Chapter 24: Chapter 22 Kenny Ackerman
New Week, New Chapter. Thanks for all your support.
Let the drop of New Powerstones this week begin!
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Trost District
Slums, Old Reeves Company Warehouse
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The city of Trost hummed with midday activity, the sun casting sharp shadows across its cobbled streets. Merchants called out their wares, and soldiers patrolled lazily, unaware of the silent storm brewing within the district.
Near the edge, that divided the middle district from the boundaries of the slums was an old warehouse.
On its roof, Two hook cables latched onto the brick structure from a distance. Followed by the whirring gear sounds, a figure landed with gracefully on her feet.
With blonde hair just a little bit past shoulder-length, tied back with bangs parted down the middle, she sported a fit, thin build and wore a pair of tight black pants, a white button-up shirt, and a pair of black shoes.
Caven. A member of The Anti Personnel Control Squad, a subdivision of the Military Police Force made to deal with rogue ODM gear wielders.
Upon landing, she swept her gaze around, scanning the area. Noting the two sentries on different rooftops, the young woman expressionlessly nodded before moving towards the window and dropping inside.
Inside the sprawling warehouse, hidden among crates and barrels of stored supplies, the Anti-Personnel Control Squad gathered. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and gunpowder, the dim interior illuminated by thin shafts of light piercing through high windows.
Her return immediately drew attention.
"… Oi! Caven's back it seems." at the end of the warehouse, sitting at a table with a bottle of booze and a cigarette in hand was an aged man with a lean build and shoulder-length brown hair.
"… Captain …" Caven called out, standing at his table.
"You came alone? Where's Duran and Alton?"
"Keeping watch at The Garrison."
"Uh-huh." He uttered expressionlessly as the man poured himself a bottle of alcohol
"I heard the bells ringing. I take it The Survey Corps returned?"
"Indeed."
"From your tone, I take it they aren't going to put up a fight?"
"From the looks of it, no." She replied in a similar tone. "The Expedition was as rough as always. Almost half their total numbers didn't return."
"Oh, that many casualties."
"Yes. Even Levi, Humanity's so-called strongest soldier, didn't make it back unscathed. In their current state, they couldn't put up a fight even if they wanted to …"
The first half of the conversation seemed to pique his interest.
"Levi, huh? Getting injured in a Titan expedition? ....." he clicked his tongue.
'The kid's slacking off'. It had been a long time since he last saw his little nephew. No. Technically, he should no longer be little anymore. After all, more than ten years had passed since their time back in the Underground. During his famous years as a Serial Killer of the Military Police.
Now, he was one of them. What an irony. Levi would definitely be in for a surprise the next time they crossed paths.
The reminiscing of his glory days were fleeting. After a light chuckle, Kenny didn't give it much thought as he chugged down his drink before exhaling.
"Well, no matter. If they're banged up so hard and returned so early, it means they didn't complete the objective they set out for …"
"They did."
"…" silence. Instantly, the Kenny froze for a moment. "Is that so?"
"Yes. That's what I'm here to report…" In response, Caven nodded before going on to report everything she had experienced.
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Meanwhile,
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Back Outside On The Roof,
The two sentries crouched low on watch. Each standing one of the Two roofs flanking the warehouse. One male, one female.
THUD!
On the left, the sound of something falling fell into the male's ears. He turned his gaze towards that direction, looking onto the next roof.
In an instant, his eyes widened. On the next roof, his female squad member had fallen face first on the roof. Although the distance was a bit far, it wasn't far enough to miss the object lodged in her forehead.
"En…."
SQUELCH.
His voice froze. Then, he fell to the floor following in the footsteps of his squad member. The roof returning to silence once more.
None the wiser.
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Inside The Warehouse
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The Anti Personnel Control Squad gathered, discussing everything Caven had revealed.
"This can't be true, right? …"
"Beats me. What do you think about this?"
"… I find it hard to believe…"
"Same here. The thought is too frightening…"
"I agree …" one utters before asking. "Hey, Caven. You sure you got your story right?."
"Yeah, seems a little exaggerated if you ask me."
"One man scaring an entire square full of soldiers without making a move? The Military aren't that weak."
In response, Caven remained silent amidst their questioning and speculation.
Seeing this, more wanted to speak up. In that moment, Kenny raised his hand.
The murmurs ceased without another word uttered.
"… Are you sure of this, Caven?… "
He asks, eyes locked on hers, carrying nothing but unprecedented seriousness.
She paused for a moment, gathering her words.
"… I know what I felt Captain." she said, recalling her time back on the rooftops of The Garrison Branch. That moment he stood up, right after killing Sannes ... The pressure that followed. Despite not aimed at her, and being a distance away, Caven still felt Seiji's intent to kill. "… That feeling, I've never experienced anything like it." she concluded, her face betraying not a hint of emotion.
"… Huh?.." hearing her tone, the others were stunned.
'Was it … really not an exaggeration?'
The vice captain was always so serious. So most at times, they couldn't tell apart her sarcasm from truth.
Only now did they realize that she wasn't joking. But that only made it all the more unbelievable.
"I see. An individual who can scare others with his mere presence …"
The silence was broken with Kenny's words. Seemingly speaking to himself, the man muttered incessantly with one hand tapping on the armrest of his chair and the other stroking his chin.
The silence lasted a bit longer. Then was broken again by the man's chuckle.
"Hehehehe he-he … As expected from someone beyond the walls".
"Huh? Captain, you aren't surprised by this?"
A male soldier asked, mouth open in disbelief.
"Surprised?" This only made the man chuckled even more.
