Seeing an old companion he'd trained with day and night, Reiner brightened and came closer.
"Roger, I went to the hospital to see your grandma. She's very sick, but don't worry—once I inherit the Armored Titan, I'll take her to the best hospital in Marley."
Looking at Reiner's earnest face, Roger couldn't speak.
So Reiner didn't know yet—his ever-praiseworthy Marleyans had already killed her.
Great. Even you, the bottom of the class, get to inherit the Armored Titan, while I, the elite, can only sigh at my broken leg.
"Sit, Reiner."
Roger made space.
Reiner didn't think much of it and sat beside him as if it were natural.
"Where did you go, Roger? You're filthy. I almost didn't recognize you."
"I slept in a pile of garbage."
"A… garbage pile?" Reiner was stunned, then noticed Roger's bare arm. "Where's your armband?!"
"Lost it."
"Lost it?!"
His face was full of disbelief.
But remembering his friend was now crippled, he didn't press.
Maybe some thugs bullied him?
"It's fine. Once I'm an Honored Marleyan, I'll talk to them myself and they'll issue you a new armband! Don't worry—no one will bully you!"
Hearing that, Roger suddenly remembered. He loosened his grip on his crutch, pulled a few bills from his coat, and handed them to Reiner.
"Thanks, Reiner. This is for the fruit basket."
"???"
Reiner blinked, then flared, slapping the money from Roger's hand.
"Are you kidding me? We're good friends, aren't we?!" he shouted, then sighed. "It's a shame you couldn't become the Jaw Titan, but don't give up on yourself! Believe in yourself, Roger—like you used to!"
"Used to?"
"Yeah. Remember? When I got bullied as a kid, you always stepped in to help me."
"Oh, that? I took your money for it, didn't I?" Roger said blandly. "And I shook down the bullies for protection money afterward."
"Huh? I thought you only charged me a little."
"That's because you only had a little."
"…"
Silence fell.
"Whatever the case, you helped me," Reiner said. "Back then, you weren't wallowing like this."
"That was back then." Roger sighed. "Without inheriting a Titan, I'll live a meaningless life. What's the point of living?"
"What are you saying?!"
"Let me hug this trash and wait to die, Reiner. I'm useless now."
His eyes squeezed out tears.
"Idiot!" Reiner stood, angry. "What do you call this?!"
"What else is there? I fought for more than ten years and didn't even touch a Titan's shadow. What's the meaning of that life?"
Reiner fell silent.
After a few seconds, he turned his back and bent down.
"Get on."
"What?"
"On my back. You want to see Titans, right? I'll help you. I'll carry you there."
"But—"
"Save it! I don't want to say anything I'll regret! Hurry!"
Seeing Reiner so set on it, Roger nodded and climbed onto his back.
Lifting Roger, Reiner committed the only violation of his life.
He shouted once and sprinted forward.
---
At that moment, on the outskirts of the Liberio Internment Zone—
The Marleyan officer in charge of the ceremony arrived late.
When he stepped out of the car, the warrior candidates slated to inherit Titan power already stood in a tidy line.
"Report, Commander! All six candidates assembled!"
Marcel strode up to report, his uniform spotless.
"Good."
The officer swept his gaze over the warriors and felt a surge of emotion.
Marley had poured immense resources into their training, and he had poured in his own effort as well.
Each one before him was like a child of his—indulged, yet expected to secure a brighter future for Marley after inheriting their Titan.
Colossal Titan inheritor—Bertholdt.
Female Titan inheritor—Annie.
Jaw Titan inheritor—Marcel.
Armored Titan inheritor—Reiner.
Cart Titan inheritor—Pieck.
Beast Titan inheritor—Zeke.
Six Titans, six inheritors—each chosen from among thousands, each one in a million. His expectations were high for every single one.
"Are the active Warriors in position?" he asked his adjutant.
"Sir! They assembled earlier and have been moved to their assigned posts for control!"
"Good. Begin at once," the officer ordered. "The sooner the better. I don't want any mishaps."
"Yes, sir!"
The adjutant departed with the teams to their stations.
Before separating, the six kids shared a single vehicle.
"Reiner, this is great! We're finally inheriting Titans! Our dream is coming true!"
Bertholdt burst out cheering, truly happy—rare for him.
"Yeah, Bertholdt."
Reiner echoed him, but his eyes kept flicking to the window.
Annie, as usual, wore a cold face.
"I thought the first to yell would be the idiot Reiner. Go figure."
"Come on, come on, don't bicker. Today's a happy day. Let's be happy, hm?"
As captain, Marcel did his usual smoothing over, but Reiner wasn't in the mood to argue.
He had other things on his mind—he was afraid patrols might spot Roger.
Before assembly, he'd carried Roger to a spot a few hundred meters away behind a big boulder, where he could see the Titans transform.
But he didn't know if Roger would stay hidden like he hoped.
What if he wandered too close and got crushed by accident?
"What am I thinking? He's Roger."
Reiner let out a long breath, muttering to himself—just loud enough for sharp-eared Pieck to hear.
"Who's Roger, Reiner?" Pieck started to ask, but Reiner slapped a hand over her mouth like he'd been shocked.
"N-nothing!"
Reiner couldn't lie; he could only beg her with his eyes.
Pieck, though a girl, had plenty of strength. She pressed his hand down.
"Don't worry. I don't know anything," she said, closing her eyes to rest.
Reiner finally exhaled.
The air in the car stayed light.
Bertholdt kept talking, sharing his few joys.
Meanwhile…
At the Jaw Titan handover site—
Roger crawled forward, slipping past several checkpoints with ease. He tucked in behind a tent and tossed his crutch aside.
Not far away, Anderson hung his head, limbs locked in chains, unable to move.
Without hesitation, Roger pulled the syringe of Titan spinal fluid from his coat.
In the sunlight, the milky liquid gleamed with a mysterious allure.
Just then—
"You'd better hand that to me, candidate Roger."
A cold voice struck him. A dozen soldiers appeared, rifle muzzles snapping up to his brow.
"Don't forget—it was me who taught you everything you know."
The officer worked the bolt on his rifle.
//Check out my Patreon for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[[email protected]/Razeil0810](http://[email protected]/Razeil0810)