"Indeed... indeed..."
Darius Zackly muttered softly, his eyes wide with terrifying shock, as if wanting to swallow someone whole. He turned to look at the nobles cowering nearby, his gaze filled with cruelty, even a hint of madness. But being someone who concealed his emotions very well, he merely glanced at the nobles and did nothing further.
Darius understood why, for such a long time, humanity—or more accurately, the Eldian people living inside the Walls—had been so "peaceful," even though the governing regime was extremely outdated and full of flaws. It was because the Founding Titan gave them the ability to control the memories of the Eldian people. If they didn't even know who their enemy was, how could they fight?
That's why the nobles and the Reiss family were able to safely maintain their status for nearly 100 years. They were unaffected by the Founding Titan's ability, and they cooperated with the Reiss family, which had always held an invincible position.
Furthermore, don't assume the cowering nobles had run out of tricks. They were afraid because Asahi was an outsider like them and would not be affected by memory manipulation. As for Erwin or Darius, they paid them no mind.
Unfortunately, due to the news being intentionally sealed by Asahi, they still did not know that the Founding Titan had been snatched away.
"Erwin Smith, and this gentleman is..."
"Asahi."
"I see, Sir Asahi. Do you have any requests?"
Darius directly acknowledged him with the title "Sir." It wasn't just simple respect; he was clearly recognizing his own position. Asahi and Erwin fundamentally didn't care about power, but someone was still necessary to maintain the government's operation.
Both sides were acting based on necessity. However, Asahi was clearly a rank higher because he could single-handedly overthrow the old nobles, and he could also single-handedly take down Darius.
Besides, he suspected that the Founding Titan had fallen into Asahi's hands.
Considering all the factors and the current situation, making demands would be a foolish and unnecessary act.
"I have only three demands. First, do not obstruct our work. Rest assured, it falls within the boundaries of safety and ethics. Second, provide resources when we require them. Third, do not cause social unrest in the near future."
"As for those people, you are free to deal with them as you wish."
A flash of delight sparked in Darius's eyes. Crushing these old fools under his feet had long been his desire.
With everything settled, Asahi and Erwin departed, leaving Darius with the trembling nobles. With no other faction present except his close-knit soldiers, his true face finally emerged.
"I have never liked you royal government bastards."
"You make me sick, you self-righteous fools who always think you know everything... haha, come to think of it, you do keep a lot of things locked in your heads..."
Darius Zackly displayed a ferocious smile. He had dreamed of this day for a long time. To climb to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the military, he had always had to pretend to be a loyal dog, obedient and ready to sacrifice his life for the nobles at any moment. All just to seize one opportunity. It could be said that he had prepared his whole life to overthrow the nobles and crush them underfoot.
He never expected an external factor to appear, cutting straight across and handing this opportunity to him. It was too sudden, like a gift from heaven.
He wanted to see their miserable, tear-stained faces, to see their expressions when the entire situation reversed in an instant. And now, the real fun was about to begin...
"I thought you would throw them into prison or something similar."
Just outside the palace, Erwin suddenly spoke in a joking tone, mixed with a hint of surprise. The time he had known and understood Asahi wasn't long, but he knew at least the basics of his personality.
He was a very good person, genuinely very good, and wasn't afraid to show it, unlike the type who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, different from anyone he had ever met. In fact, since the beginning, apart from Titans, he hadn't seen Asahi kill anyone, even those who aimed weapons at him with the intent to kill.
Though he said "good," it wasn't just simple kindness. Asahi's "goodness" had condensed into a unique quality, deeply etched into his every cell, mind, and soul.
That's why Erwin was a bit surprised when he left the nobles for Darius to handle. It was clear from the flash in Darius's eyes that he was a hidden lunatic, and the fate of the nobles would undoubtedly involve horrifying torture.
Asahi glanced at Erwin, perhaps knowing what he was thinking, and couldn't help but sigh.
"Please, Erwin. Don't look at me like that."
"To be honest, in some aspects, I'm no different from them, perhaps even more terrifying. I'm not the image you have in mind."
He shook his head and gave a bitter laugh, as if mocking himself. Subconsciously, he raised his hand. The number of enemies he had killed before was not small. Especially during one instance, one evening had claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. He had personally burned, ripped apart, and crushed all of them, down to every single muscle fiber. That feeling, with countless screams echoing in his ears, and blood flowing down his armor, he still remembers... very clearly.
Erwin, beside him, seemed to fall into an illusion. He seemed to see a solitary Asahi stepping over a giant mountain of corpses. But in a blink of an eye, it all vanished, leaving Erwin momentarily stunned.
"Then, according to you, what is the difference?"
"The difference? Probably what I take away when I kill, my state of mind while killing, and what I gain in return after the act."
"As for the act of killing itself, killing is just killing. Why bother trying to rationalize it?"
Asahi replied casually.
...
A week later, a new base was established in an old, abandoned Garrison castle. This castle and the entire surrounding area would become Asahi's own dedicated zone.
This location would also serve as the first official research station for Titans. Compared to this, Hange's previous small-scale research activities were like children playing with toys.
"Aaaaa!!! This is amazing!!!"
Hange shouted with delight, looking at the large, spacious main research room. Asahi, standing to the side, was still not very interested. What was so exciting about a room? Perhaps it was due to the unique temperament of a scientist that they differed.
Seeing Hange cheering about one thing after another, he felt a headache coming on. He quickly stood up, closing the distance, and tapped her forehead.
"Stop yelling and prepare to go fetch some Titans."
"Yes, Commander-in-Chief!"