Chapter Text
Eren was petrified. He had performed the plan flawlessly, but a dazzling explosion of light and a scalding blast of heat swallowed him abruptly. He felt the explosion rip through his flesh, charring his skin and scorching his lungs in a flash.
Armin had triggered the explosion. He knew it. His best friend finally gathered enough bravery to put a stop to ‘the rumbling’ for good. The world will forever remember him as the hero who saved them all. As the hero who stopped ‘the demon of Paradis Island’. Eren couldn’t be more proud of that despite how his vision faded into a fiery haze, his flesh melting away and his bones cracking.
He embraced the pain that tore through him. It was the price he had to pay for his sins. He was a demon and this was his punishment.
‘Is this what it feels like to be burned alive? This… feels satisfying… I am… okay with it’ Eren thought soberly, He had imagined death to be a cruel and painful end, but it was soothing and tranquil. He marveled at how peaceful it felt to fade away.
As his body crumbled to dust, Eren couldn’t avoid thinking about all the moments that led him up to that instant. He saw the faces of his friends, his enemies, and his loved ones. Eren remembers the moments of pain, anger, hope, and despair as he wondered if he had done the right thing, if he had made the right choice, if he had lived a meaningful life…
He remembered how everything began; it was because of the fascination of imagining a world bigger than the one he lived in... A world outside the walls where there were wonders to see and discover.
The afternoon dragged on in a boring and silent way, as always, inside the wall. But who was Eren to complain? The day offered him a gentle breeze to enjoy. The boy reclined on the grass, gazing at the sky. He felt a sense of contentment. What could be better than this? he wondered.
“Eren! Eren!” The green-eyed boy heard his best friend running towards him. Eren took little notice of it, knowing that when Armin did that it was because he had something important to tell him. Something that he had learned from his books or his parents.
Although this time his best friend sounded more excited than usual.
“Eren!” Armin excitedly stopped next to him. “What’s up, Armin?” he asked lazily when he saw the book that his best friend was holding enthusiastically.
Excitedly, the blond boy replied, “My grandpa had this stashed away. It’s a book with things about the outside world written in it!”
Eren, letting go of his laziness, quickly unbent to observe said book, “A book about the outside?!” asked the green-eyed boy cautiously and incredulously,
“Isn’t that illegal? The Military Police Brigade is going to cat-”
With excitement in his voice, Armin cuts off Eren. “It’s not the time to be worrying about that! According to this book, most of the world is covered in a body of water called the ocean! What’s more, it says the ocean is made up of salt water!”
Eren’s voice rose in disbelief. “Salt?” He shook his head. “That’s impossible. Salt is worth a fortune. The merchants would snatch it up in a heartbeat.”
“The ocean’s so large that it’ll never run out!”
Eren couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurd idea. An ocean? How could such a thing exist? It was ridiculous. “As if that’s- “Eren’s words died in his throat as he met Armin’s gaze. It was shining with conviction and wonder. He was not lying. He was not dreaming.
"And the salt isn't even the tip of the iceberg. Firewater, lands made of ice, fields of sand! The outside world must be way bigger than the lands within the walls!" “The outside world?” The green-eyed boy felt a surge of awe and longing as he gazed at the book illustrations. The outside world was so... amazing! Could it be true? Could such wonders exist?
“Anyway, this is supposed to be a secret, but… My mom and dad said they’ll be going outside the world soon.” Armin whispered with a gleam in his eyes.
Eren’s face lit up with wonder as he spoke softly, “The outside world, huh?”
“Hey, Eren.” Eren looked at Armin, who had a wistful expression on his face. He heard the emotion and longing in his voice as he said, “It’d be nice if we could also explore the outside world someday.”
This moment... he still remembers it with such affection…
The memory of the day he met Mikasa stayed with him forever. For the first time, he felt like he could make a difference, like he could be someone’s hero. It filled him with a sense of purpose and hope.
It was a bitterly cold night; Crickets chirped in a somber tone, echoing the cruelty that had befallen the Ackerman family. Men had attacked them in search of wealth and pleasure, leaving only one survivor: a young girl named Mikasa. But justice had prevailed, as a green-eyed boy the same age as her had saved her in the nick of time.
