Yago and Bertholdt looked at each other. Neither of them spoke; both remained silent.
After a long while, Yago was the first to break the silence.
"Bertholdt, do you still remember Thomas and Ilse?"
Hearing those two somewhat familiar names, Bertholdt's pupils contracted slightly. He heard Yago continue, "Watching them die right in front of you, Bertholdt—do you still remember the last thing Ilse shouted?"
Bertholdt's eyes widened as scenes from the past seemed to surface before him.
...
Memories — Inside the Trost District, ravaged by Titans, three warriors from Marley stood atop a tall tower, witnessing a scene before them that looked like hell itself.
Annie stood at the edge with her arms crossed, her gaze unfocused, her heart concerned for someone's safety.
Reiner, the one who had proposed the plan to breach Wall Rose, was also trembling slightly at this moment.
And Bertholdt—who had personally transformed into the Colossal Titan and kicked open the gate of the Trost District—was suffering the most. The wails of civilians and soldiers in the city pierced into his brain like iron spikes.
"The wall has already been destroyed by us—so why is the king inside the walls still so calm? Damn it! If we can't reclaim the Founder, how are we supposed to return to our homeland? Bertholdt, turn into the Colossal Titan again! Kick open Wall Rose!" Reiner said excitedly, pressing his hand onto Bertholdt's shoulder.
But before Bertholdt could respond, a sharp click came from behind the three of them. All three turned around at once, only to see Ilse staring at them in shock. On her back was Thomas, his entire body gravely injured.
"Reiner… you—you—what were you just saying?" Ilse's voice trembled.
Reiner froze in place. Had Ilse heard their conversation?
Ilse set down the wounded, unconscious Thomas, then suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Reiner by the collar and shouting,
"Reiner! What you just said—was it all true?! The walls—the walls were destroyed by you?!"
"Ilse, I—I didn't… this is a misunderstanding!" The decisive warrior Reiner from before seemed to have vanished; now he looked utterly at a loss.
"Bastard! I heard everything! Destroying the walls, returning to your homeland! Turning into Titans? What exactly are you people?!"
Furious, Ilse shoved Reiner away, then pointed at Annie nearby.
"Why?! Annie, did you know all of this too?! Yago once told me you were the one he trusted most—are you worthy of Yago's trust, acting like this?!"
Annie's face went pale, and she involuntarily took a step back, but said nothing.
Finally, Ilse grabbed Bertholdt and demanded,
"Bertholdt! You're the Colossal Titan?! Why?! Why destroy the walls?! Do you have any idea how many civilians will die at the hands of Titans?! And our comrades from the Cadet Corps! Why are you doing this?! Answer me!!"
Bertholdt stammered, unable to say a word. But Ilse only grew more agitated.
"Return to your homeland? You have a homeland too?! When the walls were destroyed, how many people lost theirs?! How many became refugees—how many died, including my father, because of it?! You bastards!"
Shk! In her agitation, Ilse drew the blade at her waist. Bertholdt's breath caught; his mind went blank for an instant.
Thud! A steel blade pierced through a chest. Blood dripped from the tip of the blade, flowing all the way to Bertholdt's feet.
Ilse weakly loosened her grip on the blade. Behind her, Reiner—his expression twisted—released the blade and watched as Ilse collapsed.
"Reiner! You—!" Bertholdt was shocked. But Reiner said darkly, "There's no other way. We can't let anyone else know our identities."
The smell of blood seemed to attract nearby Titans. Several of them began to approach.
"Let's go!"
"But what about Ilse and Thomas?"
"Do you want to expose our identities? Ilse already knows who we are! Move—Titans are coming closer!"
Annie went to the unconscious Thomas and said, "But Thomas is only unconscious. He probably doesn't know our identities. Let's save him."
"No! We can't take that risk!" Reiner rejected it outright.
"If you won't save him, I will!" Annie said as she moved to hoist the unconscious Thomas onto her back—but a blade suddenly appeared in front of her.
"Annie, don't force me. To return home smoothly, we can't take any risks. If our identities are exposed, what then? And what would Yago think of you— a traitor?"
Hearing Yago's name, Annie stopped, her expression darkening.
In the end, the three activated their Vertical Maneuvering Equipment and left the tower. The horrifying sounds of Titans chewing, along with faint screams, clearly reached their ears.
"I… thought we… were comrades. Why… Ber…tholdt… I thought we were comrades…" Ilse, coughing up blood, struggled to say those final words.
Bertholdt clenched his teeth, silently repeating a few short words in his heart: "I'm sorry…"
(For related scenes, see Chapters 50, 53, and 56.)
...
After the memories, Bertholdt could only say helplessly,
"I remember Ilse's words. But there was no other choice. I am a Marleyan warrior, the Colossal Titan—an enemy of you humans inside the walls.
"I could only do this, Yago. If you want me to betray Marley, I'm sorry—I can't. You're also a holder of Titan power. Kill me and take my Titan power."
With that, Bertholdt closed his eyes. If he were to die now, for him it would be a kind of release. Too many disasters had happened because of the Colossal Titan; too many people had died. The crushing weight of guilt made him feel unable to stand upright.
Yago also fell silent. To take away Bertholdt's Colossal Titan power? But after taking it—who should inherit it? Armin? Yet Armin was filled with yearning for the world and for freedom. Was it fair for him to bear Titan power with only thirteen years of life?
After a long while, Yago stepped forward. The hardening on his hand solidified once more, forming a sharp, hardened claw.
The hardening easily carved a wound into Bertholdt's forehead. Blood welled up.
Yago took out a small glass vial from his pocket and collected a few drops of Bertholdt's blood.
Bertholdt opened his eyes and saw Yago staring blankly at the vial in his hand.
The power of the Colossal Titan—this was also Yago's primary purpose for coming here.
Putting the vial away, Yago did not dare rashly obtain the Colossal Titan power from Bertholdt's blood for the time being, because he had no guarantee what the Fate Titan would become after acquiring the Colossal Titan's power.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
+100 chapters and support me on Patreon(.)com/Jixo