Ten thousand years ago, when this world was merely a material existence, various entities continuously appeared and disappeared. Eventually, something survived, and this is what we call life.
As a result, life survived because it possessed the trait of reproduction. To expand its population, life gradually changed its form and appearance, adapting to various environments, thus leading to our present abundance, wider distribution, and greater diversity.
Therefore, Zeke believed the purpose of life was to reproduce. These sands, stones, and water do not reproduce, yet life continues to reproduce desperately today. After all, death goes against the purpose of reproduction, which is why fear exists.
Ymir, the progenitor, also desperately tried to escape that suffering, hence choosing to create an even more powerful and immense immortal body, then fleeing to a world where even death did not exist.
This is what is known as the paths, where everything within seems to happen in an instant, yet also feels like an eternity.
Within the paths, Zeke spent a considerable amount of time trying to understand Ymir's thoughts. Even with such immense power, why could she not resist King Fritz?
For two thousand years, for what reason did Ymir willingly choose to continuously obey King Fritz within the paths? What is certain is that some reluctance must have remained in her heart, something Eren could understand yet not fully grasp. This is why Ymir chose to follow Eren.
Hearing Zeke's account, Armin could not help but be shocked. However, he quickly composed himself and asked Zeke if he knew of a way to return to the outside world from here.
Zeke merely expressed ignorance, believing it to be impossible to voluntarily leave from here.
Yet Armin was still unwilling to give up.
Upon hearing this, Zeke merely thought Armin was placing too much importance on sweating with Annie.
Zeke stated that everything happening now could be said to be a tragedy caused by life dominated by fear, a consequence of meaningless life activities and the fear they bring.
However, Armin countered that because his comrades were still fighting, there was still time to save many people from their fear. They were fighting against fear. But Zeke simply responded indifferently, "Why can't we lose?"
After all, people die eventually, and perhaps they might feel more at ease before their end. The continuous conflict would also cease with Eren's actions, and the days of being manipulated by others would end.
Is this not what true freedom is?
Hearing this, Armin was momentarily speechless. But in the next second, he suddenly noticed a green leaf hidden in the sand. The memory of running towards a hill with Eren and Mikasa flashed in his mind.
With this thought, the power of the Armored Titan finally awakened. Armin continued his second round of discussion with Zeke, which took place at dusk.
"The three of us race to see who can reach the tree on the hill the fastest," Eren proposed, and then he dashed off. Mikasa deliberately slowed her pace, running behind Eren, while Armin naturally ran last.
Although it was a small everyday matter, the wind that day was warm, and simply running felt comfortable. Many withered leaves swirled in the air.
At that moment, Armin felt he was born to race together with them on this hill.
Every day, while reading eroge at home, when the squirrels ate the tree fruits he gave them, and when they all went to the market together, Armin felt this way.
Armin always believed these ordinary moments were incredibly important. And at this very moment, the green leaf in Armin's hand appeared as a baseball in Zeke's eyes. These ordinary moments had no connection to reproduction, yet they were the things that constituted our fantastical and colorful lives.
Seeing this, Zeke surrendered to the Armored Titan. Zeke's thoughts also returned to playing catch with Mr. Kushima. It was merely throwing and catching, a repetitive and incredibly ordinary action, yet it was the most important part of Zeke's life. Even though these ordinary moments truly had no meaning.
But Zeke still believed he would have been content just playing catch forever.
And at this moment, Zeke and Armin discovered that the past inheritors had all appeared behind them. There was Marcel Galliard, there was Porco Galliard, there was Tom Kuschawa, there was Ymir, there was Eren Kruger, there was Grisha Yeager, and Bertholdt Hoover also approached Armin.
Meanwhile, Pieck, who had transformed multiple times, was in dire straits under the assault of several Titans. Reiner hastily picked up Pieck, intending to retreat to Lena's side to avoid the onslaught, but unexpectedly, the invincible Armored Titan had fallen again.
A group of Warhammer Titans was about to finish off the invincible Armored Titan on the spot. On the other side, Annie was also in a dangerous predicament, instantly surrounded and attacked by a large group of pure Titans. It looked as if the surrounding Titans were about to tear Annie apart.
However, at this moment, a giant hand suddenly swatted away all the Titans around Annie. The camera panned, and it was Bertholdt, who had regained consciousness.
Simultaneously, the Galliard brothers also appeared on the scene, clearing the obstacles in front of Pieck and Jean.
The invincible Armored Titan, being pinned to the ground by the Warhammer Titan, was immediately rescued by a monstrous Titan, and that person was Ymir.
Although Mikasa did not understand the current situation, she knew she could not miss this opportunity to eliminate the Pig Head Titan.
But seeing that the situation was dire, the Pig Head Titan immediately turned and fled.
At this critical juncture, that adult once again intervened. The Marley sniper, who only played in high-stakes matches, directly shot the Pig Head Titan in the eye.
Mikasa immediately seized the opportunity, swiftly slicing open the Pig Head Titan's jaw with a single stroke. Armin also fell from the Pig Head Titan's mouth in an instant. However, the Pig Head Titan was still unwilling to let Armin go and retaliated with a French kiss, piercing Armin's right leg.
Armin, who had regained consciousness, immediately retaliated by shoving a Thunder Spear into the Pig Head Titan's mouth. Connie immediately followed suit, severing the Pig Head Titan's tongue.
However, Armin, having lost his balance, began to fall towards the ground. In a moment of crisis, Annie quickly extended her hand and caught Armin. Annie was relieved by Armin's safe return, but she herself had become the target of a large group of Titans.
But in the next second, Grisha, Kuschawa, and Kruger appeared beside Annie, crushing these Titans.
At the same time, Levi was still shocked by the chaotic situation on the battlefield, but in the next moment, he saw Zeke waving at him from atop a skeleton.