The world froze.
For a heartbeat, even the rain beyond the broken basement window seemed to pause as the crimson swirl of Arata's Mangekyō Sharingan lit the darkness. It wasn't just a transformation—it was transcendence. Time itself bent beneath its gaze.
The creature faltered, a twitch running down its twisted spine. It hissed louder, like it could feel the shift in power.
Annie stared at Arata with something like awe—and a hint of fear.
"You awakened it…" she whispered. "That eye."
Arata stepped forward. Rain leaked from above, hissing as it hit the embers glowing at his feet. The world narrowed to him, the creature, and the void between them.
"I'm done holding back."
He raised his hand.
"Amaterasu."
A spiral of black flame erupted in the air. It ignited without warning, devouring the monster's arm with fire that couldn't be extinguished. The beast screeched in agony, thrashing against the stone wall.
Annie lunged in the same moment, low and fast, landing a brutal kick to its stomach that sent it reeling deeper into the archive stacks.
But it still moved.
Still regenerated.
Still raged.
Annie backed away, panting. "It doesn't die. Your fire hurts it, but it won't stop."
Arata narrowed his eyes. "Then we'll stop its soul."
He formed another seal with one hand. His other eye flared.
"Tsukuyomi."
The creature locked eyes with him—fatal mistake.
Suddenly, it stopped. Just stood there, shaking. Its hands gripped its own head. It howled—not in pain, but fear.
To it, centuries passed in a blink. Endless cycles of being hunted, burned, erased, resurrected—Arata showed it a lifetime of dying.
In a single instant, the thing collapsed, convulsing.
Smoke curled from its mouth. The basement smelled of char and ozone.
And it didn't get up.
---
Minutes Later – Outside the Ruins of the Library
Flames flickered in broken stone as rain hissed down. Cadets and instructors surrounded the wreckage, drawn by the commotion.
Eren, Mikasa, and Armin were among the first to arrive. Keith Shadis pushed past them, barking orders. No one had seen what happened—only fire, screaming, and the sound of stone being ripped apart.
Arata and Annie stood in the center of the crater.
Both soaked. Both silent.
Shadis stalked toward them. "Explain yourselves. Now."
Arata looked him dead in the eye.
"There was something in the archives," he said. "Something not human."
Keith's frown deepened. "Where is it now?"
Arata gestured to the pile of twitching black ash near the wall. "Gone."
Shadis didn't believe him.
But he couldn't explain the ruins either.
So he said nothing.
---
Later That Night – Cadet Quarters
Mikasa stood in front of Arata's bunk.
"You're not normal," she said. "I've known since the first day. But this…"
Her eyes, sharp as steel, didn't blink. "You used a power I've never seen before. Not like the Titans. Not like mine."
"You have power too," Arata said softly.
She didn't answer.
Behind her, Eren listened from his bed, pretending to sleep.
Arata added, "You're not the only ones chosen."
---
Meanwhile – Underground, Interior Capital
A small room. Low ceiling. Ancient torches.
Levi stood before a panel of cloaked nobles.
Erwin was beside him, arms crossed.
"You sent us after a monster," Levi said calmly, "but didn't mention there'd be two."
Erwin placed a burnt shard of the creature's remains onto the table.
"And this," he said, "isn't Titan material."
Rod Reiss, the only face visible, frowned deeply.
"You've encountered the cursed remnants," he said. "A being from before Titans. Before the First King."
Erwin didn't flinch. "How many more?"
Reiss didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Levi.
"Bring the boy to me."
---
Training Grounds – Next Day
The cadets returned to normal training, but nothing felt normal. The incident in the basement was officially ruled a "boiler explosion." No one believed it. Everyone talked in whispers.
Except Annie.
She stood beside Arata as he stared at the horizon.
"That wasn't the last one," she said.
"I know."
"Your eyes," she added quietly, "they're evolving faster than they should. That much power—too fast—it'll break you."
Arata chuckled. "Then I'll break first. But I'm not stopping."
Annie reached into her uniform and handed him a small, worn map. A secret path leading beneath Mitras.
"The Eye Temple," she said. "That's where it began. That's where you'll find answers."
Arata took it, fingers brushing hers.
"No one ever made it out alive."
"I'm not from here," he said. "Maybe I don't count."
Their eyes met.
For a moment, there was no war. No secrets. No Titans.
Only two soldiers—two outcasts—standing against a world too small for their power.