Gohan would tell them everything, the truth.
"Okay, it's time. Mr Journalist, I believe you have all information necessary. His Majesty can rest now. Historia, let's go, you don't want to miss this." Ordered Nanaba, the two soldiers from the Premier HQ escorted Rod to his cell, Peaure sighed and gathered his belongings, Historia saluted her and proceeded to the courtyard.
Gelgar, Nanaba, Connie, Sasha, Ymir and Historia headed their way to Castle Jutnar on horseback. Gohan had promised tell them the truth of his identity to everyone that had sworn fealty to him before his cronation, and he was keeping his end of the bargain. The Castle was located just a bit further outside of Miltras, so it didn't take them long to spot the collapsed mansion from the distance.
"So, what did I miss?" Asked Historia, the only instance she had seen Gohan since after the coup was when Gohan signed her father's abdication paper.
"Well, Nile, Pyxis and Erwin have sworn fealty to Gohan." Answered Gelga. The man chuckled when he recalled the event. "Kneeling and swearing and all that."
"Holly shit! I missed that too." Said Connie.
"So did I. Wait, Zackly didn't?" Commented Sasha. Gelgar never mentioned the Premier of Military.
"He doesn't see the differences between swearing allegiance to Gohan before and after his coronation." Spat Gelgar. The squad stopped when they approached the Castle, the hole made by Eren was still presented before the fence. "And the man said his participation in the coup was enough to show his allegiance."
"And lost his chance to hear Gohan's story." Said Nanaba as the squad dismounted. "Also the chance to get to the Bunker. Gohan can only bend the rule so much for premature oath. He didn't see it fair for anyone of us swearing fealty to him at the Wolf Den if he says it to anyone else that didn't."
The Bunker elevator was on the surface level, doors already opened the Scouts awed at the advanced detail on its exterior. Bulma was waiting for them outside.
"We're doing it inside the Bunker?" Exclaimed Ymir.
"Yup." Replied Nanaba as Bulma led them in the elevator.
"Cafeteria!" The Scouts had feel reaction when Bulma used her voice command. But they all jolted when the elevator replied 'Access Granted' and closed the door.
The Computer Room would be too cramped with the number of people concentrated all at once. But the Cafeteria could accommodate more than 50 people, just like the Living Quarters. It had to be big enough for the amount of the people down there.
Bulma grinned at the Scouts' reactions: Much like the others who already went in first. They were all at awe of light, the silver tables and the technology within the Cafeteria once the doors slid open. Levi squad was sitting at the dinning tables, each Special Operation Scouts had a paper cup of tea in their hands. Erwin, Nile and Pyxis didn't pick themselves a seat but rather stood close by to Yamcha and Gohan who were connecting the wires to a big screen at the end of the Caféteria, a things many Eldians called a black mirror and a silver notebook.
Eren, Mikasa, Carla and Hannes were holding one another, they were sobbing. Eren had told his mother what had happened to his father, and also what had happened to Armin.
Moblit, Keiji and the recovering Nifa had to restrain Hange when Gohan started to type on the silver notebook, a laptop which screen had gone bright when he had turned it on. The Section Commander was unable to sit in one place the moment she walked in the room. All the technology of the Bunker had made her gone full hysteria.
Jean and Gleaves were distributing food and drinks to each table. Seeing the food trolley ,Sasha stormed right in, foaming at her mouth.
"Food!" Her hands were immediately slapped away by Jean.
"Can you guys give a hand? It's a lot!" Gleaves asked for the new arrival's assistance.
"Sure!" Historia stepped right in and took two food trays and put them on table. Ymir and Connie followed her and repeated what she did. Sasha wasn't allowed to help, in fact Petra and Gunther had to pull her to her seat.
"Bulma! Your laptop is synced with the mainframe." Gohan approached Bulma and reported. "Let's do this."
Erwin signaled everyone to be seated. Bulma turned on the TV screen, which was linked to her laptop. She opened a folder call 'News footages'. Gohan pat on the two Jaegers shoulders, comforting the mother and son. Mikasa helped push Carla wheelchair behind their designated table and the family, Hannes included, took their seat.
"Gohan had promise you to tell you the truth of his origin. I'll do him one better." Bulma clicked on a file. "A disclaimer: I am not his mother."
"Shocker!" Said Levi sarcastically, the Military had many doubts of the Monkey Boy and the Lady's relationship, most of the doubts were stemmed from Bulma and Gohan's first name basis.
"I, much like Yamcha were close friends to his father, Goku. We're from, let say some where otherworldly." Gohan facepalmed at Bulma's choice of words. "Both figuratively and very literally!"
"What do you mean?" Erwin raised his eyebrows. The majority of the Eldians made the same reaction.
"This was when Goku was just a kid." Bulma clicked the Play Button and she was heard gasps when the video feed of King Piccolo invasion played on the screen.
"What the hell is that thing?" Exclaimed Oulo when he pointed at King Piccolo. Who lead his minions to overthrow the World Government.
"That's King Piccolo." Answered Bulma as she paused the video. "And winged bastards following him were his Demon Army, they were all his creation."
"Piccolo? Your mentor?" Asked Petra when she recalled the name that Gohan had mentioned a countless time.
"No, King Piccolo is Mr Piccolo's father." Gohan corrected her, which Petra was relieved to hear.
"Well, more things put hold in negotiation with the Marleyans. The Son shouldn't be judge by the sins of The Father." Commented Nile.
And Squad Hange had to restrained their squad's namesake as she rushed over to the laptop. Her eyes had lost all sanity and filled with overexcitement.
"This thing is amazing. They're like moving picture. Tell me, My Lady, are these things real?" Bulma ignored Hange question and played the video again.
"This is from our world. A distance world. Another planet." Bulma explain further about her homeworld as the video was being played. How her world operated. Who ran the Government. And how King Piccolo had been released from his seal.
"Holy shit! Magic is real." Commented Oulo.
And everyone gasped again when the footage of King Furry was shown onscreen.
"Your King's a dog!"
"Well, we're about to have a Monkey for a king. So we should get used to it!" Jested Levi.
"Were this talking beast-human hybrid common in your place?" Hange was blushing. Erwin showed the same interest. Bulma didn't bother to pause the video this time, and let it played to the end as she explained the animal-type Earthlings. She clarified that these 'anthropomorphic animals' were not actually animals but rather humans underwent genetic modification that altered their biology.