Eren and Grisha Yeager gazed at Mikasa, who had been silent ever since the men who took everything from her were killed. She stared back at them with empty eyes, as if she had lost her soul. “Dr. Yeager, which way… should I go to return home?” Mikasa asked vacantly, her voice barely audible. “It’s cold. There’s nowhere… for me to go home to.”
Eren’s eyes softened as he looked at her. He couldn’t imagine losing his family and being alone in this unfair world. But he knew what he could do to ease her pain, at least for a moment. He approached her slowly and softly removed his scarf. It was a precious gift from his mother, but he decided to let Mikasa have it as she needed it more than him right now.
He wrapped it gently around her head, covering her ears and neck. She looked at him with surprise but didn’t say anything. “You can have this,” Eren said, his cheeks turning pink. “It’s warm, right?”
She didn’t know how to thank him for his kindness. It was a rare thing in this harsh world. She looked into his eyes and whispered, “It’s warm.”
Talking to her stirred something within him, something he couldn’t quite understand at the time. But now he does… He would have liked to hold on to that feeling for a little longer.
The day his whole life took a turn for the worse was the same day his mother died, a victim of the power-hungry desires of strangers. It wasn’t fair, but… when had the world ever been fair?
“HANNES! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” Eren shouted desperately, trying to get away from the soldier's iron grip, but to no avail, as he carried Mikasa in the same way without paying attention to him. “Thank you…” the woman said sadly when she saw how the children were carried away from her.
“MOM IS STILL TRAPPED IN THERE!” The boy could see in his despair how his mother under the rubble of his home said goodbye to them with tears in his eyes.
The mother screamed desperately, “Eren! Mikasa! Live on!”
"NO! HANNES, LET ME GO!" The boy thrashed and fought, desperate to break free from Hannes' hold. But the soldier held on with unyielding strength, refusing to release the children from his grasp.
The boy’s heart shattered as he watched a titan with blond hair and a grotesque facelift over the rubble of his home. At that moment, Eren knew it was the end for his mother. “STOP!” he screamed, but it was too late.
Time seemed to stand still as the world around him descended into chaos. The screams of despair, the tears streaming down his face, the sound of destruction - all faded into insignificance as he watched in helpless agony as the titan lifted his mother. She fought with all her might to free herself from its monstrous grip, but it was all for naught as the titan cruelly snapped her spine, leaving the boy shattered.
Horror and despair consumed him as he watched the titan devour his mother, a grotesque smile on its face as it savored its prey like a monstrous hunter. The boy’s heart broke into a million pieces as he witnessed the unthinkable, the loss of his mother forever etched into his soul.
That day... his whole life changed forever; he wished for the power to take revenge by his hand. The Titans had ruined his entire life by taking away his innocence so he swore to be responsible for the extinction of all those monsters…
Who would think it was more complicated than that?
He could remember the faces of his friends. The day Sasha stole the meat from the senior officers was... nice, at first.
Mina, Thomas, Marco, and Connie - lit up with the realization that they would savor the taste of meat again. It was a moment that would remain unforgettable to him.
With her excitement and goofy demeanor, Sasha effortlessly captured the attention of everyone around her. “Um, everyone…”
“I brought meat from the officers’ storehouse.” At that moment, everyone felt genuine terror. What the hell was Sasha thinking?!
“Sasha… Do you want to end up in jail?!” Eren asked, his voice laced with concern for the country girl and the potential consequences of her actions.
"You are an idiot!"
“Real idiocy’s scary…”
Marco and Connie echoed Eren's concern, although Connie seemed more taken aback by his friend's apparent disregard for her safety.
“Let’s all split it…” Sasha suggested eagerly, her mind already racing with ideas for how they could all enjoy the meat together. “We can slice it and make sandwiches!”
“Go put it back!” Marco gave Sasha the order to avoid getting into trouble.
With a pained expression, Mina implored Sasha to do the right thing and return the meat to its rightful place. “You really should return it. After all the land we lost, meat is valuable!”
