Gasper's POV (as Eren)
The faint warmth of sunlight kissed my face. I squinted, pulling the blanket tighter around me, though the blanket was more holes than fabric at this point. Sleeping in this world was far less comfortable than the Gremory mansion, but it had its rustic charm. The musty wooden walls creaked faintly with every passing breeze.
"Eren, wake up."
A soft voice stirred me from my half-dreaming haze. I opened my eyes to see Mikasa leaning over me, her face composed as always, though there was a faint wrinkle of concern in her brow. Beside her, Armin looked like a worried mother hen, clutching a bundle wrapped in cloth.
"You've been sleeping too much again," Mikasa said flatly.
"Good morning, Eren," Armin added, his voice carrying a hopeful lilt. "Look—grandpa managed to get us some extra bread today."
He unwrapped the bundle carefully, revealing three small loaves. They were hard, probably a day old, but the way Armin's face lit up, you'd think he was holding treasure.
I blinked at him, then rubbed my eyes. Right. I wasn't Gasper Vladi anymore, at least not in body. My transmigration had completed the moment I looked at these two. The bond clicked instantly. The moment my gaze met theirs, my soul settled into place.
And deep inside, I felt it—the searing power of the Attack Titan, the abyss-like weight of the Founding Titan. Both cores of my plan sat within me already. I was at the center of it all.
I stretched, fighting a grin. Perfect.
Armin sat cross-legged on the floor, carefully tearing one loaf into three uneven parts. "We should be grateful. Food's been harder to find lately. People are saying the merchants are raising prices again. If grandpa hadn't…"
He trailed off, hugging his slice of bread like it was his last lifeline.
For a moment, I almost felt bad. Almost. Then my mind went back to the gameboard. Why bother reincarnating someone as Historia and dangling the system like a carrot when I had another tool already?My enslavement ability. Simple. Efficient. Why waste effort when I could bend people directly to my will?
I bit into my bread. It was hard enough to chip a fang. "Hah. If food's scarce, we'll just join the Scouts and hunt titans. Eat them for dinner."
Both Mikasa and Armin froze, mid-bite.
"E-Eren!" Armin stammered. "You can't—don't joke about that! Titans aren't… you know…"
"I'm not joking," I said, putting on my best 'Eren Yeager face.' I clenched my fist dramatically, channeling my inner hot-blooded protagonist. "One day I'll kill every single titan out there! That's the only way to take back our freedom!"
Armin's eyes widened, torn between fear and admiration. Mikasa, meanwhile, sighed as though she'd already memorized this script.
"Calm down, Eren," she said softly. "You'll wake the neighbors. And you shouldn't say things like that…"
"Heh. As if I care what they think." I stuffed the rest of the bread into my mouth, chewing noisily. Yes, play the role. Just enough of the 'original' Eren to not raise suspicion. The future is mine to rewrite, but for now, let them see the fire they expect.
Mikasa's POV
Night draped the district in silence. Houses were dark, alleys empty. Only the faint hoot of an owl cut through the stillness. Yet I lay awake, staring at the cracked ceiling above.
Something was wrong.
The memories had come suddenly, flooding into me like a dam breaking. Not just Mikasa Ackerman's life—but another. A colder, lonelier existence.
Yukinoshita Yukino.
I gasped softly, clutching the blanket to my chest. The fragments played in my head: sterile rooms, cold parental eyes, the suffocating burden of expectation. Loneliness gnawed at me from every corner until the start of second year in high school.
The two lives clashed inside me. Mikasa, the girl saved by Eren, whose blade cut down the scumbag that destroyed my family. Yukino, the proud, sharp-tongued girl whose solitude was a fortress and a prison.
Which was I? Yukino? Mikasa? Or some strange fusion of both?
I bit my lip, my chest tightening. A story. That's what it was. My life… just a story. I hadn't read the manga, but it was popular enough in Japan that I knew of it. And yet here I was. Attack on Titan. The cruel world of titans and despair.
My mind spun. If my life was written by some author, Were we all just pieces on a board, dancing to someone else's pen?
Numbness washed over me. My body trembled.
And yet—through the haze, one memory shone brighter than all the rest.
That day.
The day Eren stood against monster in human skin. The day he picked up that blade, bloodied his hands, and killed without hesitation to save me. My world had crumbled, and he rebuilt it with violence and resolve.
I pressed my hand against my heart.
No. It doesn't matter if I am Yukino or Mikasa. If both lives are mine, then both pains are mine as well. But one truth remains unchanged: Eren is my family. My only family. The one I would never let go.
A soft chuckle slipped from my lips. "In my past life… I never would've thought this way. How foolish."
The loneliness of Yukino seemed so distant now. Because here, in this brutal, merciless world, I had him. And that was enough.
Gasper's POV (Morning)
The rooster's crow yanked me from a dreamless sleep. I stretched, joints popping, and glanced over at Mikasa. She was sitting upright, expression calm as usual, though her eyes had a strange depth this morning.
Interesting, I thought, a grin tugging at my lips. So the fusion worked.
Mikasa Ackerman was a beast physically. Loyal to a fault. But Yukino? She brought something else entirely—sharp wit, a mind trained in subtle politics and business by her family. Together, they weren't just complementary; they were dangerous.
"Good morning," I said, brushing the dust from my hair.
She nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on me a second too long. Almost… searching.
I ignored it, turning my attention inward. Yes. That's a strong combination. Practical and sentimental, strong and cunning. Exactly what I need. And, well… I did like them both back when I started watching anime.
I laughed to myself, the sound startling Armin awake. He rubbed his eyes groggily, muttering something about food.
Right. Food. Water. The endless survival cycle. But that was fine. Let them focus on daily struggles. I had the bigger picture.
My empire was already forming—brick by brick, pawn by pawn.
---
By morning's light, the three of us gathered again, faces shadowed by the same worries.
"How do we manage food today?" Armin asked, his voice thin.
Mikasa said nothing, simply staring at the bread crumbs left over from last night. Her hands tightened around the scarf at her neck.
And I? I smiled faintly. Let them fret. For me, the real feast was still ahead.
End of Chapter 27