FIRE IN THE HOLE

Kazuya gazed at the lifeless bodies, those fictional characters he had once admired. Mikasa, fallen, unable to comprehend her own death. Erwin, arriving too late, powerless before fate. "All because of a simple smoke signal..." he thought, recalling how it had lured him straight to his death. Then, his eyes fell on Levi's headless body. "The great Levi Ackerman... in the end, just another pawn in my world." A satisfied sigh escaped him. He was superior to them all.

"Kazuya, where is the Jaw Titan's holder?" Bertolt's voice interrupted his thoughts as he continued observing the corpses. Reiner and Annie approached, waiting for his response.

With an almost imperceptible nod, Kazuya replied, "The woman who carries the Jaw is named Ymir. She's at a headquarters where Miche's squad is stationed. They didn't participate in the expedition this time."

Calling his horse, Kazuya continued, "Let's head there. Capturing her won't be a problem."

Before mounting, Kazuya pointed to Eren's unconscious body, outside his titan form. "Cut off his arms so he can't transform. If necessary, pull out his teeth. Don't let him escape."

Reiner quickly followed the order, severing Eren's limbs, while Annie, with a single kick, shattered the boy's teeth. They found a nearby cart, tossed his body in, and secured him for transport.

*

The journey to the headquarters would take two days. Along the way, Eren occasionally woke, but was quickly silenced with a blow to the head. They had learned quickly after his first attempt to awaken — when, in a fit of vengeance, he swore justice for his friends, creating an unbearable headache for everyone. Without hesitation, they knocked him out again.

As they neared the headquarters, they noticed unusual activity. Members of the Survey Corps and soldiers from the military garrison were posted outside, armed and ready.

"Something's wrong," Kazuya thought, casting a glance at his three companions.

"Did you kill everyone on the way?" he asked.

They all nodded, except for Reiner, who remained silent, staring into the distance.

Kazuya quickly understood. "Armin..." he muttered, diverting his gaze from Reiner. "He must have escaped and warned the others. His real skill isn't intelligence but the plot that protects him," Kazuya thought, letting out a quiet laugh.

At the headquarters, the atmosphere was tense. Initially, no one believed Armin. But as time passed and the expedition members didn't return, doubt began to creep in. Eventually, there was no choice but to believe the boy.

Miche Zacharius, leader of the squad stationed there, sniffed the air. Something was off. Despite the others' doubts, he requested reinforcements from the Military Police. Though they had initially ridiculed him, they ended up sending a few soldiers.

Now, around 100 men were gathered, forming a considerable force. However, with the information Armin had provided about Reiner, the Armored Titan, the group of 100 no longer seemed so invincible.

In the center of the formation, Armin stared intently at Reiner. Reiner returned the look with equal intensity. A shiver ran down Armin's spine.

"It's him! Fire! He's going to kill us!" Armin shouted, his voice filled with anxiety.

Miche hesitated for a moment. He knew that as one of the last high-ranking members of the Survey Corps, the responsibility now rested entirely on his shoulders. He took a deep breath, calming his nerves.

"Fire at will!" he ordered, moving his arms decisively.

In an instant, the soldiers fired. Cannons and gunfire echoed across the battlefield, aiming at the four approaching figures.

"Reiner," Kazuya said casually.

Reiner nodded. He bit his own hand, and in the blink of an eye, transformed into the Armored Titan, enduring the impact of the shots.

Miche quickly realized that conventional weapons were useless against the Armored Titan. "Close combat!" he commanded, activating his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear (ODM) and leading the charge.

Around 100 soldiers followed, activating their ODMs and heading for direct confrontation. What followed was a massacre.

Annie, quick as always, saw an opportunity. Grabbing a barrel next to Eren's unconscious body, she ordered Bertolt to get inside. Within seconds, as the soldiers advanced, she transformed into a titan and, with all her strength, hurled the barrel towards them.

Inside the barrel, Bertolt's stomach churned from the speed. "What the...?" Before the soldiers could react, a blinding light exploded before them.

With a bite, Bertolt transformed. The resulting explosion was devastating, incinerating all 100 soldiers in an instant. They didn't even have time to scream.