Despair

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' "Which one of you holds the Founding Titan?" A bearded man wearing glasses and shabby dark hair interrupted their prayer.

Lady Reiss looked the most bewildered of all. And it truly was bewildering how a common man from some forsaken corner of Wall Maria could have gotten there.

"Who are you?!" Urklyn ran to shield his mother from the mysterious stranger. Florian, Abel, and Dirk all took refuge behind their brother. Lord Reiss seemed to recognize this stranger's threat more than anyone, so he took several steps back against the chapel's crystal walls.

Only one of the daughters remained still, unfazed by his raid.

She had black hair and big blue eyes, just like her cowardly father. Grisha wondered if, by any chance, it could be her.

"My name is Grisha Yeager. I have come to..."

"Go back to where you came from, Grisha Yeager. There's no room for sinners like you here. This is a holy ritual, and we are at prayer, as you can see." cried out Frieda, stepping past even Urklyn. Her calm and poised demeanor gave her away in Grisha's eyes.

Karl Fritz's will had taken over hers, beyond a doubt.

"Do you have any idea of what's going on out there!? Wall Maria has fallen! If you truly hold the power of the Founder, then you have to use it to save your people and save the island from the Titans, please, my three children and my wife are in danger!" He was beside himself, but the young woman in front of him wouldn't flinch nor acknowledge his point.

"I shall do no such thing. There is no salvation for us for the things we have done. If retribution comes for us, we shall welcome it with open arms." She spread her arms right then. Her robe's long and smooth sleeves made her look like an angel.

"Are you out of your mind!? This is Marley coming for us, you and me both!"

The Reisses exchanged puzzled, frightened looks as they cowered together into a shivering embrace.

A realization dawned on Frieda just then. "Ah... It seems you still have your memories, Grisha Yeager. And it must be because you are not from here. You must be the spawn of the unworthy who didn't make it to Paradis when the Walls were built." Disgust and loathing twisted her facial features. 

She didn't look so pretty anymore. It was like someone else had taken hold of her body and was speaking in her voice now.

"Frieda! Kill him!" She could hear Urklyn urging her a few steps behind. Mother and Father were too scared even to speak, and so were the little ones.

The Reiss woman turned back to look at her family. "No need to worry. Just stay back. It will be over soon. I will protect you."

"If you won't comply with my plea, then you leave me no choice, Frieda Reiss." The dark-haired man went from hysterical to pale and cold. It was a fearsome change to behold. 

"I have people I have to protect too."

The silver glimmer of a blade, a wound that drew blood. A powerful lightning bolt scythed the air, and then the thunderous roar of a titan followed.

Frieda witnessed the whole scene like she wasn't new to it. She took one more step forth toward her opponent and bit her own hand. '

Deep in the forests of Wall Rose, Grisha's carriage rolled along down the road heading south. The night was nearly pitch black as the new moon hid itself in the night sky.

His mind raced as his thoughts ventured over the possible outcome of his family. Word of what happened to Shinganshina District and Wall Maria had spread fast across the walls. Only hours after the tragedy, every person and noble within the inner walls knew what happened. A sixty-meter titan had kicked a hole in the wall and let in all the titans. Then another titan, fifteen meters, rammed into the gates of Wall Maria and confiscated the whole land.

Grisha suspected shifters...

He clenched his teeth, Bastards! The lot of them! He yelled in his head, tears falling down his cheeks as he once again wondered about his family. If they died because of them...

Eren, Naruto, Carla, Mikasa, please be alright! He begged to himself, bowing his head to better see through the tears.

Annie

Three guys and one girl were busily arranging the plans for the next day while a lone female sat off to the side, apparently undisturbed by their chat. "I'm curious about them all. Is it possible that they're all devils?" As the three guys continued to converse, the girl gazed up at the horizon, deep in concentration. "Marley says they are all devils if that's true. This won't be easy." Marcel murmured, his voice trembling with apprehension. He hadn't given any attention to the kind of individuals who may be waiting for them inside the walls.

"What are you talking about? Everyone knows they are devils; they are devils that deserve to be punished for what their ancestors did, unlike us who are honorable Marleyans," Reiner boasted with a voice that was really annoying to Annie; she just rolled her eyes at his words. It was known that he was way too loyal to Marley. If they asked, he would gladly kiss the ground they stepped on; that's how deep his loyalty resides in his heart.