“Don’t worry about it,” Sasha said cheerfully as she made her way to a supply stall to store the meat. “Once we retake the land, we will be able to raise cattle again!”
Altogether, they questioned if it was truly wrong to indulge in this small pleasure. They were all determined to reclaim the lost lands beyond the outer wall. In the end, the desire to eat something delicious overcame them.
With a mix of excitement and apprehension written across his face, Marco declared, “I’ll take that meat!” In a similarly serious tone, but with the same eagerness as Marco, Connie chimed in, “Me too, so save my part!”
Mina happily joined her friends with an excited smile. “That goes for me too!” “Guys…” Eren was stunned, not knowing what to say.
“What do you think, Eren?” Marco asked, his voice light and carefree despite the potential danger. “We’ll get caught if we don’t get back to work soon.”
With great happiness, Mina returned to her position as well. “Come on! It’s still a while before lunch.”
Feeling the atmosphere of his friends and the soft breeze on his face, Eren looked inside the wall with great determination and confidence. ‘Five years have
passed since then. Mankind’s finally regaining its dignity,’ he thought. He saw his friends around him sharing the same optimism that was born inside him, thanks to something as simple as meat. ‘We can win. Mankind’s counterattack
begins now!’
But as if fate itself wanted to prolong their suffering, a thunderclap shook the atmosphere, mowing down everything in its path. The beast that Eren had anticipated encountering for five long years finally emerged in front of them…
Even after all this time, the frustration of not being able to eat sandwiches that day still gnaws at him.
He can’t help but regret having encouraged his friends to join The Survey Corps…
When Reiner told him the truth about the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan, he did not know what to believe. It was not possible. How could there be traitors when humanity was on the supposed brink of extinction? A better question was why his best friends admitted to being heartless beasts?!
‘This couldn’t be worse.’ He shivered a little as the chilly wind blew, carrying with it ominous gray clouds. A sense of foreboding washed over him as he realized that rain was on its way.
After that nightmare of a day, with the infiltrated Titans and the lack of a hole in the walls, the situation was dire. He breathed a small sigh of relief, knowing that, against all odds, his friends had made it out unharmed. But even as he clung to that small comfort, he couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get even more complicated.
“Eren, we need to talk.” As Reiner spoke, his voice remained calm and composed. Bertolt stood beside him, a look of concern etched on his face as he watched over his wounded friend.
With some intrigue, Eren looked at him with interest. “What is it?”
Reiner took a deep breath before speaking. “Five years ago, we demolished the wall and began our attack on humanity. I’m the Armored Titan and he’s the colossal Titan.” He admitted with the most serious tone of voice conceivable despite spewing such utter insanity. Even Bertolt looked at him in shock, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
With a worried voice, Eren replied, “What are you talking about?”
“Why are you telling him, Reiner?” Bertolt desperately grabs Reiner's arm, attempting to stop him. Reiner paid no attention to him, as he was focused on Eren. "Our primary goal was to ensure all of humanity was wiped out, but now there's no need for that."
Eren, with a trembling voice, replied, “Huh?”
“Eren,” Without hesitation, Reiner followed with a firm voice, “If you agree to come with us, we won’t have to destroy any more of the walls, do you understand?”
Fear gripped Eren as he thought to himself, ‘This can’t be happening… He can’t be serious, can he?’ The thought that the whispered words from their secret meeting could become a reality seemed impossible. There was no way that Reiner and Bertolt could be traitors.
“Huh?! No, wait! I don’t understand at all!”
“I’m saying… Why don’t you just come with us?”
…
The three of them stood in silence, the tension between them palpable. The conversation had taken a turn for the surreal. Bertolt glanced nervously between Reiner and Eren, his eyes wide with fear at the thought of what Eren’s response to this revelation might be.
Despite the tension in the air, Reiner pressed on. “I know this is sudden, but we need to leave. Now.”
Desperate to make sense of the situation, Eren tried to play along with Reiner.
