Zeke Yeager, as the Warrior Chief, was unmatched in strategy, foresight, and personal combat. Facing Lillian, who circled him using his small frame, he immediately adapted his tactics.
He brought his legs together, crouched low, reducing his profile and minimizing openings. This not only countered Lillian's speed but prevented him from slipping underneath.
Two massive arms, each several meters long, swung relentlessly toward Lillian. He dodged and weaved as best he could. With his current physical conditioning, taking a full strike from the Beast Titan would be fatal. The only viable tactic was guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks.
It didn't take long for Zeke to show signs of impatience. Unlike Lillian, the Beast Titan consumed considerable stamina when transformed. At 17 meters tall and having just used the Coordinate's power, plus all this movement, he had likely already expended at least a third of his energy.
Yet Lillian showed no signs of fatigue—no flushed face, no heavy breathing—bouncing around effortlessly. The truth was, his overall stamina rivaled Zeke's, but the size-to-energy ratio favored Lillian immensely.
It was like comparing a fully loaded truck to a compact car: with the same amount of fuel, the truck burns through it faster simply because it has to move so much mass. Similarly, Zeke's enormous body required tremendous effort for each motion, whereas Lillian had a massive advantage. This is why he cautiously danced around the attacks rather than rushing to strike at Zeke's nape.
---
"This won't do…" Zeke thought. He wanted to negotiate with Lillian, but not on Lillian's terms—he had no intention of being pulled out of his Titan body alive. His plan was to knock Lillian down first. But judging by the current situation, it seemed more likely that Zeke himself would exhaust his energy before Lillian could be subdued.
A flicker of thought crossed Zeke's mind. He suddenly stood upright, letting his arms drop to his sides. The hand that had been protecting his nape shifted slightly, leaving a narrow opening.
Lillian noticed and studied the Beast Titan's face. Seizing the opportunity, he leapt toward the exposed nape, ready to strike. But just as his blade neared, the massive hand covering Zeke's neck twisted violently, snapping back with blinding speed!
'Good!' Lillian thought.
He had expected Zeke wouldn't make such a mistake; it had to be a deliberate feint. Mentally prepared, Lillian flung his war scythe as Zeke's hand rose.
Thuk!
The scythe struck Zeke's hand, momentarily halting the swing. Lillian used the opening to draw twin blades from his ODM gear.
With his mobility boosted by a full gas blast, he sprinted midair straight at Zeke, plunging the blades into both eyes.
Thuk—!
"AAAH!!"
Zeke roared in pain, yet didn't panic. He immediately made a precise decision, toppling his massive body backward. The idea was to press his nape against a wall, making it impossible for Lillian to strike.
Lillian had anticipated this move. After piercing Zeke's eyes, he swapped blades, launched behind the Titan, and slashed at the nape. The nape revealed Zeke's true form, which Lillian yanked free and slammed onto the ground.
Bang!
As Zeke struggled to rise, Lillian already had the scythe poised at his throat.
"…Heh," Zeke muttered bitterly. "Impressive, Lillian Kafka."
"I said I don't like looking up at people when talking," Lillian replied calmly.
It was fortunate that Zeke had chosen this tactic. Had he opted for steady, cautious attacks, the fight could have dragged on indefinitely. Lillian's knowledge of Zeke gave him an edge—Zeke had no idea he was being read.
Lillian glanced toward the wall. Annie was fully restrained by Reiner, clearly nearing defeat. Ymir's condition was worsening as her movements slowed—stamina failure was evident.
"Do you want me to make them stop?" Zeke asked, removing his glasses to wipe them clean.
"No need. Help has arrived."
Upon seeing the events on the wall, the Cart Titan abandoned its fight with Ymir and charged toward the wall to rescue Zeke. Ymir followed close behind. The two Titans moved in quick succession.
"Don't you worry about me cutting him down?" Lillian called to the approaching Cart Titan. It ignored him, charging straight ahead.
She's assuming I won't strike… fair enough.
Lillian flung Zeke backward to avoid him being swallowed by the Cart Titan, then swung his scythe. Trapped between wolf and tiger, the Cart Titan, though agile, could not escape the combined attack of Lillian and Ymir.
It dodged Lillian's strike, but Ymir seized the moment, biting down on its right leg. The immense force snapped the limb, reducing the Titan's mobility. Lillian struck again, splitting its head and exposing Pieck within.
Their eyes met; Lillian saw her shock, but wasted no words. He pulled Pieck free and struck her on the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.
Three Marleyan Titans had been subdued: two by Lillian's team, and one—Reiner—still fighting Annie. Ymir moved to intervene, but Lillian stopped her.
"Why?" she asked silently, confused.
Lillian frowned, eyes on Annie, and said, "Let her handle her own fight."
Annie was clearly holding back, still indecisive about facing Reiner. With her power, she might not win, but she wouldn't be entirely on the defensive like this.
Until she made a firm decision, Lillian would not intervene. He had told Annie this harsh truth before:
{There's no perfect way to face your enemy. Safety and peace for everyone is impossible}
---
Reiner, equally anxious, surveyed the wall. The seemingly invincible Warrior chief had been defeated, and Pieck was captured. Now, the only hope rested on him.
He had to defeat Annie first, then try to rescue the chief and Pieck. Fighting outright was impossible. He would secure them and escape.
He launched a heavy punch at Annie, sending her flying backward.
Come on, Annie… is this your true strength? No. You know fighting me now is wrong. So why hesitate? Return.
Annie lay on the ground, gazing at the crescent moon above. How did it come to this? What am I even fighting for—ideals, dreams, or friendship?
She thought of Lillian warning her about Bertholdt's capture, and then the sudden emergence of a dozen surrounding Titans.
Those Titans… must be Eldians Zeke and the others had gathered—possibly from the internment camp, or just a nearby village.
They had companions and loved ones, just like she once did. Could Reiner still fight so steadfastly after realizing this? Had he even considered it?
Annie stood up, eyes fixed on Reiner, her fists raised, right leg bent, ready in her usual martial stance.
"As long as I defeat you… I can just ask afterward, right?"