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36.26% With Ope Ope no Mi in Hunter x Hunter / Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Nine Titans (Part 3)

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Nine Titans (Part 3)

"Slowly raise your hands, unless you want a misunderstanding that could end poorly," said a middle-aged man with a sparse beard and wearing a round hat. This man was none other than Kenny Ackerman, the infamous Jack the Ripper.

"It seems Erwin's actions have caught the attention of the royal family," Daniel mused, raising his hands slowly while observing the situation. The fact that the Central Military Police, equipped with Anti-Personnel Vertical Maneuvering Gear, were here could only mean they had a specific objective.

The Reiss family, as the true royal family, were far from fools. They had always operated from the shadows, meticulously monitoring everything within the walls. Events such as the tunnel-digging miner and Erwin's father's discoveries had been swiftly suppressed due to their vigilance.

With Eren's transformation into a Titan being such a significant event, the Reiss family would undoubtedly be aware. Moreover, Grisha Yeager had slaughtered many of the Reiss family members and stolen the Founding Titan. According to the original timeline, instead of acting directly, the Reiss family had manipulated the Survey Corps into transporting Eren to the capital, their stronghold, where they could easily handle him.

However, the appearance of the Female Titan and the revelation of the Titans within the walls had disrupted their plans, forcing them to delay and rethink their strategy. This eventually led to their attempt to have Historia consume Eren to reclaim the Founding Titan's power and eliminate the invaders, a plan thwarted by Historia herself.

Currently, Rod Reiss likely had similar plans. Without the Founding Titan, the Reiss family lacked the leverage to act too aggressively, fearing the exposure of the true state of the walls. The recent capture of Pastor Nick by the Survey Corps had forced Rod Reiss to take action. The Wall Cult, much like the Central Military Police, was under the direct control of the royal family.

"What a stroke of bad luck. If I recall, this guy should be Jack the Ripper, but I can't quite remember his name. He's Levi's uncle from the Ackerman clan," Daniel thought, surveying the area. The Central Military Police had him completely surrounded. Even on the walls, four men hung suspended with their maneuvering gear, making escape seemingly impossible for an ordinary person.

But Daniel wasn't just anyone. The moment he was surrounded, he had activated his Room, the domain of his Op-Op Fruit ability. Everyone from the Central Military Police was now within its reach.

"Looks like I'll be lending the Survey Corps a hand again," Daniel decided as two soldiers approached to restrain him. His proximity to the rock breach made it simple for him to escape using his spatial swapping ability, which could instantly transport him outside the walls.

The Central Military Police were formidable against human opponents but less effective against Titans. Daniel could easily dispatch them if necessary.

"Room, Slaughterhouse," Daniel whispered. As the two soldiers reached for their ropes, Daniel swapped places with one of them, crashing through a nearby window into an adjacent room. He quickly performed another spatial swap, placing himself in the next room over. There, he donned a helmet and drew his twin pistols.

Gunshots erupted from the surrounding rooms, directed at his previous location. The Central Military Police's weapons, powered by gas propulsion like their maneuvering gear, were far more powerful than standard firearms of this era.

Iceburst Stone was the energy source for the maneuvering gear, producing potent gas from a solid state. This discovery had intrigued Daniel, who initially expected the energy source to be a typical gas. Its solid form made it more convenient to carry and use, and it produced a much stronger propulsion than conventional gas. This rare mineral was abundant beneath Paradis Island, explaining Marley's desire to seize it.

Energy resources were timelessly valuable.

"Hold your fire! Damn it, hold your fire!" The leader's voice, the same one who had spoken to Daniel earlier, rang out. This wasn't the capital, and such loud gunfire would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention.

The sound of maneuvering gear echoed from the roof, followed by footsteps above and the crashing of someone entering the next room.

"The Central Military Police really are adept at fighting humans," Daniel muttered, leaping out the window. Before landing, he fired in four directions, dropping four soldiers in quick succession.

However, the remaining soldiers retaliated swiftly. Their shotguns, loaded with small iron pellets, unleashed a wide spray. Although the range was limited, the pellets could easily incapacitate a human with a single hit.

