A shout cut through the air, sharp and commanding. "Fire!!!" The voice seemed to echo from every direction, and in an instant, the sky filled with the menacing whistle of grappling hooks, shot from barrel-like devices positioned strategically around the forest. The hooks buried themselves deep into Annie's flesh, the barbs anchoring her in place, stopping her dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend how swiftly the tables had turned.
"Hey, bitch. Been a while..." The voice came again, this time with a cold, mocking tone that sent a chill through the air. Eren Yeager, the Owl, stood with a fierce intensity, flanked by Erwin Smith and a battalion of scout members who had been waiting for this very moment. Annie, usually so composed and in control, found herself stunned, unable to react as the trap closed around her.
Before she could even attempt to defend herself, Eren was already upon, moving with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, he severed her ankles and sliced through the joints beside her knees with brutal precision, leaving her immobile. The female titan, once a symbol of unstoppable force, was now helpless, pinned to a corner like a wounded beast. The situation spiraled beyond her grasp as she dropped to her knees, her towering form crashing down with a tremor that shook the earth beneath them.
Levi, never one to waste time, followed up with deadly efficiency. He threw his blades with pinpoint accuracy, both landing directly in Annie's eyes, blinding her instantly. The titan let out a deafening roar of pain, her hands clutching at her face as she thrashed in agony. But it was too late—she was trapped, her sight gone, her mobility crippled. The female titan had been neutralized.
"Now, Eren..." Levi's voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried a weight of finality. His eyes, still filled with that terrifying calm, flicked toward Eren.
Eren nodded, drawing out a fresh set of blades, his face set in grim determination. The female titan was on her knees before him, thrashing in her weakened state, her enormous body heaving as she fought against the pain. Every slash, every cut that had torn through her skin was precise, leaving her immobile but still alive. As Eren approached her nape, the final target, Annie's panicked thoughts echoed inside her titan body.
"What the hell is happening... Why can't I see anything? Did they take out my eyes...?" Annie muttered to herself unable to catch up with Eren's or Levi's agility, her mind spinning in a haze of confusion and pain. The agony was unbearable, searing through her nerves as she realized just how methodically they had dismantled her defenses. Her entire body had been sliced open, her flesh hanging in neat, brutal cuts, save for two critical points—her nape and her jaws.
She quickly understood why. "They're aiming for my nape," she thought, panic setting in. Her jaws, though, were protected—hardened into an impenetrable crystal. She had learned from her encounter with Eren at Trost, where he had torn the Armored Titan apart with his attack titan's raw power. Desperately, she crystalized her jaws, knowing it was her only defense.
"Tch... bitch is smart," Eren muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Her jaws are hardened, but not for long..." He knew what to do next. With practiced precision, he leaped from his position, ascending above her as his body shimmered with the telltale light of transformation. In an instant, he became the Attack Titan, his enormous figure landing with a deafening crash, the ground trembling beneath his feet.
Eren's titan stood tall, menacing and powerful. His hands hung loosely at his sides, his shoulders relaxed, and his eyes closed as if drawing strength from within.
Sigh
He exhaled slowly, a deep sigh that echoed from his titan form, a sound that resonated with power. The combination of the Attack Titan's raw might and the agility of his Ackerman instincts fused together, making him more dangerous than ever before.
"Hahhhhhh..." Eren took in a slow, deliberate breath, feeling the surge of energy coursing through his titan body. The transformation was complete, and he could feel his connection to the titan's instincts deepening with his Ackerman powers. His senses sharpened, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike.
The female titan let out a shrill, blood-curdling scream, her voice filled with a mix of fear and frustration. She knew Eren was planning something, but in her weakened state, she could do nothing to stop it. Her screams reverberated through the air, echoing across the battlefield calling for help.
"Scouts, don't let any titans get near her!" Erwin's voice rang out, commanding the soldiers who stood ready. They tightened their formation, preparing for the inevitable surge of titans that would be drawn to the fight. Erwin knew exactly what was coming next—Eren was about to finish this battle, and nothing could interfere.
Annie, sensing the danger, frantically channeled her remaining energy into her eyes. She had to see, had to find a way to stop him. Her vision returned just in time to see a blur of motion—Levi.
"RELEASE HER!" Erwin's commanding voice cut through the chaos, echoing across the battlefield like thunder. For a brief moment, the air seemed to still, the scouts hesitating as the unexpected order rang in their ears. Confused but obedient, they quickly retracted the hooks that had been embedded in Annie's wounded titan body. The metallic clatter of the cables snapping back into their barrels reverberated through the trees, leaving the female titan momentarily free.
