Chapter 2
(A/N: Map & Long Distance Scouting Formation Image)
As the "Forest of Giant Trees" came into view, two scouts at the spearhead of the enemy detection team fired yellow flares to signal the command center just behind them.
The commander of the Scouts, a blonde with blue eyes, saw the flares and waved his right hand to the side. Following his signal, the two men beside him also fired yellow flares, alerting the rest of the formation about the forest ahead and indicating that they should prepare for Titan engagement.
However, as the formation began to shift into a battle-ready stance, a purple flare was fired from the detection team. This was the first time this color had been used, indicating the presence of something more than an Abnormal Titan—an intelligent one. The purple flare signaled them to hold their position when a threat comparable to Armored Titan appeared, and a blue flare for the Colossal Titan which would warrant for an immediate retreat.
In the command center, Erwin Smith, the commander of the Scouts, saw the flare. It was up to him to decide whether to retreat or advance, given their current situation. So far, they hadn't lost a single Scout. Strangely, they had encountered fewer than 7 Titans despite having ventured far from Trost.
They already knew there were fewer Titans than usual outside Trost District based on their observations from atop the wall the previous day. This made it the ideal path to take toward the "Forest of Giant Trees," where they planned to establish a base.
Within a split second of seeing the purple flare, Erwin made his decision to engage. He fired a green flare himself, signaling the Scouts to push through.
The signal was relayed through the formation, with each group shooting their own green flares until the message reached the Special Ops team at the center back of the formation.
At the front line, the scouts saw the green flare from the command center and knew their fate. They were to serve as a decoy for the Intelligent Titan until the Levi Squad could reach their position. This essentially meant they were being asked to sacrifice their lives.
The realization hit them like a cold wave, chilling them to their cores. Their hearts pounded in their chests, and fear clawed at their minds despite their training and resolve. The horrifying prospect of facing an Intelligent Titan, one capable of deliberate and deadly actions, was almost paralyzing. They exchanged glances filled with dread, each knowing the likelihood of their survival was slim.
Nevertheless, they willed themselves forward, their determination overriding their fear. Charging at the Titan, clad in rugged and torn clothes and wielding a massive axe, they felt the weight of their impending doom. The Titan's intimidating presence and the knowledge of its intelligence made every step heavier.
As they closed the distance to 30 meters, their formation suddenly split in half, encircling the Titan from both sides. Despite their terror, they moved with precision, driven by a desperate hope that their sacrifice would buy enough time for the Levi Squad to succeed. Each scout's heart pounded with fear, but their resolve remained unshaken, knowing that their actions were crucial for the survival of those behind the walls.
After reaching the forest where they could use their ODM gear without hindrance, they dismounted their horses.
With practiced precision, they skillfully executed their maneuvers, seamlessly transitioning into their ODM gear. Weaving through the trees with fluidity and grace, they maintained a strategic distance from the 22-meter Titan. Their were swift and coordinated in an attempt to limit the Titan's view and disrupt its focus. Each movements were designed to keep the Titan off-balance if it ever tried to attack.
Despite their precise maneuvers and coordinated efforts, they received no reaction whatsoever from the Titan, sending chills down their spines. The sight of the bloodied axe in its left hand only added to their unease.
Despite the adrenaline coursing through their veins, they maintained a cautious approach, refraining from inflicting any damage that might trigger the Titan to fight back. Seeing the Titan in a passive state gave them a glimmer of hope, a belief that it would remain so as long as they didn't provoke it further.
At the same time, Erwin and the rest of the center formation—the command center and the carts—took a longer, arc path, utilizing the decoys to divert the Titan's attention away from their approach. This strategic maneuver allowed them to advance deeper into the forest undetected.
Once safely within the cover of the trees, they swiftly transitioned into their ODM gear. Uncarrying the items from the carts, they retrieved the "Iron Bamboo Net" and "Anti-Titan Capture Grapples". They are essential tools developed for inhibiting and neutralizing Titans.
With practiced efficiency, they strategically positioned the nets and cable launchers in the branches of the trees, ensuring they were ready for immediate deployment when needed. Each placement was carefully calculated, maximizing their effectiveness in restraining and subduing any Titans that ventured too close.
As they worked to prepare their defenses, the Intelligent Titan remained unmoved, its eyes glowing with an eerie blue light. Suddenly, a flash burst through its neck, but instead of flesh being cut, a clang of metal reverberated through the air.
The short, black-haired man was in disbelief as he observed the scene before him. He had just attempted to strike the Titan's nape in a single decisive blow, only to be met with resistance. Turning his gaze back to the Titan, he saw multiple dulled blades embedded in its skin, likely remnants from deceased Scouts.
