A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on october 12th, 2021 @ 1:41pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙴𝙻𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽,
𝓔𝚁𝚆𝙸𝙽 𝚂𝙼𝙸𝚃𝙷, 𝟻𝟽𝚃𝙷 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙳𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝙱𝙴𝚈𝙾𝙽𝙳 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚂, 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙴𝙴.

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The Survey Corps left to find a route to Shiganshina, but encountered an intelligent Female Titan. As soldiers died, one after the next, they headed into a forest of giant trees, none of them knowing why.

OUTSIDE OF THE FOREST, Titans were still crawling up the trees to get to the scouts. "We're going to shift position, Armin! Josiah!" Jean informed.

"Okay!" Armin replied as Jean used his gear to fly down while Armin and Josiah followed him.

"They've started to figure it out. They seem to be getting better and better at climbing." Jean commented.

"That means, scary as it sounds, they can learn." Armin stated. "Although some are better than others, I'm sure."

"That just makes the ugly bastards even more creepy." Josiah added.

"Armin, Josiah... Sounds like something is going on deeper in the forest. I think I have some idea what. They lured that Female Titan all the way here in order to capture it." Jean explained. "More precisely... to capture whoever is inside of it. That was Commander Erwin's goal..."

"That was his plan from the very start!" Eren exclaimed. "Right?"

"I can see why he wouldn't have told the new troops. But why he wouldn't tell you when you've all been in the Survey Corps for so long?"

"Shut up!" Oluo shouted.

"Are you saying the Commander and the Captain don't trust us?" Petra questioned defensively.

"But that's what this means..." Eren argued.

"Petra, rip out his teeth!" Oluo yelled in annoyance. "Swap the front and back teeth when you shove 'em back in!"

"No, Eren's right. I think there was a reason the Commander couldn't trust us." Eld spoke up.

"Like what?"

"There's only one reason he wouldn't trust his fellow soldiers." Eld began. "There's someone who can become a Titan, or a spy helping them, in the Survey Corps."

"You think so, too, right?" Jean asked. "It has to be one of us."

Armin nodded in agreement. "Yes, I think so." He agreed.

"A spy? Is that possible?" Gunther questioned.

"At any rate, the Commander is certain. I'd imagine the only soldiers who were told of the plan were those who've stayed alive for the past five years." Eld explained.

"I see... So that's it." Gunther stated.

"Must be. Understand, Eren? That's why." Oluo informed.

"Yeah, if that's the reason, I understand." Petra added. "He's assuming that five years ago, when the first wall fell, a spy infiltrated our ranks... And that's how he narrowed down the possibilities."

"Then, the spy killed Sawney and Bean?" Eld asked out loud.

"Back then, the Commander asked me about that." Petra responded as Eren remembered something.

"What do you see? What do you think the enemy is?"

"That's what the question meant?" Eren asked himself.

"If we could've answered it, maybe we could've participated in this plan. I doubt that anyone could've back then, though." Eld said.

"I knew." Oluo spoke up. "But I didn't say anything. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"What, you can't tell? Well, I shouldn't expect that much from the likes of you. You have yet to reach my level." Oluo replied.

"Hey, are you copying Captain Levi again? The Captain wouldn't say anything like that." Petra said.

"If this succeeds, I can get closer to the truth of this world. But... Too many died, regardless." Eren thought, clenching his jaw.

"Do you think the Commander was wrong?" Eld suddenly questioned.

A Titan suddenly fell to the ground as Jean and Armin looked down at it.

"I can't say he was right. If we'd known there was a Titan informed of our operations, we would've dealt with this in a different way. Your team's squad leader and the others would've, too." Jean commented.

"No, it wasn't wrong." Armin informed.

"What wasn't wrong?" Jean questioned. "How many do you think died for no reason?"

"For once, I agree with Jean here." Josiah stated.

"Jean, Josiah, after the fact, it's easy to say, "We should've done something else." However, no one knows how things will turn out. And even so, you have to make a choice. You must." Armin began.

"The lives of a hundred fellow soldiers... Or the lives of all the humans within the walls... The Commander made his choice. He chose to let those hundred die." Armin finished.

