Krista coughed violently, struggling to breathe as her gaze fell upon Ymir. Ymir had reverted to her human form, but her left arm and leg were gone, blood steaming from her battered body. She was gravely injured.
That wasn't even the worst of it — from the ruins, several Mindless Titans began crawling out, their hungry eyes fixed on the survivors.
"Damn it, what do we do now?" Connie's voice trembled. Without their Vertical Maneuvering Equipment, facing Titans meant certain death.
Reiner and Bertholdt stood frozen, expressions dark and uncertain.
Then — a sharp whoosh echoed through the air. In a flash of steel, two Titans' napes were sliced open.
"Mikasa!" Connie's relief was almost palpable as he watched her soar through the air.
"Is everyone alright?" Mikasa landed with practiced grace. Behind her, Eren, Armin, and Sasha arrived, cutting down the remaining Titans one by one until silence filled the battlefield.
Ten minutes later, the group sat in a carriage racing toward Wall Rose. Eren, Reiner, and several others rode in the back, with the unconscious Ymir resting in the middle. Krista tended to her anxiously.
"You said Ymir can turn into a Titan?" Armin asked quietly, his gaze flicking toward Ymir.
"Yeah," Connie replied. "If she hadn't transformed, we'd all be dead by now."
Armin nodded slightly, though his eyes flickered toward Reiner and Bertholdt with quiet suspicion.
---
At Wall Rose, Hange was organizing the remaining Survey Corps troops, setting up artillery. Erwin and Levi were absent — as was Zhou Wei.
Zhou Wei had become a person of interest for both Erwin and Levi. He was being monitored closely, though strangely enough, he hadn't resisted or tried to flee.
"They're here," Hange murmured as several carriages came into view. Eren, Connie, and the others soon arrived safely.
"Looks like everyone made it back," Hange said, relief flashing across her face. Her eyes, however, lingered subtly on Reiner and Bertholdt.
"This time, it was all thanks to Ymir," Connie said, prompting a curious frown from Hange.
"Ymir?" she repeated. "What do you mean?"
"She can also transform into a Titan," Connie explained quickly, describing the form Ymir had taken.
"Really?" Hange circled Ymir like a predator eyeing prey, eyes gleaming with scientific curiosity.
"Captain Hange," Krista said nervously, stepping protectively in front of Ymir, "she was only trying to protect us!"
"Relax, relax," Hange laughed, then waved her hand dismissively. "Let's head back inside the Wall. The Survey Corps has been through a lot lately."
"What happened?" Connie asked as they walked, Krista staying close to Ymir's stretcher.
Mikasa and Armin slowed their steps, watching Eren, Reiner, and Bertholdt quietly. There was something unsettling about Reiner's distant stare.
Suddenly, Reiner spoke — his tone oddly calm yet detached.
"Eren, I'm the Armored Titan, and this guy," he gestured to Bertholdt, "is the Colossal Titan. Five years ago, we destroyed Wall Maria. Ymir's the Jaw Titan. If you come with us, we won't have to destroy Wall Rose next. Sounds fair, right?"
Eren froze. "Reiner… what are you talking about?"
"Even if you are the Armored Titan, I'm not going anywhere with you!"
Reiner held his head, visibly torn between confusion and determination.
"Reiner, let's do it," Bertholdt said quietly, pain flashing in his eyes. "If we take Ymir and Eren back, our mission will be complete."
"Yes… it's time to go home," Reiner muttered. "I just remembered who I am — a warrior."
Steam began to rise from his unbandaged arm.
"Reiner…" Eren whispered, disbelief turning to fury. He had wanted Armin's theory to be wrong — but the truth was undeniable.
Golden lightning erupted around Reiner and Bertholdt, violent gusts tearing through the air. Mikasa reacted instantly, blades flashing toward their necks.
Blood sprayed as both men barely blocked her attack.
"Reiner, can you do it?" Bertholdt shouted in fear.
"Crack!"
The lightning intensified, and a powerful shockwave sent Mikasa, Armin, and Hange flying backward.
When the smoke cleared, the Armored Titan and Colossal Titan stood before them.
"Ymir!" Krista screamed, clutching the wall as the Colossal Titan devoured Ymir's Titan form.
"Reiner! Bertholdt!" Eren roared, trapped in the Armored Titan's grip, his rage boiling over. Armin had been right all along — the ones who destroyed Wall Maria and killed his mother stood before him.
"You traitors!" Eren's furious eyes burned red as he bit his hand and transformed into the Attack Titan.
---
Meanwhile, deep in the Giant Tree Forest, Lucien — in the form of the Female Titan — continued his training. He aimed to master hardening as quickly as possible. When a thunderous roar echoed in the distance, a faint smile touched his lips.
Steam rose from his body as he released his Titan power and returned to human form. With a burst of [Geppo], Lucien leapt to the treetops, peering toward the distant flashes of gold lightning and the monstrous roars echoing through the forest.
He needed to predict from which direction Reiner and Bertholdt would bring Eren and Ymir — so he could capture them all in one move.
Until then, he would wait — regaining his stamina for the battle ahead.
Since obtaining the Female Titan, Lucien had trained tirelessly to synchronize with its power. Though he hadn't yet mastered hardening or soru in Titan form, his control and movement were now as fluid as his human form.
As Lucien prepared in silence, Erwin, Levi, and the rest of the Survey Corps mobilized toward Eren's location.
---
Below Wall Rose, the battle between the Attack Titan and the Armored Titan raged on. On the wall itself, the Colossal Titan released a storm of scorching steam, forcing Armin, Hange, and the others to retreat.
"Reiner!" Eren roared from within his Titan, driving his fist into the Armored Titan's face with all his strength.
Bang!
The Armored Titan's hardened body deflected most of the damage, its armor glinting like steel under the sunlight. Swords couldn't pierce it, and its power was devastating.
But every armor has a weakness — its joints and eyes.
Both Titans, equal in height and fury, clashed with a deafening roar that shook the earth.
---