"Annie, you're not speaking much tonight, are you okay? Is everything alright?" Bertholt, one of the boys who inquired, looked at her with a tinge of anxiety. Annie never really spoke to anybody; Pieck was the only fighter with whom she had a solid friendship, but she wasn't with them.

Annie hardly looked at him; she didn't want to speak to any of them. It wasn't like she was friends with any of them; they were just a group of Warriors sent to slaughter thousands of people for no apparent reason.

Reiner scowled at her when he didn't get a response, his face moving closer to where she was, irritating her even more, particularly his awful breath. "Are you going to be ready for tomorrow?" He asked with a tone as if he was interrogating her instead of just asking kindly.

Annie's eyes became even colder; if looks could kill, the gods themselves would perish under her gaze. She decided to answer the question after seeing the two other boys also gazing at her.

"Of course, I'll be ready. And I'm OK, just thinking," she responded flatly, gazing across at the boy before returning her gaze to the sky.

"Okay, we're all going to retire to our beds. You should also get some sleep." Bertholdt spoke enthusiastically, but his voice trembled slightly, earning a deadpan look from Reiner.

"Is just in my head; there's nothing to be worried about; we've planned this out," she said quietly to herself. She shifted back and forth before finding a comfortable position to sleep. Now alone, her mind was free to go whatever she wanted.

Tomorrow 

The following day started normal, but a Pure Titan suddenly attacked them; Marcel sacrificed himself to save the worthless Reiner, who ran away the moment the titan devoured Marcel.

Annie saw Bertholdt and Reiner immediately running away as the pure titan ran deep into the forest.

Annie seeing she was left alone, followed them; she couldn't do anything alone; at that moment, she knew they were screwed; they had just lost the Jaw Titan.

*****

"AAAHHHH," Reiner's heart pounded in his chest as a bone-chilling scream escaped his lips, reverberating through the desolate landscape. With a quick pivot, his eyes widened in terror, anticipating the worst, only to find solace as he caught sight of Annie and Bertholdt sprinting towards him.

A heavy sigh of relief escaped his lips, dispersing the lingering fear that had gripped his soul as he realized it wasn't another pure titan lurking in the shadows. As the tension slowly ebbed away, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Reiner's lips, his body gradually relaxing from its rigid state.

Annie, her breaths shallow and labored."This... was... the first time..." Annie's voice quivered, punctuated by gasps for air, her body still recovering from the intense exertion. "...you won against me... in a foot race."

Bertholdt slumped down, desperately trying to catch his breath, his face pale like snow, the image of Marcel dying still fresh in his mind.

"If you two had just stayed, we would be able to take Jaw back, but instead, you two started running away like cowards leaving me alone, forcing me to follow you two," Annie spouted at his face, her face angry, before relaxing slightly, turning around, walking in the opposite direction.

"Let's go; this is over. We should go back to Marley. We are leaderless; we can't continue this mission," Annie decided. This whole situation was hopeless, and she wanted to return back to her father.

"Wait," Reiner exclaimed in terror; his face had lost all the color, looking more like a corpse.

"We can't go back; we have a mission to complete. We can't go back to Marley empty-handed and without Jaw on top of that," Reiner screamed frantically towards Annie, who didn't look concerned in the slightest; Bertholdt was simply looking between his friends, feeling the tension rising in the air.

Annie finally turned her face to Reiner, furious at him. "This is your problem. I don't care if they decide to give your Armor Titan to anyone else; this is not my problem," Annie spoke coldly before whirling around and deciding to leave...

"H-How do you know? You won't Be Punished," Reiner shouted at her. This made her stop walking, turning to Reiner, who had a small smirk on his face.

"We can't find the Jaw right now; what if whoever ate Marcel decides to attack us. We need to go to the wall; we need to get the Founder; Bertholt can kick open the gate," Reiner continued, completely ignoring the furious look of Annie.

"Huh?! No one can use their titan on the first try," Bertholdt said in confusion.

"Says the boy who used it on the First Try," Reiner shouted, angry at him, before turning his focus to an approaching Annie, holding her face down.

