Return to Shiganshina(5)

Reiner Braun

One of the best warriors was getting overpowered by a fifteen-year-old brat!

If he didn't experience it for himself, he would never believe it.

"How can this be!"

The Armored Titan took another punch in the face that sent him crashing through several buildings.

In front of him, the Attack Titan had already closed in on him. Eren leaped high into the air and performed a downward kick, using the momentum of the fall to increase the power behind this strike.

With no time to get out of the way, Reiner hastily raised both his arms and crossed over his head to shield it.

The all-encompassing layers of armor had served him well so many times, boasting of the greatest defense amongst all the warriors. While he would take some damage from the impact, there was no chance of it breaking through it's defenses. Even the greatest weapon of Marley Foes could not pierce it.

However, that belief would shatter into pieces the next moment.

"Impossible!"

The kick from the Attack Titan avoided the Armored Titan's Wrists and slammed into the Armored Titan's body beneath it, sending it crashing to the ground. Eren then lifted the leg up, revealing heavy cracks on the Armored Titan's Chest that had been hit by it.

Reiner realized that not only had Eren hardened his feet, but that Eren's mastery of the Attack Titan was simply absurd. He was sure moments ago, Eren had applied hardening on his fists to punch him. Yet he was able to switch the hardening to his feet in such a short time. Furthermore, his control of the Attack Titan was already immaculate - the boy waited until the last moment to change the trajectory of his attack, deceiving him.

*PA*

*PA*

*PA*

Eren's did not stop there, but unleashed a flurry of vicious punches on the Armored Titan's face, knocking off bits of Armour and flesh with every hit.

Reiner frowned. It just happened again. The brat had now switched the hardening target back to his fists in just a blink of an eye.

Did this Eren have some kind of other secret ability he did not know of? How was he doing it, that didn't make sense!

Thanks to the earlier attack that caused him to fall to the ground, Eren had taken the opportunity to completely lock him down in a grip using his body weight and force him to stay down. He fought with all his might but remained trapped.

Reiner felt depressed. He had certainly been caught by surprise, but as long as he dragged this out a little more and Eren had let his guard down, he would unleash a scream that sent Berthodt his way.

It would be game over for the Survey Corps then.

He just needed to buy time for the mouth muscles to regenerate. Eren's punch on his mouth had severely damaged it and all. It was just his rotten luck that the brat decided to mutilate him in such a banner.

From his periphery, he saw three titans heading in his direction.

The War Chief's Titans! Their purpose was mainly to deal with the soldiers of the Survey Corps and draw some manpower away. Now they'd come in handy for catching Eren's focus. The boy would surely be forced to deal with them.

His hopes were shattered the next instant as he saw a figure whizzing past the titans in a blink of an eye, followed by them tumbling to the ground.

The red scarf fluttering in the wind instantly gave away her identity.

Reiner cursed his luck.

Eh?

He noticed Armin landing on the Attack Titan's shoulder. 

What's going on? Why is Eren forcing my mouth open … and what is Armin planning? What are those strange tube-like metal rods he's carrying?

===

Protect Eren.

It was the only thing in Mikasa's mind as she cut down another titan that headed towards her family member.

"I won't allow a single one to get near Eren."

When Eren told her to kill all the Titans that came for him, her initial protest vaporized into thin air. She could never say no to Eren, especially when he wanted to depend on her.

Mikasa couldn't put it in words, the feeling of being valued and by his side and of use to him. Even if she had to follow the boy into hell, Mikasa would do so without hesitation. As long as she could be by his side. As long as Eren was alive, she could do anything for him.

She clicked her blades into place.

However, there was a churning in his stomach; a sense that told her things were much worse than they seemed. She couldn't help but feel a little concerned for her comrades who were on the other side of the wall, facing down the Beast Titan. 

She shook off the thoughts as another titan approached. This titan was abnormally fast.

Her gaze locked on to it.

I won't let you get near Eren.

Mikasa pressed her triggers and dropped the anchor on the incoming titan's ankle. She then hurled herself at the creature, swinging low to avoid its attack as it tried to swipe at her. With precision, her blades cut into both of the titan's knees right after and sent it tumbling to the ground.

With the titan now vulnerable, she secured a grappling hook on its head. Mikasa twisted mid-air in a fluid motion and curved around the back of the titan's neck. She plunged her blades deep into it.

A chunk of flesh flew off from the nape and the titan's body fell slack to the floor.

Atop the disintegrating titan's corpse stood Mikasa, who wiped steaming blood from her face; her attention focused back on Eren's words to him. It felt like that triggered a surge of strength and power within her. She swore to herself not to disappoint Eren's faith in her. She would protect and devote herself to him.

For Eren, she was resolved to annihilate every single titan.

Mikasa turned behind her to see Eren holding the Armored Titan's mouth wide open. Standing on the Attack Titan's shoulder was Armin, his Thunder Spear aimed at Reiner's mouth.

A sense of awe and pride swelled up. Armin truly had a knack for making good decisions in such circumstances. She understood what her friend was trying to do. Blow Reiner out from the nape by shooting it through the mouth. He probably flew over and told Eren about that when the Armored Titan was suppressed.

Mikasa's attention returned to another titan approaching, her hands firmly grasping the hilt of her blades as she flew in its direction.