Eren's world exploded into light.
For a second, he thought he was dead—that the Krythar's blade had cut straight through him.
But then he realized he was still breathing, still moving. His body felt… different.
The soldier's strike had stopped inches from his face. The alien's jagged blade trembled in the air, as if an invisible force had frozen it mid-swing.
Eren blinked, heart hammering. His hands were outstretched without him even realizing, and the air around his palms shimmered like heat waves off asphalt.
"What… the hell?" His voice cracked.
The Krythar hissed, eyes flaring. It tried to push its blade forward, but the invisible pressure only grew stronger.
The weapon snapped backward like it had been flung by a giant hand, sparks flying as it smashed against the pavement.
Eren stumbled back, staring at his trembling hands. His whole body buzzed, like every cell had been rewired. The ground beneath his feet felt too fragile, too small, like the energy inside him was more than his body could handle.
The Krythar roared and charged.
Eren moved without thinking. His arm swung, clumsy and desperate, but the air cracked as if his motion carried more weight than it should. Invisible force slammed into the alien and hurled it across the street, smashing it into a wrecked car.
The car crumpled. The alien didn't move.
For a moment, there was silence.
Eren just stood there, panting. His chest heaved, sweat dripping down his face, but there was also… something else. A thrill. A pulse of wild excitement under the fear.
He had never felt anything like this.
All around him, chaos raged—screams, fire, buildings collapsing. People were running past, not even noticing him, just trying to survive. But Eren couldn't move.
His legs felt locked in place as he stared at the alien's broken body.
He had done that.
Him.
His lips twisted into a half-crazed grin.
"Well, guess I'm not just a sandwich guy anymore."
The ground shook again. Another ship thundered overhead, blotting out the smoke-filled sky. Dozens more Krythar soldiers dropped from it, their blades glinting.
The grin faded.
"…Aw, crap."
Eren turned and ran.
But this time, there was something new inside him. A spark. A power. A reason to fight back.
And though he didn't know it yet, this was only the beginning.