Several military trucks quickly came to a stop in front of the Eldian Third Regiment's camp. More than a dozen fully armed Marleyan soldiers were the first to step down from the lead vehicle, heads held high as they formed up neatly in a line.
Next, a short and stout Marleyan officer climbed out. Though small in stature, he radiated an unmistakable arrogance. The colonel insignia on his shoulder was especially eye-catching.
The man was Colonel Koslow, the one leading the Warrior Candidates.
Koslow first swept his gaze over the dozen elite Marleyan soldiers standing before him and nodded in satisfaction. These were guards assigned to him by headquarters, all elite troops from the Marleyan Guard Corps.
Before arriving, Koslow had already heard the rumors about this Eldian Third Regiment. Cannon fodder regiment? Good. Wasn't this the perfect place to temper these Warrior Candidates? Captain Magath's methods were far too gentle. How could one train qualified Marleyan warriors by staying on the training grounds alone?
"Warrior Candidates! Assemble!" Koslow barked.
At his command, several children wearing undersized uniforms and carrying backpacks hurried to the front of the formation and lined up.
Compared to the Marleyan soldiers standing behind them, even the oldest, Colt, looked painfully immature—let alone little Falco and the others, who were practically tiny radishes.
"Ow!"
A cry of pain drew everyone's attention. Airi, who had jumped down from the truck in a fluster, stumbled and fell hard. Her once pretty face was instantly smeared with dust, leaving her looking utterly disheveled.
Watching Airi scramble over on all fours to rejoin the line, Koslow's brows knitted tightly. Of all the warriors, the one he disliked most was this Sea-Diving Titan warrior. Clumsy all day long, timid and shrinking, eating her fill only to slack off and sleep. What right did someone like that have to become a Marleyan warrior?
What Koslow didn't know was where these newly emerged Titan powers had come from. Captain Magath seemed particularly cautious about the matter and had never spoken to him plainly about it.
Airi, aware of her embarrassment, lowered her head and said nothing.
The commotion outside the camp naturally drew the attention of the Eldian soldiers inside. A soldier immediately went to report the situation.
Aside from Serena, someone also took the initiative to report to Yago's tent. Perhaps it was because of what Yago had done a few days earlier—if nothing else, he had earned at least a measure of respect from the Eldian soldiers.
Serena looked up, brushing the hair from her forehead, and asked in mild surprise,
"The Warrior Candidates? They've arrived already?"
Meanwhile, Yago sat back in a reclining chair with his legs propped on the table, looking utterly at ease as he received word of the Warrior Candidates' arrival.
Setting down the map in his hand, Yago stroked his chin.
"They're here, huh? I should go take a look. I wonder if those Candidates will recognize this face."
He picked up a small mirror and examined himself. Though there were quite a few differences, it was still obvious that this face of Loya bore a strong resemblance to his own.
After a moment's thought, Yago tossed the mirror aside, grabbed the Marleyan uniform draped over the back of his chair, and walked straight out of the tent.
...
Bill took a deep drag of his cigarette, his face melting into bliss. After two days on a plane without smoking, he had nearly gone mad from the restraint.
Pale white smoke drifted from the corner of his mouth. Surrounding Bill was an endless desert—bleak and desolate.
Following his gaze into the distance, three tall pillars stood faintly visible. Bound to them were three figures, though from this distance their faces could not be seen.
Near the pillars, a white-clad figure moved back and forth, seemingly busy with something.
Bill spat out the cigarette butt, dissatisfied. In one motion, he stuffed three cigarettes into his mouth at once and flicked his lighter to ignite them.
Through the curling smoke, Bill seemed to see the three bound figures suddenly begin struggling violently, while the white figure strode quickly toward him.
Before long, Ebson—calm-faced and clad in a white lab coat—walked up to Bill.
Bill had just finished his cigarettes. Spitting out the butts, he lowered his head respectfully.
"Sir."
Ebson caught the heavy stench of tobacco clinging to Bill and his brows instantly furrowed. The smell was enough to drive a scientist mad.
Turning around, Ebson looked toward the three struggling figures in the distance.
"Sir, is the plan proceeding smoothly?" Bill asked cautiously.
Ebson adjusted his glasses. The calm indifference on his face finally shifted, revealing a faintly twisted smile.
"Of course. Extremely smooth—perfect. More than ordinary smooth. It seems fate has decreed my success. Heh heh heh. Look! The final power is about to be born!"
He pointed toward the three struggling figures, his tone suddenly brimming with excitement.
Bill was about to speak when a sudden roar cut him off.
From atop the three pillars—from the very bodies of the three figures—three golden arcs of lightning shot skyward. Their struggling intensified at once.
Surging steam began to billow, gradually enveloping the three of them. The three golden arcs merged into one, piercing straight into the heavens. In an instant, the once calm sky darkened.
A vast mass of black clouds swallowed the sky, and with several peals of thunder and flashes of lightning, a light drizzle began to fall.
Unmoving as the rain soaked through their clothes, Ebson and Bill stared fixedly at the place where the golden lightning flickered. Soon, within the surging steam, threads of red lightning began to crackle, accompanied by several terrifying roars.
Suddenly, with a shrill scream, an enormous figure burst from the steam and shot into the sky.
Bill gaped upward in stunned silence.
"Roar..."
A deep growl echoed from within the steam as a blurred figure, nearly twenty meters tall, slowly emerged.
And behind that indistinct form, an even more massive body seemed to stir.
"Hahaha! It's a success! Then my era is about to begin!!" Ebson threw up his arms and laughed wildly at the sky.
But at that very moment, a colossal shape suddenly dove down from the heavens toward Ebson. A pair of savage, murderous red eyes locked onto him.
The corner of Ebson's mouth twitched into a mocking smile. Turning to Bill, he said,
"Teach this ungrateful fool a lesson. Let him know how foolish it is to offend the genius who created him."
Bill lifted his head to look at the figure in the sky and grinned.
"As you wish, sir."
(All artificial Titans have now appeared, and the main plot of the Marley arc is about to begin!!)
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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