With an air of assurance, he outstretched his hands, presuming that Annie was in agreement. However, instead of reciprocating his gesture, Annie unleashed a violent blow, landing squarely on his unsuspecting face. The sheer impact knocked him off balance, causing him to crash unceremoniously onto the ground beneath him.

With an almost primal fury, Annie proceeded to deliver a relentless barrage of kicks to Reiner's now vulnerable face, each strike accompanied by a sickening thud, shattering his delicate nose and fracturing his jaw, transforming his once pristine countenance into a grotesque tableau of crimson-streaked agony.

Amidst the cacophony of pain, Reiner found himself only barely registering the words that spilled from Annie's lips, drowned out by the pulsating throbs in his head. It was only when she finally ceased her brutal onslaught, her malevolent gaze shifting away from him, that Reiner seized the fleeting opportunity to gather his waning strength. Standing up, he grasped her by the neck from behind; Annie tried to fight back, but Reiner was more powerful than her.

"If you want a Marcel, I will be him," he spoke in her ears as he held his arms around her throat before making her pass out.

Grisha

"Wall Maria has fallen; everyone will be devoured!"

"Wall Rose will fall next; run for your lives!"

As they rushed north, the people yelled. Despite the Titans being nowhere near the town, the mere image of lumbering giants coming towards their families drove practically everyone mad, driving them to seek the safety of Wall Sina.

Keith Shadis couldn't avoid being swept away by the large group of people. He'd given up his position as Scout Commander, and now he was nothing more than a bystander. Nothing out of the ordinary. It's never been, and it'll never be.

"Keith!" He was jolted out of his funk by a voice from behind him. His boots dug into the earth, and his body became an immovable obstacle for the residents around him to avoid rather than wash down the stream with the others. Dr. Grisha Jaeger, an old friend, was approaching him as he turned around.

"Please, Keith!" Once the two had finally joined each other in company, the guy appealed. "Please help me find my wife and sons."

Keith answered slowly, as if in astonishment, "They'd be at the shelters." Keith moved quickly when Grisha pushed him to steer the path.

With a heart pounding in his chest and a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach, Grisha scoured shelter after shelter, his desperate eyes darting from face to face, hoping to catch a glimpse of his beloved family.

"Please," he whispered under his breath, his voice laced with urgency and a hint of fear. "Please, let them be safe." As he pressed on, memories flooded his mind, memories of laughter, love, and shared moments that now seemed so distant and fragile. Surely, they were alive and well, he reassured himself.

Finally, his weary feet brought him to the entrance of a sprawling shelter. As he pushed the heavy door open, a wave of bustling activity washed over him, revealing a scene reminiscent of a crowded marketplace. Tents stretched as far as the eye could see, their occupants still awake and exchanging whispers in hushed tones.

Grisha's gaze wandered, scanning the sea of faces until his eyes locked onto a solitary figure—a child with vibrant blonde spiky hair. Recognition sparked within him, a surge of relief flooding through his veins as he realized it was Naruto. But the joy didn't stop there; standing beside Naruto were Eren, Mikasa, Carla, and even Hannes.

With a heart brimming with relief, Grisha couldn't help but exclaim, "Thank Ymir!" Tears of pure happiness cascaded down his face like glistening rivers, tracing the contours of his cheeks as he took steady strides toward his beloved family. Meanwhile, Naruto turned his head around, catching sight of Grisha's approach.

A radiant smile instantly bloomed across Naruto's entire face, illuminating the surroundings with an exuberant burst of joy. Naruto couldn't contain himself and shouted, "Father!" before sprinting towards Grisha, overwhelmed with elation.

Naruto propelled himself into Grisha's waiting embrace. With tears of happiness glistening in his eyes, Grisha reciprocated the embrace, enfolding his little son in a warm and protective hold. Eren and Mikasa threw themselves at Grisha's waist, their arms encircling him tightly. Carla planted a tender kiss on Grisha's lips before enveloping him in a tight, loving embrace.

With a joyous twinkle in his eyes and a beaming smile on his face, Grisha exclaimed in sheer delight, "I'm so happy to see all of you," As the weight of the world pressed down upon them, the Yeager family was happy, finding solace in their togetherness amidst the desolation that surrounded them. Grisha tenderly planted affectionate kisses on the foreheads of Eren and Mikasa. Drawing back from Grisha's embrace, Eren, Mikasa, and Carla, who stood steadfastly by their side, reluctantly separated themselves. However, Naruto clung tightly to Grisha's chest, unwilling to let go.

