31 A True Soldier

Vincent sat down at a Table near Jean and looked up at the sky and couldn't help but mutter.

"What a f*ck up world, this was..."

Looking around at his surroundings and seeing the faces of everyone. The loss of friends, loved ones, and even their own family... the Family of 104th Military Trainees. 

He looks to his right and saw Marco stopping Daz that scared-cat from committing suicide. 

Soldiers and even some civilians wanted to commit suicide, not wanting to be eaten alive and be dead in the stomach of a Titan.

But Vincent couldn't blame them, as this world they live in. The world's humans were not at the top of the food chain. And the Titans dominate the world in fear, and Humans hiding in their cages, like fatten sheep. Living behind the walls where even their safe haven could not keep them protected forever and slowly get eaten by Titans.

But Vincent's goal never waver as the sizes didn't matter, as long as they have a weakness, he can kill them.

Jean drank the bag of water on his hand and said.

"Good thing we were sworn to secrecy. Everything's already enough of a mess as it is. If they found out about Eren..."

Vincent looks at Jean and everyone that swore secrecy on Eren's secrets.

"Jean. No lies have been left untold, as long we live here in this cramped world surrounded by walls. Sooner or later, the world or the people living behind this wall will find about it… so don't be naive and think that it will never be found out"

"How? We're the one that saw Eren comes out on the Titans nape. As long as no one told about it, it will never be found out"

Vincent shrugs his shoulders and walks towards where Christa was. 

He saw the state of Christa, fear was apparent on those blue eyes of her. 

Ymir was with Christa, patting her back to ease the fear Christa was feeling.

Vincent then saw Ymir signaling him to calm down Christa. So He walks in front of her and said,

"Christa…"

Christa's head shook a bit before looking up and seeing Vincent. She muttered.

"... Vincent"

"So… are you still joining the Survey Corps?"

Vincent asks Christa seeing her in this state, he couldn't help but be worried since he knew Christa was a kind and gentle girl. He was with her in a team more than once and every time they teamed up, Christa was the one that cheered and cared for everyone if there's someone injured. Seeing her die will be a total loss to humanity. 

A long silence descended between the two, and even Ymir looked down at Christa nervously.

"... I'll still join"

Christa looked up and responded towards Vincent firmly. Unlike her previous state, before she talked to Vincent, Christa was now more determined to face the Titans.

"Christa! D-Do you know what you're saying?! You got scared, trembling, and was about to collapse a while ago and you're still saying that!"

"I'm fine now Ymir"

Christa said that and stood up and looked Vincent in the eyes while saying with a firm voice.

"I will still join the Survey Corps"

Vincent looks at Christa in a new light, impressed at her fast change in attitude. Even though Christa said that in a Firm voice, Vincent can see her legs trembling while standing up. He didn't point it out as to embarrass her. And just nodded while saying.

"Hm, Good Luck then"

He then began to walk towards where Annie was at and saw her talking to Reiner and called out to them.

"Annie, Reiner"

Annie and Reiner simultaneously look at Vincent's approaching figure.

Reiner looked at Annie sideways, as he saw Vincent approaching them. He then smiles while looking at Vincent. 

"Yow"

"How are you two? Can you guys still fight?"

Vincent said that as he greeted Annie with a nod and said to the two.

"I'm fine", Reiner said and flexed his muscles while saying. "I can still fight Titans one hundred rounds"

"Good. As for you, Annie. Can you still fight?"

"I'm fine. A little tired"

Annie said that as she fixes her hair and hooks it to the side of her ear.

"Hm, then took a rest. Then see you two, gonna check on Jean if he can still fight"

Vincent once again saw Jean daze on the seat. He then smacks his back, to wake him up, scaring the help out of Jean.

"W-What! What the hell Vincent!"

"Hm. Saw you dreaming and have to wake you up."

"Then don't scare me"

"Sorry, but can you still fight?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Hm, I guess that we will stay here and fight Titans until the Survey Corps comes back. The Survey Corps got out of the walls this morning, and even if they travel at their fastest speed. It will take them 3 hours or even longer. "

Jean heard that and couldn't help but sigh in exhaustion, and answer.

"I'm gonna join Military tomorrow, but look what we have here. Titans again breaching the walls"

"... Stay Alive"

Vincent said that and stayed silent, the same as Jean.

Looking at everyone, Vincent couldn't help but think that the Titans scared the hell out of them making their usual skills and performance on Training drop. 50% of their skills can have them utilized under the effect of Fear. For Vincent, this news is a bad thing, considering that their fighting mortal enemies, the Mankind enemies, the Titans.

