Chapter 23: Attack On Titans, Part 12

“Having witnessed my power, I trust you’ll behave.”

After subduing Annie and Reiner, I reiterated the consequences of disobedience.

Their expressions suggested they understood.

“Now, come and take them away.”

Soldiers emerged from the shadows, and I handed over Annie and Reiner. Then, I approached Erwin, the commander of the Survey Corps.

“So, a coup?”

I nodded in response to Erwin’s question.

A coup was the only remaining obstacle. The threats within the walls had been mostly neutralized.

Reclaiming Wall Maria was still pending, but that could wait.

Prioritizing was crucial. The most important task now was to overthrow the false king and establish myself as the ruler of Paradis Island.

Reclaiming Wall Maria could wait until after I secured my position.

“Indeed.”

“Eren, it’s as you said. The current king is a mere puppet, not a true monarch. We had the justification, but we lacked the means to carry out a coup. Now, all our questions are answered. We’ve witnessed something extraordinary.”

Just as a lack of power hinders progress, I possessed the power to make anything possible.

Therefore, I would eliminate the false king and rule Paradis Island.

Annie and Reiner confessed readily.

They revealed their origins and their objectives.

Normally, they wouldn’t have spoken so freely. Their families were held hostage in Marley.

However, they submitted to my overwhelming power. They understood that I could challenge even the world if I chose to.

Of course, I wasn’t quite there yet. I could handle a single nation, but challenging the entire world was beyond my current capabilities.

But I wasn’t worried. As the wielder of Game Life, I knew power was within my grasp.

‘If things go south, I can always initiate the Rumbling.’

I had a backup plan: the Rumbling.

While it required meeting Zeke, judging by the current trajectory, that would happen soon enough.

Now, with all other issues resolved, it was time for an assassination.

I arrived at the royal palace.

Having flown there, I descended slowly.

Crash!

Unfortunately, the gate couldn’t withstand my power and shattered.

It wasn’t my fault. It was the fault of whoever installed such a flimsy gate.

The guards at the gate shouted and lunged at me with their spears, but I swiftly subdued them before they could even strike.

I didn’t kill them. They likely had families. While I didn’t fully understand the meaning of fatherhood, having never had children, I had a sense of it after witnessing Grisha’s sacrifice for me.

I stepped over the unconscious guards and entered the palace.

My enhanced senses, surpassing human limitations, allowed me to see the royal chambers in the distance.

‘There it is.’

I walked slowly, there was no need to rush.

As I walked, I encountered and incapacitated the Military Police soldiers sent to stop me. Then, I came across a gardener.

“Are you a gardener?”

“Yes… I am…!”

“Relax. I don’t harm the weak.”

Except for weaklings who were also trash, of course.

“Yes sir! I won’t be nervous!”

‘Is he serious?’

This was the first time I encountered someone who genuinely wasn’t nervous after being told not to be.

What a strange fellow.

“I like your attitude. Would you accompany me? I’m on my way to kill the King. I was getting bored, since no one wants to talk to me.”

“I’d be delighted! I was getting bored too!”

And so began our journey.

“To be honest, I never liked that King. A true king should rule with overwhelming charisma. The current one is just a parasite, draining our taxes. He just eats and does whatever he’s told. Is that a king? He’s just livestock, good for nothing but consuming.”

“Someone has a lot of pent-up frustration.”

“Haha, not really! I get paid well!”

Complaining about the king despite being well-compensated. What a strange fellow.

“I’m in a good mood. I’ll show you something special.”

I extended my senses to locate the king. Having seen the original story, I knew what the false king looked like. Finding him was easy.

“There he is.”

A laser beam shot out from my index finger, piercing the king’s heart.

“He’s dead.”

“Ooh! Amazing!”

“Call me Demonic God.”

“Yes sir, Demonic God!”

Hmm, I liked this guy.