Reincarnated In Attack On Titan World As Nobody

The hammering of iron had long faded, replaced by the quiet murmur of voices behind closed doors. In the modest home across from the blacksmith shop, Martha sat at the small wooden table, her fingers tracing the rim of her teacup. Her expression was conflicted—half worry, half resignation—as she turned to her husband.

"Are you helping Shin on purpose?" she asked softly, though her voice held no accusation—only understanding.

Harry didn't deny it. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, wiping a sheen of sweat from his brow with a soot-stained cloth. "That boy's got heart," he said, his tone calm, assured. "He's strong and driven—but more than anything, he's missing confidence. I didn't do much. Just gave him a stable foundation to stand on. At this rate, he would've gotten here on his own anyway."

Martha frowned, folding her arms. "I can see how much you care about him. So why let him go? Why not hold him back, keep him safe? The Survey Corps, Harry… it's too dangerous."

A sigh slipped from Harry's lips as he looked toward the window, watching the last of the sunlight melt over the rooftops of Shiganshina. "Did you see his eyes when he spoke about the outside world?" he asked quietly. "You can't force a spirit like that into a cage. He's not made for fences and safe roads. And besides, how could I live with myself if I crushed that desire in him? We shaped this world for them, Martha. It's their turn to walk it."

Silence settled between them, thick with unspoken fears.

Unaware of the quiet storm stirring just across the street, Shin was still inside the forge, his fingers wrapped around the shears he had just completed. The steel blades gleamed faintly, catching the firelight. The weight felt right in his hand—balanced, purposeful. He let out a breath, satisfaction tightening the corners of his lips.

Just then, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.

Ding! Achievement unlocked: [Enter the House]. Reward: Strength +3, Coordination +3, Weapon Mastery +3!

An immediate rush of clarity surged through his body. The aches and fatigue that had built up from a full day of training and forging drained away in an instant. His grip tightened experimentally around the scissors' handle.

I've become stronger… again, he thought with quiet amazement.

Then, an almost ridiculous thought crossed his mind as he touched the top of his head. Still full of thick, dark hair. And I'm not even bald!

But the brief amusement quickly gave way to a new notification from the system:

Ding! Unlock conditions met. New achievement task: [Forging Master] initiated.

Shin stared at the floating prompt for a moment and chuckled.

"Seriously? Are you trying to make me the king of blacksmiths?" he muttered to himself, shaking his head with a grin.

He opened the details of the task.

[Forging Master]

Mission Goal: Become a forging master

Mission Reward: Strength +5, Coordination +5, Weapon Mastery +5

Mission Penalty: None

Time Limit: Six months

"Six months, huh?" Shin murmured. "You really think I can pull that off?"

The rewards were tempting—immensely so—but he knew this wasn't the time. His personal development arc was nearing its end. The real story was about to begin, and it wouldn't unfold behind the safety of an anvil.

The year was 845. Though he didn't know the exact month, Shin was painfully aware that the fall of Wall Maria was fast approaching. Judging by the seasonal cues, it wouldn't be winter. That meant time was short—very short.

He clenched the scissors tightly in his hand.

It's not just about me anymore, he thought. This world… these people… they've become my family. I won't let those tragedies happen again. Not if I can stop them.

Let the story play out however it wanted—he would be the variable that defied fate.

From that moment on, Shin trained with a renewed fire. But despite his efforts, frustration gnawed at him. His growth was slowing. It wasn't because he was slacking—it was the opposite. His base stats had climbed so high that incremental improvements were naturally harder to achieve.

Still, he pushed himself, refusing to settle for stagnation.

Days passed in a blur of training, forging, and preparation—until finally, the long-awaited day arrived.

The conscription meeting.

The square outside the Shiganshina garrison was a sea of heads, easily over two hundred people gathered under the midday sun. Tension buzzed in the air, along with the murmurs of anxious recruits and hopeful parents. Every one of them was here for the same reason—to seize one of only three open slots to enter the training corps.

Shin stood near the edge of the crowd, arms folded, surveying the masses.

So this is what competition looks like, he mused. Reminds me of the civil service exams back on Earth…

Of course, those odds had been even worse.

He was just about to move in closer—hoping to eavesdrop on the chatter of his potential rivals—when a hand caught his shoulder. He turned and found Hannes standing there, looking uneasy.

"Sorry, Shin," Hannes said, glancing around nervously. "There's been a change in the recruitment process this year. The Survey Corps has taken direct control. That means the promises I made… might not hold anymore."

Shin's expression didn't change. "It's alright," he replied calmly. "If the Survey Corps is handling things, that just means there won't be any backdoor quotas, right?"

Hannes blinked, surprised by the boy's composure. Then he nodded. "Yeah. That's true. The one in charge today is the Survey Corps' Deputy Commander—Erwin Smith."

Shin's eyes lit up.

Erwin Smith…

He remembered the anime vividly. The unwavering commander, leading a suicide charge against the Beast Titan—unflinching in the face of death, shouting "Forward!" for the sake of humanity. A true leader. A martyr for freedom.

Shin's heart swelled with admiration.

Seeing the boy's distant gaze, Hannes misinterpreted it as disappointment and quickly apologized again. "I really tried to pull strings for you, Shin. I didn't expect the command to shift so suddenly."

Shin turned back to him, smiling. "Don't worry, Uncle. It's better this way. No favoritism. No shortcuts. I'll earn my place with my own hands. You just sit back and watch me dominate the whole field."

That finally got a grin out of Hannes. "You little punk… You're just like your father. Same confidence, same eyes."

He exhaled and pointed a finger at Shin. "But if you mess this up, you're back to the forge. Harry's waiting."

"I'll make sure he waits a long time," Shin said with a wink, stepping confidently into the square.

As his figure disappeared into the crowd, Hannes stood still, emotions warring within him.

On one hand, he wanted Shin to fail—if only to keep him safe. On the other, he feared what failure might do to the boy's spirit. It had taken years for Shin to climb out of his emotional shell. A crushing disappointment could send him right back into it.

Shaking his head, Hannes muttered, "Whatever happens… it's out of my hands now."

Fate would decide.

But Hannes wasn't the only one watching. Across the square, others had begun to arrive—Eren, Mikasa, Armin… and Harry and Martha, walking hand in hand.

All of them had their eyes set on one boy.

Shin.

And the future that awaited him at the turning point of history.

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