The two young soldiers stuck out their tongues in embarrassment and quickly retreated behind Erwin and Levi, trying to look invisible.
"You…" Keith Shadis rubbed his forehead, exasperated. Erwin Smith had always been unshakable—disobedient even when it came to closing the city gates without orders, leaving soldiers and refugees outside to die. Keith knew then that this subordinate no longer saw him as a superior.
He sighed and asked sharply, "How can you be certain this Titan is dead? Normally, Titans vanish when they die. This one's body hasn't disappeared yet. Could it still be alive?"
"Scary!" The residents of Blanca Town gasped, clutching one another in fear.
Carla, unable to run due to her injured leg, trembled as she watched. Her little son, Eren, curious as ever, spotted a person emerging from the crowd holding a Titan's head.
The boy's eyes widened. He took a step forward, reaching out with a hand filled with childlike wonder.
"Hey, little guy! Are you curious about Titans too? Interested in joining my research team?" said Hange Zoë, smiling brightly as she cheerfully offered him the grotesque trophy.
The Titan's face seemed to draw Eren closer, a magnetic pull he couldn't resist.
"Eren!" Carla screamed, yanking her son back by the arm.
"Mom?" Eren blinked, confused by her sudden panic.
"Enough, Eren! Stop doing these strange things!" Carla's voice trembled as she held him close.
"Please—just listen to me. Don't go near the Titans. Don't think about the outside world anymore! Isn't it enough to live an ordinary life with me here?"
"Mom…" Eren's throat tightened, his small fists trembling with frustration.
No one noticed the way Keith's expression changed—how Carla's words struck him like lightning, leaving him frozen. The strength that had once driven him to chase dreams beyond the walls shattered in that instant.
"Carla…" he whispered, eyes filled with a sadness he couldn't voice.
Meanwhile, Erwin stepped forward. "Captain, Squad Leader Hange and I have confirmed the Titan's death. No matter what we do, it shows no reaction. It's safe."
Eren turned quickly. "See, Mom? He said the Titan's head is safe!"
Hange beamed. "That's right! So, little guy—want to touch it?"
Eren's eyes sparkled. "Can I?"
But Carla tightened her grip, face pale. "Eren!"
"Hey, hey, why stop the child's curiosity?" Hange teased with a grin. "At this age, the more you forbid him, the more he'll—huh?"
She froze mid-sentence, finally noticing a familiar blond young man standing nearby. "Wait—Zeke-chan!?"
In her excitement, Hange lifted the Titan's head higher, grinning from ear to ear. "I didn't expect to see you here! Are these… your relatives?"
Zeke's heart nearly stopped.
Why are you talking to me? he cursed silently. Don't draw attention. Not now.
"Zeke-chan?" Hange tilted her head.
"Brother Zeke?" Eren echoed in confusion, looking up at him.
Everyone turned toward him. With nowhere left to hide, Zeke exhaled slowly, forcing a polite smile. "…Hi."
"Hi~!" Hange chirped. "You probably don't remember me—we've met before, but never properly!
I'm Hange Zoë, Squad Leader of the Second Division of the Survey Corps! After you finish with Erwin, how about we set up a meeting? I'm always free~"
Zeke blinked, momentarily dazed. "...Okay."
Eren's eyes widened again as he stared at the Titan's head. "Whoa! You lifted it with just one hand!"
"Hehehe~" Hange chuckled, pride sparkling in her eyes. In front of the astonished children, she began tossing the massive head back and forth—left hand, right hand, left again—like it was nothing but a leather ball.
"Wow!" Eren gasped. "You're so strong!"
"Hahahaha!" Hange laughed triumphantly, completely absorbed in her own excitement. "It's not me that's strong—it's the Titan's head that's light! Look, see?"
She started showing off, bouncing the Titan's head on her knees and feet as if she were juggling a ball.
"The head's really that light?" someone murmured in disbelief.
"Unbelievable…"
Eren's mouth hung open. "That's amazing!"
Whether he meant Hange's courage or her ball-handling skills, no one could tell.
Hange grinned wildly, voice rising with glee. "It's incredible, right? The Titan's head is so light! When I first picked it up, I thought it'd be heavy—but no! I accidentally kicked it earlier and realized—this is the greatest scientific discovery ever! The Titan's head is light as air!"
Laughter and murmurs spread through the crowd. Some watched in fascination; others, in terror.
But Zeke—Zeke's world had gone silent.
His eyes locked on the head—her head—being tossed and kicked like a toy.
His mother's head.
His breath stopped.
He couldn't hear the laughter, the shouts, or even his own heartbeat. The background dissolved into nothing.
Inside his mind, a voice screamed desperately—
Zeke, control yourself!
Calm down!
That's not her!
That's just a mindless Titan!
She doesn't remember you.
She would've eaten you.
You came here to fix everything—to claim the Founding Titan, to rewrite the world!
You've succeeded so far.
Carla's alive.
Wall Maria still stands.
You're so close to changing history!
Don't throw it away now.
Don't move.
Don't feel.
She's already dead.
The dead don't need your protection.
They don't even know what you're doing.
If you break now, if you lash out, everything will be lost.
You'll fail.
You'll all die.
Zeke's hands trembled violently.
Pretend you didn't see.
Pretend you don't care.
Pretend you're just another bystander.
"She won't blame you," the voice insisted.
"She's gone. Let go."
But then Hange's voice rang out again—bright and careless:
"See, everyone? There's nothing to fear! Though we couldn't retake Shiganshina, we did secure Adam in the battle to defend Wall Maria! I'll take this Titan back for dissection and uncover every secret of its body! When we expose the truth of the Titans, humanity will finally fight back!"
Dissection.
That word shattered everything.
Something deep inside Zeke snapped—so loud he could almost hear it.
He knew he would regret it.
He knew he shouldn't.
He knew this would destroy everything he'd built.
But some things were heavier than logic.
Heavier than the mission.
Heavier than the future.
He moved before he could think.
Zeke roared and punched Hange square in the face.
...
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