“Right now?” he asked, his voice shaking. “Where are you planning to take me?” “I can’t say that yet but… Well, it’s something like our hometown.” Looking around, Reiner saw Mikasa in the distance, so he stopped for a second to turn his back on her and, with a low voice, continued. “So? What will it be, Eren?”
Eren didn’t know what to say. This was getting too complicated. “Uh…” Seeing his indecision, Reiner insisted, “It’s not a poor deal, right? You can easily avert this crisis.”
All hope for a peaceful resolution had slipped away, leaving Eren feeling lost and helpless. He gazed up at the gray sky as his thoughts jumbled into a mess of confusion ‘What the hell? And here I thought I had enough to think about yesterday…’
Eren’s face twisted in desperation as anger boiled within him. ‘This was enough. Whatever Reiner is imagining has already gone too far.’ With a determined look,
Eren placed a hand on Reiner’s shoulder, trying to bring him back to reality. “You’re just tired, aren’t you?”
Desperately seeking support, Eren turned to see his other friend. “Right, Bertolt?
He’s been through so much, it’s making him crazy.”
Shocked and struggling to find the right words, Bertolt replied awkwardly. “Y-yeah. Reiner’s just tired.”
Ignoring Bertolt’s shivering, which Eren hoped was just a reaction to the cold temperature on top of the wall, he continued speaking. "Besides, if you were the Armored Titan that wants to destroy humanity, why would you be asking me this in the first place? What did you expect? That I would just nod and say ‘Sure, let’s go’?”
After Eren’s words hung in the air, Bertolt and Reiner were silent. Both were deep in their thoughts, considering everything he had said. The only sound was the mournful howling of the wind, which had grown more intense. Tension thickened the air as none of the three dared to speak.
What could anyone possibly say after a conversation like that?
“Oh, right…” Reiner said grimly, realization dawning on him. “That’s right. What the hell was I thinking? Have I gone crazy?”
With a heavy sigh, Eren walked towards the expedition group. “Come on, let’s go,” he said, his voice tinged with resignation.
Despite Eren’s hopes that his friends weren’t liars, the tension didn’t drop. It got worse thanks to the breaking of a flagpole that echoed through the entire wall, leaving everyone silent.
“I see…” Frightened, Eren turned to face Reiner, his voice now cold and devoid of emotion. “I’ve been here too long for my good. It’s been three long years…” Desperate for answers, Eren turned to Bertolt, only to be met with a look of equal desperation and confusion.
“We were just kids... We knew nothing. If only I never knew that there were people like this…” Reiner turned his gaze, revealing his eyes full of tears and a sinister face. “I… Wouldn’t have become… such a half-assed piece of shit!”
Terrified, Eren backed away from Reiner. Slowly, with deliberate movements, Reiner raised his injured arm to his face. “It’s too late now… I don’t know what’s right anymore,” he said, his voice laced with a twisted enthusiasm as he violently tore off the bandages on his arm. “But the only choice for me now is to face the consequences of my actions.”
Eren was left reeling as Reiner’s bandages fell away, revealing how his arm was miraculously healing itself, just like Eren’s wounds would. “And as a warrior, fulfill my duty to the bitter end!” Reiner declared with a voice full of determination.
His heart raced with fear as he panicked. ‘This can’t be happening! It cannot be true!’ Eren’s thoughts raced, leaving him rooted to the spot in shock.
“Reiner!” Bertolt yelled, his voice trembling with anticipation. “Are we doing it?! Now?! Right here?!”
“Yeah.” Eren's heart raced as Reiner closed the distance between them, his hands poised to snatch him up. “We settle this… right here, right now!”
As they stood facing each other, time seemed to slow down, and the intensity of Reiner's murderous look made it clear that he was a traitor. Eren’s mind was overwhelmed with fear and confusion, rendering him unable to think or act. His body was completely paralyzed.
With a fierce look in her eyes, Mikasa suddenly came to the rescue, launching an attack on Reiner and Bertolt. Driven by a burning desire to protect Eren at all costs, she unleashed her full power, slitting Bertolt’s throat in one swift motion and severing Reiner’s arm and shoulder with deadly precision. “Eren! Run!” she desperately screamed.
