"COMMANDER ZEKEEEEE!" a voice screeched from the distance. A mysterious figure, face obscured by a hood, maneuvered through the chaos with their ODM gear. Eren's eyes widened shining like glistening emeralds in the fading light. "Don't move..." he growled as bertholdt felt a serge of electricity deep inside him, but the command came too late.
Hovering mid-air, Bertholdt had already begun his transformation, his hand raised high. In an instant, the familiar glow surrounded him as he turned into the Colossal Titan. The ground beneath trembled violently. The very atmosphere became heavy with impending doom. "TAKE COVER, SCOUTS!" Erwin's voice thundered through the battlefield, his command cutting through the chaos like a blade. He knew all too well what was coming—the devastating explosion that would follow.
"AGHH..." Eren's mind raced. The Colossal Titan's transformation was not just a spectacle; it was a weapon, a bomb set to obliterate everything within its radius. And Eren stood right at the epicenter, clutching Zeke and Pieck as the target bore down on him.
The ground beneath him quaked violently, cracks forming as the shockwave spread outward. In that single, critical moment, Eren's focus wavered—just a second, but that's all it took. The Armored Titan, having recovered, saw his opportunity and charged at full speed, racing to retrieve Zeke and Pieck. The explosive power of the Colossal Titan loomed, seconds from detonating.
"How the hell am I supposed to maneuver with both of these... Should I take one of them?" Eren's mind spun wildly. There wasn't enough time to think, only to act. He could feel the heat of Bertholdt's transformation, the very air warping from the force.
Everything was closing in—his enemies, the shockwave, the colossal heat. His options were limited, and time was running out.
Reiner's massive form dived on top of Eren with jaws wide open, and for a moment, Eren thought the Armored Titan was about to devour him along with the others. But as the heat from Bertholdt's transformation intensified, Eren realized the truth. The real motive wasn't to eat them—it was to shield Zeke and Pieck from the incoming explosion. Only the Armored Titan had the strength to withstand the devastating blast.
A faint grin curled on Eren's face amidst the chaos. "Thanks, idiot..." he muttered, throwing the unconscious Zeke and severely injured Pieck into the safety of Reiner's mouth. Without hesitation, Eren leaped in after them, bracing for impact.
BOOM
The explosion that followed was cataclysmic, annihilating everything in its wake. The shockwave leveled the landscape, flames consuming all in its path. Scouts screamed as their skin burned away, muscles and flesh melting from their bones. Eyes boiled in their sockets, leaving behind only charred skeletons. The devastation was absolute.
But amidst the fiery inferno, Erwin and Hange somehow managed to survive, alongside forty-eight other scouts, though they were scattered and wounded.
Sigh
Inside Reiner's armored stomach, Eren took a deep breath. His mind raced. He'd been in worse spots before, but this was cutting it close. He bit down on his hand, the familiar sensation of transformation flooding his senses. In a matter of seconds, Eren's Attack Titan tore through the Armored Titan's insides, ripping him apart from within—just as he had done in Trost.
"Idiot, you never learn..." Eren whispered, his gaze focused on the destruction Bertholdt caused. But this time, something was off. He had ripped through Reiner's nape, only to find it... empty. His eyes widened in disbelief.
Pieck and Zeke were gone.
He looked around, taking in the scorched battlefield. The charred remains of the Beast Titan and Cart Titan lay lifeless, but the massive figure of the Colossal Titan loomed in the distance, still radiating immense heat and destruction. It was clear now—Reiner had used the explosion and chaos as a distraction, retreating with the two wielders while Eren had been focused on tearing the Armored Titan.
Eren clenched his fists, feeling a mix of anger and frustration. His enemies had slipped through his fingers yet again, but he knew this battle was far from over. They had bought time, but Eren still had his goal in sight.
This wasn't the end.
The entire forest had become an inferno, resembling a battle straight from the depths of hell. The heat was unbearable, making the few surviving scouts faint from dehydration while others coughed violently, their throats scorched by the searing air.
"Haaaa!" With a fierce battle cry, Eren desperately tried to close the distance between himself and the Colossal Titan. But the overwhelming heat, the thick steam, and the crushing pressure made maneuvering impossible.
His grapple hooks failed to find purchase, and the force from the steam sent him flying backward. Though he managed to regain his balance mid-air, the Colossal Titan continued its menacing march in the opposite direction, slowly decreasing its steam output, but still emitting enough to remain untouchable.
"Bastard! You won't get away with this!" Eren shouted, frustration bubbling up inside him. His rage was palpable, but before he could make another move, a firm voice cut through the chaos.
"Eren, stop. You don't have the strength left. We'll get them another day..." Erwin's voice was calm, unwavering, despite the devastation surrounding them. His command was absolute, and though Eren's fists clenched in resistance, he knew Erwin was right. His body was pushed to the limit, and continuing the fight would be a suicide mission.
