North of Wall Maria – Costello District
"Swish—"
The blades flashed in the fading light. A Titan clawing at a collapsed house let out a final roar before Lock's blades severed the nape, sending the massive body crashing lifelessly to the street below.
Landing lightly on the rooftop, Lock scanned the surroundings. The operation here was progressing smoothly. The squad members showed no mercy, cutting down Titans with practiced efficiency. Their upgraded ODM gear and black iron blades gave them a decisive edge, and the combined forces had nearly cleared the street of roaming Titans with relatively few losses.
But Lock's gaze soon shifted beyond the district. In the distance, the massive breach in Wall Maria gaped like a wound, and new Titans were steadily streaming through into the city. His expression hardened. If that hole wasn't sealed soon, reclaiming this district would be meaningless.
"There's no boulder of the right size anywhere nearby… We'll have to find one elsewhere. Transporting it will be a nightmare," he thought grimly.
Without hesitating further, Lock fired his grappling hooks and shot forward like a streak of silver. In an instant, he was behind a lumbering Titan and cleanly sliced through the nape. The ease and precision of the kill made several nearby soldiers freeze mid-motion, staring in disbelief.
Especially the Survey Corps soldiers equipped with the same gear—they knew better than anyone how difficult it was to achieve Lock's level of speed and accuracy. What he was doing went beyond human.
But Lock ignored their astonishment. His focus remained entirely on the battlefield. Each time his blades swung, another Titan fell. His movements were relentless, almost inhuman—like a Shura drenched in blood, cutting through the enemy lines alone.
His lone onslaught gradually shifted the tide. By controlling the flow of combat, Lock reduced the pressure on the soldiers and civilian volunteers, guiding the battle into a favorable state. The volunteers, though brave, lacked proper combat training; they relied purely on numbers. Even with Lock and the Survey Corps at the vanguard, casualties were heavy. In this single street-clearing operation, nearly a hundred people had died, and countless more were injured.
"Swish—"
The last Titan on the street collapsed under Lock's blades. The survivors exhaled collectively, relief momentarily washing over the blood-soaked scene.
Perched atop the tallest roof, Lock surveyed the district. In the distance, Titans still wandered through abandoned streets. Below, soldiers tended to the wounded, dragging bodies away. His chest rose and fell steadily as he murmured to himself:
"The road ahead is long. At this rate, clearing the entire city will take at least a week. Too slow… And even if we manage it, without sealing the breach, this will all be for nothing."
He rubbed his temples. The only hope was that the patrol teams found a suitable boulder soon.
Petra and Ymir arrived shortly after, their ODM lines hissing as they reeled onto the rooftop.
"Lock," Petra called, wiping sweat from her forehead. "This area's clear. Should we keep pushing or rest here?"
After Oruo and the others had been assigned to guard the stronghold, Petra had become Lock's deputy, with Ymir handling casualty reports and logistics.
Lock glanced up at the darkening sky. "We'll rest here and let the construction team reinforce the barricades. We move again tonight."
"Night operations?" Petra blinked in surprise.
Then understanding dawned. Titans became sluggish at night, making it the best time to strike. But darkness brought its own dangers—limited visibility could be deadly for inexperienced fighters.
Lock's expression didn't waver. "The volunteers don't need to be on the front lines after dark. Have them focus on cleanup and supply lines. The Survey Corps will lead the main assault. We trained for night operations for months. This is exactly why."
Ymir stepped forward to report. "No fatalities in the Corps, but five soldiers are injured and out for the next few days. Volunteers suffered 375 casualties—not critical, but substantial."
Compared to the total number of fighters, the casualty ratio among the volunteers was still high. Ymir's face was tight; she'd trained alongside many of them over the past few months, and the losses stung.
Lock didn't dwell on it. Death was inevitable in battles against Titans. A single mistake could mean being crushed, bitten, or torn apart. Five injured soldiers were, in truth, an acceptable outcome.
"Have the injured moved to the rear for treatment. Everyone else follows me tonight. We clear this district in two days—no exceptions." His voice was calm but carried undeniable authority.
For a moment, Petra and Ymir exchanged a glance. Something was commanding about Lock now—something that made defiance unthinkable. Both straightened unconsciously.
"Yes, Captain," they answered in unison.
Lock chuckled lightly. "When did you two start sounding so formal? You don't need to act like strangers."
Their expressions softened. "Not the same… really?" Petra murmured, touched despite the fatigue.
That night, under Lock's leadership, the Survey Corps launched their night assault. Moving like shadows between rooftops, they targeted isolated Titans first, then collapsed the larger groups from the flanks. Lock personally handled the most dangerous Titans, giving the team clean opportunities to finish off stragglers. The strategy paid off. Casualties were minimal, and morale rose with every successful engagement.
By dawn, two more blocks were clear.
The following day, after a brief rest, the entire force advanced again at noon. The remaining Titans within the city were systematically annihilated. Lock even captured two weaker Titans alive for future training purposes—a calculated risk that paid off.
But their greatest challenge soon loomed ahead: the gaping breach in Wall Maria still yawned wide. Titans could re-enter at any moment.
Fortunately, the patrol team returned with promising news. They had located a massive boulder sturdy enough to plug the breach—but transporting it would take three days. Three long, dangerous days during which Lock's forces would need to defend the city against fresh Titan incursions.
Meanwhile, updates from the other fronts arrived via messengers:
The eastern front, led by Erwin, had reached their assigned section of the wall and were clearing Titans efficiently. Their progress was steady, as expected from Erwin's meticulous command.
The western and southern fronts, however, were another matter. These sectors, not under Survey Corps control, were facing severe resistance. The southern war zone, with the highest Titan concentration, had suffered devastating losses—nearly half their forces were gone.
With southern and western operations delayed, Titans from those directions were likely to spill toward Lock's and Erwin's sectors, increasing pressure on their lines.
Lock stood at the top of the partially fortified wall section, the wind tugging at his blood-stained cape. His eyes narrowed on the distant plains, where faint shapes lumbered closer in the dusk.
"Three days," he thought. "We hold for three days. No matter what."
The soldiers below bustled to reinforce the barricades, their movements quick but tense. Everyone knew what was coming. Titans would not wait politely for them to finish their preparations.
Lock tightened his grip on the hilt of his blades. The real test hadn't even begun yet.
---
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San