"Why would they do that?" Connie scratched his head.
"Well, animals are generally stronger than humans physically!" Hange concluded. Her eyes showed that she might considered altering her genetic.
"Nice, well I can be a Wolf for real!" Commented Gleaves.
"Of course you'd say that." Nile glared at him. And then the Military Police commander shifted his gaze to Bulma. "You say that your world has a united world government, whose head of state is that blue dog?"
"Yes." The Lady confirmed.
"How does that even work? Not the dog being king part, but the United World Government part. How'd you put that all together? I'm no expert of administration, but how do you keep that all together, all the different cultures, the different beliefs, the national sovereignty of each nation states? How did you put them all united under one singular government in the first place? Is this similar to the Eldian Empire?" Bulma rolled her eyes in response to Nile's question. She turned to Gohan for help, who then explains the short version of his World's history. The United World Government hadn't been built from world domination, but rather on common terms, on compromising between nations. And there existed petty constituent countries with various levels of autonomy. War was almost non-existence in his world, only existed a few insurgency military organizations like the Red Ribbon Army, but their power was too insignificant to be considered as direct threat to King Furry's government. Only extra-terrestrial threat with high Power Level like King Piccolo had successfully overthrow the United World Government, though briefly.
"Extra-Terrestrial? You mean from outer space? It's possible to travel between planets where you came from." Asked Erwin.
"Well, the technology to do so is very limited in my planet, few could actually do it. And the vehicle to do so would take a lot of time build." Bulma played the next footage. And most Eldians in the Cafeteria lost their appetite when they saw Nappa easily dispatched warships and aircrafts, and he flew.
"Guys, I am not fully human. I am only human on my mother half. My father, came from the same planet of the man you've seen in the footage. He's a Saiyan. A proud warrior race that many possess the ability that you've just witnessed." Levi dropped his cup when Gohan went into detail of the Saiyans. Their overwhelming power levels, their Oozaru power that would made the aforementioned power levels go ten folds, how the warrior race operated by sending babies into planets in pods and having the Oozaru do the job of clearing out the planet for them.
"Goodness." Carla covered her mouth. "Using newborn children in such horrible way. It's…"
"Well, I have to say the Saiyan underestimated our planet." Smirked Yamcha, reliving the moment he first encountered an Oozaru. "Goku turned into an Oozaru once. Puar cut off his tail real quick. If you can't beat an Oozaru, you un-Oozaru the fucker. Aim at the tail, it's always works, or you can try the moon."
"The moon? You can blast it off?" Pyxis made his first question.
"We have no footage of Namek." Bulma elaborated, turning to Gohan once again. "Though I was there. But not quite. Most of the time I was in my ship."
" I was there. Everyone, the Saiyans are not invincible. Their powers were still dwarfed by one entity. They were under the yoke of a monster, an inter-galactical tyrant who is not very unlike Fritz, Frieza." Gohan then explained about Frieza's empire, his tyranny, his habit of blowing up planets just for shit-and-giggles. He explained of how Frieza blew up the planet Vegeta. How only few survived the destruction of his planet.
"Kakarot,huh?" Said Petra as Gohan explained the Saiyan history. "That actually a very good name. A weird one, but a good one none the less."
"How many of you survived?" Pyxis pressed on, the man had become concerned with the existence of a race that could wipe out the existence of planets.
"Yeah, you mentioned this Vegeta guy a lot. I can't wait to meet him. That and this Trunks fellow!" Hange screeched, unlike the Garrison Commander, she was about to put her interest on the Titans aside for these outworldly lifeforms.
"Well, my father was shipped off to earth as I mention. My uncle Raditz, Nappa and Prince Vegeta were on other planets when Vegeta was destroyed." Gohan recollected his memory.
"Are we counting the dead ones as well? Then there that guy that looked exactly like your father." Yamcha added, filled in the detail that Gohan had missed.
"Turles? Oh, the Tree of Might. How could I forget." Gohan scratched his head. And then another one sent shivers to his spine. " And that one guys who hate my dad because he cried and his dad. Oh my god, I remember him. Broly, my father was just got lucky beating him."
Half of the Eldians raised their eyebrows when the Earthlings told them about the ability of the Dragon Balls, the other half was left confused of the concept. Questions made about the limitation of the wishes. Things were noted by the Eldians: the old Earth Dragon could only grant one wish, while the Namekian granted three. The Dragon Balls needed one year to recharged their power. They couldn't revive the same person twice, not with the same set. They can't wish a large amount of people that had died for more than a year. If the Dragon Balls' creator died, the orbs would cease to exist, fortunately their wishes would not be undone.
Then it got real tense when Gohan put his adventure on Namek in details. Why they had to get there to find the Namekian Dragon Balls. Most of Earth Protectors had been killed by the Saiyans. All the soldiers and civilians gawked at Yamcha when Gohan listed the death, the Papa Wolf's name was among them. And everyone was triggered when Gohan got to the part that Goku plead for Vegeta's life. And then he told them how he, Bulma and Krillin got there; Erwin and Hange were the most disappointed persons when Gohan decided not to put the space travel into details.
Carla covered her mouth when Gohan mentioned the cruelty the Namekians suffered under Frieza and his soldiers. Ymir simply had flashback of what had happened to her when she had been in Marley. Eren, Jean, and the soldiers curled their hands into fists, only hearing the story made them felt so helpless. It was Shinganshina and Trost all over again, none of them could do anything to help, until..
"Gohan, at least tell us you did something." Hannes rose from his seat.
"Krillin and I managed to save Dende!" Gohan continued his testimony.
The story resumed after its brief interruption. Gohan left out no details. Vegeta's arrival to Namek. The continued search for the Dragon Balls. The death of Dodoria and Zarbon. Then the Ginyu Force, whose each member's ability was explained in details and what damages had they done to Gohan, Krillin and Vegeta.
"Have to stop you for one moment, my liege." Levi raised his hand, before turning to Yamcha. "Can you stop nicknaming me and my team after the fucking Ginyu Force? Especially, I'll be very gratefull if you stop calling me Human Ginyu."
"Or me Jeice." Added Petra.
"Or me Burter." Added Oulo.
