"Thank you, Lock. It's wonderful that you can understand Ymir."
Tears welled up in Historia's eyes, her smile filled with gratitude.
Lock gave the little angel a comforting smile, then looked at Ymir's single Titan eye. "Ymir, you remember my mission, don't you?"
"Eh?" Historia suddenly remembered what Lock had told her before they set out.
Glancing at Ymir's twitching right hand, Lock drew his blade and said earnestly, "I won't let you take her away."
Historia hadn't expected Lock to still clash with Ymir. Clutching her chest, she said, "Lock, Ymir won't hurt me! I'm going with her of my own free will!"
"That's hard to say, Krista!"
Lock stared at Ymir and rebuked her, "Ymir, do you think she'll be safe just because you're taking her to your hometown to protect her?"
Historia suddenly realized that Lock seemed to know many things she didn't.
"You have no idea how important her Bloodline is in this world!"
"Ymir! Do you want her to be reduced to their breeding machine for the rest of her life?!"
Ymir understood Lock's words. She emerged from the Titan's nape, her eyes wide with shock as she looked at Lock. "So that's how it is..."
"Ymir, what do you mean?" Historia didn't understand at all.
Ymir's face was filled with conflict. She knew Historia was special, but she hadn't expected her to be Royalty!
Lock was right. If Marley found out about her identity, nothing but an endless Hell would await her.
She was somewhat annoyed that Lock had made her identity clear; Reiner, who was inside the Titan's nape, had likely heard Lock's words just now.
What should she do?
What should she do?
...In front of the Armored Titan's nape, the small gathering of the 104th was also unusually lively.
Jean smiled and said to Bertholdt, who was hiding in the Titan's hand, "Eren's a real pain, isn't he? I know that better than anyone, since I don't like the guy either."
"Come on, Bertholdt, let's give him a lesson together!"
Connie's voice trembled slightly. "I say, this isn't real, is it, Bertholdt? Reiner?"
He remembered Reiner risking his life to save him not long ago and said with a sob, "Have you been lying to us all this time? That's just too much!"
Sasha followed up by shouting, "You two, deny it! Say it's all a lie!"
Seeing their continued silence, Jean couldn't help but say, "Hey, do you two plan on just running away without saying a word?"
"Aren't we comrades who shared joys and sorrows under the same roof for three years?"
His tone was full of nostalgia. "Bertholdt, your disastrous sleeping positions were practically art! At some point, everyone started looking forward to your new 'works' every morning, even using them to divine the day's weather!"
Jean remembered what Lock had told him, and pain began to well up in his heart. "But thinking about it now, even though you're a villain who committed such crimes against us, you could still sleep so soundly every day..."
...Faced with the questioning of his friends, Bertholdt finally broke down. "Who would... ever actually want to kill people!"
His voice was also filled with pain and regret.
"Who would willingly do these... these things..."
"Even if we are killed, we deserve it..."
"But we can't bear such sins. Only when we're playing the role of Soldiers can we... feel a little lighter."
"Connie, Jean! The time spent with you was real! We truly considered you our comrades!"
"I know... we have no right to apologize to you..."
"But... please, someone... someone understand us!"
...Listening to Bertholdt's confession, both Ymir and Lock had complicated expressions.
Similar pain from Annie's memories was surging wildly from Lock's chest, and his breathing became slightly hurried.
Ymir noticed his abnormality, which made her a bit confused.
Lock forced down the emotions in his heart and suddenly shouted, "Ymir, decide quickly! There's no time!"
Lock could hear countless Titans approaching from ahead; they would soon be surrounded.
Ymir looked at Historia, her face still conflicted.
Lock was a bit annoyed, but he still spoke firmly, "Ymir, I can protect her. No one inside the walls can touch her!"
"I promise!"
But Ymir still couldn't make up her mind for a moment.
Just then, Hannes, who had been following the Armored Titan, roared, "You guys, evacuate immediately!"
He looked ahead in shock. "Unbelievable! Erwin Smith, what on earth are you trying to do?"
"You actually lured the Titans over here!"
Led by Erwin Smith, nearly twenty Titans were coming straight toward the Armored Titan from the front...
Lock gave up on persuading Ymir and spoke directly to Historia, "Krista, come with me, quickly!"
Historia was also shaken by the terrifying scene before her. Hearing Lock's words, she immediately looked at the silent Ymir.
Then she said to Lock, "Lock, you go quickly. I've already decided to go with Ymir!"
"Tch!"
Lock was truly infuriated. He coldly threw out a sentence: "Protect her well, Ymir."
With that, Lock jumped down from where he was, used his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear to adjust his position, and landed accurately on his horse's back.
Erwin Smith met up with the group with his troops and immediately ordered, "Everyone, scatter! Keep your distance from the Titans!"
After pulling away, Lock watched from afar as the Armored Titan accelerated and charged into the wall of Pure Titans.
After knocking away three Titans, the invincible Armored Titan was eventually tripped to the ground, and instantly, all the surrounding Titans pounced on him.
The Armored Titan was pinned down by countless Titans and couldn't move at all, only able to let out a powerless roar.
The Soldiers stared at this hellish scene, all deeply shocked where they stood.
Lock looked at Ymir, who was struggling to drive away the Titans behind the Armored Titan, and whispered, "Ymir, you idiot."
Just as everyone was dazed, Erwin Smith stepped forward once more.
"All units, charge!"
"The fate of humanity's survival will be decided at this moment!"
"If we lose Eren, humanity will never be able to live freely on this land again!"
"Retrieve Eren!"
"Dedicate your hearts!"
Erwin Smith was the first to charge out, heading straight for the Titan Hell ahead.
Lock and Mikasa Ackerman followed closely behind.
As they drew closer, everyone quickly realized that the Armored Titan had lowered his hands to break through the situation. Everyone could see Bertholdt Hoover hanging from Reiner's neck... and Eren Yeager on his back.
At the very front, Erwin Smith swung his blade and shouted, "Forward!"
And at that very moment, a charging Titan bit the arm he was using to swing his blade and dragged him into the air!
"Commander Erwin!" the Soldiers cried out in despair for their leader.
"Forward! Eren is just ahead! Don't worry about me!"
Even in this situation, Erwin's voice remained as firm as steel.
"Keep moving forward!!"
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