"It's over."
"That is..."
As the black-haired, green-eyed giant struck down the surrounding Pure Titans and finally collapsed into the ruins, losing its ability to move, high-temperature steam continuously billowed out.
Everyone stared at the nape of the neck, where a figure was straightening up.
Mikasa was the first to jump down from the building, running swiftly to the steaming nape of the giant. Confirming it was Eren, she pulled him into a tight embrace, her eyes brimming with water and relief.
"It's Eren."
"How is that possible?"
"Eren turned into a Titan."
Looking at the flesh still connected to his temples, along with the bloodstains spreading across his eye sockets and cheeks, there was no doubt this was Eren.
"In any case, let's get to a safe place first."
Connie and the others led Mikasa and and Eren toward the inner gate wall.
Tang An followed along, making sure to bring Zhou Wei with him.
The subsequent plot was much simpler. The scene of Eren emerging from the Titan's body was witnessed by many. Then, Garrison Regiment Captain Kitz led his troops to directly surround Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, demanding to know whether Eren was human or a Titan.
The group had just flown up to the inner gate wall when they were surrounded the moment they landed.
Tang An had been keeping an eye on Zhou Wei, though he was very careful about it.
"Eren, are you human or a Titan?"
Kitz and the surrounding Garrison Regiment soldiers all wore expressions of absolute terror, looking at Eren as if he were a demon.
"A bunch of trash."
Zhou Wei flanked Eren along with Mikasa and Armin. Looking at the cannons mounted on the wall and the surrounding Garrison Regiment soldiers drawing their blades, Zhou Wei glanced at Kitz, who was trembling with fear at the front, a flash of disdain crossing his face.
In his eyes, these guys were all trash. He had been so furious when watching the anime.
They were a bunch of good-for-nothings who failed at everything and only dragged people down at critical moments.
If he didn't have missions to complete, he really wanted to slap these guys to death.
Tang An was standing nearby as well, but he didn't act rashly. On the contrary, he put some distance between himself and Eren's group.
At the same time, he drew his blade with a look of terror on his face; he had already gotten into character and started acting.
The reason Tang An did this was to avoid letting Zhou Wei figure out his identity so quickly.
Fearing and trembling along with everyone else, this clearly looked like the reaction of a local.
"I am human."
Eren had already regained consciousness, though his memories of transforming into a Titan had not yet returned.
"Is that so?"
Kitz lowered his head, his gaze suddenly turning fierce.
"Fire!"
"Boom..."
The artillery on the wall fired a shell.
Zhou Wei didn't move because he knew Eren would transform into a Titan skeletal structure to protect Mikasa and Armin.
As golden lightning struck down, a massive storm surged up.
A large amount of steam filled the surroundings, obscuring everyone's vision.
"Did it work?"
Just as the Garrison Regiment soldiers were chattering amongst themselves, inside the steam, Eren had transformed into a skeletal Titan frame, shielding Armin, Mikasa, and Zhou Wei.
"Is everyone alright?"
Tearing away the flesh from the nape and jumping to the ground, Eren heaved a sigh of relief as he looked at Armin and Mikasa, who were completely uninjured. At the same time, he looked at Zhou Wei with a trace of gratitude.
Although he didn't know this person, the guy had just stood in front of him to protect him, and he was very grateful.
"My name is Zhou Wei."
Zhou Wei fanned away the steam in front of his eyes and smiled at Eren.
"My name is Eren. Thank you very much for just now."
"It's nothing. Those guys are just a bunch of cowards, failing to realize that if humanity can harness the power of Titans, we can take back Wall Rose."
Zhou Wei offered a subtle hint, which was meant for Armin to hear.
Sure enough, Zhou Wei's hint sparked an idea in Armin's mind to defuse the current danger.
"Eren, Mikasa, Zhou Wei, don't come out yet. I'll go talk to them."
Unbuckling his Vertical Maneuvering Equipment, Armin walked out of the steam area with his hands raised.
"Armin."
Eren and Mikasa looked worried.
"Don't shoot."
Walking out of the steam, Armin raised his hands and coughed twice to show he posed no threat.
At this point, everyone also saw the Titan skeleton behind Armin, covered in shredded meat that was constantly evaporating.
"Ready."
Kitz still wore a look of terror, raising his hand to give the order for another cannon blast.
"Wait! Although I haven't figured out why Eren turned into a Titan either, we can use this Titan power to plug the breach in Wall Rose.
Furthermore, Eren killed several Titans earlier, and those Titans showed hostility toward Eren. This means Eren is on the same front line as us--our enemies are the other Titans..."
Armin cut straight to the point, dropping two key pieces of information to everyone.
The Titan Eren transformed into was, just like them, an enemy of the other Titans, and they could use Eren's power to plug the outer gate and retake Wall Rose.
Many Garrison Regiment soldiers lowered their blades, pondering Armin's proposal.
Many of them had seen Eren transform into a Titan, and they had also seen Eren fighting other Titans. It was indeed just as Armin had said.
"You think I'd believe that?"
Kitz was too terrified to think straight.
He immediately moved to give the order.
However, Zhou Wei suddenly made a move. Using Lingbo Microsteps, he flashed into several afterimages, appearing right in front of Kitz in just three or four breaths, grabbing him by the throat and forcibly slamming him to his knees on the ground.
"Trash like you gets to be a captain?"
This happened so fast that no one had time to react.
"You..."
"You... let go of Captain Kitz."
Many surrounding Garrison Regiment soldiers swallowed hard. How had this person crossed over ten meters in an instant? They only saw a blur of afterimages, and then Captain Kitz was being grabbed by the throat.
"Cowards like this deserve to be captains? Now, all of you properly think about what Armin just said. Scum like this should be eaten by Titans."
Zhou Wei snorted coldly, looking at Kitz with absolute disdain.
Tang An stood not far away. While others failed to track Zhou Wei's movement trajectory, he saw it clearly.
Although the other party's speed was very fast, compared to his own Shave, it was still a bit lacking.
"Stop it!"
A voice came from behind. The crowd parted to clear a path, and a bald old man with a mustache on his upper lip appeared, leading a group of people.
Dot Pixis was the highest-ranking official of the southern territory of the wall, including Trost District, which made him the supreme commander of the southern wall of the Garrison Regiment.
"Commander Pixis."
All the Garrison Regiment soldiers put away their blades.
"You're acting just the same as always!"
Pixis glanced at Kitz, obviously well aware of the man's personality.
"Which regiment are you from?"
Pixis seemed rather interested in Zhou Wei.
The other party wasn't wearing combat uniform, meaning he was just a civilian.
Yet a civilian had appeared here and grabbed Kitz by the throat in front of so many people--that made things interesting.
"I am merely a civilian."
Releasing Kitz, Zhou Wei walked back to Mikasa's side.
"Your proposal just now was very good."
Pixis didn't continue questioning him, turning his gaze instead to Armin.
"Yes!"
Armin stood straight, placing one hand over his heart with a serious expression.
"You guys, come with me."
Pixis looked at the four of them--Eren and the others--and then turned and walked away.
"Commander."
Many Garrison Regiment soldiers opened their mouths, but in the end, they could only let Eren and the others leave.
A few minutes later, the group stood atop the inner gate wall, looking at the broken outer gate and the continuous stream of Titans walking through it.
"Let's try your proposal then!"
Pixis picked up the flask at his waist and took a swig.
"But..."
Armin actually didn't have much confidence.
"There are no buts."
Pixis waved his hand to cut Armin off, then stared sharply at Eren. "You only have this one choice."