AUTHOR'S POV:
A giant foot cracked the earth.
Eren and Mikasa watched, Eren letting out a gasp.
The Smiling Titan approached them with slow, resounding footsteps.
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"Damn it! Reiner!" Faye said, staring at the Armored Titan, restrained by over half a dozen small Titans. "He's tossing Titans!"
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With a roar, the Armored Titan threw another one.
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Faye grunted when one landed near her.
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Another Titan landed a small distance behind Erwin and began to chase him.
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The Jaws Titan stopped, Ymir glaring inside. 'This is all your fault! It's you who screwed up my entire plan, you damn commander!' The Jaws Titan sped toward Erwin and the Titan chasing him.
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Erwin gasped, noticing her.
The Jaws pushed the mindless Titan and Erwin fell to the ground. She pinned the squirming Titan under her clawed hand.
"Ymir! Connie, that way!" Historia yelled, pointing, sitting behind him on his horse.
"I know!" Connie replied.
"Commander!" A dark-haired Scout yelled, running toward him.
"I can always be replaced," Erwin said, a mad determination gleaming in his eyes. "More importantly, find Eren and retreat! Time is of the essence!"
The Scout cried, his face inside a Titan's mouths, his limbs twitching.
Erwin watched, mouth open, humans and Titans fighting behind him.
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The Smiling Titan continued to approach Eren and Mikasa. He stared at it, frozen.
"Eren!" Mikasa said and pushed him down.
The Smiling Titan brought down a hand.
Hannes suddenly appeared, placing himself between them and blocking the attack.
Hannes sliced off the Titan's thumb, causing it to lean back. He grinned at the Eren and Mikasa.
"What are the odds of this?! Check it out, you two! You just watch. I'm about to avenge your mother and butcher the shit out of this bastard!" Hannes declared and shot a hook into the Titan's chest, flying toward it and dodging a swipe.
"Hannes!" Eren screamed.
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"Give Hannes backup!" Faye yelled, riding next to Armin. Then she noticed a Titan coming down. "Huh?!"
One landed in front of Armin and his horse kicked its front legs.
"Reiner?" Armin said, looking over at the Armored Titan, Bertolt hanging on him. "What's he doing?! Does he not care if Eren is eaten?!"
"May be he changed his plan like Annie did." Faye said, looking at the Armoured titan before she and Armin charged at the three Titans in their way.
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The Jaws Titan ripped off the Titan's nape with her teeth and spat it out.
"Ymir!" Historia yelled, catching her attention.
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'Dammit... What am I supposed to do?' Ymir thought. 'If I can't count on Reiner, should I cooperate with the Scouts and try to survive?'
The Jaws Titan followed after Connie's horse. 'But what happens after that?' She noticed Historia was watching her intently. 'Even if I can somehow live through all this... there's no avoiding the hell that's to come trapped inside the Walls.' Now's my only chance to hand Historia over to their side! I won't be able to protect her alone, no matter how hard I try.'
A hook shot into the Jaws' forehead and Historia crouched there.
"Christa!" Connie called after her.
"Connie, that's wrong," Historia corrected. "My name is Historia. Hey, Ymir... Why was it you were trying to take me away? You said it was to save yourself, but was that a lie? No... it has to be. Why? Why did you do it?"
The Jaws Titan kept running, eyes focused ahead.
"For me?" Historia guessed. "To protect me again?"
"It's a Titan!" Connie yelled.
A 15-meter stood before them.
"Ymir... You're the one who said it, so listen to yourself! Stop living for other people! From now on, let's live for nobody but ourselves! It's strange, really... When I'm with you, no matter how screwed up it gets... I'm not afraid!" Historia declared, smiling, and flew toward the 15-meter.
Connie and Sasha stood atop their horses, Connie cursing as they took off, "Shit!"
Ymir and the Jaws Titan cried out.
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Hannes let out a battle cry, slicing the Smiling Titan's face and leading it away.
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Mikasa struggled to her feet, whipping the sword in her left hand.
"Don't, Mikasa!" Eren said, on his stomach, hands tied behind his back. "You're injured! Untie my hands!"
"Hands?" Mikasa repeated, looking at his bound hands, a little steam rising from them.
"Hurry up! I've gotta be the one to do it!" Eren said passionately and she stared at her sword, tightly gripping the handle.
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"Who said I was done with you?!" Hannes said, attacking the Titan's Achilles' tendon on one of its feet.
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Mikasa cut through the binding and Eren sat up.
"That one's... mine!" Eren declared.
"Eren!" Mikasa said and reached out but clutched herself in pain. "Wait! We're trying to get you out of here!"
"It's time to settle the score!" Eren said and held up his right hand, fingers missing their tips. "Just watch!" He bit his hand, blood pooling around his teeth.
