A tremendous roar echoed through the skies above Marley. People on the ground looked up and saw a glider flying overhead, from which sheets of paper fluttered down like a snowstorm.
The papers landed on streets throughout the city, on rooftops, and in the tops of trees. Passersby were invariably drawn to the strange sight, bending down to pick up the papers printed with words and images.
Patrolling soldiers confiscated the leaflets from the residents, forbidding them from reading them, claiming they were enemy propaganda, and warning that anyone caught keeping them would be imprisoned.
Inside the military camp, Willy picked up one of the leaflets and began reading it.
Several stacks of leaflets lay on his desk, all promoting Paradis Island's position.
Paradis Island revealed things that had not been mentioned during the press conference, such as Marley's century-long bombardment of the island with Titans, the devastation caused when Wall Maria was breached, and Marley's horrific genocide against the Eldians living in the occupied territories.
The leaflets claimed that Marley had sent soldiers to the island eight years earlier solely to seize the Founding Titan and gain control of the Rumbling in order to maintain its position as the world's dominant power, and certainly not to achieve "world peace"; the latter was merely rhetoric used by the Marleyan government to deceive its people.
They published photographs. Willy was surprised to discover that they actually showed Eldians being rescued within Marleyan territory.
The leaflets documented the atrocities committed by the Marleyans against the Eldians, showing homeless women and children, as well as a crying orphaned baby.
Paradis Island declared that the actions of the World Alliance were nothing more than blatant aggression and oppression, warning that if they persisted, it would retaliate against everyone without restraint.
This was not the first time Paradis Island had dropped leaflets over Marley. Airplanes, these flying machines, had been developed two years earlier.
However, aviation technology was still in its infancy. Most aircraft flew at altitudes below two thousand meters and were built out of wood, making them highly prone to accidents.
Only a handful of technologically advanced nations could manufacture steel aircraft, but the cost was extremely high, and their maximum speed barely reached one hundred kilometers per hour.
Compared to the more mature airship technology, modern airplanes were still inferior, at least outside of Paradis Island.
"So we still couldn't intercept them this time?" Willy asked Theo, the supreme commander of the Marleyan army.
"No. Paradis Island's aircraft are simply too fast," Theo replied regretfully. "Although we kept our airships at an altitude of seven thousand meters, which is indeed higher than Paradis Island's aircraft can reach, their planes are still at least six to eight times faster. Our shots missed."
"Should this be considered a warning?" Willy asked, stroking his chin. "This time they dropped leaflets; next time it could be bombs."
"Lord Willy, should we adopt different public relations strategies?"
"No, there's no need," Willy replied, shaking his head. "Let's simply continue focusing on the 'Marley Incident' and promoting the theory that Paradis Island is a threat."
"Paradis Island has no international diplomacy; it has no reputation."
"No matter how many leaflets they distribute, they used a false letter of peace to launch a terrorist attack on Marley's capital in order to seize the War Hammer Titan. At this point, they are absolutely incapable of defending themselves."
"Do not be deceived any longer by Paradis Island's false goodwill. Do not try to appease them anymore... I already emphasized that during the press conference."
"Paradis Island's greatest weakness is its population. The 145th king, Karl Fritz, brought fewer than 800,000 people to settle on Paradis Island."
"We captured the crew of the Iceburst Stone transport ship and interrogated them."
"Paradis Island's army has only 80,000 soldiers, and its navy accounts for at most a quarter of that number, while the Allied Forces possess more than 300 warships and dozens of times more marines."
"It is precisely because their weapons are more advanced than ours that we must launch our offensive as soon as possible. The sooner we attack, the greater our chances of victory. On the contrary, the longer we wait, the more ammunition they will stockpile and the more aircraft and warships they will build, placing us at a disadvantage."
"Then, as planned, the Allied Forces will depart on July 15 to surround Paradis Island and maximize our numerical advantage." Theo nodded in agreement.
"Let's proceed with that plan. Paradis Island is enormous, with only 80,000 soldiers. It is impossible for them to defend the entire island." Willy said solemnly, "Even if they can use the Rumbling, they will be in trouble once we infiltrate their garrison."
"We must kill the Founding Titan! Killing the Founding Titan will guarantee our victory. They have far too few soldiers; they cannot afford the losses of war!"
"The history of every nation, the lives ruined by the Titans, has made them long for the extermination of the Eldians. The Eldian Empire on Paradis Island has always been the target of the world's hostility."
Willy knew this was the only way to divert the internal conflict. If they won this war, Marley would be able to participate in the partition of Paradis Island, easing the consequences of the previous defeat.
Otherwise, the Middle East Coalition would completely occupy Marley, turning it into a colony in all but name.
It was the majority opinion and those who held power within the country that had pushed him into this position. This was war, merely the continuation of politics. He had no right to decide when a war began or ended; even if he were not there, someone else would take his place.
...
Time quickly passed until July 15, when the organized coalition's warships set sail.
Once again, to defend themselves against the Colossal Titan's explosion, all the warships dispersed, departing in separate groups.
The Colossal Titan could only be used once or twice a day at most.
Regardless of where it appeared, it was unlikely to inflict significant damage.
Using it against cities belonging to nations at war would reduce its deterrent effect and provoke the hatred of other countries, leading to even fiercer attacks against Paradis Island.
The Allied Forces had planned everything meticulously, determined to seize Paradis Island.
Equipped with anti-Titan artillery, the soldiers no longer feared the Titans.
At the same time, Paradis Island had also prepared for war.
Outside the walls, every mining and industrial area, except for the nuclear industrial zone, had ceased operations, and all workers had taken shelter inside the walls.
The primary defensive positions were the coastal uranium mining area and the nuclear industrial zone built nearby.
Paradis Island's finances were in a difficult state. To reduce the cost and transportation time of uranium ore and accelerate the extraction of radioactive uranium, they had built the nuclear industrial zone next to the mines.
Once the Titans extracted the ore, it could be transported directly to the nuclear centrifugation facility for refined processing by the workers.
This would save on railway and train costs while accelerating the production of nuclear bombs, but for that very reason, the nuclear industrial zone had to be built outside the walls.
The government of Paradis Island protected the power of the Founding Titan in the capital, but it was also prepared to use the Rumbling if necessary.
However, releasing the Titans within the walls would deal a devastating blow to the island's existing railways and industries.
The Colossal Titans were incapable of making precise movements. Once they began marching, they would destroy everything in their path, including everything the people of Paradis Island had built over the past five years.
Everything along their route would be completely destroyed. Without the Founding Titan's command, they would simply continue marching forward.
The evacuation, relocation, and emotional support of the existing population would also become major problems.
Using the Rumbling would also place Paradis Island in a difficult position.
If it were used on a small scale, the enemy would prioritize eliminating the Founding Titan. However, using it on a large scale would destroy the island's economic and social structure.
Its small population prevented it from enduring a prolonged war of attrition.
Fortunately, they had another option.
They only needed to buy time, prolong the war by two or three months, and then they would have the means to bring it to an end.