You're gonna go far Kid

C~65: Three Years To Now

Almost three years ago

"Ah, I see! that's how it shoots a bunch!" Hanji exclaims, loading the foreign gun type. Sitting beside her, I place a hand on her shoulder. "Hanji, maybe back your face away from the gun?"

Yelena stares into her tea as she explains, "That's standard-issue in Marley. The Marley army has 20,000 soldiers per division. With 50 divisions, that's 1,000,000 soldiers." she starts taking a sip.

My right eye twitches at the sudden realization that this would be a long night in a small tent. "There's also the navy with three fleets, each comprised of 21 battleships. They've made tremendous progress in new weapons and aerial warfare as well."

Hanji leans forward, cluelessness written all over her face, "Aerial."

From the other side of me, Levi sends her a glare of warning. Giving him a little grin, I knock my heel lightly into his as Onyankopon gives way to our curiosity. "In other words, vehicles allowing one to attack the enemy from the sky."

Up in the air sky?

Like clouds and blue area sky?

Feeling a hand curl around my fingers and give me a squeeze, my shoulders are relieved of tension, thankful for Levi's gentle touch...of course, Hanji stands screaming like a mad man "HUH!?!?! FROM THE SKY?!?!?!"

"Hey." Levi cuts in, making Hanji let out a breath. "If Marly had such capabilities this whole time, why haven't they attacked in over a year?"

Yelena calmly answers. If these guys want to earn our trust, I must say they are doing it very well. "There are two main reasons. One being the Pure Titans released here. Even with the latest weapons, they would hinder a land assault. They were used as a tool to confine Eldians within the walls, but in turn, they've protected Eldia from invasion."

"Yeah. Well, ain't that funny." Levi muses, rolling the silver ring around his finger. Yelena turns to the side. "Though sawn is coming soon, and that's when Titans are active. But if we're way out here, sipping on tea outside the walls, you must have killed all the Titans roaming around." she deduces before meeting my eyes. "Is that true?"

Swallow, I feel Levi's grip once more, a comforting warning of caution, considering I'm still pretty new to all of this. "And if it is? Will you report it?" I question as polity as possible.

Yelena's eyes widen as her mouth gapes open "No, it blows away my expectations."

That impressed?

"And the second reason?" Levi cuts in.

"Currently, Marly is at war with multiple nations. They can't be bothered with Paradis. You defeated the Warrior unit, the pride of Marley, and captured two of their main weapons, the Colossal and Female Titans. Marley's many enemies took notice and were quick to unite and declare war."

Nations other than Marley all out there, plotting, fighting.

"If you guys are secret agents who infiltrated Marley, I'm guessing you came from conquered nations?" Hanji guesses. At this, they cast a gaze downward, causing Hanji to stand. "Oh, I'm right?! If you're going up against Marley, I bet you've got big backers."

Before I could speak to Hanji, Yelena does first, "We're not secret agents or anything of the sort. We were powerless. Marley took our homes and forced us to be soldiers. We were close to losing hope at ever striking back...Until we met him."

Him? Who's the special gu-

"A Titan that people of the world feared, calling it a devil. But I saw something completely different...A god. One that gave hope to the powerless. Under Zeke Jaeger's command, we shot our superiors."