CHAPTER THREE

A Titan invasion was an unprecedented incident that plunged the people of Shiganshina District into the depths of fear.

The morning after, the town looked like a literal hell on Earth. The killed, wounded, and missing numbered as high as five thousand in total. Piles of corpses waiting to be collected sat casually on roads stained a dark red with their blood. The low temperature kept the bodies from rotting quickly so there was no fear of an epidemic as long as they could be dealt with in a timely manner, but the sight was more than enough to corrode the survivors’ hearts.

While the Titan had been overpowering, its victims were only twenty percent of the whole. The rest fell in a man-made disaster caused by panic, namely a stampede resulting from the narrow escape path. The majority of the victims were those unable to defend themselves, such as children and elderly people, who were crushed to death.

Serious damage had also been done to buildings, with as many as a hundred homes completely or partially destroyed. Flames could still be seen in places around the city, and it was estimated that the final toll would be twice the current number. Plans to rebuild them were not yet on the horizon.

While massive damage had been dealt to homes, Wall Maria was left completely unscratched. The main gate was in good shape as well. It was ironic, then, that the myth of safety had nevertheless been demolished. It was an unforeseen situation for the corps and the royal government, and any trust the people had in them took a nosedive. While the cultists responsible for the turmoil had been subdued by the soldiers, that did not mean the incident had been resolved. In fact, it was only the beginning, with investigations to come.

Elena, who had incited the believers, was found dead near the front gate. She had been eaten, then vomited out by the Titan. While her corpse was covered in bodily fluids, it was nearly unscathed. It was possible that the Titan had gulped her down whole. Titans ate but did not digest humans, filling their stomachs with men and women, vomiting them back out, then repeating the cycle again. Traces of this behavior had been left around the town. Like a cat bringing up hairballs after grooming, the Titan had hacked up lumps of human bodies.

The incident had laid many problems bare, causing the people of Shiganshina to erupt into discontent, but by promising extensive recovery work and even greater assistance than before, the royal government managed to evade calls for accountability. The residents had no choice but to prioritize their own lives, and so the issues raised went unresolved and forgotten.

***

The setting sun blazed red as it lit the graveyard. The space, over five hundred square meters in size, served as the resting place for those who had passed away in the incident.

It was doubtful, though, that they were resting in peace. The mass grave was hastily built as a way to handle the corpses that inundated the city. No time had been expended on thoughts of showing respect for the deceased. Public health concerns took precedence, but even then, it was a rough measure. There was a memorial stone but no inscription, leaving it unclear as to who was buried there.

“I’m not really a flowers guy, but…” Angel placed some on the altar and breathed a heavy sigh.

Corina, who, along with a number of his other colleagues, had died in the turmoil, rested in the graveyard. While they could only bury Corina’s head, others were missing with no remains to be found whatsoever, and some had suffered so much damage that they could not be identified. Compared to them, things could have turned out worse for her.

But it really only matters to the survivors…

The only ones who could be saved by praying in front of the graves were those still alive. The dead felt nothing.

“Were you able to contact Corina’s family?”

Angel stared at the memorial for a moment, then shifted his eyes sideways. There stood Solm and Maria, who had known her, as well as Xenophon.

“I tried visiting her home, but it had been destroyed.”

Maria seemed exhausted, perhaps from the reconstruction work that was still taking place every day. Removing rubble was bone-breaking labor in itself, but she must have been discovering remains during the process. It had to be difficult work, both physically and emotionally. That she had been unable to protect the town must be weighing heavily on her as well.

“I did some looking, too, but I couldn’t figure out where her parents were. I just hope they’ve evacuated somewhere.”

“It’s possible they’ve already been reunited,” Xenophon said while looking at the memorial. It was an inappropriate remark, but considering the circumstances, it was a possibility.

“She was too young to die. She had so much ahead of her as a craftsman…”

Corina herself could not have imagined being eaten and killed by a Titan.

“Apparently, the conservatives have gained a lot of influence in the wake of this incident. I can see this being a pain,” Solm scowled.

“What, are they talking about dissolving the Survey Corps like always?”

“They want to seal the gates,” Maria sighed, then continued, “The incident occurred because there’s a gate, so if we just sealed the gates…”

“Then no one would try anything crazy? That’s pretty simplistic, even for them,” Xenophon said with a stunned expression.