Eren stood in front of Mikasa, Hannes fighting the Smiling Titan a small distance away in front of them.
"Huh?!" Eren cried out in disbelief.
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A Titan flew from the sky and a Scout quickly dodged. Erwin straightened, on his knees, looking ragged but holding his sword.
"Commander! The Armored one is-" A scout said.
Erwin looked to see the Armored Titan slowly stomping his way over to them, prying off the small Titan clinging to its body and tossing them.
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"It's coming!" Faye said.
Armin gasped when he saw the Titan overhead and threw out his hand.
"Faye!" Armin called out.
Faye glanced back and the Titan landed in front of her horse. She was sent flying from her horse and bounced off the ground, hard, bleeding.
"Faye!" Armin yelled and jumped off his horse and ran to her. "Are you okay?! Hold it together!"
Armin picked Faye up. Two Titans were stalking toward them.
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Hannes attacked the Smiling Titan's Achilles' tendons again before flying up to its face and avoiding its hand.
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"Shit! Shit!" Blood dropped to the grass as Eren cursed. "What's wrong?!
Mikasa winced when he ripped off the rip.
"Eren!" Mikasa said.
He continued to gnaw at his hand in frustration.
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Armin was backed up against a tree, an unconscious Faye in one arm, pointing his sword at the approaching Titan with his free hand.
He screamed in panic, waving his sword to keep the Titan away.
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The Armored Titan tore off the last Titan from his body and began running at full speed.
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Peer took out a Titan and it landed in front of Erwin, sending a small shockwave toward him.
"Commander!" A Scout was screaming before a Titan ate him.
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Finally, Hannes delivered a deep cut to the Achilles' tendon and sent the Smiling Titan to its knee.
Hannes smirked in success. But it fell when a hand grabbed him midair.
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Eren and Mikasa watched helplessly as the Smiling Titan bright Hannes toward its mouth.
'Right now...' Eren sunk his teeth into his hand again. '...I've gotta become a Titan... or it's all for nothing!'
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The Smiling Titan opened its mouth, Hannes kicking his legs and struggling as they were almost between its teeth. There was a loud wet, crunch when the Titan bit his lower half.
Splatters of Hanes's blood flew over purple flowers.
The noise seemed to disappear. Hannes's eyes slowly closed. Blood spurted from his body and down the Titan's chest.
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Eren collapsed to his knees, then his forearms, head down.
Tears were gathering in his eyes, a mixture of shock and numbness on his face.
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The Smiling Titan continued eating Hannes.
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Mikasa listened as Eren started laughing and crying hysterically.
"Eren..." Mikasa trailed off.
"Nothing changed!" Eren screamed, looking crazed. "You haven't changed one bit, dammit! You're still as useless as you ever were! Nothing changed!" He let out a long, anguished scream, face in the grass.
Eren closed his eyes, tears falling.
"Mom... I... can't... I still can't do anything at all." Eren said.
Mikasa's eyes were full of tears. "Eren..."
He lifted his head, straightening up, slowly turning to her.
"That's not true." Mikasa said softly, smiling.
Eren stared at her before shifting his gaze.
Behind them were half a dozen Titans, some fighting and eating soldiers. Off to their side, Armin waved his sword, trying to fend off the Titan and protecting Faye.
"Eren..." Mikasa said and he turned his attention to her. "Listen... I need to tell you something."
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The sun was setting behind them, casting golden-orange rays across the horizon. The Smiling Titan finished eating Hannes.
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"You've always been... at my side," Mikasa continued, smiling and crying. Many beautiful purple flowers were by her hand. "Thank you."
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Erwin was holding his shoulder with the bitten arm, a Scout in front of him.
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The Jaws Titan was fighting a mindless one, Historia, Sasha, and Connie helping.
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"You showed me... how to live with purpose. Thank you." Mikasa said.
Eren stared at her, tears running down his cheeks, mouth open.
A Titan on all fours near them glared at them from behind.
"And you..." Mikasa said and touched the red scarf around her neck fondly. "You wrapped this scarf around me. Thank you." Mikasa smiled sweetly and happily.
Sunlight shone off the purple flowers. The Titans stood menacingly behind Eren and Mikasa.
A gentle breeze ruffled their hair.
Eren's eyes focused on Mikasa's face.
Mikasa started to lean in for a kiss, blushing and smiling.
Then Eren sniffed and then stood while she looked at him, confused.
"I'll wrap that around you... as many times as you want." Eren promised, looking at her over his shoulder. He placed one foot forward. "Now and forever... As much as you want!"
Colorful lightning crackled and his fingers regenerated in less than a second. Eren clenched his fist.
Eren screamed as the Smiling Titan reached out one hand, crouching before them.
He punched the open palm.
Everything went still.
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Blue lightening cracked and Reiner, Bertolt, and Ymir reacted.
