Time looper in AOT

Two Months After the Fall of Shiganshina

After the fall of Wall Maria, about 10,000 refugees were rescued from Shiganshina, while the remaining tens of thousands were either crushed or devoured by Titans.

As the news spread, more refugees fled to Wall Rose in hopes of survival, leaving their homes and lands abandoned.

A third of humanity's territory had been lost to the Titans.

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"How long do you think the food will last?" Armin asked, staring at the small piece of bread he had received for the day.

"Stop staring and eat before people lose their minds." Eren shot a glance at the desperate eyes around them. With the food shortage worsening, even receiving a piece of bread from the military was a luxury.

"R-Right," Armin quickly finished his meal.

"But seriously... how long can the food supply last? At this rate, the military might have to—" Armin hesitated mid-sentence.

Eren looked at him, curious. "They might have to do what?"

He knew Armin was intelligent, especially when it came to such matters. It was expected of one of the main cast, after all.

"Th-They might s-send people to reclaim Wall Maria," Armin stammered, his face filled with fear.

Eren and Mikasa gasped in shock.

"Of course, it's just a guess," Armin added with a nervous laugh, but his terrified expression told a different story.

Eren and Mikasa exchanged glances—they knew there was a real possibility this could happen.

'No, I have to do something about this. It's better to survive on our own than rely on the military.' Eren clenched his fists. He knew that, for the so-called greater good of humanity, the military would do anything.

"You kids, what are you doing there? It's time to work!"

The three turned to see Carla, walking with the support of a cane. It turned out that only one of her legs had been crushed, while the other was merely injured—a small relief.

"Ah, it's been a week, but I'm still struggling with this," she muttered, nearly losing her balance before Mikasa quickly supported her.

Eren stared at her injured leg. 'Even in modern society, something like this would be nearly impossible to heal... but here, there are Titans who can regenerate instantly. Not to mention, there's also that system—'

"Eren, stop staring. I'm fine." Carla smiled at her son, sensing his concern.

"Mnn." Eren nodded. "It's fine, Mom. You should rest. We can handle the work ourselves."

"Right," Mikasa agreed with her usual calm demeanor.

"Leave it to us, Aunt Carla," Armin added reassuringly.

"Alright," Carla said, letting them go.

As they walked past the area where the refugees were staying, Eren observed the lifeless expressions on people's faces. These were people who had lost everything—homes, families, even the will to live.

He had never seen anything like this before.

Back in his previous life, humanity ruled the food chain. He had lived a privileged life—never knowing hunger, sleeping in a soft bed, playing any game he wanted, and watching his favorite shows whenever he pleased.

Yet here, in this harsh world, he felt something unexpected.

He was happy.

Happy to receive love he never had before.

'Maybe humans are like this—always greedy for what they don't have.'

"Well, at least some things are the same," Eren muttered as they gathered firewood for the upcoming winter.

"Yeah," Mikasa replied, picking up more wood.

"Hey, Eren, I still don't understand... what are you doing with that plant?" Armin asked, confused, as he looked at a small patch of land where Eren had been growing Amaranth.

Eren had discovered it while collecting firewood over a month ago. He was shocked to find that no one was cultivating it, despite its potential.

After asking around, he realized most people either had never seen it before or simply didn't know what it was.

So, he decided to grow some himself and planned to inform the military about it.

"Well, these plants are our ticket out of this situation," Eren said confidently.

"H-Huh?" Armin blinked in confusion.

"How so?" Mikasa asked, curious.

"You see, Armin and Mikasa, I've been experimenting with these plants. I call them Amaranth."

Eren plucked a few leaves and handed them to his friends.

"Go on, they're edible." Without hesitation, he took a bite himself.

Seeing Eren eat, Armin and Mikasa followed suit.

"So, how does it taste?"

Mikasa took her time before answering.

"Hmm... it tastes... like a leaf."

A long silence followed.

Eren and Armin stared at her blankly.

"Well... it has a mild, slightly earthy flavor, I'd say," Armin added thoughtfully.

'Thank you, Armin. You really are my best friend,' Eren thought, crying internally. He had built up so much suspense, only for Mikasa to say that.

"Anyway, these plants are edible, and they grow incredibly fast."

After a brief moment of realization, Armin and Mikasa gasped.

"Y-You mean... now that I think about it, they really have grown fast. At first, they were slow, but once they reached about a foot in height, their growth rate surged!"

"Not to mention, you didn't even check the soil type, meaning they must be easy to cultivate," Armin analyzed.

"If this is true, then it could provide some relief!" he added excitedly.

"Right." Eren nodded, pleased. 'As expected of a genius, he understood right away'.

"We should report this discovery soon. I don't think it can be harvested once the fall frost sets in," Armin said urgently.

"Agreed. Let's find Hannes and inform him."

They soon found Hannes near his patrol area. He had matured since the fall of Wall Maria—at least enough to stop drinking while on duty.

"You kids again? What are you doing here? Did something happen?"

"Not exactly. We have something to show you," Eren said.

Hannes looked between them and then turned to his comrades. "Hey, watch my post for a bit. I'll be right back."

"Alright, but don't take too long."

"Okay, now show me what you got," Hannes said, following them.

Eren presented his discovery.

"S-So, you're saying... this can be harvested multiple times?" Hannes asked in shock.

"Right. Eren planted this only a little over a month ago," Armin confirmed.

"If this is true, it could solve a major problem," Hannes muttered in disbelief.

He suddenly recalled how Doctor Yeager had once saved them from a deadly plague.

'Like father, like son... both are miracle workers,' he thought.

"Ahh! I have to report this right away! You kids did a great job!" Hannes praised them before running off.

Eren sighed, relieved. "I hope this helps solve our problems."

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

It was Mikasa. "We're all in this together," she said firmly.

Eren nodded, smiling.

"Right. If it's for this, I don't mind being greedy like the rest."

To Be Continued...

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Well, he is from a modern society, so if he doesn't use that knowledge, it would be useless. But don't worry, it's not about technology—though he might build some later.