These shotguns had two types of ammunition: the broad-coverage iron pellets and a more powerful slug round for large animals or breaching locks, with much longer range. Daniel had become familiar with these weapons after acquiring so many, understanding their strengths and weaknesses well. He had both types, with the added convenience of Pym Particles for easy resizing.

Ping! Ping! Ping! Iron pellets struck Daniel's body, forcing him back a few steps despite his resilience. His enhanced physique could endure the impacts, but the force was still significant.

Seeing Daniel emerge unscathed from their attack stunned the Central Military Police. These elite soldiers, accustomed to dealing with rogue citizens and not Titans, were momentarily frozen.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Daniel seized the moment, swiftly gunning down the remaining soldiers. Only Kenny Ackerman, with his exceptional reflexes and skills, managed to evade and retreat using his maneuvering gear.

"A true Ackerman indeed. He's inherited their formidable physical abilities," Daniel noted, watching Kenny flee. The disparity in weaponry and power was vast; Daniel could have easily killed them all if he chose. Only Kenny had managed to dodge a few shots.

"I should have used the Desert Eagle," Daniel mused. He had opted for a less powerful automatic pistol due to the Desert Eagle's excessive force.

"It's time to go." Seeing the Garrison and Survey Corps responding to the commotion, Daniel activated his spatial swap and appeared outside the walls. He mounted his hoverboard and flew off into the night.

"What are the Central Military Police doing here?" Erwin and Levi arrived shortly after, finding the area littered with bodies, each with either a blown-off head or a bloodied chest.

"This maneuvering gear..." Erwin inspected the fallen soldiers' gear, recognizing its specialized design.

"Erwin, it's the Central Military Police's gear," Hange confirmed.

"When did they arrive?" Erwin asked, his face grave.

"We received no notification of their presence," Hange replied, shaking her head.

"It seems the royal family has taken notice. Clean this up immediately. We can't let this information leak out," Erwin ordered, organizing his team while heading to confer with Pixis. With their limited numbers, they would need the Garrison's help to track the Central Military Police.

The Survey Corps had more members than those seen in the anime, numbering over a thousand, though many were non-combat personnel involved in logistics like caring for horses and maintaining equipment. The combat-ready force, however, still exceeded two hundred.

As Erwin sought out Pixis, Levi returned to his quarters. Pausing at his door, he drew a knife from his belt before cautiously entering.

"Long time no see, Levi," a familiar voice greeted him as he stepped inside. Levi's knife flew through the air the moment he recognized the voice.

"Kenny, you're still alive," Levi said, lighting a lamp. In the dim glow, he saw Kenny seated in a chair, his outfit stained with blood, holding Levi's thrown knife.

"You've joined the Survey Corps?" Levi noted Kenny's attire with a cold gaze.

"And you, the infamous thug, became a soldier," Kenny retorted.

"And you, the notorious Ripper, joined the Military Police. I thought you were killed by them when you disappeared. Got caught and surrendered, did you?"

"You've grown talkative, Levi."

"What are you doing here, Kenny? What's your game?" Levi demanded, moving to the table and drawing another knife.

"We came to investigate your recent activities and to bring the Titan-shifter kid back to the capital," Kenny replied, coughing up blood. The unexpected resistance had left him wounded and seeking Levi out of desperation.

The Ackerman bloodline endowed its members with exceptional strength, but not invulnerability. Even Daniel, despite his powers, would be injured by a bullet. Kenny's wounds were beyond this world's medical capabilities.

"What happened to you?" Levi asked, observing Kenny's condition.

Had today's operation gone unnoticed, the Survey Corps would have remained in the dark, but now Levi was curious about the force capable of overpowering an Ackerman.

"Don't worry about me. Do you know what this is?" Kenny placed a box on the table and opened it to reveal a syringe filled with a strange fluid.

"This is power," Kenny said, recounting his story and the truth about the Titans.

"The Titan serum," Levi murmured, connecting the dots.

"You knew about this?" Kenny was surprised. Despite his outward demeanor, he had a deep care for Levi, having trained him for years to survive before pursuing his vendetta against the royal family.

The Ackerman clan had been targeted for extermination by the royal family due to their immunity to the Founding Titan's memory-altering power and their physical enhancements from the Titan serum. As a potential threat, they had been hunted down and forced into hiding. Few of their lineage remained, and most were unaware of their heritage. Kenny's line, however, knew their history, prompting his rebellion against the royal family, though he stood no chance against the Founding Titan.

