Kanzaki, carrying the fish he caught, returned home with Mikasa supporting him.
He realized that the period of weakness affected his mind, not his body; he felt sleepy and his physical condition in this weakened state was like that of a small child, not even as good as Mikasa's at the moment.
On the way home, he felt his eyelids fighting and yawned constantly, accompanied by intermittent sharp pains in his head.
"Hiss." Kanzaki frowned and rubbed his head.
"Is Kanzaki Gege tired? Go to my room and get some sleep," Mikasa asked with concern, her big eyes fluttering.
"Ah, ah, aww-hoo, okay~" Kanzaki was too sleepy to speak.
Upon arriving home, Mrs. Ackerman, as usual, praised Kanzaki's capability, then took a knife to prepare the fish. After spending these days together, the Ackerman family had grown accustomed to his presence and treated him like family.
As for Kanzaki's parents, he hadn't mentioned them, and the Ackerman family didn't press the matter. They could probably guess that, although there were currently no Titans Inside the Walls, wickedness still thrived everywhere.
He had been sleeping alone in the forest at the time, so it was highly probable that his parents had met with misfortune. This made the kind Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman even more sympathetic towards him, caring for him no less than they did for Mikasa.
Kanzaki, who had been extremely sleepy, found it hard to immediately retreat to his room for sleep as the Ackerman family warmly invited him to eat when dinner was ready.
Before long, the house was filled with the aroma of fish. Mrs. Ackerman emerged from the kitchen carrying a steaming bowl of fish soup. The table was laden with various dishes: vegetables, wild boar meat, and some picked fruits.
The meal was simple yet full of warmth. The flavors were plain, far from the exquisite taste, aroma, and appearance of the food cooked at his own home, but Kanzaki still tasted the flavor of home.
This taste momentarily made him think of his family. He didn't know if he could ever return to his own world. Although thinking about these things was meaningless now, homesickness is a common sentiment for a Chinese person.
"Kanzaki Gege! Kanzaki Gege! Why aren't you moving your fork?" Mikasa's small hand waved in front of Kanzaki's face from time to time, her clear eyes still pure and untainted; the earliest things are always the most beautiful.
Kanzaki squinted, his head constantly nodding towards the table, just like in a typical math class, overwhelmed by drowsiness.
"Little Kanzaki, are you too tired? You must tell us if you need anything! We've already considered you one of us, so please feel free to stay here. We will be your family from now on." Mrs. Ackerman looked kindly at Kanzaki and put a fish head in his bowl.
"That's right, Little Kanzaki, we're your family now. With your great strength, you can learn blacksmithing with me. You'll surely be a good hand," Mr. Ackerman said, popping a piece of pork into his mouth.
Kanzaki felt incredibly touched by these words. The characters in the anime were truly wonderful, and it was precisely because such goodness was so hard to find in reality that people cherished it all the more.
Kanzaki made up his mind at this moment.
"Thank you, Uncle and Auntie. From now on, you are my only family in this world!" The sleepy Kanzaki forced himself to perk up and said firmly.
As he spoke, Mikasa broke into a brilliant smile, her eyes curving into crescent moons. Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman exchanged glances and also smiled.
"Alright!" A warm atmosphere filled the entire house.
After lunch, Mr. Ackerman was tidying up furniture, and Mrs. Ackerman was knitting a sweater.
Kanzaki was drowsy, his eyelids beginning to droop, but he suddenly remembered something important. He surveyed the cozy little home, determined to save this family that had welcomed him, an uninvited guest. He decided to immediately tell Mikasa's father to seek help from the Military Police Brigade or move immediately.
He stealthily approached Mr. Ackerman, tiptoeing.
Seeing this, Mr. Ackerman immediately stopped what he was doing, wiped his hands with a cloth, looked at the black-haired, black-eyed child in front of him, and squatted down, smiling kindly: "What's wrong, Kanzaki?"
"Uncle, this forest is very dangerous. I encountered bandits there and got separated from my family. It's not safe here. Why don't we move?" Kanzaki said, somewhat weakly.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Ackerman looked into Kanzaki's eyes, momentarily stunned by the pure black pupils. He stood up and said, "Kanzaki, come with me."
