Zeke's pocket watch ticked steadily in his hand. The second hand swept forward, cold and precise. His gaze lifted to Marcel, whose body was trembling faintly, but whose eyes remained firm.
Zeke narrowed his eyes. So, that's it. He's been shielding Reiner all along.
Folding his arms, he gave the boy a chance. "What is it you want to say?"
Marcel inhaled deeply, as though gathering all the air his lungs could carry. His voice shook at first but steadied with resolve. "I… I'm sorry, Captain. Please punish me."
Zeke arched a brow. "Punish you? For what?"
"There were seven of us chosen for training that year," Marcel began, voice clear despite the fire's crackling. "But only six were listed as candidates to inherit the Titans. One of us would be a substitute."
Zeke nodded. He remembered vaguely. He had been seventeen then, already hardened by a decade of training, and marked as the Beast Titan's designated successor. Those children had been ten at most, little soldiers molded from clay, still unformed. They were "consecutives" only in name.
Zeke had never paid close attention to them. But now, Marcel's tone forced him to listen.
"At that time," Marcel continued, "the instructor favored my younger brother, Porco, to inherit the Armored Titan. He believed Porco had the strength and spirit for it."
Reiner stiffened. His eyes darted to Marcel in disbelief.
"I didn't want my brother to inherit a Titan," Marcel confessed, lowering his head. "So I praised Reiner desperately, slandered my brother, and influenced the instructor's judgment. Because of me, Reiner inherited the Armored Titan instead of Porco."
His fists trembled as he spoke. "Strictly speaking, Reiner wasn't the best candidate. The one who truly should have inherited the Armored Titan was my brother. But I… I couldn't bear to let him suffer. A Titan warrior only lives thirteen years after inheriting their power. One warrior in our family was enough."
He raised his head, guilt etched into his young face. "So this is my fault. My selfishness brought us here. Reiner struggles not because of himself—but because I forced this fate onto him. Captain, punish me instead."
Zeke blinked. For a rare moment, the seasoned warrior was at a loss for words. "Are you serious?"
"Yes!" Marcel's voice cracked, but there was no hesitation.
Zeke's gaze hardened. "You didn't want your brother to lose thirteen years of life. But what of Reiner?
You condemned him to those thirteen years instead. Is your brother's life worth more than his?"
Marcel lowered his head in shame. "I… I'm sorry."
The silence was heavy. Finally, Zeke understood. Marcel's endless protection of Reiner wasn't just loyalty. It was guilt.
But before Zeke could speak further, Reiner surged forward. He grabbed Marcel by the collar, shaking him with desperation.
"Marcel! What are you saying? I earned the Armored Titan by my own strength, not because of you!"
"I'm sorry, Reiner." Marcel's voice broke, but he did not resist. "It was my doing. I never imagined the battlefield would be this cruel. I never imagined you would die because of my selfishness. If someone must pay for this, let it be me!"
"Stop it! It's not your—"
But Reiner never finished.
Marcel shoved him hard, forcing him backward—straight toward Zeke.
Zeke instinctively caught the boy, confused for the briefest second. Then the ground trembled.
A shadow erupted from beneath Marcel's feet. A Pure Titan lunged forward with horrifying speed, its maw gaping wide. Marcel had no time to scream before its jaws clamped around his body.
"No!" Zeke roared. He dropped Reiner and bit into his palm, transforming in a flash of light. The Beast Titan's massive form surged upward, claws stretching to pry open the Titan's mouth.
For an instant, it seemed he might save Marcel—
Then the Titan's flat teeth warped, sharpening into serrated blades. In a heartbeat, it evolved.
Not a mindless Titan anymore. The Jaw Titan.
Its jaws snapped down with bone-shattering force. Crunch! The sound echoed, sickening and final.
Pain exploded through Zeke's body. The Jaw Titan had bitten clean through all ten of his massive fingers.
He staggered back, shock coursing through him.
The Jaw Titan twisted free, agile and fast, darting away into the night with its new power.
Zeke gritted his teeth. "Annie! Pursue it! Recover the Titan before it—"
His voice faltered. His golden eyes scanned the clearing.
"Where… is she?"