"And you are?"
Willy slowly pulled out a napkin and wiped his mouth, every movement elegant and refined — the poise of a well-bred noble.
"I'm from Paradis Island," Lucien said calmly. "I have devoured 8 Titans, Now I'm here for the War Hammer Titan."
Lucien helped himself to a plate of food, sitting as though he were at a friendly dinner.
Between people, he believed in honesty and directness. Pretending served no purpose.
Willy froze, his composed expression faltering. Had he misheard? Or was this man insane?
"Please don't make such a foolish joke," Willy said, his voice hardening.
"I'm not joking. Hand over the War Hammer Titan and I won't have to wipe out your entire family. Wouldn't a simple transaction be preferable?"
Lucien swallowed his food, snapped his fingers, and golden lightning crackled across his body.
The air thickened. That was the sign of a Titan transformation.
Willy's eyes widened. This man wasn't crazy at all.
"Big Brother, run!"
A fierce wind roared through the castle as a woman in a maid's uniform leapt forward, slashing her palm. Golden lightning erupted from her body as well.
She was the current War Hammer Titan — Willy's younger sister.
"So, you're the wielder," Lucien said, eyes narrowing.
A deafening boom followed. Blinding light and thunderous sound tore through the Tybur estate as the ground shattered.
Lucien had transformed into the Armored Titan, his body gleaming like steel. At the same moment, Willy's sister emerged as the War Hammer Titan — tall and menacing, wearing a hooded mask, a massive Hardening spear materializing in her hands.
The ground split open beneath Lucien as spikes of solid crystal shot upward toward him.
"Clang!"
The two Titans collided, strength meeting strength. Sparks flew as Lucien barely deflected the blow. He retreated several steps, Hardening his armor further until his whole body shimmered like crystal. His defense doubled instantly.
A sharp blade appeared in his hand, and he lunged toward the War Hammer Titan like a beast released.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The War Hammer Titan swung its spear, and new Hardening spikes erupted from the ruins, hindering Lucien's movements.
"So it can create weapons freely from Hardening?" he muttered, eyes glinting with greed.
He realized the War Hammer Titan's true gift — the power to forge countless weapons from Hardening itself. The versatility was incredible.
Until now, Lucien hadn't been able to use Hardening in his human form. If he devoured this Titan, he might unlock that ability, enhancing both his offense and defense.
In some ways, this Hardening resembled Armament Haki from the One Piece world.
"Crack!"
Lucien swung his kukri blade with immense power. The Hardening spikes shattered under his strikes, but more continued to appear.
From a distance, Willy — bloodied and barely standing — watched in horror. If what that man said was true, if he had consumed all eight Titans including the Founding Titan, then his sister had no chance.
"Quick! Call the military! A Titan has appeared at the Tybur estate!"
Sirens blared across the city as Marleyan soldiers mobilized.
"Roooar!"
Lucien, encased in crystal armor, charged through the storm of debris. The War Hammer Titan was strong, but slower than he expected. Her attacks weakened as her stamina waned.
Willy's sister had only recently inherited the Titan. She lacked the combat training of Annie Leonhart, and exhaustion quickly set in.
Lucien's kukri cleaved downward. The blade tore through the War Hammer Titan's armor, and with another swing, he severed its right arm.
"Clink! Clink! Clink!"
Hardening spikes shattered harmlessly against his defense. Lucien forced the War Hammer Titan to the ground, raised his blades high, and split its head from its neck.
But when he tore open the nape — there was no one inside.
"What?"
Steam hissed around him as he scanned the battlefield. His gaze fell to the War Hammer Titan's right foot, where a long Hardening line trailed into the ground.
He followed it, smashing through stone and soil until he found her — Willy's sister encased in a Hardening crystal, her terrified eyes staring up at him.
"So you're controlling it remotely… outside the Titan's body," Lucien said with a faint smirk.
He lifted the crystal. "Do you think you're safe in there?"
His jaw split open, and his teeth sharpened, the power of the Jaw Titan awakening within him. The strongest biting force among all Titans.
"Crack!"
The Hardening crystal shattered, spraying shards of diamond-like debris. Willy's sister screamed as Lucien bit through her torso, swallowing her upper body whole.
The instant he consumed the War Hammer Titan, his consciousness blurred. The world twisted — and suddenly, he stood once again in the domain of Ymir.
For the first time, Ymir moved.
She stepped toward him, head lifting, her eyes glimmering like twin amethysts carved from starlight — intricate lavender diamond patterns that drew his soul in.
Lucien froze as his feet began to blur. A chill ran through him. His instincts screamed danger.
"Are you… trying to possess me?"
Ymir said nothing. She simply stared, emotionless.
"Damn it!" Lucien growled, panic turning to fury. "You want to devour me?"
His lower body had almost faded completely. His rage boiled over.
"Use [Soul Devour]!" he roared.
He seized Ymir with both hands. He hadn't planned to use this ability yet — but he had no choice.
Light erupted through the realm, brighter than a thousand suns. Ymir's piercing scream echoed across eternity as her body dissolved into luminous dust, her essence dragged into Lucien's being.
When silence returned, Lucien stood alone, breathing hard.
Then, slowly, he smiled.
A strange warmth flooded his soul, his entire being ascending to another level. His eyes opened — once black, now radiant amethyst, patterned like Ymir's own.
And with that transformation, Lucien realized the truth.
He could now wield all of Ymir's abilities — the power of every Titan that had ever existed.
Lucien Graves had become the true Founding Titan.
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