"The current king is a fake," Kenny revealed.

"The real royal family is the Reiss clan."

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


Chapter 100: Chapter 100: The Nine Titans (Part 4)

"Trost District, in Erwin's room. After returning from Pixis and intending to rest, Erwin was puzzled when Levi urgently summoned him. He did not expect to hear such crucial information from Levi.

"The true royal family is the Reiss clan, and this is the Titan transformation serum," Levi explained, placing the syringe on the table beside Erwin.

Kenny Ackerman had given Levi the serum, initially intended for himself to seize the power of a Titan. After revealing his connection to Levi, Kenny had succumbed to his injuries and passed away.

"Let's get Hange," Erwin decided after a moment of contemplation, preparing to leave with Levi. But just as they were about to go, Hange arrived.

"Erwin, he's gone," Hange said, handing over a note from Daniel.

"It seems the Central Military Police encountered him," Erwin commented, passing the note to Levi.

"What do we do now?" Levi asked after reading the note, handing it back to Erwin.

"Fortunately, you found out about the true royal family. Otherwise, we'd have been in deep trouble when we made our move."

"The true royal family? What does that mean?" Hange asked, bewildered by Erwin's statement.

"The current king is merely a puppet," Erwin explained, sharing the information Levi had provided about the Reiss family.

"Damn those bastards," Hange cursed upon hearing Erwin's explanation. The people within the walls had been struggling to survive, all while those who knew the truth watched their sacrifices.

"Erwin, the royal family possesses the Founding Titan's power. They won't be easy to overthrow. Even if we succeed, what about Marley? Don't forget, to the rest of the world, we're the devils," Hange warned, referring to the complexities revealed by Kenny and Daniel.

"We'll take it one step at a time. But regardless, I don't want to die aimlessly within these walls. If it comes to that, I want to see the outside world before I go," Erwin declared after a long pause.

"Before dealing with the royal family, we need to locate the hidden Titans within the walls."

"Those bastards..."

"Quite the encounter," Daniel mused as he stood on the walls of Shiganshina District. He had just finished eating and was about to leave when a thunderous roar echoed in the distance. He saw a large, furry Titan charging toward him, fighting off other Titans along the way.

Intelligent Titans naturally attracted Pure Titans. Pure Titans would instinctively attack an Intelligent Titan within their hunting range, much like how other Titans would converge on Eren's Attack Titan. This seemed to be an ingrained instinct.

Only the Founding Titan could control all Titans, while others could only command Titans they had created through their spinal fluid, with Zeke's Beast Titan being the most adept at this control.

The Beast Titan, with its immense power, easily crushed the Pure Titans in its path and quickly reached the wall, beginning to climb.

"I wonder what would happen if Zeke and his team breached the walls, exposing the Titans inside to sunlight," Daniel thought, hearing the commotion below. Seeing Zeke here was fortunate; it saved Daniel the trouble of finding him.

Of the Nine Titans, the Female Titan and the Beast Titan held the most awkward positions due to their relative weakness. This had been true during the Eldian Empire and continued under Marley's rule.

While other Titans possessed unique abilities, these two did not. Consequently, their status was inferior to Titans like the Armored Titan, the Colossal Titan, and the Jaw Titan. Marley had marginalized the previous generation of the Beast Titan, fearing the loss of the Titan's power to the Eldians on Paradis Island. 

Zeke and Annie's prowess had elevated the status of the Beast and Female Titans. It showed that any power's effectiveness depended on the wielder.

Reiner's Armored Titan had not lived up to its legendary reputation, often serving as a target in battle. Technological advancements meant the once formidable Armored Titan was now vulnerable to concentrated firepower.

In internal conflicts, Reiner's Armored Titan also faltered against Annie's Female Titan, highlighting the importance of combat skill. Even Eren, after some basic training from Annie, managed to overpower Reiner's Armored Titan.

Against Zeke's Beast Titan, Reiner's defeat was even more humiliating. Zeke's exceptional throwing skills, honed through childhood baseball practice, rendered him the most formidable in using the Titan's power, illustrating how mastery could redefine a Titan's capabilities.