"Wait... did they release me? Are they drunk?" Annie thought, her mind racing as she struggled to comprehend the sudden change in tactics. Her titan form, weakened and bleeding, shifted as she cautiously turned to look behind her. And there it was—the Attack Titan, towering over her, its glowing green eyes piercing through the haze. Eren's gaze was calm yet predatory, a menacing demeanor that made her skin crawl even in her titan state. He stood with an unsettling stillness, like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Her instincts screamed at her to act. Without wasting another second, Annie, now with her joints healed thanks to her titan's regenerative abilities, lunged forward. Her movements were desperate and uncalculated, driven by a mixture of panic and pain. She charged toward Eren, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of determination and fear. With a snarl, she hardened her fist, preparing to deliver a devastating punch aimed straight for Eren's neck—the kill shot.
"Idiot..." Eren muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible but filled with cold disdain. In a swift, fluid motion, he leaned slightly to the right, effortlessly dodging her clumsy attack. His eyes remained fixed on her, unblinking, as his body coiled with raw power.
Then, without hesitation, he countered. His fist shot out like a bullet, connecting directly with the female titan's gut. The impact was immediate and devastating. The sheer force of the punch sent Annie flying backward, her massive body skidding across the grass, carving deep, muddy grooves into the earth as her feet dragged helplessly behind her. The ground shook with the weight of her collapse.
Blood spurted from the female titan's mouth, a sickening curl of crimson spilling onto her chest. The single punch had left her reeling, her body trembling from the shock. The damage was profound—Eren's strength, amplified by the combination of his Attack Titan form and his Ackerman instincts, was far beyond anything she had anticipated.
"No... there's no way." Annie thought, her vision blurring from the pain. She coughed, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. How could one punch have done so much damage? Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of it. Her gaze, frantic and wild, darted around the battlefield, searching for any sign of weakness, any opening she could exploit. But what she saw only deepened her despair.
The scouts, those same soldiers she had once dismissed as mere obstacles, were now fighting like demons against the aberrant titans that she had called out for help. They moved with deadly precision, cutting through the monstrous figures with ease. The once menacing titans were falling, one after the other, unable to break the scouts' disciplined formations. Every swing of their blades, every flare shot into the sky, was a testament to their unyielding resolve.
Annie gulped, her throat dry with fear. She could feel the weight of the inevitable pressing down on her. Her eyes, wide and filled with dread, finally rested on the figure standing directly in front of her—the one responsible for her downfall.
Eren Yeager.
The killer, the hunter, stood calmly, his titan form emanating an aura of terrifying power. His fists were still clenched, blood splattered across his knuckles from the punch that had sent her reeling. His eyes bore into hers, unwavering, full of cold, calculated fury. This was no longer a battle she could win. She knew it. He knew it.
The female titan's heart raced as she realized the truth: Eren wasn't just fighting to survive. He was fighting to kill.
"I won't lose, not to some damn brat..." Annie muttered through gritted teeth, her resolve hardening along with her body. The pain from her earlier injuries was screaming through her senses, but she pushed it aside. Her hands clenched into tight fists, rising just in front of her face as she shifted into a defensive stance. Her knees bent slightly, with her left toe grazing the ground, preparing herself for the brutal hand-to-hand combat that was about to unfold. Despite the overwhelming odds, she wasn't about to let herself be outdone by Eren.
Levi, a blur of lethal precision, continued to dispatch the approaching aberrants, cutting them down with the same cold efficiency he was known for. His focus remained sharp, his attention divided between protecting Eren and eliminating any threats that neared. The scouts, emboldened by Levi's ruthless defense, held their ground as they ensured no titan would interfere in the climactic battle unfolding between Eren and Annie.
"Come on now... I'll show you, you arrogant bitch..." Eren growled, his voice dripping with venom. His titan form, monstrous and imposing, began advancing toward Annie at a measured, almost terrifyingly slow pace. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, each step reverberating through the ground beneath him. With every movement, his eyes never left hers, the fury and hatred burning within them clear for all to see.
Whoosh!
Annie, desperation fueling her, swung a heavy punch toward Eren's head, but he saw it coming. With ease, Eren sidestepped the attack, his movements smooth and calculated. Annie barely had time to react before she lashed out again, this time with a powerful circular kick aimed directly at his chest. But once again, Eren was quicker. His hands shot out, grabbing her leg crushing the bone with a vice-like grip.