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Time slowed as the Smiling Titan moved its hand back.
Suddenly, the Titan on all fours growled and stood, running.
Eren screamed and took an empty swing. The light-haired Titan appeared behind Eren and Mikasa, screaming. It charged past them and tackled the Smiling Titan, with Eren looking stunned.
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All the Titans in the area were staring in their direction. At once they began running toward them.
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Armin gasped.
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Dozens of Titan feet appeared. They all began to throw themselves at the Smiling Titan, tearing it apart.
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Erwin, Christa, Connie, and Sasha stared in complete shock at the scene.
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Blood was flying around as the Titans ripped of the Smiling Titan's limbs.
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Eren carried Mikasa on his back and ran as he watched the scene, Mikasa doing the same.
"Why... are they...?" Mikasa said. "They're eating it?"
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The Smiling Titan's ribs were visibly on one side. One hand in its mouth and the other one clutching the Smiling Titan's eye, a small Titan threw its head back and pulled, breaking the Smiling Titan's jaw.
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"Dunno what's going on, but now's our chance!" Connie said, ready to mount his horse.
"Let's hurry and run!" Sasha said from atop her horse.
"Right!" Historia said and nodded.
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'So that's how it is...' Ymir thought. 'That's why Reiner was so desperate for Eren. Which means, even inside the Walls...' Her eyes turned down to Historia. '...there's a future.'
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Eren continued to run. On his left, he noticed the Armored Titan running toward him.
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'This is the worst...' Reiner was horrified. 'Why did the Coordinate have to fall into the hands of the worst person imaginable?' Reiner lamented. 'We've gotta get it back... I can say... without a doubt... the one person in the world I wouldn't want to have it... Eren... is you!'
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Eren skid to a stop and yelled at them, glaring.
"Get away from me!"
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Blue lightening crackled again, getting another reaction from Reiner and Bertolt.
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"You bastards! I'll kill you all!" Eren yelled.
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The group of Titans abandoned the Smiling Titan and charged at the Armored Titan as one.
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Reiner stopped, noticing them. 'Not good! Bertolt!' Bertolt appeared freaked out. 'I can't protect Bertolt like this!'
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"What? The Titans?" Eren said, staring at them.
"Eren! Get on!" Armin said, stopping next to them, leading an extra horse. Faye was strapped to his back.
"Armin!" Eren said.
A tear flew from Armin's face. "Hurry!"
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"Don't let this chance escape! Full retreat!" Erwin ordered, mounting on his horse.
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The Scouts raced off on their horses, leaving the Armored Titan behind as the mindless Titans clawed at him.
Bertolt cried, frightened, swinging his sword wildly.
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The Jaws Titan stopped.
"Ymir!" Historia said, stopping her horse next to the Titan.
"Hey, ugly!" Connie yelled as he rode by. "What are you doing?! We're heading back!"
The Jaws slowly turned her head to Historia. Connie stopped to watch.
A massive hand with long, sharp claws gently took Historia's face, one finger petting her hair.
"I... sorry..." The Jaw titan said.
"Huh?" Historia was confused at the apology.
The Jaws Titan turned and raced away.
"Ymir! Where are you going?!" Historia called after her.
"Leave her!" Connie said.
"But Ymir is-" Historia said.
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The Armored Titan struggled but was weighed down by the mindless Titan. Bertolt waved his sword, trying to keep the snapping mouth away from him.
The Jaws Titan screamed, on the Armored Titan's back. Reiner and Bertolt gaped.
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Connie and Historia watched as they fled, Historia holding out her arm. A tree blocked their vision.
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The Survey Corps continued to retreat.
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'In that moment, I couldn't understand the motivation behind Ymir's actions.' Armin thought as they raced back to the Wall. 'But the Armored Titan didn't pursue us any further.'
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Erwin's eyes were half shut.
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Faye was barely conscious, appearing dazed. Steam was emitting from her wound which didn't go unnoticed by Armin.
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Mikasa clutched Eren, eyes shut, resting her head on his shoulder as he stared ahead in desperation and shock.
Eren recalled a childhood memory of throwing out punches as Hannes, drunk and laughing, held him back with his hand on Eren's head, while Armin, Faye and Mikasa sat and watched.
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Broken houses could be seen at the base of Wall Maria's outer gate, a hole where the gate used to be.
Ymir, Bertolt, and Reiner were breathing deeply, trying to catch their breaths.
"Ymir... Why did you come to us?" Reiner asked.
"Oh, well..." Ymir said, eyes slid to him, lying on the ground one hand resting on her forehead. "It's because I'm an idiot," she replied, small tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. "I'll be your souvenir to take back home." She stared up at the starry night sky, arms spread out. "You can't just go back empty-handed."
Bertolt sat between Ymir and Reiner.
