The ground trembled as a deafening explosion rocked the street. The shockwave sent debris flying in every direction, and the scouts around Annie were obliterated in a flash. Eren acted on instinct, grabbing both Armin and Mikasa before leaping down the staircase, plunging into the depths of the tunnel as the explosion raged above them.
The shockwave that followed scorched the earth, incinerating the scouts who had gambled everything to seduce Annie into a trap. Their sacrifice was instantaneous, their lives obliterated in the fiery blast.
"YOU'RE NEXT, YEAGER!" Annie's voice, booming with the titanic power she now wielded, echoed through the city as her massive form towered over the streets. Her voice, distorted by the transformation, sent chills down the spines of those who had never seen a titan up close.
The city descended into chaos, panic erupted as civilians screamed and fled in terror, racing toward Wall Sina in a desperate bid for safety. Garrison Regiment scrambling to evacuate the people before the titan could wreak more havoc.
Meanwhile, the remaining scouts engaged Annie in a ferocious battle, their ODM gear whizzing through the air as they surrounded the Female Titan, trying desperately to take her down. Hange, true to her mad fascination, attacked from every angle with a crazed grin, her laughter almost lost amidst the chaos.
But no matter how relentless their assaults, Annie's hardening ability had reached new heights. Her vital areas—the nape, jaws, and joints—were shielded by thin layers of azure crystal, rendering the usual points of attack useless. Each strike that landed was deflected with ease, her hardened skin making her virtually untouchable yet agile enough to retaliate swiftly.
In the dark, damp tunnel, Armin's heart raced with a mix of sadness and guilt. He couldn't believe the reality in front of him, the truth Eren had uncovered. "There's no… no way… I… how's this possible..." Armin whispered, the weight of his earlier doubt crushing him. He had questioned Eren's certainty, and now the trauma clawed at him for acting like a total douche.
"Armin, we don't have time for this! People are dying out there!" Eren's voice was sharp as he pulled Mikasa off the cold cobblestone surface. His eyes burned with frustration, seeing Armin still slumped, unable to move past his shock.
"Armin! Get up!" Eren shouted, grabbing him by the cloak, shaking him out of his stupor. But Armin didn't budge, too stunned to react.
Eren's patience snapped. "Mikasa, take this idiot and get out through the other exit!" he ordered, his voice urgent and filled with authority. Mikasa nodded, grabbing Armin by the arm, pulling him along, while Eren quickly left the tunnel, his heart pounding with anticipation.
As he emerged, his gaze locked with the crimson eyes of the Female Titan, her massive form engaged in a vicious battle with Hange and her squad. The streets were empty, desolate, except for the clash of ODM gear and the thundering footsteps of the Titan.
"SCOUTS, RETREAT!" Eren's voice roared across the deserted streets, his command echoing through the chaos. The remaining scouts, hearing Eren's call, abandoned their positions, knowing full well another strategy was in play. They dispersed like shadows, vanishing into the smoke and rubble, leaving the Female Titan momentarily isolated.
Hange, ever the mad scientist, quickly joined Eren's side, her round spectacles catching the faint light as they reflected the chaos before her. Her breathing was ragged, her excitement palpable. "Ohhhh, Erennnn…" she whispered, a sinister grin stretching across her face. "Just look at her… ahahahaha… it's just as you said. She's a shifter." Hange's voice was low, gasping for air as her maniacal laughter echoed eerily in the empty street.
Eren's eyes, cold and deadened by fury, locked onto Annie. His thirst for vengeance was palpable, and the air seemed to grow heavier with the malice emanating from him. All he could think of was making her scream, hearing her agony fill the streets for days. "Yeah... call the others... let's kill her." Eren whispered, the words dripping with hatred.
Hange, sensing the shift in Eren, chuckled lightly, correcting him with a mischievous tone. "You mean don't kill her right??..." But Eren gave no response. His focus was locked entirely on Annie, blades drawn, his movements sharp and deliberate.
Annie, noticing his resolve, grinned slightly something Eren loathed, her massive form advancing toward him with alarming speed. But Eren remained eerily calm. Above them, Hange ascended onto a nearby building, shooting black flares into the sky, signaling Levi and Erwin.
Eren stood still, watching Annie's every move. "Hahhhhh..." he exhaled deeply, his eyes closed for a moment as he steadied himself. His grip tightened on the blades, held in reverse. In a single motion, Eren launched himself at her, his body twisting through the air with precision. Annie's fist, massive and deadly, hurled towards him.
