"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.
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"I said I wouldn't get involved, but here I am. Without Zeke's support, Annie and the others are probably in trouble," Daniel Davis muttered as he disembarked at the port of Marley, hiding on a landing ship that had just arrived.
Marley is currently the largest country in the world by land area. Despite being at a disadvantage after the war against the Middle Eastern Union, it hasn't lost much territory. In addition to its mainland, it also controls numerous islands. Thus, when Daniel stepped off the ship, no one paid much attention to him.
In this era, there's no such thing as ID cards. Moreover, Daniel had disguised himself, making it almost impossible for anyone to recognize he wasn't from Marley.
"First, I need to find a place to stay." It didn't take long for Daniel to find a three-story, mid-range hotel. He had taken some money from the soldiers on the warship, and this hotel conveniently faced the main street in front of the Liberio internment zone.
"Looks a bit militaristic," Daniel thought, shaking his head slightly as he read the latest newspaper in his hotel room. As a native of China, he had little regard for a country that actively sought to invade others.
Indeed, Marley is currently at a disadvantage, but it was Marley who initially sought to unify the world using the power of Titans, much like the former Eldian Empire.
"Once I acquire the blood of all nine Titans, I'll be ready to explore the dimensional space of this world." As night fell, Daniel used a Disillusionment Charm to sneak out of the hotel, intending to gather information on the remaining two Titans.
After leaving the hotel, he headed straight for the military headquarters. During his daytime wanderings, he had already identified his target. It would be too cumbersome and luck-dependent to gather information from low-ranking soldiers, but the high-ranking officials would surely have the intel he needed.
"Damn it, what are Zeke and the others doing? And Reiner, where have they gone? Have they betrayed us?" Despite the late hour, the military headquarters was still brightly lit.
Compared to Paradis Island, Marley's technology is much more advanced. Electricity had already been invented. In a small conference room, five officers with various ranks were gathered, discussing the latest battle reports.
"I don't believe Zeke and the others would do that. Perhaps something has changed on the island."
"We can no longer rely on the power of the Titans. As you can see, the Middle Eastern Union now has weapons capable of countering Titans. Right now, only Pieck is holding the front, and she isn't enough. We must abandon the Titans and accelerate our technological advancements."
"We've discussed this many times. We don't have the luxury of time for research. We must quickly seize the Titans on the island."
"But the front lines are on the verge of collapse. If we fail to capture Fort Slava, we won't have the opportunity to negotiate with them. We must take the fort to buy more time for negotiations."
"Then order Zeke and the others to return. After taking Fort Slava, we can proceed with the plan for the island."
After a long debate, the senior officers finally decided to recall the Titans from the island. Although Marley's technology surpasses that of Paradis Island, they lack long-distance communication technology, so a warship would have to be sent to bring Zeke and the others back.
"This complicates things." Daniel, eavesdropping outside, couldn't help but feel frustrated after hearing their discussion.
Daniel knew the current location of the war between Marley and the Middle Eastern Union because Marley had been propagating it. Fort Slava is an island situated between Marley and the Middle Eastern Union, holding a crucial strategic position.
Whichever side controls the island gains a significant advantage in the war. Since both countries are far from each other, a direct attack from their respective mainlands is impractical. But by holding the island, they can use it as a supply base.
Initially, this island belonged to Marley. However, after the four warriors were sent to Paradis Island, the Middle Eastern Union launched a surprise attack and seized it.
Even when Marley deployed Zeke, they couldn't retake the fort, and Zeke was severely injured due to new anti-Titan weapons like railway guns and naval artillery. This was something Marley had not anticipated. As a result, once Zeke recovered, Marley sent him to Paradis Island.
Zeke's Beast Titan is incredibly powerful, and some in the military didn't want him to waste his strength on a futile siege. At the same time, others in the military feared Zeke and preferred not to send him to the island. Ultimately, Zeke was dispatched because Marley was short on Titans. After sending four Titans to Paradis Island, Marley's immediate strength plummeted, which encouraged the Middle Eastern Union to attack.
With only the Beast Titan, Cart Titan, and Warhammer Titan left, Marley's options were limited. The Cart Titan's combat power was minimal, making it a poor choice for the island, and the Warhammer Titan could not be easily deployed. Hence, Zeke was the only option.
In the original timeline, Marley would eventually win this battle. Zeke, Reiner, and the others would return from the island, help win the war, and bring back Ymir, the Jaw Titan.
However, due to Daniel's intervention, Zeke is now in his custody. The warship has been destroyed, and the fate of the three Titans on the island remains uncertain.
"General Calvi, let's start with him." After the military meeting ended and the officers dispersed, Daniel followed the commander and used the Imperius Curse to control him.
"What? Is this for real?" From General Calvi's confession, Daniel learned a shocking revelation: although Marley appeared to be controlled by Marleyans, the actual rulers were Eldians.
This news would be unbelievable to most. The very people who had long oppressed and persecuted Eldians were, in fact, fellow Eldians.
The Tybur family, who control the Warhammer Titan, are Eldians from one of the nine Titan families of the former Eldian Empire. They were the ones who orchestrated the internal conflict among the nine Titans and eventually seized control of all the intelligent Titans except for the Founding Titan.