Everything happened so fast that Eren could barely comprehend what was going on around him. He was overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions - fear, confusion, and disbelief. It wasn’t until a blinding flash of yellow lightning illuminated the scene that he finally snapped back to reality, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the chaos…
It kept hurting. All he wanted was to be like Reiner - the epitome of a perfect soldier. Reiner was everything he aspired to be - loyal, disciplined, and unwaveringly strong. But what set Reiner apart was his ability to never lose sight of being kind…. in the end, it all came crashing down. The truth hit him like a ton of bricks - his role model, the person he had looked up to and admired, was nothing but a sham. A traitor. A cold-blooded murderer.
...
...
...
His life turned into a mess, didn’t it?
He could laugh at how things turn out if he had a dark sense of humor. Why did fate choose him to be the protagonist of this comedy? It wasn’t fair, but… he wasn’t the only victim, was he? Ymir had suffered a terrible fate too. At least he had the chance to offer her some solace after a miserable existence.
At least… he could leave knowing that… Leave.
Tears fell from Eren’s eyes without him realizing, but the scorching heat quickly turned his tears into vapor.
‘Oh...’ he thought. Why did he feel bad about this? He knew this had to be done. It was all meant to be this way from the beginning… Then why is he…?
NO
He wanted this to happen. This was the right decision. The world will never forget how Paradis fought to stop him, and all will honor Armin for generations as a genuine hero…
Then… then… Then why can’t he be okay with it?
No, no, no. He had no choice but to do this. He was aware of it. It was all destined to happen. He couldn’t have any regrets now, could he? Even if he regretted it, it wasn’t like he could change anything. He KNEW it.
The damn Attack Titan PREDICTED everything, and it fucking HAPPENED. He was AWARE of everything since the kiss at Historia’s coronation. Nothing was left to chance!
Then why the fuck couldn’t he be happy about this?! Why doesn’t he want to die!?!?!
‘Ha… Hahaha… HaHaHa… HAHAHA… HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA,’ WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH HIM?!?!!
Everything he destroyed, he ENJOYED a lot! He enjoyed watching Marley suffer as much as Paradis did! The cries of despair of those despicable people, as they witnessed their once-mighty ships and weapons - once boasted as part of the world’s army - crumble to nothing but debris and scrap, ignited within him a savage satisfaction that he would never forget!
Watching the warriors suffer in agony as he mercilessly obliterated their hopes and dreams filled him with a twisted joy! For the first time in his existence, he held the reins of an unbelievable power capable of reshaping the world - and it was nothing short of breathtaking!
HE DESERVES TO DIE! He is a devil for the atrocities he has committed, so why does he resist?! WHY DOESN’T HE WANT THIS?!
EVEN THE PROMISES HE MADE TO ARMIN AND MIKASA. HE BROKE THEM, HE… He… broke them, didn’t he…?
…
He… had promised Armin that they would always be friends… Hadn’t he? And to Mikasa, He had promised her that... He… he wouldn't die... and then…
‘Oh god… Mikasa…’ She was always a fool, a fool that he loved so much, Why did she have to… go like that? She had a life to live, she had a family to start with someone better than him… Why didn't she cut off his head when she had the chance…?
Why?
WHY?!
Eren’s heart ached with sorrow, but no tears came. The heat and the blast charred his lungs and throat, leaving him gasping for air. The sorrow of losing everything he loved shattered his heart. ‘I just wished to see the Firewater, the lands of ice, and the sand fields without fear... I just... why did my life have to end like this?’
He regretted everything. He can’t deny it anymore. His chest felt like a gaping wound, bleeding out his life. Eren’s ears were ringing with screams, his nose was filled with smoke, and his mouth was dry and bitter. Nothing he did was for his happiness or his loved ones. But it’s too late to regret it…
He can’t apologize to his friends… Do they still see him as their friend? Of course not… For them, he just became a monster.