Evade.
Eren's instincts kicked in, and he dodged with ease, a burst of gas pushing him just enough to the side.
Slash.
In an instant, Eren spun forward, his blades cutting through the air, aimed to slice her limbs apart. But before he could land the strike—
Break.
Annie, her instincts sharper than ever, had already hardened her skin before Eren's attack reached her. The force of the impact shattered his blades against the crystalline defense covering her limbs. Frustrated, Eren hurled the remains of his broken blades at her, but they shattered further upon contact with Annie's hardened scarlet eyes.
"The hell is wrong with her...?" Eren muttered, his frustration growing as he realized she had become even more formidable than before. Annie stood, towering above him, her hardened form gleaming in the moonlight, an almost predatory grin curling on her lips. This was not going to be as simple as Eren had hoped.
Annie's taunt only fueled Eren's rage further. "Your efforts are futile, Yeager… you don't stand a chance. Not you, nor that pesky Ackerman," she mocked, her voice cold and unwavering.
Eren's eyes darkened with fury. "Let's see then," he snarled, launching himself backward to gain some distance. With a swift and brutal bite into his hand, the familiar surge of power overtook him.
Transformation.
His body erupted into the form of the Attack Titan, towering and powerful, eyes gleaming with the intensity of emerald fire.
Annie, prepared for what was to come, assumed her combat stance, her fists clenched, toe lightly brushing the cracked street, and her ankle raised, ready to spring. Eren, now in titan form, channeled all his raw energy into his fists, squeezing them so tightly that blood began to drip from his palms. But that didn't matter now.
In an instant, they both launched forward, the ground beneath them shattering into craters with each thunderous step. The force of their movements ripped the street apart as they collided in a flurry of brutal attacks. Annie's fist hurtled toward Eren, but he easily dodged, her strike whistling past his head. Another fist aimed for his chest—again, Eren leaned and dodged.
This time, Eren struck back, driving his fist into Annie's abdomen with all his might. The impact produced a massive shockwave, tearing through the air with deafening force. The rooftops of nearby houses were obliterated, debris flying in all directions. The piercing wind that followed swept through the area like a storm, shaking the very foundations of the city.
Crack.
"Eugh.....". Eren let out a pained grunt as his fist shattered against Annie's hardened skin. His muscles tore, and the bones in his arm crumbled from the impact, leaving his limb deformed and useless. Annie's body had started to react instinctively, hardening wherever she anticipated an attack. Her adaptation had evolved to the point where Eren's strikes could barely reach her.
Annie stepped back, her eyes gleaming with calculated anticipation, her hardened defenses making her nearly vulnerable body untouchable. Eren's frustration grew as his injured arm dangled limply, his rage boiling over.
Eren, despite the excruciating pain surging through his body, grabbed hold of Annie's hair, pulling her close before launching his knee at her face. But it was futile— once again her hardening ability rendered the attack useless, and his knee cap shattered on impact.
His balance faltered, but with sheer willpower, he managed to lift Annie and hurl her far away. Her massive form crashed into the ground, leaving devastation in her wake, though, by some miracle, no one was killed.
"Ereh…" Mikasa's voice cut through the chaos as she approached from a distance, having witnessed the brutal fight unfold. Eren had warned her over and over before they arrived in Stohess,"Stay away from the fight, no matter what." Though reluctant, Mikasa had finally given in, knowing he was only trying to protect her.
Eren, his left knee shattered and his right arm annihilated, leaned against a building as his titan body struggled to maintain balance. With a heavy sigh, he emerged from the nape of his titan form, his own body still connected to the titan, but visibly drained. Mikasa rushed to his side, her concern evident.
"Hey… are you alright?" Mikasa asked, her voice soft but filled with an underlying determination. She wanted nothing more than to jump into the fight and help him, but Eren had made it clear he didn't want her involved.
"Yeah… I'm fine," Eren replied, though his voice was cold with frustration. "But what are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to get as far away as you could? Why won't you listen?" His words were harsher than intended, the strain of battle weighing on him.
Mikasa, her face slightly downcast, responded quietly. "Sorry… I can't leave, not until I know the fight is over. I need to make sure you're safe."
Before Eren could respond, Levi arrived, accompanied by Miche and the rest of his squad. Levi's sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, noticing the destruction Annie had caused.
