Five years had passed since the day the sky over Fort Salta had been "erased." The world was different—scarred, but healing. The walls were gone, and the port of Shiganshina was now a bustling trade hub where ships from all nations docked, carrying travelers and hope instead of cannons.
In the hills overlooking the sea, a small, white stone chapel stood surrounded by blooming wildflowers. This was the day the Wanderer had promised to return for.
The Gathering of Legends
The guest list was a miracle. People who, in any other timeline, would have been ghosts were now celebrating life.
Armin and Annie sat in the front row. Armin, now a leading diplomat, was balancing a small, blonde-haired baby on his knee. The child reached out to grab a stray flower petal, blissfully unaware of the war that had almost claimed its father.Hange was busy showing Jean and Connie a prototype for a new engine. She still wore the goggles Ken had repaired, a small reminder of the traveler who had shared his technology.Levi sat in the back, leaning on a cane. He wasn't wearing the "elevator boots"—he had them displayed in a glass case in his tea shop—but he wore the custom combat boots Ken had designed. He looked at the empty seat next to him and gave a small, rare smirk.
The Knock at the Door
The ceremony had just concluded, and the guests were gathered inside the reception hall, sharing laughter and stories. The atmosphere was warm, but there was a lingering sense of an empty chair at the head table.
Eren and Mikasa stood together, Eren looking at the Pager Mikasa held in her hand. It was still dark.
"Do you think he'll really come?" Eren whispered, his hand on Mikasa's shoulder.
"He promised," Mikasa replied, her gaze fixed on the heavy oak doors of the hall.
Suddenly, a loud, cheerful knock echoed through the room. Thump-thump-thump!
The hall went silent. Every head turned toward the entrance. These weren't soldiers anymore, but their instincts flared for a split second before the doors swung wide open.
Standing in the doorway, framed by the golden afternoon sun, was Ken.
He just looked like the same 16-year-old kid in his "NEVER-ENDING STORY" hoodie, carrying a massive, steaming crate of meat that smelled like a dream. No lightning, no tricks—just a friend who had traveled a long way from his distant home.
"I hope I didn't miss the cake!" Ken shouted, a huge, mischievous grin on his face.
The silence lasted for exactly one heartbeat before the room exploded.
"KEN!" Sasha was the first to move, nearly knocking over her chair to sprint toward him (and the meat).
"You brat! You actually used the door!" Levi called out from the back, though he was visibly trying to hide a smile.
The Reunion
Ken was immediately swarmed. Armin walked up, proudly holding his child. "Ken, look! This is... well, this is because of the peace you helped us build."
Ken's eyes softened as he gently bopped the child's nose. "Hey there, little one. You've got a much better path ahead of you than your dad did."
He then turned to Eren and Mikasa. He didn't say anything at first; he just looked at them—two people who had found their way through the storm to stand hand-in-hand.
"Perfect," Ken whispered. "Everything is exactly where it should be."
He reached into his hoodie and pulled out a small, elegantly wrapped gift. "For your new house. It's a charm from my country—as long as this is in your home, no tragedy can find you."
The Final Scene
The night was filled with the best food and stories. Ken spent the evening sitting with his friends, telling them "tall tales" of his distant homeland across the sea, where people lived in towers of glass and used pocket-sized mirrors to speak across continents.
As the party began to wind down, Ken stood on the balcony with the whole crew, looking out at the peaceful sea.
"So," Jean asked, leaning against the railing. "Where to next, Traveler? Back home?"
Ken looked at his Digital Book, which was pulsing with a new, vibrant light.