Battle of Trost

I have edited Ch 12: Uncharted Water by quite a lot. For old readers, I would really recommend reading it. 

I am really sorry for throwing u offtrack with this, but I really felt that story was going all over the place.

And thanks Ababil_billi for the review!

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Kaito approached Reiner and Bertholt, giving a friendly nod as he addressed them, "Hey, guys. Quite the mess we've got here, huh? Titans, city under siege... Just like old times, right?"

Reiner looked up, his expression mirroring the fear that had settled in the room. "Yeah, it's a real nightmare," he replied, choosing his words carefully.

Bertholt, seemingly fatigued, nodded in agreement. "We never expected this, not in our wildest dreams."

Kaito's eyes glinted with an odd mix of curiosity and suspicion as he continued, "It's just... weird how this all happened, right? it's almost as if the colossal titan knew just… where to hit the wall."

Reiner and Bertholt exchanged cautious glances. They couldn't quite place Kaito's intent behind his words. "Yeah, strange turn of events," Reiner replied, his voice tight.

Kaito leaned in slightly, his tone low and cryptic. "You know, sometimes, things aren't what they seem. Secrets can be hidden in the most unexpected places."

Bertholt's eyes widened subtly, a glimmer of uncertainty flickering within them. "What do you mean by that?" he asked cautiously.

Kaito maintained his ambiguous demeanor, his eyes never leaving theirs. "Well, let's just say... you can't always trust appearances, right?"

The cryptic exchange left Reiner and Bertholt unsettled, uncertain of whether Kaito was just playing with their nerves or if he knew more than he let on.

"Man, have you guys seen that Colossal Titan up close?" Kaito asked, suddenly changing the topic, his tone filled with mock sense of horror. "It's like something out of a nightmare. That face... seriously, it's the stuff of horror stories."

Reiner and Bertholt exchanged another glance, and Kaito couldn't help but notice the unease in their expressions, though they tried to hide it. Reiner shifted in his seat, and Bertholt's eyes darted around.

"Yeah, it's definitely something," Reiner replied cautiously. "Titans, in general, aren't known for their aesthetics, I suppose."

Kaito chuckled as he saw the subtle signs of discomfort in the duo. "True, true. But that one, it's like the Picasso of Titans, don't you think? Just a true work of art."

Reiner and Bertholt gave him uncertain nods, their confusion growing. Kaito couldn't help but laugh inside.

"SOLDIERS LINE UP," a thunderous voice jolted every person awake from their thoughts and fears. A captain of the garrison regiment ordered.

The captain's voice, commanding and unwavering, cut through the chaos and fear that had gripped the garrison headquarters. Soldiers, both experienced and freshly graduated cadets, snapped to attention and formed orderly lines. The urgency in the air was palpable as they awaited further instructions. Amidst the commotion, Kaito, Reiner, and Bertholt also complied, standing alongside their comrades.

The garrison captain, a stern and weathered leader, began to outline the plan for defense and evacuation. 

Reiner and Bertholt, too, appeared to be focused on the captain's instructions, their expressions showing a mix of determination and unease.

As the squad assignments were being handed out, Kaito couldn't resist the urge to tease Annie, who had arrived here stealthily and mingled with the rest of the crowd.

"Hey, Ann," with a wink in her direction, he playfully said,"If you feel scared, the warm embrace of my arms will open for shelter."

Annie, as cold and composed as ever, glared back at him, clearly irritated by his antics.

After the squads were finalized, Mikasa and Kaito found themselves assigned to the vanguard squad, tasked with aiding in the evacuation and taking care of any stray Titans that ventured too close to the inner gates.

Mikasa looked concerned about leaving Eren, and her anxiety was evident as she prepared to argue with the squad captain to change her assignment.

However, Eren firmly grabbed her arm and halted her in her tracks. "Mikasa, it's fine," he said, his voice unwavering. "You're needed here. We'll see each other soon."

Mikasa reluctantly relented, though her worry for Eren was apparent in her eyes. She nodded and followed her new squad, glancing back at Eren one last time before they separated for their respective assignments.

Kaito couldn't resist the opportunity to approach Mikasa to strike up a conversation as their squads prepared for their respective assignments.

With a playful grin, Kaito leaned in and said, "Mikasa, you really can't relax when Eren's out of sight, can you?"

Mikasa's anxiety about leaving Eren was already evident, and Kaito's teasing tendencies only seemed to add to her irritation.

Mikasa narrowed her eyes at him, her tone edged with annoyance. "This is no time for your games, Kaito. We need to focus on our duties."

But Kaito, undeterred by her stern demeanor, continued to flirtatiously prod, "Well, I'm here to make sure you don't get too stressed. Just think of me as your personal stress reliever."

Mikasa's cheeks reddened slightly, whether from irritation or something else, it was hard to tell.

She huffed and replied, "I think I'd be less stressed without your constant teasing, Kaito."

As their squads moved out to tackle their respective tasks, Kaito couldn't help but chuckle to himself, knowing he'd ruffled Mikasa's feathers yet again.

Kaito and Mikasa, along with their squad, launched into action, their ODM gear propelling them through the city. The feeling of soaring through the air, weaving between buildings, and dodging obstacles was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Kaito couldn't resist the urge to perform a few acrobatic maneuvers, flipping through the air and zipping past his comrades. His lighthearted approach seemed to ease some of the tension that hung in the air.

Mikasa, on the other hand, moved with precision and determination. Her coordinated movements were a testament to their rigorous training. She led the squad with unwavering force.

