"Warrior Candidates, attention! This is Lieutenant Colonel Loya, commander of the Third Regiment of the Eldian Forces. He is also one of the witnesses who will determine whether you are qualified to become Marleyan Warriors this time. Perform well! Understood?" Colonel Koslow introduced Yago, who stood beside him, to the Warrior Candidates.
"Yes!"
The Warrior Candidates responded loudly, then followed Colonel Koslow into the camp of the Third Regiment of the Eldian Forces.
Yago watched as they passed by him. Gabi was the last one in line. When she walked past Yago, she didn't even dare to lift her head.
Suddenly, a voice like a devil's whisper drifted into Gabi's ears.
"Welcome to the Third Regiment, young Warrior Candidates."
In an instant, a chill shot up Gabi's spine. She bolted, sprinting into the camp like a gust of wind, leaving the other Warrior Candidates staring at her in shock.
Colonel Koslow froze for a moment. But thinking about Gabi's usual burning desire to become a Marleyan Warrior, he simply assumed she was overly excited.
"What should we do? Those kids are Warrior Candidates."
In the shadows of the camp, the core members of the Eldian Restorationists, led by Serena, were secretly observing the Warrior Candidates under Koslow's command.
A young soldier beside Serena spoke cautiously.
"Well… those kids are Eldians too, aren't they? Is it possible that…"
Serena cut him off decisively.
"Impossible."
She knew exactly what he meant—trying to win over those Warrior Candidates. After all, the power of the Titans had always been deeply ingrained in people's minds. But Serena knew it couldn't work.
Jack had once said that before their time, previous Restorationist leaders had already considered this plan. It was even rumored that some of their predecessors had personally raised their own children to become Marleyan Warrior Candidates.
The result?
That very child, once he became a Warrior Candidate, betrayed the Eldian Restorationists. Brainwashed by Marley, he exposed his own parents and the Restorationists who had placed their hopes in him.
The entire Restorationist movement was nearly annihilated because of it. Only Jack and a few peripheral members narrowly escaped.
Jack had poured his heart and soul into rebuilding the Eldian Restorationists. But after that devastating failure, the new Restorationists established a rule:
Never trust or attempt to recruit Warrior Candidates who have been completely brainwashed by Marley.
They may carry Eldian blood, but they are nothing more than Marley's loyal hounds.
Of course, Serena also learned from Jack the identity of the child who had betrayed the Eldian Restorationists.
Zeke Yeager.
The current Warrior Chief of Marley's Warrior Unit. The Beast Titan. Marley's Spear. The Prodigy of Miracles.
By betraying his parents, he gained Marley's trust—but he also earned the everlasting hatred of Jack and the older members of the Restorationists.
Serena let out a quiet sigh. Come to think of it, she hadn't received any news from the others in quite some time. She wondered how those comrades were doing now.
And that Ebson… Serena had never truly trusted him.
"Hold your positions for now. Keep a close watch in your daily routines, but don't alert them," Serena ordered.
At that moment, an Eldian soldier rushed over, his face pale with panic, bringing terrible news.
"It's bad. Foss from the Sixth Regiment betrayed Bray. Bray and the others… they…"
His voice trembled.
Serena's vision went black.
Bray had been the first core member she recruited into the Restorationists. On the battlefield, she had dragged the heavily wounded Bray out under Middle Eastern artillery fire. She had even used up all the hard-earned anti-inflammatory medicine she had managed to obtain on him.
Since then, Bray had become her most loyal subordinate and trusted right hand. Half of Serena's development within the Marleyan military had depended on his help.
And now—
"Bray… What happened to Bray?!"
Serena's eyes were bloodshot as she demanded.
"He… he and several of the others… they all committed suicide. Marley hung their bodies outside the camp…"
"Serena!"
The Restorationist members cried out in alarm as Serena suddenly collapsed to the ground. They scrambled to help her up.
"I—I'm fine. No, wait… have we been exposed? Hurry! No—act immediately! We can't sit and wait for death. The Marleyans might come at any moment!"
Serena's mind was in chaos, her words disjointed.
"Serena, we haven't been exposed. Bray… they didn't expose us. They must have chosen suicide to protect us. Please calm down."
Serena stood frozen. After a long while, she muttered blankly,
"Let's… go back first. I need… I need to think. Do not disturb me. That's an order."
With that, she turned and walked toward her tent, though her steps were unsteady.
Behind her, the Restorationists watched with worried expressions. But they still obeyed her command.
"Foss, that bastard! I'll kill him!"
One of them growled, prompting murmurs of agreement. Yet without Serena's orders, they could only vent their anger. Acting rashly might drag the entire Restorationist movement into disaster.
...
Sea-Diving Titan Airi struggled to haul her backpack off the back of a military truck. She had just set it down to catch her breath when she felt someone tap her shoulder.
Turning around, she saw the Marleyan officer Colonel Koslow had introduced earlier that day.
Uh… what was his name again?
Airi realized she hadn't caught the officer's name at the time.
"Sea-Diving Titan Warrior, Airi Ambers?"
Hearing the Marleyan officer say her name, Airi responded cautiously.
"That's me, sir. Is there something you need?"
Airi's overly careful demeanor left Yago slightly puzzled. Seeing the faintly ingratiating smile on Airi's face, Yago suddenly felt that gathering information about the new Titan power from him might not be too difficult after all.
What Yago didn't know was that Airi had grown up in the Liberio internment zone. Because her family had lived in poverty, she had been instilled from a young age with the belief that she must never offend Marleyans—and should even try to please them.
Even after becoming a Titan Warrior, Airi often still displayed a lazy, timid personality.
...
Night fell.
The Warrior Candidates gathered inside their tent to eat. They had their own rations and didn't need to dine with the other Eldian soldiers. After all, they were Warrior Candidates—future golden enforcers for Marley—and the Marleyans wouldn't mistreat them.
Colonel Koslow had originally invited Yago as well, but Yago declined, saying he had matters to attend to.
He walked to the small hill behind the camp. Gazing up at the star-filled night sky, Yago suddenly thought of Annie.
"Annie… I wonder how you've been lately. I… kind of miss you."
...
Paradis Island
After visiting Lucia, Annie walked down the street with her father.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, Annie lifted her head and looked up at the starry sky above.
"You idiot, Yago… take care of yourself."
Beneath the same night sky, two hearts longing for each other seemed quietly connected.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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