It was over.
Truly over.
Caught by the enemy.
The mission failed.
No way to go back.
It's all the captain's fault, Reiner thought bitterly. There's something wrong with his brain. He's leading us straight to death!
Tears blurred his eyes as despair tightened his chest. Mom, Dad… I'm sorry. I can't come home.
…
"Whoa!"
The thunder of hooves suddenly stopped.
The lead rider tugged hard on his reins, barely bringing his horse under control before it crushed the trembling recruits.
Dust swirled as the beast reared, snorting.
The soldier atop it leaned forward, staring in shock. "Kids? How could there be children outside the Wall?"
Reiner, Annie, and Bertolt lay sprawled in the dirt, hearts pounding. For a moment, they truly thought they'd been trampled to death. Their mouths moved, but no words came.
That was when Zeke arrived.
Calm, composed, he rushed forward and gathered the three into his arms, clutching them like a protective father. His voice cracked with feigned relief:
"Thank God! Thank the earth! Survey Corps-sama, you've saved us! Please—help us! There are Titans chasing us!"
Reiner: "?"
Annie: "??"
Bertolt: "???"
The three clung to the man who was literally the Beast Titan in disguise, trembling in confusion.
What is he doing?
Who would believe such an obvious lie?
There's no way—!
But to their disbelief, the cavalryman's face turned pale. His hands flew to his blades, steel whispering as they slid free.
"Everyone, alert! Titan sighted nearby!"
Shing!
In perfect unison, the entire squad drew their blades. Horses shifted, forming a tight circle around the supposed refugees.
Reiner, Annie, and Bertolt froze.
They were surrounded—yet protected.
"Don't be afraid, kids!" one soldier shouted. "We've got numbers on our side. We'll kill the Titan and keep you safe!"
The three "children" nearly burst into tears again.
Safe? Safe?!
Are Titans supposed to be afraid when surrounded by the Survey Corps?!
Armored, Female, and Colossal Titan—future terrors of the battlefield—huddled together like terrified orphans, fragile and helpless.
Zeke felt them shaking and actually chuckled. He squeezed them tighter, patting their heads gently.
"They're… protecting us?" Bertolt whispered, voice shaking.
"That's right," Zeke murmured, smiling as if proud of the discovery. "Look closely."
And indeed, the Survey Corps' formation wasn't aimed inward. Their blades faced outward, every rider ready to strike anything that came near.
The recruits weren't captives. They were cargo being defended.
The realization rattled them to the core.
"Why?" Reiner muttered, wide-eyed. "Why protect us? We're clearly—"
A firm hand clamped over his mouth before he could say something stupid.
"Where's the Titan?!" a trooper demanded. "Where did it go?"
All eyes turned to Zeke.
His expression shifted instantly, from calm soldier to frantic survivor. "I—I don't know! I just kept running and running… Then I saw you! But when I looked back, the Titan was gone! Didn't it chase us?!"
Confusion rippled through the squad.
"Gone?" one soldier muttered. "Since when do Titans just… lose people?"
"Maybe it got distracted," another offered weakly.
"With what?!" came the incredulous reply. "What could a Titan possibly want more than a human?"
The debate spiraled into uncertainty. Nobody could answer, but the fact remained—the supposed civilians were still alive.
Finally, one soldier sighed. "Whatever the case, you're safe. That's all that matters." He turned to Zeke, eyes full of relief. "You're lucky—blessed, even. Escaping a Titan's mouth like that… You should thank your ancestors when you get home."
"Yes…" Zeke bowed his head, forcing a sheepish, grateful smile. "Truly… lucky."
Behind his hand, Reiner muttered in disbelief. Annie's eyes narrowed. Bertolt swallowed hard.
They don't suspect us?
Not even a little?
Are the Eldians inside the Walls… complete idiots?!
Their thoughts tangled as a bright voice cut through the tension.
"Don't worry," a female soldier said warmly, dismounting with a smile like sunlight. "You've survived once. That means you can survive again."
Her kindness struck the three warriors harder than any blade.
Why? Reiner's chest tightened. Why smile at us like that? We're your enemies. We came to destroy your Walls… to take your king, your Founding Titan… So why…
"Isabel," another soldier called out, frowning. "There are four of them. But we only have one spare horse. We can't take them all."
The squad shifted uneasily. One horse for four people—it didn't add up.
"Can't we double up?" Isabel asked hopefully.
"No," Fran, her comrade, shook his head firmly. "If we're attacked mid-ride, two on a horse will die together. It's too risky."
"But how can we just abandon them?" Isabel's brows furrowed as she looked at the recruits with pity. "They're only children…"
Zeke forced a weary smile, as though grateful yet humble, silently urging them not to leave him behind.
But the Survey Corps were soldiers. Harsh choices were their reality. Would they really sacrifice mobility for four civilians they'd just met?
The moment hung heavy—until a cold voice cut through the air from behind.
"Why did you stop? What's going on here?"
The squad stiffened.
The recruits froze.
And Zeke felt ice crawl down his spine. That voice… he knew it too well. The memory of his body being hacked apart by sharp blades, reduced to a helpless stick, seared into him.
Levi Ackerman had arrived.