"Is everyone here?" Captain Ness, wearing a headscarf, stood in front of Nanaba and Gelgar.
"Yes, both the southern and northern squads, as well as all recruits, are present!" Nanaba said, placing her right fist against her left chest.
Including Reiner, Jean Kirstein, Connie, and thirteen other recruits, all stood behind them with chests out and legs apart.
Ness nodded, swept his gaze across the many recruits, and said,
"All recruits, hurry to the logistics unit and equip your Vertical Maneuvering Equipment first!"
"Yes!"
"Hey, hey, Reiner, doesn't something feel off?" Bertholdt followed behind Reiner, frowning, always feeling that the Survey Corps soldiers nearby were deliberately or unintentionally staring at the two of them.
Reiner: "Bertholdt, you're being too paranoid."
Bertholdt exchanged a glance with a red-haired Survey Corps soldier. The latter quickly turned his head away.
"I hope I'm just overthinking it."
Jean Kirstein and Connie walked together.
"Connie, I heard from the messenger soldier that Sasha ran into a Titan when she returned to her village, and even saved a child."
But Connie looked absent-minded, his thoughts constantly returning to the Titan lying on the roof of his home.
"Connie!?"
"Huh?" Jean's loud shout finally snapped Connie back to attention. He looked at Jean Kirstein in confusion. "What is it, Jean?"
Jean: "I should be asking you what you're doing. What are you thinking about? I called you and you ignored me."
Connie: "Uh, nothing, I…"
On the other side, Ymir kept a gloomy expression, her gaze constantly sweeping over the faces of the soldiers on the wall, staying tightly by Historia's side.
"Here, recruits, come here to receive your equipment!" Squad Leader Scott from the logistics unit waved his arms to call the recruits over.
Bertholdt came to a wooden crate and was about to reach out when his hand was suddenly pressed down by another hand. Bertholdt looked up in surprise, and Scott said with a smile,
"Recruit, ladies first." As he spoke, he pointed toward Mina behind Bertholdt.
Bertholdt's face flushed slightly.
"O-okay." He stepped aside, which made Mina behind him feel a bit embarrassed as well.
"Perfect. You and that strong recruit go to the tents behind us and help the logistics unit carry a few more sets of equipment over," Scott instructed.
The named Reiner and Bertholdt could only walk toward the tents behind the logistics unit.
One side of the wall was piled high with logistics supplies. Reiner and Bertholdt walked toward one of the tents. There wasn't a single Survey Corps soldier around.
Bertholdt felt a faint sense of unease. As soon as they entered the tent, both Reiner and Bertholdt froze, because there was already someone inside.
"Eren?" Reiner was a bit stunned. Sitting on a wooden crate in front of them was Eren, with bandages still wrapped around his head.
"Ah, Reiner and Bertholdt." Eren greeted them expressionlessly.
Reiner noticed the bandages on Eren's head and said with concern,
"Eren, hasn't the injury on your head healed yet?"
"It's fine."
Reiner smiled.
"That's good. Then Bertholdt and I will move the crates over first." With that, he walked toward the crates containing the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment.
Bertholdt looked around but found no movement. He looked at Eren sitting there without any guard, and a crazy thought formed in his mind.
"Reiner, I remember you and Bertholdt once said you wanted to return to your hometown, right?" Eren suddenly spoke out of nowhere.
Reiner's body stiffened instantly. Bertholdt widened his eyes as well.
"That's… yes, Bertholdt and I must return to our hometown!" Reiner muttered with his head lowered.
Bertholdt: "That's right, Reiner. We'll be able to return to our hometown very soon! We're already so close, aren't we?"
Eren said quietly, "Yeah. If we retake Wall Maria, we'll be able to return home. But… the hometown has already been destroyed, Reiner. The Titans destroyed everything. What would it even mean to go back?"
Reiner lowered his head, his expression gradually turning gloomy.
"Eren… you're right."
Reiner suddenly raised his head and pressed a hand onto Eren's shoulder.
"You're right! The Titans destroyed everything, but from now on, the walls won't be destroyed again! Eren, come back to our hometown with us!"
The scene instantly fell silent. Eren's face was no longer calm.
"Reiner? What are you talking about?" Bertholdt beside them couldn't react for a moment. He suddenly felt that Reiner seemed even crazier than his own thoughts.
Reiner said with absolute seriousness,
"Come with us. The walls will never be destroyed again. Humanity will obtain peace!"
Bertholdt: "Reiner… you—what nonsense are you talking about?"
Reiner's emotions suddenly flared as he shouted,
"No! I've had enough! Living with a bunch of idiots for three years—I've had enough of it long ago! Eren! Don't you also not want those idiots who are still alive to die in the mouths of Titans? Come with us, and the walls won't be destroyed anymore!"
Eren stared into Reiner's eyes.
"Destroy the walls? Reiner, the ones who destroyed the walls were the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan."
Reiner released Eren's shoulder and pointed at himself and Bertholdt.
"I am the Armored Titan. He is the Colossal Titan. Back then, he kicked open Wall Maria, and I smashed through the gate. Our goal was to eliminate the demons within the walls. But now, Eren, as long as you come with us, we won't destroy the walls anymore."
Reiner's tone was calm, but Bertholdt at his side was completely terrified, stammering,
"Reiner, I—you—Eren—we, no, but…"
While Bertholdt was still stunned,
"Hahahaha…" Eren suddenly burst into loud laughter. Reiner and Bertholdt both looked toward the laughing Eren.
"Hahaha…" The laughter gradually faded. Tears welled at the corners of Eren's eyes. "Reiner, Bertholdt… we trusted you so much. I thought we were comrades." Eren's voice was low.
Cold sweat beaded on Bertholdt's forehead. He gritted his teeth and said,
"Eren! Reiner is right. Come with us! From now on, the walls will be safe!"
Eren's green eyes locked onto Bertholdt.
"Safe? I don't understand!"
Reiner once again grabbed Eren's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Eren. We are warriors!"
Bertholdt: "Reiner! Are we doing it? Now? Here?"
"Reiner, Bertholdt, you two… damned traitors!!!" Eren roared. He twisted his body, locked onto Reiner's shoulder, and slammed him down with a fierce back throw.
"Now!!!" A loud shout came from outside the tent.
Bang! Before Bertholdt could react, a heavy wooden crate suddenly smashed into his back, knocking him to the ground.
"Damn it!" Bertholdt tried to stand up, but one figure after another rushed into the tent, pinning him firmly to the ground.
"Hold him down!"
"Don't let him hurt himself!!"
"Hurry!!"
With swift action, Bertholdt's hands were locked tightly, and a cork-wrapped cloth gag was stuffed into his mouth.
Crack!
"Ah!"
A scream rang out. Mikasa burst out coldly from behind Eren and twisted Reiner's arm. Several Survey Corps soldiers immediately swarmed in to restrain Reiner.
...
"Now!!!" That shout made Ymir's entire body tense up. She instinctively yanked Historia to her side.
"Recruit, you seem very nervous?" A faint voice came from behind Ymir.
Ymir spun around sharply and met a pair of lacking life eyes.