Chapter 98: The Nine Titans (Part 2)

"Erwin, this is the latest report on Eren. He seems clear of any issues." In the temporary base of the Survey Corps at Trost, Hange hurried into a small room and handed a file to Erwin.

"Are you certain?" Erwin asked after reading through the document carefully and pondering for a moment.

"We've confirmed it multiple times. Many people know Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. Eren's father, Grisha Yeager, was a well-known doctor in Shiganshina. Numerous Garrison members are familiar with them," Hange explained, summarizing her investigation.

Due to Daniel's leaked information, Eren, who possessed the power of a Titan, was suspected of being sent by Marley from beyond the walls. Consequently, Armin and Mikasa were also under suspicion. Hange was tasked with investigating them, a daunting task given that most people in Wall Maria had died.

However, Eren's father being a doctor worked in their favor. Grisha was highly respected in Shiganshina, especially after he managed to curb an epidemic. Many people sought his medical expertise. Despite the presence of doctors within the walls, the best ones resided in the innermost wall, closer to the royal capital. The three walls effectively divided the residents into tiers, with the wealthy and influential preferring the safety of the innermost walls.

Given this, Grisha's prominence in Shiganshina was significant. His superior medical skills made him stand out compared to most within the walls. As a result, many Garrison members in Shiganshina could vouch for Eren, Armin, and Mikasa, proving they couldn't have come from Marley.

"So, if Eren is clean, the suspicion falls on his father." With no doubts about Eren but knowing he could transform into a Titan, the suspicion naturally shifted to his father.

"Commander, here are the new recruits' files." Another female member of the Survey Corps entered, handing Erwin a different file.

"Commander, Eren says he remembers something." As Erwin was about to review the new file, a male soldier rushed in. He was one of the guards assigned to watch Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. Despite Eren appearing harmless, the Survey Corps remained cautious, with Levi's squad responsible for guarding him.

"Let's go." Erwin stood up immediately, taking Levi and Hange with him toward the dungeon.

While Erwin and his team were busy with their investigations, Daniel was leisurely wandering around Trost. Like Shiganshina, Trost was a fortified city intended to draw the Titans' attention. Each of the three walls had four such forts to attract Titans, occasionally using cannons on the walls to attack them.

The three walls were extensive, and without these forts to divert the Titans, defending the entire length would be impossible. The forts were crucial for spotting and repairing any breaches caused by Titans.

The people living in these forts had essentially been relocated there to attract Titans, who were highly sensitive to human presence. Therefore, the Titans would usually gather around the forts.

On the night of Erwin's return, the presence of Titans inside the walls was confirmed. Erwin, Levi, Hange, and the Garrison's commander, Pixis, verified the situation and initiated a secret collaboration between the Survey Corps and the Garrison.

"Mommy, Daddy..." Seeing a small girl in the arms of a Garrison soldier, crying and calling for her parents, Daniel sighed. 

Civilian casualties in war are tragic, especially for orphans. Unlike modern society, where government assistance might be available, in this world, such help was practically nonexistent.

Eren, Armin, and Mikasa were sent to work in the frontier lands after Wall Maria fell. Children there were often orphans, and unless they joined the Training Corps and passed the exams, they would likely remain in those harsh conditions, doing manual labor with minimal tools or assistance.

The Survey Corps had horses, thanks to donations from wealthy individuals. Daniel, unable to bear watching the suffering any longer, turned away and walked toward another part of Trost. He reached the outskirts of a large training ground, where the Training Corps was stationed. Due to the Titan attack, the graduation assignment had been postponed.

"Annie..." Daniel soon spotted a blonde girl with a cold, aloof demeanor, radiating an unapproachable aura. She was the Female Titan.

While Erwin and his team were busy, Daniel was also investigating the whereabouts of the "Warriors" trio.

"She remains unconscious after sealing herself off, possibly until the very end," Daniel thought, watching Annie from a distance. Among the trio, Annie seemed the most stable, while Reiner and Bertolt appeared somewhat unhinged. One of them, he recalled, had even shown signs of split personality.