“Even if they did that, there’ll still be idiots trying to go outside. It just means more work for us if there aren’t any gates.”

“Yes. They want to leave through the gate because it’s there. If it isn’t, their target will shift to all of Wall Maria.”

“Just like the Titans,” Angel pointed out. “Without Shiganshina District, their bait, we won’t be able to predict their movements. Our soldiers can’t patrol the entire Wall, can they?”

“Think you could tell that to the bigwigs?”

“If they’ll listen to what a petty little citizen has to say.” In other words, it was hopeless. “Ultimately, our only option is to do something about the Titans. Humanity’s situation is just going to get worse at this rate.”

“Do something about them? We can’t defeat them…” reminded Maria.

“That’s not true. There’s hope.” Xenophon showed everyone his short sword.

“Is that the sword you were talking about?”

“Oh, that’s right. You don’t know how sharp it is, do you, Solm?”

“What do you mean?”

“When he and I were attacked by the Titan…this thing came in mighty handy,” declared Xenophon. While that was open to debate, the blade had certainly sliced though the Titan’s flesh.

“I see. So it’s an effective weapon against a Titan.”

“You can’t kill a Titan just by cutting it,” Maria objected.

“They do recover so fast it’s unfair. I can understand why it became common sense that they’re immortal,” Angel agreed, but he still wasn’t convinced. “Yesterday’s common sense is today’s nonsense. I’ll flip the ‘fact’ that they’re immortal upside down.”

“Indeed. That’s why our craft exists.”

While Solm and Maria looked conflicted, Angel and Xenophon were feeling motivated.

“But before we can take the Titans on, we need to know them better. The Titans are clearly organisms, so they must have a weakness.”

“So we find it and stab it with this.” Xenophon made a thrusting motion with the short sword.

“There’s too much we don’t know about the Titans.”

“Yes. All we really know is that they eat humans.”

“That’s why we need to conduct a thorough investigation of their behavior. I’m sure we’ll find a clue.”

But it wouldn’t be like observing an animal.

We need to secure the corps’ help somehow.

In particular, of the Survey Corps. Studying the Titans’ behavior required working outside the Wall.

“Couldn’t you undertake a behavioral study of the Titans during an expedition?”

“The conclusion of our investigations is that the Titans are unkillable. It’ll be hard to overturn it.”

“But we have to.”

If no possibility whatsoever existed, humanity had no future, and Corina would not be able to rest in peace.

“Introduce us to your boss.”

“The commander?”

“You said to tell the bigwigs, right? We may not have the connections to talk to the royal government, but we might have a chance with the Survey Corps. After all, we have a corpsman right here.”

Solm sunk into thought for a moment after hearing his friend’s proposal.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” he replied.

***

Angel was diligently working in his development lab to fix the Equipment. While it had yielded even better results than expected, sparing Angel’s life as a result, it was still not ready for field use. The gas cylinder had leaked, and there were problems with the wire’s strength. Repairs would not be enough to ready it for the battlefield. Large-scale improvements were needed.

“I didn’t expect it to be so hard to simply meet with the commander, though,” Xenophon complained, scanning the lab.

“I thought he’d at least see us… I guess I was naïve.” If their proposal had been shot down, it would have been one thing, but not even being granted an audience meant the end of the story. “That’s the problem with chain of command.”

“And Solm’s toward the bottom of it. He’d be seen as arrogant if he tried to talk to the commander.” The standard practice would be to go through a team leader, who would go to the deputy commander, who would then talk to the commander. Those in titled positions held discretionary power, and Solm’s request hadn’t even made it past the team leader.

“I think we have a timing problem, too.”

“Yes, they have their hands full rebuilding the town.”

While all the bodies had been buried and the rubble cleared out, the damaged buildings were just starting to be rebuilt. It would be months until the city was returned to how it once looked. Considering that priority, it seemed obvious that their request would be denied.

“I doubt they will be going on any expeditions for the time being, either. Right now, it would just open them up to criticism.”

“So we’ll just have to wait for our opportunity, huh?”

“If you devote yourself to development, it’ll come before you know it.”

“Yeah…” Angel agreed with Xenophon, but he couldn’t give up so easily. There was no guarantee that they’d begin studying the Titans once the town was rebuilt.

