The stabbing pain in his head caused Yago to lose control over the Fate Titan's body. The massive form immediately began to sway, and in the end, it collapsed stiffly to the ground.
Seeing this, Annie inside the Female Titan's nape was shocked. She quickly drilled out from the nape, used her Vertical Maneuvering Equipment to leap onto the Fate Titan's neck, drew her blade to slice it open, and dragged out the pale-faced Yago.
"Yago, Yago! Are you okay?" Annie asked anxiously while holding him. Yago endured the pain and shook his head, then tremblingly raised a hand and pointed toward the distant pillar of dark red lightning.
A piercing screech came from within the pillar of light, as if countless animal roars had been mixed together. Anyone who heard it instinctively felt a sense of physical discomfort.
As the dark red arcs of electricity gradually dissipated, a brand-new Titan appeared before everyone. Yago couldn't help but widen his eyes as he stared at the pitch-black figure in front of him.
It had the same fifteen-meter-tall body, yet this Titan sent chills down one's spine. Its entire body was a dull blackish-brown, and its eye sockets were completely empty—just two hollow voids, with only two faint crimson glimmers barely visible within.
Two rows of sharp teeth were exposed, seemingly emitting a dark aura. But what truly made one's hair stand on end was its body—this Titan looked as though it consisted of nothing but bones and skin. The skin clung tightly to its skeletal frame, and every bone and joint could be clearly seen through it.
Was this even a Titan? It was more like a giant skeleton draped in skin.
As the pain in his head gradually subsided, Yago's consciousness slowly cleared. When he saw this Skeleton-like Titan, aside from shock, he also felt a strange sense of familiarity.
"What the hell is that thing? Why is it so ugly?" Inside the Attack Titan's nape, Eren was also startled by the grotesque Skeleton Titan. Mikasa stood on the Attack Titan's shoulder with her blade in hand, and its appearance made her feel uncomfortable as well.
For the Crimson Flame Titan, which had fallen into madness, it didn't matter whether you were ugly or beautiful—everything would be reduced to ashes!
Gas accumulated in its mouth surged out, and with a flicker of sparks, the flames of vengeance were fully ignited.
Blazing flames approaching a thousand degrees erupted forth. Even the Armored Titan at its peak wouldn't dare to face such heat head-on. Yet the Skeleton-like Titan neither dodged nor evaded, allowing the flames to engulf its body.
Crack! Under the scorching flames, the Skeleton Titan's body visibly twisted and deformed. Its skin carbonized, its bones creaked, and it looked so fragile that it seemed like it would collapse at any moment.
However, a layer of eerie black aura seemed to wrap around its body. In just a few seconds, the Skeleton Titan straightened once more. The carbonized skin fell away, and the warped bones returned to rigidity.
Soon, the newly restored Skeleton Titan was scorched and deformed again, as if a loop had been activated—twisting, recovering, over and over again...
Inside the Crimson Flame Titan's nape, Newt's pupils shrank. He had never expected such a situation. The bizarre Titan that Ebson had transformed into could actually survive the Crimson Flame Titan's blazing inferno?
There was no time to think anymore. Newt had no other thoughts left—today, either he or Ebson would die!
The Crimson Flame Titan opened its mouth even wider, unleashing even more terrifying flames, while its massive body charged toward the Skeleton Titan.
Facing the approaching Crimson Flame Titan, the Skeleton Titan slightly opened its mouth filled with sharp teeth, revealing an extremely chilling, horrifying smile.
"What the hell is that skeleton thing?" A figure landed beside Yago and Annie, voice cold and eyes sharp—it was Levi, holding twin blades.
Supported by Annie, Yago stood up, his expression serious.
"I don't know, but Squad Leader, I have a feeling—we absolutely can't let it escape. We have to eliminate it!"
Levi glanced at the weakened Yago and frowned.
"Already worn out after such a short time? Weren't you the top of your training class? Now you're not even as good as Eren?"
Yago choked on his words. He wanted to say it was an accident—that something suddenly went wrong just now and he weakened out of nowhere. It wasn't that he was weak… wait. Suddenly weakening was still weakening, wasn't it? Why did explaining it feel even worse?
So Yago was left speechless. Of course, Levi was only teasing casually. He turned his gaze back to the Skeleton Titan and said coldly,
"That thing—I'll handle it."
Crack! Two dry, skeletal arms pierced straight through the Crimson Flame Titan's throat. After coughing out two final bursts of flame, its massive jaw went limp and drooped down.
The Skeleton Titan casually pulled its arms back out. No one saw how it happened—not even Newt reacted. It was as if everything flickered for a moment, and then a wave of intense pain surged through his body as he was forcibly yanked out of the Crimson Flame Titan's nape.
"Ugh!" He uncontrollably spat out a large mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. The Skeleton Titan's grip nearly crushed his body. Trembling, Newt lifted his head and looked at the grotesque Skeleton Titan.
He felt utterly useless. He had given everything to avenge Anna, yet in the end, he hadn't even managed to injure Ebson. Now he was being held in the Skeleton Titan's hand.
Blood kept flowing from his mouth. Moonlight poured down from the night sky onto his face. In his fading vision, a soft white glow appeared—and within it, Anna seemed to be gently waiting for him.
"Anna..." Newt whispered his lover's name one last time.
The skin on the Skeleton Titan's face contracted, revealing that sinister grin once again. Holding Newt, it extended a thumb and pressed it against his head—then applied force, while its entire hand clenched tightly.
Splurt!! Blood and flesh exploded outward. Streams of blood flowed down the Skeleton Titan's hand as it casually tossed aside the mangled remains in its palm. For Ebson, eliminating a worthless defective was quite satisfying—but too much time had already been wasted. It was time to leave.
Rip! The Skeleton Titan suddenly paused—its nape had been sliced open in an instant. Yet almost no blood seeped out. The dark brown skin, emitting black aura, healed almost immediately. The Skeleton Titan turned its head, its twisted face looking up at the sky.
"Disgusting thing. Sorry, but you're staying here today!" Levi's eyes were filled with obvious disdain, the blades in his hands flashing with a sharp, cold gleam.
For someone with a cleanliness obsession like Squad Leader, the hideous Skeleton Titan was truly offensive. Even without Yago's request, Levi had no intention of letting such a disgusting monstrosity run free.
...
"Move out!" Magath led part of the Marleyan soldiers, escorting the dazed Willy as they prepared to break through and leave the venue immediately. The Marleyan warriors had been nearly wiped out, and the situation in the capital outside was probably no better. Magath made a decisive call—retreat at once.
Some surviving Marleyan nobles and representatives of various nations, terrified by the Titan battle, followed desperately behind them as if grasping at a lifeline.
"Stop right there!" With a loud shout, hundreds of soldiers from the Eldian Revival Army, wearing red scarves, raised their rifles and blocked Magath's retreat path.
Serena stepped to the front of the formation, took a deep breath, and said,
"Commander Magath, Mr. Tybur, please surrender. Tonight's victory belongs to the Eldians!"
As her words fell, figures appeared one after another on the rooftops on both sides of the road. The hissing sound of Vertical Maneuvering Equipment gas was crystal clear, and countless Thunder Spears were aimed at Magath's group.
Thud!
"Roar!!"
At the rear of Magath's group, a Titan rushed in from the distance, letting out a threatening roar. The protruding blade on its head shone like a crown, and in its hand it held the hardened crystal containing Lara Tybur—the royal-blooded Jaw Titan!
Surrounded on all sides, Magath and his group were completely trapped here.
Was everything finally decided?