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

edited on october 19th, 2021 @ 10:58am

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙻𝚅𝙴,
𝓒𝚁𝚄𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝚆, 𝟻𝟽𝚃𝙷 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙳𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝙱𝙴𝚈𝙾𝙽𝙳 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚂, 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁.

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ERWIN WAS STILL RIDING ALONG with his squad at his side. "When the Colossal Titan vanished, whoever was inside had been wearing Maneuver Gear, so that they could escape in the steam. Do you think the same possibility applies here?" He asked.

"But at the time... Based on what we saw when Eren emerged from the Titan, we concluded it would he impossible." Hange replied. "His equipment was destroyed, and his uniform was gone. Above all, Eren was so weak, he couldn't even stand unassisted."

"The Female Titan was able to attract other Titans with its cry. We failed to predict this, and the operation failed. If Titan abilities vary depending on skill, it was a mistake to use Eren, a total novice, as the basis for our assumptions. If we are to outwit our enemy, we'll need to think outside the box." Erwin explained.

"If we're withdrawing, does that mean the mission succeeded?" Jean asked.

"If so, then we may already know who was inside the Female Titan." Armin responded.

"I'd like to see who it is... But why was the Commander so sure that the enemy would come after Eren if he left the walls?" Jean questioned.

"I think it's because, for some reason, they suddenly stopped their advance in the midst of the last assault." Armin answered. "Even though they managed to break through Trost's gate, they didn't even try for the inner gate. And when Eren sealed the gate, they let him. It could mean that they now have bigger concerns..."

"Bigger concerns?" Jean asked.

"Something more important to them than breaching the walls. Something unexpected that happened." Armin responded.

Jean gasped. "Eren's transformation into a Titan?!" He exclaimed.

"I think it's the only answer." Armin stated.

"Then... That means..." Jean paused. "Wait... So..."

"Someone who was there, who saw Eren transform, is the Titan." Josiah finished. "I'll be back!"

"Josiah, where are you going?!"

"To save Eren's ass!"

The unknown soldier went around the tree to avoid Squad Levi.

"Gunther!" Eren screamed out as Oluo flew down and grabbed Eren by his cloak.

"Eren, don't stop! Onward!" He said.

"But Gunther..."

The unknown soldier reappeared in front of Eren. "Who's there?" He shouted.

"Protect Eren!"

"Damn it, what do we do?" Oluo questioned. "Eld, where should we go?"

"There isn't time to reach the horses! Head for HQ, as fast as you can!" Eld replied.

Squad Levi picked up the pace, causing the unknown soldier to move faster as they soon appeared right behind Eren.

"Is it from the Female Titan? Or is there more than one?" Oluo questioned, looking over his shoulder.

"Damn you... How dare you?!" Petra shouted as she turns around completely. "Come at me! I'll defeat you, even if it kills me!"

"The Female Titan? Impossible... Why? Didn't we catch it?!" Eren thought.

The unknown soldier went behind a tree to avoid being seen by Squad Levi.

"If the enemy has some way to retain its strength, it may be able to transform once more." Erwin said.

A flash of lightning was shown, shocking Squad Levi.

"I knew it... It's coming!" Eld commented as the Female Titan appeared. "The Female Titan!"

"Damn you... How dare you! This time, I will defeat it!" Eren exclaimed as he was about to bite into his hand.

"No!" Eld shouted, making Eren stop in his tracks. "The three of us will kill the Female Titan. You will continue to head straight for HQ at top speed!"

"Here's what I gleaned from this battle... If we only focus on making the best moves, we will never get the better of our opponent. When necessary, we must be willing to take big risks, and be prepared to lose everything." Erwin explained.

"I'll fight, too!" Eren argued.

"No! This is the best move... Your power is too risky!" Eld said.

"What? Do you doubt us?" Oluo asked.

"Do you, Eren? Do you find it that hard to trust us?" Petra asked as well.

"Unless we change how we fight, humanity cannot win!" Erwin said.

Eren moved his hand down as he flew past the three of them.

"I believe my squad will be victorious. Good luck!"

Eld, Oluo, and Petra turned around to face the Female Titan as the three of them headed towards her while Eren watched.

Eld goes in to cut her hand but is almost grabbed. He was quick enough to get away, causing both Petra and Oluo to go in a slice her eyes.

"We took its sight. For at least a minute, it'll be in total darkness!"

"Kill it during this time!"

"Screw capturing it..."

"Kill it now!"

"Die here without honor!"

"Make that bitch of a Titan pay!"

The Female Titan placed her hand over her nape as the three fly around her, making sure to keep a good distance.

"We won't let your eyes regenerate!" Eld thought. He held his arm up, and pointed to the tendon, signaling the other two that he wants them to cut there. Oluo and Petra nodded as they attached their ODM gear to the ground, flying up and then bringing their blades down.

"We'll shear off so much muscle around your shoulders, you won't be able to keep your arms up!" Eld thinks to himself as he continued slicing at her arms while Oluo and Petra followed.