Kanzaki followed Mr. Ackerman outside. Mikasa looked on curiously, then turned to her mother and asked, "Mama, what are Papa and Kanzaki doing?"
"They have things to worry about as the pillars of the family," Mrs. Ackerman said with a gentle smile.
"Kanzaki, are you truly willing to consider us your family?" Mr. Ackerman asked solemnly, placing his hand on Kanzaki's shoulder.
Kanzaki was momentarily stunned, then his gaze became resolute: "I am! If it weren't for you, I don't know which wild wolf would have carried me off in the forest by now."
"Good, Kanzaki. If you are truly willing to accept us and trust us, could you tell me your parents' surname, or rather, your real surname? Although it's a bit presumptuous, I must say I have never heard of the surname Kanzaki. I know it might be for your protection, but please trust us, we will protect you," Mr. Ackerman said solemnly.
Kanzaki looked at Mikasa's father, so solemn and serious, and for a moment didn't know how to explain. His surname was indeed not just rare but nonexistent in the Western world of Paradis Island. Although there was the Higashi Clan from Hizuru Outside the Walls, they probably wouldn't believe there were humans Outside the Walls.
Since that was the case, Kanzaki slightly clenched his fist.
"Ackerman, my surname is Ackerman," Kanzaki said with resolute eyes. His physical abilities would definitely grow stronger in the future, and using this surname would surely save him a lot of trouble.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Ackerman's eyes flashed with shock. He quickly looked left and right, then grabbed Kanzaki and rushed to the backyard before setting him down.
Mr. Ackerman's heart was in turmoil at this moment.
When he first saw Kanzaki's black hair and black eyes, he had guessed whether Kanzaki might belong to the Higashi Clan like his wife, or even be from the persecuted Ackerman Clan. Because of this, he had been especially friendly to Kanzaki and quickly accepted him. Now, hearing his surname, he finally confirmed that he was indeed from the Ackerman Clan, his own kin.
"So that's how it is," Mr. Ackerman couldn't help but show a bitter smile.
"The people who captured you were probably not bandits at all, but people from the Military Police Brigade. Your parents have likely met with misfortune, Kanzaki. We cannot move," Mr. Ackerman said.
"Why? The security here is very poor. What if nearby bandits or robbers come here..." Kanzaki asked, puzzled. Wasn't Mikasa's father worried at all?
"Because I am also an Ackerman," Mr. Ackerman said, pulling out a strand of hair and placing it in a nearby water tub. After soaking for a long time, the golden hair revealed a black root.
Kanzaki was shocked. He had never imagined that Mikasa's father would have black hair, or even be from the Ackerman Clan.
"The royal family has been slaughtering Ackerman clan members for many years. We fled from the Central Government to Shiganshina. To avoid being hunted by the Central Government, I could only hide here with my family. I suppose your family is the same as ours, alas," Mr. Ackerman said sadly.
"This place is far from the Military Police Brigade's station and very remote. When residents here encounter criminals, and call the Military Police, they refuse to come because it's remote and not very profitable. After all, we are all commoners without much status. So, although there are usually some bandits and thieves here, it's much safer than being wanted by the Military Police Brigade," Mr. Ackerman explained.
"But, soon there will be..." Kanzaki immediately said, anxious upon hearing this.
As he spoke, Kanzaki's brain suddenly throbbed with a sharp pain, his mind went blank, and his steps became unsteady, on the verge of collapsing.
Seeing this, Mr. Ackerman quickly supported Kanzaki, picked him up, and said, "Don't worry. I've been blacksmithing for many years, and my body is quite strong. Although I haven't awakened the Ackerman Clan's potential as my elders said I would, it should be enough to protect you all."
No! No! What was I supposed to say?! Why can't I suddenly remember?! Kanzaki's brain was in excruciating pain at this moment, and due to extreme panic, large beads of sweat began to stream down his back.
Something dangerous is approaching!
Kanzaki was carried by Mr. Ackerman to the bed in Mikasa's room and covered with a blanket.
"Kanzaki, your body looks very unwell. You should rest for a bit. A guest will be arriving soon who can help check on you; his medical skills are quite remarkable," Mr. Ackerman said, then exited the room.
