"Warrior Candidates, attention! This is Lieutenant Colonel Loya, commander of the Third Regint of the Eldian Forces. He is also one of the witnesses who will determine whether you are qualified to beco Marleyan Warriors this ti. Perform well! Understood?" Colonel Koslow introduced Yago, who stood beside him, to the Warrior Candidates.
"Yes!"
The Warrior Candidates responded loudly, then followed Colonel Koslow into the camp of the Third Regint of the Eldian Forces.
Yago watched as they passed by him. Gabi was the last one in line. When she walked past Yago, she didn't even dare to lift her head.
Suddenly, a voice like a devil's whisper drifted into Gabi's ears.
"Welco to the Third Regint, young Warrior Candidates."
In an instant, a chill shot up Gabi's spine. She bolted, sprinting into the camp like a gust of wind, leaving the other Warrior Candidates staring at her in shock.
Colonel Koslow froze for a mont. But thinking about Gabi's usual burning desire to beco a Marleyan Warrior, he simply assud she was overly excited.
"What should we do? Those kids are Warrior Candidates."
In the shadows of the camp, the core mbers of the Eldian Restorationists, led by Serena, were secretly observing the Warrior Candidates under Koslow's command.
A young soldier beside Serena spoke cautiously.
"Well… those kids are Eldians too, aren't they? Is it possible that…"
Serena cut him off decisively.
"Impossible."
She knew exactly what he ant—trying to win over those Warrior Candidates. After all, the power of the Titans had always been deeply ingrained in people's minds. But Serena knew it couldn't work.
Jack had once said that before their ti, previous Restorationist leaders had already considered this plan. It was even rumored that so of their predecessors had personally raised their own children to beco Marleyan Warrior Candidates.
The result?
That very child, once he beca a Warrior Candidate, betrayed the Eldian Restorationists. Brainwashed by Marley, he exposed his own parents and the Restorationists who had placed their hopes in him.
The entire Restorationist movent was nearly annihilated because of it. Only Jack and a few peripheral mbers narrowly escaped.
Jack had poured his heart and soul into rebuilding the Eldian Restorationists. But after that devastating failure, the new Restorationists established a rule:
Never trust or attempt to recruit Warrior Candidates who have been completely brainwashed by Marley.
They may carry Eldian blood, but they are nothing more than Marley's loyal hounds.
Of course, Serena also learned from Jack the identity of the child who had betrayed the Eldian Restorationists.
Zeke Yeager.
The current Warrior Chief of Marley's Warrior Unit. The Beast Titan. Marley's Spear. The Prodigy of Miracles.
By betraying his parents, he gained Marley's trust—but he also earned the everlasting hatred of Jack and the older mbers of the Restorationists.
Serena let out a quiet sigh. Co to think of it, she hadn't received any news from the others in quite so ti. She wondered how those comrades were doing now.
And that Ebson… Serena had never truly trusted him.
"Hold your positions for now. Keep a close watch in your daily routines, but don't alert them," Serena ordered.
At that mont, an Eldian soldier rushed over, his face pale with panic, bringing terrible news.
"It's bad. Foss from the Sixth Regint betrayed Bray. Bray and the others… they…"
His voice trembled.
Serena's vision went black.
Bray had been the first core mber she recruited into the Restorationists. On the battlefield, she had dragged the heavily wounded Bray out under Middle Eastern artillery fire. She had even used up all the hard-earned anti-inflammatory dicine she had managed to obtain on him.
Since then, Bray had beco her most loyal subordinate and trusted right hand. Half of Serena's developnt within the Marleyan military had depended on his help.
And now—
"Bray… What happened to Bray?!"
Serena's eyes were bloodshot as she demanded.
"He… he and several of the others… they all committed suicide. Marley hung their bodies outside the camp…"
"Serena!"
The Restorationist mbers cried out in alarm as Serena suddenly collapsed to the ground. They scrambled to help her up.
"I—I'm fine. No, wait… have we been exposed? Hurry! No—act imdiately! We can't sit and wait for death. The Marleyans might co at any mont!"
Serena's mind was in chaos, her words disjointed.
"Serena, we haven't been exposed. Bray… they didn't expose us. They must have chosen suicide to protect us. Please calm down."
Serena stood frozen. After a long while, she muttered blankly,
"Let's… go back first. I need… I need to think. Do not disturb . That's an order."
With that, she turned and walked toward her tent, though her steps were unsteady.
Behind her, the Restorationists watched with worried expressions. But they still obeyed her command.
"Foss, that bastard! I'll kill him!"
One of them growled, prompting murmurs of agreent. Yet without Serena's orders, they could only vent their anger. Acting rashly might drag the entire Restorationist movent into disaster.
...
Sea-Diving Titan Airi struggled to haul her backpack off the back of a military truck. She had just set it down to catch her breath when she felt soone tap her shoulder.
Turning around, she saw the Marleyan officer Colonel Koslow had introduced earlier that day.
Uh… what was his na again?
Airi realized she hadn't caught the officer's na at the ti.
"Sea-Diving Titan Warrior, Airi Ambers?"
Hearing the Marleyan officer say her na, Airi responded cautiously.
"That's , sir. Is there sothing you need?"
Airi's overly careful deanor left Yago slightly puzzled. Seeing the faintly ingratiating smile on Airi's face, Yago suddenly felt that gathering information about the new Titan power from him might not be too difficult after all.
What Yago didn't know was that Airi had grown up in the Liberio internnt zone. Because her family had lived in poverty, she had been instilled from a young age with the belief that she must never offend Marleyans—and should even try to please them.
Even after becoming a Titan Warrior, Airi often still displayed a lazy, timid personality.
...
Night fell.
The Warrior Candidates gathered inside their tent to eat. They had their own rations and didn't need to dine with the other Eldian soldiers. After all, they were Warrior Candidates—future golden enforcers for Marley—and the Marleyans wouldn't mistreat them.
Colonel Koslow had originally invited Yago as well, but Yago declined, saying he had matters to attend to.
He walked to the small hill behind the camp. Gazing up at the star-filled night sky, Yago suddenly thought of Annie.
"Annie… I wonder how you've been lately. I… kind of miss you."
...
Paradis Island
After visiting Lucia, Annie walked down the street with her father.
Suddenly, as if sensing sothing, Annie lifted her head and looked up at the starry sky above.
"You idiot, Yago… take care of yourself."
Beneath the sa night sky, two hearts longing for each other seed quietly connected.
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Pls Drop so Power Stones
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