He would like to apologize to Armin for doing all this, or at least apologize for being the worst best friend in existence. Armin never deserved to be in a world like this… He’s been innocent all this time, just like Mikasa…
‘Mikasa… I’m sorry…’ Eren thought sadly. ‘I’m sorry for everything I did. I’m sorry you sacrificed everything to protect me… Fuck, I’m sorry for doing nothing for you, I’m… sorry…’
…
Doesn’t matter anymore… what's done...is done.
He is genuinely the demon of Paradis Island. The demon that pushed the world on the brink of extinction: the demon that if you get close to, will bring misfortune into your life… that demon is Eren Yeager and the world finally killed it.
Eren felt his body give up on trying to regenerate itself. His chest tightened as if a fist were squeezing his heart. His lungs tried to gasp for air, but it felt like breathing through a straw. Despite the surrounding heat, he felt a coldness as though he had been dipped in ice. He no longer felt anything.
With his consciousness fading… he finally experienced true freedom for the first time in his life.
Eren Yeager was truly free...
……Or that was what he thought.
Eren heard a faint, intermittent sound in his ears. As it grew louder, he felt a shiver run down his spine. The world around him seemed to solidify, trapping him in place.
Confusion and fear gripped Eren as he struggled to understand what was happening. ‘Why am I conscious?’ he fearfully thought. He had always heard that death was a dark corridor with a light at the end, but this was nothing like that. Panic rose in his chest as a familiar sensation washed over him, one that he had hoped never to feel again. It held him tightly like a vise, its intensity threatening to consume him.
He shouldn't be aware, he has nowhere to go, the coordinates were destroyed, so he can't be there. Armin killed him with the explosion, and there was no chance that he could survive the direct hit… right?
The despair inside him began to get worse as he tried to fight his awareness, yet to no avail ‘No, no, no, no, this can’t be happening! This shouldn't be happening!!’
It was as though Fate was toying with him, taunting him with a cruel and twisted joke. The frigid air rushed into his lungs, sending shivers throughout his entire body. The coldness of the air only heightened his sense of unease, making him feel even more apprehensive.
‘No...’ Eren refuses. ‘This can’t be happening! I want to be dead! I don't deserve to live! YMIR!! YMIR!! YOU HAVE YOUR FREEDOM, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?!? LET ME DIE PLEASE!!!’ As if that were a cue, a blinding light suddenly appeared before him, piercing through the darkness and overwhelming his senses. A wave of despair washed over him, leaving him feeling utterly helpless and consumed by an unrelenting sense of hopelessness.
‘P-please, just let me die…’ Eren begged as the light intensified and engulfed him. Despite the sacrifices and sins he had committed, fate denied him the long-awaited death he desired. Instead, a new awakening awaited him at the end of the light, even though it seemed impossible.
It turns out Eren Yeager is still alive.
Eren’s eyes snapped open, only to be met with a blinding white light that assaulted his senses. He quickly shut them, his heart pounding with fear and confusion. Panic gripped him as he hesitantly opened them again, allowing the light to flood his vision until he could see once more.
He found himself lying on an unfamiliar bed, feeling disoriented. The stark white room around him only added to his confusion, with several pieces of furniture of the same color arranged in order throughout the space. Next to him, there was a strange device on top of what seemed to be a bureau making the same sounds he heard before opening his eyes. To his right, what looked like a door stood adjacent to his bed, its presence only deepening his bewilderment.
Slowly, Eren sat up on the bed. He shakily lifted one of his arms, examining it closely as he tried to process the moment. A whirlwind of emotions flooded his mind as he struggled to understand how or why he was still alive. Confusion, anger, sadness, and frustration came together in a fit of euphoria, causing his breathing to become heavy and rapid as he grappled with the overwhelming feelings.
He started having trouble breathing, his chest constricting as panic set in.
Desperately, he tried to inhale, but why couldn’t he?! Or rather, why was he able to breathe at all?! His thoughts spiraled out of control, sending him into a frenzied state of hyperventilation as he struggled to make sense of his situation.
He attempted to regulate his breathing by taking in more air, but each breath only seemed to worsen his condition as his surroundings grew blurry.