Then...

BOOOOOM!

A booming sound was heard near the walls. Everyone panicked at the sound of the explosion. 

'A cannon shot...?'

Then one of the Trainees pointed out, seeing a rising smoke near the wall.

"Look, smoke! It's inside the wall!"

"What's that?!"

"What's going on?!"

"Was the gate broken?!"

"That's the most fortified place! It can't be!"

Everyone has experienced the Titans a while ago, so the slightest commotion or cannon shot can make them freak out.

Then Vincent heard Jean say...

"Could it be steam from a Titan?"

'Titan? A Titan that could break walls? The Armored Titan! Or could it be...'

Then Vincent saw Reiner, followed by Bertolt and Annie used their ODM gear as Vincent followed and quickly flew where the smoke came from.

… .

Quickly approaching where the smoke was…

Vincent saw row upon row of soldiers from Garrison, circling or trapping someone and pointing their gun on where the smoke originated from.

Inside of it, Vincent could see the huge skeletal figure of a human, and Vincent immediately thought of it as a Titan because of its massive size.

Vincent then looked up on his right and saw a cannon pointing towards the Titan, one thing to fire once more.

Looking down again on the Titan, a Headless Titan as he saw the head of it fall. Vincent had a hunch that inside of that smoke, he knew them… And Vincent was right as he saw the figure rush out of the smoke.

It was Armin,

And with that, Vincent could confirm that the Titan was Eren.

Vincent saw Armin stop running ahead as the Garrison Captain shouted… As everyone in the Garrison pointed their guns at Armin.

"STOP!"

"You finally showed your true colors, monsters! I'll signal! I'll signal the cannon!"

The Garrison Captain said that and started pointing at Armin, and threatening them that he would signal to fire the cannon.

"He isn't the enemy of mankind! We're willing to share all the intelligence we've gathered!"

'Intelligence, huh…. Interesting, what is Eren hiding about…'

Vincent thought as he heard what Armin had said. He would not intervene in this, as he was curious too on what Eren was capable of.

He will not endanger his life on protecting Eren, as in the end of the Day, Eren was a Titan in Vincent's eyes, and sooner or later, he will have to kill him.

Vincent marks Eren as to kill when he sees Eren get out of that Titans' nape. This is what Vincent thinks… Every Titans must die to end Mankind suffering, and reach his dream.

Armin said that, but the Garrison captain didn't get convinced as he said.

"Begging for your lives is useless now! He revealed his true form right in front of us! There's nothing left to say!"

"If you say he's not an enemy, prove it! If you can't do that, I will eliminate the threat!"

The Garrison captain said as Armin said in return.

"There's no need for further proof! The issue isn't how we see him!"

"What?!"

"You said everybody saw him! Then they must've seen him fighting the Titans too! And they must've seen all the Titans ganging up against him!"

"The Titans see him as prey, just like the rest of mankind! Nothing you say can change that fact!"

Vincent looked down, impressed by what Armin had said, and couldn't help but smile and praise him.

'What a reasonable and completely true argument. He didn't reason but just said the truth, cementing his ground, his point, and Eren's usefulness to Humans. Really what a Smart guy. I bet the soldiers are struggling in their Inner thoughts...'

What Vincent had thought were right, seeing as the soldiers lower their guard slightly.

But this truth didn't or the Garrison Captain couldn't accept as he shouted in response.

"Prepare to attack! Don't fall for his clever trap!"

"Their actions have always been beyond our comprehension! If they can transform into humans and speak our languages, that's just another way for them to fool us!"

"We can't let them do as they please!"

Vincent looked towards the Garrison captain and thought… 

'He doesn't believe... no he feared it. He uses the unknown as "beyond our comprehension", using this to make the soldiers know that they're fighting the unknown, "A Human that can transform into Titan", instead of a "normal" human'.

Vincent then looked again towards Armin and thought...

'Armin, what can you do?'

Then what Armin did next made Vincent smile and said to himself. 

'One last time. I will trust you Armin'

Armin then saluted as he said loudly, practically screaming his soul out, and said.

"As a soldier, I swore to devote my heart to the resurrection of mankind! There's no greater glory than dying for that belief! If we added his Titan power to the might of our armies, it might even be possible to recapture the town!"

"For the glory of the human race, I beg you! In my final moments before I die, permit me to explain his strategic importance!"

As Vincent heard what Armin had said and was about to jump when he saw a bald Old Man stop the Garrison Captain.

'Hm, Commander Pixis'