"Or me Guldo." Added Gunther.
"If I remember it correctly, you once called me Human Frieza." Spoke Erwin.
"No worries, Erwin, that position has already taken by King Fritz. He's much more fucked in the head." Reassured Yamcha. "Fine, I'll find you guys some better ones. Gohan, continue."
Everyone's face became much brighter once Gohan told them the arrival of his father, Goku. The body switch and the defeat of the Ginyu. The bright face of the Survey Corps was shut down very quickly, and came with loud sighs when Gohan mention Goku had been out of commission for a while after the aforementioned fights. Then the Namekian Balls had been used, the first two wishes, bringing Piccolo back and teleporting him to Namek. And they had fought Frieza, a good portion of the Scouts and civilians vomited when Gohan describe all of his forms. Goku's recovery and the Spirit Bomb got everyone to clap their hands in celebration, until it was shut off when the story got to the part where Krillin got blown up.
"That Krillin guy couldn't get any slack!" Exclaimed Connie.
"That's what he gets for sparing Vegeta." Oulo got a glare from his comrades for his insensitive comment. "What? Gohan mentions both these fuckers a lot. They both must got resurrected after this one."
Gohan heard the cheers again. When his father become Super Saiyan, the very thing Frieza feared. He had not there to witness the fight, the next thing he had known that he had been teleported to Earth. And he hadn't heard from his father for a long time, he just known that his father had defeated Frieza and still alive, and Namek had been blown up.
"And then this blue-haired bitch over there ditched me for Vegeta." Bulma stared daggers to Yamcha when he opened his mouth.
"Wait!" Moblit commented. Bulma and Gohan had left this out in their stories. "You two are a thing?"
"We were a thing! The guy's indirectly responsible to my death and half of my friends'. And she had a child with him. Try and believe that!"
Then Bulma slapped him, not that he felt it.
"Well, our judgement of her character was right after all." Concluded Gunther.
Gohan then, to deescalate the tension, elaborate on Future Trunks. The warning of the Androids and Alternate Future made the Eldians realized their world was so small. And the tragedy their world had endured was pale in comparison for what their soon-to-be King had. Their race was risk of extinction, but his entire planet was always in constant danger of being wiped out of existence all together.
Bulma played the news reel broadcasting Imperfect Cell victims. Whoever still retained their appetites, lost them completely when they saw the clothes littered on the streets, especially with Gohan's explanation on how the monster fed.
"Not very unlike spiders!" Commented Hange, she wasn't sound as excited as she was before.
The Eldians cursed Vegeta when Gohan told them how the Prince just allowed the Semi-Perfect Cell to absorb Android 18. And then Bulma showed them the broadcast featuring Cell's announcement of his Cell Game.
"You know, you've never mentioned him to be green." Commented Petra when the Military awed at the sight of Cell. "But after Nicky Town, I've kinda imagined him to be green."
Bulma played the Cell Game. The Eldians shook their head when they watched Mr Satan. And they didn't give any reaction seeing the World Martial Art Champion got easily dispatched. Well, Connie and Jean were kind of surprised when he had survived. Then Goku had stepped in, Yamcha had never seen such excitement in any tournament fights from anyone for a long time.
Then, what they had been told by Gohan appeared onscreen. Goku conceded, and Gohan stepped in. His hair was gold on the TV.
"Wait, you're Super Saiyan too?" Eren leaped off his seat.
"Well, his father tapped him in for a reason." Remarked Jean.
"You look good in blond!" Petra smiled at him.
"Ew! Petra, he was only 11 in this one!" Reprimanded Keiji.
Unlike the fight between Goku and Cell, the Soldiers watched this one in silent. A brief cry of rage was made when they saw Goku throwing a Senzu Bean.
"Like I once said. Your dad's a dick, Gohan!" Grunted Jean.
Gohan didn't seem to show that he had put up a good fight in this one. He hadn't looked to be having the upper hand. And then it was enough for Carla, she closed her eyes. Levi vomited when the TV showed the birth of the Cell Juniors. And the TV showed the Cell Jrs attacked the Z-Fighters, while Gohan watched.
"What were taking you so long, GOHAN?" Eren sprinted to Gohan. "Your friends were dying?"
Then 16 had showed up, hugging Cell. Said something of a Nuke, which none of Eldians knew what that it, but by per Cell's reaction and the reporters' comment, they had figured it out that it was the thing that Bunker had been built for. And he had failed. Cell shot a Ki-Blast at 16, and everything went dark.
"What happened?" Eren grabbed on the TV. "Was that it?"
"The blast had broken the camera. The thing that records the whole thing." Bulma explained. "I had heard that afterward, Gohan was furious and killed all the Cell Juniors. And proceeded to kick Cell's green ass-butt."
"Thanks a lot, Gohan. When the Cell Juniors were on our asses, you couldn't get enough rage. When the android you'd only met for a few times, who was set to kill your father from the start not to mention, got blown up, it was when you decide to go full murder mode." Scolded Yamcha.
The remaining of the duel was told verbally for lack of visual. But it was something Gohan had told them more than once. He had got cocky and decided to play around with Cell, punched 18 out of him, undoing his Perfection. The Survey Corps gulped when it got to the part where Cell had used the Self-Destruction, none of the Nine Titans was told to have such ability, but this was told from the subjective views of Annie and Ymir. So the thought of approaching one Titan and had it blown up to their faces was not a good one. Thought none of the Titans had the power to erase a planet.
This was how Gohan's father been killed. This was like what he had told them. Cell had killed his father. This was how. Goku had teleported himself and Cell to King Kai's planet, where they had exploded.
"Dick move!"
"JEAN!"
"He could've instant transmission Cell to outer space, but noooo, he had to have King Kai take the fall." Gohan, Yamcha and Bulma were dumbfounded at Jean's enlightenment. He had a point. "This King Kai guy sounds useful, imagine what he could do if he was alive."
"Well, Goku wasn't that much of a thinking person." Informed Yamcha.
"Cell wasn't killed!" The room startled when Gohan continued. He told them how Cell revived, informing them he was named Cell for two reasons: he had all the DNA of all the greatest Ki Users, and just one cell of his survive, he always revives.
"He returned? How did you defeat him?" Probed Nile.
"So it's cellular. Not prison cell."