"Naruto, sweetheart, your father is tired," Carla's voice dripped with affectionate tenderness as she gracefully pried him away from the comforting embrace of Grisha. Reluctantly, Naruto released his father's hand, his grip loosening but standing by his side as if it were to make sure he wouldn't run away. In response, a warm chuckle bubbled up from Grisha's weary soul, his calloused fingers playfully tousling the unruly spikes of Naruto's hair, eliciting an infectious amusement that danced in the young boy's bright eyes.

Grisha quickly noticed that Hannes was standing a bit further away to give them privacy, but Grisha quickly motioned for him to approach them; Hannes did without saying anything until he was taken aback when Grisha extended his hand towards him as if waiting for Hannes to shake his hand.

"Thank you for protecting my family, Hannes. You have no ideas how grateful I'm, if there's-" Grisha's words interrupted when Hannes shook his head with a smile.

"You should thank, Naruto," Hannes interrupted as he pointed at Naruto, who blushed in embarrassment. "All I did was carry Carla, Naruto, he- he did something that helped us," Hannes spoke the last words carefully and with a hushed tone, trying not to be heard by everyone else around the shelter.

Hannes still found it difficult to believe that Naruto was able to grow Trees and use chains that seemed to appear from Naruto's skin. Hannes wasn't sure what to make of any of them, but he figured Grisha knew about Naruto having strange abilities.

Grisha seemed to understand what Hannes was implying, a look of realization on his face as he patted Naruto on the head, congratulating him for taking care of his family. Grisha looked behind his shoulder, expecting to see Keith nearby, but he was gone. Grisha sighed sadly, knowing his friend had left and had decided not to stick around and talk with them.

Soon, the Yeager family sat around four makeshift beds that were quite uncomfortable; the beds were made of four poor blankets and a pillow on top of each blanket. Hannes said that he needed to leave, saying he needed to report to the Garrison Headquarters.

Once Grisha sat down, Eren, Mikasa, and Naruto were sitting beside one another, while Carla was sitting beside Grisha. With each labored breath he took, Grisha fought to conceal the depths of his fatigue, his body and mind pushed to their limits. The weight of exhaustion settled upon him like an oppressive cloak, blurring his once-sharp vision. In the midst of his struggle, Grisha couldn't help but acknowledge the grim reality that this weariness was merely the beginning.

Resting her head on Grisha's solid shoulder, Carla gazed up at her husband and earnestly inquired, "Grisha, what should we do now?" As the warm glow of a nearby lantern illuminated his face, its radiance casting soft shadows upon his features, Carla's eyes widened with concern, for in that very instant, she realized how drained and wearied Grisha appeared.

"Right now, we stick together, Carla. Our house is gone, and I'm afraid we won't be able to go back there. I have a few favors in the interior; I might be able to convince someone so all of us can find a good home in Wall Sina," Grisha promised as he grasped her hand, their fingers intertwined. Carla sighed in relief upon hearing his words; what she heard sounded very good. Having a home inside Wall Sina would ensure they were safe, and the house would be good enough.

But Grishs's words didn't sit well with Eren, whose sleepiness seemed to have faded away the moment he heard his father's suggestion. "We are not hiding ourselves beyond Wall Sina, like Cattle. You weren't there father, Naruto was able to kill three-" Eren's words were abruptly silenced by Grisha, who reacted swiftly by closing his mouth. His eyes darted around the vicinity, ensuring their conversation had not attracted any unwanted attention. Satisfied that no one had been eavesdropping, Grisha shifted his focus towards Eren, delicately retracting his hand from Eren's mother. He fixed his gaze upon his son, "Keep it quiet."

"Eren, enough of this; your father is right. It will be much safer inside Wall Sina territory," Carla scolded her son. Eren looked ready to retaliate; he opened his mouth to say something when his father gave him a look that said, 'To drop the discussion.' Eren groaned loudly before deciding to lay beside Naruto and Mikasa, who had already fallen asleep.

