One by one, trembling fingers pointed—nine in total—all aimed in one direction.
Straight at Mikasa Ackerman.
Mikasa's breath hitched, her grip on her blades faltering for a fraction of a second. Her pale face betrayed her shock, her wide eyes darting between her comrades. The betrayal stung deeper than any wound.
Jean remained silent, his jaw clenched. Bertholdt looked down, avoiding her gaze. Even Ymir, usually fiery and defiant, said nothing.
It was Armin who broke the suffocating silence.
"They're lying!" he yelled, stepping forward with such urgency it was as though he'd been struck by lightning. His voice cracked under the weight of his desperation.
"It's not her fault! She didn't lead us here—I did! I was the one who dragged everyone into this to save Christa. Mikasa was too injured to even move! If you want to kill someone, kill me! Just… let them go!"
The forest stilled, every leaf and branch seeming to hold its breath. Shock rippled through the group. Armin's self-sacrificing plea was a thunderclap in their ears, his trembling form standing tall against the grim inevitability of death.
"No…" A soft, trembling voice broke the moment. Christa stepped forward, her tears glinting in the faint light as they fell onto the forest floor. She pulled away from Ymir's protective grasp, her golden hair disheveled, her once-pristine face marked by fear and anguish.
"Please… don't kill anyone…" she begged, her knees hitting the dirt with a dull thud. "I'll go with you. Do whatever you want with me… my body, my life—I don't care. But please, don't hurt them. They're innocent… They don't deserve this..."
Her voice, though soft, carried the weight of utter despair. The man's lips curled into a sinister grin, his laugh rolling through the forest like a storm. Without warning, he grabbed Christa by the hair, forcing her head up to meet his sadistic gaze.
"Such a pitiful sight," he growled, his fingers tightening painfully around her golden locks.
That was the breaking point.
"Let her go!" Mikasa's voice rang out, sharp and unyielding like steel. Her darkened gaze fixed on him with a ferocity that sent shivers down the spines of even her allies. Her chest heaved with ragged breaths, her trembling replaced by a deadly resolve.
"She's precious," Mikasa growled, her voice cracking with raw emotion. "To someone who means everything to me… If you even lay a scratch on her, you'll break him. And I won't—no, I can't—let that happen. So take whatever you want. Take the cart. Take all your damn spoils. But if you dare hurt her…"
Mikasa's hand moved in a blur. The sound of the hook piercing the air was almost imperceptible until it lodged with a sickening thud into the man's abdomen.
"…I'll kill you myself."
The forest erupted into chaos.
"Ugh… You bitch…" The man's voice was laced with venom as he fired his rifle, the bullet tearing through the air. Mikasa didn't even have time to react.
The shot struck her arm, and the impact sent her crashing to the ground. The world spun in dizzying circles as pain exploded in her veins.
"Ugh…" The pain was sharp, brutal. Mikasa's breath hitched as she struggled to rise, but her body betrayed her. The weight of the injury forced her back down, and she collapsed to her knees, her vision fading in and out.
"This is… This is nothing…" she muttered through gritted teeth, her voice trembling as she tried to push through the agony. She had to fight, had to do something. But her strength was slipping away with each passing second.
"Let go of me!" Christa's voice cracked, a desperate scream as she writhed in the man's grip. He yanked her by the roots of her golden hair, the movement violent and merciless. She gasped, her body jerking with the force of the pull.
The leader's grin widened, cruel and unforgiving, as he slapped Christa across the face. The impact echoed through the clearing like thunder, and Christa crumpled to the ground beside Mikasa.
"Christ… Christa…" Mikasa's voice broke as she struggled to rise again. Her arm was on fire, but she reached out, her fingers trembling as she grasped Christa's form. The warmth of her blood smeared across her skin.
But before Mikasa could even comprehend the moment, the man's booted foot slammed into her abdomen. A guttural groan escaped her as the force knocked the wind out of her.
Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as the world around her blurred, fading into a vortex of pain. She hit the dirt hard, gasping for air that wouldn't come.
"Shut up, bitch," the man sneered, his voice thick with contempt. He grabbed her by the hair, lifting her off the ground with brutal force.
Mikasa's head spun, and another slap rang through the forest. The taste of blood filled her mouth as she tumbled to the dirt again, every breath coming in ragged gasps. The pain was unbearable, but it was the crushing weight of helplessness that threatened to drown her.
"Eren…" she whispered, her voice trembling as tears welled in her swollen eyes. "I… I'm sorry… I couldn't… I couldn't save her…"
Her body was a broken mess, blood running from her cheeks, her nose cracked, her eyes swollen with pain. Her arm—her whole body—felt like it was tearing apart. But through the haze of agony, there was one thought that burned brighter than anything else.
"Eren... I love you...."Her breath faltered as she whispered the words, a confession that had never reached his ears, a promise that might never be kept.
The others stood frozen, their gazes heavy with the weight of the scene unfolding before them. Bertholdt clutched Armin, who struggled against him, his eyes wild with panic. Jean sat silently, his body rigid with unspoken grief.
Ymir remained still, her usual fire snuffed out by the brutality of it all. Christa lay there, her body trembling as she processed the terror of it all, her mind spiraling in despair.
In the silence of the forest, all that remained was the bitter reality of their helplessness.
But then.....
[Activating Skill: Fire Surge...]