Lucien stood atop the towering wall, the strong wind tugging at his hair.
Commander Pixis had just ordered the Garrison Regiment and the 104th Training Corps to lure the Titans toward the corner of the wall. Eren, once transformed, was to carry a distant boulder and seal the broken outer gate.
Lucien was not surprised by this plan, though he had also been conscripted into the operation.
Moreover, Commander Pixis seemed aware that Lucien had received an exceptional promotion to the Survey Corps from Erwin; perhaps word of it had already circulated among the higher ranks. Or perhaps he had obtained information from the woman named Anka earlier.
Thus, Lucien was assigned to the group tasked with protecting Eren, specifically clearing the Titans around him.
Armin, Mikasa, Connie, and most importantly, Zhou Wei, were all part of this team.
Now Zhou Wei appeared completely transformed, dressed in a yellow combat uniform with Vertical Maneuvering Equipment. Lucien doubted he himself could use it; even when he first acquired it, mastering it had taken careful study.
Yet Zhou Wei, after staring into the air for barely ten seconds, maneuvered the equipment with uncanny skill.
If this wasn't a golden opportunity granted by fate, Lucien would livestream himself eating feces upside down.
His mood weighed heavily on him. Someone capable of learning complex skills almost instantly was unfathomable, and the number of hidden abilities he might possess was incalculable.
"Begin operation."
As Lucien contemplated this, a signal flare shot into the sky. Soldiers leapt from the wall, executing their respective missions.
"Eren."
Connie, Mikasa, Armin, Zhou Wei, Jean, and the others flew toward the outer gate wall, with Lucien following discreetly. He decided to hide his strength. With Zhou Wei present, he believed the operation would be far easier than the original scenario.
As expected, Zhou Wei's power astonished everyone. Titans became nothing more than playthings, dispatched with ease.
Lucien acted cautiously, taking time to eliminate a single Titan, appearing strained and exhausted.
"Zhou Wei is incredible," Connie murmured, envy evident as he watched Zhou Wei cut through more than ten Titans with effortless precision.
"Eren, now!"
They arrived at the boulder. Eren needed only to transform and carry it to block the outer gate.
"Understood."
Biting his index finger, Eren let blood drip. A golden lightning bolt descended from the sky, accompanied by a deafening roar and strong winds, transforming him into the black-haired, blue-eyed Attack Titan.
Eren struggled to maintain consciousness, even lashing out at Mikasa in confusion, before collapsing in front of the boulder, steam rising from his body.
Armin's presence awakened him. With a frustrated roar, Eren lifted the boulder, steam pouring off him as he walked toward the outer gate.
All Mindless Titans attempting to block him were eliminated by Zhou Wei, Mikasa, and the others.
Boom. The ground shook as the boulder crashed against the gate, sealing the breach.
"Success…"
Connie and the others stared in astonishment.
"Fire the signal."
The flare lit the sky. Soldiers who had lured the Titans, and those stationed elsewhere, expressed relief and excitement.
"Commander Pixis, we succeeded. The outer gate is blocked."
Cheers erupted. The blocked gate represented hope—they could reclaim Wall Maria.
At the gate, Mikasa and Armin pulled Eren from the nape, still too exhausted to remain calm.
"Did we succeed?"
Eren's eyes were half-closed, his strength nearly gone.
"Eren, we succeeded," Armin said, glancing at the sealed gate.
At that moment, five Titans broke through the blockade set by Zhou Wei, Connie, and the others.
"Damn it."
Mikasa and Armin's expressions hardened.
Whoosh. Two figures arrived. Levi dispatched three Titans with lightning speed, while Zhou Wei eliminated the other two.
"Who can explain this?"
Levi stood atop a Titan, casting a glance at Zhou Wei before focusing on Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. The Survey Corps had arrived.
With their presence, all Titans within the southern region of Trost District were eliminated in half a day.
The next task: interrogating Eren and deciding his placement.
Lucien, disinterested in politics, returned to his ruined residence. One room remained intact. Not yet a full member of the Survey Corps, he enjoyed relative freedom.
He recalled that soon, all 104th cadets would select their regiments. Mikasa, Armin, and others would undoubtedly join the Survey Corps. Then would come the 57th expedition beyond the walls, where the Female Titan, Annie, would appear.
It was time for him to act, though the most unpredictable factor remained Zhou Wei.
That night, the stars were exceptionally bright. At Survey Corps headquarters, Erwin gazed out the window, while Levi sat drinking and reading.
"What do you make of Zhou Wei?"
Two documents lay on Erwin's desk: one on Lucien, the other on Zhou Wei. Tangible data existed for Lucien, but the sudden appearance of Zhou Wei piqued Erwin's interest.
From Mikasa and others' testimonies, Zhou Wei possessed unknown abilities: conjuring a golden creature from his hand, killing Titans with a single strike, and moving faster than human limits. Yet records indicated he was from Wall Maria, with ancestors traced five generations back. No discrepancies arose.
Erwin felt something was amiss. Lucien was predictable, but Zhou Wei left a strange impression.
"Are you suspicious?" Levi asked, gaze sharp.
Erwin examined the documents silently, then said, "Tomorrow, we interrogate Eren. Find a way to keep him in the Survey Corps."
"Understood."
The night was restless. Eren remained locked in an underground cell, oblivious to the midnight moon overhead.
Lucien lay in bed, preparing to roll the Dice for the third natural month. Anticipation and doubt coiled within him.
"Let's begin!"
The Dice spun, hopping three squares. Light flashed, revealing an item in Lucien's hand.
"One lighter."
[System Interface] Description: "The main components of a lighter are the ignition mechanism and the gas tank. When operated, it produces sparks that ignite the gas, used for fire, smoking, or cooking."
Lucien held a simple lighter, comparable to a roadside stall item. An anticlimactic outcome after a month's anticipation, yet even this small tool could prove useful in unforeseen ways.
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