In his desperation, Eren’s fingers found their way to his arms, clawing at the skin without conscious thought. As he scratched, tendrils of smoke rose from the exposed flesh, growing thicker with each frenzied pass of his nails. The sight was deeply unsettling.
He was beyond caring about the wounds he was inflicting upon himself. The burning sensation of the wounds was unexpected because it wasn’t supposed to be happening!
'This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This shouldn't be happening!’
He couldn't hold back his emotions. Heavy tears started pouring down his cheeks. This was nothing short of torture. Eren had been through hell and back, enduring unimaginable pain and suffering at every turn. Yet the universe seemed determined to keep him from finding any rest.
Eren’s emotions spiraled out of control as the world around him shifted to a cold, oppressive, void of blackness. The twisted forms of his friends and family materialized before him, their faces distorted with in agony and despair. It was a nightmare come to life that threatened to consume him.
“It's your fault!”
“You were supposed to be our savior, the one who would bring hope to humanity. But instead, you have failed us all.”
“They're all dead because of you!”
“You are a disgrace to the entire legion. You humiliated all of us. You are nothing but a failure!”
“That was what you wanted Eren”
“It was a mistake to save you from the military police”
“Because of you, we died on our first day”
“You were just the means to an end son”
Eren tried to shut out the nightmare that surrounded him, curling into a tight fetal position as he desperately closed his eyes and covered his ears. Despite his efforts, it was futile. He was suffocating under the oppressive weight of the growing horrors that surrounded him.
Suddenly, Mikasa appeared and grabbed him by the shoulders. Eren stared into her eyes, gripped in fear fear as shock washed over him.
Eren gasped, struggling to form words as panic overwhelmed him. “I-I’m
Sorry…” he choke out “I’m so sorry…”
Mikasa's face remained stoic as she gazed at him. Eren found it unbearable. He never realized how much he would miss the warmth in Mikasa's eyes when she looked at him. Now, all of that was gone, replaced by a cold, detached gaze.
She released him, saying nothing, and slowly turned her back on him. “Goodbye Eren” She walked away from him, allowing the distorted figures to continue his torment.
“Wait! Mikasa, come back!” Eren cried out, desperation in his voice. He tried to follow her, but the figures held him fast. “Come back, Mikasa! Please!” His voice broke on the last word as he watched her walk away.
The strange figures gathered around him, their twisted forms looming over him like dark shadows. Suddenly, they fell upon him with ravenous hunger, their sharp teeth tearing at his flesh. He cried out in pain as they devoured him in great, greedy bites, blood dripping from their chins as they ate.
Through the haze of agony, he saw Mikasa in the distance. With a desperate burst of strength, he reached out to her, his voice a hoarse scream. “MIKASA!” But she was too far away, and the figures continued their gruesome feast, their eyes wild with hunger as they consumed him.
“MIKASA!!!”
… … …
Eren felt he was in bed again and how everything around him returned to the strange room where he was. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The overwhelming sense of dread was slowly receding, replaced by bone-deep exhaustion.
He blinked a few times, trying to ground himself in the present. It was at that moment that he noticed two blurred figures next to him. They were making noises, but he couldn’t tell them apart… Were they trying to talk to him?
Gradually, his vision cleared, and he could make out one of the figures in the room. It was a middle-aged man with long, spiky blonde hair and a small mustache. The man’s unusual personal style completely bewildered Eren, which seemed out of place for someone his age. He wore strange clothes and peculiar glasses. Eren couldn’t make sense of it - who was this man?
“Hey there, little listener, are you all right?” the man asked, his voice laced with concern. Eren barely registered the man’s concern, as his attention was drawn to a woman in white who was shining a small light in front of his eyes. “Excuse me, Present Mic,” she said softly. “Hello, dear. I’m Dr. Josei Yasashī. Can you tell me where you are or what you were doing before today?” “No… Where… Where Am I?” Eren asked weakly.
“You’re in a hospital near Shizuoka Prefecture, dear,” the woman replied, her voice both professional and gentle. “The man next to me is one of the heroes who found you. Do you remember that?”
