The world blurred into a smear of sound and light.
My heartbeat thundered in my ears.
My bones vibrated like they were going to burst out of my skin.
Every breath came out as hot steam.
Eren took one step closer.
Just one.
"Armin… what's happening to him?" he asked, voice shaking.
That step was enough.
Enough to snap the last thread of control I had.
Heat surged through my veins—
my spine arched painfully—
a scream tore from my throat—
"GET AWAY!"
But it was too late.
---
BOOM—!!!
A shockwave of steam exploded off my body, ripping the blanket clean out of my hands.
Children screamed.
Soldiers turned in alarm.
Mikasa immediately shoved herself in front of Eren and Armin, shielding them with her body.
"Stay back!"
Armin's eyes widened in horror.
"J-Junta—! No—!!"
White steam poured off me like wildfire.
My skin glowed with heat.
The ground beneath me cracked.
My vision pulsed.
Flashes of ribs.
Teeth.
A massive hand forming around me—
only half-formed—
bone melting into muscle—
"No—no—NONONO—!!" I screamed, clutching my head.
The incomplete Titan was trying to claw its way out of me.
The man with the dark hair took one step forward, his expression deadly calm.
"Everyone. Move."
Even his voice felt sharp.
A few soldiers recognized him.
"S-Sir Kade?!"
Kade.
So that was his name.
He didn't look at them.
His eyes stayed on me.
"Kid," he said quietly, "either you're about to explode, or you're about to kill everyone here."
My throat clenched.
His hand hovered near his blade.
Not drawn yet.
But ready.
Ready to kill me if necessary.
I stumbled backward, falling to my knees.
My hands dug into the dirt, burning it black.
Steam shot upward in violent bursts.
My body shook uncontrollably.
[WARNING: 72% TRANSFORMATION]
[Unstable Titan form detected]
[System cannot regulate energy while Eren Jaeger is within 10 meters]
I screamed through my teeth:
"Eren—get—AWAY!"
Eren staggered.
"What? Why?! What did I do?!"
Armin grabbed Eren's arm.
"Eren—please—just move back! Mikasa, pull him—!"
Mikasa didn't question.
She seized Eren with iron strength and dragged him back.
Eren struggled.
"No! Armin, what's happening to him?! Why's he—?!"
"MOVE, EREN!!" Armin shouted, voice cracking.
For once, Eren listened.
They retreated as far as they could in the crowded camp.
And the moment Eren's distance increased—
The burning inside me dropped sharply.
From unbearable… to manageable.
My body collapsed forward, trembling violently.
Steam still poured off me—but slower.
The glowing in my skin dimmed.
The Titan bones that had begun forming around my ribs… crumbled into dust.
My breath shook in ragged gasps.
I was alive.
Barely.
---
Kade watched it all happen without blinking.
When the steam finally began to settle, he stepped toward me.
Slow.
Measured.
Silent.
I forced myself to look up.
His expression didn't show fear.
Or disgust.
Just… suspicion.
And calculation.
Like he was solving a puzzle.
And I was the puzzle.
He knelt in front of me and spoke quietly, so only I could hear:
"That wasn't normal steam."
My breath hitched.
He leaned closer.
"Tell me… what are you holding inside your body?"
I shook my head violently.
"N-Nothing. I don't— I swear— I don't—!!"
He didn't believe a word.
His hand rose to my chin—
not gently, not roughly.
Just… firm.
"You're shaking like someone who's trying not to change shape," he whispered.
"I've seen animals do that before a transformation."
I froze.
He looked straight into my eyes.
"You're not human, are you?"
The world went still.
My heart plummeted into my stomach.
Armin shouted from behind us—
"Kade, stop! He's just injured—!!"
But Kade didn't look away from me.
"Answer me, kid."
His voice wasn't angry.
It wasn't cruel.
It was the voice of someone who had already accepted killing me.
If necessary.
I struggled to breathe.
"I—I don't know what you're talking about—"
He pressed harder.
I flinched.
But then—
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
A Garrison officer waved frantically.
"Kade! We need you at the east perimeter— Titans sighted beyond the ridge!"
Kade didn't move at first.
He held my gaze for a long, suffocating second.
Then he released my chin.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
"…We're not finished, kid."
My stomach twisted.
He stood and turned to the officer.
"I'll be there."
Before he left, he looked back at me one last time.
His voice was cold enough to freeze steam.
"Don't run.... Okay."
Then he disappeared into the crowd.
---
Armin rushed to my side immediately.
"Junta— are you okay?!"
He knelt down and grabbed my arm, trying to steady me.
I was still trembling.
Still steaming.
Still seconds away from death.
"I…"
My voice broke.
"…I almost transformed."
Armin's eyes widened.
"You— you what—?"
Mikasa and Eren approached cautiously, still shaken.
Eren looked confused, hurt, terrified.
"Why… why did I make it worse?" he whispered.
I couldn't answer.
Not with the truth.
But the System could.
And it did.
[New Hidden Information Unlocked]
[Proximity to Eren Jaeger causes destabilization due to…]
[ERROR: Information Locked]
[Requires Titan Form Upgrade (Stage 1)]
My breath caught.
Upgrade?
Now?
The System flickered again.
[Opportunity: Titan Form Upgrade Available]
[Do you wish to begin evolution?]
My blood ran cold.
Here?
In a refugee camp?
Armin was still beside me.
Eren and Mikasa were watching from a few meters away.
Soldiers patrolled everywhere.
Kade was close.
This wasn't just reckless.
It was suicide.
Armin leaned in.
"Junta… what's happening to you?"
His voice cracked.
"What are you… really?"
A tear slipped down my cheek.
"I don't know."
And maybe that was the truth.
Armin squeezed my shoulder.
"We'll figure it out. Together. I promise."
I shook my head.
"No… Armin…"
My hands clenched painfully.
"I'm scared."
Armin's expression softened with heartbreaking sincerity.
"I know."
I looked down at my trembling fingers.
Steam curled faintly off them.
And I whispered —
"I'm scared of what I'll become."