Show-Off

As Kaito and Mikasa sauntered back to the inner gate, they stumbled upon a spectacle that couldn't have been more typical of the chaos that surrounded them. A large crowd of citizens, close to breaking into a full-fledged panic, encircled a pudgy man who was putting his best belittling skills to work on two other unfortunate souls. The epic showdown? Trying to move a wagon that appeared to be on a date with the wall.

"SHUT UP, YOU WORTHLESS BUMS! This goods here is worth more than you," the corpulent gentleman declared, acting as if he had an actual clue about what he was talking about. To be fair, there was a wagon. It was stuck. That was about as much as anyone could confirm.

Our fearless duo, Mikasa and Kaito, approached the scene. Mikasa, of course, was ready to deliver a passionate speech and sort things out. But just when she was about to utter the first word, Kaito strolled past her as if he had more pressing issues on his agenda.

He approached the stout guy, who began to stutter, "Hey, you..." before realizing he was in for a close encounter of the neck-grabbing kind. In an instant, Kaito's fingers were clamped around the man's windpipe.

A moment later, he was suspended in the air and wheezing like a faulty accordion.

"Now," Kaito said, the embodiment of tranquil intensity, "how about you reconsider your approach, friend?"

The crowd, caught in the crossfire of the confrontation, could hardly believe their eyes. They went from collective gasp to confused applause in a heartbeat. They needed a hero, and Kaito had unknowingly taken on the role.

The stout man, his face turning as red as a tomato in a pressure cooker, nodded frantically, signifying his newfound dedication to not being a total jerk.

Kaito, ever so casually, let go of the man, who hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. He cast a glance that could only be described as 'superhero-esque' at the onlookers.

"That's more like it," he announced with a smug grin. "Now, how about lending a hand to these fine folks instead of terrorizing them?"

It was official. Amid the Titan crisis, Kaito had now added 'crowd-pleaser' to his resume.

And just then, as it happened in canon, a massive 15-meter titan, probably attracted by the prospect of a snack, made its grand entrance. The ground quaked, and panic swept through the crowd like wildfire. People sprinted for the safety of the open gate, a real-life version of a 'who-can-squeeze-through-first' game.

"Well, isn't that a sight?" Kaito mused, enjoying the show. Mikasa didn't reply, her eyes looking in the direction of Titan.

Then, a question popped from his mouth like a casual remark: "Wanna take it?"

Mikasa, usually as emotionally expressive as a brick wall, replied in her usual stoic tone as she watched the rushing titan, ready to spring into action.

"Why, you scared?"

Now, that caught Kaito off guard. Mikasa, the emotionless brick herself, had just dished out a sassy comeback? Progress was being made, folks.

"How can I let the lady do such a gruesome task?" Kaito replied, his voice laced with faux chivalry. "I was just asking, lest you say I do everything myself."

Mikasa couldn't help but snort at his theatrics, though the truth was she did want to see Kaito in action. Despite his incessant flirting and laid-back attitude, she'd never seen him go all out during their past two years of training. His strength had always been something of a mystery to everyone.

"Getting fast, aren't we?" Kaito quipped as he deftly sidestepped the oncoming Titan's hand. He made it look like a walk in the park, even taking a moment to use a wall as a stepping stone to vault toward the Titan's legs.

"Damn, what a neat wall jump..." he muttered.

What was impressive was that he hadn't used his ODM gear to do this. It was all about testing the boundaries of his newly enhanced body. The moment his feet hit the wall, it cracked under the sheer pressure he exerted.

And then came the moment of reckoning. The Titan, probably thinking it had a smart move in mind, tried to give Kaito the boot. It aimed to kick him away. But, alas for the Titan, Kaito's momentum was something else entirely.

With the might of a battering ram, Kaito's head met the Titan's knee in a decidedly painful headbutt. The result? The Titan stumbled backward, temporarily dazed.

"Ouch, that hurt," Kaito winced, rubbing his head as his feet touched the ground.

A moment later, the titan had rebalanced itself.

Again, as the Titan closed in, its massive form towering over Kaito, he couldn't help but smirk. "Time to have some fun," he whispered happily.