"A Kamehameha duel. Our Ki Blasts clashed, I was at a disadvantage for my arm." Gohan explained how he had been in the condition Dr Jaeger found him, a broken arm, he had taken a ki blast for Vegeta.
"For Vegeta, really?" This came from Eren.
"Really?" The entirety of the guests said the same thing, except for…
"Well, his father did plea for the Prince's life." Remarked Oulo. "If you ask me, the apple didn't fall too far from the tree. Are you sure you're not unlike us Eldians, protecting the Royal Family of your people? Argh" Petra stomped on his feet.
Gohan tried to ignore the comment and continued on how he had seemingly defeated the then power-upped and regenerated Super Perfect Cell with the Father and Son Kamehameha. And then Cell, a very small part of him, had detached from his main body and sent him here.
"That's how he got here." Bulma stepped in, she and Yamcha would take this from here. She clicked a file called 'Bojack'. "This is how we got here."
The video played, Bulma and Yamcha explained. The horror and destruction from Future Trunks' story and Cell's rampage repeated. Yamcha told them how he had saved Ingham, Bulma told them of her losses. They both revealed their struggles when they had come to this world, why they had had to do what they had done. And how they were sorry for it, and how they never felt any pride in it.
"I'm confused!" Nanaba raised her hand. "Gohan went before you. How come you tw… three arrived in our world… 10 years before he did?"
"Do anyone want to know how time travel works?" Bulma answered Nanaba's question with another question.
"Me!" Hange exclaimed in excitement, but unbeknown to her, all of her comrades raised her hand. Carla and Gleaves also raised theirs.
"I dunno about this, but I think if he could go Super Saiyan like he used to, he'd have done that already." Commented Oulo looking at the powering up Gohan.
Yamcha, Mikasa and Levi sensed Gohan Ki surging, and any person who couldn't sense Ki, could feel the gust of wind blowing into their faces, that if the heat and the visible aura wasn't enough for them. Erwin, Pyxis and Nile had demanded Gohan to attempt his Super Saiyan form, which the Monkey Boy initially declined, but Bulma had stepped in and agreed with the Commanders.
"You Eldians are not the only one in a rush of his Super Saiyan power. I need him to be in his former full strength to beat Bojack." Bulma crossed her arms, her back leaned on the elevator.
Gohan grunted as he pushed hard for the power up, veins were showing up beneath his skin, they looked like they were about to burst. It would take a blind person to not notice that the boy was straining himself. And only a madman would insist him on continuing.
"Gohan, stop it!" Carla was almost fallen out of her wheelchair when she tried to reach out to him.
"We do this another time, Gohan." Called out Petra. Gohan was about to stop upon hearing this, but the aforementioned madman urged him to continue.
"No, Gohan keep pushing. You've barely gone pass the 500 notch." Said Bulma. Madwoman rather.
"BULMA, WHAT THE FUCK?" The only people who didn't reprimand Bulma were the three commanders who had been studying the readings they saw on their Scouters.
"The sooner Gohan goes Super Saiyan, the sooner Earth is saved. Both mine, and yours." Replied the Lady.
"That'll have to wait. Gohan, that's enough!"Ordered Yamcha, he saw when a fighter reached his limit.
Gohan ceased his powering up, thought his aura remained. The commanders were intrigued by the power level they read, 578, considering the 121 to 200 power level they read from the other, this was significant.
"I feel fine." Gohan breathed heavily, although the power-up had strained him. But it was no different from a hard day of training for him.
"Finally! I get to see it! I am literally leaking from down there! It was like my birthday for me today! " Hange hysterically approached the 'flaming' Gohan. She felt the heat the aura emitted. But the visual alone overstimulated her, and the Scouter didn't help her hysteria. She was about to risk burning her hand touching the aura, but then it was put out suddenly and her face was covered in red when Gohan vomited blood on her.
Mikasa, Eren, Petra and Yamcha rushed to Gohan when the soon-to-be King crashed face first on the ground. The Monkey Boy covered his head and cried in agony, causing Carla to moved herself closer. The four aforementioned Fighters reached him when he started to convulse on the grass, blood and saliva create a red foam on his mouth. Petra held Gohan in her arms, before the Scout got pushed aside by the Alpha, who then grabbed him from the back.
"Great idea, Bulma. Now, he's gonna miss his own coronation." Barked Yamcha.
"You didn't have this problem." Yamcha gawked at how Bulma nonchalantly replied. "Most of the time here, whenever you've tried to reach your old power level, you just simply reach that ceiling and couldn't. A bit fatigued, yes. But never anything life-threatening. Not like this."w
"I'll get him inside!" Yamcha carried Gohan on his back and rushed to the Elevator, Mikasa, Eren and Petra followed him. Hannes pushed Carla into the said elevator and the two of them glared at Bulma before the door closed and the elevator descended.
"Should we postpone the coronation tomorrow?" Asked Levi with no replied from any of the commanders.
The command didn't only request Gohan to attempt his Super Saiyan form. The commanders had also demanded Bulma to show them something else. Bulma popped up her capsule and threw it to an unoccupied area, puff of smoke appeared and followed it was the Time Machine, Future Trunks' Time Machine.
Bulma explanation on time travel back in the Bunker had piqued everyone interest in the subject. Levi recalled it. None of the soldiers known how long had Hange and Bulma conversed in the paradoxes. The grandfather paradox had been the most comprehensible one, then they had started to lose it when it came to the parallel universe. The multiverse theory had scrambled their brains like those were eggs, when you travel back in time, that past was never yours, you create a new timeline, which none of them knew what that was. Levi ears rang everytime he called back to the bootstrap paradox, Hange had hissed in a very high pitch when she heard a creation of an item or event could be the result of time travel. Now she couldn't look at everything the same as it was.
"I thought it be bigger!"
"It's only room for one!"
"How did you, Yamcha and Ingham fit in that?"
"With difficulty!" Bulma didn't bother to identify who asked her the question. She kept her nonchalant demeanor as she elaborated on the machine. "The three of us cramped inside. I had difficulty piloting the machine for that reason. Perhaps that why we got stranded here. It was a bumpy ride. No one escaped motion sickness."
"You vomited in there?" Gaged Moblit, the revelation wasn't enough to repulse Hange from caressing the Time Machine.
