During his near-death experience, Zeke vaguely saw a little girl carrying a wooden bucket, her steps unsteady and her eyes vacant.
But in the next second, an unborn Titan was struggling to crawl towards Zeke's mangled body. The Titan then brutally tore open its own abdomen with its hand, grabbed Zeke's broken form, and stuffed it into its belly, steam rising all over its body.
Simultaneously, the explosion of the Thunder Spears attracted Flock and his companions, who were searching for Zeke's location. Hange couldn't help but wonder if there had been some unforeseen event, as the place where Zeke was supposed to be detained should have been further ahead.
The group hurried towards the sound of the explosion. However, upon reaching the scene, they were all stunned by what they saw. In front of them lay a Titan prostrate on the ground and scattered body fragments. Hange quickly discovered a Survey Corps soldier lying by the river, covered in blood.
Hange rushed forward and picked up the soldier. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Levi, mangled and bloody from the explosion.
Flock remarked that regardless of what had happened, it was fortunate that their biggest threat, the Captain, was now gravely injured.
Flock prepared to finish Levi off with another shot to the head. However, Hange sternly declared that Levi was already dead. But Flock insisted on personally checking for a pulse. Just then, the Titan on the ground suddenly regenerated. Normally, Titans didn't disappear as if they were absorbing steam.
The group quickly raised their weapons, guarding against this pure Titan. But then, through the swirling smoke, a figure emerged. It was Zeke, his body completely healed.
Witnessing this scene, Hange immediately deduced what had transpired. Seizing the opportunity while the group was focused on Zeke, Hange grabbed Levi and plunged into the river to escape.
The group immediately fired into the riverbed, but it was evident that Hange had successfully escaped with Levi. Flock couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Zeke.
But Zeke seemed to have forgotten what had occurred. He only remembered a strange girl reshaping his body with mud, a sensation that felt like years, yet also like an instant.
Gazing at the vast blue starry sky above, Zeke suddenly realized that it must be the path. With all obstacles cleared, it was time to move forward.
Zeke then followed Flock towards Eren's location. Meanwhile, Eren had arrived at the prison where the fake currency was held.
Eren stated that if they wanted to save Falco, they should cooperate with him.
Eren demanded that the fake currency use the radio to call for help from Marley. But before he could finish speaking, the male soldier behind Eren was instantly assassinated by a swift blade.
The assassin was Miss Pieck, who had infiltrated the Corps. Pieck then held Eren at gunpoint, while the fake currency took the opportunity to snatch up the soldier's rifle.
Pieck threatened Eren to take his hands out of his pockets, or she would shoot him.
But Eren clearly wasn't buying it. He knew that Pieck had not been ordered to kill the Founding Titan, but rather to retrieve it. Therefore, in the end, a Titan would have to devour Eren.
Hearing this, Pieck immediately lost her initial assertiveness. She ordered the fake currency not to pull the trigger, because, as Eren said, if they violated orders and killed Reiner, their families in the Marleyan internment zone would all face collective punishment.
Pieck added that another reason she wouldn't shoot was that she wanted to rescue her family from the internment zone right now. Pieck had become a warrior so that her only family, her father, could receive proper medical care.
Her father had survived, but when he learned that Pieck's time was running out, he lived in sorrow every day.
Therefore, Pieck hoped that after her death, her father would see a bright future for Eldia. To achieve this, Marley had to be destroyed.
Jia Bi, standing nearby, looked utterly incredulous. He couldn't believe that even Miss Pieck had betrayed Marley. He immediately grabbed his rifle and aimed it at Pieck. Pieck, in turn, retorted, "And who do you think you are?"
Clearly, there was only one answer: a descendant of Ymir.
Pieck passionately told Jia Bi that regardless of what they called themselves, they were a people who could transform into Titans. Just as during the siege of the fortress, Titan power would eventually become useless. Thus, they would eventually be used and discarded by Marley, leading only to death.
Pieck's words were like sharp blades, relentlessly shattering Jia Bi's lifelong convictions.
Of course, Eren wasn't foolish enough to believe Pieck so easily.
Eren then cut his finger and demanded that Pieck prove her resolve. Pieck responded that she would reveal the locations of all her hidden comrades. If Eren came to the top floor of this building, she could point them out.
Eren then led Pieck and the fake currency to the rooftop. Yelena was already waiting there.
Upon seeing Pieck, Yelena immediately told Eren not to trust her. However, Eren had never trusted Pieck; he simply wanted to see what tricks she would play.
Eren urged Pieck from behind to quickly point out the enemy's location. Pieck, however, was unperturbed. With a smile and a gentle gaze at Jia Bi, she pointed to Eren's feet. Pieck then lunged forward, embracing Jia Bi. At the same time, cracks appeared beneath Eren's feet.
A large maw opened from the roof upwards, and the attacker was the Armored Titan, Galliard.
Although Galliard succeeded in biting off Eren's legs, Eren still managed to activate his Titan power.
In the airspace of the Shiganshina district, several airships were heading directly towards Eren's location. And above them, the Jaw Titan, armed with its powerful abilities, had arrived.