The forest of giant trees was quiet under the silver wash of moonlight. Only the soft crackle of burning firewood broke the silence, spreading faint warmth beneath the looming shadows of ancient trunks. The night outside the Walls was always heavy with danger, yet in this hidden clearing, the flames brought a fragile sense of peace.
Lock sat with the others around the fire, watching the embers pulse softly in the darkness. Even here—far from the protection of Wall Maria—the flickering light eased the tension tugging at everyone's thoughts.
The scent of simmering stew slowly drifted through the clearing, lifting the mood one breath at a time.
"It smells surprisingly good," Zeke admitted, nose angled toward the bubbling iron pot. "Your cooking skills are better than I expected."
Petra didn't respond except for a polite, tight smile. Her eyes remained sharp and wary every time they fell on Zeke. No matter how cooperative he acted, she couldn't forget the carnage left behind by the Beast Titan.
Noticing her guarded posture, Zeke sighed faintly. The distrust was understandable. In truth, it stung more than he liked to admit.
To the people of the Walls, he wasn't an ally—he was an enemy who happened, temporarily, to be useful.
Lock shifted his gaze away from the flames. "Is it ready?" he asked, leaning toward Petra.
"Almost," Petra replied, giving him an exasperated look. "For someone who's the Commander now, you still hover around food like a kid."
Lock's expression froze, caught somewhere between embarrassment and defeat. Petra's laugh broke the tension like sunlight through clouds.
Even Erwin's lips twitched in amusement where he sat slightly apart, leaning against the trunk of a massive tree.
Lock cleared his throat. "Captain… how are you feeling now?"
Since inheriting the Cart Titan, Erwin had pushed himself relentlessly. With Zeke's guidance, he had bypassed many of the early hurdles, mastering the Titan's endurance and mobility with startling speed. Still, Lock couldn't shake his concern.
Erwin nodded. "Surprisingly well. No severe fatigue—mostly a dull ache. The endurance of the Cart Titan is even better than I expected."
Zeke lifted an eyebrow. "The previous inheritor could maintain the Titan form for nearly a month without collapsing. You've only held it for three days," he reminded. "With your physical condition, you're nowhere near your limit."
"One month…" Erwin murmured, lowering his eyes thoughtfully. "Then I still have much to improve."
He wasn't wrong. Now that he held Titan power himself, Erwin understood with stark clarity the gulf between Paradis Island and the rest of the world. Marley's military strength dwarfed the Walls' combined armies. Their fleets, their airships, their artillery—everything about their technology overshadowed anything Paradis possessed.
If Marley ever freed its forces from overseas conflict, Paradis Island would be crushed.
This reality weighed heavily on Erwin's shoulders. For the first time in years, the brilliant commander felt something close to dread.
"You're already doing well," Zeke said, almost genuinely. He had spoken with Erwin enough these past few days to see the man's brilliance. "You might actually surpass the previous inheritor in raw endurance."
"Even so," Erwin answered quietly, "we must become far stronger than this."
Zeke didn't argue. He knew Erwin was right.
Erwin's gaze hardened suddenly. "When we reach the coast, make sure you stay hidden," Zeke warned again. "Marley has patrol ships in the nearby waters. If they spot you—especially Lock—there will be no room for negotiation."
Petra frowned. "Is the Beast Titan's power not valuable to Marley? Would they really kill you?"
Zeke's expression darkened. For a moment, he didn't answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was low.
"Value doesn't matter. Fear does." His eyes drifted toward the distant horizon where the sea lay. "Marley devours everything around it. The more powerful you are, the more they fear what you might become."
Lock nodded slowly. "The Volunteers you mentioned… they're the remnants of nations Marley destroyed. People with nothing left except revenge."
Zeke glanced at him, surprised but not denying it. "Yes. Their lives and worlds were burned away. Their only goal now is to bring Marley down."
"Then we already share a goal," Lock said. "Help me liberate the Eldians, and I'll help them destroy the empire choking the world."
A faint smile tugged at Zeke's mouth. "If you can truly promise that, then cooperation should come naturally."
Lock's certainty was unwavering. Compared to the unstable, xenophobic interior government of the past, the new Paradis Island under Lock's leadership was far more prepared to accept help—and offer strength in return.
"Yes," Lock repeated calmly. "This time, cooperation is guaranteed."
Before Zeke could reply, Petra suddenly gasped. "Ah—the soup!"
Lock and Erwin stared blankly.
Petra scrambled frantically to rescue the nearly-overcooked stew, and Lock's laughter finally broke through his serious façade. Erwin let out a chuckle. Even Zeke's expression softened, if only for a moment.
That night, high above the forest floor, the four of them slept more peacefully than expected. The dense canopy and towering trunks protected them from wandering Titans.
Morning came quietly.
After Petra's warm breakfast, they set off again—Erwin transforming into the Cart Titan and plowing swiftly through the forest. The trees thickened, thinned, then fell away as they emerged onto a wide stretch of grassland glowing gold under the new sun.
Zeke raised a hand. "Once we cross this grass, the sea is right behind it."
Lock, Petra, and Erwin all felt tension drain from their chests.
By mid-afternoon, the endless blue horizon finally appeared.
"No edge in sight…" Petra whispered, breath catching. "This is the ocean…"
Her face filled with awe, the salty wind playing across her hair. Even knowing the sea existed through Bertholdt's inherited memories, she had never fully understood it until this moment.
Lock remained calmer, but his eyes softened. "Finally."
"We're here." Zeke wiped the sand from his boots. "Listen carefully. I'll contact the Volunteers. It may take three days."
He pointed out toward the water. "Stay hidden. If Marley's patrol ships see you—everything ends here."
Erwin nodded firmly. "We understand."
Zeke's gaze sharpened. "I'm serious. If Marley learns I brought Paradis soldiers here, they'll assume treachery. They'll kill me before they even bother to question you."
Lock answered calmly, "Then we won't be seen."
Zeke stared at him a heartbeat longer—then transformed into the Beast Titan, splashing forward into the waves until saltwater reached his knees. A moment later, he disappeared beneath the surface, swimming toward the distant horizon.
As soon as Zeke was gone, Erwin's voice dropped. "Are we staying here?"
"No." Lock pointed toward a rocky cliff overlooking the coastline. "We wait from there."
They moved without delay, Erwin shifting back into human form once they reached cover. He sank against a thick cluster of bushes, exhaling slowly.
"Captain, are you alright?" Petra asked again.
"Just fatigue," Erwin assured her. "Nothing dangerous."
Lock scanned the horizon. A line of smoke rose from the sea.
A warship.
Not a simple vessel like the Survey Corps used—this ship was armored with iron plating and fitted with multiple cannons. As it drew closer, Lock recognized it immediately as a Marleyan design.
"It's powerful…" Petra whispered.
"Marley's navy is decades beyond us," Erwin muttered, jaw tight. "If the Walls weren't so deep inland, that ship alone could erase half the island's defenses."
Lock watched silently.
Someday… Paradis Island must build ships like that—or better.
Someday… they must sail freely on these waters.
And someday… they must confront Marley on equal footing.
"We'll have our own fleet," Lock said quietly. "Sooner than anyone expects."
Erwin nodded. Petra said nothing—just clenched her hands and kept watching.
Then Lock murmured, barely audible:
"By now… Grisha's time should be nearly up. Eren should have inherited the Attack Titan." His expression sharpened. "With Grisha gone… Dina Fritz will be harder to control. I miscalculated."
The sea wind swallowed his words, and the warship drifted steadily across the horizon—unaware that the future of Paradis Island watched from the shadows.
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