The room fell silent. Only the ticking of the clock echoed like a slow heartbeat, making every second heavier than the last. Levi clenched his fists on the table, his sharp eyes darting between Mona, Zack, and Eren.
"Mama… Dad…" Levi's voice was low, edged with warning, "if there's something you've been hiding, then say it clearly. Don't speak in riddles."
Eren swallowed hard, his chest tightening. His heart had started racing, not from fear, but from the storm of uncertainty. He turned to Mona, searching her tearful eyes.
"Mama… what is this Master? Why is he after us?"
Mona pressed her trembling hands together, unable to meet her son's eyes. "Eren… ever since the company rose to success, shadows have been following us. At first we thought it was business rivalry… but the truth… the truth is far more terrifying."
Zack's jaw tightened. He finally spoke, his voice steady but heavy.
"This Master isn't just a rival. He's someone who knows all our weaknesses… someone who has been watching us closely from the start. Every step, every mistake, every secret—he knows it all."
Levi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Then tell me one thing, Dad… what does he want from us?"
The silence that followed was suffocating. Mona's lips trembled. Finally, she whispered,
"He wants Eren."
Eren's body stiffened, his chair scraping back slightly as his breath caught.
"Me…? Why me?"
Mona's tears broke free, sliding down her cheeks. She stood and cupped Eren's face with shaking hands.
"Because, my son… you are the key to his plan. We don't know how, but everything revolves around you. That's why… that's why he won't stop until he destroys you."
Levi's chair screeched violently as he stood. His eyes were blazing with fury, his fists shaking.
"Over my dead body! If that bastard even tries to touch Eren, I'll rip him apart with my own hands!"
His voice thundered in the room, and Eren instinctively reached out, grabbing Levi's arm to steady him. "Levi, calm down… yelling won't solve this."
Levi looked down at him, his jaw still tight, but the fire in his eyes softened when he saw Eren's worried expression. He sat back down, but his hand never left Eren's shoulder, gripping it protectively.
Zack cleared his throat, glancing between his sons.
"That's why I told you both about the trip. It's not just a trip. It's a way to keep you safe… to make the Master believe something else."
Eren frowned deeply. "What do you mean, Dad?"
Manager Aai, who had been silent until now, leaned forward, his voice calm but chilling.
"You both need to disappear for a while. The Master needs to believe… that Eren Yeager is dead."
The words fell like a thunderbolt.
Eren's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Dead? You want me to pretend to be dead?"
Levi slammed his hand on the table, making everyone flinch.
"Absolutely not! That's insane. Eren isn't going anywhere, and he's not pretending to die. Do you hear me?"
Manager Aai's gaze darkened slightly, but he kept his composure.
"This is the only way. If the Master is convinced of Eren's death, he will finally come out of hiding. That will give us a chance to strike back."
Mona's hands trembled as she shook her head. "No… I can't do this. I can't bear to see Eren's death staged, even if it's fake. My heart won't allow it."
Zack placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Mona… think about it. If we don't do this, the Master will keep targeting us. Today it's threats… tomorrow it will be real bullets."
Eren's lips parted slightly, his heart sinking. He had never seen his family this broken, this terrified. He looked down at his hands, his voice soft but clear.
"If… if pretending to die will protect you all, then maybe…"
"No!" Levi roared, standing up again, his chair toppling backward. He gripped Eren's wrist tightly, his voice shaking with emotion.
"Don't you dare say that! Do you even understand what you're suggesting? Do you know what will happen to me if I lose you, even if it's just pretend?"
Eren blinked up at him, stunned by the desperation in Levi's tone. Levi's grip softened but didn't let go. His voice dropped to a whisper only Eren could hear.
"I can't survive without you, Eren. Don't make me go through that hell."
The tension in the room was unbearable. Mona pressed her face into her hands, sobbing quietly. Zack sat silently, torn between the safety of his family and the pain of his sons. Manager Aai, however, sat with an unreadable expression, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, as though calculating something in the silence.
🌙 Later that Night
The house had grown still, but no one could sleep. Levi and Eren sat together in their room, the moonlight streaming through the curtains.
Eren sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes distant, lost in thought. Levi stood by the window, arms crossed, his jaw clenched.
"Levi…" Eren's voice was soft, almost hesitant.
Levi turned, his shadowed eyes locking onto Eren. "What is it?"
Eren hesitated before speaking. "Maybe… maybe the Manager is right. Maybe if the Master thinks I'm dead, this will all end."
Levi strode over in two steps, grabbing Eren by the shoulders, forcing him to look into his eyes.
"Stop saying that! You don't get it, do you? The moment you disappear, even for a second, I'll go insane. Do you understand me? Insane!"
Eren's lips parted, but words failed him. He could feel Levi's hands trembling against his skin. Levi's usual composed, strong presence was crumbling, and it broke something inside him.
Slowly, Eren raised his hands, gently holding Levi's wrists. "I don't want to hurt you… but I also don't want to see our family destroyed because of me."
Levi's chest rose and fell rapidly, his breath ragged. His forehead pressed against Eren's, their breaths mingling in the quiet night.
"You're not allowed to sacrifice yourself… not for them, not for anyone. You're mine, Eren. Do you hear me? Mine."
Eren's heart thudded painfully in his chest. He wanted to argue, but the raw desperation in Levi's voice silenced him. He simply nodded, his eyes lowering.
Levi pulled him into a fierce embrace, his voice muffled against Eren's shoulder.
"If you even try to leave me… I'll burn the whole world down."
Eren's eyes stung with unshed tears. He hugged Levi back, his voice trembling.
"I won't leave you… I promise…"
🌑 Meanwhile…
In a dark room miles away, the Master sat in his chair, watching multiple screens flicker with footage of the Yeager family. His masked face tilted slightly, and his lips curled into a chilling smile.
"They're finally breaking… soon, Eren Yeager will be mine."
His crimson eyes glowed under the shadow of the hood as he whispered,
"The game has just begun."....