Chapter 131 ·All-Heavens Arc · Attack on Titan · III

Eren ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍listened to those words, his fists clenching so tightly that they crackled.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gritted his teeth and could not help but speak out, “Even if we can never leave the walls after being born, just eat and sleep, sleep and eat, we could still survive. But wouldn’t that make us no different from livestock?”

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment he finished speaking, the two Garrison Regiment soldiers beside them who were still drinking burst into laughter.

“Haha, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍kids really love acting tough.”

“You ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍can’t do a single thing, but your mouth sure is big.”

Eren ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍ignored them and continued walking forward with his head lowered.

Hannes shouted from behind, “Eren, don’t take it to heart. They just like joking around, they don’t mean anything by it.”

Seeing that Eren did not even turn his head back, Hannes scratched his head and muttered to himself, “This kid... something feels off. Don’t tell me he wants to join the Survey Corps?”

At that moment—

Clang, clang, clang.

Long bell chimes rang out from the direction of the walls, echoing throughout the entire Shiganshina District.

Eren froze for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

“It’s the Survey Corps! They’re back! The main gate is opening!”

He turned toward Mikasa, then subconsciously glanced in the direction where Dragon Lord stood and said excitedly, “Mikasa, Grandpa, let’s go watch the heroes return!”

After saying that, he ran toward the city gate.

Mikasa silently followed after him.

Dragon Lord stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the towering wall as his purple vertical pupils narrowed slightly.

The Survey Corps.

A group of people who knew full well that hell existed beyond the walls, yet still walked out there again and again.

Were they foolish?

Perhaps.

But sometimes, it was precisely that kind of foolishness that distinguished humans from livestock.

He stepped forward and followed.

......

At the city gate.

One horse after another entered through the gate, yet strapped to their backs were mutilated wounded soldiers missing arms and legs, along with several corpses covered in white cloth.

The noisy crowd gradually quieted down.

The returning soldiers all lowered their heads. Their bodies were stained with blood, and their eyes were hollow.

Someone in the crowd muttered softly:

“These... are the only ones who came back?”

“What about the others? They were all eaten, right?”

“Sigh, this is what happens when they insist on going outside the walls.”

“Wouldn’t it be fine to just stay safely inside the walls? Why insist on throwing their lives away?”

Dragon Lord stood at the rear of the crowd, taking in every single word.

He watched the excitement on Eren’s face gradually fade away, turning into confusion, then suppression.

Not long after, a gray-haired woman rushed out from the crowd.

She wore simple coarse cloth garments and shouted with trembling hands, “Moses! Did Moses come back?!”

“My child—did Moses come back?!”

Within the formation, a weary-looking soldier saw her, and his expression dimmed.

He quietly said something to the companion beside him before dismounting from his horse and taking down a long object wrapped in white cloth from one side of the saddle.

He walked up to the woman, opened his mouth, and spoke in a hoarse voice:

“...Are you Moses’ mother?”

The woman nodded frantically, a final trace of hope still lingering in her eyes.

The soldier lowered his eyes and handed the white cloth bundle over.

“We... only managed to recover this.”

The woman accepted it and trembled as she lifted the white cloth.

Inside was an arm.

The woman froze.

She simply held that arm in both hands, motionless.

After a long while, she finally raised her head, tears filling her eyes as she said, “His... death should at least have had value, right?”

She looked at the soldier and forced out a smile.

“Even if he didn’t achieve any merits... my son still contributed to humanity’s counterattack... right?”

The soldier opened his mouth.

He wanted to say of course.

But when the words reached his lips, it was as though something had jammed itself into his throat.

“No...”

“This expedition still achieved nothing.”

His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was filled with pain suppressed to the limit.

“It’s all because of my incompetence. I only led soldiers to throw away their lives for nothing.”

“And still... we couldn’t uncover the true nature of those monsters.”

The woman said nothing.

She simply held that arm and stood there silently.

