Noticing everyone's eyes on him, Chen Si slowly began to speak.
"Are Titans really that terrifying? Are they really born stronger than humans? I don't think so. Even the word 'Titan' contains the character for 'human.' That means they're just like us, with two eyes and one nose. Kill them, and they die. In fact, Titans even have two fewer organs than we do." Chen Si smiled faintly.
Many of those present pondered his words carefully. That was right-Titans were people too. As long as they could be killed, there was still a chance.
Organs? Who knew what a few of the female cadets were thinking, but their cheeks flushed as they lowered their heads.
Seeing that everyone had mustered a little courage, Chen Si slowly walked over to the blond cadet who had spoken earlier.
Chen Si tilted his head up slightly. He was half a head shorter than this cadet, which annoyed him. These damn Westerners sure grow up fast.
Chen Si had only reached 178 centimeters at seventeen. Never making it to 180 had been a lifelong sore spot for him. Every day, he had hoped he would grow a little more before he turned twenty. Instead, he had transmigrated into a 150-centimeter-tall child, and even now he was still under 170.
"You're much taller than me, but does that mean I have to fear you? You're much taller than me, but can you beat me in a fight? You can't. I could defeat you easily. Even ten more of you wouldn't be a match for me. So why should we fear Titans just because they're big?"
A bead of sweat rolled down the blond cadet's face, and he did not dare argue. Chen Si was right. As the top cadet, he could take down the top ten cadets single-handedly, provided Mikasa and Annie stayed out of it.
"How tall is Captain Levi? One hundred sixty centimeters. At that height, he can chase down Titans and cut them apart as easily as chopping vegetables. Even if you can't do that at 180 centimeters, do you have to be afraid? Or are all you 180-centimeter guys here inferior to me and Levi at 160?" Every word Chen Si spoke struck home, especially for the taller people present.
Reiner was stunned. He was so alike. That air of leadership was just like Marcel's. No, even Marcel had never possessed such commanding presence or eloquence. This was exactly what Reiner had always wanted to learn, what he wanted to become. He wanted to be a leader like Marcel.
At the same time, Reiner was filled with apprehension. Having an enemy like this was their misfortune. Fortunately, the human body was incredibly frail.
Annie gave Chen Si a long, searching look, as though ripples had stirred in her heart.
Christa listened attentively to every word Chen Si said and reflected on them. She clenched her little fists, her blue eyes sparkling. I want to be as brave as our top cadet, Chen Si.
A faint smile rested on Mikasa's lips, as though she were proudly saying, Look, that's my man. Oh, no, my brother. No, actually, my man.
Chen Si had no idea how profoundly he had shaken Annie and Christa, nor did he know about the battle raging in Mikasa's heart.
"Because of the Titans' invasion, guess how much a loaf of bread costs now? One Steel Coin used to buy enough wheat to feed a family of four for a day. And now? A single loaf of bread costs fifty Steel Coins!
"How absurd! All of this is because of the Titans' invasion! Titans are evil! And those behind them are the very source of that evil!" Chen Si declared with conviction.
Everyone who heard him was deeply worried. That's right. At this rate, I won't even be able to afford food soon. What will happen to my family? They clenched their fists, their hatred for the Titans growing stronger.
"I will fear no Titan. I will devote my life to driving out the Titans, and I will spare no enemy. Our bones will one day crumble into dust, but we will endure, generation after generation! The world belongs to humanity! The world belongs to Paradis Island! The world belongs to us!" Chen Si suddenly thrust his arm out, struck his fist against his heart, and raised his arm with a resounding shout.
After hearing Chen Si's speech, Eren was utterly awestruck.
"Huh? Paradis Island?" Armin sank into thought.
"The world belongs to humanity! The world belongs to Paradis Island! Drive out the Titans!" Eren was the first to respond, overcome with excitement, even though he had no idea what Paradis Island meant.
"The world belongs to humanity!!!"
"Drive out the Titans!!!"
Everyone present had been shaken by the speech, and all of them joined in the fervor.
Sasha and Connie shouted so hard that their faces and necks turned red.
Christa kept waving her little fists, shouting along at the top of her lungs.
Even the usually quiet Mikasa and Armin joined in.
Jean went from scoffing at Chen Si's speech to feeling as though his soul had been cleansed. You think all those speeches from teachers and school administrators that drove me crazy every day in the twenty-first century were a joke?
Chen Si watched everyone's thunderous chanting with immense satisfaction.
Bertolt's clothes were already soaked with sweat. As he watched the excited crowd, he could not help wondering just what sort of people he was fighting against. What frightened him even more was Reiner!
Chen Si also looked in surprise at Reiner, who was chanting along with just as much excitement. Chen Si nodded. Not bad. Only by recognizing your mistakes and changing can you earn yourself a good death.
Outside the mess hall, Keith had heard the uproar within and was about to storm inside in a fury when the Training Corps' commanding officer stopped him.
"Listen. The soldiers inside are chanting," the commanding officer said in astonishment.
"Chanting?" Keith was puzzled.
Keith pricked up his ears and listened carefully. The voices grew louder and louder, until the mess hall's thunderous chorus battered his eardrums.
"What is this?" Keith's pupils trembled.
"The world belongs to humanity!"
"The world belongs to Paradis Island!"
"Drive out the Titans!"
The Garrison soldiers stationed nearby gradually began chanting along to the rhythm coming from the mess hall. The Training Corps officers also joined in.
With tears brimming in his eyes, Keith joined the excited chanting. Humanity still had hope!
Thunderous chants engulfed the entire camp.
After Keith received the account written by the Clerk who had been eating in the mess hall, his eyes settled on one sentence.
Then the white-haired commanding officer of the Training Corps standing behind him read it aloud.
"Our bones will one day crumble into dust, but we will endure, generation after generation."
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Wonderful! Wonderful!" The normally refined commanding officer laughed freely and heartily.
Keith stared in a daze at his superior's laughter. This was a day he would never forget for the rest of his life.
Keith also had a premonition: humanity's future would reach a turning point in the hands of the 104th graduating class.