For a brief moment, everything seemed to stop. The sheer power behind his hold was terrifying.
With a roar of effort, Eren lifted the female titan off the ground , her massive form momentarily weightless in his grip. Then, with a bone-shattering force, he slammed her into the earth. The impact was brutal. The ground cracked and cratered beneath her, dirt and debris flying into the air as her titan body collided with the unforgiving surface. The once-unstoppable female titan lay stunned, her chest heaving as she struggled to regain her bearings.
"Where's that fucking grin gone, eh?" Eren snarled, his voice filled with unbridled rage. He wasted no time as he leaned down, grabbing her by her hair with one massive hand. The female titan, once so poised and dangerous, was now at his mercy. With a cruel twist of his arm, he lifted her head off the ground and, with his free hand, delivered a savage punch straight into her face.
Annie had hardened her jaws, expecting to shield herself from his attack, but it was her teeth—her fragile, unprotected teeth—that bore the brunt of Eren's assault. The impact sent cracks splintering through her mouth, her teeth shattering under the force of the punch.
"Wait... don't tell me..." Annie's thoughts raced as she felt the sharp pain coursing through her titan form. Panic began to rise in her chest. Her jaw was crystallized, but her teeth were still vulnerable, ordinary bones no match for the sheer force Eren was wielding against her. Her mind scrambled for a way out, but before she could react, her body acted instinctively.
A deafening scream erupted from the female titan, the sound so piercing and raw that it seemed to shake the very earth beneath them. The other scouts, even those hardened by years of combat, winced and covered their ears, the agonizing noise threatening to burst their eardrums. But the scream did nothing to stop Eren. If anything, it only fueled the fury burning within him.
His grip tightened around her neck, fingers digging into the hardened skin as he hoisted her up again. The female titan flailed, but it was futile—Eren's strength was overwhelming. With a primal grunt, he slammed her back into the ground, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the forest. The earth beneath them splintered, cracks spidering out in all directions.
This time, Eren didn't stop. He leaped onto her prone body, straddling her chest as he rained down punch after punch onto her face. Each blow landed with sickening force, the bones in her skull creaking under the relentless barrage. Blood sprayed from the impact points, staining the ground beneath them. Each punch carried with it a lifetime of anger, of frustration, of pain. Every hit was a release of the torment Eren had bottled up for so long.
"ARGHHHH!" Eren roared, his fist crashing into her face again, the sheer power of his strikes blurring the line between man and beast. His rage was uncontainable, his titan form embodying the violent wrath that surged through his veins.
Annie, helpless beneath him, could do nothing but endure the savage onslaught. Her vision blurred, her thoughts fragmented. The invincible female titan, once feared by all, was being systematically torn apart by Eren's fury. With every punch, her body grew weaker, her resistance crumbling as she realized just how outmatched she was.
"No, please don't..." Annie's voice wavered, trembling with a fear she had never allowed herself to show before. Her once menacing figure was now pitiful, her mouth gaping slightly as the crystalized armor around her jaws began to crack. A hole had formed in the center, granting Eren complete access to her vulnerable insides. She was defenseless, and she knew it.
"Let's do this, shall we..." Eren whispered darkly, his words laced with cruelty. His titan form evaporated around him, leaving behind the human boy with an insatiable thirst for revenge. His body, radiated a terrifying, unrestrained fury. He stood tall, towering over Annie's broken titan, his fists clenched and ready to tear her apart just like he did with Reiner. The mere sight of him sent a wave of goosebumps down Annie's dislocated spine.
"Please, I beg you..." The female titan's voice cracked as Annie's desperation turned into audible pleading. Her titan form, which once instilled fear in the hearts of many, had been reduced to a shadow of its former self, now completely at the mercy of the boy she had once mocked and pursued.
For a fleeting moment, the battlefield grew eerily still. The other scouts, their eyes wide with disbelief, froze. The female titan was speaking, pleading for her life—something no one had expected, a voice that hadn't shown such vulnerability until now. But Eren didn't flinch, his cold, unwavering gaze fixed on her.
With a sly, almost sadistic grin spreading across his face, Eren whispered, "Too late..."
He raised his hand, ready to jump inside her and transform, his every movement charged with the promise of destruction. But then, something shifted. Eren's instincts screamed at him, a sudden sense of danger prickling his skin. His eyes darted skyward, catching sight of something forming above—a massive, glowing thunderbolt crackling in the sky like a harbinger of doom.