Chapter 17 Ryo's Battle

"You're powerful, but unfortunately, you're too slow!"

As the Survey Corps and Garrison Corps raced to the scene, Ryo Carter had already engaged the Titan.

This was Ryo's first battle using the three-dimensional maneuvering device. Though his movements were initially clumsy, he adapted quickly, his confidence growing with each passing second.

Fortunately, this wasn't an intelligent Titan. If it had been, like the Female Titan Annie once transformed into, Ryo would've been crushed into paste in moments.

Intelligent Titans were faster, more agile, and frighteningly strategic. Their combination of raw strength and cunning made them exponentially more dangerous, as evidenced by the devastation Annie inflicted on the elite Survey Corps. Even the best soldiers barely stood a chance against her.

But the Titan before Ryo was ordinary. After circling it for a few moments, he had already identified its weaknesses.

"The turning speed is slow, the range of movement is large but clumsy, and its attention is easily diverted," Ryo muttered with a grim smile, gripping the hilt of his blade. "I've got you now."

---

Mikasa arrived at the scene just in time to see the Titan behaving strangely. Its erratic movements made her pause, her sharp eyes scanning the situation.

"What's going on?" she murmured, confused. Her gaze shifted upward, and she spotted Ryo leaping through the air. His blade gleamed, and his figure was streaked with fresh, steaming Titan blood.

"Is he insane?" Mikasa hissed, her brows furrowing. "How does he expect to fight a Titan without knowing its weak spots?"

The trainees hadn't yet been taught the critical knowledge of a Titan's vulnerabilities. This lack of information, coupled with the overwhelming size and power of Titans, paralyzed them with fear. To Mikasa, Ryo's reckless actions seemed like a death wish.

---

Ryo gritted his teeth in frustration. He had aimed for the Titan's nape, but his timing was slightly off. The Titan turned just as he struck, causing his blade to sink harmlessly into its shoulder.

"Too nervous," he muttered, retreating to a safe distance. He glanced at the blood coating his hands—it was hot and foul-smelling, already beginning to evaporate. The stench churned his stomach, but he forced himself to focus.

Behind him, the Titan grunted, its massive hand lifting a struggling student toward its mouth. Without hesitation, it bit down, sending blood and viscera spraying across the ground.

The student's agonized screams pierced the air, and Ryo froze for a moment. His hands trembled—not from fear, but from seething rage.

"Damn you," he growled, his knuckles whitening around the hilt of his blade. The Titan's dismissive attitude toward him—barely sparing him a glance before resuming its gruesome feast—only fueled his anger.

"This ends now," Ryo spat, his eyes blazing with determination.

---

Abandoning caution, Ryo drove an anchor from his maneuvering device directly into the Titan's massive body. The risky move left him tethered to the beast itself—a moving target.

Previously, he had relied on trees and other stationary structures for support, ensuring he could retreat quickly if necessary. But this time, he was determined to end the fight, even if it meant putting himself in greater danger.

"Go to hell!" Ryo roared, launching himself toward the Titan.

The beast finally noticed the small figure darting toward it and raised a hand to swat him out of the air.

Clang!

Ryo's blade flashed, severing its fingers in a single, precise strike. He zipped past the Titan's arm, too quick for it to react.

With a hiss, his second anchor fired, embedding itself in the Titan's neck. Using the gas propulsion and cable traction of his maneuvering gear, Ryo rocketed forward. His body curved smoothly through the air, circling the Titan's head to land squarely behind it.

The Titan's sluggish reflexes couldn't keep up. Its massive form stumbled, trying to turn, but it was already too late.

Ryo's movements were seamless, his timing perfect. His skills with the maneuvering device—though unpolished—showed remarkable promise.

This time, there would be no mistake.