Under the golden flash, everyone in the districts of Wall Rose wore the same look of shock.
They stared up at the sky—at the Titan that had appeared out of nowhere.
Though that Titan was small, it manifested in clear air above them, and the blinding gold light bursting from its side made it impossible to miss. In the city, not a single eye failed to see it; not a single soul failed to be stunned.
"Titan!"
"Another Titan—oh gods of the Walls, save us!"
"Spare us!!"
There was nowhere left to run. They huddled in a corner of Wall Rose—behind them lay Wall Maria's territory, already overrun by Titans.
They trembled as they watched the distant giants, clinging to one another, praying that when death came, it would at least be quick—no more torment by Titans.
A child burst out crying. They had never seen terror like this—especially that hundred-meter class. To witness such carnage so soon after being born into the world—
The adults' resolve didn't last long either. When the children cried, their own hearts sank.
They had seen too many deaths while fleeing.
A woman whose torso was pulped by shrapnel from the wall cannons.
Children trampled to death by a panicked stampede.
Elders who, on the road, abandoned hope and chose to let go.
Men met no gentler fate. To keep their families safe, they spent every last effort—only to watch them leave, one after another.
It shredded their nerves and tore at their souls. Many couldn't bear it. They cried, hysterical.
The Garrison soldiers rushed in to restore order, but they were helpless before the chaos.
Shots cracked into the air, again and again—no one calmed down.
Military Police arrived and shouted at the crowd—have faith in the Corps; have faith in humanity.
But who could believe?
A monster that huge already loomed on the wall, about to climb over and crush them like ants.
And the soldiers?
Fleas kicking a tree.
One after another, swallowed by the Titan—nothing left behind.
"They're all heroes—tell them that. We're proud," a clear-headed elder said, catching a Military Policeman by the sleeve. "Tell them to stop throwing their lives away. All of us were born to parents. If you can live, live."
The MPs had been grim already; at those words, tears fell harder.
"Are we really going to be wiped out here?"
"No!!"
A lone voice cut through the clamor—jarringly loud amid the panic.
The MPs—and some of the crowd—turned to look.
A young man met their eyes, gaze steady. The insignia on his jacket marked him: Training Corps.
"A trainee…"
The Military Police lost interest at once.
But the trainee didn't wilt. He led his companions straight toward the MPs.
"Humanity won't die out. As long as one person stands—as long as one breath remains—humanity will fight! Until every last one of these beasts is killed—driven out!" he shouted, seizing a policeman's sleeve. "The refugees are secured. We need to move to the front!"
"Ha? Are you insane? That thing is a hundred meters—"
"And if it were a thousand!?"
His voice surged and finally drowned out the noise around them.
The MPs stared, rattled by the zeal burning in his eyes, cold sweat at their temples.
"Eren…" his companion—a female trainee—tried to stop him, reaching for his arm. He shook her off.
"Don't stop me, Mikasa!" the trainee—Eren—shouted. "Now is not the time to run! Mikasa, you're capable. You should come with me and kill Titans! If it's you, maybe—"
"Eren!" Another stepped forward—blond hair, blue eyes. He looked Eren in the eye and said, firm, "If you go, you'll die. Even knowing that—are you still going?!"
Eren held his gaze, unflinching.
"Of course I'm going, Armin," Eren said. "If you're here to stop me, I'm sorry—I won't listen. I'll never forget… my mother…"
His voice caught.
A beat of silence.
"Farewell, everyone," Eren said to the comrades behind him. "If we live, we'll meet again."
"Wait, Eren!" Armin seemed to decide in that instant. "I'm coming too."
He fell in beside Eren.
Mikasa followed at his heels, refusing to leave his side.
After they left, their fellow trainee Jean Kirstein felt the whole thing was absurd beyond belief.
"You've got to be kidding me—why today of all days? We were about to join the Military Police!"
"Is that really it, Jean?" Marco glanced into the distance. "It might not be what you think."
"What do you mean?" Jean frowned.
Marco gave a sheepish smile. "That Titan came from the Interior."
"Huh?"
In a flash, Jean realized—right. The Titan had appeared inside the Walls and was pushing outward. If he'd joined the MPs already, he might have died under that Titan today.
He looked at the MPs standing next to him and something clicked.
Comfort.
That part was true.
But unless the Titan was destroyed, comfort was impossible.
At any time, these ugly, massive things could appear right beside you.
If you don't wipe them out, you will never live in peace.
"I get it, Marco." Jean exhaled and gave a crooked grin. "Sorry to make you watch me flail."
"It's fine," Marco said gently.
"Let's go. Give it one hundred and twenty percent."
"Mm."
They moved out together.
Others wavered, then followed suit—firing their Rittai Kidō Sōchi (ODM gear) and racing to the front.
Closer, closer to the hundred-meter-class Titan.
Until, at last, they were nearly on it—
BOOM!
A thunderous crash.
A Titan slammed down, rose to stand, lifted its chin toward the hundred-meter giant, clenched its fanged jaws, then lowered itself to the ground.
"It's that Titan!" Armin recognized it—the one that had just manifested in the sky.
The trainees wavered; only a handful held steady.
"Good! We'll start with this seven-meter!" Eren snarled, drawing twin blades from his scabbard.
Shlick!
Shlick-shlick-shlick-shlick-shlick!!
To cover Eren, Mikasa bared her blades as well.
Armin, Marco, Jean—and soon after Connie and Christa—did the same.
Hearing steel leave sheaths, Roger turned his head and found a pair of eyes unlike most.
They met for a heartbeat.
Not bad—good fire, Roger thought. The thought felt like an echo of someone else's words to him, but this wasn't the time.
He had no bandwidth for a squad of fresh cadets. The Jaw Titan didn't linger either. It pivoted, sprinted, and drove its talons into the stone, racing up the wall at speed.
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