Reluctantly, Eren nodded and approached the commander. But as he walked, the question gnawed in Erwin's mind: How had he made The Armoured Titan kneel before him?
As he neared the others, a familiar manic voice cut through the haze. "Awesome, Eren! Hahahaha! Awesome... You saw them, huh? You saw the wielders, didn't you?" Hange, with her usual psychotic grin, approached him with gleaming eyes, hungry for answers.
Eren, his expression tired but focused, met Hange's gaze. He had seen more than anyone today—faced not only the Armored Titan, but the Colossal, Cart, and Beast Titans as well. But amidst the exhaustion, one thing was clear: he was starting to unlock powers even he couldn't fully understand yet. The war inside him was far from over.
"Ya, I did..." Eren whispered, his voice carrying a weight of disappointment. Despite all his efforts, despite the brutal fight, he hadn't been able to capture a single Titan Shifter. The thought gnawed at him, and frustration boiled beneath his calm exterior.
Erwin, ever composed, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it. You've done great, Eren. I'm proud of you. We'll get them next time. Now that we know more about their numbers, we'll have the upper hand."
Just then, a scout called out, his voice tense, "Commander! Black flares!"
Eren's heart skipped a beat as the wave of realization crashed into him. "Levi... Petra... Oluo... Gunther... Eld... Jean..." His mind raced. Jean—posing as him, the decoy. The Levi squad was out there, fighting off Aberrants and the Female Titan, believing they were protecting him. But if Annie realized Jean was a fake...
"I have to go," Eren said, his voice a mix of urgency and dread.
"You're out of strength, Eren," Erwin's tone was firm but understanding. "I'll send scouts ahead to help them."
Eren shook his head. "Sorry, Commander, but I promised Jean. I told him I'd keep him safe. If the Female Titan finds out he's a replacement... she'll kill him. And I won't be able to live with that. I have to go."
Without waiting for approval, Eren activated his gear, a burst of steam and gas propelling him forward.
Despite his exhaustion, Eren kept moving forward, eyes scanning the trees, following the massive footprints left by the Female Titan. Every titan that dared cross his path was torn apart without mercy. The once serene and peaceful forest now lay in ruins, but that no longer mattered. Eren, without a second thought or care for efficiency, burned through his gas supply, racing towards his squad.
Meanwhile, Levi's squad was desperately fleeing from the Female Titan, gaining as much high ground as they could. But it was only a matter of time before they ran out of gas. "Vice Commander, where are you... you promised..." Jean muttered under his breath with dissapointment.
"Hey, Petra, what are your orders? We can't keep running forever. I'm almost out of gas." Oluo called out, his voice tense, as Petra, second in command after Levi, struggled to maintain control.
Levi, meanwhile, found himself ambushed by a pack of Aberrants while he was giving chase to the Female Titan. It was as if the Female Titan had anticipated his pursuit.
"Shit, there's too many of them..." Levi growled, slashing through titan after titan, trying to carve a path. But with all of them towering at 13 meters, it was hard to break through.
Yet fortune seemed to favor him. With a swift evasion, Levi dodged a titan's massive strike, sliding cleanly past its limb. Seizing the moment, he ascended towards the upper branches, closing the distance between him and his squad.
"Hey, Jean, keep running. Don't look back, okay?" Petra's voice was calm but firm as she reassured him.
"Wait, what...?" Jean's confusion lingered in the air, but before he could react, Petra's command cut through the tension. "Levi Squad, move out! Take down the Female Titan at all costs! Don't let her reach Eren!" she shouted, her voice full of resolve.
The Levi Squad, understanding the gravity of the situation, sprang into action. The massive hand of the blonde titan was already reaching for Jean, her grasp almost closing in. But in a swift, synchronized moment, the squad halted mid-air, descending like deadly shadows, each member aiming for a critical point.
Eld and Gunther targeted the ankles, Petra went for the eyes, and Oluo aimed for the nape. But the attack was a ruse. Just as Petra was about to strike the eyes, she shifted her movement, slicing into the armpits instead, rendering the titan's hands immobile. Gunther and Eld, who seemed to aim for her crystallized ankle joints, switched to her knee. Oluo, instead of striking the nape, shifted to blind her completely, slashing through her eyes with precision.
"We'll cut you..." Petra muttered through gritted teeth.
"Tear you apart..." Eld added, his voice low but fierce.
"End you, right here..." Gunther finished, their collective fury palpable.
The Female Titan's predictive abilities faltered—every move she made, every attempt to harden her skin, was met with the relentless onslaught of the Levi Squad, who always found another area to strike. No matter how she tried to defend, they were always a step ahead, cutting through her defenses one by one.
"OLUO, GO FOR IT!" Petra commanded, her voice sharp with urgency. The Female Titan, slumped against the tree, appeared helpless—focusing all her energy on healing her bruised body, leaving her nape exposed. It was the perfect moment for a kill. Or so Petra thought.
