---
All members of the group chat fell silent. Not a single reply came through for several seconds that felt like minutes. Time itself seemed to freeze in that stillness, as if the world had stopped spinning.
[Nishikigi Chisato]:
"…Huh? What do you mean, Yukito?"
[Kambe Yukito]:
"What I said… I meant that in the world I originally came from… your worlds were nothing but fiction. Anime, manga, light novels… entertainment for people like me."
[Rimuru Tempest]:
"…You're joking, right?"
[Levi Ackerman]:
"…That's impossible. Our world can't just be made up."
[Nishikigi Chisato]:
"No, no… That doesn't make sense! I'm alive, Yukito! I eat, laugh, fight, care for my friends… Everything feels real! There's no way my world is just a story!"
[Kambe Yukito]:
"I know this is hard to believe. And I won't blame you if you're angry or reject what I'm saying."
[Rimuru Tempest]:
"…So you've known all along?"
[Kambe Yukito]:
"Yes. Ever since the system appeared and I started recognizing each of you… when you introduced yourselves."
[Gojo Satoru]:
"And you said nothing?"
[Kambe Yukito]:
"I didn't want to shatter your perception of your own worlds. Besides… your worlds feel real to me now. I see you as friends, not fictional characters."
[Nishikigi Chisato]:
"Then why are you telling us now, Yukito…?! You should've told us from the start!"
[Kambe Yukito]:
"If I had told you from the beginning… would you have believed me?"
[Kambe Yukito]:
"Even now, you still struggle to accept it, don't you?"
[Levi Ackerman]:
"…If you're so certain, then prove it. Show us that we're really fictional in your world."
[Kambe Yukito]:
"Alright. But after this… I hope you'll be able to stay calm."
[Kambe Yukito has sent the manga "Attack on Titan"]
[Kambe Yukito has sent the manga "Jujutsu Kaisen"]
[Kambe Yukito has sent the light novel "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime"]
[Kambe Yukito has sent the video "Lycoris Recoil"]
[Kambe Yukito]:
"I know this will take some time to sink in, so I'm going to sleep. See you all tomorrow."
The holographic screen slowly vanished before him. Yukito let out a deep sigh, his head heavy—not just from the revelation, but from its impact on them.
He stood from his seat and walked toward the bed, where Mahiru was already fast asleep.
Yukito gently pulled the blanket over her shoulder where it had slipped. Then he lay down beside her. Mahiru stirred slightly in her sleep, then instinctively hugged his arm, pulling him closer, as if seeking warmth in her dreams.
Her face nestled against his shoulder, soft breaths the only sign of the peaceful sleep she was in.
Yukito smiled faintly. "Good night, Mahiru… Sweet dreams."
He closed his eyes, letting the silence of the night gently embrace him.
---
In a quiet forest, tall trees pierced the moonlit night sky. Leaves rustled softly in the breeze, creating a gentle symphony of nature. On a large branch of an old tree sat a man, still and silent.
Levi Ackerman.
He sat down, his back leaning against the tree trunk. His face was calm as usual, but his eyes were far from calm. In front of him appeared a dim holographic screen, displaying page after page of Attack on Titan manga.
Levi stared at a panel showing himself in a wheelchair, pushed by Falco, with Gabi and Onyankopon walking beside them in a city.
He exhaled slowly, then moved his fingers to shut the hologram down. It faded into darkness, leaving only the moonlight filtering through the leaves.
The night wind brushed his face, carrying the chill and the scent of damp earth. But what made him shiver wasn't the cold—it was the truth he had just discovered.
"The Titans I killed… were all once humans…" Levi muttered.
He lowered his gaze to his hands—hands that had been soaked in Titan blood countless times in the name of protecting humanity—or so he thought. Now, that belief crumbled.
"I didn't expect that outside the walls… there were still humans. And Erwin, Hange… they're all going to die. And finally, the Rumbling… led by Eren," he murmured.
Levi looked up at the moon, its light casting down in silence. His eyes were blank, as if he had lost all footing beneath him. The moon's glow illuminated his worn-out face.
"I have to stop all of this… or should I? If I change the course of events, will I save them… or destroy everything instead?" he whispered.
He growled low, gripping his hair with one hand in frustration.
"Damn it…" he muttered. "Damn it all…"
Suddenly, light footsteps echoed below the tree. A voice he knew all too well followed.
"Levi?"
Under the moonlight stood a familiar figure—round glasses and her signature smile. Hange Zoe. Her hair was a little messy, and she wore a warm cloak carelessly draped over her. She rubbed her eyes like she'd just woken up.
"What are you doing up there? It's the middle of the night. Haven't you gone to bed yet?" Hange asked.
Levi paused for a moment, then took a deep breath. His expression returned to its usual calm, like the cold mask he often wore.
"I… had a nightmare. Couldn't sleep, so I came here," Levi lied.
Hange raised an eyebrow, concern and doubt showing on her face.
"A nightmare, huh?" She looked up at him. "You don't usually admit stuff like that."
Levi didn't respond. His gaze drifted back to the moon, letting silence hang between them. He wanted so badly to tell her everything—the dark future, the Rumbling, the deaths of their comrades, even how their world was nothing but fiction in another.
He looked down at Hange from the branch. "It's late, Hange," he said quietly. "The journey back to the walls takes two more days. You need rest."
Hange looked up at him with a concerned gaze. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Levi gave a short nod. "I just need some time alone."
Hange sighed softly, then gave him a faint smile. "Alright. But don't take too long. You know how important rest is for all of us."
Levi nodded again, eyes turning back to the star-filled night sky. Hange turned and walked back to the camp, leaving him alone in the stillness of the forest.
After she left, Levi looked down at his hands once more. For now, he chose silence—searching within for the best way to face the future he now knew.
---