"So, what's the situation? You haven't managed to capture her yet?" Levi's tone was calm but stern, standing on Eren's other side as Annie, who had been thrown hundreds of meters away, was already getting back to her feet, her face showing irritation at being tossed like a ragdoll.
Eren's frustration boiled over as he explained, "Her hardening… it's different from the last time. Something's off. She's able to harden before I can even land a punch, and it's the same with gear—I couldn't make a single cut on her." His voice was laced with disappointment, his earlier confidence now shaken. Annie was adapting too quickly, and Eren felt like he was running out of options.
" Don't loose hope Eren... We can take her down together..."Levi commanded, his voice cold with intent. His gaze locked onto the towering form of Annie, the Female Titan. Beneath the calm exterior, a storm of fury raged within him—fury for Petra, for Oluo, for Gunther, and for Eld.
He had kept his emotions buried deep for the sake of everyone, but now, none of that mattered. All that mattered was killing her. A crimson glint flickered in his eyes, the same kind of wrath Eren had felt when driven to his limits.
Eren didn't need words to reply. He simply nodded, his resolve mirroring Levi's. The others, including Mikasa, retreated to a safer distance, observing the fight from afar. Levi spoke once more, his tone low but commanding, "Distract her. While you're at it, I'll get inside her and cut her out from within. We'll pull her out together."
Without hesitation, Eren charged toward Annie, a deep breath calming the storm of rage within him as he focused on the fight. Annie, in her titanic form, swung at him, but her attacks were futile. Eren's agility, sharpened by his battle instincts, allowed him to evade each strike effortlessly.
With a swift roundabout kick, Annie tried to launch Eren into the air, but he dodged, grabbing her leg in a vice grip. With a grunt of effort, Eren swung her massive body through the air and slammed her into the ground with such force that the impact cratered the rocky earth beneath her. He had aimed to paralyze her, to crush her spine from within, but again, it wasn't enough.
Eren, despite the searing pain shooting through his arms, forced himself to maintain his grip on Annie, pinning her to the ground with sheer brute force. He knew each punch he threw would destroy his own body, but he couldn't stop. With a guttural roar, he shouted, "Now, Levi!"
In a flash, Levi was upon her, his blades aimed for her jaw. But the moment his gaze locked with Annie's, he saw it—a thin, hardened layer of crystalline skin protecting her tendens connecting her upper and lower jaws. Even with his incredible speed and precision, Levi's blades shattered into pieces upon impact, scattering into the air like dust.
"So that's how it is, huh…" Levi muttered under his breath, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior.
Eren's roar of agony echoed as Annie's fingers, now hardened like steel, pierced through his hands, crushing them with a terrifying grip. Eren could feel his strength slipping as the pain overwhelmed him.
"Ah, screw it," Eren growled, pushing through the pain. "I'll just kill you the old-fashioned way."
With a desperate burst of energy, Eren abandoned his Titan form, regaining some distance from Annie. Levi quickly moved to Eren's side, eyes darting between him and the towering Female Titan, who stood there seemingly untouched, holding Eren's shredded Attack Titan in one hand before ripping it apart in two and throwing it away like trash.
"Bitch she's on a whole other level." Levi muttered, his eyes narrowed as Annie's body appeared undamaged, not a scratch or dent visibe, her hardened defenses proving nearly impenetrable.
Eren, panting lightly, looked up at the towering figure, fury etched across his face. "Just how… How the hell is she so strong?"
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4 days before scouts arrival at Stohess
Utgard Castle
Reiner's brows furrowed, his gaze never leaving Zeke's calm yet ominous expression. "War Chief… Do you really think Annie will be their next target?" he asked, uncertainty in his voice.
Zeke leaned back, his eyes flickering with calculated intent. "That's right." Bertholdt a bit confused asked," But War Chief how are you sure about it that they'll be attacking Annie right after arriving at Stohess??" Zeke his sapphire eyes though calm radiated killing aura," Are you questioning me, kid??" Bertholdt swiftly lowered his gaze.
Zeke continued unbothered by the ignorant shifters surrounding him."Eren and Levi will utterly annihilate her.... In her current state that is. However…. When they try to capture her" His gaze shifted to the metallic box sitting calmly on the table before him. The box, seemingly harmless, held a power that could tip the scales—a secret weapon.
"That's when I'll play my trump card."