I need to somehow press them to go on an expedition…

But he couldn’t think of a single method.

A way to move the Survey Corps into action. Hmm… That would be bold, even for me.

Though shocked by his own idea, he began giving serious thought to his method.

***

“Great, but this is the last time. Okay?” Maria let out a deep sigh as she glared at Angel.

“Looks better on me than you’d think, huh?” he puffed his chest out as if to show off the clothes he wore. They weren’t his regular work clothes; he was wearing the military uniform of a Garrison soldier.

“Where did you get that?”

“You’d get mad if I told you.”

“I’m already mad.”

Maria was scowling, but she would surely become furious if she found out that he’d bought the clothes at a black market. While you could buy just about anything you wanted there, many of the items broke the law. A military uniform was simply out of the question.

“Good thing you’re in the Garrison. Like they say, that’s what friends are for.”

“If they find you, we’re not getting off with just a slap on the wrist.”

“I’m used to it.”

“I’m not!”

Maria was well within her rights to be indignant. She was to guide him to the watchtower, from where he’d observe the Titans─without permission, naturally.

I’d be in hot water if they found out.

In the worst case, he’d end up in a cell eating disgusting jail food.

Angel had considered different ways to get the Survey Corps to investigate the Titans but had come up empty. The solution he had devised instead was to investigate them himself. Of course, he was powerless on his own, which is why he’d gotten Maria involved.

“I’m not kidding when I say this is the only time.”

As she emphasized the fact yet again, Wall Maria’s main gate began to come into view. Wooden spiral staircases rose on both sides of the gates. Once they climbed up, the lookout tower came into view. Angel followed Maria with a nonchalant look as she entered the watchtower, relieving the soldier on night duty there. The soldier must have been tired from the night shift, as he paid no attention to Angel.

“I think that took a year off my life,” Maria said as she put her hand to her chest and sighed in relief.

“That was easier than I thought.”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean we’re doing this again.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Angel shrugged, then looked toward the copper-red infertile plains. It was a chilly sight, with nothing to catch the eye. Even if they could take the outside world back from the Titans, cultivating the starved soil, building a town, and thus creating a place suitable for humans to inhabit would take a considerable amount of time.

As he stared at the wasteland harder, Angel was able to make out a number of humanoid figures. He squinted his eyes and focused on the man-shaped monsters that lurked there.

Titans…

As soon as he could make them out, an intense feeling rushed through Angel’s body, like his nerves had been doused in cold water. His entire body erupted in cold sweat, and he could feel his consciousness fading.

Can’t…breathe…

In reality, it was just that he was forgetting to breathe. Angel nearly fainted but somehow managed to stay on his feet after taking a few panicked breaths.

Crap. So I’m scared of them?

He would have preferred never to see them again, but it was no time to be running scared.

I’ll be the one…to defeat the Titans.

It was not some praiseworthy resolve for the sake of humanity. It was simply something he had to do. For Corina, who met a bitter death, and to wipe away the fear the Titans had implanted in him.

Angel roused himself and immediately began observing the Titans. The first thing he noticed was that Titans were not communal in nature. They moved alone in scattered locations and did not seem to congregate. He watched them for a while but saw no signs that they understood one another, nor did he see any regularity in their movements.

Some Titans walked around aimlessly, while others stood still and stared at the sky. They varied in size, and it seemed as though Mammon, the one who had broken into Shiganshina District, was large even among Titans. The smaller ones were about three meters tall, but that still made them significantly larger than a human.

“Are they always like that?”

“Yeah.”

“I wonder what they eat to get that big.”

“Who knows,” Maria said, tilting her head to the side.

Angel had his doubts. “They must eat, right?”

“I think so.”

“You’ve never seen them eat?”

“Apart from humans.”

It seemed odd, as they would normally not have any chances to eat humans.

I guess if there was another country out there…

As long as Titans were organisms, they needed to take in some sort of nutrients. Not eating or drinking at all was untenable. Furthermore, there was their size. They would need a tremendous amount of energy in order to sustain themselves. There was no way that they did not eat.

“We’re truly in the dark… It’s no surprise that we can’t defeat the Titans.”

The more powerful the enemy, the more information you needed on them. Especially important was the enemy’s weakness. Fighting without that knowledge would be truly foolhardy.

