Two years ago, Paradis Island.
It was a winter night. An icy wind howled as snow fell from the sky, and a steel transport ship arrived at the harbor.
Zeke, wrapped in a padded coat, disembarked under the supervision of armed soldiers from Paradis Island.
He looked extremely gaunt, with cracked lips, a thick beard covering his neck, and an unkempt appearance.
Gale was waiting for him at the harbor.
Zeke now knew that the young man who had guided the Marleyan prisoners of war during their tour of Paradis Island was actually one of the most powerful people on the island.
No... perhaps he was the most powerful person.
It was hard to imagine that someone so young could stand at the pinnacle of power on Paradis Island.
"It's late. Let's have some coffee, Mr. Zeke."
After being searched by the soldiers, Zeke shook Gale's hand, which was covered by a layer of hardened crystal.
This was the power of the War Hammer Titan. It turned out that Paradis Island had gone to great lengths to seize the War Hammer Titan so that the man standing before him could inherit it.
Zeke understood that Gale was warning him.
His Titan power had not been sealed by the Founding Titan at that moment, which meant that the Founding Titan was probably not there.
The man standing before him possessed terrifying control over the War Hammer Titan's power, wielding it with a level of precision unlike anyone else.
Zeke knew that the Beast Titan was no match for the War Hammer Titan.
However, he had not come here to fight.
Zeke and Gale went into a small room by themselves. A cup of freshly brewed coffee sat on the table, steam rising from it.
"You want us to take in the Eldians in Marley who didn't evacuate with the others and provide them with work and shelter?" Gale picked up his coffee and took a sip.
"But there's one thing I don't understand, Mr. Zeke. Why did you do this? Did you give up the euthanasia plan so easily? I'll be honest with you, I thought I'd have to kill you to get that idea out of your head."
"To be honest, I still think the euthanasia plan was the right choice." Zeke looked up at the pale ceiling. "But... I'm no longer capable of carrying out that plan."
"Paradis Island's strength far exceeds anything I imagined. I don't even know who possesses the Founding Titan's power, or who the Founding Titan is, let alone how to use it. Besides, you're never going to let me get close to that person."
"So I can only settle for the next best thing. At least within my abilities, I want to save as many Eldians as possible. Save the children, and save my grandparents."
"Perhaps it's out of my own selfish motives." Zeke lowered his gaze to the smooth surface of his coffee cup, where his reflection stared back at him.
He thought of his mother, Dina Fritz. When his mother embraced him a year ago, he had felt incredibly happy, even blissful.
"Mr. Zeke, I can grant your request. After all, the island is already short on people, even with the refugees we've taken in." Gale agreed and said, "It's true that the Eldians indoctrinated by Marley are a problem, but I'll accept the challenge. However, we can discuss your ideas about the euthanasia plan further."
"Let's conclude today's meeting here. I'll assign some people to help rescue the Eldians in Marley and establish a stable settlement for them on Paradis Island."
...
Several months passed.
Sometimes Zeke stayed on the island, while at other times he transported the Eldians he had rescued.
The people of Paradis Island established settlements near the harbor and focused on educating the new immigrants.
After all, the newcomers knew nothing about their character or abilities, and without proper management, that could encourage the spread of crime.
However, unlike Marley's internment zones, Paradis Island did not rely on weapons or outdated methods to imprison the new immigrants.
Zeke attended classes on the island alongside the immigrants. The instructor explained how the world functioned, no longer dividing humanity into ethnic groups, but into classes: rulers and the ruled.
Zeke was deeply shocked by this theory and discussed it extensively with the instructor.
However, during those discussions, he discovered a fatal flaw in the theory when it came to the Eldians.
While the theory might be correct for other races, for the Eldians it was nothing more than a deceptive tactic to ensure that these refugees worked honestly and diligently for Paradis Island.
Discovering this flaw filled Zeke with profound disappointment.
Indeed, only euthanasia was suitable for the Eldians.
However, he lacked the ability to carry out that plan, trapped in a whirlwind of realism and nihilism.
On one hand, he wished for the Eldians to disappear from the world, including himself, longing for oblivion and death.
On the other hand, he missed his mother terribly. He knew she was on the island, yet he did not dare face her, feeling that seeing her would invalidate everything he had done.
He himself had denied his euthanasia plan, so how could he still consider it the right choice?
This philosophical dilemma drove him to the brink of madness and torment.
Until one day, Gale met with him once again.
"Mr. Zeke, I've heard you're very interested in the ideas we're promoting. Is that true? I'd like to ask you, what do you think about the euthanasia plan now?"
"I still believe the euthanasia plan is the only way for the Eldians to find liberation. The power of the Titans is a power that should never have existed in this world."
"Why do you think that? Look at Paradis Island. How many people have the Titans helped build a better life? What do you think of that theory?"
"I admit that I was attracted to that theory at first, but I realized one thing: as long as the Founding Titan's power exists, as long as the power of the Titans exists, it's nothing more than a lie."
"Because the Founding Titan can alter the memories of the Eldians?"
"Exactly."
"But have you ever considered that we could change the Marleyan Eldians by altering their memories? Why don't we do that?"
"Because the Founder of this generation chose not to use such extreme methods. But events like that have clearly happened throughout history, such as the construction of the Walls."
"The 145th King brought his people to the island and, based solely on his own ideals, brainwashed millions of people. For the Eldians, true freedom does not exist! The only reason I can stand here talking to you now is because of the Founder's mercy!" Zeke said emotionally as he continued speaking.
"All Eldians are merely vassals of the Founding Titan. With a single thought from the Founding Titan, we could all be driven to commit suicide! We cannot be called complete 'humans,' only helpless slaves! The lives of the Eldians are not respected!"
"What a coincidence, Mr. Zeke. I think the same way you do." Gale smiled with a trace of coldness. "However, when I inherited the War Hammer Titan, I sensed something from the original Titan—the true Founding Titan, Ymir, the Founding Titan from two thousand years ago."
"I don't believe the power of the Titans is inherently evil, but I also cannot agree with the idea that the Founding Titan alone can disregard human life and human consciousness, deciding the future of our entire race."
"What exactly do you mean?"
"I have an idea that could free Ymir's wandering soul after two thousand years of being bound in chains."
...
Zeke stood on the deck of the ship, gazing out at the sea before him.
"We're in the final stages, Gale..."