It was a chilling realization. The Titan had ingeniously incorporated these blades into its body, utilizing them as a defensive mechanism. The nape, in particular, had almost seamlessly merged with the metallic plant material due to its regenerative abilities, effectively becoming a part of its skin.
"Tsk," the man clicked his tongue in as he landed on the tree trunk using his cables.
"Captain Levi!" A girl with orange-brown hair flew towards the man, her voice trembling with disbelief. "W-we've tried to cut its joints, but they're all covered with metals."
At that moment, the other members of the Levi Squad landed on the same tree, their expressions mirroring the girl's frustration.
Levi's gaze narrowed as he observed the motionless 20-meter Titan before them. "I can see that," he replied with his usual calm composure.
"Tell the others to retreat inside the forest and meet up with Erwin," Levi instructed, his voice was steady despite the situation.
"Then me and Oluo will stand guard here," the only girl in the group volunteered.
However, the man whose name was suddenly brought up voiced his complaints. "Oi, Petra! Don't just go around dragging people with you!" He looked around with eyes asking for help, but only met with pitiful stares suggesting he should just accept it.
"Alright, I will be counting on you," Levi said, then flew towards the forest.
The rest of the squad spread out, leaving the two volunteers behind to relay the message physically—since they were obstructed by the trees to use the flares—to the horrified detection team who thought it was their end.
"Shit!" Oluo, with slightly curly brown hair styled in an undercut, exclaimed. Despite being the same age as the girl beside him, he appeared older due to his wrinkled face.
"For someone who's solo-killed more titans than the rest of us, you sure are 'brave'," Petra teased.
Hearing this, Oluo couldn't help but retort, "Huh! This guy will be my 40th kill if he twitched just for a mome-" He was cut off when he accidentally bit his tongue, almost severing it.
...
Deeper into the forest, the detection team and the rest of the Levi Squad finally caught up with the Scouts.
Landing on a branch of the tree beside Erwin, Levi was met with a question. "How's the situation over there?" Erwin asked without turning towards him.
Levi grimaced as he inspected the dull blades in his hands. "That filthy guy was smart enough to cover his nape with our blades," he explained, his voice tinged with frustration. Releasing the baldes, he carefully placed them the hand grips into their resting place on his vest.
"Is it possible to kill it?" Erwin asked, turning his gaze towards the direction of the Intelligent Titan.
"I can kill it," Levi replied confidently, his eyes fixed on the same direction.
This time, a brown-haired woman with a ponytail and long bangs, her glasses glinting in the sunlight, landed on the same branch after hearing their conversation. "Oii, Levi. You're not killing that Titan now. The only Intelligent Titan you are allowed to kill is the Colossal Titan."
Levi shot her an irritated glance. "Four eyes," he remarked before continuing sarcastically, "Obviously you haven't seen that," he retorted, pointing towards the far tree opposite them where an array of weapons lay, waiting to be used by their creator.
However, instead of the message getting through, the woman was amazed by the intelligence of the Titan. "Woah! Isn't that more of a reason to capture it?! It might even be able to talk!" she exclaimed, her imagination running wild with the possibilities of what they could learn from such a creature.
"Hange is right. If we could just capture it, we might find the answers to the questions e have about the Titans," Erwin explained. "And if it turned out to be dangerous, we could just kill it."
Despite the unconventional words coming from his companion's mouth, Levi remained silent, his gaze fixed intensely in the direction ahead. After all, he trusted them more than anything; he believed that in the fight to free humanity, they were the ones who could make it happen.
**Ringggg**
A loud ringing sound suddenly covered the whole forest, breaking the tense silence and signaling the start of a new development.
"It's from Petra and Oluo. So it chose to move after all," Levi remarked as he unsheathed two blades from his waist. At this time, Petra and Oluo had successfully retreated to their new base.
"Captain, it finally moved. However..." Petra reported, her voice trailing off.
"Say it, Petra," Levi demanded with a firm tone.
"It started attacking the Titans that we attracted on the way here," Oluo continued where she left off.
Hearing this, a great joy suddenly appeared on Hange's face before she flew off to see for herself, eager to witness the unfolding events firsthand.
...
As the armed Titan continued to effortlessly destroy all the Titans approaching the forest, he couldn't help but ponder what had transpired earlier.
'What the hell was that? I didn't think I wouldn't be able to react at all,' the Titan mused, recalling how Levi had nearly killed him earlier.
The reason he had remained motionless, aside from giving the impression to the Scouts that he wasn't a threat, was because he had been confident that even Levi wouldn't be able to kill him so easily. He had prepared for a potential encounter by creating pseudo-movable armor for his joints using the blades he had collected. However, witnessing Levi's speed had made him reconsider his strategy.
After just a minute, an additional seven Titan bodies started decaying around him, their lifeless forms crumbling into dust as the armed Titan stood amidst the aftermath of his destructive rampage.
...