"Shear it off..."

"Make it's arms..."

"...fall!"

Finally, the Female Titan's arms fell to her side. "They're down!" Eld announced as he goes closer to her nape. "Now the neck! Shear off the muscles that support its neck!"

"And we can strike its weak point!" Petra added.

Eren continued watching in amazement. "They're so strong. The Female Titan is totally on the defensive. How can they launch co-op attacks like that without even speaking to each other? I bet it's only possible because they believe in one another. They've overcome many hardships that way. That's why they're so strong, even right after losing Gunther." He thought.

"I'll go forward... If I go forward and believe in them, without turning back, then... I'm sure that's the right answer. I finally understand!"

Eren continues watching as Eld goes in for the kill. "Strike the neck, now!" He exclaimed, flying in closer.

Suddenly, the front part of his body is bitten off by the Female Titan, leaving his other half to fall on the ground. The Female Titan spits out anything that was left of him.

"Eld!" Petra exclaimed as he flew to the ground. "H-How? It can't possibly see! It hasn't even been thirty seconds..."

The Female Titan reveals that her left eye managed to regenerate.

"Only one eye? It prioritized one eye to accelerate the healing... Is that even possible?" Petra asked herself as the Female Titan got up and headed straight for her.

"Petra! We need to regroup!" Oluo shouted. "Petra, now!"

The Female Titan crushed Petra's body against a tree.

Oluo clenched his jaw as he attached his ODM gear to her nape. "Hey... Die!" He exclaimed, going in to slice the Female Titan's nape but she hardened her neck, making his blades break.

"How? My blade can't pierce it..." Oluo mumbled as the Female Titan jumps and kicked Oluo against a tree. Eren stares down at his squad's dead bodies, his eyes widening.

"I... I will..." Eren mumbled. "I'll kill it!"

Eren bites down on his hand, yellow lightning emerging from the sky as he transforms into his Titan.

Eren slid across the ground as he lets out a roar, alerting Commander Erwin, Levi, and Mikasa.

Eren then goes in for a punch but the Female Titan also dodged it. The Female Titan falls down and Eren gets on top of her, roaring in her face.

"I made the wrong choice... I wanted to believe in my companions... Because of that, everyone died!" Eren thought.

Eren goes to punch her but the Female Titan moves her head, his hand gets injured as blood drips down.

"If I had believed in myself from the start and fought... If I'd only killed it at the beginning!"

He tries to punch her again as steam appeared. "Back then, if I'd turned into a Titan... No... If I'd fought even before that... Captain Levi was there, too. We would have won. Maybe we could've captured it." He thinks to himself.

"I... I made a choice. And it killed everyone. It's my fault they died. But despite all that... It's still your fault!"

Eren roared in her face once more. "I'll tear you apart... Once my hand heals, I'll rip you apart... Tear you to shreds... Rip you into tiny pieces... And eat you!" He thought.

The Female Titan recovered from her injures and kicked Eren in the stomach, sending him flying. He gets up and goes to throw another punch but the Female Titan rolls on the ground, dodging it.

The Female Titan looks up as Eren stares at her, getting on top of her. He lets out a roar before going in for a punch. Eren charges at her but the Female Titan hardened her fist and punches off his jaw.

Eren managed to punch her in the stomach, sending her flying into the air. The Female Titan leans on a nearby tree to catch her breath.

Eren panted and got into a fighting stance. The Female Titan goes to run away but changed her mind as she approached Eren again, getting into a stance that seemed so familiar to him.

Eren freezes in place as he looks at the Female Titan's fighting stance. She punches the tree as well as his head.

The Female Titan walks towards Eren and kneels down, widening her mouth and biting the nape, revealing Eren.

"Eren!" Josiah shouted, finally arriving. He gasped as he witnessed The Female Titan pulling Eren into her mouth as she holds him under her tongue and running off.

"W-Wait... Eren..." Josiah mumbled. "Don't go..."

He clenched his jaw as he headed towards the Female Titan.

"Give... Give Eren back!"

Josiah started slashing The Female Titan, trying to stop her. "Give him back!" He shouted, finally slashing the back of her knees.

The Female Titan hardened her hand, breaking his blades as Josiah landed on a tree. "Why won't my blade penetrate?" He asked himself. "I know that he's alive... I know that Eren's alive!" He exclaimed as he changed his blade.

"No matter where she goes, I'll kill her, rip her apart, and get you out of that filth. I'm sorry, Eren... Just wait a little longer..."

The Female Titan took off again but before Josiah could get her, Levi stopped him. "Wh-What are you..." Josiah trailed off.

"Fall back for now."

Levi had finally let him go as him and Josiah headed for the Female Titan.

"Maintain this distance. It may be tired. It does not appear to be going very fast." Levi said. "He seems to have been bit right out of the neck. Is Eren dead?"

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

Word Count: 1940 words.