"Guests? What important thing did I forget…?" Kanzaki clutched his throbbing head. "What's going on? Why does my head hurt so much?"
"No!" A huge wave of drowsiness and intense pain swept over his brain. He fought through the discomfort and rushed out of the room, grabbing the iron hammer by the door.
On the other side, Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman were whispering to each other. Mikasa's mother's eyes showed shock, then a hint of heartache.
Kanzaki, suddenly rushing out, immediately caught their attention.
Mr. Ackerman noticed that Kanzaki easily picked up the twenty-pound hammer, and his eyes flickered.
"Kanzaki Gege?" Mikasa asked curiously, her big eyes wide.
"What's wrong? Kanzaki… Kanzaki, if you need any help, just treat this place like your own home," Mrs. Ackerman quickly asked.
"Nothing, I just want to go out and get some fresh air," Kanzaki said with a slight smile.
"Is that so?" Mrs. Ackerman was about to put down her embroidery immediately upon hearing this.
"It's alright, I'll go with him for a walk. Mikasa, you stay home with Mama for now," Mr. Ackerman said.
"Okay," Mikasa nodded obediently.
Mr. Ackerman took Kanzaki out the door.
"I didn't expect you to be so strong. If you come with me to the blacksmith shop to forge iron in the future, you'll definitely be a great help," Mr. Ackerman said.
"Is it our family's shop?" Kanzaki asked.
Mr. Ackerman was delighted to hear this: "Yes, I opened a blacksmith shop in the village. Everyone comes to me when they need something. From now on, I'll be relying on you."
"No problem," Kanzaki replied.
"Kanzaki, please take good care of Mikasa in the future. She is a very kind girl," Mr. Ackerman instructed.
Upon hearing this, Kanzaki felt a surge of determination, nodded heavily, and immediately said, "Uncle, I want to patrol the vicinity with you, if that's alright?"
"Are you worried about bandits nearby? No problem, I'll go with you." Mr. Ackerman immediately grabbed an axe and took Kanzaki to observe and search the nearby paths and hills.
The two searched together for a long time without success, then returned home.
Kanzaki also felt a little relieved, thinking he might have been overthinking things, or perhaps he was just too nervous having just arrived in this world… In the dense forest behind the house, deep within a thicket of bushes, a fat man was snoring in a tent.
Suddenly, the fat man woke up, startling the other two sleeping men beside him.
"What are you doing! You scared me!" The tall, strong man beside him complained.
"I just dreamt I was eaten by a Titan! Damn it, I never dream, why did I suddenly dream today?" The fat man said, sweating profusely.
"Burei! Why are you sleeping too! Weren't you supposed to be on watch!" The fat man shouted at the other man, who was rubbing his eyes.
"I don't know why, but I suddenly felt a bit sleepy and just dozed off for a bit," Burei said dazedly. He didn't know what happened, he just suddenly felt very sleepy.
"Damn it! We're half an hour behind schedule! Quickly tie up that family. Once we finish this job, we'll all be people of the Central Government!" The fat man cursed, pulling out his pocket watch to check the time.
The men, upon hearing this, became as excited as if they'd been injected with adrenaline. They carefully approached the Ackerman family with their weapons… "Mikasa, look, this embroidery is an art passed down through our family for generations. Mikasa, you must teach it to your children when you have them," Mrs. Ackerman said kindly to Mikasa, holding up a piece of fabric.
"How do you have children?" Mikasa asked with innocent curiosity, her big eyes fluttering.
"Ah, well, you should ask Papa, he knows," Mrs. Ackerman decisively passed the buck to Mr. Ackerman.
He, who was peeling potatoes, instantly panicked upon hearing this.
"Ah, this, this, ah, that's right! Doctor Yeager will be here soon. Mikasa, you can ask Doctor Yeager later," Mr. Ackerman said, sweating and at a loss.
Mrs. Ackerman couldn't help but cover her mouth and snicker beside him.
Mikasa showed a bewildered expression, then suddenly had an idea and prepared to ask Kanzaki.
At this moment, Kanzaki was lying on the bed, feeling groggy.
He found that after activating the system, he was not at full strength. The lightning power in his body was recovering little by little, very slowly, and rapid energy recovery required his dormancy. If he slept for twenty minutes, his electrical energy would recover, and his spirit would be absolutely refreshed.