"That boy, sometimes I wonder where he gets it from," Carla commented wearily, her voice laden with exhaustion. The weight of parental expectations and comparisons hung heavily in the air as she continued, "Naruto has taken more after you than Eren, Grisha." With a mixture of fondness and admiration, Carla's words struck a chord within Grisha, eliciting a proud smile that illuminated his weary face. However, beneath the facade of pride, a bittersweet sadness tugged at his heartstrings, for he knew all too well that his time was slipping away, like sand through the fingers of an outstretched hand. The cruel reality of his impending fate forced Grisha to suppress the tears welling up inside him.

"Don't worry, Carla. You all will be safe," Grisha soothed, his voice brimming with reassurance as he enveloped her in a warm side hug, his lips tenderly pressing against the softness of her forehead. The words, laced with unwavering sincerity, provided solace that washed over Carla like a gentle wave, gently easing the anxiety that had gripped her heart.

As night descended upon them, Carla's weariness gradually overcame her, lulling her into a peaceful slumber. However, Grisha remained wide awake. His once vibrant complexion had paled. His nose began to bleed, staining the pristine whiteness of his handkerchief as he meticulously dabbed away the crimson droplets.

Grisha looked at his family; he knew they were sleeping. As his eyes settled on Carla, his beloved, he felt an overwhelming tenderness that compelled him to delicately brush aside a stray strand of hair. He leaned in, planting a soft and tender kiss upon her tender cheek, eliciting a subtle hum of contentment that resonated in the depths of her slumber.

Grisha slowly stood up, slowly to not wake up anyone; he walked up to Mikasa's sleeping form and kissed her forehead before whispering 'Good Night' to her. Mikasa hummed as she turned her head around, still sleeping.

Grisha looked at Naruto's sleeping form; his little boy was growing, and Grisha knew he would become a good man. Grisha walked up to him as his trembling hand reached out to touch Naruto's cheek; a torrent of tears cascaded down Grisha's face. Grisha wished he could live longer; he wanted to see his three children grow old and happy, to see Eren become a good soldier perhaps, to see Mikasa have a good life, and to see Naruto become a Doctor.

"Naruto," Grisha whispered softly. Roused from his slumber, his little boy felt the tendrils of consciousness wrap around him, his eyes fluttering open to reveal a hazy yet inquisitive gaze fixated upon his father. A flicker of confusion danced across his young visage, intensified by the sight of tears cascading down Grisha's cheeks.

"Father?"

Grisha leaned down and kissed Naruto's forehead before speaking, "Listen to me, son; no matter what happens, remember that I love you all more than anything. You are my son, and you will always be, remember that. I will always be there for you. Things will change, one day, things will stop being the same, and you will have to make decisions, but remember this. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are. You are Naruto, my son, and I Love you dearly." Grisha spoke wholeheartedly, with love for his son, as tears streamed down his face; Naruto looked at his father in confusion before he closed his eyes from exhaustion, falling back to sleep.

Grisha carried Eren away from the shelters; as he walked towards the forest, he was stopped by Keith, who looked at him with confusion.

"Grisha, where are you going?" Keith questioned, only now he noticed the dried tears on Grisha's face; Keith couldn't remember his old friend ever shedding tears ever before.

"Keith, I need to do something for Eren, but I want your help," Grisha said gravely as he coughed violently, blood leaking out of his mouth. Keith's eyes widened, and he seemed ready to call for help when Grisha raised his hand to stop him.

"No, Keith. I'm afraid there's nothing anyone can do to help me at this point," Grisha said, taking deep breaths and trying to fill his lungs, but at this point, he felt as if he couldn't even do that. With trembling hands, Grisha removed the glasses from his face and handed them to Keith, who grabbed them with confusion and concern.

"Give these glasses to Naruto; they belonged to my father. I want Naruto to have them," Grisha instructed. Keith nodded right away without hesitation as Grisha used a napkin to clean the blood from his mouth.

"I will take Eren to the forest, but stay here; when you see a yellow light, find Eren," Grisha instructed. Keith simply nodded as Grisha turned around and started walking away.

"Why are you going into the forest?" Keith yelled their names.

"Please don't follow." Grisha responded quietly once again.

"Why are you dragging your child into this nightmare, how do you know he's special like you? What makes you think he's not a bystander like me??"

Grisha spoke nothing but turned his head, his glare almost making him shiver in fear.

