The Yago Titan opened its mouth full of sharp teeth and viciously bit into the Abnormal Titan's neck. With a violent tear, it snapped the entire neck in two, and the Abnormal Titan collapsed limply.
The other two Titans seemed to sense the terrifying power of the Yago Titan and turned their heads, trying to flee.
But the Yago Titan clearly had no intention of letting this chance slip. "ROAR!!"
Moving even faster than the Abnormal Titan, it charged toward the two Titans. One sweeping kick cut through, directly kicking a fifteen-meter-class Titan in half at the waist.
Then it seized the other Titan, hugged its head, and forcibly twisted it off.
With a single stomp, it crushed the head of the struggling half-body Titan.
The Yago Titan threw its head back and roared to the sky. "ROAR!!!"
The Yago Titan stepped closer and closer to the severely wounded Vige. Its blood-red gaze fixed on him. One of Vige's arms and one of his legs were broken, blood constantly spilling from his mouth, yet the look in his eyes as he stared at the Yago Titan was clear and resolute.
"Ya…go!"
He forced out Yago's name. At the sound, the Yago Titan collapsed, its massive body turning into steam and rapidly dispersing, revealing an unconscious boy.
...
Some time later.
Bang! Bang! Bang! …
The sound of several high-pressure gas jets rang out. Several figures wearing the same green cloaks with the Wings of Freedom looked at the shattered Vige before them. Commander Erwin, with his short golden hair, gazed at this veteran who had already served ten years in the Survey Corps, his eyes filled with sorrow and pain.
Beside Erwin stood a young man of short stature, yet radiating a chilling killing intent. Staring with dead fish eyes, he asked, "Can he still be saved?"
Mike, to the side, silently shook his head.
Levi tightened his grip on the blade in his hand. Everyone around could clearly feel his killing intent rise another notch—his killing intent toward Titans.
Hange, the Squad Leader with a high ponytail and glasses, listened to Vige's final words.
"That… child… Shiganshina… orphan… Yago Norman… protect…"
After speaking his last words, the light faded from Vige's eyes. Until his death, Vige never revealed that Yago could transform into a Titan—was it because there was no time, or because he deliberately chose not to say it?
Hange stood up and looked toward Commander Erwin, her tone heavy.
"Squad Leader Vige… the entire squad has been wiped out."
She then looked behind her at Yago, who was being held by a Survey Corps soldier. Yago was still unconscious. Hange frowned and said,
"Where did Vige find this child? This is outside the Walls, you know. And also, were that Abnormal Titan and the three Titans all eliminated by Vige?"
Captain Levi spoke coldly, "Strange things are better off destroyed directly."
The Survey Corps soldier holding Yago said in surprise,
"Huh? But th-this is a child."
Commander Erwin waved his hand.
"Enough. Vige's final words told us to protect this child. No matter what, we should protect him well. The rest can be discussed later. Scott, for now, you take care of this child."
The Survey Corps soldier holding Yago replied, "Yes, Commander."
...
Three days later
"Well now, little Yago, don't keep such a gloomy face all day. Smile more. Come on, let Hange pinch your cheeks!"
Yago nimbly dodged Hange's grasping hands and frowned with his small face.
When he learned that Uncle Vige had already sacrificed himself, Yago fell completely silent. His heart was filled with overwhelming guilt—it was all his fault. If he had been brave enough to dodge back then, maybe Vige wouldn't have…
Seeing the silent Yago, Hange could only sigh helplessly. This child was blaming Vige's sacrifice on himself. But what could be done? Although Yago's origins were very strange, since a veteran like Vige had protected him with his life, then to the Survey Corps, Yago was surely a friend.
It was just a pity. The child looked quite cute—messy black hair, and especially those eyes, very beautiful. But he always wore a bitter expression, so Hange always wanted to tease a smile out of him.
Through the past few days of contact, Yago had gained a rough understanding of the Survey Corps. The entire corps originally numbered a little over three hundred people, including several logistics squads, elite squads, enemy scouting squads, and reconnaissance squads.
Yago also came to know the general high-ranking leaders. Commander Erwin was a very rigid blond gentleman—of course, not when fighting. In battle, Erwin was crazier than a madman.
There were also several Squad Leaders. Levi—probably the short guy Uncle Jiso had mentioned—radiated an aura that warned strangers to keep away. Squad Leader Hange, that delinquent woman who was always trying to make Yago laugh, seemed to have an extraordinary passion for researching Titans. Squad Leader Mike looked like a very approachable uncle. And there was also Scott, the logistics Squad Leader who had been taking care of Yago all along.
All in all, aside from some doubts about Yago's origins, the Survey Corps soldiers got along quite well with this little guy.
The tent flap was opened, and Commander Erwin, with his short golden hair, walked in. Looking at Yago, he asked with some concern,
"How is it? Yago, have you remembered anything? Do you know where your parents are?"
Yago was silent for a moment, then said,
"I don't have parents." This was the answer his subconscious told him.
Erwin sighed. "An orphan?"
Suddenly, Yago lifted his head and gathered his courage to ask,
"C-Commander, can I become a Survey Corps soldier in the future? I want to join the Survey Corps! I want to avenge Uncle Vige!"
Erwin rubbed Yago's hair and said,
"Of course you can! The Survey Corps welcomes young people like you. But first, you'll need to go through proper training. Do you have confidence?"
Yago said, "Yes!"
Walking out of the tent, Hange asked,
"That child is an orphan—what should we do? We can't keep him in the Survey Corps forever and just take care of him, can we?"
Erwin was silent for a moment.
"Squad Leader Vige's wife, Lady Lucia, seems to have no children. We might… but we weren't able to bring Vige back."
Hange couldn't find words to respond. Vige was an old veteran of the Survey Corps, with even more seniority than her. He had participated in many expeditions beyond the Walls. She never expected that this time would end up…
Erwin said, "Now is not the time to grieve. I believe that we, the Survey Corps, will definitely uncover the truth beyond the Walls!"
...
Inside the tent, Yago looked at his own hands. After waking up for the second time, he realized that both his strength and reaction speed had increased by quite a bit.
Moreover, Yago could faintly sense that there seemed to be some kind of peculiar power within his body—one he might not yet be able to control.
Lowering his hands, Yago looked at a somewhat tattered cloak by the bedside. Blue and white intertwined Wings of Freedom—this was Uncle Vige's cloak. Yago had asked for it. Uncle Vige had saved his life. In the future, he would definitely join the Survey Corps and become a Survey Corps soldier like Uncle Vige!
...
A few days later, the other members of the Survey Corps gradually regrouped. Judging from the somewhat oppressive atmosphere in the camp, the results of this expedition beyond the Walls were clearly not good. Commander Erwin became increasingly silent, and even the usually lively Hange had not been very energetic lately.
In the end, out of the more than three hundred members of the Survey Corps, aside from over a hundred who remained stationed at the headquarters inside the Walls, more than half of the remaining two hundred sacrificed their lives. Fewer than ninety returned inside the Walls.
(A/N: Because of certain setting choices in this work, the timeline will undergo some changes, but it will not fundamentally affect reading.)