Eren beat Armin severely. Armin, who was effeminate, finally got beaten up, and it all started from Eren's four-person roundtable meeting.
Eren expressed his desire to have a quiet talk with Mikasa and Armin.
After all, disputes could not solve the Eldian problem. Armin couldn't help but question why Eren chose to attack Marley alone in the first place. Was he really convinced by Zeke and Ymir?
However, Eren simply replied that he was free. Whatever he wanted to do, whatever he chose, was based on his own free will.
But Mikasa clearly didn't believe Eren's words. Mikasa still believed Eren was being controlled, because Mikasa knew that Eren was not the kind of sinner who would harm innocent people and children.
The reason Eren saved her and wrapped the scarf around her back then was because Eren was very kind.
However, Eren just showed disgust. Eren then said coldly that when he was undercover in Rebellio, he had a chat with Zeke. It was just the two of them. Back then, he learned a lot from Zeke, who possessed knowledge far beyond Marley's.
Eren stared at Armin and questioned him, "Armin, you still go to see Annie, but your will is still Bertolt's will."
"If a person's core is closely related to their memory, then a part of you has become Bertolt, so you fell in love with the soldiers of Paradis. This has also affected you to some extent. This Eldian strategist, who possesses the Nine Titans, actually favors the enemy. You weren't this naive before. Your decisiveness could have led Eldia to the right answer, but now you constantly say 'let's talk,' and end up achieving nothing."
"Armin, your mind has been muddled by Bertolt, so you are the one controlled by the enemy."
After speaking to Armin, Eren then shifted his attention to Mikasa. Eren said with disgust, "In Marley, I also learned about the Ackerman clan. Marleyan scholars are still unable to figure out how the Titans, during the long history of the Eldian Empire, were accidentally shaped by the 'Meteo' (Note: This appears to be a mistranslation or misinterpretation in the original text, likely referring to the Founding Titan's power or similar) to maintain a human form. The purpose of utilizing part of the Titan's power was for the Ackermans, and the Ackerman clan was designed to protect the Eldian King. Therefore, as long as you identify someone as a host, the instinct in your blood will be activated. So your obsession with me is due to the Ackerman instincts."
"Back then, Mikasa, you obeyed my orders at the brink of death. Under various conditions, the hidden Ackerman instinct within you was awakened. Not only did it elevate your physical abilities to the limit, but it also allowed you to gain combat experience accumulated by the Ackerman clan through the Paths."
Upon hearing this, Mikasa only thought that it was because of Eren that she could become stronger. However, Eren coldly replied, "Simply put, the original Mikasa disappeared in the forest cabin at the age of nine, leaving only the executor of Ackerman instincts. Having lost her original self, she was molded into a puppet who only obeys orders, a slave."
Armin, standing nearby, was furious and tried to stop Eren from speaking. However, Eren continued to babble, "The things I hate the most are unfree people or family members. Just seeing such guys makes me angry. Now I finally know why, so I've hated you, Mikasa, since I was little."
Armin, who could no longer stand it, climbed onto the table and prepared to punch Eren, but was instinctively restrained by Mikasa, who pressed him back onto the table.
Mikasa didn't know why she did that. However, Eren continued to mock Mikasa. Armin then punched Eren's face again. Hit by this blow, Eren said, "I never fought with Armin before."
Because Eren knew that Armin was no match for him, he retaliated with two punches, which landed heavily on Armin's cheeks. Armin immediately fell to the ground, beaten by Eren.
Looking at the bruised and swollen Armin, Eren said, "If you had told me where Zeke was from the beginning, we wouldn't have had this conflict."
Eren then led the three of them to the origin, the Great Forest of West Giana.
Meanwhile, Captain Levi also learned everything from the intelligence officer. Levi also realized that the military government wanted someone to eat Eren. He had saved Eren's life many times before, and each time he lost several comrades, because everyone believed he was the hope for humanity's survival.
However, the result of their belief was this outcome. But Levi still chose to believe Eren.
Levi said, "There is someone else who should be eaten by the Titans, and that is that bastard, Zeke."
The Captain immediately ordered Zeke's data to be transferred to someone else.
Levi did not know if Eren was truly controlled by Zeke, but as long as Zeke died, those people would have no future.
Levi was very confident in taking down Zeke. After all, there were over 30 soldiers surrounding him above the forest. Even if Zeke transformed into the Beast Titan, he could not escape his grasp.
Levi couldn't help but lament the passage of time. He could finally fulfill the oath he made to Erwin in front of him, and he could finally prove that Erwin's sacrifice was absolutely meaningful.
However, the next second, Zeke turned around and ran away.
Levi couldn't react for a moment as to how this guy dared to defect. But he heard Zeke suddenly shout, and all the soldiers in the forest above began to glow with golden light.
In an instant, all the soldiers turned into pure Titans and crashed heavily onto the ground. It turned out that all these soldiers had drunk red wine mixed with Zeke's spinal fluid. So how would Levi break through the current predicament?