The battlefield was chaos. The air burned with the remnants of the Colossal Titan's destructive steam, swirling around Erwin as he stood at the heart of the carnage.
Around him, the Survey Corps moved with precision, the crack of gunfire and the shrill screams of Titans filling the air. But Erwin barely registered them.
His senses were drowned by the overwhelming power coursing through his Titan form, and yet, despite the overwhelming might he wielded, there was a part of him that remained conscious—a part of him that was still human, still aware of the responsibility he carried.
He had to control this.
The Colossal Titan was a weapon like none other, its immense size and destructive power unmatched. But with that power came the constant threat of losing himself to the primal instincts of the creature inside him.
Each time he used it, he felt a little more detached from the man he had been—Erwin Smith, leader of the Survey Corps, the one who had always placed humanity's future above all else.
But for now, he was a Titan. He had no choice.
"Erwin!" Mikasa's voice cut through the smoke and the dust. She was on the ground below him, moving with the same fluid grace she always had, slicing through Titans with deadly precision. Her eyes were fixed on him, but there was concern in them that he couldn't ignore.
He met her gaze with a fleeting sense of guilt. Mikasa, Levi, all of them—had they made the right choice?
Saving him had been a gamble, a decision based on trust. But was it worth the risk?
The longer he fought, the more the burden weighed on his shoulders.
But there was no time for doubt.
A roar split the air as a colossal shadow loomed in the distance. It was the Armored Titan, its impenetrable body a force to be reckoned with.
The ground trembled with each step it took, its armored skin reflecting the dim light of the overcast sky.
The Titan's eyes locked onto Erwin's colossal form, narrowing in a challenge that could only mean one thing: battle.
Erwin's Titan instincts flared. The tension in his body surged, and for a moment, he was overwhelmed with the urge to strike, to obliterate this foe.
He could feel the heat in his body rising, a natural response to the looming threat. But something held him back—something that, despite everything, still tethered him to his human side.
"Erwin," Levi's voice crackled through the communication device, "get it together. We're not losing another Titan."
Erwin's colossal hands clenched, the claws of his Titan form digging into the earth.
The need to fight was powerful, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold it in check. His mind reeled, trying to regain focus. He had to be the leader. He had to set the example.
Without warning, the Armored Titan charged.
With a roar, it slammed into Erwin's massive body, its thick, armored shell slamming into his chest with the force of a boulder.
The collision sent shockwaves through the ground, and Erwin staggered back, momentarily losing his balance. His colossal body groaned under the pressure, but the sensation of pain was distant, almost irrelevant in the face of his new power.
He didn't need to feel it—he had to act.
Erwin's Titan form retaliated with a sweeping motion, his claws cutting through the air like blades. He swiped at the Armored Titan, aiming for its weak spots, but the thick armor deflected the blow. The Armored Titan responded by charging again, its armored fists pounding into Erwin's massive frame.
"Focus!" Levi's voice came again, more insistent now. "You have to remember what's at stake."
The words cut through the haze in Erwin's mind, grounding him.
He wasn't just fighting for survival. He was fighting for humanity. He was fighting for the future they had all dreamed of. He couldn't let this Titan form consume him—he had to remain in control.
With a growl, Erwin pushed forward, his Titan form surging with power. He raised one hand and slammed it into the Armored Titan's side, sending it crashing to the ground. The sheer force of the impact created a crater, but the Armored Titan quickly regained its footing, its eyes burning with fury.
For a moment, the two Titans locked eyes—an unspoken challenge passing between them. The Armored Titan charged again, but this time, Erwin was ready.
He surged forward, closing the distance with terrifying speed for such a massive creature. His claws shot out, aiming for the Armored Titan's unprotected neck.
The Colossal Titan's raw strength was overwhelming, but Erwin knew that if he relied purely on brute force, he'd never win. The Armored Titan was too resilient. He had to think strategically.
Erwin's mind cleared, and in that moment, he found his opening. With a swift motion, he grabbed the Armored Titan's head, twisting its neck with all the strength the Colossal Titan could muster.
The Armored Titan let out a muffled roar, but before it could retaliate, Erwin thrust his hand down, driving the Titan's head into the earth with an explosive crash.
For a moment, the battlefield fell into silence, broken only by the distant sounds of the remaining Titans being dealt with by the rest of the Corps. Erwin's Titan form stood tall, towering over the fallen Armored Titan, breathing heavily, the steam rising from his body like a tempest.
Mikasa and Levi approached cautiously, their expressions unreadable. The victory was theirs, but it came at a cost—Erwin's control over the Colossal Titan was fragile at best.
"Is it over?" Mikasa asked, her voice low.
Erwin nodded, his colossal form shaking with exhaustion. "For now."
The fight had been brutal, but it wasn't over. The Titans were still a threat, and Marley's forces would come again. They had won the battle, but the war was far from over.
Levi stepped forward, his eyes narrowing at Erwin's Titan form. "You're not the same, Erwin. Don't forget that."
Erwin's heart clenched at his words. He had always been the one to lead, to carry the weight of humanity's hopes. But now, that weight felt heavier than ever. He was no longer just a man; he was something far more powerful, and that power came with a cost.
"I won't forget," Erwin whispered, more to himself than to anyone else.
The battle had been won, but the cost of victory was beginning to sink in. Erwin knew that this was only the beginning. The true test was yet to come. Would he be able to control the beast within him, or would the Colossal Titan consume him entirely?
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