"My sons are special, Keith. I have seen it, one day you will see it too. This is a family business, stay out of this." Grisha said with a tone that promised pain to whoever dared to disobey him. Shadis felt a shiver down his spine.

.

.

Eren tried to push it away, "No, father, what are you doing?" He cried. Grisha used the last bit of his strength as he plunged it into his arm.

"If you want to save Naruto, Mikasa, Armin, and everyone else... You must learn to control this ability!"

Grisha Yeager could only cry as he injected his son with the serum. He knew what he was forcing upon his son: a life full of pain and suffering. The difficulties and trials his son would be forced to go through in order to prevail would undoubtedly scar the boy, but this was his only option. This was the only way!

His tears only increased as Eren screamed in pain; Grisha snapped his eyes closed and turned his head away as he pushed more of the Titan spinal fluid into Eren's bloodstream. 'Naruto, Carla, Mikasa, forgive me... Eren, I'm sorry I had to do this to you, but this is the only way for you to survive!'

Pulling the needle out of Eren's arm, he could only watch as a sudden flash of light enveloped his son. When the light receded, all that was left was a monster, a titan. A deep sigh was released from Grisha's lips as if he was truly relieved of some great task. Eren, or the pure titan he had now become, snatched Grisha up within its tight grasp. Grisha felt his body weakening under the immense pressure of his son's titan grip.

"Dina, I'm sorry I couldn't save you. Zeke, my son, I love you, and I'm sorry for everything I did to you. Eren, I hope you live a long and happy life. And Naruto, my son. Take care of your brothers. They will need you,"

The man looked upon his son-turned-titan as acceptance colored his eyes. He was ready as he continued to look into the eyes of the titan that would consume him. 'My work is complete; at long last, I can rest.' Even before the thought was complete, the seven-meter titan had closed its jaws around Grisha's frail body and snapped it in half.

The seven-meter titan that Eren had become consumed his father, unknowingly setting the man's plans into effect. The titan collapsed to the ground as Eren emerged from the steaming titan corpse. However, that wasn't the worst the boy would have to endure by the time the night was over.

Eren looked at his hands, tears streaming down his face; what was left of his father's corpse was right beside him. Eren let out a cry of despair into the darkness of the night.

Naruto 

With a sudden gasp, Naruto's eyes fluttered open, and his heart raced as he inhaled deeply, the weight of a restless dream still clinging to his mind. Beads of perspiration trickled down his forehead. Gradually, he mustered the strength to prop his upper body upright, his muscles protesting against the grogginess that lingered. A peculiar sensation caught his attention as his bleary gaze scanned the shelter—a gentle brush against his chest. His eyes descended, only to behold the unmistakable father's glasses delicately suspended from the hem of his shirt.

With a steady hand, Naruto reached out and carefully wrapped his fingers around the cool frames of his father's glasses. As he extracted them, he quickly glanced at his father's empty bed. To his dismay, his mother's bed stood vacant as well.

A surge of determination ignited Naruto's legs, propelling him upright from his own sleep-rumpled bed. Without hesitation, he sprinted like the wind, his heart pounding in his chest until he burst through the shelter's exit and into the open air.

The sight that greeted his wide eyes was enough to make his heart sink and shivers course through his body. His throat tightened, parched, and constricted, mirroring the anguish he saw etched upon his mother's tear-streaked face.

In a hushed tone, barely able to speak, Naruto tremulously queried, "W-Where's Father?" His voice cracked as his eyes welled up with tears, casting a shimmering veil over the innocence in his gaze. The weight of the question hung heavily in the air as his mother, overcome with grief, let out a resounding sob. Standing nearby, Hannes, his face etched with profound sadness, struggled to contain his own tears. Hannes approached the young boy with a tender resolve, his knees bending to meet Naruto's level and his hands gently finding solace upon the child's quivering shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. Your father was attacked last night; he's no longer with us." Hannes told Naruto with a voice filled with sorrow; Naruto let out a gasp as tears streamed down his face. Naruto's trembling body gave way, his legs buckling beneath him like fragile branches under the weight of a heavy snowfall. He sank to his knees, a torrent of tears streaming down his face.

The salty drops cascaded onto the cold ground. The echoes of Hannes' words lingered in the silence.

'You will be a Doctor. I know it,'

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