The Titan's massive hand descended toward him, and Kaito sidestepped it with ease, his movements graceful and precise. "Let's see how much force I can handle," he said with a grin, and he delivered a powerful kick to the Titan's ankle, testing the strength of his legs.

Too bad the Titan also had the same idea.

The Titan staggered but didn't fall, and Kaito was thrown backward, crashing into a nearby building. "Not bad," he mumbled as he pushed himself up, his body still intact despite the impact.

The Titan roared, and Kaito lunged at it, aiming to test the strength of his blades. His blades sliced through the Titan's flesh like a hot knife through butter, and Kaito couldn't help but chuckle. "These are definitely an upgrade," he said with satisfaction.

He darted around the Titan, his ODM gear whirring as he moved effortlessly through the air. "Let's see if I can cut its Achilles tendons," he mused, and with a swift maneuver, he sliced through the tendons in the Titan's heels, causing it to stumble and fall to one knee.

Kaito landed gracefully and observed the fallen Titan. "Well, that's one way to take them down," he remarked, clearly pleased with the results of his experiments.

The Titan roared in pain and frustration as it struggled to rise, its movements hampered by its severed tendons. Kaito couldn't help but taunt it. "Getting back up, huh? You've got some fight in you."

He darted back in, evading the Titan's futile attempts to swat him away. With precision and finesse, he sliced through the tendons in its arms and shoulders, rendering them useless. "It's like carving a turkey for Thanksgiving," he quipped as he moved with practiced ease.

The Titan's thrashing became more desperate as it realized its helplessness. Kaito leaped up and delivered a powerful kick to its back, sending the giant crashing to the ground with a resounding thud.

As the dust settled and the Titan lay defeated, Kaito couldn't help but grin. "Well, that was an interesting experiment. Time to wrap things up," he said, positioning himself for the final blow.

With a swift and decisive strike, Kaito drove his blade into the Titan's nape, ending its torment and silencing its roars. The creature shuddered, and then its body started evaporating off. 

As he withdrew his blade and toward Mikasa, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. "Not bad for a day's work, huh?"

___

Mikasa POV

As Mikasa watched Kaito draw near the Titan, her curiosity piqued. She had spent the last two years training and fighting alongside him, but today felt different. She had never seen him in a real battle, and his relaxed demeanor and banter, even in the face of a 15-meter Titan, surprised her.

Her sharp eyes caught the sudden burst of speed in the Titan's movements.

'That's the second time that happened.'

This wasn't a mere coincidence. Something about Kaito's presence seemed to affect the Titans, and it puzzled her.

When Kaito executed a headbutt to the Titan's knee, , her shock deepened.

'Did he just...push it back?'

The 15-meter-tall creature, weighing possibly in tons, staggered back.

Her mind raced with questions. How was Kaito capable of such feats? It was as if he had the strength and agility of a Titan himself. She observed him, massaging his head in mild pain, and for a moment, her disbelief crept in.

Could Kaito be more than just a skilled cadet? Her heart began to race, and her instincts urged her to uncover the truth. But the thought of protecting Eren overshadowed that.

Still, she continued to watch Kaito butcher the Titan. It was absurd how he moved, effortlessly cutting the Titan's tendons, rendering it immobile.

His refusal to employ the ODM gear seemed like a deliberate show of his skills.

And that did work, she had never seen anything like it. Her own battle-hardened mind was in turmoil, trying to process what she was witnessing. Leaving everything else about that flirty bastard aside, his combat skills were worthy of admiration at least.

A quick glance at the people who were still rooted in awe and admiration for Kaito's performance reminded her of the urgency of the situation. Her focus had to return to her mission—finding Eren and ensuring his safety. As her inner thoughts churned, she pushed aside her amazement and directed her resolve toward her unrelenting goal.

"Fall back. There could be more titans in the area."

Hearing her voice, the citizens came out of their reverie and realized the situation. They quickly escaped through the door. 

She heard Kaito's voice,"Not bad for a day's work, huh?"

Mikasa regarded him with a rare smile. "Indeed. Your strength and skill are... unexpected."