The 57th Expedition (2)

Mina's POV

After both of them gave me the go signal, I immediately ran toward the road we'd passed through earlier and proceeded to use my ODM gear. After serving as my second skin for a couple of years, using this maneuver gear to pave my way through this forest is as easy as walking. It pulls my whole body towards danger, the very thing that I am willing to join in. As long as it's connected to my goals, fear won't be able to stop me from doing so. 

Because in this world, something far more heinous than fear exists among men. Just remembering its eyes makes me growl as I quickly jump off a branch to swing my way nearer to my next target. 

Upon hearing countless screams in a far-off distance, I knew that I was close. Attacking her blind spot won't work because not only is she agile, but Annie's skills are more than that. So, after taking a huge breath, I closed in.

My gear was connected to her shoulder, an easy place for her to notice, and just when I spotted six people riding their horses in front of the female titan, I knew that in its center was where Eren would be. However, I do not have the time nor the skill to even look at them. The being in front of me is strong, skillful, and intelligent, and with one wrong move, I may even lose a limb. 

With one last pull, I gazed at her intense blue eyes and immediately placed my weapons back in their sheath. Not only did it terrify the people who saw my actions, but just as I expected, Annie wasn't expecting this either. Not even a second had passed when I successfully placed myself on top of her left shoulder, staring right at her confused and desperate stare. 

"What are you doing, Mina?!" Eren screamed at me, trying to get my attention. I, however, was busy having a stare-off with this creature, completely ignoring his call. 

I knew then that some of the soldiers would have already noticed that something was wrong. How can I, a recruit, even manage to stay upright on a killing machine without having her attack me? Annie must have noticed as well, but it was too late.

Far. Too. Late.

I grinned. "How weak-minded." 

What she did wasn't just hesitation; it was carelessness. Knowing that there are witnesses right directly ahead, people who know how murderous the female titan can be, I can easily expose her by doing this. To allow a person to stand right on her shoulder just because she was surprised by my unexpected move shows her true feelings. 

Annie doesn't want to kill certain people because, as humanely as she still can be, she's still just a child.

One that I can easily exploit.

Leaving her in rage from the words I had uttered, she finally made her move and tried to squash me on the nearby tree. Such a move, however, is predictable. So, I jumped off of her and maneuvered myself to pull my body towards the group up ahead. 

"Mina, get out of there!" Petra yelled, easily making me agree with her statement. 

I used even more gas after noticing her foot that was readying itself to stomp me. It brought out a certain scenario from my first world, instantly irritating me. As a response, I twirled myself to look at her and connected the wires on the trees beside us. Doing so slowed my movement, and I eventually avoided her foot. 

After disconnecting the wires, I twirled once more and pulled out my weapons, finally targeting the back of her foot and tripping her in the process. She roared and tried to grab a hold of my wires. 

I can't have her killing me afterward, now, can I? So, as quickly as I could, I released more gas, which probably made her think that I'd use it to run away. 

"Aha, I won't run away from a fight," I mumbled to myself as I finally connected my wires to her hand and swiftly cut off her fingers. "I'm an aggressive type, after all." 

With one last push from her hand, I used my gear to pull myself away from her titan body and towards Squad Levi. 

Commander Erwin told me to skip this part, but I digress. "Everyone! Wear your hood!" By doing so, Annie will have a hard time determining who Eren is among the group. I'm sure that they understood what I was trying to say, so I finally overtook them as I made my way back to where the capture point would take place. 

Will this finally impede their imminent deaths? 

I could only hope as I maneuvered my way back to report my findings. 

It only took me a minute before I finally reached a place where I could refill my supply of gas. Relief flooded within me as fresh air passed through my lungs. Looking up, I noticed Commander Erwin staring in my direction. When our gazes met, I briefly gave him a nod, knowing that he would interpret it correctly. 

Then the warning came that a titan was only a few meters away from this place. I continue to refill my gear just when six soldiers pass through, all of them wearing their hoods. Seeing them brought comfort to my anxious heart as a sense of tranquility washed over my whole mind, even more so after finally seeing the female titan falling for our trap. 

Will this suffice?

I heaved a long sigh before recalling the fact that Eren had to fight Annie inside the walls. Just what the heck happened here that the Survey Corps failed to capture the female titan? 