With a fierce battle cry, Oluo surged forward, blades drawn, aiming for the nape. But in an instant, everything went horribly wrong.
"GYAHHHHHHH!" Petra's scream tore through the air, her eyes wide with terror and tears. Before Oluo could land the killing blow, the Female Titan had sprung her trap. She redirected all her strength into one deadly move—focusing her gaze on Oluo with terrifying precision. As his eyes burned with determination, her mouth snapped open, and in a brutal, merciless bite, she tore him apart. His body was ripped in two, his spine shattered, death claiming him in an instant.
"Oluo..." Gunther and Eld whispered, their voices hollow with shock.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Gunther's fury exploded, blinding him as he charged recklessly at the titan, all sense lost in his rage.
"Gunther, don't!" Petra's voice was desperate, but it was too late. Annie, now fully standing, hurled a punch straight at Gunther with terrifying speed. But Gunther, anticipating the move, dodged swiftly.
It was a feint. Before he could regain his balance, Annie's massive hand was already descending on him, her colossal palm casting a dark shadow over his form. With horrifying precision, she grasped him, her grip tightening around him like a vice. Gunther was caught, helpless, trapped in the unforgiving clutches of the Female Titan.
"GUNTHER!" Eld shouted as he launched his grapple hooks, which struck perfectly into Annie's flesh. But the slight sting alerted the Female Titan instantly. With a swift motion, she grabbed the ODM cables, yanking them violently. Eld lost his balance, the sudden force dragging him off course. In the blink of an eye, both Eld and Gunther, once formidable members of the Levi Squad, were crushed mercilessly, their lives snuffed out without a second thought.
"You're next, you damn bitch..." the Female Titan roared, her cold gaze locking onto Petra, who stood frozen, paralyzed with shock on the ground about 300 meters away.
"Wha... what just... happened...?" Petra's voice trembled, her breathing ragged. Her mind struggled to process the sight before her—her comrades, the ones she'd fought beside, lived with, were gone, their bodies bruised and lifeless, crushed in an instant. "No... Oluo... Gunther... Eld..." she whispered, grief washing over her like a tidal wave.
But there was no time to grieve. Reality came crashing back as Annie began to walk toward her, each step deliberate, each second filled with a suffocating dread.
"Agh..." Petra gasped, her body moving almost on instinct. She turned and began to maneuver in the opposite direction, but her limbs felt foreign, as if the shock had rendered them useless. Her entire body trembled uncontrollably. Desperation filled her as she tried to flee, her every motion sluggish, like moving through quicksand.
Meanwhile, Jean, unaware of the horrors unfolding behind him, continued to maneuver through the trees, fleeing, running away like a coward, unaware of how close his comrades had come to their end.
"PETRAAAAAA!" Levi's voice echoed through the forest, his cry desperate and filled with anguish as he watched helplessly from a distance. His wife, Petra, was being hunted down by the relentless Annie, who closed the gap between them with terrifying speed.
"I'll be there, don't worry. Just hang in there," Levi muttered to himself, determination etched on his face as he released a burst of steam from his ODM gear, propelling himself faster toward the unfolding tragedy. But despite his resolve, a gnawing sense of helplessness plagued him.
"Why... why am I unable to do anything... Levi... help me..." Petra's voice was barely a whisper, her body trembling with shock and exhaustion. She struggled to maintain her pace, but her movements faltered, her once agile maneuvers now clumsy and ineffective.
Levi's heart sank as he chased after Annie, his mind racing with plans and regrets. The distance between them seemed insurmountable, every step a painful reminder of his inability to reach Petra in time. The forest, once a sanctuary, now felt suffocatingly dense with despair.
Annie, driven by her singular goal, remained relentless in her pursuit of Petra. Her titan form loomed large, closing in on Levi's beloved wife with deadly intent.
"YOU'RE DONE!" Annie's voice thundered through the air as she lunged forward, her colossal leg swinging toward Petra like a falling tree.
"LEVIIIIIIII!" Petra's scream pierced through the chaos, a desperate plea drowned out by the impending doom. Levi's heart constricted with fear and rage, his teeth clenched in frustration. He could only watch in horror as Annie's massive foot connected with Petra, the impact echoing with a resounding thud that crushed her beneath its weight.
"PETRAAAAAAAAA!" Levi's anguished cry tore through the air, his calm facade shattered. Tears welled up in his eyes, a mixture of grief and fury flooding his senses. His entire being trembled with the intensity of his emotions, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.
The forest stood witness to the tragic scene, silent except for the rustle of leaves and the distant echoes of a man's anguish. Levi Ackerman, humanity's strongest soldier, stood alone amidst the devastation, his world shattered by the loss of his wife, Petra Rall.