"Didn't expect anyone to be here," Zeke remarked, surprised to see Daniel on the wall without a hint of fear.

"Hi, Zeke," Daniel called out, looking up at the Beast Titan perched on the wall.

While Zeke was formidable, Levi had bested him in combat, exploiting his human agility and skill to outmaneuver and nearly kill Zeke.

"You know me? Interesting. We haven't met, have we?" Zeke scratched his ear thoughtfully.

"No, but I know you. Talking to you like this is dull. Let's switch to a more comfortable form. Room, Slaughterhouse."

Daniel had already extended his Op-Op Fruit's domain over the Beast Titan as it climbed the wall. Holding his knife, he swiftly bisected the Titan's enormous body, sending limbs tumbling down the wall. He only needed the torso, not even the head.

"Come out," Daniel commanded, pulling Zeke from the Titan's body. Zeke, stunned by the strange power, remained speechless as Daniel collected his blood and spinal fluid.

"Who are you?" Zeke finally managed to ask.

"A passerby," Daniel replied nonchalantly, storing the collected samples.

Zeke's plan to sterilize all Eldians stemmed from his indoctrination by Marley, believing the Eldians to be inherently evil and deserving of eradication.

In Daniel's view, such a plan was unthinkable. If he were in Zeke's place, his first priority would be to destroy Marley and any other threat to the Eldians.

In essence, Daniel shared the later perspective adopted by Eren.

"Alright, time to go," Daniel said, injecting Zeke with a muscle relaxant. He strapped Zeke to his hoverboard and took off, preventing him from transforming again.

Daniel needed Zeke to locate the other Titans in Marley. Given the high stakes, Marley would be vigilant in protecting its Titan assets from assassination or capture.

Marley was currently embroiled in a fierce conflict with the Mid-East Allied Forces, and losing their Titans would spell disaster.

"Who are you really?" Zeke asked, weak but curious about Daniel's identity and technology, unlike anything the world had seen.

"I told you, just a passerby," Daniel replied. While he claimed not to involve himself in the conflict between Marley and the people within the walls, his actions had significant impacts. His disclosure of the truth to Erwin and now taking Zeke were indirect ways of aiding the Eldians.

"Surrender the harbor or face annihilation," read the bold message on the Marleyan naval banners.

Reaching the shoreline, Daniel saw three Marleyan warships and the towering walls from which Eldians were cast into Titan forms, a grim practice ongoing for over a century.

"How do I get to Marley?" Daniel pondered, then turned to Zeke. "When do these ships set sail?"

"Who are you?" Zeke repeated, fixated on uncovering Daniel's identity.

"Annoying. I didn't want to do this," Daniel sighed, using the Imperius Curse to control Zeke.

"Now for the rest," Daniel muttered, swiftly taking control of the ships' crews and ordering them to set sail for Marley. Without a map, this was his best option.

"I wonder if combining the blood of all Nine Titans will yield any results," Daniel mused. The Nine Titans were fragments of the original Founding Titan, suggesting they could theoretically be reunited.

"No wonder Zeke is here. Marley must be desperate," Daniel realized. The prolonged silence from Annie and her team had caused Marley concern. Losing their Titans to the Eldians would be catastrophic.

Marley's struggles against the Mid-East Allied Forces further motivated them to accelerate their plans. If necessary, they would recall Zeke and the others to bolster their front lines.

While Paradis Island had experienced relative peace for over a century, the mainland had seen constant conflict. Marley and the Mid-East Allied Forces had waged war, with Marley initially gaining territory through Titan power. However, technological advancements had evened the playing field, and Marley was now at a disadvantage.

Zeke's prowess as the Beast Titan had temporarily given Marley a respite, allowing them to hold off the Mid-East's superior air forces.

Marley's strategy was to leverage their Titans to buy time, then launch a full-scale assault on Paradis Island once their internal and external threats were managed.

"If Marley loses their Titans now, they might lose the war," Daniel noted. Marley's fate hung in the balance of their ongoing conflict with the Mid-East Allied Forces.

"Take me to the other Titans," Daniel ordered, destroying the three warships as they neared Marley's coast and directing Zeke to lead him to the remaining Titans.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


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