Chapter 94: Pure Titans? Just a Bunch of Pushovers!
Dawn. The faint smell of blood and smoke still lingered in the air. A highly efficient cleanup operation was rapidly unfolding within the Walls. The objective: eliminate all remaining Pure Titans.
In the vast territory between Wall Maria and Wall Rose, the giants that had once cost humanity countless lives to barely hold off were now being slaughtered unilaterally.
Three streaks of light—emerald green, deep blue, and sea blue—flashed between the ruins and the plains.
Levi's figure moved so fast his trajectory was nearly invisible. Each lightning-fast movement brought him precisely to the nape of a Pure Titan's neck. His blades, coated in pale blue energy, sliced through without the slightest pause. The giant head separated from the body, and before the steam could fully erupt, the massive corpse crashed to the ground with a BOOM. Clean, efficient, terrifyingly so. Without even looking back, Levi's figure was already lunging toward the next target. For him, the killing was less a battle and more like surgery, with the earth as his operating table and the Titans as his patients.
"ROAR—!"
Eren's fighting style, on the other hand, was far wilder. He remained in his Magical Girl form, the dark brown dress a stark contrast to the flying green light, yet brimming with world-shattering power. Facing several Abnormal Titans charging at him, he didn't even bother to dodge. Green energy gathered in his fists. He took a powerful step forward and punched out with both hands.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two concentrated beams of green light shot out, instantly piercing through the napes of the two leading Abnormals. The residual energy even carved deep trenches in the ground behind them. The remaining Titans lunged. Eren didn't retreat; instead, he charged forward, drawing his blades, which now burned with green magical flames. He became a green whirlwind, plunging into the cluster of Titans. His enhanced slashes easily tore through their muscles and bones.
Farther away, Armin didn't engage in close combat. Dressed in his sea-blue Magical Girl outfit, he floated in mid-air, holding his scepter. With a thought, translucent energy barriers appeared precisely in the path of an Abnormal trying to ambush Eren. The Titan slammed into the barrier with a dull thud, its movement momentarily halted. In that brief instant, a deep blue streak flashed past—Levi appeared at the Titan's nape, blade falling swiftly.
Armin tapped his scepter gently, and several sea-blue energy arrows shot out, striking the napes of a few regular Titans scattered at the edges, immobilizing them temporarily. Immediately after, either Eren or Levi's attack would follow, finishing the cleanup.
Efficiency. Unprecedented efficiency. The giants that had once required the entire Survey Corps to defeat at a terrible cost were now practically helpless against these three Magical Girls.
In just a few short days, the vast area between Wall Maria and Wall Rose was almost completely cleared of roaming Pure Titans.
The soldiers watching from atop the Walls were stunned speechless. They watched the three streaks of light harvesting Titan lives like gods descended upon the earth. That power, that speed—
"Is this the power of a Magical Girl?"
"If… if we had this power sooner…"
"Marco… Thomas… Mina… would everyone… not have had to die?"
If only… A pang of pain shot through Eren's heart during a lull in the killing. If I had gotten this power sooner… Mom… He clenched his fists, suppressing the surging emotions, and threw himself back into the fight. Having gained this new power, he absolutely could not—would not—let tragedy repeat itself.
…
Survey Corps Temporary Headquarters.
Three days after the cleanup operation ended.
Erwin spread out a map, his finger pointing to an area east of Paradis Island. "According to Grisha Jaeger's diary, this should be the port where the Eldians were exiled by Marley back then."
"The Titans within the Walls are mostly cleared out, which creates the conditions for us to explore outwards," he continued. "We must verify the authenticity of the notes and understand the detailed situation of the outside world. Therefore, the next course of action—" He looked up, his gaze sweeping over Levi, Hange, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and the others present. "—is to advance east. Our destination: the sea!"
The sea! Armin's heart leaped. The vast saltwater lake he had dreamed of since childhood, described only in books! Were they really… going to see it?!