Just as they were about to secure the power of the Founding Titan, an unexpected event occurred. The 145th King Fritz, due to his personal beliefs, fled and took all the Colossal Titans with him, leaving the Tybur family at a loss. According to their plan, obtaining the Founding Titan's power would have made their family the new royal lineage. Even though technology was progressing, Titans still held immense power. With so many Colossal Titans, not even today's technology could stand against them, let alone the technology of a hundred years ago.
King Fritz's escape was a severe blow to the Tybur family's plans. Despite having other intelligent Titans, they lacked manpower, giving the Middle Eastern Union time to develop their technology.
Ultimately, the Tybur family went underground, controlling Marley from the shadows while outwardly presenting themselves as heroes who ended the Eldian Empire's rule. While other Eldians faced persecution, the Tybur family enjoyed wealth and privilege.
Moreover, the oppression and persecution of Eldians were orchestrated by the Tybur family. The lifespan of a Titan is too short to allow a single family to control all the Titans. Thus, they came up with the idea of internment zones and brainwashing.
Though their plan seemed sound, controlling the Titans proved difficult, and not all Eldians were brainwashed. One candidate for the Attack Titan disappeared during the selection process.
"If this secret gets out, how will the Marleyans react? They've been ruled all this time by the very Eldians they despise." Daniel took several deep breaths to calm himself. The actions of the Tybur family infuriated him, making him want to annihilate them all.
"So Marley is essentially a continuation of the Eldian Empire. No wonder they are so expansionist." After some thought, Daniel decided not to kill General Calvi. Instead, he erased his recent memories.
The combination of the Imperius Curse and the Memory Charm is simply unbeatable.
Today, the Tybur family continues to control Marley from the shadows, but their lineage is dwindling. Even the current family head has few descendants, and most are women.
Daniel now understood why Historia needed to produce more royal heirs. The short lifespan of Titans makes it hard to pass on their power without enough people.
As the head of the military, General Calvi had to be part of the Tybur family, or he wouldn't have reached such a high position. Perhaps due to Marley's complex situation, his attitude towards ordinary Eldians was relatively mild. However, even he wasn't privy to all details about the Warhammer Titan's abilities.
"Willy Tybur." After leaving Calvi, Daniel headed to the luxurious estate of the Tybur family, whose location he had learned from the general.
"I won't kill you just yet." Using the Imperius Curse, Daniel quickly took control of the Tybur family's estate and interrogated Willy Tybur and his sister to uncover the Warhammer Titan's powers.
The Warhammer Titan can manipulate the earth to create weapons. Given the inherent strength of Titans, the ability to wield weapons makes them even more formidable. Through his interrogation, Daniel also learned about the Tybur family's plans.
Although the plan to retake the Founding Titan seemed to have originated from Zeke, the Tybur family was also highly interested. They rely on Titan power to control Marley, but as technology advances, Titans are becoming weaker. The Tybur family is keen on enhancing the Titans' power and possibly eliminating the technological threats to them.
Initially, Daniel intended to kill the Tybur family, as he had no sympathy for them after learning about their actions. However, he decided to spare them for now.
The
Tybur family is quite formidable and deeply knowledgeable about Titans. They led the research on Titan enhancement serum, which was eventually abandoned because only the Ackerman family could tolerate it.
"Finally, I have the blood of all nine Titans." After erasing the Tybur family's memories, Daniel flew to the battlefield on his hoverboard and located Pieck, the Cart Titan. This Titan is rumored to be controlled by a female. The Cart Titan can maintain its transformed state for an extended period, reportedly up to two months, unlike other Titans who can only sustain it for a limited time.
This prolonged transformation is likely due to the Cart Titan's lower combat strength. Previously, it was primarily used for reconnaissance. However, with modern weaponry, the Cart Titan now has some combat capability.
Daniel wasted no time extracting the Cart Titan's spinal fluid and blood before heading to a deserted island to begin his secluded research and training.
The portal is crucial to him. If this world's inhabitants didn't pose much of a threat to him, he wouldn't have done so much before starting his training. He would have focused on mastering the portal first and then dealt with other matters.
"Have you made up your mind?" While training and researching, Daniel didn't forget about Zeke. He had told him about the Tybur family as soon as he settled on the deserted island. Zeke had been in a daze for two days, utterly dispirited.
"Can you really solve the Titan problem?" Zeke finally spoke, his eyes fixed intently on Daniel.
"I told you, I can't guarantee it. But we can give it a try, provided you cooperate." During his research and training, Daniel had made significant progress. He could now open portals and had also made strides in studying the blood and spinal fluid of the nine Titans. He could produce a serum similar to the one that enhanced Levi and Mikasa.
Having concluded his research on blood and spinal fluid, Daniel shifted his focus to the massive bodies of the Titans. His observations revealed some anomalies in their structure, prompting him to ask Zeke for a transformation demonstration.
Under other circumstances, Daniel wouldn't have had a solution for this, but now he had the power of the Ope Ope no Mi fruit.
___________________
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