Once Reiner had steadied himself, the four warriors pressed on.
Night cloaked the wilderness in silence.
Under the cover of darkness, they moved unhindered, their breaths mingling with the chill of the air. Scattered across the plains lay Titans—dozens of them, slumped against the soil or sprawled on their backs.
Their massive chests rose and fell with deep, uneven snores, as if they were nothing more than slumbering beasts. Crawlers twitched in restless sleep, while others lay sprawled like discarded dolls.
To the young warriors, who had never traveled this far into the wilderness before, it was a shocking sight. Annie and Bertolt slowed their pace, staring at the dozing Titans with uneasy wonder.
"They… they actually sleep," Bertolt whispered, his voice caught between relief and disbelief.
"I always thought they wandered endlessly."
Zeke sneered, the sound low and mocking. "To think you're surprised by this."
Unlike the recruits, he wasn't startled in the least.
He had seen this same sight countless times—both here and in Marley's hidden bases.
Royal blood. That was his curse, and his privilege.
When Marley had discovered his lineage, they had bled him dry—literally. His spinal fluid became a tool, used to create obedient Titans.
Those creatures, unlike the aimless wanderers of Paradis, responded only to his command.
They were herded like livestock, unleashed as vanguards in war, and—if they survived—dragged back to secret facilities where they wandered during the day and collapsed into slumber at night.
It was no different from what he saw now. Titans were puppets, living weapons. He had stopped feeling awe for them long ago.
By dawn, their path had carried them to the edge of history itself. Rising in the pale morning light was a monolith so vast it seemed to scrape the heavens—Wall Maria.
The first of the three concentric walls, built centuries ago when King Fritz withdrew to this island with his people. Its sheer presence made the young warriors' hearts thunder in their chests.
"There it is," Bertolt breathed. His eyes gleamed as he scrambled up the Armored Titan's plated shoulder, Annie following after him to gain a clearer view. "We're finally here!"
The sight filled him with both awe and purpose. The wall meant progress. The wall meant their mission was truly within reach.
"It was the right choice to follow Captain Zeke!" Bertolt exclaimed, grinning despite himself. "If it were just us, wandering blindly, we'd never have made it this quickly. Ten days—half a month, even—and we still might not have reached the wall!"
For the first time, he realized what it meant to be led by a true warrior, someone who carried both strength and experience.
His own weakness from the night before—the memory of his cowardice as he tried to flee—gnawed at him now.
That was no warrior's spirit.
And yet, Captain Zeke hadn't punished him. He had simply led them onward. Thanks to that, they now stood before the very wall they had sworn to breach.
Sliding down Reiner's Titan form, Bertolt turned with renewed determination. "Reiner, you should rest. Regain your strength. The next step is critical—breaking the wall, just as planned."
"Planned?" Zeke echoed, dropping to the ground with narrowed eyes. "What plan?"
"The Wall-Breaking Plan!" Bertolt tilted his head in confusion. "This is Commander Magath's operation… you don't know?"
Zeke blinked. This was the first he had heard of it.
Annie landed beside them, arms crossed. "It's not strange. While Magath was explaining the terrain and battle plan, Captain Zeke was lying in the princess's lap. Naturally, he missed the details."
The jab struck sharp, but Zeke forced his expression into calm disinterest. "Fine. Tell me, then—what is this plan of yours?"
Obligingly, Bertolt dug into his pack and produced a worn blueprint. Kneeling on the ground, he unrolled it for all to see.
Reiner, exhausted, had dispelled his Titan form and now leaned heavily against a tree, sweat slicking his brow as he tried to catch his breath.
The map before them was simple—three concentric circles, nothing more.
"This is what Commander Magath gave us," Bertolt explained eagerly. He pointed to the outer ring.
"Here—this is Wall Maria, the first wall. Then Wall Rose, then Wall Sina."
Zeke studied crude drawing. The so-called "plan" was almost laughable. There were no details, no sketches of districts or city gates, only circles scrawled by someone imagining what they could not possibly know.
He thought bitterly, If I hadn't set foot on this island before, even I might've believed such nonsense.
Still, ignorance bred confidence. Magath, never having seen the island, had no choice but to rely on myth and guesswork. Three perfect circles were all his imagination could conjure.
Bertolt, oblivious to Zeke's silent derision, continued. "These three walls were named after the daughters of King Fritz—Maria, Rose, and Sina.
They're massive, indestructible. Not even the Armored Titan could bring one down."
His finger pressed to the outer ring. "But every fortress has its weakness. And for these walls…"
He looked up, eyes flashing.
"…their weakness is the gates."