"Eren, you don't know it yet, but you will soon. The reason that Erwin Smith is entrusted with humanity's hope, the Survey Corps." Eld said.

"Just look at how much Captain Levi trusts him!" Petra commented.

"If you live that long..." Oluo trailed off.

"I haven't lived that long, but I'm certain of one thing. If there's anyone who can bring change, it will be someone willing to sacrifice what they care for. It will be someone who can throw aside their humanity, in order to defeat monsters. Someone who can't sacrifice anything can't ever change anything!" Armin exclaimed.

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"Fire!" Erwin ordered, pointing his blade out. More wires shot towards the Female Titan as if she wasn't already impaled.

"How do you like that? You won't even be able to scratch an itch now. You won't be able to make a single move. Probably for the rest of your life." Hange said. "They're designed so that the more you heal your wounds, the more immobilized your joints become!"

Hange chuckled to themselves. "But they still can't draw whoever is inside? What are Levi and Miche doing?" They wondered.

Levi and Miche flew down from the trees using their gear as they try to slice the Female Titan's fingers off, but it was no use as she hardened her fingers to harden, causing Levi and Miche's blades to break.

Erwin glances over at Miche, who holds up his now broken blades.

"It can selectively harden its skin to protect specific parts of its body? It's similar to what I've heard of the Armored Titan. If we continue using the Maneuver Gear and blades, will it weaken? We don't have time to find out. In that case..." Erwin thinks to himself as he raised his hand, summoning a scout.

"Yes, sir?"

Erwin lowers his hand as his eyes didn't leave the Female Titan. "Prepare the explosives. Blow off it's hands." He ordered.

"Yes, sir... But there's a chance that the amount we carry has enough firepower to also blow up what's inside."

"Then set them to amputate the wrists. Set them all off at once at my signal." Erwin demanded.

"Roger."

Meanwhile, Levi was standing directly on the Female Titan's head, showing no fear as he kicks the side of her face.

"Hey... Why not just come out? We don't have time to waste. So.. What do you think will happen to you now? Do you believe you can escape? I wish you'd consider all the trouble we're going through..." Levi began.

"As I recall, you killed my troops in various ways. Did you find it fun? Right now, I'm having fun. Well, so are you, right? I think you can understand me." Levi continued. "Oh, right... I wanted to ask you something. Is it okay if we cut off your hands and legs? They'll grow back, right? I'm talking about your limbs, not the Titan's. We need you alive, after all..."

Levi continued to stare at her head until he felt a sudden movement. He lets out a gasp as the Female Titan lets out a scream that echoed throughout the entire forest.

"What the hell is that?" Josiah thought, hearing the scream as it finally stopped.

"Well, that was a surprise." Levi muttered.

Hange and their squad uncovered their ears. "Were those her dying screams?" Moblit asked.

Miche made his way towards Erwin. "Erwin, it stinks." He informed.

"What direction?" Erwin asked.

"Multiple sources, from all directions at once." Miche answered.

Loud footsteps can be heard from outside of the forest as Abnormal Titans moved straight into the forest.

Jean, Josiah, and Armin widened their eyes in shock. "What's up with them?" Jean asked. "They're all running into the forest? Why did they suddenly start ignoring us?"

"If I had to take a guess, it had to be something due to that scream we just heard." Josiah responded.

"Begin combat!"

"Ready those explosives, now!" Erwin demanded.

"Erwin... The first wave will come from the east. They're almost here." Mike informed.

"Cart guard team, intercept!" Erwin ordered as they headed for the Titans.

However, they ignored the scouts presence and headed straight for the Female Titan.

"Captain Levi!"

"You just did something, didn't you, bitch?" Levi questioned, stomping on her head before taking out his blades and slashing two Titans at once.

One Abnormal attached itself to the Female Titan's leg and bites away at her skin.

Erwin looks at it with interest. "So they're after the Female Titan?" He thought as he widened his eyes when more Titans came.

"Titans from all directions!"

"All men, engage. Defend the Female Titan, even if it means your lives!" Erwin ordered.

All of the scouts go in to kill every Abnormal in sight. Unfortunately, more and more Titans came into the forest.

