All of Yago's previous luck vanished the moment Zeke made contact with Eren. He had hoped that the power of the Founder was still sealed, just like older Eren had once said.
But when Yago felt that heart-pounding sensation, he knew things had become troublesome.
Buzz—A faint humming sound rang in Yago's ears. Everything before his eyes seemed to have been paused, frozen in place like someone had pressed a stop button. In the royal garden, butterflies that had been fluttering their wings hung motionless in midair, and everyone in the great hall was frozen where they stood.
Pain and worry still lingered on Carla's face. Ymir's urgency as she rushed toward Historia was etched into her expression. Yelena's gaze was fixed on Zeke, her eyes filled with fervent hope.
Yago could no longer feel his body. His consciousness was like a limp sponge, able only to observe everything before him.
"No! This can't happen! Zeke! You're destroying the future of us Eldians!" Yago's soul struggled.
Within this frozen world, Yago forced himself to take a step forward through sheer willpower. The feeling was like walking against a level-twelve typhoon.
It was as if countless brick walls stood in front of him. With every step he took, Yago felt like he was smashing through walls with his own flesh and blood.
...
Far East, inside an elegant office, Ebson sat upright in his chair. Several Titan Warriors were also present, all of them frozen like statues.
Sitting behind the desk, Ebson's face was expressionless. Suddenly, the eyes behind his glasses filled with blood, turning a vivid crimson in an instant. His scarlet pupils flickered with an eerie light. Then—Ebson's pitch-black pupils rolled, and a strange smile slowly curled at the corners of his lips.
...
Time lost all meaning for Yago. He didn't know how long it took him to finally reach Eren and Zeke. That mere fifty-meter distance felt like five hours… or five years, fifty years, even five hundred years?
At last, Yago slowly stretched out his hand and pressed down on Zeke's hand that was holding Eren.
A dazzling burst of light seemed to explode before Yago's eyes. The blinding brilliance instantly robbed him of his vision, leaving everything in pure white.
...
After an unknown amount of time, clarity gradually returned to Yago's sight.
It was still that deep blue night sky, filled with countless brilliant stars. Beneath his feet stretched an endless desert. If one looked closely, every grain of sand resembled a tiny, translucent gem. And far in the distant sky stood a radiant pillar of light, connecting heaven and earth.
However, unlike what Yago had seen before, the light paths connected to the pillar were no longer just eight. There were dozens—hundreds—hanging down like willow branches.
This was the Paths.
Yago ran frantically across the sea of sand, searching for Eren and Zeke. Time had no meaning here. After searching for who knew how long, he finally spotted the two figures on a distant sand dune.
Zeke and Eren still maintained their posture from the real world. Zeke, with a look of relief on his face, had his hand pressed against the furious Eren's head. Both of them, like everyone outside, were frozen in place.
Yago dashed to their side and yanked Zeke's hand away. That action felt like pressing a power button.
"Zeke!!" Eren's furious roar echoed within the Paths. He slammed forward with all his strength, knocking Yago flat onto his back.
Zeke staggered backward repeatedly, staring at his own hands in shock. Then he looked up, taking in his surroundings. When he saw the dazzling, star-filled sky and the towering pillar of light, he laughed—laughed with relief, even to the point of tears. This was the Paths! He had finally reached it.
"Damn you, Zeke! Yago! Let go of me!" The roar from behind snapped Zeke out of his thoughts. Turning around, he saw Yago desperately restraining the enraged Eren.
To be honest, Zeke wasn't surprised to see Eren here. After all, the power of the Founder resided within him. But Yago's presence was unexpected. Still, it was only a minor surprise—Zeke no longer cared. Since he had reached the Paths, everything was already decided.
So, although he was surprised to see Yago, Zeke even felt a bit pleased. After all, he could take the opportunity to mock him.
"Yago, you really do love playing tricks on me. Didn't you say the power of the Founder was sealed? Then what is this? I truly misjudged you. I didn't expect you to be this cunning."
Yago held Eren back and responded coldly to the taunt,
"Heh, right back at you. Your scheming is something I can't even come close to. I never expected you to be the one pulling the strings behind the Imperial Faction. This coup was probably part of your plan too, wasn't it?"
Zeke shrugged. As for the Imperial Faction, it really wasn't his plan. If anything, it had a lot to do with Yelena. But since Yelena was his subordinate, he might as well take the credit. It didn't matter anymore.
Zeke said, "Yago, what a pity. You've deceived me all this time, but now it seems fate has decreed that my Eldian euthanasia plan will succeed. What do you think about that?"
Yago replied coldly, "What do I think? Do you even realize that you're cutting off the future of the Eldian people? What right do you have to decide the fate of future Eldians? A plan this inhumane—do you think it could ever gain the support of any Eldian?"
Hearing this, Zeke became agitated and shouted back,
"Yes! Of course it can! That person taught me so much! He is a great sage, and only he understands my intentions! What do you people understand? So what if it cuts off the future? No matter what we do, the rest of the world will always see us Eldians as devils! No matter what we do, we can never change their views! Prejudice in people's hearts—you can't move it! If that's the case, then it's better for Eldians to disappear from this world altogether, to vanish along with our name as devils. That way, we'll never have to bear this curse again!"
Zeke loudly poured out his true thoughts, but from the eyes of Yago and Eren, he saw not the slightest trace of agreement. A wave of sorrow surged within him. As expected… aside from Ksaver, no Eldian would understand him. No one…
At this thought, Zeke's expression turned resolute. He threw his head back and roared:
"Founder Ymir! Descendant of Fritz calls upon you! Obey my command!"
Seeing Zeke like this, Eren could no longer hold back. He broke free from Yago and charged at Zeke with a raised fist.
"You bastard! Who gave you the right to decide for all Eldians?!"
A scene of brotherly "affection" unfolded before Yago.
(A/N: The next few chapters will fill in some of the earlier plot holes. Those interested can keep an eye out. P.S. Don't say the previous Imperial Faction arc was dumb—I admit my mistake! Please don't roast me anymore ಥ_ಥ)