After consuming Ymir, Lucien's gaze shifted toward Eren.
"Annie, what are you doing?!" Bertholdt roared. This wasn't the Annie he knew.
Lucien remained unmoved, striding forward through the smoke to seize Eren.
"One day, I'll kill all of you. I'll make you suffer endless pain and torment," Eren spat, standing with his left hand mangled, only his wrist remaining. Steam rose from the stump as it regenerated, painfully slow.
There was no fear in his eyes—only pure hatred.
"Bang!"
At that critical moment, Reiner charged forward, slamming Lucien aside with a devastating punch.
"Annie! What exactly are you doing?!" Reiner roared, his Titan jaw already healed.
Bertholdt took the chance to grab Eren and launch himself toward a distant giant tree. His expression was filled with confusion as he looked back at the two massive figures clashing below.
"Haha…" Eren laughed weakly, realizing that his captors were fighting among themselves.
Lucien raised his hand, and suddenly, a gas tank materialized out of thin air. The previous explosion hadn't damaged it—it was still pristine, its steel surface gleaming in the light.
Reiner, Bertholdt, and even Eren froze in disbelief.
None of them understood how that weapon had appeared.
"Annie! What are you trying to do?!" Reiner shouted as the Female Titan charged.
"Bang!"
A piercing sound tore through the air as Lucien swung the gas tank. Reiner narrowly dodged, but Lucien spun and drove a powerful kick into his chest, sending the Armored Titan hurtling backward.
Dust exploded around the impact site, the ground caving in beneath the force.
"How is this possible… this strength?!" Reiner's voice trembled as he rose. He knew Annie's power better than anyone—yet this Titan was far stronger. The blows, the precision, the speed—it was unnatural.
It couldn't be Annie inside that Titan.
"You're not Annie," Reiner growled, climbing to his feet. His voice was hoarse and metallic, like a blade scraping against rusted steel.
Inside the Female Titan, Lucien was slightly startled to hear him speak.
In the original records, only the Jaw and Beast Titans had ever spoken in Titan form. But maybe… they all could. They simply chose not to.
When Lucien had first learned to control the Female Titan's body, he discovered she could speak—but her voice was distorted, high-pitched and rough, neither male nor female.
And now Reiner's speech confirmed it—perhaps all Nine Titans had this hidden ability.
In response, Lucien answered Reiner's accusation with the gas tank.
"Bang!"
Reiner darted aside, countering with a heavy right punch toward Lucien's face. But Lucien's reflexes were sharper; he dodged and leapt upward, driving his knee into Reiner's chin with crushing force.
"Guh!" Reiner spat blood and steam, stumbling back several steps before the gas tank slammed into him again. He barely managed to block with both arms, but the impact sent him skidding sideways across the ground.
The earth trembled. Armor fragments shattered and scattered around him like broken glass.
On the horizon to Reiner's right, black dots appeared rapidly—riders closing in.
It was the Survey Corps, led by Erwin Smith.
"What in the world…?" From a distance, they had thought they were mistaken, but as they drew closer, they realized what they were seeing—the Female Titan battling the Armored Titan.
"Not good," Bertholdt muttered anxiously, spotting the approaching soldiers. "Reiner! The Survey Corps is here—we have to retreat!"
"Damn it," Reiner cursed, pushing himself up. Steam billowed from his armor, showing the strain on his body. Ignoring the Female Titan, he charged toward Bertholdt.
With a thunderous stride, Bertholdt grabbed Eren and leapt onto Reiner's shoulder. Together, they turned and sprinted across the open plains, away from the forest.
They couldn't enter the Giant Tree Forest—it was too dangerous there. The trees gave the advantage to soldiers using Vertical Maneuvering Gear. On the plains, the Titans reigned supreme.
Lucien's gas tank vanished into thin air as he turned his head toward the approaching Survey Corps. Then, without hesitation, he sprinted after the fleeing Armored Titan.
"We have only one objective—rescue Eren!" Erwin's command thundered across the battlefield.
The soldiers changed direction, pursuing both the Female and Armored Titans. Though Erwin didn't understand why the two were fighting, one thing was certain—they were both enemies of humanity.
"Yes, sir!"
A strange formation spread across the vast plain:
At the front, the Armored Titan carried Bertholdt and Eren.
Behind him, the Female Titan charged in relentless pursuit.
And behind her, hundreds of Survey Corps soldiers closed the distance.
As they advanced, the formation began to split.
Erwin led one squad into the Giant Tree Forest, while Levi, Mikasa, Armin, Connie, and others continued chasing the Titans across the plains.
Normally, Levi should have been recovering—his leg had been severely injured saving Mikasa last time.
But his presence here was thanks to Zhou Wei, who had exchanged a bottle of recovery potion using his mysterious system points.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Five hooks shot from maneuvering gear, embedding into the Female Titan's shoulder. Five soldiers launched upward, preparing to strike her down.
Lucien raised his right hand, instinctively covering the back of his neck. His piercing blue eyes narrowed in irritation.
He hadn't yet mastered Titan hardening, and being attacked from behind could be dangerous.
"My targets are the Armored and Colossal Titans. Interfere again, and I'll kill you," the Female Titan warned coldly.
Her voice was shrill yet chilling, carrying the faint trace of humanity beneath the distortion.
The Survey Corps froze mid-air.
"She… she can talk!" Sasha gasped, her skin crawling.
"My God," Connie whispered, unable to process it.
"Are you Annie or not?" Jean demanded, tightening his grip on the reins.
Levi and Mikasa exchanged grim looks.
Zhou Wei frowned slightly, silently observing the change in aura.
"No," Armin muttered under his breath, horror dawning on his face. "Something's different… She feels completely different from before."
They all sensed it—this wasn't Annie.
"Hmph! You think becoming a Titan makes you invincible?!" one of the soldiers yelled, rushing forward with twin blades flashing. The other four followed suit, attacking in formation.
Lucien's killing intent surged. Covering his neck with one hand, he summoned the Adamantite Nichirin Blade into his right.
A single flash.
The five soldiers fell instantly, their bodies lifeless before they hit the ground.
Lucien halted and turned to face the remaining soldiers. His blue eyes glowed fiercely, filled with both fury and warning.
A second Nichirin Blade materialized in his left hand. The Female Titan now stood with twin blades in hand, towering and unyielding, like a mountain blocking their path.
"Oh no…" one soldier whispered, his voice trembling.
Everyone could feel it—
The Female Titan was enraged.
And that weapon in her hands… how did it even exist?
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