Chapter 3
"LeGEndS HAs iT ThAT ThE wALls WeRe BuILT To proTeCT thE titANS fROM LEvi," the Titan muttered to himself, his voice rumbling like distant thunder. Gripping his axe tightly, the dripping blood slowly evaporating into the air.
'Now I understand what it means,' he concluded solemnly.
With that realization settling within him, he returned to being completely still, his massive form is like a silent sentinel in the middle of the towering trees of the forest.
At this time, Hange finally reached her destination but was too slow to witness the massacre. The only thing left was the Titan standing motionless in the middle of the decaying huge bodies surrounding it.
"A-amazing!" she screamed, her excitement was evident in her face as she witnessed the aftermath of the Titan's display of power.
Acting on impulse, she struck her grapples to the back of the Intelligent Titan. By the time the Scouts saw this, she was already on her way towards the Titan's shoulder.
"Hey, Squad Leader!! Stay back!!" a man shouted urgently, trying to stop her reckless advance. He had short light hair parted down the middle and carried a worried expression, a common sight due to his superior officer's wild and impulsive personality.
However, even Levi was too far away to intervene in time to stop her from successfully landing on the Titan's left shoulder.
"Woahhh!! You killed that many Titans in just a minute!! HAHAHAHA!" Hange exclaimed, tapping the Titan's left cheek multiple times as she laughed with unrestrained excitement.
This behavior made the group, consisting of Levi Squad and Erwin, tense up. However, what they heard next was even more startling.
"I WanT TO talK," the Titan said, its voice hoarse and deep.
Despite the intellect it had demonstrated through its craftsmanship, its ability to form coherent sentences and speak aloud caught them off guard.
That very action alone sent chills down the Scouts' spines, more so than the fact that it had taken down Titans with ease. It signaled that they were up against something far more dangerous than they had initially anticipated.
Erwin, in particular, found his thoughts racing with this new development.
A talking Titan implied a level of intelligence and self-awareness beyond anything they had encountered before. It suggested the potential for complex motives, plans, and the ability to strategize.
Furthermore, the words emanating from the Titan's mouth could be a ploy meant to deceive them which could add another layer of uncertainty and danger to their already precarious situation.
"Hange, get back here. It's dangerous," Erwin commanded firmly.
Startled, Hange was jolted awake from her Titan fantasy. "Right.." she responded quickly, shooting her grapples to the tree next to the group and flying back towards them. "Sorry about that," she apologized sheepishly, realizing the gravity of the situation.
Turning his focus to the Titan, Erwin remarked, "A Titan wants to have a conversation with us, humans, huh," his gaze shifting to the Titan's massive axe, which which could take their lives at any moment.
The Titan seemed to grasp the implications of Erwin's words and released the weapon from its hand, causing the ground to crack with web-like fissures around it.
Seeing this, Erwin swung his right hand to his right, signaling the Scouts to sheath their weapons. The Scouts complied without hesitation.
"If you really want to talk..." Erwin's voice trailed off, his tone firm yet tinged with caution. "I want you to remove the metals protecting you and submit yourself by letting us capture you." His words may have sounded cold, especially considering the Titan's recent display of assistance, but they couldn't afford to trust an unknown variable.
The Titan'a glowing blue eyes looked intently at Erwin's. "VEry wEll," the Titan spoke with no resistance.
The Titan reached behind its neck, plucking out the metals covering its nape with a deliberate motion. Then, with equal care, it removed the metals protecting its ligaments: the crucial joints at the elbows, knees, and ankles.
...
The Titan struggled to lift its head, its deep voice echoing through the forest, "WhAT A VeRy CAuTiOuS Man."
After removing its defenses, the Scouts led it deeper into the woods, where they methodically severed its limbs, leaving only the torso and head intact. With careful precision, they secured the Titan to the forest floor, pinning a massive nail through its back to immobilize it. Then, they covered him in a dense metallic net, securing it further with countless hooks piercing his body.
Now completely immobilized, the Titan lay vulnerable, exposed to any potential threat. Even Hange couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow at the sight of her Titan being defenseless.