Hospital...? Heroes…? What-
“No…” Eren replied, his voice trembling with fear. Everything that was happening felt like a nightmare. He couldn’t make sense of it - people didn’t just die and wake up in a strange hospital, surrounded by even stranger people. It was all too much, and he felt completely overwhelmed.
As Eren’s anxiety intensified, Present Mic, who had assumed that name, stepped forward to lend a hand to the doctor. “Hey, no worries listener. You didn't know what was going on when things got messy,” he said reassuringly. The man turned to the doctor and signaled for her to come closer. He whispered something to her in a low voice before she left the room.
“Okay, let’s start from the beginning.” The man quickly cleared his throat before striking a dramatic pose, accompanied by strange music that seemed to come out of nowhere. Eren found this… interesting. “Yo! It’s Present Mic coming at you live in Shizuoka Prefecture. I met the boy who bravely endured a kidnapping and his name is…”
The man put a strange staff in front of Eren’s mouth. Not sure what to do, he simply responded on instinct. “I… uh… ” wait a minute… A boy?
“Enough, Mic,” a voice interrupted. “You’re making him more nervous instead of calming him down.” Another man arrived on the scene. He was slender and of above-average height, with unkempt wavy black hair that fell to his shoulders and pale skin. He wore a baggy black outfit consisting of a long-sleeved shirt and matching pants tucked into boots along with a belt and a wrap scarf. To Eren, he looked like a homeless man…
“Hello,” the man said as he confidently strode over to Present Mic’s side. As he drew closer, he spoke again. “I’m Eraser Head, the Erasure Hero. I was part of the team of heroes that raided the trigger factory where you were kidnapped,” he explained in a professional tone. Despite his explanation, Eren couldn’t make sense of what he was saying.
Factory of what? It doesn’t make any sense!
"If you have any information about the Yakuza that kidnapped you, it would be of great help to us."
“But before that!” The strange blond man exclaimed as he perched next to the tired-looking man. “Do you mind giving us your dad or mom’s phone number? We have to ask because you’re not old enough.”
‘Phone number.’ What the hell is that? And with that with being underage? He is 19 years old.
“Hey buddy, is everything ok?” The blond man frowns worriedly.
“Yeah… it’s just…” with an empty look and a low voice Eren continued, “I… no longer have parents… sir.” His voice trailed off as he spoke, and his eyes seemed to lose focus. He looked down at his hands, which were trembling slightly. “They’re gone.”
Since he was 13 years old, Eren has experienced nothing like this, and it's quite surprising that it's happening now.
“Is there any other relative? Any uncles, grandparents, or siblings?” asked the so-called Eraser Head. His voice was still professional, but there was a hint of concern in it now. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes searching Eren’s face for any sign.
Eren responded with a look in his dead emerald eyes, “My whole family is dead,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The words hung heavy in the air as the room temperature dropped dramatically.
The blonde looks shocked and guilty, among all things. His eyes are wide and his mouth hangs open as if he can’t believe what he heard. Meanwhile, the one in black looks as if a bucket of cold water is being poured from head to toe. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but it was clear that he’s been caught off guard.
‘Oh…’ he shouldn’t have said it that way, should he? It was quite normal to see orphans on the Rose Wall after Maria fell, so those kinds of topics weren’t as disturbing as they used to be. Besides, all the people saw them as scum that had to be fed.
“I’m sorry to hear that, buddy,” Present Mic apologizes. “Sorry for reminding you of that”
“It’s okay,” Eren tried to fake a smile, but he failed miserably. The corners of his mouth twitched, but the smile never reached his eyes. “I’m already used to that,” he added with a flat voice. This seemed to calm the situation somewhat, but it created another problem.
“Well, uh… this is awkward,” muttered Eraser Head, shifting uncomfortably in his position. He cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure. “Sorry to hear that too,” he said, his voice sincere. “Let’s move on to something else. What’s your name?”
“Eren…” Eren paused, his mind going over all the memories that led him to that moment. Not knowing what else to do, he took a deep breath and spoke “Eren Yeager”