CHAPTER 14: THE WALLS HAVE EARS
The return from Shiganshina changed nothing.
Or so it seemed.
The cadets went back to their routines. Training. Eating. Sleeping. Pretending.
But something had shifted.
The crying Titan. The village outside the walls. The words of the dying Titan.
"The king cursed us."
"He lied to everyone."
These words echoed in their minds like a curse of their own.
Sukuna noticed the changes.
Armin spent more time in the library. Reading old books. Searching for anything about the king. About the walls. About the truth.
Jean stopped arguing as much. He listened more. Watched more.
Connie's jokes became darker. Sasha's appetite faded.
And Reiner...
Reiner was a ghost.
He trained. He ate. He spoke. But his eyes were empty.
"He's already dead," Sukuna thought. "His body just hasn't caught up yet."
One night, Sukuna found Armin in the library.
Candles flickered. Books were stacked everywhere.
"You're going to burn the place down," Sukuna said.
Armin looked up. His eyes were red. Tired.
"I can't find anything, Eren. Nothing about the king. Nothing about Titans being human. It's like someone erased it all."
"Maybe someone did."
Armin stared at him.
"Who?"
"The king. Or someone working for him."
Armin leaned back in his chair.
"Why would the king hide the truth?"
"Because the truth is dangerous. The truth can bring down walls. The truth can start wars."
"Would that be so bad?"
Sukuna sat down across from him.
"That depends on who's asking."
The next day, Shadis announced a new training exercise.
"Hand-to-hand combat. No weapons. No gear. Just you and your opponent."
The cadets paired up.
Sukuna found himself facing Reiner.
"I'm not going to hold back," Reiner said.
"I'd be disappointed if you did."
They circled each other.
Reiner attacked first. A punch. Fast. Strong.
Sukuna dodged.
Another punch. Another miss.
Reiner growled. He charged.
Sukuna stepped aside and tripped him.
Reiner fell hard.
"Get up," Sukuna said.
Reiner got up.
He attacked again. And again. And again.
Each time, Sukuna dodged. Each time, Reiner fell.
The other cadets stopped to watch.
"What's wrong with Reiner?" Jean whispered.
"He's fighting like he wants to die," Mikasa replied.
Finally, Reiner collapsed.
He lay on the ground, breathing hard.
Sukuna stood over him.
"Why didn't you hit me?" Reiner asked.
"Because hitting you won't help."
"Help what?"
"Help you forgive yourself."
Reiner's eyes widened.
Sukuna walked away.
That night, Sukuna sat on the roof.
Annie joined him.
"You're cruel," she said.
"I know."
"Reiner is suffering. And you're making it worse."
"I'm making him face the truth. There's a difference."
Annie was quiet.
Then she said, "What's the truth, Eren?"
"That we're all monsters. Some of us just hide it better than others."
Annie looked at the moon.
"I don't want to be a monster anymore."
"Then stop acting like one."
"It's not that simple."
"It never is."
The next morning, Sukuna was called to Shadis's office.
The commander sat behind a wooden desk. His face was hard.
"Close the door."
Sukuna closed it.
"Sit."
Sukuna sat.
Shadis stared at him for a long moment.
"I've been watching you, Yeager."
"I know."
"You're different from the other cadets. You fight differently. You think differently. You look at the world like you've already seen it before."
Sukuna said nothing.
"Where did you learn to fight?" Shadis asked.
"I taught myself."
"Liar."
Sukuna smiled.
"You're right. I didn't teach myself. Someone else taught me. Someone who died a long time ago."
"Who?"
"His name doesn't matter. He's gone now."
Shadis leaned forward.
"I don't know what you are, Yeager. But I'm watching you. One wrong move, and I'll have you arrested."
"For what crime?"
"I'll think of something."
Sukuna stood up.
"Is that all, Commander?"
"Get out."
Sukuna left.
That evening, Mikasa found him by the river.
"Shadis talked to you."
"Yes."
"What did he want?"
"To threaten me."
Mikasa sat down next to him.
"He's scared of you."
"He should be."
"I'm not."
Sukuna looked at her.
"Why not?"
"Because I've seen what you can do. And you've never hurt me."
"Not yet."
"Not ever."
Sukuna was quiet.
Then he said, "You have more faith in me than I do."
"Someone has to."
That night, Sukuna dreamed.
Not of curses. Not of Titans.
Of a woman.
She had dark hair and kind eyes.
Eren's mother.
"Thank you for being born," she said.
Sukuna woke up.
His heart was pounding.
"Why did I dream of her?" he thought. "I never knew her. I never cared about her."
But something in his chest ached.
Something that wasn't his.
"Eren," he whispered. "You're still in here. Somewhere."
He looked at his hands.
"I wonder... if you can hear me."
Silence.
No answer.
But Sukuna knew.
The boy wasn't completely gone.
END OF CHAPTER 14