Victory and a Surprise

In the Shiganshina district, the sound of leather shoes rubbing against each other echoed from an empty street.

Levi frowned as he observed his surroundings.

The dilapidated streets, damaged houses, and ruins seem to tell the story of the devastation caused by the Titan invasion.

Dark brown marks were visible everywhere on the streets and walls of houses. Levi knew exactly what they were: dried blood from years ago, human blood.

"Captain, it's strange, there doesn't seem to be any trace of Titan in the entire Shiganshina district," Petra and Oluo reported to Levi after meeting up from another direction.

Levi also had some doubts, but there were clearly more important things to do now.

Standing on the rooftop, Eren gazed at a house in the distance—his home, his former home. Eren subconsciously touched the key hanging around his neck, muttering, "Father, what's in the basement?"

"Eren! Eren!"

The stern shout snapped Eren out of his reverie. Levi was staring at him, Eren quickly said, "Sorry, sorry, I was just spacing out."

Levi looked away and pointed to the gaping hole, several meters high, in the Wall Maria. "Eren, your mission is to use your Hardening crystal to seal that gap. Can you do it?"

Eren examined the gap, nodded, and said, "No problem. Section Commander Hange and I have tested it many times. This kind of gap can be completely sealed."

Mikasa asked with some concern, "Eren, are you sure it's okay? You even had a nosebleed during the last experiment."

Eren smiled and said, "It's alright. It's all worth it to contribute to our victory. Mikasa, thank you for your concern."

Mikasa lowered her head, her face slightly flushed. She didn't know when it had started, but Eren seemed to have become gentler than before.

"So, your mission is to ensure that nothing goes wrong while Eren is sealing the breach, understand?" Levi said to his subordinates.

"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.

Then, the group rushed toward the breach in the Wall Maria.

Armin and Mikasa followed beside Eren. Armin said optimistically, "Don't worry, there shouldn't be any problems. The Commander and Yago seem to have had a very successful operation. Reiner and the others have been captured too."

Before Armin could finish speaking, Jean joked from the other side, "Really? What if there are a bunch of Titan hiding in these houses?"

For once, Sasha was surprisingly clever and replied, "Jan, you idiot! Titan is that big, how could he hide in a house? You're such an idiot!"

Sasha's smile froze. "Sasha! What right do you have to call me an idiot? You bastard! Connie and I shouldn't have held you back at Historia's coronation Ritual. We should have let you get Garrison and locked up in a dark room, starving every day!"

Sasha: "Jan! You're so wicked!"

Levi, at the very front of the group, gripped his sword hilt so tightly his hand turned white. "These brats!"

Levi's expression was also noticed by the members of Levi Squad. Juda looked at Eld, "It's been a long time since we've seen Captain so out of sorts."

Eld nodded in agreement. "I think... ah!" Oluo was about to express his opinion when he bit his tongue for the umpteenth time, letting out a painful groan. Petra looked at Oluo's embarrassed appearance and suppressed a laugh.

Soon, the group arrived at the gap.

"Alert!" At the command, everyone scattered and formed a perimeter around Eren.

Eren took a deep breath, looked up at the gap of more than ten meters, and the scene of the Colossal Titan kicking down the wall flashed through his mind. The fear of the humans the Walls being dominated by the Titan also originated from this gap.

"Let me end all of this!" Eren raised his hand, his gaze resolute.

Sizzle! Clang! A dazzling Yellow Lightning appeared, and from the boiling steam, Titan with pointed ears and green eyes gradually took shape.

"Roar!" The Attack Titan roared, stomping its feet on the ground and striding forward.

A hand pressed down on the edge of the gap, and crack! Large swathes of Hardening began to cover the Attack Titan's entire body, and continued to spread outwards along Attack Titan body.

Slowly, like a spider weaving a web, layer upon layer of Hardening crystals covered and overlapped each other, quickly sealing the entire gap tightly.

"Great! We did it!" Armin shouted excitedly.

Petra raised her Signal Pistol, and a Green Signal Flare soared high into the sky— the Wall Maria Reclamation Battle was a success!

On the city wall, Erwin watched the Green Signal Flare and slowly smiled. The Scout behind him cheered, and Historia, wearing a hood, shouted excitedly along with the Soldiers, showing no trace of her Queen demeanor.

Having eliminated the Titan outside, the Survey Corps Soldiers quickly entered the Shiganshina District.

Zeke and his group, who had been detained, were also taken to the Shiganshina district in cages. Zeke kept his head down, seemingly asleep, and steam was still rising from his wounds.

"Armin! Help me! I'm stuck!" Eren struggled through a pile of Crystal, and Armin and Mikasa rushed forward to pull Eren out.

He stood in front of a house and sneered, "How shameful!" But a strange noise suddenly came from inside the house behind him, making him turn around in surprise.

On the other side, in a deserted corner, Annie looked at Yago with some excitement, "Really? Yago, are we really going back?"

Yago smiled at Annie's excited little face and couldn't help but pinch Annie's cheek, saying, "Of course, we'll definitely go to Marley! We'll even bring Mr. Leonhardt over, okay?"

Annie happily hugged Yago, "Great!"

Because of their height difference, Yago's chin touched Annie's forehead.

The lingering fragrance made Yago slightly dazed. He nuzzled Annie's hair with his chin, holding the girl's soft body close, Yago a little lightheaded. "So comfortable, I want to hold you like this forever~"

Just as Yago was lost in the girl's embrace and even had further thoughts while looking at Annie's round lips, a loud noise suddenly came from the house behind him.

Yago and Annie were both startled. When they turned around, they saw a man who was tightly bound, his mouth gagged, blood streaming down his forehead, looking anxious, and his body twisting and turning.