This was probably like the ultimate hunter, Rengar the Pride Stalker, encountering the terrifying Void monster, Kha'Zix the Void Predator, in League of Legends—an exhilarating feeling of meeting a worthy opponent.
Hunting the weak would prolong your life, while hunting the strong would let you enjoy life.
The strongest hunter naturally aimed to personally cut off the head of the strongest prey!
End of chapter.
Titan Invasion
"Why should people look at us with Byakugan just because we want to see the world outside?"
Eren Yeager was indignant. "More importantly, what was the point of living like livestock, penned up inside the walls?"
Whether it was the cold mockery and even outright disgust people who had lived peacefully within the walls for a hundred years showed toward the Survey Corps, or his mother's disapproval of him joining the Survey Corps, it all left the young Eren full of pent-up frustration.
Feeling rebellious, Eren ran away from home, with Mikasa following behind him at his mother's request.
In the end, the two of them met up with Armin Arlert, another childhood friend close to them both, at the riverbank. Like children, they sulked in their "secret base."
"There's nothing to be done about that. After all, this peaceful life has lasted for a hundred years. The Survey Corps' expeditions outside the walls have yielded no contributions or results, and only attracted more Titans to wander outside Wall of Maria. To most people, they're just causing trouble."
Unlike the single-minded Eren, Armin was clearly more quick-witted and could understand why the people living within the walls disliked the Survey Corps.
"Besides, the Royal Government's policy forbids people from discussing the Outside Wall Area. Being interested in the world outside has become a taboo."
"So what? We should be the ones deciding how to live our lives." Eren was not only resentful toward his parents; he was even somewhat defiant toward the Royal Government's policies.
Perhaps such a young will yearning for freedom should not be underestimated.
Eren and Armin continued complaining, while Mikasa watched the two hot-blooded boys with a cold gaze. She had no interest in topics like outside or inside the walls. Surviving safely was the only thing that mattered. For Mikasa Ackerman, who had nearly died at the hands of bandits as a child before being taken in by House Yeager, the meaning of life seemed both small and heavy.
"People who blindly believe that life inside the walls can never go wrong may be wrong too. Even if the walls haven't been breached for a hundred years, that doesn't mean today will remain safe."
Armin understood better than Eren why people preferred the Inside Wall Area. Yet even though he rationally understood it, his curiosity and thirst for knowledge about the Outside Wall Area still put him on the same side as Eren.
One day, I really have to go outside the walls and see it for myself.
"Yeah." Eren nodded deeply in agreement. The other people in the Inside Wall Area were far too numb.
Just as Mikasa was about to rebuke the two for their nonsense, a wave swept through the entire Shiganshina District. Fallen leaves whirled into the air, and then the ground itself began to tremble.
Like a bolt from the blue that vanished in an instant, the Colossal Giant, its entire body crimson and shrouded in white steam, appeared atop Wall of Maria.
Wall of Maria then collapsed with a thunderous crash. The Colossal Giant had kicked open a massive hole in it, as if confirming Armin's earlier words.
But it could not be said that Armin had jinxed it or raised a death flag. There was no Wall of Sighs in this world that could forever withstand a Titan invasion. People accustomed to false peace simply did not dare imagine the walls being shattered by Titans.
Then, the nightmare no one dared face truly descended.
The people of Shiganshina District fled toward the second wall. Armin also recovered from the shocking change. "We need to hurry too..."
However, Eren did not flee with Armin. His home was not in the same direction as Armin's; it was across the river, on the edge of the town near Wall of Maria.
His mother was in the direction where Wall of Maria had been breached!
After taking two or three dazed steps toward Wall of Maria, Eren's face turned pale as he realized something was wrong. He then sprinted toward the direction from which the Titans were pouring in. His mother was at home, and the upheaval caused by Wall of Maria's destruction could very well have reached there.
Sure enough, when he reached the ruins of the house that had collapsed from the tremors, Eren saw his mother pinned beneath several beams.
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