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

edited on october 4th, 2021 @ 3:06pm

»»————-　★　————-««

»»————-　★　————-««

┏━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┓

𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙴,
𝓔𝚁𝚆𝙸𝙽 𝚂𝙼𝙸𝚃𝙷, 𝟻𝟽𝚃𝙷 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙳𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝙱𝙴𝚈𝙾𝙽𝙳 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚂, 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁.

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

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.

EVERYONE WAS STARING UP AT the Female Titan as Levi pulled out his blades with Simon following his action. "Wait, Levi... An eye for an eye. Waves 2 and 3, fire!" Erwin ordered. "Fire the spare rounds!"

The scouts below did as they were told as they fired right at the Female Titan.

"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. "Even Squad Simon knew about it."

"Hey! Don't drag us into this!" Dillon shouted.

"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." Oliver finished for him.

"Now that I think about it... It makes sense on why the Female Titan went after Section Commander that one time." Oliver added in his head, remembering. "Whoever that person inside is not only going after Eren, but Section Commander as well, and we're not there to protect him damn it!"

"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.

"I can see his huge ego coming out of his ass again." Dillon mumbled as Oliver almost kicked him out of the tree they were in. But the brunette still let out a snicker, knowing he was right.

"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?"

"Jean, 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.

"And Section Commander Simon as well." Alastrine added.

"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.

»»————-　★　————-««

"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 Simon doing?" They wondered.

Levi and Simon 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 Simon and Levi's blades to break.

Erwin glances over at Simon, 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 as well as Simon's 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 with Simon right next to him.

"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..."

Simon used his gear as he landed in front of her face, pointing his broken blade right into her eye. "You know something about me that you shouldn't know, and I'm going to find out how you found out. One way or another." He informed.

Levi continued to stare at her head until he felt a sudden movement that made Simon move and join his side. Levi lets out a gasp as the Female Titan lets out a scream that echoed throughout the entire forest.

"What the hell?" Simon thought, covering his ears to protect them from the sound. Once the Female Titan stopped screaming, he placed his hands down at his sides again.

"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.

"Ready those explosives, now!" Erwin demanded.

"Erwin... The first wave will come from the east. They're almost here." Miche 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! Section Commander!"

"You just did something, didn't you, bitch?" Levi questioned, stomping on her head before taking out his blades and slashing one Titan while Simon sliced the other.

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 with Simon right next to him.

"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." Simon 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'm going to get my squad." Levi spoke up.

"I'm going to get mine as well." Simon added.

"Wait, Levi, Simon... 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 suit.

»»————-　★　————-««

"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.

"Something wrong, Oliver?" Rachel asked.

Oliver sighed. "It's nothing. It's just— Section Commander hasn't come back yet. He would've already returned along with Captain Levi." He replied.

"I'm sure he's fine, Oliver. Same goes for Captain Levi. They got other duties, you know. I'm sure Commander Erwin needs their help with whoever the bitch is inside the Female Titan." Dillon reassured him.

"Yeah, you're right."

The two squads 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?"

Dillon laughed. "I always knew you had a sense of humor, Eren!" He exclaimed.

"If it makes you feel better, Petra. Rin also pissed her pants on her first mission when she first came in contact with a Titan. She even cried too." Oliver stated.

"Shut your trap, Oliver! We promised to never bring that up!" Alastrine exclaimed.

"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.

"That's strange. Why would Captain Levi send a signal? That's not something he would do. Not to mention he has Section Commander with him." Oliver thought.

He looked over to his squad members who had a similar thought. They both thought the signal was strange.

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

Meanwhile, Erwin was galloping through the forest. "Erwin... Why did you order Levi and Simon 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. And I'm sure Simon figured it out too." 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 and Squad Simon 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."

»»————-　★　————-««

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

Word Count: 2583 words.