The Paths, described as the link connecting all Subjects of Ymir, with the root lying in the Founding Titan. The Founding Titan held absolute superiority, allowing it to easily erase the memories of the Eldian people inside the Walls.
This made Asahi think of a "server" in his own world. While the two concepts differed in terms of existence, some aspects were similar. The Founding Titan was the server, and the Subjects of Ymir were like computers in a giant network; this network was none other than the Eldian bloodline.
It sounded logical, but after pondering for a moment, he shook his head.
"If so, it's truly unreasonable. Grisha recorded that if any Titan shifter did not pass on the power by being eaten, the Titan power would automatically transfer to another Eldian, regardless of distance or lineage..."
This didn't make sense at all. To transmit something within the bloodline to another person, the most feasible way would be to pass it on to the next generation through childbirth. The method where the successor "eats" the predecessor could also be considered tentatively logical, but this current situation was too bizarre.
Asahi rubbed his forehead, beginning to reorganize his train of thought.
He realized he had overlooked an extremely crucial component: will, or rather, spirit.
Setting aside more abstract aspects like the soul, the spirit could be considered the residence of thought, will, and consciousness. A domain opposite to material reality. Coincidentally, when he stepped into the Paths, he recognized the nature of that place as nothing more than a mental space, similar to the spirit within every organism. The only difference was that it was entirely devoid of will, empty and masterless.
If this were the case, the inexplicable inconsistencies of the Titans and Titan powers could be somewhat compensated for. The Titan body, very possibly, is a type of non-material entity inverted into a material form—or, from "non-existence" to "existence," from "illusion" to "reality." That's why when destroyed or a part is severed, it gradually dissipates, returning to that non-material, spiritual state. Furthermore, the transmission of Titan power is also through the spirit, more precisely through a spiritual connection to the Paths. The so-called Ymir bloodline is more like a type of mediator than the main component.
Thus, the thing that maintained the Titan from reverting to its non-material state was...
"I have to try it to know."
Asahi swiftly wrote down all his deductions on the paper, then stepped outside.
"Hange, cut out a block of Titan flesh."
"Huh? But this is useless; we've tried it repeatedly."
"Just do it and you'll see."
"Alright..."
Seeing his determination, she asked no further questions, drew the pliable steel sword from her hip, and quickly swung it down, cutting out a fist-sized piece of flesh from the Titan's flank. The flesh dropped to the ground and began to smoke.
"Hey, doing this has an effect..."
Hange suddenly fell silent. Just now, she felt a terrifying surge of pressure right from Asahi's position. When she managed to look over, she only saw a distorted projection of light, which vanished in a blink.
Asahi, at that moment, was using his will to extend his spirit. This was a kind of technique that was almost impossible to achieve. Although the system stated that there were countless power paths dedicated to spirit cultivation, usually it involved strengthening the spirit first, then honing the will based on the acquired spirit to control this spiritual power.
It is extremely difficult for an ordinary person's spirit to harbor a will strong enough to be called "powerful." Even for those who practice paths that emphasize will first, it is mostly a prelude for later, not a deep specialization. Unlike Asahi, who directly used his will to elevate his spirit to a terrifying degree, without any specialized power training methods. He just grew stronger that way.
His will and spirit were synchronized and pure to the extreme; in terms of magnitude, they were absolutely top-tier.
"How... did you do that..."
Hange stared blankly at the scene before her. The small piece of flesh cut from the flank, which was supposed to evaporate after about half a minute, had, by some miraculous means, slowed its dissipation process.
Asahi did not reply, only focusing intently on controlling his will. He was now immersed in a strange scene, abandoning the sight of his eyes and using only the vision of his will. Hidden beneath that block of flesh—no, beneath everything that constituted it...
... was sand.
"This is... the sand that fills the Paths..."
He thought to himself, withdrawing his spiritual will from the piece of flesh. Without the spiritual anchor, the piece of Titan flesh began to smoke and vanish again as before.
Hange stood on the side, staring intently. After the flesh was gone, she rubbed her eyes.
Right, it still disappeared.
Could what just happened have been an illusion?
"No, it couldn't have been an illusion!"
She roared inwardly, ignoring all the surrounding staff's gazes, and clung tightly to Asahi, shaking his shoulders incessantly, her face resembling a fanatic seeking truth from a deity.
She wanted to know it, to know how to prevent the Titan from dissipating. A voice was screaming in her mind that this information was very important, critically important, something she had to obtain at all costs.
Indeed, it was truly crucial, even fundamental to the entire problem. It's just that even if explained, Hange wouldn't understand.
"It's simple, you just have to look."
"Look? Are you serious, or are you just teasing me?! Right?!"
"No, because I didn't do anything else."
Having said that, he gently slipped past her and returned inside, leaving Hange standing dumbfounded. Her eyes welled up; she realized that apart from telling her to cut the flesh, he had only looked.
Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded: Hange would cut a piece of flesh from the Titan, sit cross-legged, and stare intently at it. After it dissipated, she would cut another piece and repeat the process. Occasionally, she would mutter like a witch casting a spell, creating a spectacle beyond description.
...
Grisha Yeager finally arrived at the research area.
Stepping out of the carriage with a heavy heart, he looked at the facility under construction before him, carrying the resolve to die.
Few knew that Grisha constantly felt remorse. Unlike the time he first entered here, when he was utterly lost and confused despite being handed the mission by his predecessor, it was only after starting a family with Carla and connecting with the people of Shiganshina that he could emerge from the darkness.
The more he loved and cherished his second family, the more remorse Grisha felt. Because only by knowing how precious family was did he truly understand what he had lost.
Dina had turned into a Titan right in front of him, Zeke, and his parents.
If he could, Grisha wished he could apologize to Zeke from the bottom of his heart.
"It has come to this..."