What did it feel like to be stared at by tens of thousands of people—by tens of thousands of soldiers at the same time?
Hearing "tens of thousands" might not sound like much on paper, but when those soldiers truly stood before you, that overwhelming pressure crashing down like a tidal wave was something ordinary people simply couldn't face directly.
Standing before the tens of thousands of new soldiers of Paradis Island, even Yago couldn't help but feel a trace of tension.
Of course, it wasn't the first time he had faced such a scene. Back in Marley's capital, he had once stood beneath the gazes of nearly ten thousand soldiers of the Eldian Revival Army.
But no matter how many times it happened, Yago still felt nervous inside.
Because all those eyes were fixed on him alone.
And because their futures were all tied to him as well.
Perhaps with a single command from him, most of those eyes would close forever.
One order deciding life and death—this was also the responsibility carried by the title of Commander-in-Chief.
He had to fight for the survival of the Eldian people.
He was different from the older Eren in his memories.
He hadn't been dragged along by extremists like the Yeagerists, nor had he recklessly unleashed the Rumbling, much less allowed Paradis Island to perish alone in the end.
Perhaps one could say older Eren had been somewhat selfish, abandoning both himself and Eldia for the freedom of his companions.
But Yago didn't want to judge any of it.
Because memories were only memories.
What stood before him now was reality.
And with him, Yago, here—
this was the real reality.
No matter how twisted the road ahead became, Yago would never give up.
The future of Eldia was in his hands!
"Everyone."
Yago opened his mouth toward the microphone and calmly began his speech.
"I believe all of you have already heard rumors about the outside world, right?
That's right. For a hundred years, we believed humanity outside the Walls had already perished, that Titans ravaged the land, and that the Walls were mankind's final sanctuary.
But humanity has always been filled with a spirit of exploration.
There have always been great pioneers.
The Wings of Freedom cloak passed down through generations has always sought the truth beyond the Walls.
We longed to destroy the Titans.
We longed to reclaim humanity's land.
We longed to stop relying on these prison-like Walls.
And now—
we've done it!"
Yago turned to look at the towering Wall Rose behind him.
Countless soldiers and civilians followed his gaze.
Looking at the Walls that had protected humanity for a century, everyone's hearts filled with indescribable emotions.
"But the truth of the world is cruel. That's right—besides us, there are countless humans beyond this island. And we live upon an island surrounded by Titans.
They call us Eldians.
Regrettably, the people beyond the island hate us Eldians deeply.
They call us descendants of devils.
Millions of our compatriots outside the island are enslaved by the Marleyans, oppressed by them, treated like insects.
The Marleyans curse our devil bloodline, yet they rely on enslaving that very devil bloodline to dominate the world.
Our ancestors once oppressed the world, but now the Marleyans oppress the world by enslaving us Eldians.
So how are they any different from our so-called devil ancestors?
Can one shamelessly repeat the sins of the past simply by waving the banner of justice?
I, Yago Norman, as an Eldian, cannot stand by and watch the Marleyans freely enslave my people.
I don't want my compatriots to live their entire lives in grief and resentment before dying as slaves.
I hope the future of the Eldian people will be a bright one.
I hope Eldians can one day live openly and peacefully in this world.
I hope our descendants will never again bear the name of devils.
But I cannot accomplish this alone.
I need help.
I need your help!
Everyone!
Are you willing to fight alongside me for the future of the Eldian people—even if it means sacrificing your lives?!"
Yago looked toward the tens of thousands of Paradis soldiers, his amplified voice roaring thunderously through the loudspeakers.
At first, the soldiers remained silent.
The entire area was deathly quiet.
Everyone stared blankly at Yago standing before them all.
"For the future of the Eldian people."
Those words echoed endlessly in the ears of countless soldiers.
A strange emotion slowly began brewing within their chests.
Many of the new recruits who had still felt lost gradually found the meaning behind their enlistment.
In truth, many of them had only a vague understanding of the future.
The world beyond the Walls still felt too distant to them.
And they only dimly understood the world's hatred toward Eldians.
But now, Yago's words seemed to part the fog before them.
They were fighting for the future of the Eldian people.
If they won this war—
then they would gain a true future.
No longer confined by towering Walls.
The vast world would become theirs to roam freely.
Gradually, the light in the soldiers' eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Behind Yago, the young Alex's face flushed red with excitement.
He suddenly clenched his right fist and slammed it heavily against the left side of his chest, over his heart, shouting loudly:
"For Eldia, dedicate your hearts!!"
Alex's voice rang loudly through the microphone and speakers.
It was as if some switch had been flipped.
Tens of thousands of Paradis soldiers simultaneously clenched their right fists and slammed them against their left chests.
The perfectly synchronized motion created waves of dull impacts.
Then, like a roaring tsunami shaking the heavens, countless voices burst forth:
"For Eldia, dedicate your hearts! For Eldia, dedicate your hearts! For Eldia, dedicate your hearts!"
The salutes of tens of thousands of soldiers.
The cries of tens of thousands of soldiers.
It felt as if even heaven and earth were trembling.
Upon the high platform, whether it was Yago, the parliamentary members behind him, Queen Historia, or the many high-ranking officials—not a single one of them remained unmoved.
Many council members were astonished by the overwhelming cries of the soldiers, while the hot blood of being Eldians boiled within their own hearts as well.
Some even wanted to cast aside all dignity and shout together with the soldiers.
The observing civilians were equally emotional, cheering endlessly.
Many awkwardly performed imperfect heart salutes while shouting excitedly.
Watching the impassioned soldiers, Yago slowly revealed a smile.
The morale of the army was excellent.
"Prepare!"
At the rear of the army, more than a dozen ceremonial cannons stood ready.
Upon receiving the order, the new artillery soldiers swiftly loaded shells and prepared to fire.
"Fire!!"
Under the commander's thunderous roar, the ceremonial cannons fired simultaneously.
The thunderous blasts echoed throughout the entire venue.
And at the same time, it signaled the official beginning of the military parade.
The new army, trained for several months, stood full of spirit and momentum, eager to display their most glorious side before the Queen, the Commander-in-Chief, the high-ranking officials, and countless civilians.
After returning to his seat, Yago quickly received an urgent intelligence report from the nation of Hizuru.
After reading its contents, Yago's expression turned grave.
It seemed he had to return to Marley's capital as soon as possible.
A storm was coming.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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