CHAPTER 29: THE MEMORY THIEF
The sun rose over the barracks.
Sukuna hadn't slept. He had spent the night reading Hange's notebook and Grisha's books again.
"The Founding Titan can alter memories," he thought. "The king used it to make everyone forget. To keep them docile. To keep them inside the cage."
He looked at his hands.
"Can I do the same? Can I make them remember?"
Mikasa found him at dawn.
"You look tired."
"I am tired."
"When did you last sleep?"
"I don't remember."
She sat down next to him.
"You need to rest. You can't save anyone if you collapse."
"Who said I want to save anyone?"
"Your actions. Not your words."
Sukuna was quiet.
Then he said, "Maybe."
Armin arrived with breakfast.
Bread. Cheese. Water.
"You need to eat too."
Sukuna took the bread.
"I found something else in the books," Armin said. "About the memory power."
"Tell me."
"The Founding Titan can only alter the memories of Eldians. Not Marleyans. Not other races."
"And the people inside the walls are all Eldians."
"Yes. Except for the Ackermans. They're immune."
Sukuna looked at Mikasa.
"That's why you remember everything."
"Yes."
"And that's why the king feared your family."
Hange arrived at midday.
She rode into the courtyard on a horse, her uniform dusty.
"Eren! I have news."
Sukuna walked to her.
"What news?"
"The Interior Police are moving. They're gathering soldiers near the capital. Something is happening."
"Something Zeke planned?"
"Maybe. Or maybe the king is preparing for war."
"The king is a child. He doesn't prepare for anything."
Hange dismounted.
"He's a child with an army. Don't underestimate him."
That afternoon, Sukuna gathered the people he trusted.
Mikasa. Armin. Jean. Connie. Sasha. Hange.
They met in the abandoned storage room.
"I'm going to tell you the truth," Sukuna said. "All of it."
He told them about Marley. About the Titans. About the curse of Ymir. About Zeke's plan. About the walls being full of sleeping Titans.
Silence.
Jean's face was white.
"The walls... are made of Titans?"
"Yes."
"We're living inside monsters?"
"Yes."
Connie started laughing. A nervous, broken laugh.
"This is insane. This is absolutely insane."
Sasha put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay."
"It's not okay. None of this is okay."
Armin spoke.
"We have two choices. Fight or hide."
"If we fight, we might die. If we hide, we will definitely die."
Jean looked at him.
"Since when did you become so brave?"
"Since I realized being scared doesn't help."
Hange nodded.
"The boy is right. We need to act. We need to prepare."
"Prepare for what?" Sasha asked.
"For war."
That night, Sukuna sat on the roof.
Mikasa joined him.
"They're scared."
"Good."
"Fear doesn't make good soldiers."
"Fear makes alive soldiers. Overconfidence gets people killed."
She leaned against him.
"What's the plan?"
"Step one: Learn to control the Founding Titan. Step two: Gather allies. Step three: Stop Zeke. Step four: Stop Marley."
"That's four steps."
"I never said it would be simple."
A shadow moved below.
Sukuna stood up.
"We have a visitor."
He jumped down from the roof.
A figure stood in the darkness.
Reiner.
"We need to talk," he said.
"About what?"
"About everything."
They walked to the training yard.
Empty. Quiet.
"I know you know who I am," Reiner said. "What I am."
"The Armored Titan."
"Yes."
Reiner sat on a bench.
"I came here to destroy these walls. To kill everyone inside. To take the Founding Titan."
"I know."
"But I can't do it anymore."
He looked at his hands.
"I've killed children, Eren. I've destroyed families. I've destroyed my own soul."
"And now I want to stop."
"So stop."
"It's not that simple. Marley will send others. They'll kill everyone. Including the people I've come to care about."
"Then help me stop them."
Reiner looked up.
"You want me to betray my nation?"
"I want you to save your soul."
Silence.
Then Reiner nodded.
"What do you need me to do?"
END OF CHAPTER 29