Levi unsheathed one of his blades, pointing it at the Titan's nape. "Hey, big guy. No need to open that mouth unless you're asked to."
Erwin's expression remained stern as he addressed the Titan. "I must apologize. However, even though you proposed the idea of talking, I'll be the one asking the questions first."
Erwin pressed on without waiting for a reply. "What are you?" Although the answer might seem obvious, he wanted to gauge the Titan's level of awareness and understanding.
"I AM A tItAn," the Titan responded, pausing for a moment.
The silence that followed was eerie, tension hanging heavy in the air as everyone waited for the Titan to continue.
Seeing this, the Titan continued. "BuT I ThINk tHe QuEsTIoN YoU WaNt mE To aNsWEr Is 'WhAt ExAcTlY ArE TiTaNs?'...
BuT BeFoRe I AnSwEr tHaT, I cOuLD AsK YoU ThE SaMe QUesTiOn...
WhAt eVeN ArE YoU?...
WhY ArE TiTaNs HuNtInG YoU FoR No aPpArEnT ReAsOn?"
As the Titan posed its thought-provoking questions, the Scouts exchanged puzzled glances, unsure how to respond.
However, Erwin remained composed, his expression betraying none of the surprise he felt inwardly. He recognized the significance of the Titan's inquiries—it demonstrated a capacity for introspection and a level of cognition comparable to humans.
Erwin contemplated the Titan's words, acknowledging the weight of questions. It echoed thoughts he and his father had pondered countless times before, yet remained unanswered.
"Indeed, looking at a problem from different perspectives often reveals unexpected insights," he remarked, addressing both the Titan and his fellow Scouts.
The notion that the Titans themselves might not be the root cause of humanity's plight struck a chord with Erwin. It hinted at a deeper, more complex truth underlying their struggle for survival—one that transcended the mere existence of these monstrous beings.
"GuEsS YoU DoN't KnOw AfTeR aLL. ThEn aLlOw mE To eNlIgHtEn YoU Of WhAt 'wE' ArE..." The Titan's voice rumbled.
The Titan's words hung heavy in the air, drawing the attention of everyone present. As the Titan began recounting an unbelievable story from a distant past, the Scouts listened intently that soon turned to doubts and disbelief.
...
[Trost District]
Three days passed, and still, no Scouts returned from the expedition.
As the days dragged on, anxiety gripped Trost District, escalating with each passing day.
With a week gone by, it became the longest absence in the history of the Scouts, sowing seeds of doubt and fear among the populace.
In the second week, hope dwindled to a mere flicker as people waited in vain for the return of their loved ones.
The atmosphere in Trost District grew heavier with each passing day, rumors swirling amid the unmistakable fear and uncertainty that permeated the air.
...
//3 weeks and 2 days since the beginning of the expedition//
**Dong** **Dong**
The repeated tolling of the bell reverberated through Trost District.
"The Scouts are back!"
"No way! They're really here!!"
"Open the gate! Open the gate!!"
The garrison atop the wall erupted into shouts of disbelief and relief. They couldn't fathom how those suicidal bastards had managed to survive for over three weeks in Titan-infested territory.
The ringing of the bell sent a ripple of anticipation through the gathered crowd. Despite occasional murmurs about the perceived wastage of their taxes on the Scouts, there remained a glimmer of hope in their hearts with each return of the expedition. It was this hope that prompted them to drop everything and rush to the gates whenever the bell tolled.
As the wooden portcullis slowly rose, revealing the form of the returning Scouts bit by bit, the hearts of the onlookers pounded with increasing intensity. With each moment, their anticipation grew, mingled with longing for something different from the usual sight
To their astonishment, the Scouts emerged unscathed. There was no sign of blood on their uniforms, no missing limbs, no visible injuries whatsoever. It was as if they hadn't ventured into the territory of their greatest enemy at all.
While it was possible that some of their comrades had been lost to the Titans without a trace, the fact remained that the Scouts had returned nearly intact, with their numbers seemingly unchanged. There's even a chance that they might not have lost a single member.
...