"Hey, look! That abnormal titan just collapsed."
"Forget it, let's hurry and get the horses back while we can."
"Wait! Something's coming out of its mouth!"
"What?!"
"Is it Captain Holst? No way—it can't be Captain Holst, right? He's alive?!"
"Go check!"
"Down there, quick!"
"Move!"
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
Three of them fired their maneuver gear, landing on top of the Jaw Titan's skull.
From above, Miche and Oluo watched.
Miche was still dazed, but Oluo, who had been weeping moments ago, had already steadied himself. He stood and slapped Miche's shoulder.
"Miche, let's go. Bring Moges down too."
"Ah? Oh… okay, right."
Miche nodded.
One man carried Moges' gear, another supported the corpse, and together they descended.
To prevent the ten-meter titan from recovering its leg and attacking, they hacked through its nape as they landed.
In the steam that followed, they also cut down the remaining four-meter titan, and the six-meter whose head had been crushed under the tree but was still regenerating.
When it was done, the "ferocious abnormal" was already half-vanished in steam, only blackened remains left.
But why had it died?
"I don't remember it taking that much damage…"
"Right, why did it just collapse?"
"You mean… it was playing dead?"
"Don't joke. It's already rotted down to the bone."
Still, none of them relaxed.
Even as they pulled Captain Holst out from its mouth—only his head poking free—they kept glancing at its empty sockets, half-afraid an eye might suddenly sprout and seize them.
"Captain Holst!"
The Jaw Titan's skull finally crumbled apart, and they dragged him out with little effort.
But then—
As they pulled his legs free, they saw it.
A human hand, gripping his ankle.
"Ahhh!!"
One soldier stumbled back, drawing his blades.
"What happened?!" The lookout rushed over.
"Holst—there's a hand! A human hand!"
"?"
They looked closer. Sure enough, a human hand, skin marred with red-purple blotches like burns. But it was a human hand all the same.
"Dig it out."
They set to work, smashing through the decayed bone. Soon, they pulled out the owner of the hand.
A whole man.
"Does this titan… swallow people alive?"
Someone muttered, astonished.
Miche, after laying Moges down, rushed over.
"What's going on?"
"Captain Holst is alive, still breathing, still warm," one said with relief.
"That's… that's great!"
Tears sprang to Miche's eyes. But then he noticed the other man, lying not far from Holst.
"Who's that?" He frowned, crouched, and checked his chest—still a heartbeat.
"Don't know. Came out of the titan too."
"From another squad?"
"No. The Corps barely has a few dozen of us. I know them all. Never seen him."
"Strange."
"Yeah. Who crawls out of an abnormal like that and isn't strange?"
"…"
But a living man was a living man. Miche couldn't leave him.
He wiped titan saliva from the man's face, then stripped off his own Survey Corps cloak and laid it over him.
The motion stirred the stranger awake.
He coughed violently, mucus spilling from his mouth and nose. Then his eyes opened slowly.
"You're awake?"
Miche spoke softly. The others crowded close, staring like children at a zoo exhibit.
Roger blinked. He hated the stares—but every play needed an audience.
"Who… are you?"
He began his act.
"Us? We should ask you that. Who are you? Why were you inside a titan?" Miche asked, noting the civilian clothes. "A commoner? Or…"
"What are you talking about?"
Roger feigned confusion—then stiffened suddenly, as though a memory struck. He sat up, tears spilling instantly, sobbing.
"Uuuu…"
"???"
They exchanged puzzled glances.
"Explain. What happened?"
"I… I don't know. I can't remember clearly," Roger stammered, voice thick with grief. "I only remember my family, my friends… they all died. I should have died too. But you saved me."
At those words, silence fell.
Who here hadn't lost someone?
Family, friends, loved ones—all taken by titans, leaving only grief behind.
Miche's eyes watered. He thought of Moges. Hours ago they'd joked about drinking after the expedition… now he was gone.
"…I understand," Miche said, wiping his face. "Do you remember your name?"
"…Ro…ger." Roger hesitated just enough. "My name is Roger."
"We all carry our burdens, Roger." Miche extended his hand. "But we must look forward."
Roger took it, nodding solemnly, hiding his distrust.
The others felt the moment's weight, their eyes misting.
Yes. They carried too much. But forward was the only way.
Even Oluo, helping with Holst's resuscitation, was moved, forgetting himself.
And then Holst suddenly woke.
"Heh… you're an interesting one."
He shoved Oluo aside and stood.
Facing Roger, his eyes sharp, he drove a kick forward.
Roger's expression hardened. His eyes locked on Holst's.
His fingers tightened around the knife hidden in his sleeve.
Had he… been exposed?
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