The ground turned scorching hot. The earth split open, and from the chasm crawled a Titan of staggering size.
Bracing itself on the tallest MP building, it stretched out a hand toward the distance, seized a high watchtower—then crushed it by accident, grinding it to powder.
It flung the shards aside and groped for anything that could haul its bulk free. Only after clawing an entire house to rubble did it drag out its enormous upper body.
Then it pulled itself forward, palms digging in, crawling on.
Its body was so immense, its limbs so stunted, that even though it could wrench itself from the soil, it couldn't get its weight under it to stand.
Worse, its head was so massive that its face stayed mashed to the ground, unable to lift.
Exposing just its eyes by angling the head slightly up—that was the best it could do.
The Military Police garrison grounds were packed solid with Titan flesh—no gaps left.
Even so, its hind half still hadn't fully unfolded.
Curled and prone as it was, its size alone froze hearts with terror.
Across the capital—across Mitras—anyone with an open view could see the behemoth.
The unluckiest were those crushed beneath.
They had no idea what was happening. One moment, life was ordinary; the next, a monster so huge it turned legs to water appeared before their eyes.
"Rooaaar—"
It growled low, but with its face pressed to the ground the rumble shook the streets, knocking everyone in the capital flat, organs quivering inside their ribs.
"What is that thing?!"
"Help!!!"
"Run! It's a Titan!!"
Screams rippled through the capital. Order shattered.
Everything flew off its rails into chaos.
Atop Wall Sina—
Garrison Regiment soldiers, newly reformed and resupplied, drew their twin blades.
Sweat beaded their temples. They'd prepared themselves to fight Titans—but never imagined their first would be this absurdly huge.
"You've gotta be kidding…"
"So this is… a Titan? Are the ones from Wall Maria this big?!"
"We… we can't do anything." Someone burst into tears. "How do you fight that?!"
The Garrison fell into despair.
From the wall they watched the enormous crawler inch forward, slowly scraping its way toward the ramparts.
"Ulp—"
Someone retched from fear. The thought of being seized, spine pulped, blood sucked—fighting spirit died on the spot.
"Hey, let's run."
A voice urged.
"I mean… maybe we should…"
Another wavered.
Until a sharp voice rang out.
"Hold the line!"
From afar came Commander Dot Pixis, who had arrived without anyone noticing.
With two aides at his back, he climbed to the highest vantage point from which he could take in the Titan's full shape and strode toward the Garrison on the wall.
"Commander!"
The Garrison saluted, fists to hearts.
"Mm."
Pixis gazed out, intrigued, at the super-colossal Titan in the distance.
"Looks even bigger than the one from a few years ago," he said, rubbing his chin.
Behind him, an aide gaped.
"Estimated over a hundred meters—twice the Colossal. Commander, your orders?!"
"Commander! Say the word!"
"Give the order, sir! I'll see it done or die trying!"
Hearing their fervor, Pixis nodded.
"No need for any of you to die. If we can kill it, all the better. If not…" He peered out, voice turning grave. "Then we'll use explosives and herd it into a corner."
"Yes, sir!"
"Orders! First squad—guide civilians to evacuate into the highlands! Second squad—drive the Titan; push it toward a cornered, depopulated sector. If it tries to climb out, let it—but better to steer it into one of the four districts, especially Stohess; fewer residents there. Third squad—notify the Wall Rose region's Garrison; have them form a plan and bring the cannons here!"
"Understood!"
Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh—
They scattered at once to execute.
When they'd gone, Pixis stared again, lost in thought.
"Commander, what should we do?"
The two aides couldn't stand waiting. They wanted to act for humanity, too.
"You needn't fight. Come—let's find some people."
"People? Which people?"
"A regiment made of madmen. They'll have a way. Humanity's future… we'll leave it in their hands."
From the rubble, the Jaw Titan heaved away the stones that pinned its body and rolled free.
Sheltered in Titan flesh, Roger Eikam was fine.
He split the nape and pulled himself out to the waist, letting out a long breath.
Underground, he hadn't taken a scratch—but he'd nearly suffocated. He'd gotten out in time.
He opened his eyes and swept the area, careful not to show anyone his Titan form.
Luckily, those nearby had fled—or died. No one stuck around to watch the Jaw Titan emerge.
Confirming he wasn't seen, Roger slipped his legs free and dropped from the Titan, landing steady on both feet.
The heat hit him at once.
Like standing under a blazing midsummer sun—the ground baked to cracks, houses scorched by the temperature.
One look at Rod Reiss' Titan and he understood.
With its face and chest scouring along the ground, its healing steam had blasted everything around, cooking the stones.
"That big?"
Even Roger was impressed.
Back in the underground cell, the spine alone told him Rod Reiss' Titan would be massive—but not this massive.
"It's beyond the Colossal, huh?" he clicked his tongue. Gunfire cracked in the distance, and he sprinted toward it.
As he expected, it was Levi and Tours Beak's group.
Though the shock of Rod's transformation had hurled them away, they weren't so easy to kill.
When he finally found them—when he saw the Scorpio fighters were only down by half, most not dead but badly hurt—Roger, inwardly, passed them.
They'd raided MP HQ and been blasted by a Titan—and still saved this many.
Not bad, these kids.
Levi's training had teeth.
"Boss!"
Tours spotted Roger first and zipped over on ODM gear.
"Boss! You okay?!"
"I'm fine."
Roger waved it off, then looked to Levi drawing in behind.
Levi noticed the strange marks still faint on Roger's face.
"All right. What now, monster kid?"
Roger rubbed the side of his nose and swept a look over the fighters.
"Honestly, I didn't foresee this—but we're not without a plan."
"What plan?"
…
…
"Shinzō o Sasageyo (Dedicate Your Hearts)."
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