"Fire!" 

Thundering noises filled every sensation that I had as thousands of arrows pierced through the flesh of the female titan. It reminded me of a different scenario where hundreds of canons are hopelessly being fired upon hundreds of colossal titans, deeming it as a worthless act. In this case, however, instead of cannons, arrows with a connecting rope were used to capture an intelligent titan. 

A soldier nearby told me to cover my ears from the barrage of noise, but I was too busy refilling my tank, so I shook my head. Blood threatened to spill out of my ears, but there was nothing I could do. I can only bite my lip, shaking away any pain that may come afterward. 

Not until that certain soldier decided to cover my ears instead of his.

My eyes connected to his gaze, surprised by how chivalrous he was currently acting. It was rare, so rare, to find such a soldier, especially out here on the battlefield. So, I smiled and mumbled my gratitude, hoping that he'd read my lips for understanding.

After a few more arrows had locked themselves on Annie's titan skin, it stopped. Everything became eerily silent as the soldiers began to digest what had happened. The man covering my ears then stepped back, giving me a thumbs up before finally returning to his squad. 

His head should be in pain right now, given that he sacrificed his hearing for me. So, once I had refilled my supply of gas, I quickly performed a salute before pulling my body to where the commander was. To my surprise, Captain Levi was also there.

"…"

Wait… Captain Levi? Why isn't he with his squad? 

"Commander Erwin," Upon landing on their branch, I wasted no time reporting my findings. "She's among my batch, there's no mistake." 

He nodded his head and spoke, "Good work, Mina. Refill your supply of gas." 

"Already did." 

"That was reckless, brat." Now, it was Captain Levi who opened his mouth to speak. He was sending daggers in my direction, so I simply tilted my head to somehow avoid it. "But thanks to that, some of the rear guards didn't have to sacrifice their lives."

I frowned. "But most of them still died." 

"Yes," He sighs before looking back at the commander once more. "Just like what I mentioned." 

Captain Levi then pulled his blade out, an act that shows that he'll be the one who will slice the nape of the female titan. But before he can proceed, Commander Erwin orders the spare rounds to be used as more arrows embed themselves in the captured titan. 

In my peripheral vision, I noticed the soldier who loved to smell people during their first meeting. I asked Moblit what his name was a few days ago, and he told me that his name was Mike Zacharias. He and Captain Levi then jumped off their branches and attempted to slice the nape of the female titan.

But just as expected, she can harden her hand. Guess I got lucky that she didn't use that ability when I sliced her fingers off. 

"Do you know who she is, Mina?" The commander's voice called out to me as I lifted my head to stare at his figure. He was still observing how Captain Levi and Captain Mike were faring, so I could only look at his side face. 

I gulped, not knowing how to respond. However, in this case, it's important to be more observant and use our 'hunches,' right? So, I replied. "Seeing that it's a female titan, I assume that the person inside it is also female."

Logic and reasoning are what calm me, as I relax even further while answering his question. "Eren's titan form has brown hair and green eyes, like in his human form. I can also assume that whoever has blonde hair in our batch can be associated with the female titan. There's Krista Lenz," I gulped and looked at the captured titan before continuing. "And Annie Leonhart." 

I said it.

Closing my eyes, I heaved a long sigh of relief as I had just overcome a huge hurdle. I finally said it.

For a second, I was internally rejoicing, happy with the fact that I could now lessen the number of soldiers who would die after this expedition. I gripped my pants as my gaze locked onto her nape. The commander then ordered a nearby soldier to prepare more explosives, and my gaze eventually found itself looking at a certain man who was currently standing on top of the titan's head. 

Was Captain Levi talking to her? What was he saying? 

However, before I could even form an idea, she screamed. 

The female titan, who can't move her limbs due to this new invention, screamed. 

My eyes widened in realization. The right flank was massacred by the female titan, right? Like the other intelligent titans, does she possess a certain ability, too? 

I paled as I leaped off the branch, ignoring the calls of my superiors. 

"Eren," My lips trembled while muttering his name as I maneuvered myself in this forest to find wherever they were hiding. "I've been careless."

Too fucking careless! 

Now I know the reason why Squad Levi was massacred, leaving only Captain Levi and Eren alive. 

She's coming.

Annie Leonhart is coming to murder them.

*****