Several dry tree branches were stacked together. A small cluster of flames slowly burned among the branches. Above the dry wood, a small aluminum kettle was set up, the flames licking at the bottom of the kettle. Two cups were placed beside it.
A figure sat cross-legged behind the kettle, dressed in a brand-new Marleyan naval uniform. Zeke noticed that the lid of the kettle was trembling slightly.
Raising his head, what appeared before Zeke's eyes was a forest that had already withered—dead branches and fallen leaves everywhere. Yet at the end of the dead forest, a massive figure was rapidly approaching.
The corner of Zeke's mouth lifted slightly as he muttered to himself, "So you've finally come?"
The perspective rose. Zeke was sitting upright atop a huge and peculiar boulder. Why peculiar? Because the boulder looked like an upside-down gourd—top-heavy and narrow at the base. The upper half of the boulder was nearly ten meters wide, but its base was only about three meters across.
The massive figure drew closer and closer. Zeke could feel the ground trembling faintly. Unhurried, he set the two cups in place and had just lifted the kettle—
Bang! A Titan's head was slammed viciously against the edge of the boulder. Blood sprayed everywhere, and a bloodstained, hardened bony claw pressed down not far from Zeke.
Zeke felt his vision darken as the enormous body blocked out the sun.
He lifted his head slightly and squinted, making out the Titan before him—an incomparably huge pair of crimson eyes, and beneath a white mask, knife-like sharp teeth faintly visible.
The boulder was less than ten meters tall. The Fate Titan bent its waist, staring down at Zeke. Its face was less than two meters from him, and Zeke could clearly see the frenzied killing intent in the Fate Titan's eyes.
Yet Zeke was confident. He raised his cup and called out,
"Care for a drink? I've been brewing it for quite a while."
After a long while, the killing intent in the Fate Titan's eyes faded. Its head lowered, and a figure emerged from the back of its neck.
Yago tore away the connected flesh on his face and leapt down lightly, landing in front of Zeke.
But what made Zeke freeze in astonishment was that another figure also jumped down from the Fate Titan's shoulder to stand beside Yago. As the hood was removed, the faint smile on Zeke's face instantly stiffened.
"Annie?" Zeke was truly surprised. Annie wasn't dead? He had always thought that the one before him—Yago—had taken Annie's Female Titan. But now? Once again, Zeke felt that sense of losing control over the situation.
"It seems I guessed wrong. I thought you'd come alone." Zeke poured a cup of the fragrant black drink from the kettle and handed it to Yago. Yago took it, looked at the foam floating on the surface, and said,
"I thought you'd bring everyone. Reiner and Pieck are hiding in the shadows, right?"
Zeke poured himself a cup as well and took a leisurely sip. "As expected, coffee only becomes truly delicious after adding sugar."
Yago glanced at Zeke, then turned and handed the coffee in his hand to Annie. Annie looked a bit surprised. Yago said,
"You've been in the wind the whole way. Drink some to warm yourself."
Zeke laughed. "Didn't expect that, Yago—you're quite considerate. No wonder our Annie would betray Marley for your sake."
Holding the coffee, Annie's gaze immediately sharpened at Zeke's words. Was he using her family in Marley to threaten her?
Yago cut in before Zeke could continue.
"No need for the nonsense, Zeke. You told me this location back then so that after escaping, you could meet me here, right? You were already confident you could get away at that time?"
Zeke raised a finger and wagged it.
"Just a bit of insurance. Don't worry. Since you have come here, I'm sure you already know my purpose."
Yago lowered his head, struggling to suppress the killing intent toward Zeke, then raised it again.
"The Eldian euthanasia plan, right?"
A sharp glint flashed in Zeke's eyes. "I don't know how you learned about the euthanasia plan, but I'd like to hear your opinion of it."
Yago rolled his wrist and said, "My opinion? I rather agree with it. Euthanasia—perhaps for Eldians, it really is a good destination. After all, the entire world sees us as devils."
It was the first time Zeke had heard anyone other than his own followers voice support for the Eldian euthanasia plan. Whatever strange ideas Yago might have, at least Zeke was genuinely a little pleased.
"But Eldian euthanasia requires a prerequisite. Squad Leader Zeke, you understand that too, don't you?" Yago stared straight at Zeke, speaking word by word.
"The weak have no confidence to make demands of the strong. Don't you agree?"
Zeke pushed up his glasses, seeming to guess what Yago was getting at.
"Of course I know. But are you aware of the secret inside the walls on your island? That's the true source of absolute authority."
"The Founder's power has been sealed!"
"What?!" Zeke lost his composure for the first time. He shot to his feet, shock and fury written all over his face as he demanded, "How is that possible? How could the Founder be sealed? Are you joking?"
Yago sneered. "Thanks to you. To quell the Titans in Shiganshina District, Eren overused the Founder, which resulted in him being unable to use the Founder's power again for three years." This was, of course, something Yago made up to deceive Zeke.
Zeke calmed down, recalling the power he had sensed that day in Shiganshina District. It did seem that only the Founder could have done that.
Both men fell silent. Only the soft sound of Annie sipping her coffee could be heard. Before Zeke could react, Yago picked up the kettle in front of him and refilled Annie's empty cup, then rather rudely set the kettle behind himself, saying righteously,
"It's been so many years since I've had a drink this good. I need to savor it."
Zeke didn't mind much and instead asked Yago in return, "So what exactly is your objective?"
Yago: "Although the world isn't friendly to Eldians, I believe there are plenty of countries in the world that are dissatisfied with Marley as well, right?"
Zeke: "What are you saying? Wait—I'm very curious. Yago, are you really someone from this island?"
Yago shook his head and said, "Zeke, after seeing Annie, don't you understand yet? I didn't take the Female Titan's power, but I'm not the Founder either. So, for the sake of our next conversation going smoothly, I can tell you this: what I inherited is the power of the tenth Titan beyond the Nine Titans—the Fate Titan!"
It was also the first time Zeke had heard the name Fate Titan, and he was momentarily stunned.
"The Fate Titan?"