"You plan to fix this? Not like you'd do much if you were able to fix it." Pyxis knocked on the side.
Bulma faced palmed, not that she hadn't think of this. She had thought to build a new one, she already knew how to build a new one, had even had a blueprint drafted, but that was the model for 4 persons. Now considering the reaction of the Eldians after they had found out about her world, and the fact that they had known about her world, she was going to need a bigger one.
"We might need to build a bigger one." The Lady sighed, had not left her hand out of her face.
"Wait, we?" Nanaba crossed her arms, many of her comrades concurred with her opinion.
"I can build a new time machine that big on my own." Bulma turned off her nonchalant mode and raised her voice.
"How big?"
"You big."
The Eldians, from Soldiers to Wolf, from Survey Corps to Military Police choked on their saliva upon hearing the Lady short reply.
"Hol' up. You're letting me…urgh us go with you?" Gleaves spoke his first words since the presentation. The Wolf had become speechless when Bulma finished her presentation of her homeworld downstair.
And once she told them that the new time machine would be big enough to accommodate all of them. Nanaba no longer held her previous opinion she just had had with the Lady, and neither did her comrade. And Hange couldn't curb her enthusiasm.
"So how do we do it?" The Section Commander screeched hysterically.
"God damn it, Four Eyes!" Levi rolled his eyes.
"With difficulties!" Bulma searched her memories for everything she had learned of this world. She rubbed the writing on the hull, a word none of the Eldians could read. "According to Annie Leonheart, Marley need the raw material deposit on this island. The main reason why they wage this war on you. Which mean you might have enough material for me to build a bigger, longer and uncut Time Machine. But only Marley had the means to mine them. So our path is clear, we made them ours."
Erwin hopped on the windshield of the cockpit and tapped on the glass. The machinery inside made him ecstatic, the feeling he would have to be accustomed to in the near future. It was not only there were planets beyond his world but also alternative worlds that maybe he and his could travel, away from this horrid world.
"You seem to like deals, Bulma Brief. Being a bourgeois and all. Let's make another one." The Commander of the Survey Corps searched the hull and found a button, he pressed it and the cockpit opened. "We'll help you build this new one, if you guaranteed to give us a better, more sustainable mean of travel between your world and our world."
"God damn it! That means Carla won the bet!" Murmured the Lady.
The Following Day.
Petra had guessed the moment Lady Winters had gone out from the Lockdown, her first thing the Lady would do, would have been interrogating Rod Reiss herself. But no, Bulma Winters, or Brief rather, never once visited Rod Reiss. No, the first thing she had done was having the Reeves… have other people build a platform just in front of the Castle Miltras entrance. The platform was made from wood, and some white marbles on top. Its railing was decorate with yellow turbans, and blue tarps wrapping on its sides. Red carpet stretched long from the castle to the other end of the platform. This was where Gohan was going to be crowned.
A crowd of hundreds of thousands had amassed before the Miltras Castle, many amongst them were soldiers, who had been fighting side by side with the new kings for dozen battles. The masses cheered and chattered when The Nine Pointed Star banner of the Royal had been left flying for hundred of years was taken down. A new flag was raised. A blue one, with a white snowflake in the center. This was new symbol of hope.
"The Eldian Empire was built on blood and destruction." Rod gave his speech as Gohan gradually emerge from the Castle, and gradually he walked toward the platform. Bulma, Yamcha and Gleave were escorting him. "King Fritz had conquered the world with army of the victims of his tyranny, just so he could he more to that army of slaves and monsters."
Petra remembered how he had recovered. The young man had flatlined when Yamcha had connected him to the heart monitor. It hadn't been good because neither Mikasa or Yamcha could have sense his Ki. It had been panic until the heart monitor caught the signal again. The Monkey Key had recovered before the dawn of his coronation.
"His Empire of Tyranny had lasted for two thousands years, until time decide we should no longer rule the earth. We were driven to this island for the errs of our ways had finally caught up to us." Rod and his daughter eyed the approaching new king and his escorts. Historia maintained her calm and loosened her grip the crown on her hands. "If we are to survive. If we are to go forward. We need a new leader, who will not make the same mistake as our forebear once made. Who is more fit than the people had never been bounded by Ymir? By our old dogmas? By our enclosed, outdated mindsets? The shepherd is never the herd. "
The crowd raised their fists in celebration once Gohan, cladded in his Saiyan Armour, the Power Pole was strapped on his back, the ODM Gear fitted around his waist, the Gear's strapping was worn before he wore the breastplate.
"Spring ends. Comes Summer. Then Falls. And at last, Winter is here! This is the new era for our people. An era of hope. Of change. Of benevolence!" Gohan knelt on the platform. Historia jerked toward him, and firmly walked to him. She slowly put the crown on his head as her father finished his speech. "Gohan Winters! You knelt as a Soldier of Three Armies, the Angels of Trost. Now, rise as the Protector of Your People, King of the Eldians and Overlord of Paradis."
"Long Live His Overlordship!" Shouted Historia once the crown was crested on Gohan's head.
"Long Live His Overlordship!" Her father repeated.
"Long Live His Overlordship!" The crowd, Historia, Rod Reiss, Yamcha, Gleaves and Bulma chanted and knelt as His Overlordship rose.
Gohan stepped closer to edge, his eyes gleamed as he glanced at each and every single one of his new subjects. A member of Royalty, the Ox King's grandson, now having his own kingdom that he had never expected or ever been expected to have.
The New King drew his sword, the blade reflected the sunlight into Bulma's eyes, causing the Earthling divert her eyes, to Rod Reiss. The Blue Hair Scientist/Businesswoman grinned as she looked at the former King, he delivered a fine speech, the very speech she herself had written.
All embrace me, it's my time to rule at last,
Fifteen years have I been waiting to sit upon my throne.
"Rise, beloved citizens of the Walls!" The people stood up once the King spoke. "My brothers and sisters in arms, today marks a new path to our Kingdom."
The sun illuminated the golden crown on Gohan's head as he turned to Rod and Historia.
"Rod Reiss, I give you the rank of Duke. You and your daughter may now live in your family old estate. Your family is now hereby under my protection."
No allegiance, I will swear no oath,
Crowned by god not by the church as my power is divine.