Maybe there was no need to defeat them.

Not studying the Titans’ behavior must have been a choice made by the royal government. Or to be more exact, the conservatives. On the other hand, the Survey Corps held expeditions beyond the Walls. One could see in their actions glimpses of the reformist aim of retaking the land seized by the Titans.

In other words, a compromise.

Perhaps they had shelved the question of the Titans in order to avoid a confrontation so that the factions themselves may coexist. Of course, this also meant shelving the public interest. For the Survey Corps, who risked their lives with every expedition, it must have been an unbearable situation.

I don’t care a whit about conservative or reformist.

Meanwhile, his best friend was in the Survey Corps. If the expeditions continued on unchanged, Solm could one day be killed by a Titan, and Maria would feel absolutely lost.

I’ll be the one to expose the Titans’ weakness.

So resolving, Angel stared at the outer lands.

***

Angel learned little about the Titans from up on the Wall. Looking at them through binoculars from afar only revealed their external characteristics. He hadn’t gained a clue as to any weaknesses.

Still, there was one thing he noticed during his observations: expressions. Like humans, the Titans exhibited feelings. Unlike humans, though, each only showed one emotion. In other words, a Titan with a happy expression would always be wearing it, never indicating other states like anger or sadness. When he thought back on it, Mammon’s expression had never changed, either. His smile had never left his face whether he was eating Corina or cut with a short sword. This realization didn’t offer a way to defeat the Titans, though.

Maria only helped him once, but Angel wore his soldier’s uniform and climbed to the top of the Wall many times. He meticulously observed the Titans each time, but his investigation was taking forever to progress. All he was finding was information that backed up things they already knew.

As Maria had said, the Titans never ate anything. Many animals lived outside the Walls, but the Titans never so much as looked at them. They didn’t munch on grass, either. This meant that they only had an appetite for humans, but that posed its own set of questions. In the end, the only thing he learned was the extent of his own ignorance.

“I guess I have to go outside, after all.”

Realizing that he was back where he started, Angel put his hand to his forehead and groaned.

“Xenophon might have been right.”

In other words, focus on development and wait for their chance.

Reconstruction of the town was proceeding at a clip, and if he focused on his work, time would pass by in a flash. As long as he didn’t let any opportunities go to waste, he would surely be able to speak to the commander some day. It may have been wishful thinking, but he couldn’t bear to look at the situation any other way.

***

Angel was summoned by Caspar while he was diligently working on upgrading the Equipment.

“What’s it going to be this time…”

Angel scowled as he stood in front of the chief’s office. Nothing good had ever come from being summoned by Caspar. It meant that one of two things was going to happen: he would be scolded, or a random task was going to be forced on him. The worst of all possibilities, being scolded and then being given extra work, was plausible, too.

His memories fresh, Angel’s spirits sagged, but he also realized that just worrying would accomplish nothing. He scratched his head and opened the door to the chief’s office before his mood could sour.

“Ah, you’re finally here!”

Caspar stayed flopped atop his sofa as he beckoned Angel in. In addition to Caspar, a soldier whom Angel recognized was inside the room.

“I don’t think I need to introduce you. Ya know him, right?”

Caspar meant to skip a full introduction. Indeed, there was no need for one.

“Jorge Piquer. The commander of the Survey Corps, right? What’s he doing here?”

“What’s he doing here? You’re the one who summoned him.”

“Me? I’d never─” do such a thing, Angel was on the verge of protesting.

He realized, however, that in fact he had.

“So now you come…”

“Please, don’t hold it against me. Your proposal touches on a delicate subject. You understand, don’t you?”

Jorge stared at Angel with his sharp, chiseled face. His glare was like a sharpened blade, and his beard accentuated his rugged aura. The man exuded an overwhelming presence, and even a feral beast might have turned tail and run if he so much as glared at it.

“If you’ve come to meet me, that must mean the situation has changed.”

Jorge’s excuse struck Angel as self-serving, but he kept himself from saying anything more. The commander of the Survey Corps, of all people, had come himself to visit him. Something critical must have happened. Something the Survey Corps found inconvenient.

Quite convenient for me, though.

With less negotiating to do, he expected their conversation to proceed briskly.

