The beginning of a changed fate
As noon approached, the warm sunlight illuminated the vast meadow.
A drop of morning dew was slowly sliding down the leaf from the top of a blade of grass when suddenly the earth began to tremble violently, causing the dewdrop on the grass to tremble and ripple.
The next moment, the grass and dew were crushed by a giant foot.
Raise the camera angle, and you'll see several Titan, each over ten meters tall, chasing after something.
Looking further ahead, in front of the Titan were a dozen Survey Corps Soldiers draped in the Wings of Freedom, galloping wildly on their steeds.
Bang! The lead Scout raised his Signal Pistol, and a red Signal Flare soared high into the air.
Soon, a Green Signal Flare rose in response from a distance.
Upon receiving the signal, the Squad Leader of the Scout led his Soldiers to turn around and rush towards a grove of trees not far away from where the signal had been sent.
Several Titan twisted their bodies and gave chase.
The Scout quickly entered the forest, and just as the Titan followed them in, a loud shout came from the trees, "Attack!!"
Click! Sizzle! Instantly, the sounds of Omni-Directional Mobility Gear activating echoed from a large area of trees around us, their sharp Blades gleaming with a cold, menacing light.
More than a dozen figures rushed out of the trees at the same time.
Thud! Boom! Before the Titan could even react, the flesh on the back of their necks was sliced off, and their massive bodies crashed to the ground.
"Sasha Connie, I killed four, more than both of you combined. Now you know who the idiot is, right?" Jean said smugly to his two friends.
Connie stared at the fallen Titan at his feet, angrily kicking the Titan's still-partially vanished body, and complained, "It's all Sasha's fault! She missed twice already, otherwise we wouldn't have lost!"
Sasha protested, "No! It's your fault! Who told you not to let me eat my fill yesterday!"
"Sasha, you idiot, your stomach's about to burst if you keep eating!"
"No way!"
Levi's forehead veins were practically bulging. "You guys! Get yourselves up here right now!"
This sizable Forest concealed over two hundred elite Soldiers of the Survey Corps. Signal Flare flares rose up from time to time, signaled by reconnaissance soldiers on the outer perimeter; they would fire the signal upon spotting Titan.
Once the Survey Corps, hidden in the forest, is ready to eliminate the Titan, they will fire Green Signal Flare in response. Finally, scouts will lure the Titan into the forest where the prepared Soldiers will eliminate and kill them.
The small grove of trees has become a Titan's meat grinder.
"Hey, Eren, what are you thinking about? Have some water." Armin handed Eren a water bottle.
"Ah, thank you. I was just wondering why Yago wouldn't let me kill that Titan this morning," Eren said, taking the water bag.
Armin: "Yago? I wonder how their operation is going."
Eren tilted his head back and took a sip of water, but his thoughts were wandering.
The time has been reset to five hours ago.
Above the horizon, a long column sped across the land. The Wings of Freedom identified them as the Survey Corps, and their destination was Wall Maria, which had been breached by the Titan three years prior.
Such a display naturally attracted the attention of a Titan along the way. The Titan, with their enormous or deformed bodies, instinctively headed towards the Survey Corps' ranks.
However, for the elite Survey Corps Soldiers, without a certain scale, scattered Titan were merely easy prey.
In this situation, Eren, who was in the middle of the group, suddenly narrowed his eyes and noticed a Titan.
Golden hair, flat eyes, a body fifteen meters tall, and especially a huge mouth that stretched to its ears, revealing a mouthful of white teeth and gums.
The way he curled the corners of his mouth made it look like he was giving a creepy smile.
Upon seeing the Titan, Eren felt a surge of anger. Even though three years had passed, Eren would never forget the Titan that had almost eaten his mother.
Clang! Eren drew his War Blade from its sheath, his gaze resolute. He was determined to end this Titan with his own hands!
But just as Eren was about to activate the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear, his arm was grabbed. Eren turned his head in surprise and saw Yago's solemn face.
"Yago? What are you doing?"
Yago looked into Eren's eyes and said seriously, "That Titan shouldn't be dealt with by you. Let me do it, Eren!"
Eren's eyes widened as he asked, "What? Wait, Yago, why can't I finish this off? Yago, you know this Titan? What do you mean?"
But Yago had already activated his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear and rushed out.
The Smiling Titan instinctively reached out to grab the "insect" rushing towards it, but how could an ordinary Pure Titan possibly catch the agile Yago?
Flying to the Smiling Titan, he pulled the trigger, the hook anchored and rapidly retracted, pulling Yago narrowly past the corner of the Smiling Titan's mouth.
Bang! He pulled the trigger again, the grappling hook plunging deep into the ground. Yago swiftly rushed behind the Smiling Titan, and with a swift, sharp slash, he sliced open the Titan's heel with two quick cuts.
The Titan immediately lost his balance and fell to the ground. Yago leaped onto the back of the smiling Titan's neck and raised his Dual Blades.
Yago clearly recognized the Titan before him: a Pure Titan royal blood, the Titan that Big Eren's Memories eating Aunt Carla, killing Uncle Hannes, and the Titan that first awakened the Founding Titan Power within Eren's body. It was also the wife of Eren's father, Grisha, when he was in Marley, and a key member of the Eldia Restorationists.
"Speaking of which, the moment I truly changed my Fate was when I saved Aunt Carla," Yago said, looking at the Titan at his feet. The Titan was swinging its arms, seemingly trying to stand up.
Yago knew that when he first used the Fate Titan to save Aunt Carla from the Smiling Titan, Eren's Fate, and the Fate of others, had already begun to change.
Since that's the case, I started changing my Fate, and I will continue to change it!
Yago hardened his resolve and slashed down with his Dual Blades, severing the flesh of the Smiling Titan's nape. The scalding Titan's blood stained the Wings of Freedom emblem on Yago's back.
For several reasons, Yago does not want Eren to reveal or use his Founding Titan Power for the time being. Yago cannot guarantee how the people on the island will react to such a god-like power—a world-destroying the Rumbling?
Watching the Titan's body slowly evaporate, Yago remained silent for a moment, then clenched his fist and placed it in front of his left chest in a salute, as a tribute to Dina Fritz, who had previously possessed royal blood, and also as a sign of respect for Fate.
As the Smiling Titan fell, Eren opened his mouth, but said nothing.