"As the same as the all of you are under my protection." He returned to the crowd. The Fighter-King rest the tip of his blade on the red carpet. "As the same what I shall do to the people beyond these Walls, beyond this island."
Gohan pointed at the Wall Sina.
They thought I was too young to rule the land ,just as they failed to understand,
Born to rule, my time has come!
"We have to put the Eldian Empire behind us. There is no place for it in this world any longer." The people went quite as Gohan continued. "There are enemies behind these Walls. They want us dead. They are not willing to talk peace unless we make them listen."
The crowd get roused up, they knew what their King was about to say next.
I was chosen by heaven, say my name when you pray.
To the skies ,see Carolus rise !
With the lord my protector, make them bow to my will .
To the skies, See Carolus rise !
"This time, next week. The enemies will listen. They will kneel before us before we offer us our hands to lift them back up!" Gohan sheathed his sword and pulled out his Power Poll, he stabbed it to the marbles, burying half the staff length into the platform. "This time, next week. We will retake Maria. I will lead the attack!"
Every military personnel drew their swords and raised them to the skies. The civilians roared at the top of their lungs. The War Cry could be heard across Sina.
"Congratulation, Gohan you are now officially have more subjects than Vegeta." Commented Yamcha before he chucked another gulp of beer. "I'm going tell him when we go home. Rub that fact in that arrogant fuck."
Gohan spun the crown on his table as he observed the guests who were attending his banquet, Military Officers, some Nobles and renowned merchants, the latter two were Bulma's benefactors and business partner, the people who had promised her their support long before the coup. He spotted none of his friends from the 104th, nor the S.O.S, the lower ranking soldiers attended the feast elsewhere, in the lesser halls, the corridors and the tents outside the castle.
"There's a lot of things to attend to than just fighting, now that I am King." Gohan spoke to the people who shared the King's table in the Throne Room. Commander Erwin, Nile, Zachly, Pyxis, Bulma and Yamcha. "The infrastructure within the Walls is in a dismal state. As you notice we have steam engine, have steamboats, for the life of it. But no railroad systems."
"I see you guys have rail tracks, to move artilleries on the wall. But no locomotive, I don't know, but that seems like oversight." Added Bulma.
The three commanders nodded. They had watched the footage of Gohan's home world, they had nothing to debate against the importance of rail networks. The development of transportation would improve the lives of their citizens tremendously.
"Seeing the size of the trains, I don't think those tracks are big enough. We will need a lot of human resources." Nile stepped in. "Your Overlordship, if I may, if we can allocate some of the workers from Winter Industry to participate, I believe some Garrison soldiers would also willing to aid, and we might have to mobilize the mass along the other companies for the … speaks of the devil."
A man approached the table, whom Gohan recognized, it was the merchant whose wagon had blocked the entrance to Rose in Trost, Dimo Reeves.
"Your Majesty!" The merchant bowed.
"The correct form to address the King is 'Your Overlordship'." Corrected Yamcha.
" 'Your Majesty' is acceptable." Said Gohan in a reassuring tone. "Continue, Mr Reeves."
"Forgive me for my intrusion. But I have come for my further discussion with Lady Winters on our… arrangement." Dimo Reeves stood upright as he made his case, the man's gaze slowly shifted on Bulma, which made the Lady sighed.
"Which is?" Asked Gohan as he opened his palms. The King turned to his 'mother' in confusion, he had never been informed of any arrangement made between Bulma and her benefactors.
"The Reeves Company will have a third of Winter Industry assets along with monopoly trade on all of Winter Industry commercial products." The King and the Commanders' eyes widened as Bulma answered. The Lady reached to her case under the table and took out a piece of paper. "I have the transfers document right here. Do you happen to have a pen?"
Reeves rummaged his pockets, the merchant became pale as he failed to find any. Nile took one out of his pocket and gave him his pen. Dimo nervously thanked Nile before he skimmed through the document, he removed the pen cap and signed the paper and then handed the paper back to Bulma, which she signed her part. Reeves bowed to Gohan again before he departed.
"The names and the addresses of the assets are in this paper. I believe you can spare some MPs for this to be enacted." Bulma handed Nile the paper and his pen.
"I didn't bring my bag. I'll have one of my assistant have it tomorrow." Nile retrieved his pen. "You're right, Erwin. She is a woman of her word." Bulma gave a half smile before she put the document back in her briefcase.
"My credibility earned us these benefactors. We will not be able to have sustainable government here if I'm not able to keep my end of the bargain." Bulma took sip from her wine. "Commander, no need bothering the Reeves Company on our railroad project. Try to mobilize the workers from the Harper Construction, the Intersection Contractors and the Marlene Company. Those three are the companies who wants a bite from our infrastructure programs." The Commanders flicked their chins as Bulma listed the companies.
"How many private dealings have you made for our new government?" Asked Zackly, disgruntledly.
"How many aristocrats and bourgeoises do you see in this room?" Zackly and Erwin stood up upon hearing the Lady's answers. They counted all the people who wasn't wearing uniforms. 39, 20 nobles and 19 businesspersons. "What? You guys thought that you can just throw a coup, kick a king from his thrones then you can have a sustainable regime ran by the military and expect things to not go wrong? That's not how it works. You guys know jackshit 'bout politic. These people are going to help our administration much easier. Or atleast less likely to fuck us over."
"Let's not get sidetracked." Pyxis tapped on the table. His face was all red from all the drinking. "As a commander of the Garrisons, I see the rail systems would aid a lot in our defense. Troops will be deployed much easier, and civilians would be evacuated to the inner walls much quicker, no longer limited with only the ferries as our mean of transportation. My Lady, have the locomotive and the train already been drafted?"
"It'll be done quickly more than you think." It was Bulma's turn to flick her chin.
"It's come to another dire issue! The enemy has air superiority. The future attacks would become devastating for us should our enemy decide to attack us from the air." Pyxis elaborated on the air technology the outside had. A technological advantage the Island would never have over its enemy. The Commander of the Southern pressed the importance of having a countermeasure for enemy air power.
"I can draft some anti-air gun model." Replied Gohan. The memorization of the weapon design was not very complicated for him. Oddly, military was also one of the subjects that Chi Chi had made Gohan study, thought Gohan had never known where Chi Chi found the reading materials. "Those must be easier to mass product than aircrafts. And the Walls would be a good position to place them batteries."