“A change in the political landscape, or what have you,” Caspar motioned.

“Caused by the earlier Titan attack. I’m sure you’ve heard talk about the Survey Corps being dissolved?”

“Plenty of times.”

Jorge responded to Angel’s immediate answer with a bitter laugh. “Well, it’s probably more than just a rumor this time. Dissolution is a real possibility.”

“The Titans scared the residents stiff. They’re saying that opening the gates again would be nuts,” elaborated Caspar.

“And why the hell wouldn’t they, after actually seeing one of those monsters?”

“I regret what happened to them on our watch. To your colleague, too.”

Caspar must have told him about Corina. Jorge lowered his head and apologized.

That’s surprising.

Angel appreciated Jorge’s reaction. The commander of the Survey Corps, a symbol of power, had unhesitatingly apologized. It wasn’t an easy thing to do. It showed his mettle, and Angel could see why soldiers put their lives in his hands as they left to go beyond the gates, a place only steps removed from death.

“The conservatives are riding on public opinion to increase their influence. That means we don’t have much time.”

“Those bastards might even seal the gates,” Caspar added.

“Which would naturally lead to the dissolution of the Survey Corps, huh? I don’t know if I should call that underhanded, or just standard procedure for those shut-ins.”

“A rise in the conservatives’ power is bad news for our workshop, too. We and the corps have a give-and-take relationship. You know how it works.”

“It’d probably put a lot of people out of jobs. Including me.”

The biggest problem, though, wasn’t a decrease in orders or the loss of jobs. It was that they would lose chances to advance technology. The arms the craftsmen made may have been designed to effectively kill enemies, but there were also many essential household items that came about as a result of their work. A portable gas stove using Iceburst Stone was a case in point.

“In other words, you want to shut the conservatives up.”

“I can’t say it in too loud a voice, but yes.” Jorge nodded with a solemn expression, then continued, “What we need is a present that can do just that.”

“A Titan head.”

“Prove that the Titans can be killed and he can shut those bastards up.”

“That’s not all. It would allow the people to live in peace again, and even give us hope for our prospects outside the Walls.”

Jorge was thinking about more than what would happen to the Survey Corps, about the future of humanity. Everything down to their aspirations was different between the Survey Corpsmen who risked their lives on the front lines and the politicians who sat back in the interior as they squabbled over power. While Angel had already made up his mind, his resolve only grew stronger upon learning how Jorge felt.

“We should be able to defeat the Titans. I don’t have proof, but it has to be possible,” Angel asserted.

“Anything that’s alive can be killed, yes?” Jorge said pensively. “I understand you’ve been investigating the Titans on your own. Have you found any leads?”

“Wuh?!” Angel’s voice cracked in response to Jorge’s surprise attack.

“Don’t tell me you thought you hadn’t been noticed,” mocked Caspar.

“Er, well, that’s…” Angel stammered.

“I’ll admit that we made mistakes, and it’s true that it caused countless deaths and injuries, but we’re not incompetent.”

“I, um… I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mean to take you to task.”

“Hey, if they were going to do something to you, you’d already be arrested, don’cha think?”

Angel grumbled in powerless frustration at Caspar’s point.

“What I’d like to do is share information and work together with you to deal with the Titans. What do you say?”

“That’s exactly what I want. In fact, that was my proposal, originally. But I don’t have any information of real value. You people probably know more than I do, right?”

Angel conveyed what he had learned about the Titans from the Wall, but most of the information was on external traits.

“The investigation into the Titans has only begun. We’re sure to find something that will lead us to their weakness eventually.”

“I guess my butt’s out of there in any case.”

“What a load of bull. You’re just getting started!”

Caspar’s angry voice instinctively made Angel duck.

“As the survey proceeds, we’ll need arms made to target the Titans’ weaknesses.”

“We’ll get more orders and rake in the dough!”

“Not like a cent of that will be going to my wallet,” Angel snorted. “But how are you going to study the Titans?”

“That’s where you play a role, you see. Already coming in handy.”

“We might be ‘studying’ them, but there’s only one thing we want to know.”

“If you can kill them, right?”

“Exactly.” Jorge nodded solemnly. “Our mission will be to discover their weak spots and to learn how much we need to hurt them before they die.”

“Animal testing, so to speak?”