"Ymir..." Bertolt trailed off.
"If you hadn't come to bust up this Wall... I would've never woken up from that nightmare. All I'm doing... is returning what I borrowed back then. Because I'm probably the only one that understands the situation you're in." Ymir said.
"Thank you, Ymir." Bertolt said and began to cry softly, one hand covering his mouth. "I'm sorry..."
"No..." Ymir said and smiled, reaching out to the bright full moon. "It wasn't so bad, you know... being a Goddess for a while."
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With reports declaring the possibility that Wall Rose has been breached, the citizens of Wall Rose were forced to take refuge in the Underground city within Wall Sina.
However, with more than half the population surviving off food stockpiled for emergency, rations would last at most for a week. Any longer than that, and people would turn on each other, stealing and killing to survive.
To stop this from happening, within one week from the initial outset, authorities declared that Wall Rose was secure.
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In Throst district, sunlight shone down brightly, the sky a bluish-lilac and full of clouds.
Inside a building, Erwin sat in a bed, Pixis to his left and Levi occupying a chair to his right by a window. The three men looked up when they heard a knock.
"It's Hange." Levi said to the other two men before looking to the door. "Come in."
"Pardon the interruption, Erwin." Hange said, with Connie behind her, opened the door. She noticed Pixis and saluted him. "I'm glad we came while you're here, Commander Pixis." She closed the door behind them. "Good timing. This is..."
Connie saluted and introduced himself.
"A Scout from the 104th. Connie Springer." Connie said.
"Connie comes from Ragako Village," Hange told them.
"The village the recent Titan invasion originated from?" Pixis asked.
"Yes. Actually," Hange said as Connie's expression was a mix of dazed confusion and trauma. "I confirmed with him the findings of our investigation on the village. This only brings further credibility to that hypothesis. He's come to report."
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"Say again?" Pixis said. "The Titans responsible for this incident... were the citizens of Ragako?"
"In other words, the true identity of Titans... is humans?" Erwin concluded and Levi's eyes began to widen in horror.
"We don't... have proof yet." Hange said.
"So..." Levi began slowly. "You're telling me... I've spent all this time and energy running around killing people? Is that right?"
"I said we don't have proof yet." Hange said.
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Outside, Connie stared at his parents' portrait and cried. Swallowing and sniffing, he looked up and started walking.
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"Erwin." Levi said and turned away from the window seeing Connie leave and glanced at the commander.
The scene before him gave him pause.
Erwin had a strange smile on his face.
"Hey. Tell me. The hell you smiling for?" Levi asked, unsettled by the reaction.
"It's nothing," He replied grimly. "It's just... with this, we've taken one more step towards the truth."
"Just one step, huh? We'll run out of people before we learn the truth. It's not worth the cost." Levi said.
"But it is a step towards the truth." Erwin said, staring straight forward, glaring in resolution. "One day, we'll break it down. This wall hiding the truth... will fall," He swore.
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In an outdoor corridor, Mikasa and Faye sat, Eren and Armin standing facing each other in front of them.
"I was taken away..." Eren said quietly. "And because of that, the Survey Corps lost more than half their veteran soldiers. Just to rescue me..."
Mikasa was touching her scarf, a sad look on her face.
"Still, there were no casualties on our way back." Armin said.
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Armin watched the Titans passed by him as they ran toward the direction the Scouts were fleeing from.
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"The Titans completely ignored us and ran off to chase Reiner and the others. About that, Faye and I sat down to try and figure it out." Armin said and stepped up to Eren, leaning his face in. "We have an idea what made the Titans act that way. It was you."
His words surprised Eren.
"It's just a theory." Faye said. "But without assuming that, there's just no explaining what happened. May be something awakened within you at that time."
"I see..." Eren said. His expression changed to determination. "I will control them! I'll plug up Wall Maria. I'll capture Reiner and make him pay. That's what I've gotta do to atone for all those lives lost."
"That's my brother!" Faye said and smiled.
After a moment of silence, Armin remembered something.
"If I am not mistaken," Armin said with wide eyes. "Then I saw steam was emitting from Faye's wound."
His friends just looked at him with surprise.
"Huh?" Faye said. "You must have seen dust or something Armin. How could I be a titan shifter?"
"Faye is right." Eren said. "I don't remember Dad injecting Faye with that strange liquid too."
"But," Armin said. "There is no harm in testing. Right?"
"I guess... Let's see." Faye said and bit her hand.
All of their eyes widened when steam began to emit from her wound.
"How is this..." Faye trailed off.
"Possible..." Eren said.
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Atop of Wall Maria, rested the Beast Titan, sitting cross-legged.
A muscular, shirtless blond-haired man fixed his glasses on his face, standing above the steaming nape of the Beast Titan, his face obscured.
"Not yet, eh?"
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