Command approved their King's proposal. Building an Air Defense Force would be more practical than an Air Force. Not just aircrafts were not easy to design and craft, but the fuel was hard to find, especially with the lack of equipment to extract the fossil fuel deposited on the island. Zackly proposed to have the ice burst crystal to power the aircrafts, but Yamcha gave him a sound rebuttal on how steam powered Airplanes were not reliable. And the high ranking officers had no more rush for developing an Air Force after Bulma explain in depth on how hard it was to train pilots, it would take month for a person to know how to fly an airplane, and would take years for combat pilots to be proficient in his flying.
"Actually, wouldn't kill to try. Yamcha ,where is Hermann?" Bulma stood up from her seat.
"He's outside, drinking with the Scouts." Answered Yamcha.
"Better get going then." She left the table but then stopped mid track as Lord Wald approached them. "Argh!"
"Your Majesty!" The nobleman bowed. "Commanders! Premier! My Lady! Alpha!"
"Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development." Lord Wald was puzzled when the Lady spoke. By the sound of it, she was a bit drunk. "Your position in the new Government. Take it or leave it!"
The nobleman was left baffled when the Lady walked down the step, and by the look on how she made it to the door, she was definitely drunk.
"Apologies, my king. The Lady have clearly misinterpreted my intention." Wald raised his cup toward the King's table. "I come to give you a toast, my king. To you, my King! May you have everlasting health and wisdom to lead our people through this challenging time!"
The King raised his cup, along with his commanders and Alpha. And they emptied their drink as the nobleman drank his.
"You have my most sincere gratitude, Marquis." Gohan moved on to his food as he spoke to the new Minister of Agriculture. The King wondered if such a position had ever existed before in the old Government. "And thank you in advance for taking the responsibility of safeguard our national food security and improving the life of our citizens in the rural districts."
"You've honored me, Your Majesty. I will not disappoint." Lord Wald wiped the wine on his lip.
"We were discussing future plans of developing our nation. You may join us." Gohan gestured to Bulma's seat. "You can take my mother's seat. And please forgive her. She has never been so… relaxed for many years."
"Of course, your Majesty. She has been through a lot." Lord Wald gladly took the seat.
'Oh, for the love of Kami!' Yamcha rolled his eyes as they continued. The subject was now shifted to Navy.
If Eren had been asked which part of Gohan being King that he did not like, he would answer that it was the part that he was separated from him in His Coronation Feast. He had no complain on how the foods served were no less lavish or plentiful than what the V.I.P guests in the Throne Room had, and the fact that the King had reserved the Lesser Hall for the soldiers of the Survey Corps, the ones who might no longer see the next days this time in the following week. But he couldn't help the feeling that Gohan had became more distanced from his friends the moment the Monkey Boy assumed his Kingship.
Each soldier was rationed a dish of salad, a very big serving of roast meat, a bowl of soup and some sausages, and very, very large quantity of beer. Their portions were much larger than any of them ever had in their lives, and they costed a lot of money, which was all covered by Lady Winters. However, compared to the large portion they served Gohan, it was minute.
"Damn, did you see the amount of food the King has on his table? Damn, is he going to eat all that?" Eren glared at the soldier who asked those questions. It was one of the new recruits, a new member of the Survey Corps, Floch Forster. "And how the hell is he not get fat?"
"If you could see him during his training. What he did in Trost, how he killed the Armoured and the Colossus Titan. You would know why." Jean stepped in before Eren could have done anything to the recruit. "Let's say we will have more of the problem if His Overlordship can't eat his fill in the upcoming battle."
"He's built different." Added Connie, with his mouth full. The soldier never knew he himself could eat so much. The Ki Training must have affected his metabolism to alter his appetite somewhat akin to his King. The soldier quickly retracted his serving of meat and shoved Sasha back as he noticed the Potato Girl was reaching to his dish. "Woah, common Sasha. Isn't that meat not big enough for you? You are not even Saiyan."
"I might as well am!" The Potato Girl was foaming at the mouth.
"Oh, gods. The training made her worse." Ymir skidded in to restrain her.
"What the hell is a Saiyan?" Puzzle Floch.
The 104th barged in to restrain Sasha who couldn't help herself from crashing into her fellow Scouts serving of meat. The Ten Pupils would know best how bad the Potato Girl hunger was, as they themselves were still hungry when they had only finish half of their food.
The Special Operation Squad sat in another the corner, drinking and eating and gleefully watching the commotion. First they had been astounded by the amount of food given, then they feared they couldn't eat all of them, now they thought these weren't enough.
"Speaking of which, Captain, why didn't you join them inside? You're a Captain. You have access." Asked Oulo.
"If I have anything in common with Kenny. It's that I and aristocrats, do not see eye to eye." Levi cut his meat and enjoyed another bite. "And you might not like this, Petra, Gohan is starting to be quite pretentious."
"What?" Petra gagged out her beer.
"He speaks in this… highborn, deliberate, formal language. And he's being quite forgiving to the other pretentious noble." Levi was speaking while eating. "Those fuckers were kissing his ass and he loved it."
"Well, capt', he is highborn, his grandfather was the Ox King, he's a legit Prince. And Gohan had been speaking formally all the time, you didn't have a problem with that back then. And he's the most forgiving person I've ever known, not even my parents would cut so many slack from people like that." Retorted Petra. "And about the ass-kissing, I have nothing."
"Couldn't really blame him. I would love to have some highborn sons of bitches to kiss my ass." Added Gunther, his face reddened from all the alcohol. "With some tongue works preferably." And the squad laughed with the exception of Levi.
"Just you wait. You will see less and less of Son Gohan and more and more of King Gohan Winters. Power changes a man. Corrupt him event. And I've seen the change in him the moment Historia put that crown on his head." Replied Levi. That last bit was a lie. Levi had seen Gohan not being the same as he had the moment the Monkey Boy returned to Trost from Castle Jutnar, when he had reunited with his family's friends. It was really hard to put the change into words but Levi had seen it, sensed it and heard it.
Would this change was for the better or worse. The Captain had no idea. He could only hope this political power would not corrupt the Angel of Trost. But he was certain that it would put a wedge between the Half-Saiyan and his Survey Corps comrades.
