The outbreak of battle
An unprecedented offensive and defensive battle broke out at the Grayle Fortress, the largest war in terms of troop deployment between Marley and the Middle East to date.
The 50,000 Eldians troops were forced to launch a suicidal attack, while the Marleyan went all out this time, deploying all kinds of heavy Cannon to bombard the fortress.
The Middle Easterners inside the fortress were equally well-prepared, displaying their tough stance with an even more intense barrage of artillery fire than those in Marley.
The continuous explosions and cries of agony echoed across the battlefield, where bullets and shrapnel flying everywhere could easily take a life if one wasn't careful.
Apart from the Nanbu the Grayle Fortress where nothing major has happened yet, the other three areas have been engulfed in brutal warfare.
A pair of eyes peered through the carved firing ports, observing the situation ahead. It was a massive boulder, which nature may have spent hundreds or thousands of years transforming into its current form, but humans had turned it into a sturdy Fortress capable of withstanding countless artillery attacks in less than two weeks.
A Middle East squad was stationed in the Fortress, with two menacing Machine Gun only showing their firing ports.
The Middle East captain, frowning as he observed the situation, had been on edge ever since the start of the war. But facing the silent stones, they began to grumble, "Captain, there's no need to be so tense. The Marleyan aren't stupid. We have forty or fifty Fortress here. Only Marleyan would attack us."
But the Middle East captain did not let his guard down. Hearing the continuous artillery fire from other directions, he knew how fierce the war was on other fronts.
Although there are natural barriers to the south, the Marleyan might still resort to unconventional tactics, especially since Marleyan trump card isn't currently on the battlefield: the Titan! The Marleyan's trump card, the Titan Warriors! The thought of the Titan sent a chill down Captain Middle East's spine. Although the rear fortress is equipped with anti- Titan Anti-Titan Cannon specifically designed for Marley Titan Warriors, these weapons are merely theoretical; whether they can actually defeat the Titan remains to be seen.
The Middle East captain ordered his Soldiers to be on high alert and load their guns. Seemingly inspired by this Fortress, the Middle East Soldiers in the other Fortress also began to prepare for defense.
On the other hand, Yago led the Eldia Third Regiment into the position at a leisurely pace, with the first few dozen Eldians holding a military green Steel Pipes.
At the rear of the column, Colt led the Warrior Candidate, carrying bundles of ammunition close behind. Tension was palpable on everyone's faces, except for Gabi, who looked utterly disappointed. She asked Colt, puzzled, "Brother Colt, why aren't we allowed to join the fight? They're only sending us Warrior Candidate transport ammunition. Isn't that underestimating us?"
Colt explained helplessly, "Gabi, stop talking nonsense. We should obey orders. Besides, we have no combat experience, and going to the battlefield will only affect the other Soldiers. Okay, stay with the group and don't get lost."
But Gabi wasn't reassured by Colt's words. Instead, a different thought popped into her mind. She secretly peeked out from the trench and looked at the Soldiers at the forefront who were sneaking towards the enemy's Fortress. A fiery glint suddenly flashed in Gabi's eyes.
If she could make a name for herself on the battlefield, it would definitely be a great help to her career Warrior Candidate! Ever since she was traumatized by that Captain Loa, Gabi has begun to waver in her pursuit of Warrior Candidate, but she doesn't know what else she could aspire to besides becoming Marley Warriors.
The environment she grew up in shaped Gabi's personality. From a young age, her family instilled in her the idea that she should become Marley Warriors. They believed that becoming Marley Warriors and an Honorary Marleyan lead to a good life and wash away her demonic identity. Her cousin Reiner was the example her family always used to motivate her.
From a young age Gabi watched her family point to Reiner's mother and the red Armband on her arm, saying, "See that? Gabi, that's the symbol of Honorary Marleyan. With that, we can have a better life! Gabi, you must become Marley Warriors!"
Growing up in this environment, Gabi's personality naturally changed. While other children her age were still clueless, Gabi knew that she had to strive to become Marley Warriors.
Gabi's excessive pursuit of this identity has made her paranoid and stubborn, even to the point of belittling her own race. She identifies as Eldians and desires to become Honorary Marleyan to wash away her so-called demonic identity.
But Loa's actions that day shattered Gabi's illusions. No matter how hard you try or how loyal you are, in the eyes of the Marleyan, Eldians will always be lowly Eldians, and their identity as demons will always be their label.
Gabi's family may have seen the "respectable" life that Reiner's mother lived after her son became Honorary Marleyan, but they didn't know that Reiner's father, that ordinary Marleyan, looked at his son, who had become Marley Warriors, with no pride or recognition in his eyes, but rather with endless disgust and hostility.
Eldians are Eldians. In the eyes of most Marleyan, no matter what color the Armband is, as long as they wear Armband, their blood is that of demons.
Although Gabi had some suspicions, she dared not, or rather, was unwilling to, accept the truth. To her, accepting the truth meant that everything she had done since childhood was like that of a clown. She did not want to have to demean herself as Eldians and desperately show loyalty to the Marleyan only to receive such a cruel truth.
If she didn't strive to become Marley Warriors, what else could she aim for? She had no choice. Under this mental suggestion, Gabi's obsession with becoming Marley Warriors deepened, and her gaze toward the battlefield burned ever brighter.
"What if Marley really attack?" a Middle East Soldiers inside the Fortress asked his Comrade.
His Machine Gun Comrade, clutching the Machine Gun, laughed and replied, "Then I'll definitely turn them into sieves before they stupidly charge at us with Grenade and explosives."
The two men's conversation drew laughter from their teammates. Indeed, their Fortress was impregnable. What could the Marleyan do but come to their deaths with Explosive Pack and Grenade? Were they supposed to set up cannons right in front of them and fire?
Another Middle East Machine Gun laughed so hard he almost choked. As he turned around, he glanced at the situation outside the firing port and saw a white steel helmet come into view.
The Middle East Machine Gun was caught off guard, his face filled with astonishment, but the Eldia Soldiers who was looking at him had already slung a green Steel Pipes over his shoulder and was aiming it at him.
"Enemy!..." Before the Middle East Machine Gun could finish speaking, a shell with flames trailing behind it hurtled straight toward him.