“Fortunately, we only need one test subject.”

“Just one?”

“As you know, Titans possess incredible recuperative abilities. They regenerate limbs like a lizard regrows its tail, and in a matter of minutes.”

“There we go, they might be fearsome monsters, but they also make great test subjects.”

“So we slice one up until it dies?”

Titans could lose all four limbs and regenerate them in minutes. Not only did this make them excellent test subjects, it meant that just one would do.

“I don’t think they’ll make it easy for us to conduct tests on them, though.”

“Don’t be daft. That’s why they need you to make them something.”

“We want you to develop equipment that will allow us to capture a Titan.”

“Equipment to capture a Titan… Like a net?” It would require something strong enough to capture a Titan and immobilize it. “That’s a tough one right off the bat.”

“What, giving up before you even try?”

“As if,” Angel shot back.

Still, it would take him more than a day or two to create a net for capture, especially after he had seen how absurdly powerful the Titans were.

“When do you plan to go on your next expedition?”

“A month from now.”

“That’s pretty soon.”

“You heard him. That means they’ll need the capture net by then.”

“It’s already hard enough in this atmosphere to go on an expedition. The next one might be our last.”

“So failure is not an option…” Angel began to feel nervous all of a sudden, but as a craftsman, he couldn’t allow himself to retreat.

This might be the fork in the road.

Live humbly as caged birds, or fly out, knowing the trouble in store? If they chose the former, humanity would peacefully decline in exchange for distance from the Titans. The latter was a thorny path, but it meant that the human species would retain a glimmer of hope.

So it’s all up to whether we can defeat a Titan or not.

Not only that, their success rode on the net Angel himself would be making. No wonder he was feeling nervous. His body shook.

“Just wet yourself?” Caspar teased.

“I’m trembling with excitement,” Angel replied with a nonplussed expression and began thinking about his capture net.

***

“You need to thank me.” Those were the words Xenophon uttered upon entering Angel’s lab, and the guy wasn’t even sleepwalking.

Angel let out an obvious sigh. He didn’t have time to deal with Xenophon.

The capture net completely occupied Angel’s mind. While it would be easy enough to produce one by basing the design on a standard casting net, the problem was the net’s strength. He had thought of weaving together the wires used in his Equipment, but he had already proven himself that there were issues with their durability. It was doubtful that they could keep a Titan from budging.

“If you don’t have a reason to be here, get out.”

“What a way to greet someone. Especially when he’s brought you something useful.”

“Useful?” Angel tilted his head and looked at Xenophon.

“You were looking for material for your net, weren’t you?”

“Why do you…”

“I’ve received a request, too.” Xenophon proudly lifted his beloved blade, a smile creeping onto his mouth. “I’m to prepare short swords to be equipped by the Survey Corps.”

“Ready for the kill, huh?”

“Would you want it any other way?”

“Fair enough,” Angel nodded. “Say, you just said something interesting. About materials.”

“If you want to capture a Titan, you need a net that’s tough enough to do the job. Right?”

“You have one?”

“I do,” Xenophon said so casually that Angel was almost disappointed. “I think you know about this material, too.”

“I do?”

Angel furrowed his brow, then immediately started searching around his brain. If Xenophon was right, Angel might as well have proclaimed himself an idiot. It would be an embarrassment to him as a craftsman, and Xenophon may have realized this in keeping himself from giving the answer.

Angel tugged at various threads of memories.

Threads…

Just when he thought he’d distracted himself, it came to him. “Oh. Threads.”

“Correct.” Xenophon whistled and brought an Iron Bamboo leaf out from his breast pocket.

“You mean spinning the leaf fibers into yarn and making a net from that.”

“It may be a leaf, but it’s still Iron Bamboo tough. I think it’ll make a strong net.”

Iron Bamboo’s strength as a material had already been proven. A capture net made from its fibers could be the ultimate kind.

“All right, please get ready to depart.”

“Depart?”

“To fell Iron Bamboo. We need material before we can get started, don’t we?”

A huge number of leaves would be needed to make a net. Xenophon would need to collect a significant amount of Iron Bamboo to produce his short swords, too. They would be procuring their materials from the same source, so Xenophon must have thought that it would be more efficient to work together.

