Reiner blocked with one hand, then swung his left fist upward in a brutal uppercut. The impact was thunderous, sending Eren flying across the battlefield. He hit the ground hard, carving a trench through the dirt, his Titan jaw dislocated from the blow.
In sheer strength, Eren was no match for the Armored Titan.
"Clang!"
Mikasa launched herself from above, slashing at the Armored Titan's nape. Sparks flew as her blades shattered against the hardened plates.
"Damn it, it's too tough," she hissed, retreating to the wall with her broken blades.
"Mikasa!"
Armin landed beside her, his eyes filled with worry as he watched Eren being pummeled relentlessly.
"That guy's defense is insane," Mikasa muttered, drawing fresh blades.
"Normal attacks can't even scratch him," Armin replied, his brows furrowed in concentration. They couldn't intervene directly; only Eren could stand against that monster. But the Armored Titan's defense was flawless—unless they found a weakness, Eren would lose.
Armin's thoughts raced as Eren was thrown again, crashing through the rubble. Sweat beaded on his forehead. A head-on fight was suicide… unless—
"Head-on," he whispered. "That's it!"
"Eren!" Armin shouted.
Eren, battered but defiant, stood up near the wall, glaring at Reiner.
Armin fired his grapples and landed on Eren's Titan shoulder, quickly whispering, "Don't fight him with brute strength. Use grappling—lock him down! You can overpower him in close combat!"
Eren's eyes widened slightly. He nodded, his strategy shifting.
"Armin…" Reiner muttered from within his Titan, narrowing his eyes. "No matter what plan you come up with, Eren's not strong enough to beat me."
The Armored Titan raised its fists and charged. The ground cracked under each step.
A right hook swung toward Eren—but this time, Eren ducked under the blow. His Titan arm wrapped tightly around Reiner's neck, and he twisted his entire body, throwing Reiner off balance.
The earth trembled violently as the two Titans grappled, dust and steam filling the air. Eren clamped his legs around Reiner's waist and tightened his grip around his throat. The pressure intensified, and thin cracks began forming across Reiner's armor.
"Damn it," Reiner growled, straining against the chokehold. In flexibility, he was completely outclassed. He tried to stand, but Eren swiftly shifted, locking his legs around Reiner's neck and twisting his right arm backward.
"Crack… crack…"
Fissures spread along the Armored Titan's armor, threatening to snap the limb entirely.
"I can do this… I can beat him!" Eren roared, tightening his hold.
"Rrraaahhh!"
Pinned to the ground, Reiner struggled violently, his Titan muscles straining.
"Reiner, it's useless," Eren shouted. "You've lost!"
Eren's Titan muscles bulged as he prepared to rip the arm apart—
"Something's wrong!" Armin shouted suddenly. He looked up, eyes wide. The upper half of the Colossal Titan was tilting forward above the wall.
"Oh no—everyone, retreat!"
"Bertholdt!" Reiner roared.
"Boom!"
The Colossal Titan's massive upper body fell, slamming down like a meteor. The explosion shook the entire area, heat and shockwaves flattening everything within a hundred meters.
"Eren!" Mikasa screamed, shielding her face from the scorching blast as steam engulfed the battlefield.
Two dull impacts echoed from within the haze—
Then Reiner burst from the steam, running into the distance. On his shoulder were Bertholdt, the unconscious Eren, and Ymir.
Despite the collision, Reiner's Titan hadn't reverted. His defense held firm, while Eren had been knocked completely unconscious.
"Eren!" Mikasa shouted, preparing to pursue.
"Mikasa, wait!" Armin grabbed her arm. "It's too dangerous! The terrain's too open. The Maneuvering Gear won't work here!"
She clenched her jaw, frustration written across her face.
"Ymir…" Krista whispered softly, her heart aching. There were still so many things she hadn't told her.
Ten minutes later, the Survey Corps arrived with Erwin leading the charge.
"Where's Eren?" Erwin demanded as he approached Hange and Armin.
"Armin's analysis was right," Hange replied grimly. "Reiner is the Armored Titan. Bertholdt is the Colossal Titan. They took Eren ten minutes ago… and Ymir too. She can transform as well."
Armin spoke quickly, "They burned a lot of energy transforming. They'll rest in the Giant Tree Forest."
Erwin didn't hesitate. "All units, advance! Retrieve Eren!"
---
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Reiner continued running, each heavy step shaking the earth. On his shoulder, Eren and Ymir stirred weakly. Their wounds were still healing, steam rising faintly from their bodies.
"Reiner, Bertholdt…" Eren rasped, eyes burning with hatred. "I'll make you both pay."
Bertholdt stayed silent, his face pale. Reiner, still in Titan form, didn't respond.
"Huh?" Reiner suddenly stopped mid-stride.
Through his Titan eyes, he saw her.
Standing at the forest's edge was the Female Titan, motionless… waiting.
"Annie…" Bertholdt breathed, disbelief and relief flashing in his eyes.
Eren's mind spun. Now it all made sense—Annie hadn't returned after the last battle. She'd been here all along, hiding in the Giant Tree Forest.
The distance between them closed—five steps, three, one.
Without warning, the Female Titan pulled a gas canister from her hand and slammed it upward.
"Bang!"
The strike connected with Reiner's jaw, sending the Armored Titan flying backward through the air. The impact was devastating—Bertholdt, Ymir, and Eren were all flung from his shoulder.
The ground split apart, leaving a deep scar across the forest floor. Reiner hit the ground hard, his Titan jaw shattered.
"Cough… cough…" Ymir, thrown nearest to the Female Titan, struggled to breathe. She barely had time to look up before a massive shadow fell over her.
"A… Annie…" she gasped, eyes wide with horror.
The Female Titan reached down and seized her, lifting her effortlessly.
"Annie!" Reiner, Bertholdt, and even Eren screamed in unison.
With a single motion, the Female Titan brought Ymir to her mouth. A strangled scream echoed through the forest as blood sprayed. Ymir was chewed a few times, then swallowed whole.
"Y-Ymir!" Eren shouted, disbelief twisting into rage.
"Annie, what are you doing?!" Bertholdt's voice cracked with panic. Their mission had been to capture the other Titans alive—but Annie had just devoured the Jaw Titan.
The Female Titan ignored them, raising her bloodstained hands.
Inside her mind, Lucien could feel the surge of energy coursing through him. His bite strength increased, and sharp, bony claws sprouted from his hands.
He understood instantly—he had gained the Jaw Titan's traits. Swift movements, incredible speed, and razor-sharp claws capable of tearing through anything.
The forest trembled as steam swirled around him. Lucien Graves, wielding both the Female Titan's power and the Jaw Titan's ferocity, had become something far more dangerous than before.
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