When he wakes, the name Alex comes first.
A voice—panicked, young, unfamiliar—echoes in his head, filled with memories of stone walls, Titans, and fear. But beneath it lies another presence: calm, amused, immeasurably confident.
Gojo Satoru.
Alex—no, Gojo—blinks at the wooden ceiling of the barracks, heart pounding.
"Okay…" he whispers, pressing a hand to his chest. "This is either a really weird dream… or I stole some kid's life."
The barracks smells of fear and sweat. Rough wooden floors, stone walls, and other cadets stare at him nervously. He rises, brushing imaginary dust off his uniform, and follows the murmur of students gathering in the main hall.
On the raised platform, a tall man with sharp eyes and a commanding presence steps forward. His dark hair is cut short, and his tone leaves no room for nonsense.
"Listen closely, trainees!" Keith Shadis begins, his voice ringing through the hall. "Out there, beyond these walls, humanity faces extinction. Titans do not hesitate. Death does not ask permission. Your survival depends on discipline, courage, and unity."
Alex shifts, caught between the fear the words inspire and the detached amusement bubbling inside him. Discipline, courage, unity… Cute. But kinda boring when you've seen worse.
Gojo's thoughts flit in and out, teasing and questioning. Half-Alex, half-Gojo, coexisting in one body. Names, roles, rules—it's a different world, and one he doesn't fully understand.
New world, new laws… guess I can't just brute-force this one.
As Shadis continues, lecturing with authority and intensity, Alex feels the weight of a world built on lies and death pressing in—but also a familiar thrill deep in his chest. Something vast and sealed stirs within him.
For the first time, the strongest doesn't ask how to win.
He asks: Who am I supposed to be?
The cadets shuffled into the training yard, still jittery from Shadis's speech. Alex—well, Gojo in Alex's body—slid through the crowd, smirking like he owned the place.
Only then did it really sink in.
He glanced down at himself again.
Shorter frame. Lighter build. His limbs moved too easily, without the familiar weight he remembered. No towering presence. No instinctive pressure bending the space around him.
…Yeah. Definitely not his body.
"A kid's body," he muttered under his breath. "Wow. That's just rude."
White hair brushed against his eyes as he tilted his head. That, at least, hadn't changed. When he caught his reflection in a piece of metal gear nearby, those brilliant blue eyes stared back—sharp, clear, unmistakably his.
Same eyes.
So I'm still me… just heavily nerfed.
The tight knot of fear in his chest, though—the kind that twisted at the mention of Titans—
That wasn't his.
That was Alex.
Oh man… new world, new idiots, new stats. This is gonna be fun.
Shadis's voice cracked like a whip. "We'll go around and introduce ourselves! Name—and why you're here. Don't waste my time."
Gojo sighed inwardly.
Rules already? Ugh… fine. Let's play along.
The instructor pointed straight at him. "You. White-haired boy. Step forward."
Gojo straightened, hands relaxed at his sides, and flashed a grin that immediately felt out of place.
"Alex. Alex Satoru," he said. "Why I'm here? Guess I wanted to see what's beyond the walls."
Not a lie. Just… selectively honest.
Shadis narrowed his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Hmph. Next."
The boy behind him stepped forward, fists clenched so tightly they shook. "Eren Jaeger. I joined to kill every Titan and take back the world they stole from us."
The words rang with raw hatred.
Gojo tilted his head.
Ah. Rage energy. Loud, reckless, explosive.
Main character vibes.
Shadis scowled. "Big talk. We'll see if you live long enough to back it up."
Next to Eren, the quiet girl spoke without hesitation. "Mikasa Ackerman. I'm here to protect Eren."
No bravado. No explanation.
Gojo blinked once.
Silent, deadly, loyal to a fault.
Yeah, she's terrifying.
A boy with an annoyed expression stepped up next. "Jean Kirstein. I joined so I can live comfortably inside the walls as part of the Military Police."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the line.
Gojo smirked.
Honest. Practical. Cowardly? Maybe.
At least he's real about it.
Then came a smaller boy with round glasses, voice trembling but sincere. "Armin Arlert. I want to see the world outside the walls… and understand it."
Gojo's smile softened slightly.
Brains over brawn. Fearful, but thoughtful.
You'll last longer than you think, kid.
Then—
A suspicious rustling from the back.
"Sasha Blouse!" a girl announced cheerfully, mouth clearly full. "I joined because—mmph—because I was hungry."
The entire yard went silent.
Gojo stared.
…She's eating. Already.
Shadis slowly turned. "Cadet."
"Yes, sir?" Sasha saluted—still chewing.
"WHY. ARE YOU EATING."
"I found bread, sir."
Gojo clamped a hand over his mouth.
No way. Absolute menace.
Shadis snapped. "SPIT IT OUT! THIS IS NOT A PICNIC!"
Sasha panicked, tried to swallow, choked, then stood at attention anyway. "S-Sorry, sir!"
"Extra laps!" Shadis roared.
Worth it.
The introductions continued, but Gojo's mind drifted.
Okay. So we've got rage incarnate, silent assassin, honest jerk, nervous genius, and a potato criminal.
Not a bad lineup.
He scanned the rest of the cadets—fear, determination, desperation written plainly across their faces.
Perfect.
As the last name was called, Shadis clapped his hands sharply. "Enough chatter! You'll soon learn whether your reasons are worth dying for. Move!"
Gojo grinned to himself as the line broke.
Alright… new world, new rules, new toys.
This is going to be fun. Real fun.
But deep down, a quieter thought lingered.
Alex? Gojo? Both?
Doesn't really matter…
Yet.