“I’ve made arrangements to go to the factory city. Let’s hurry up and get ready and get going!” Xenophon chirped and swiftly exited the development lab.

Given the man’s mood, he might start hunting for bamboo shoots in addition to procuring the needed materials.

With an appalled sheesh, Angel went back to thinking about the details of his capture net.

***

The Iron Bamboo grew in a mountainous area on the north side of the factory city. The unexplored area, located close to Wall Sheena, was extremely forbidding with not so much as a path leading through it. The most that existed was an animal trail, but it was difficult to tread, with thick foliage obstructing one’s view. No one would visit the area by choice, and that was precisely why the Iron Bamboo had been undiscovered for so long.

“Hard work like this must be a completely foreign concept to the people of Wall Sheena,” Xenophon said, parting grass with his hands as if he were swimming.

“Yeah, it’s full of privileged folks, beginning with the royalty.”

Other people who lived there included those wealthy enough to pay up to acquire citizenship within Wall Sheena. While that was beyond regular folks, it was also possible to earn citizenship there by contributing to the country. The fastest way was to become a decorated soldier. It was the only way to escape poverty and meant an endless source of men and women who wanted to join the corps.

“I wish I was born into royalty, too,” quipped Xenophon.

“You wouldn’t have any freedom to speak of.”

“You wouldn’t have a worry in the world either, though.”

“What if you got involved in a political struggle and were assassinated?” The conservatives and reformers were indeed involved in political strife, and nothing good could come of getting entangled in it. “A craftsman’s life isn’t so bad. And if it’s Wall Sheena citizenship that you care so much about, you might get it as a reward if we can really bring down a Titan.”

“I see. We’ll go with that, then.”

“We? Count me out.”

While they were busy bantering, a bamboo thicket came into sight. The silvery-white bamboo was Iron Bamboo, and its wild growth gave the area a chilly feel as if it had snowed there.

“Iron Bamboo may have originally been no different from regular bamboo that you’d see in the wild.”

Xenophon crouched down and pointed at an Iron Bamboo stem. A close examination revealed variations in thickness and color.

“It seems to take a number of years for these to become what we call Iron Bamboo.”

“There could be a rare metal under the ground here.”

“Want to just dig those up instead?”

Angel briefly considered Xenophon’s suggestion. There was no guarantee that the buried metal would be identical. If Iron Bamboo formed as a result of the plant accumulating various minerals found in the soil, the metals slumbering underground possibly weren’t worth much on their own. Angel relayed his thoughts to Xenophon.

“I see. They might lose their value if we dig them up.”

“It grows out in bamboo form without our lifting a finger. Saves us the trouble of digging, too.”

“All right, then why don’t we start harvesting.”

Angel and Xenophon grabbed their Iron Bamboo short swords and began chopping down everything in sight.

***

A significant amount of Iron Bamboo was needed in order to supply every member of the Survey Corps with a short sword. The order was for sixty short swords, to be exact, and gathering enough Iron Bamboo to make them left a section of the thicket bare. It was not as if they had leveled the entire area, only about a tenth of it. But once the value of the material became well-known, it would only be a matter of time before it was cleared. While the thicket would no doubt come under the control of the royal government, rotating the harvest could stabilize the supply. Unlike minerals, there was no danger of permanently exhausting the supply of bamboo, and its vitality made for easy management. It was unclear how many years it took for bamboo to turn into Iron Bamboo, but they would learn that in time, too.

The capture net and the short swords were manufactured in the factory city. The workshops there banded together to create the swords under Xenophon’s supervision, while Angel alone undertook the production of the capture net. It was a matter of repeating simple tasks over and over. Heat Iron Bamboo leaves and strip them to their fibers, spin them into threads, then twine them into rope. He would then weave those together to create a net. The work was straightforward, which was why it required persistence.

Their work in the factory city eventually came to an end, and they returned to Shiganshina District two days before the expedition.

***

The pub was bustling with activity. It was still bright outside, with some time until sunset, but fifty or so people had packed the establishment to capacity. It was so full of the smell of liquor and tobacco that the scent alone seemed enough to intoxicate you. Half of the customers, in fact, were in high spirits, talking cheerfully about this or that building being rebuilt today and who had been discharged from the hospital the other day. Surprisingly, talk of the Survey Corps’ expedition was among their heartening topics. Of course, they were less interested in the expedition’s results than the celebratory parade to come.

