The Attack Titan

"We sought freedom, and our brothers and sisters paid the price for it."

- Eren Kruger passes his duty on to Grisha

Shingeki no Kyojin (進撃の巨人) is the 2nd chapter of the 22nd volume and the 88th chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Summary
After the Marleyan soldiers ran out of ammunition, the Owl used his Titan to destroy their ship, murder them, and spread any remains throughout the ocean. The Owl made sure that all evidence of what had transpired was gone.

After returning, the Owl freed Grisha, and formally introduced himself as Eren Kruger, a holder of the power of one of the nine Titans, and a Subject of Ymir. He explained to a confused Grisha that he had had a doctor forge his blood tests to pass him off as a Marleyan. Kruger complimented Grisha for leading the Eldia Restorationists at such a young age, for having a child with Dina, and for his idea to make Zeke a Marleyan soldier, but admitted that Grice's harsh words had been correct. Grisha agreed, and demanded to know why Kruger did not save Dina instead, for her royal blood, or simply use his Titan form to save everyone. After collapsing, Kruger admitted that he had tortured and turned many more Eldians, in order to ultimately serve Eldia. Claiming not to have much time left, Kruger told Grisha that he would be entrusting the rest of his mission to him.

As they conversed, Kruger admitted to Grisha that, had he not stopped him on the day they met, Grisha might have been able to stop his sister's death, though Grisha admitted that he would only have died alongside her. Kruger told Grisha that it was the hate for the Marley he saw in his eyes that day had been what impressed him that day. Kruger explained that he had felt the same hatred as a child, after his family was burned alive when it was discovered that his father was a part of a resistance cell. The only survivor, Eren Kruger, had sworn revenge, and helped subjugate his own race in order to keep his identity a secret. Kruger told Grisha that he wanted Grisha to use the Titan power to invade Paradis and steal the Founding Titan power. When asked why he can not do it himself, Kruger admitted that those who possess the Titan powers die after thirteen years, and that his thirteen years are up. He never told Grisha this information because he knew it would effect Grisha's decision to give Zeke to the Marley.

Eren relates Grisha's story to Armin, explaining that those with the Titan power cannot live more than thirteen years with it, because Ymir Fritz only lived for thirteen years after she obtained her powers. Armin muses that this time span matches up with the timeframe Reiss family succession, before noting that he only has thirteen years left to live, while Eren only has eight. Eren informs him that if a holder of the Titan power dies without transferring it to a new host, then the power is automatically transferred to an infant Eldian, and muses that all Eldians seem to be connected by something invisible. He mentions that one successor claimed to see "paths", which transferred the Titan powers to new successors and from which the flesh and blood of the Titans is formed, as well as occasional memories. And all of these paths cross at a single Coordinate: the Founding Titan.

Kruger explained to Grisha that the "Coordinate" was the Titan Chemistry Research Society's latest theory on what connected all Eldians. Grisha, upon hearing this, demanded to know whether the Marleyans' or the Eldians' version of history was true. Kruger mused that there is no such thing as "truth", and that likely neither version was true. When asked if Dina's heritage had been true, Kruger sadly confirmed that Dina was a true Fritz. When asked why he let her die, Kruger told Grisha that, considering Zeke would tell the Marleyan's of Dina's heritage, he had felt it would be a better fate for her to be turned into a Titan, rather than enslaved by the Marleyan government. Kruger told Grisha that he had not been strong enough to save everyone, and so could only choose one. Despite Grisha's protests, he insisted that Grisha would finish his mission.

Grisha observed Gross' corpse, and admitted that, despite his hatred for the man, he had not taken any pleasure in watching him die. He claimed that, had he known how much he would lose, he never would have tried to take back his freedom from the Marleyans. Kruger, in response, told Grisha that his father had been a smart man for acting subservient to the Marleyans, in spite of his daughter's death, in order to keep the rest of his family alive. Despite that, his son had still managed to go down the wrong path in life, and send his own family to hell. Kruger ordered Grisha to stand and fight, and promised to give him more information in exchange for a promise: that Grisha will continue to work to bring back Eldia's freedom and dignity.

When Grisha still refused, Kruger took out his final incentive: Grisha's family photo. When Grisha refused to look at it, Kruger began insulting his cowardice, but Grisha informed him that it would be pointless to try to rekindle his hatred. Kruger, fed up, told Grisha that he did not choose him for his hatred. He chose Grisha because he chose to leave his internment zone. If it weren't for that, Grisha would never have inherited his father's clinic. He never would have met Dina. He never would have fathered Zeke. His sister would still be alive. But Fay, and Grisha's fellow restorationists have all paid the price for Grisha's quest for freedom. All of the deaths Grisha and Kruger have caused will follow them until the day they die. Inspired by Kruger's words, Grisha accepted the photo, and his mission.

Before Grisha ate Kruger and was later encountered by Keith Shadis, Kruger divulged one last piece of information to Grisha: each of the nine Titans have a name. Kruger's Titan, which Grisha is to inherit, is a Titan that is always moving ahead, seeking freedom. Its name is the Attack Titan.

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Capítulo 88