Pieck watched helplessly as Reiner was taken, and she absolutely would not stand by and watch Annie be lost as well.
As the Female Titan's roar drew in a horde of Titans that tore her body apart, Pieck couldn't bear to stay hidden any longer. She had to transform into the Cart Titan immediately, or else, once the Female Titan was devoured, Annie's death would be inevitable!
Even though a massive swarm of Pure Titans had just surged in—so dangerous that even the mighty Jaw Titan had chosen to retreat—Pieck still charged forward without hesitation.
For her, the lives of her comrades meant more than the success of the mission.
Boom!!
A flash of light struck the ground, and the Cart Titan roared as it lunged into the onrushing tide, throwing itself at them!
But things did not go as originally planned. When Reiner was captured inside hardening, Bertolt, as the Colossal Titan, was supposed to transform immediately, unleashing a devastating explosion to flatten all of Shiganshina District.
Yet the moment Bertolt bit his hand, he hesitated.
The Female Titan was not like the Armored Titan; she could not withstand the Colossal Titan's explosive transformation. If Pieck didn't arrive in time to rescue her, she would be annihilated in the blast, reduced to ash along with Shiganshina's houses and refugees.
Even Pieck would be killed.
That was Reiner's miscalculation—maybe he had considered it and ignored it, or maybe he hadn't realized at all. But no matter what, Bertolt had to choose.
And choice was the one thing Bertolt was worst at.
If he exploded, he might kill Pieck and Annie, but maybe he could seriously wound Roger.
If he didn't explode, the mission could fail on the spot, and Reiner would be lost to Roger.
A dilemma!
A damned dilemma!
For a Titan shifter, hesitation was fatal. Without strong resolve, they couldn't even trigger their Titan power, much less transform!
His hand already torn and dripping blood, Bertolt sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
"I'm sorry, Reiner. I'm sorry…"
He couldn't become the executioner of his comrades.
He truly couldn't make the choice.
He couldn't do it.
If it had been Annie who hardened, it would have been different. Then he would have transformed without hesitation, since Reiner's armor could withstand the blast.
But it was Reiner…
A cursed coincidence!
The flood of Titans pouring through the wall breach had ruined everything!
Commander Erwin so desperately wanted to uncover the truth about the Titans. If he could capture even one of the humans behind the transformations, he would die content.
But that power was no longer his to grasp…
Standing atop a rooftop, Erwin was drenched in blood from the Titans he had cut down. Normally Titan blood would evaporate, but this blood had congealed.
Because it wasn't Titan blood.
It was the blood of his comrades.
To satisfy his own curiosity with their lives—that was too cruel.
"C… Commander…"
A dying scream broke his thoughts, snapping him back to reality.
He turned, and before him a soldier was clamped in a Titan's jaws, his lower body chewed to pulp, dangling like a plaything.
He wasn't dead yet. His bloodshot eyes were locked on his commander.
Erwin jolted awake.
Too many had already died. If they kept pushing, not just his soldiers, but the entire Survey Corps could be wiped out.
"…Retreat."
At last, Erwin relented.
Yes, it was the chance of a lifetime. He should have seized it at any cost.
But he…
He was powerless.
If even the Titans themselves retreated before such a horde, how could he possibly push his men further?
It would only mean more meaningless death.
"Retreat."
Erwin said it again.
This time, it was the commander speaking.
And this time, no one remained by his side.
In the distance, the Cart Titan was thrown to the ground, steam pouring from its battered body after being surrounded and kicked aside by the Pure Titans a fourth time.
It had no sharp claws like the Jaw Titan, nothing to anchor itself on their bodies. Charging into the horde only meant being mercilessly kicked away.
Yet Pieck refused to give up!
"Annie!!!"
Blood ran from the corner of her mouth as she clenched her teeth and charged again. This time, she seized the chance and swallowed Annie from the Female Titan's nape, then bolted, widening the distance from the others.
There was no way out through the breach—Titans were still pouring in endlessly. The Cart Titan, though unmatched in endurance and speed, had little offense or defense. If one of the Pure Titans grabbed her, it would be the end.
Luckily, none of them could keep pace. She soon left them far behind.
Behind a tall building, Pieck released her Titan form and spat out the unconscious Annie.
Steam still poured from the Cart Titan's body as Pieck peeled herself from its nape and dropped to the ground.
"Annie!"
She rushed to her side, only to find Annie lying there, eyes open, staring blankly at the sky.
"Thank you for saving me, Pieck."
Annie expressed her gratitude, though her face showed no emotion.
"The plan failed. Reiner has been taken. We need to regroup with Bertolt and use the Colossal Titan to escape."
Pieck reasoned, helping Annie to her feet.
Just then, a faint sound came from nearby.
"Who's there?!"
Pieck shouted.
Whoever it was, they were an enemy!
Most likely soldiers!
She raised her hand to her mouth, ready to escape.
But then, a man stepped from the corner, hands raised high, sweat beading his forehead.
"You're the special ones, aren't you?" His voice was hoarse and trembling. "I know where *he* is. And he wants to see you."
Pieck studied him carefully. His clothes were strange, a cross necklace around his neck, and a thick gospel book in his hand.
"Who are you?" she asked, scanning the area for an ambush.
The man lowered his hands cautiously, glanced at the young girl before him and at the ruins of Shiganshina, grief etched on his face.
"My name is Nick. I'm a priest. I know who you are, and why you're here. I'll guide you. But you must promise me—you won't harm another soul here, and you will not… destroy another wall."
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