Transforming into a Titan was no blessing; besides the shortened lifespan, inheritors often experienced memories from their predecessors. Constantly dealing with another's memories, especially under the pressure of concealing their identity, could drive anyone to develop a secondary persona or go mad.

"Well, at least I found them together," Daniel thought as he saw Annie and Reiner meeting and entering an empty room. This was his chance.

After ensuring there were no onlookers, Daniel pulled out his wand and used the Disillusionment Charm, a spell for invisibility. While not as perfect as Harry's Invisibility Cloak, it was effective enough in this world to remain undetected.

"Marco..." As Daniel, now invisible, approached the room, he heard Bertolt's sobbing and the name he mentioned. Marco Bott was a fellow trainee whom the Warrior trio had indirectly killed after he overheard their conversation. Unlike trained spies, they had carelessly discussed their secrets in public, leading to Marco's unfortunate death.

They had stripped Marco of his maneuvering gear and left him to be devoured by Titans rather than kill him themselves. If not for Marco's interference, the trio might have executed their plan to abduct Eren much sooner.

Hiding nearby, Daniel eavesdropped on their conversation and quietly released a sleeping gas into the room, knowing the Titans' resilience and not wanting to risk them transforming.

Thud... Thud... Thud... As the trio collapsed, Daniel waited a moment before entering through the window. He saw them unconscious and began extracting their blood and spinal fluid, using a knife and specialized straws.

Considering Zeke's ability to turn people into Titans with his spinal fluid, Daniel surmised that the spinal fluid of the Nine Titans held similar transformative powers. The Titans' rapid regeneration hinted at a life-force trade-off for their abilities. Even with modern bioweapons, nothing matched a Titan's regenerative capacity, capable of surviving decapitation and transferring consciousness throughout their body.

"If I handed them over to Erwin, the situation would change drastically. But..." Daniel sighed, contemplating the unconscious trio.

They were young and their actions were products of Marley's indoctrination. If they were genuinely evil, Daniel would have no qualms about turning them in. 

"I'll leave them to face their own consequences," he decided, piecing them back together and leaving the room. Instead of returning to Erwin, Daniel set out to find Historia, the 'Farm Girl Queen.' Forced to bear children for the Eldian cause, this once innocent princess's fate disturbed Daniel deeply.

"Damn, I forgot about Ymir," Daniel muttered upon finding Historia. He realized he had overlooked another significant character. The Warriors weren't just a trio; they had been four.

"Ymir... a fitting name for the progenitor of Titans," he mused. 

"Only Eren and Mikasa left," he noted. Having obtained samples from the Warriors and Levi earlier, Daniel's collection was nearly complete. Levi's sample had been acquired during a previous injury, although he had no spinal fluid from him, as he wasn't a Titan.

Levi and Mikasa's enhancements were inferior to viral agents like the T-virus, but their physical capabilities were remarkable for ordinary humans. Daniel sought these samples more for research than immediate use.

"It looks like they've discovered the basement's existence, but getting there won't be easy," Daniel thought. He had overheard the Survey Corps discussing their findings. With the Garrison's help, their investigation progressed rapidly. They had secretly captured Nick, the high priest of the Wall Cult, and hidden him in a secluded spot beyond the second wall.

With Daniel's leaked information, Nick seemed to have already confessed. Armin and Mikasa were released, as they were proven to be from within the walls. Eren remained imprisoned, not due to distrust, but because the Royal Government had demanded his trial in the capital. The Survey Corps couldn't risk letting him roam freely and raising the Military Police's suspicions.

This provided Daniel the perfect opportunity. Both Eren and Mikasa succumbed quickly to the sleeping gas. 

"Time to leave." With all he needed, Daniel saw no reason to stay. Avoiding any potential complications, he had no plans to bid farewell to Erwin and the others, knowing they wouldn't let someone with his knowledge go freely.

"Where do you think you're going?" Just as Daniel prepared to use his powers to escape through the breach in the wall, a voice called out. 

He was surrounded by a dozen men, each equipped with specialized gear. 

"Central Military Police," Daniel recognized from their equipment. These were the Anti-Personnel Vertical Maneuvering Gear, designed specifically for combat against humans.

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