Kanzaki only hoped that once he killed a Pure Titan and completely unlocked his bloodline, there might not be such a long cooldown period. Even without lightning power, he could protect himself. Being a perpetual motion machine was the safest state in chaotic times.
"I must become stronger and protect Mikasa," Kanzaki secretly vowed in his heart.
Kanzaki, who had been on high alert for a long time, found his eyelids drooping uncontrollably. He couldn't hold on any longer and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.
Massive energies, shimmering with arcs of electricity and containing extremely rich life force, surged from beyond endless space-time towards Mr. Ackerman's direction outside Kanzaki's house, only to be extinguished in mid-air, slowly fading away… A figure from beyond endless space-time turned back in surprise to look at another figure, and both figures slowly dissipated… "Kanzaki Gege." Mikasa, thinking Kanzaki was asleep, called out softly.
"I'm not asleep yet… What's wrong?" Kanzaki struggled to open his eyes, seeing Mikasa squatting and leaning on the edge of the bed.
"How do you have children?" Mikasa's curious eyes seemed to glow.
"Oh, having children, that's when a husband and…" Kanzaki mumbled, extremely drowsy.
"Ah!" A scream reached Kanzaki's ears, and he suddenly leaped from the bed.
Kanzaki quickly rushed out of the bedroom, with Mikasa close behind. However, upon seeing the scene before him, his pupils suddenly constricted, and at that moment, his heart was filled with endless regret.
A burly man with a flat top and a full beard pulled a knife from Mr. Ackerman's chest. Beside him stood two tall, strong men with buzz cuts. He glanced at Mrs. Ackerman at the dining table, then swept his gaze to Kanzaki and Mikasa standing at the bedroom door.
"Sorry to intrude."
Mrs. Ackerman's mouth was slightly agape, her eyes trembling. She stared in disbelief at the blood-stained dagger in the intruder's hand, slowly reaching out to touch the scissors on the table.
"Stay put, unless you want your head chopped off," one of the tall, strong men beside the fat man said, raising the axe in his hand and waving it menacingly.
"Ha!" Suddenly, Mrs. Ackerman fiercely grabbed the scissors from the table and lunged at the tall, strong man.
Mikasa watched her mother rush out in utter panic. The tall, strong man was caught by the arm, stumbled, and bumped into the fat man next to him.
Mrs. Ackerman gripped the tall, strong man's arm tightly, her eyes wide, and screamed tragically:
"Mikasa, Kanzaki, run!"
"Mama… Mama…" Mikasa looked helpless, turning her gaze to Mr. Ackerman, who lay on the ground beside the chair. The floor was now covered in blood.
"Papa…" Mikasa called out helplessly.
"Damn you all!!" Kanzaki's heart was now filled with rage, and he let out a roar.
Kanzaki forced himself to stay awake, but the exhaustion of his energy from forced movement made him dizzy. He gritted his teeth, took a step forward, and the wooden floorboards shattered. His palm flew straight at the fat trafficker, who didn't even consider that an eight or nine-year-old child would attack.
Moreover, Kanzaki's speed, enhanced by his Ackerman bloodline, surpassed that of an average adult. The fat man didn't even react.
Kanzaki instantly extended his left hand and slammed it down hard on the fat man's knife-wielding arm, while his palm reached for the fat man's nape.
Kanzaki grabbed the fat man's nape, and his left hand slammed hard into the fat man's stomach. The fat man screamed and fell to the ground, spitting out some bile. He struggled to grab the knife on the ground.
But he was too weak at this moment, somewhat exhausted, otherwise, this punch would definitely have incapacitated the fat man.
The tall, strong man holding the axe beside him was also momentarily distracted by the sudden turn of events.
Kanzaki gritted his teeth and, using all his strength, punched the fat man in the back of the head, instantly knocking him unconscious on the ground.
"You bastard! Die!"
He picked up the knife from the ground and, gritting his teeth, plunged it fiercely into the fat man's heart.
However, he had been forcing himself to stay awake. Before he could swing the knife down, his electrical energy was depleted, and he hadn't had time to rest. He suddenly felt dizzy, his steps unsteady, almost collapsing to the ground.