"Why did it appear at this time?!"
Lock's mind raced. He had expected to have some time, at least enough to move the people he cared about to safety. But reality delivered a heavy blow, leaving him momentarily paralyzed with confusion.
Allen and the others, now noticing the gigantic head emerging from the city wall, froze in shock.
"That… that is… a Titan?! Impossible… no… possible!"
Fear spread like wildfire through Armin's chest, chilling him to the bone.
Mikasa, standing beside him, whispered, "As far as we know, the tallest Titan is only fifteen meters… Why?! Why can that Titan stick its head out from beyond the wall?!"
"It's moving!" Allen shouted.
At the same time, Lock forced himself to calm down. There was no time for second-guessing.
Boom!
Explosions rocked the ground as massive stones blasted from the wall's breach, tumbling toward the city like meteors. Lock fully grasped the terrifying power of the intelligent Titan in that instant.
His iron will refused to waver.
Without hesitation, Lock sprinted forward two steps, kicked Allen aside, grabbed Mikasa and Armin in his left and right arms, and propelled them more than ten meters away.
Boom!
The massive boulder crashed down where they had just been standing.
"The wall has been breached," Lock said sharply. "Pure Titans will flood into Shiganshina soon… and Reiner will break through Wall Maria not long after. There is no time to stay here! We must evacuate Uncle Harry and the others immediately!"
A sense of urgency burned in Lock's chest. There was no room for hesitation.
"Stay here. Don't move!" Lock barked at Allen, Armin, and Mikasa.
Quickly donning his vertical maneuvering equipment, he bolted toward the direction of Allen's house.
Meanwhile, Petra and the others in the workshop heard the explosion and rushed outside, their faces marked by shock.
"A Titan over fifty meters tall… the wall has been breached! It's an emergency! Everyone, gear up—now!" Lock shouted after a brief explanation of the situation.
Some of them were still dazed, unable to process the gravity of the moment. Lock couldn't afford to wait.
"What are you standing around for? Prepare for battle!"
Since arriving in this world, Lock had never lost his composure like this. Now, panic was irrelevant.
Petra, snapping back to reality, felt cold fear rush from her feet to her head. She dashed toward the armory to don her equipment.
"Uncle Harry," Lock ordered firmly, "Go home and get Aunt Martha inside. That area is still safe for now."
Uncle Harry's family lived far from the breach, so the pure Titans hadn't reached them yet. But Allen's family was only a thousand meters from the breach—one of the worst-hit spots.
Just as Lock turned to instruct Allen and the others to escape, they had vanished.
"This is bad…"
Lock's instincts kicked in.
Without a second thought, he activated his gear and raced toward the rooftops, heading straight for Allen's home.
Seconds later, Uncle Harry and the others began to snap out of their shock. They forcibly suppressed their fear and ran toward their homes.
Why?! Why did the wall break?! How could it happen?!
At that moment, the century-old belief in the wall's safety shattered.
Pure Titans began to pour through the breach.
The cries of the innocent—curses, screams, shouts—filled the air, but Lock ignored them all. His sole focus was protecting his "family."
"Damn it! Damn it! If Aunt Karal's in trouble, I'll tear you apart myself!"
A dark sense of urgency weighed on him, fueling his speed.
Sniff!
Lock smashed through the first Titan blocking his path, uncaring of the astonished civilians watching below—as if he were some god.
Almost there… almost there…
Meanwhile, the Shiganshina garrison troops finally reacted. They scrambled to evacuate civilians and contain the spread of the pure Titans.
But it was futile.
Their combat skills were poor after years of idle life. Many were paralyzed with fear, becoming Titan fodder without a fight.
Some fled outright.
The streets toward the Wall Maria gate were flooded with terrified civilians.
Critical moments revealed the harshest truths of human nature…
And human nature was weakest of all.
Still, in a small area, the presence of the Survey Corps elite—Petra, Oluo, Elder, and Gunther—managed to balance the battle.
"Too many Titans… we can't kill them all!" Oluo said, grim-faced as he watched the Titans approaching from a distance.
Petra, Gunther, and Elder shared the same look of dread.
The four exchanged silent glances, then agreed without words.
Their strategy shifted. They headed toward the gate of Wall Maria, choosing to abandon the futile fight.
Lock's figure involuntarily loomed in their thoughts.
The fall of Shiganshina District is no longer a possibility—it's a certainty. Rookie, don't be too arrogant.
This version keeps the tone direct, tense, and consistent with Attack on Titan's dark, urgent style.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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