Chapter 26

-[Underground Chapel]-

-[Liam]-

He didn't leave his current location, simply continuing his work. Seeing as how he wouldn't gain the clone's memories, he would have to wait for it to return and explain the events of the day.

[Engineer has leveled up]

The notification of his [Profession] leveling up brought a smile to his face as he examined his finished work.

Anyone from his previous world would recognize it as a tear gas grenade. Instead of tear gas, he had it filled with his Titan serum.

Tossing it into his inventory, he began working on another one. He had a decent pile of it sitting in his inventory but it never hurt to make more.

He was leveling up his [Engineer] skill and it wasn't even with his own resources. He had a few clones sneak around before the explosion to take anything important they could find. Unfortunately, they don't find anything that particularly interested him so he settled for raw materials.

Whoever may have witnessed his theft would take that knowledge to their grave seeing as how nobody that was in the radius of the bomb survived the explosion.

•••

[Mission Completed]

[Mission Objective: Keep Eren safe during the expedition.](Complete)

[Reward: EXP, Skill]

[Astral Projection]

This user frees the soul from their body, allowing them to wander the world as an incorporeal spirit, invisible to most beings and immune to most forms of damage until the user chooses to cancel the spell. While incorporeal the caster can attempt to temporarily possess a body, which leads to a battle to wills between the host and the caster, which is decided by Intelligence.

•••

It was a fairly simple mission with how he'd taken most of the titans and Annie out of the equation beforehand but the reward was…amazing.

He could already see how he was going to abuse it.

-[Later]-

He had eventually swapped out with his clone after it recounted everything that happened during the expedition, leaving no detail out of it from conversations to how many times they made deviations on the journey.

In short, nothing spectacular happened but that itself was spectacular for the Survey Corps as the casualties were minimal with it being less than 5%.

"It was a success." Erwin said, looking at the three other people in the room before continuing. "With this being our most successful expedition so far, the survey corps has been given custody of Eren."

Hange let out a relieved sigh. "Even after everything, I was still nervous they would change their mind. Nile can be very insistent."

"Unless they're ready to take it up with Zackley, he can insist all he wants." Levi said with a scoff before turning to Liam. "That's right, you weren't at the tribunal."

Liam gave the man a dry stare. "And whose fault is that?"

Before they could continue, Erwin spoke up. "With us now revealing the knowledge of titans formerly being humans as well as our considerable progress in clearing a path to Shiganshina, public approval of the Survey Corp is at an all time high."

"There are a few who have doubts but they aren't as well heard as the majority who believe it." Hange added.

"I'm guessing that with this, we can expect the government to start making their moves." Liam said with a casual tone yet the severity of it was felt.

Erwin nodded in agreement. "The expedition was only our first step. Those at the top will see the Survey Corps' rise in popularity as a threat to their authority if it rises high enough."

"We just revealed one of the secrets they tried so hard to protect. Even if they get rid of us, word has already started spreading. They will most likely attempt to impede our progress." Hange added with a grave expression.

"That is why we have to be even more careful. Other than the threats from the other nations of the world, there are still threats inside our walls." Erwin said firmly.

Liam had a pensive expression on his face which was noticed by Levi. "You've got a question? Spit it out."

Ignoring Levi's blunt tone, Liam spoke. "Now that the expedition is over, we can focus on the other problem on our hands."

"Which is?" Erwin asked.

"Eren is too inexperienced with using his titan." He felt Hange and Erwin just barely stiffen at that as well as the spike in their emotions. "We can have Annie coach him on how to use it better."

'Fear? Interesting.' He thought as he felt it calm down.

Though their emotions spiked, he had to applaud the fact that their expression didn't betray their feelings.

Curiously, he didn't feel that from Levi. 'Something to look into later.'

"What about our other titan? Are you sure about him, four eyes?" Levi asked with utmost seriousness.

"I'm positive. He's a natural leader and he's good at assessing the situation and acting accordingly. I don't believe there's anyone else that would perform better with the Armored Titan." Liam said confidently.

Hange turned to Levi. "It's too early to doubt him yet. The transfer has already been made. We'll just have to see."

Reiner was no more. He was eaten and his titan transferred to someone among the Corps whom Liam had specifically chosen.

'Reiner's memories within him will eventually reveal itself to him so we'll have to bring him into the fold soon.' Liam pondered as the discussion continued.

-[Later]-

Most of the members of the corps were in the mess hall in the headquarters, the pleasant mood of their success still present.

Liam could only feel amused at that as he and Annie sat in the corner of the hall to avoid prying ears.

Eren, Mikasa and Armin were together in their usual circle while Connie, Sasha and Jean were closeby. He spotted Ymir sulking alone near the window. Christa was busy sleeping off her mental fatigue and the tension between the two girls had not reduced in the slightest.

"This cheerful atmosphere is annoying." Annie commented from beside him.

"You'll have to endure it, even if only for appearances sake." He scolded lightly.

"I don't give a damn about appearances." She retorted, making him chuckle in amusement before she took on a more serious expression. "Your plan against Marley…I still have no idea what you're planning to do."

Liam showed a smirk as he answered. "It's already begun. A part of Marley has turned to ash. I'll show you next time we go there."

Annie's eyes widened at the implied destruction but her mind centered on one thing. "My father-"

"Is no longer in Marley." Liam cut her off, completing the sentence, causing her eyes to widen even further.

"H-how? When did you even…" she trailed off as she tried to figure it out.

"I told you that your father will be spared, I'm a man of my word. We'll visit him tonight if that helps." He said, watching her calm down.

She was silent for a moment before she spoke. "Thank you…" Her voice was so silent that he almost didn't hear it.

He decided to switch the topic a bit. "I'm curious. What kind of training did they put you guys through for the warrior program?" He was genuinely curious.

"What kind of question is that?" She asked with an arched brow.

"Just humor me."

With a sigh, she began recounting what it was like. "I'd say it's not dissimilar to the cadet training except that it was more focused rather than just real general training. Races, obstacle courses, simulations and all that. The training starts young so the kids are basically brainwashed to become faithful warriors." She said with a tone of disgust.

"Well it didn't work on you." Liam commented offhandedly.

"I didn't care about their war or whatever excuse they gave to justify what they did. Reiner and the others on the other hand…" she trailed off for a moment. "Though there was Pieck. She didn't listen either. Then there was our weird chief, Zeke."

The disgust with which she said it amused him greatly. "Weird? What made him weird?" He asked.

"He was the oldest out of all of us. It always felt like he was hiding something. He was also a pervert." She answered, a confused look appearing on Liam's face.

'I don't remember that. He always seemed so serious and delusionally narcissistic.' Liam thought.

Seeing Liam's confused look, she explained. "He kept trying to peek at Pieck and I whenever he got the chance. He also kept muttering about a waifu or something like that. Whatever that means..."

She turned to see Liam's eyes widen, the boy frozen in shock. Before she could ask, the doors burst wide open as a man ran inside, panting.

"There are Titans inside Wall Rose!"