…
A long journey. The dust kicked up by horses and carts trailed behind them. The core members of the Survey Corps, their hearts filled with complex emotions, journeyed toward the unknown east. On either side of the road, the land, once ravaged by Titans, was gradually showing signs of life again. Without the threat of Titans, a long-forgotten yet fragile sense of peace settled over the group.
Finally, after who knows how long, a different kind of wind blew, carrying a salty tang. Hooves trod on soft sand. Ahead, the horizon suddenly opened up.
It was… an endless expanse of azure blue! So vast it seemed to have no end. The massive body of water glittered under the sun, white waves rolling onto the shore with a constant whoosh.
"WOOOOAAAAAHHH!!!" Sasha was the first to scream with excitement, dropping her reins and sprinting toward the water. Connie followed close behind, a goofy grin plastered on his face.
"Is this… the sea?!" Jean's eyes widened in disbelief.
Hange practically dove toward the water's edge, scooping up seawater and drinking it, only to grimace at the saltiness, which somehow made her even more excited. "It really is salty! Unbelievable!"
Armin stood frozen. Looking at the magnificent sight before him, his eyes instantly welled up. The books were true… Outside the Walls, there really is such a vast world! He reached out a trembling hand, feeling the sea breeze, heavy with moisture, brush against his fingertips. Step by step, he walked toward the water, took off his boots, and stepped onto the cool, damp sand. Waves lapped at his ankles. The salty smell, the cry of seabirds, the endless blue…
His dream… had come true. The immense joy and awe overwhelmed him, leaving him almost speechless.
Levi stood a little further back, watching his subordinates' excitement, his face still impassive. But even his normally lifeless eyes reflected the vast blue expanse. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away a few drops of seawater that had splashed onto his boots. Tch, saltwater. Even more troublesome to clean.
Erwin walked to the shore, gazing out at the distant sea, his eyes calm and contemplative. The sea… the edge of their world… No, just the edge of Paradis Island. The real enemy was across that vast expanse of water. Marley. A nation with more advanced technology that viewed them as devils. How should they respond? They had too little information. They had to find a way to infiltrate Marley, gather detailed intelligence, understand their military strength, societal structure, and technological level. This was the foundation for any future strategy.
Only Eren stood apart. He stood near Armin, also looking at the sea, but his face held no joy, only a heaviness and sorrow that contrasted sharply with the surrounding atmosphere. Those fragmented memories of the future clung to him like a nightmare. The Rumbling… destruction… the deaths of his comrades… The sea was beautiful, but its beauty only highlighted the even crueler reality.
He slowly raised his hand, pointing toward the endless horizon, his voice low and heavy with suppressed pain.
"Across the sea… are enemies."
His words instantly froze the joyful atmosphere. Sasha and Connie's laughter died. Jean's look of wonder stiffened. The tears on Armin's face hadn't dried, but his smile froze.
Enemies. On the other side of the sea were enemies who saw them as devils and wanted to exterminate them. The dream they had just realized was instantly shrouded in shadow.
"Dammit—" Connie cursed under his breath.
"Don't be too pessimistic," Jean said, clapping him on the shoulder, trying to rally their spirits. "At least… we're different now." He looked at Eren, Levi, and Armin. "We have the power of the Titans, and the power of Magical Girls."
"That's right!" Hange's excitement returned, replaced by a serious expression. "We have the power to fight back now! We're not just going to sit here and take it anymore!"
Mikasa walked to Eren's side, her gaze resolute. "Eren, we'll fight with you."
Eren remained silent. He knew things weren't that simple. But he didn't argue. At least their current situation was different from the hopeless future he had seen in his memories. Commander Erwin was still alive, Armin wasn't burdened by the curse of the Colossal Titan, and they now possessed this unknown power brought by Kyubey.
Perhaps… there really was a chance to change things?
Marley. Whatever happened, he had to go there and see for himself.