"Retreat, men!" Erwin shouted as Levi flew into a tree.

"Back into formation! Return to Karanes!"

Everyone could only watch as the Female Titan was being eaten by the Abnormal Titans.

"We've been had."

"Just look at you. Don't tell me..." Levi began.

"The enemy was willing to sacrifice everything. I didn't expect the enemy to destroy itself along with the evidence by making Titans devour itself." Erwin said.

"All our talk at the court material, and this is what happens. If we return empty-handed, who knows what will happen to Eren or us." Levi commented.

"We can think about that after we return. Our priority now is getting home without additional casualties. For now..." Erwin stated.

"The steam from the corpse is limiting visibility. It could interfere with our signal flare message relay system." Erwin thinks to himself.

"I'll call my team." Levi spoke up.

"Wait, Levi... Refill your gas and blades." Erwin told them.

"There isn't time. I think I have plenty. Why?" Levi questioned.

"That's an order. Follow it." Erwin answered, ignoring his question.

"Roger, Erwin." Levi said. "I trust your decision."

A blue smoke round went up in the air, signaling the order to retreat as others followed.

"What? It's already over?" Jean questioned.

"About damn time, too." Josiah mumbled under his breath.

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"Looks like it's over." Gunther announced. "Back to the horses! Prepare to retreat!"

"You heard the man... Let's go see what the bastard inside looks like." Oluo added.

They all began to prepare their gear. "Will we really find out who it is?" Eren asked.

"It's thanks to you." Petra told him.

"I didn't really do anything." Eren stated.

"You had faith in us. This is the result of your choice to trust us back then. Making the right choice isn't easy." Petra informed.

"Hey, don't spoil him, Petra... What did he do, anyway? He was pathetic. He just kept whining. Well, coming back alive on your first excursion is pretty good. But it doesn't count until the mission's over. Listen, kiddo, the expedition lasts until you're at home in bed..." Oluo said.

"Jeez, I know that!" Eren stated.

Squad Levi switched to their ODM gear as they began making their way out of the forest.

"Oluo! Petra! You guys pissed your pants and cried on your first mission. You're all grown up now." Eld commented.

Petra let out a surprised yell. "Don't say that! What if he stops respecting me?!" She shouted.

"It's true?"

"It sure is. And I didn't, by the way, Eren."

"Idiot! I've killed more of them than you! More of them than you, idiot!" Oluo shouted.

"Kill count isn't all that makes a soldier." Eld argued.

"Shut up, idiot!"

"Petra..." Eren paused. "Does that mean you sprayed it everywhere while mid-air?"

"Shut up! Do you think you're on a picnic? We're outside the walls!" Gunther said. "I didn't piss my pants, either, Eren."

Suddenly, an unknown soldier that was on a branch used the flare gun and raised their hand, firing it in the air as green smoke clouded the sky.

Gunther looked over and saw the green smoke. "Oh, I'm sure that's the signal from Captain Levi. We'll rendezvous with the Captain! Cut the chatter till we get back." He said, landing on a tree branch as he fired a similar shot in the air.

Gunther's signal gave their location away to the soldier, who threw down the flare gun off the tree and pulled out their blades.

Meanwhile, Erwin was galloping through the forest. "Erwin... Why did you order Levi to resupply? There's no time to waste." Hange informed.

"The Female Titan was eaten. But did you see the person inside get eaten? I didn't." Erwin replied.

"You can't mean..." Hange trailed off.

"Yes... If your original hypothesis was correct, and they can still move to a degree after regaining human form... And if they'd equipped Maneuver Gear in advance... The one within the Female Titan is wearing our uniform right now." Erwin explained.

Something flew past Squad Levi right across from Gunther.

"Captain Levi?" Gunther questioned. "No, it's not! Who are you?!"

The unknown soldier got out their blades and sliced Gunther's neck who slammed into a tree.

"G-Gunther! What? Why?" Eren questioned as he flew towards him. "Gunther!"

He stopped when he saw Gunther's lifeless body.

"The enemy is now camouflaged as one of our men."

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2363 words.