As the squad crisscrossed through the city-scape, ODM gear wires cutting through the air, the face of cadets showed fear, yet a fierce determination accompanied it. The walls that surrounded them were their fortress, and they would do everything in their power to protect it.

Kaito couldn't help but observe the state of the city as he swung through the air. Trost District was in chaos, the once bustling streets now a scene of panic and devastation. Buildings had been damaged, debris littered the streets, and the Titan incursion had shattered the city's previous tranquility.

He muttered to his squad-mates, "This place looks like it's seen better days, huh? Titans really know how to make a mess."

His words were met with tense silence. Despite the dire situation, fear hung heavy in the air. 

When they navigated through the city, one of their squad members couldn't help but express their fear, "There are so many of them..." The sense of dread was shared by everyone.

Indeed, there seemed to be a significantly larger number of Titans than the original events, which appeared to be clustered all over the city.

'Is it because of me?... '

Mikasa, who was ever vigilant, informed the group, "200 meters ahead, a 7-meter class Titan." Kaito pondered whether he should engage the Titan now or later. For the moment, he decided to let Mikasa handle it, admiring her swift and graceful movements as she prepared to take down the Titan.

"You should have it, Mikasa."

He altered his course slightly to make way for Mikasa, though she shot him a slight disdainful look as she swung past.

However, the 7-meter class Titan seemed to have other plans. The instant it spotted Kaito, it paid no heed to the others and lunged straight at him.

Mikasa, who had already moved ahead of the rest of the squad, missed her opportunity to attack. She quickly altered her trajectory to evade the charging Titan, hoping to double back and target its nape. But before she could act, two 7-meter Titans hidden in an alleyway, concealed by the buildings, noticed her presence and closed in.

With no other option, Mikasa had to engage the approaching Titans.

"Squad! Assist Mikasa!" Kaito's voice cut through the chaos. While he had unwavering trust in Mikasa's abilities, he wasn't willing to take any unnecessary risks during her first Titan encounter.

"What about you!?" A cadet with brown hair queried.

"I can handle it," Kaito replied, but his assurance didn't sway the cadets. Out of the six, only four moved to aid Mikasa. Disregarding their hesitation, Kaito kept a vigilant eye on the approaching Titan.

The 7-meter class Titan's massive form came crashing into the building, its large hand swiping where Kaito had been standing just moments ago. Kaito had evaded the attack successfully, but he knew he couldn't keep dodging forever. Titans had a persistence about them, especially when they locked onto prey.

Kaito's eyes scanned the immediate surroundings. One 7-meter Titan that had confronted Mikasa was being dealt with by the remaining cadets, while with the other one, Mikasa exhibited her remarkable combat skills.

He had no doubt she could handle them, but he kept a watchful eye just in case.

He returned his attention to the pursuing Titan, which was still swiping at him. His ODM gear fired, propelling him to another building.

Kaito's swift and calculated movements allowed him to outmaneuver the pursuing Titan, even as it lunged with unnatural agility. "Titans aren't so fast... is it an abnormal?" he pondered aloud as he skillfully dodged the Titan's strikes.

In a fluid motion, he thrust his blade into the Titan's wrist, severing its hand nearly completely.

As Kaito sailed through the air, his ODM gear hook shot out towards the Titan's eye. Once the wire was hooked, it retracted, pulling him toward it's face.

Despite being blinded in one eye, the Titan's instinctual reaction was to open its gaping maw to capture its prey.

"Ughh.. "

The stench inside the Titan's mouth was unbearable, and Kaito couldn't help but exclaim, "Brushing motherfucker, do you know?" His senses, heightened by his vampiric nature, were bombarded by the repugnant odor.

Unhooking the wire, he narrowly avoided the gaping maw, gliding past its face. Once he was facing its face, he shot the hook at its neck. Once he landed at its back, he swiftly gutted out its nape with one sword. With his enhanced strength, he didn't need to use both his sword and his whole body momentum to pierce its flesh.

The Titan, now as lifeless as a deflated balloon, crashed to the ground, its single-eyed gaze vanquished. Kaito, however, found himself in a moment of contemplation and self-reflection, maybe even questioning his life choices.

Staring at the Titan's vacant mouth, he couldn't help but wonder, "Why does every Titan seem to have breath that could knock you out from a mile away?"

With a quick, synchronized move, he removed his gear and tried to shake off the Titan's remnants. It wasn't the first time he had been drooled on, and he hoped it wouldn't become a trend. Shuddering with the memory of Titan's saliva, he wiped his gear clean, the revulsion almost palpable.

But the real show was happening on the sidelines. Two squad members who were supposed to assist Kaito stood there, their faces locked in expressions of dumbfounded amazement. If they had popcorn, they would be munching on it right now.

"Amazing..." one of them mumbled, his voice dripping with awe. It's as if he'd witnessed the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Ignoring the starry-eyed spectators, Kaito glanced over to the rest of the squad. Mikasa and her crew were playing their own version of "Titan-Whack-a-Mole," expertly dispatching Titans left and right. Mikasa, in particular, sliced a Titan down with the grace and precision of a Michelin-star chef dicing an onion.

In the midst of this Titan-slaying symphony, Kaito and Mikasa shared a brief, unspoken moment of mutual amazement and acknowledgment. It was like they were members of an elite club that met under the strangest circumstances.

But, alas, there was no time to bask in their glory. The city was still a mess; Titans were the main course, and they were on the menu. With the immediate threat neutralized, and Titan sushi rolled off the table, the squad reluctantly dispersed to assist with the ongoing evacuation. Yep, there was no rest for the wicked, or in this case, Titan-weary soldiers.