The formation continued moving forward.

The surrounding crowd gradually dispersed.

Some shook their heads and sighed.

“How tragic.”

Others muttered quietly:

“Sigh, this feels like we’re using our taxes to feed them, then fattening up the monsters outside the walls instead.”

“Exactly. Every year they allocate so much money to the Survey Corps, and what’s the result? One batch goes out and one batch dies. The ones who return are crippled.”

“We pay taxes just to raise this?”

Eren suddenly turned his head toward the speaker.

It was a middle-aged man dressed plainly, his face carrying a kind of cold indifference that seemed perfectly justified.

“What did you say?”

Eren clenched his fists tightly. Something inside his chest was burning.

Without even thinking, he grabbed the firewood stick in his hand and swung it directly at the man.

Bang!

The man staggered from the blow and clutched his head while shouting, “What are you doing?!”

Red-eyed, Eren still wanted to rush forward, but a hand firmly grabbed him.

It was Mikasa.

The girl’s strength was astonishing as she dragged him straight out of the crowd.

Eren struggled violently.

“Let go of me! Did you hear what they were saying?! They—!”

Mikasa said nothing. She dragged him all the way into an alley before suddenly shoving him.

Eren’s back slammed against the wall, and the firewood scattered all over the ground.

Mikasa looked at him. There was no anger in her eyes, only an indescribably complicated emotion.

“Eren.” She asked softly, “After seeing them like that, do you still want to join the Survey Corps?”

Hearing this, the scene from earlier surfaced in Eren’s mind once more.

That severed arm.

The pain and self-blame in that soldier’s eyes.

He fell silent.

After a long while, he lowered his head and silently crouched down, picking up the scattered firewood piece by piece.

Dragon Lord stood at the alley entrance, taking in the entire scene.

He did not laugh at Eren.

The scene at the city gate earlier, the mother clutching her son’s severed arm, the cold whispers of the crowd, the soldier who apologized despite knowing it was futile—

All of it stirred countless emotions within Dragon Lord.

After all, he knew that those Titan monsters had originally all been humans.

The same race as the people living within these walls.

The origin of everything began because a girl named Founding Ymir made a deal with some mysterious lifeform two thousand years ago and obtained the Power of Titans.

That power was then passed down generation after generation, eventually evolving into the Nine Titans.

After Ymir’s death, her soul became trapped within an extradimensional space known as the Paths, eternally controlled by the royal bloodline, endlessly piling up yellow sand to construct Titan bodies one after another.

As for those Pure Titans, those irrational monsters that only knew how to eat humans—they were originally people injected with Titan spinal fluid and transformed into such creatures.

If they wished to regain their rationality and become human once more, there was only one method:

Devour one of the holders of the Nine Titans.

Yet even then, from that moment onward, their lifespan would only have thirteen years remaining.

This world, from its very foundation, was one endless tragic cycle.

The people within the walls feared Titans, hated Titans, and viewed them as monsters that had to be exterminated.

Yet they did not know those Titans were precisely their abandoned compatriots.

The Pure Titans devoured humans not out of hunger.

They possessed no digestive systems at all. They merely followed a certain instinctual drive.

A longing to find the one who possessed Titan power.

A longing to become human once again.

But the people within the walls would never know any of this.

Generation after generation, they lived within the walls, trapped within a prison woven from lies.

They believed the outside world was hell, never realizing that the source of hell lay within the royal bloodline inside the walls themselves.

This was the truth of this world.

Inside the alley.

Mikasa helped Eren pick up the scattered firewood and tied it into a bundle.

As she bent down, the corner of her eye caught sight of the tall figure standing at the alley entrance, and her heart involuntarily tightened.

That strange old man was still following them.

From beginning to end, he had merely stood there from afar, watching silently without saying a single word.

Mikasa pursed her lips and said softly, “Eren, are you really going to bring him home?”

Eren froze.

Only then did he remember that there was still this old grandfather waiting there.

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