CHAPTER 37: THE FINAL DAWN
The sun rose red over Wall Rose.
Like blood. Like fire. Like the end of everything.
Sukuna stood at the edge of the wall, his hands glowing gold. Behind him, thousands of Titans waited in silence. Before him, the Marleyan army marched across the plain.
"This is it," Mikasa said, standing beside him.
"This is it."
"Are you scared?"
"No."
"Liar."
He almost smiled.
The Marleyan commander raised his hand.
"FIRE!"
Cannons roared.
Shells flew through the air.
Sukuna raised his hand.
The Titans moved.
Thousands of them. A wall of flesh and bone. They blocked the shells. They absorbed the explosions. They kept moving.
"MARCH!" Sukuna shouted.
The ground shook.
From the Marleyan lines, Titans emerged.
The ones Zeke had gathered. The ones Marley had controlled.
But they were different now.
Their eyes were empty. Their movements were jerky. Unnatural.
"Someone else is controlling them," Armin said.
"Who?"
"Whoever replaced Zeke."
Sukuna's eyes narrowed.
A figure stepped out from between the Marleyan Titans.
Tall. Blonde. Blue eyes.
A woman.
"My name is Colt," she called. "I am the new commander of Marley's Titan forces."
"And I am here to end you."
Sukuna looked at her.
"Where is Zeke's brother?" she asked.
"In chains."
"Then you will die in his place."
Sukuna jumped from the wall.
He landed on a Titan's shoulder. Then another. Then another.
Moving like a shadow.
Colt raised her hand.
"Kill him."
The Marleyan Titans charged.
Sukuna didn't stop.
The first Titan swung its arm.
Sukuna ducked.
The second Titan grabbed for him.
He jumped.
The third Titan opened its mouth.
He punched through its skull.
"Is that all you have?" he called.
Colt's face hardened.
"No."
She raised her other hand.
From the ground, more Titans emerged.
Dozens. Hundreds.
"This is my army. This is my power. This is my vengeance."
Sukuna landed on the ground.
He was surrounded.
Dozens of Titans. All staring at him.
He laughed.
"You think numbers matter?"
He raised his hands.
"I am the King of Curses. I am the Wielder of the Founder. I have destroyed worlds."
"What are you compared to that?"
His body glowed.
Gold. Red. Black.
Cursed energy. Titan power. Something new.
He moved.
Faster than before. Stronger than before.
Titans fell. Left. Right. Center.
Each punch shattered bones. Each kick broke spines. Each movement was death.
Colt watched in horror.
"What... what are you?"
"I told you."
He appeared in front of her.
"I am the end."
She raised her hand to command the Titans.
Sukuna grabbed her arm.
"No."
He squeezed.
She screamed.
The Titans stopped moving.
"You controlled them through pain. Through fear. Through hate."
"I control them through will."
He released her.
"Run. Tell Marley what you saw."
"Tell them the King of Curses is coming."
Colt ran.
The Marleyan army retreated.
The Titans stood still.
Sukuna stood alone on the battlefield.
Covered in blood. Not his.
Mikasa ran to him.
"Sukuna!"
He turned.
His eyes were glowing gold.
"It's over."
"For now."
He looked at the horizon.
"For now."
That night, they gathered in the old castle.
Zeke was still in chains. Hange was still studying him. Armin was still reading.
Mikasa sat beside Sukuna.
"You were different today."
"I know."
"Stronger."
"I know."
"Scarier."
He looked at her.
"Did I scare you?"
"No."
"Liar."
She leaned against him.
"Maybe a little."
Armin approached.
"I've been thinking about what comes next."
"And?"
"Marley will come back. They'll always come back. Unless we give them a reason not to."
"What reason?"
"Fear."
Sukuna looked at him.
"You want me to scare them."
"I want you to end them. Not kill them. End their desire to fight."
"How?"
"Show them what you really are."
Sukuna was quiet.
Then he stood up.
"Tomorrow, I'll go to Marley. Alone."
"What?" Mikasa stood.
"I'll show them the Founder. I'll show them the walls. I'll show them what happens if they attack again."
"And if they still attack?"
"Then there will be nothing left to attack."
He walked out.
Mikasa followed.
"You can't go alone."
"I can."
"You'll die."
"I won't."
She grabbed his arm.
"Sukuna. Please."
He stopped.
"Please what?"
"Please don't leave me."
He looked at her.
"I'm not leaving you. I'm protecting you."
"Same thing."
He was quiet.
Then he said, "Come with me."
END OF CHAPTER 37