"You've been hiding in the basement to avoid the Titans, haven't you? You're smart, Ymir. You must be starving… come, eat something."
As if she'd found a faint light in endless darkness, Petra's gentle voice carried warmth that Ymir hadn't felt in a long time. The girl hesitated, her expression caught between fear and disbelief.
Petra's motherly instinct only grew stronger at the sight. She smiled softly, guiding Ymir closer to the fire where the food was being warmed.
Seeing this tender exchange, Eld, Oluo, and Gunther couldn't help but smile faintly, the tension that had been suffocating the air easing for the first time in days.
But not everyone shared that lightness.
Lock, seated quietly near the window, had his eyes fixed on the girl, a subtle frown crossing his face.
Oluo, who noticed first, leaned toward him and whispered, "Lock, what's wrong with that girl?"
Lock's lips twitched slightly. "...It's hard to tell for now," he said in a low tone. "But keep an eye on her."
"Got it," Oluo murmured back, though confusion flickered in his eyes.
Lock didn't explain further. His mind was already racing — because he recognized her.
Ymir.
Once, a nameless beggar on Marley's streets. She had been used by zealots who called her a reincarnation of the ancient Founder and raised her as a false prophet. When Marley discovered the cult, she had taken the blame herself, calling out her own name to protect the others. Her reward was a syringe of Titan spinal fluid — and sixty years of wandering the island as a mindless Titan.
Until one fateful day, when she devoured the previous Jaw Titan and regained her human form.
Now, here she was again — before the story had reached that point.
"Jaw Titan… so she's already here," Lock thought grimly. "Then Reiner and the others must be close. Maybe even inside Wall Rose by now."
He didn't reveal any of this to the others. To him, Ymir was both a danger and an opportunity — a Titan shifter who might be turned to humanity's side.
Unlike the Marleyan Warriors, Ymir wasn't a soldier bound by orders. She was a free soul — persecuted, scarred, and searching for meaning.
And Lock knew that deep inside, Ymir wasn't heartless. She'd once chosen to return to Marley, giving up her freedom, all for the sake of Historia.
A tragic fate… but a noble one.
It was this understanding that made Lock cautious but also curious. He didn't need to expose her — not yet. She might become an ally worth keeping.
As Petra continued to comfort the girl, Lock's thoughts grew darker. "She hasn't met Christa yet… I wonder if she's already capable of feeling that attachment. No, it's too early. Still…"
He gave a small sigh and muttered under his breath, "If Petra can reach her heart, that could be useful."
Moments later, Ymir — now calmer and fed — was officially taken in as a "survivor." Under Petra's care, she gradually opened up, though she avoided Lock's gaze more than once.
Her addition seemed to breathe new life into the group. The long silence that had hung over them since leaving Trost was finally broken by laughter and small talk. Even a spark of hope returned — the first survivor found. Maybe there were more.
Lock, watching quietly, couldn't resist a smirk. "If only they knew the 'survivor' they're cheering for is actually a Titan."
He leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, his sharp gaze occasionally landing on Ymir. She must have felt it — every time she caught his eyes, her heart tightened. It was as though he could see straight through her.
No matter how she tried to hide it, she felt utterly transparent before him.
Petra noticed her unease and tried to lighten the mood. While checking the perimeter that evening, Ymir hesitantly asked, "Sister Petra… what kind of person is Captain Lock?"
Though she'd wandered for decades as a mindless Titan, she had regained her youthful form, and her mind remained that of the girl she once was. It made it easy for her to act naive — something that served her well now.
Petra, walking ahead, smiled. "Lock? He's strong — no, incredibly strong. His talent even rivals Captain Levi's. Give him time, and he'll surpass him. He might become the strongest human alive."
"The… strongest?" Ymir blinked, caught off guard. She glanced toward the young man walking ahead — calm, silent, his cloak swaying with the wind. He didn't look particularly imposing, certainly not like someone who could rival humanity's strongest soldier.
Petra's tone softened as she added, "On his first mission outside the Walls, he killed nearly twenty Titans by himself. Not just killing them — he did it cleanly, efficiently. You don't forget that kind of skill."
Her words carried quiet pride. As she spoke, her eyes lingered on Lock's back — not broad, but steady and unwavering.
To her, that back meant safety.
To Ymir, it was the opposite. Her expression stiffened, and unease settled deep in her chest.
How could someone like that exist — someone so young, yet so calm in the face of Titans?
"This man is dangerous," she thought. "Too dangerous."
A flicker of regret crossed her eyes. Maybe revealing herself had been a mistake.
Before she could dwell on it further, a distant rumble shook the air. The sound grew louder — the earth itself trembling beneath their feet.
Lock's head snapped toward the horizon, eyes narrowing.
"Titans…"
A faint roar echoed from the direction of Shiganshina District. Dust rose in the distance, the ground vibrating like a drum.
"Positions!" Lock barked. His team immediately shifted into formation, ODM gear hissing to life.
Ymir's body tensed instinctively. She wasn't afraid of Titans — not truly — but the sight of them triggered memories she'd buried for decades.
From the rooftop vantage point, Lock could already see the silhouettes — dozens of Titans shuffling through the ruined streets of Shiganshina. Some dragged themselves, others leaned against fallen walls, but all were converging in their direction.
"Looks like they've gathered near the old gate," Eld muttered.
"Then that's where we'll start," Lock replied. His tone was sharp but calm, as if he were simply stating a fact rather than walking into battle. "Petra, stay near Ymir. She's still weak. Everyone else — prepare for engagement."
"Understood!"
The team sprang into motion, their maneuver gear slicing through the darkening sky. Gas hissed, blades gleamed, and Lock's heart steadied into the rhythm of combat — the one place where everything made sense.
From behind him, Ymir watched in awe as the group soared forward — five bright streaks cutting through the twilight.
"They're insane…" she whispered, half in fear, half in admiration.
Lock didn't look back. His voice carried over the wind:
"Remember this, Ymir — this is what it means to fight for humanity."
And then he was gone, diving straight into the swarm of Titans.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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