A smash of glass interrupted the Captain's chain of thought. The Survey Corps turned their heads to the source of the commotion. Hermann Gleaves was standing on one of the tables, a couple of dishes was already toppled. The Wolf raised up his cup and tap his fork on it. Making a fool of himself.
"Comrades! Here's to you, valorous men and women of the Survey Corps. I'm honoured knowing that I will be fighting along side you, retaking Wall Maria with our King!" Cheered the Top Beta. "Bottoms up, for our endeavor to justice!" The Wolf emptied his cup with only one gulp, the Survey Corps shrugged and also drained their cups, except for one.
"Woah, woah, woah. You're coming with us to Shiganshina?" Flock could not believe it. A Wolf fighting Titans? This was rich.
"The Alpha is coming. Wherever he goes, I go!" Gleaves leaped from the table. Slamming his fist to his own chest. "We, the Wolfpack. We hunt together."
"What's left of it." Flock's comment earned a furious glare from the Wolf.
"Give the Wolf some respects. He's been helping the Corps for quite some years." Jean stepped in before the conversation went sour. "The Wolfpack aided the Corps in the apprehending of the Female Titan. And the Pack had lay down their lives to help overthrowing the tyrannical old regime."
"And I'm coming too!" The door burst open as Bulma stumbled inside the Lesser Hall. The Scouts and the Wolf couldn't help but noticed that she was wasted. And what did she just say?
"Bulma, I take back what I said back in the Bunker. You don't have to go!" Petra put her hands on the Lady shoulders.
"Gohan let you go. I know you made him allow you to go. I have to have a way to made him not distracted for your safety. Shiganshina is not a place for an angry Saiyan." Bulma pushed the scout away. "Gleaves, get me to the Bunker, now!"
"Yes, my Lady!" Gleaves reluctantly walked toward the exit, Bulma clumsily followed him. "I'll fetch a carriage!"
The Scout watched in confusion as the Lady and the Wolf exited the Lesser Hall. They had no idea what had just happened. The majority of the Scouts didn't even know what the Bunker was, neither what was a Saiyan. They were left wondering did the Lady mean it saying that she was coming with them to Shiganshina.
Eren startled his comrades when he collapsed on the ground crying. He covered his face and his tears poured out of his eyes. Mikasa rushed to him and held the Titan Shifter in her arms.
"Eren, what is it?" Concerned the Oriental.
"I think the brat has enough drinking for the day." Levi approached the couple. "And Petra what the hell about you making Gohan to let you go? Did he insist you stay out of Shiganshina?"
"Armin, he's missing all this!" Sobbed Eren as he thought of his comatosed childhood friend. He was hanging between the line of life and death while the people who called themselves his friend were celebrating. Eren didn't know how long until Armin could wake up to see the victory day, the retaking Maria, how his people resettled themselves in their lost home. How long could Eren and Armin could see the ocean together, the mountain of fire and the dunes of sand. They were all going to experience all of it without Armin, and the thought disgusted him, and it made him vomited, literally. "Could our lives ever return to what they used to be?"
Machine Guns had been set up on the top floors of the buildings in Shiganshina. The mortars were pre-ranged on the breach. Soldiers were still moving boxes of ammunition to their designated positions.
Margath had no idea if this general defense would hold. The intel both Berthold and Zeke had given him was concerning. Reiner, the Armoured Titan was dead, killed by the Devil of All Earth. He was real, and he had returned, in these Walls. The Devil of All Earth's Titan form had easily destroyed all the Eldians turned by Zeke and had almost killed the War Chief himself. He was twice the size of the Beast Titan, and the War Chief's rock throw had done nothing to it. His Titan form was similar to Zeke's, an ape. By the War Chief description, it was gorilla with a baboon's head and a macaque's tail.
However, what concerned him the most was how Reiner Braun had been killed. The Devil had a human appearance, beside his Titan form. Gohan Son -the Devil's chosen moniker, had used these attack in a form of beam of energy, that had melted the Armoured Titan's armour plates and flesh upon impact, killing and disintegrated all surrounding structures, Berthold himself would have been dead for long if Reiner had not shielded him, absorbing most of the force of this… 'Ki blast'. Berthold had been barely alive when Pieck had found him. Pieck had confirmed the smoking crater, backing Berthold's information.
"This will not suffice!" A soldier walked to him from behind, he was in his white tank top, his green military pants. He was blond, glassed. "According to what Berthold said, we can't ambush him."
"Jaeger, there's only two devils aside from the Devil of All Earth can sense energies." Berthold had not withhold this 'Ki sensing' ability of the DoAE. And the Source of Ymir's Power had successfully taught this ability to two more of his children. Ambushing these three devils was out of the question. "That why we had to scatter around this town. Try our luck with the other ones, hoping they haven't learned that ability by now. The Devil is not invincible. The new Jaw Titan was able to bit off his fingers, and one of the Devil's children had cut off his tail. He can still be wounded by his sword, our guns can do the same. Kill him, even!"
"You'll be throwing our lives away. We need Helos the Second!" Protested Zeke. His past encounter with Gohan Son had proved that none of the Warriors could do anything to Marley's new foe.
"Helos the Second has been in a coma ever since we found him. And I do not trust him. Have you seen him, he's not so different from what Berthold had described Gohan Son." Retorted Margath, shutting down the Beast Titan's suggestion. "Our best chance is the Founder, he'll be here. Just grab him once we identify him. Then we'll get the fuck out of this god forsaken island."
"It's easier said than done. You've heard Berthold, the Devil and my brother are pretty close. None of us can reach him before the Devil cut us to pieces." Retorted Zeke, shivers ran through his spine every second he recalled the Great Ape. "Our best course of action is to regroup to Marley, and rethink our strategy."
"You've forgotten your place, demon." Margath raised his voice, the War Chief's questioning of his order had lost him his patience. "Just do what I say. Or I will let Marley knows of your cowardice." Zeke made no replies. The Commander then retook his composure. "We're avoid combat with the Devil as long as we could. You and your warriors would be anywhere near him. Just let us get his attention, then grab Eren."
Next Chapter: Return to Shiganshina.
Author's Note: Yeah, I have to put Carolus Rex in, couldn't help it. It fits perfectly with the scene.