"Hahaha! Why should I be? I expected nothing less".
Everyone watch as his chuckles turned into full-blown laughter. Upon subsiding several seconds later, Kenny raised his head and showed a wide, jovial grin.
"Now things have gotten interesting …"
Watching her Captain act eccentric again, Caven frowned, apparently not feeling his enthusiasm.
"Forgive me, but do you feel this is a matter to laugh at?"
"Oh, why can't I, my charming second in command? It's not everyday you hear someone channel the intent to kill into a viable weapon".
"The …. What?"
Seeing her face marred with confusion, Kenny didn't bother to explain
"Killing intent, used as a means of attack …. Such nonsense would have been the stuff of novels. To think it could actually be used like this … Just how many people has he killed to be able to pull if off? … …"
Kenny thought. 'No, just what exactly is he?'
It was still the year 849. The only disaster humanity had faced being the Fall of Wall Maria.
The Struggle For Trost Arc was still a year away. Eren hadn't been discovered yet. And the number of people who knew the Truth about The Titans could be counted on one hand.
Kenny Ackerman being one of them.
Unlike his subordinates, Kenny knew that there was more to this world than what they thought. Due to his connections with The Reiss Family, and Uri Reiss before his death, he learned a part of the History Of The Walls.
He knew that there were people who could control and Transform into Titans. He had seen it in Uri Reiss when he attempted to kill him back in the day.
Hence, when he heard that the Armored and Colossal Titan had shown up to knock on humanity's door, he wasn't surprised. Not in the slightest. Instead, this revelation made his heart burn.
Ever since that day, many years ago when he learned that Uri Reiss who possessed The Founding Titan was capable of controlling the minds of all of humanity, Kenny had made it his ultimate goal. To acquire The Power Of The Royal Family. Power Rivaling A God.
Now, an individual from beyond the walls had shown up. Displaying special abilities. It was no surprise that Kenny speculated whether this boy was just like Uri.
In simpler terms, he suspected that this Seiji Uchiha was a Titan shifter. Possessing such godlike power. How could he not get excited?
"Well then, has he slaughtered The Garrison Corps yet? Is he on the run? In which direction did he go so we can catch up …" The man spoke excitedly as he rose from his seat.
"Time is of The Essence." he declared loudly.
Caven felt her eyebrows twitch.
"No Captain. He didn't slaughter anyone. With the exception of Djel Sannes."
"Oh? The one from The First Interior Squad?."
"That's right. Following which, he surrendered."
"…" Kenny was silent for a few moments. Before exclaiming.
"Surrendered? Are you kidding me?"
THUD!
He plopped back on his chair, irritated.
"Why would he do that?"
"I don't know." Caven uttered, falling into thought before replying.
" … He did say he planned to listen to what reasons The Monarchy had for deeming him a criminal. Only then would he act. Perhaps he plans to kill them all at once if he doesn't get a satisfactory answer …"
In response, Kenny frowned.
"That's stupid. No idiot delivers themselves to the enemy on a silver platter? I don't believe it. He definitely has a plan up his sleeves. One that requires him getting arrested."
"Indeed. However, we don't know what that plan is. So how do we react? Should we follow, to eliminate him?"
Caven asks blandly. What she had seen in the square had somewhat overturned her mentality. Nevertheless, the core principles hadn't changed.
The speed shown by the Target was …. Beyond understanding, but as long as he didn't expect it, he could still be killed. At least, she thought so.
"…"
The man didn't reply for a while. Rubbing his chin, seemingly in deep thought. Until …
"Hehe … Why not? Reiss's orders were clear enough anyway. Eliminate the Target at all costs. No exceptions..". He thought for a moment, then called out. "Frenchie?.."
"…Huh? Yes, Captain?"
The soldier rushed over immediately.
"Load the clips. We're moving out…"
Then, his hand moved to the table, picking his western cowboy hat he had and placed aside back on his head
"Let's move quickly. If he's what I think he is, then It'll be troublesome if he transforms."
'Transforms?' Caven furrowed her eyebrows. What exactly did he? ….
It happened then.
SUUUIII!
From the ceiling, a blade came out of the blue, shooting towards their direction.
In an instant, Kenny's hair stood on end.
Without so much as a second thought, his hand reached out for the thirty-year-old male right next to him, grabbed firmly and pulled him in towards the front.
SQUELCH!
Blood splattered, staining the floor a bright red. It was followed by a suffocating silence.
"Ca … Captain?…" Freeing himself from Kenny's grip, Frenchie fell back to the floor, horrified.
Everyone member of The Anti Personnel Control Squad, stood frozen, eyes wide at the scene in front of them.
Nothing else. Their Captain had a blade embedded deep into his forehead. The clear, sickening sound of a cracking skull had echoed clearly upon impact.
The next moment.
THUD!
Under their increasingly horrified gazes, the lifeless body of Kenny Ackerman dropped flat on the floor. A pool of blood emerging around his temple areas a second later.
"We're under attack!" Caven's face changed drastically as she reached for her guns. The Anti Personnel Squad instantly fell into alert, the sound of guns being armed resounding through the warehouse.
No one had expected it. The Infamous Kenny The Ripper, their all capable Captain and best fighter in the squad, would suddenly get killed.
Everyone's gaze turned upward and locked onto a target. There on the tallest crate stood their attacker.
"It's … It's him …"
Caven's pupils shrank to the extreme. Didn't he turn himself in? What the hell was he doing here.
Meanwhile, Seiji was equally troubled as she was. Just for different reasons.
"He died? Just like that?…"
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