The Ackermans' Past (Part Two)

The audience thus grew from one person to four.

Ymir retorted, "He's the one who injured me, so what if I listen?" Indeed, it was A-Wu who injured Ymir at the manor where Historia was working.

Annie stated, "I told you I wouldn't stray too far from you anymore, only then will I feel at ease." This was a very firm indication that she wanted to stay.

And Historia, as the Her Majesty the Queen is about to inherit the Throne, how could Yago refuse?

Moreover, A-Wu doesn't seem to mind if more people know his story.

"That day, a little girl came, younger than us, dressed in tattered clothes. I still remember the timid look in her eyes when she first looked at us. Claude's men abandoned the girl and left."

"We didn't know anything back then, only our killing skills. But A-Two, A-Three, A-Four, and I all really liked this little girl. The first time she smiled in front of us, we all smiled. We tried our best to give her the best things, the softest bread in our food, the most intact coat in our clothes."

"She was different from us. Our minds were filled with all sorts of killing techniques, while hers was full of all sorts of ideas. She tirelessly told us how blue the sky was outside, how prosperous the city was. Although we all had the same Black Eyes, our eyes were lifeless, while hers seemed to hold a rainbow."

"But one day, the four of us were sent by Claude to complete a mission for him: to assassinate a Merchant Association leader. That guild leader was just as greedy as him. When we returned after the mission, the little girl had changed. Her head was covered in blood, her eyes had lost their light, and she no longer recognized us."

At this point, A-Wu's eyes suddenly turned fierce. "It was the Instructors who did it. A-Yi awakened her ability just like that. Her talent is better than all of ours, and her skills are superior. She became the strongest Ackerman among us, and the first to be named by Claude, A-Yi Ackerman. We were given names in order of skill."

"But A-Yi never smiled again. She seemed to have lost all emotion, becoming indifferent, and memories seemed to have no meaning for her."

"The Instructors died. I stabbed him seventy-one Dagger. He bled to death before he died. Before he died, he told me a secret."

"Claude knew nothing about training warriors. The knowledge passed down from his ancestors had long been lost by his generation. He was just an ordinary Nobility raised pigs. He only learned about his ancestors' deeds by chance when he found half of a family notebook in the pigsty."

"Using the methods for identifying the Ackerman found in the notebook, Claude frantically searched for Ackerman within the walls. The half-finished notebook only mentioned that the Ackerman's power would erupt when stimulated, but it didn't explain how Claude Family's ancestors stimulated the Ackermans' power; it only contained a bunch of brainwashing methods."

"The bloated and ruthless Claude recruited Cruel Sean in the Underground City, a villain on par with Kenny the Throat Slitter, known for his hellish torture methods. He made Sean Instructors to relentlessly torture the Ackerman children he had searched for, stimulating them to awaken their powers, and then Claude himself brainwashed and controlled them."

"Killing the Instructors didn't make me feel relieved, but A-Yi, A-Two, A-Three, and A-Four are already under Claude's control. I've tried to kill him many times but haven't had the chance, so I should thank you." A-Wu looked at Yago and the others.

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Claude is doomed. The Dagger is poisoned. Claude 'll die in about fifteen minutes."

Yago was taken aback. "You..." Yago wanted to say something, but opened his mouth and didn't know what to say. Should he stop him? But was it necessary?

Historia, who was standing to the side, frowned slightly upon hearing this, and even Ymir remained silent.

"There's nothing more to say, Your Her Majesty the Queen. We are willing to accept your disposal as you see fit." A-Wu bowed to Historia.

"Ah, me?" Historia hesitated.

Shiganshina District

"War Chief, should we retreat? The Jaw Titan, the Female Titan, and now even the Colossal Titan have been taken away. We've lost our advantage." The Cart Titan spoke in a human voice, shouting at the figure in front of it.

Before the Cart Titan stood Zeke, wearing Trench Coat, on Wall Maria. The wind ruffled Zeke 'Zeke Blonde as he intently studied the map in his hand—the one he had obtained from the market inside the Walls.

Looking at the simplified markings on the map, Zeke muttered to himself, "It seems they don't know about the Ocean, so they probably know even less about the outside world. Wait, if they did find out... that seems plausible."

A muffled thud made Zeke turn around, only to see Reiner, his face grim, slamming his fist into the Wall Maria, drops of blood trickling down the wall.

"We can't leave! Bertholdt is still in their hands. We can't abandon him!" Reiner said firmly.

"If the Colossal Titan is obtained by those the Walls, it does seem like a very troublesome matter." Zeke put down the map, walked to the edge of the wall, and looked into the distance.

After watching for a while, Zeke suddenly asked, "Reiner, if I remember correctly, you once said that those Soldiers would come back to retake this city wall, didn't you?"

Reiner paused for a moment, then replied, "Yes, War Chief, Commander Erwin Smith the Survey Corps said that the key to humanity's victory lies beneath the Eren's House's residence in the Shiganshina District."

Zeke heard that familiar name again, "Eren, haha, Eren, Eren Jaeger, Jaeger, Father, what secrets have you left behind?"

(Double update mission accomplished for today!)