In Shiganshina District, the sound of leather shoes scraping echoed along an empty street.
Levi frowned as he observed the surroundings.
The ruined streets, destroyed houses, and shattered walls seemed to recount the tragic devastation of the Titan invasion years ago.
On the street and on the walls of the houses, dark brown stains could be seen everywhere. Levi knew exactly what they were—dried blood from that time, human blood.
"Captain, it's strange. There doesn't seem to be a single Titan anywhere in the entire Shiganshina District." Petra and Oluo reported after regrouping with Levi from another direction.
Levi also felt some doubt, but clearly there were more important matters at hand.
Eren stood on a rooftop, gazing into the distance at a house. It was his home—his former home. He subconsciously touched the key hanging around his neck and murmured,
"Father… what's in the basement?"
"Eren! Eren!"
The stern shout snapped Eren back to reality. Levi was staring at him, and Eren quickly said,
"Sorry, sorry, I spaced out just now."
Levi withdrew his gaze and pointed toward a breach over ten meters high in Wall Maria in the distance.
"Eren, your task is to use your hardening crystallization to seal that breach. Can you do it?"
Eren examined the breach, nodded, and said, "No problem. Squad Leader Hange and I have tested it many times already. This kind of breach can definitely be sealed."
Mikasa asked with some concern, "Eren, are you sure? You had a nosebleed during the last experiment."
Eren smiled. "It's fine. Being able to contribute to our victory makes everything worth it. Mikasa, thanks for caring about me."
Mikasa lowered her head, her face faintly red. She wasn't sure when it had started, but Eren seemed gentler than before.
"So your task is to make sure nothing goes wrong while Eren seals the breach. Understood?" Levi said to his subordinates.
"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.
Then the group quickly rushed toward the breach in Wall Maria.
Armin and Mikasa stayed close to Eren. Armin said optimistically, "Don't worry, it shouldn't be a problem. The Commander and Yago's battle seems to have gone very well. Reiner and the others have all been captured."
Before Armin could finish, Jean joked from the other side,
"Really? What if there's still a bunch of Titans hiding in these houses?"
Sasha, surprisingly sharp for once, replied,
"Jean, you idiot. Titans are huge—how could they hide inside houses? What a moron!"
Jean's smile stiffened. "Sasha! What right do you have to call me a moron? You glutton—back at Historia's coronation ceremony, Connie and I shouldn't have dragged you along. We should've let the guards lock you in a little dark room and starve you every day!"
Sasha: "Jean! You're so vicious!"
At the front of the formation, Levi's hand gripping his blade turned white with force.
"Those damn brats!"
Levi's expression was noticed by the members of Levi Squad. Jurgen looked at Eld.
"It's been a long time since we've seen the Captain this worked up."
Eld nodded in agreement.
"I think—ah!" Oluo had just started to give his opinion when he bit his tongue for what must have been the umpteenth time, letting out a pained groan. Petra glanced at Oluo's awkward state and barely held back her laughter.
Soon, everyone arrived at the breach.
"On guard!" With the order given, everyone scattered, forming a protective perimeter around Eren.
Eren took a deep breath and looked up at the breach towering over ten meters high. The image of the Colossal Titan kicking open the wall resurfaced in his mind. The fear of humans being dominated by Titans had all begun from this very opening.
"Let me put an end to all of this!" Eren raised his hand, his eyes resolute.
Crackle! Bang!! Brilliant yellow lightning erupted. Amid the boiling steam, a Titan with pointed ears and green eyes gradually took shape.
"Roar!" The Attack Titan let out a low growl, planting its feet on the ground and striding forward.
One hand pressed against the edge of the breach. Crack, crack! Vast sheets of hardening crystallization began to cover the Attack Titan's entire body and continued spreading outward along it.
Slowly, like a spider weaving a web, layer upon layer of hardening crystallization overlapped and interwove, quickly sealing the entire breach completely.
"That's great! We did it!" Armin shouted excitedly.
Petra raised a signal gun, and a green flare shot high into the sky. The battle to retake Wall Maria was a success!!
On top of the wall, Erwin looked at the green flare and slowly smiled. Behind him, the Survey Corps soldiers were cheering. Historia, wearing a hood, shouted excitedly along with the soldiers, showing none of the airs of a queen.
After eliminating the Titans outside, the Survey Corps soldiers soon all entered Shiganshina District.
Zeke and his group, who had been taken into custody, were also brought into Shiganshina District in cages. Zeke kept his head lowered, as if asleep, steam still rising from his wounds.
"Armin! Help me! I'm stuck!" Eren grit his teeth and struggled within a mass of crystals. Armin hurried over with Mikasa, the two of them pulling together to free Eren.
Jean stood in front of a house and mocked mercilessly,
"This is just too embarrassing." But suddenly, a strange noise came from inside the house behind him, and Jean turned around in alarm.
...
Elsewhere, in an uninhabited corner, Annie looked at Yago with excitement.
"Really? Yago, are we really going back?"
Yago smiled at Annie's excited little face and couldn't help pinching her cheek.
"Of course. We're definitely going back to Marley. And then we'll bring Mr. Leonhart over too, alright?"
Annie happily hugged Yago. "Alright!"
Because of their height difference, Yago's chin rested right against Annie's forehead.
The faint fragrance around his nose made Yago lose focus. He rubbed his chin against Annie's hair, holding the girl's soft body, feeling lightheaded.
"So comfortable… I really want to hold you for a lifetime and never let go~"
Just as Yago was intoxicated by the girl's embrace, even having thoughts of going a step further while looking at Annie's rounded lips, a loud crash suddenly came from a house behind them.
Both Yago and Annie were startled. Turning back, they saw a man tightly bound, his mouth gagged, blood streaming down his forehead. His face was full of panic, his body writhing nonstop.