Paradis Island.
On the vast, boundless plains, Lucien rode a bicycle with one hand, a cigarette pinched between his right fingers, smoke curling into the air. He wore a white T-shirt, green beach shorts, and light-yellow flip-flops. Mindless Titans stood scattered around like silent sentinels, watching him leisurely pedal forward.
Counting travel time, Lucien had been away for one month in total. The first ten days were spent journeying, the next fifteen within the Marley Empire, and the last five returning to Eldian Paradis Island.
The Marley Empire now teetered on the brink of collapse, war raging across its lands. Beyond Paradis, it was nothing short of a world war.
Lucien's return was motivated by two possible methods he had devised to escape this world. Throughout this time, Armin had been on his mind constantly.
The first possibility: not all key supporting characters or villains had been killed, which might be a hidden condition.
The second: if eliminating all supporting characters and villains proved insufficient, he could initiate the Rumbling, unleashing the Colossal Titans within the three Walls to flatten the world.
Either way, Lucien was determined to leave this world and enter a New World. He had only thirteen years of life. Even after devouring all the Titans and Ymir, his lifespan hadn't increased.
He could easily have become king of this world, but what use was power without time to enjoy it?
Thus, Lucien's ambition burned: he would become a god, control his own destiny, and seek endless life.
Beneath him, his bicycle—a simple off-road model he had drawn in the ninth natural month—was ordinary in appearance but perfectly suited to him.
[One ordinary off-road bicycle. Description: An open-top off-road roadster, fitness ignition key, manual and automatic transmission, 360-degree panoramic view, suspended cockpit, British luxury style, hand-controlled steering, single-cylinder roaring engine, highlighting your low-key luxurious temperament, and equipped with a rear seat.]
It lacked the miraculous qualities of his beach shorts—no self-repair, no flight, no tunneling—but for Lucien, it was sufficient.
The only nuisance remained his persistent hemorrhoids, tormenting him continuously for eleven more months. No ointment had any effect. A true agony.
His eyes, too, could not return to normal.
"At this pace, it will take time; I cannot waste it."
He finished the last puff of the cigar, exhaling a cloud of smoke, and waved to a sixteen-meter-tall Mindless Titan nearby. Like a loyal dog, it approached respectfully and lay down. With a thought, Lucien controlled it effortlessly.
"Which direction?" he muttered.
The bicycle, stored in his Waste Golden Finger space, was mounted onto the Titan's shoulder using Geppo. He pointed casually toward Maria Wall.
"Spread your arms."
At Lucien's command, the Titan ran forward, arms extended, swift and tireless. Meanwhile, Lucien practiced Thunder Breathing atop it, his body straining under the regimen. His breathing, normally chaotic during exertion, had to remain controlled. Every internal organ felt aflame, yet his mastery grew.
Six hours later, Maria Wall came into view. The Mindless Titan beneath him, an Abnormal, moved faster than any normal Giant, never tiring.
"It's a Giant."
"How… someone riding it?"
On Maria Wall, garrison soldiers stared, faces pale, as Lucien approached.
Three hours later, Lucien stood atop the Wall, back to the city within. He surveyed the horizon. The sound of Vertical Maneuvering Equipment heralded the arrival of Erwin, Armin, Connie, Jean, Hange, and the new queen, Krista. Soldiers surrounded them, weapons aimed both overtly and covertly.
"What do you intend to do?" Erwin asked, face resolute yet powerless.
"Don't you want to know the truth of the world?" Lucien said calmly, still not turning around.
"You already obtained what we sought from Eren's basement," Krista added, frustration in her tone. After all, Lucien had eaten Eren, Ymir, and even killed Mikasa.
"No," Lucien replied, turning slowly. His Amethyst patterned eyes reflected the starry sky. "I mean the full history of the past 2,000 years—why Eldians are called devils."
Everyone paused, stunned at the transformation.
"Your eyes…"
Lucien snapped his fingers. Instantly, he and all Eldians millions of them—were transported into Ymir's Realm. A desolate desert stretched beneath a starry sky, with a mysterious pillar of light connecting heaven and earth.
"Where is this?"
"Calm yourselves. What you see is the true history of the Eldians."
Lucien spoke evenly, and panic subsided. Before them, history unfolded: the tribal era, Ymir's slavery, Eldians wielding Titan powers to dominate others, their rise and fall.
For a month, the Eldians watched silently, learning why their people were called devils, how Titans shaped their world, and the nature of the outside world.
"Snap!"
Another finger snap restored them. In reality, only an instant had passed.
"What… did I see?"
"This… is the true truth of the world."
On Maria Wall, Erwin, Connie, and the civilians struggled to remain composed.
"The outside world is at war. Paradis Island is your paradise. I will modify your genes to make you stronger and smarter," Lucien declared.
"Armin, you will sacrifice, along with the others." Lucien's gaze swept over Erwin, Krista, Connie, and Jean.
"Okay," Armin said calmly, resigned. He understood Lucien now controlled the lives of all Eldians. Since Eren's death, he had nothing left to fight for.
"It won't cause pain," Lucien assured, stepping forward and brushing past Armin. The latter collapsed, gradually losing consciousness.
Connie and the others gripped their blades tightly, yet they could not resist.
[System Interface: Successfully hunted an important supporting character in the Attack on Titan world: Armin Arlert. Rewards: Dice rolls based on the situation. Congratulations, you have received three chances, Luck +1.]
Lucien opened the light screen and rolled the Dice. The cubes jumped across three squares, and his Luck stat was applied.
[Random Transmigration +1. Transmigrate? Description: Can transmigrate to other worlds at any time. Please use with caution.]
A faint smile crossed Lucien's lips. Killing the Child of Destiny and all key supporting characters or villains might indeed grant a random transmigration.
His next world remained unknown, so he would remain in this one a while longer, continuing to train.
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