In any case, the strong mood of self-restraint imposed after the Titan attack had started to relax, and the town was regaining its vitality. It would still take time for psychological wounds to heal and to become nothing more than memories, but the signs were good.

“So, here are the fruits of our labor.”

Angel placed a short sword made from Iron Bamboo on the table. Receiving it was Solm, who sat on the other side of the table, Maria next to him.

“We were short-handed, so I sharpened it myself. You’re welcome.”

“Let’s see how blunt it is,” Solm baited Angel. He unsheathed the short sword and checked its blade. “It seems to at least have something resembling a cutting edge.”

“Give it back if you don’t want it.”

“No, I’ll gratefully accept this.” Solm sheathed the blade and tucked it away. “That look in your eyes seemed a lot sharper, though.”

Angel chuckled at this and reached for a brimming glass of wine on the table.

“How did the capture net go?” inquired Maria.

“I think I’m starting to develop an interest in sewing.”

“Good to hear.” Maria grinned, but her smile quickly disappeared. “Is it true that you’re going to join the expedition?”

“Yeah.”

“I think it’s too dangerous.”

“That’s why Solm will be there. He’ll risk his life to protect mine.”

Angel had decided to come along on the expedition so he could note the Titans’ weaknesses and use the information to develop new arms. The unexpected could always happen outside the Walls, but they would gain nothing by being timid. This was something he needed to do in order to free mankind from its fear of the Titans.

“Seems like Xenophon got cold feet.” Solm smirked and tossed down a drink.

“I tried inviting him, but he said no. I can’t believe he’d let this opportunity go to waste.”

“I think it’s a sensible decision,” Maria countered.

“Yeah, being attacked by a Titan once is enough…”

Picturing a Titan was enough to send shivers through Angel’s body, but he was not going on the expedition to be killed. He was going out there to kill a Titan instead. It wouldn’t do to be scared.

“If you’ll allow me to change topics,” Solm said in a formal tone, “I’ve actually submitted a reassignment request.”

“A reassignment request?”

“The next expedition will be my last. After it, I’ll be leaving the Survey Corps.”

“Do you mind if I ask why?”

Solm nodded at Angel’s question. “I believe that the Survey Corps will return from the next expedition with significant results.”

“We’re going to upend common sense, after all.”

“I’ve always wanted to obtain some sort of result. And to stay where I was until I did.”

“And defeating a Titan would mean just that.”

“Yes.”

“So you’ll be transferring into the Garrison? I guess you could be an instructor for trainees, too. Or how about you get Wall Sheena citizenship and live the high life?”

“It’s too early for me to retire. I intend to protect the town as a member of the Garrison.”

“So do you feel better now, Maria?”

Angel looked over at her, but she looked concerned rather than relieved.

“Is something the matter?” he asked.

“Of course! You still have the expedition ahead of you!” she exclaimed, then let out a big sigh. “Solm going on an expedition is enough to make my stomach hurt, but now you say you’re going with him. What’re you going to do if this ends up affecting the baby?”

“The baby? Wait─”

Angel looked back and forth between Solm and Maria.

“Really?!”

“Apparently so.”

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, though.”

The two seemed a little apprehensive, but their radiant smiles made it clear they were both more happy than anything.

“Wow. You’re going to be parents…”

The news of their child was a bundle of joy for Angel too. Since Solm and Maria were like family to him, it was as if his own family were about to gain a new member, and it moved him all the more.

Two people who never knew their parents becoming parents themselves. I bet they’ll dote on the kid.

The child would surely be spared any of the sadness they themselves might have felt during their early years.

“If we’re going to be parents, that means you’re going to be an uncle.”

“I think you mean a big brother,” Angel replied in a flash, raising his hand and calling out to a waiter. “We’ll have an advance celebration tonight. Let’s drink!”

“Now that’s a good idea.”

“Hey! You better not let it affect the expedition,” Maria warned in a resigned tone.

***

The light of dawn illuminated the darkness then swiftly banished it, bringing color to the hazy town. There were a few clouds, but the weather was excellent. The clear blue sky promised a halcyon day.

Still, the early morning air was piercing cold. It was enough to chill you down to the bone even with a cloak and hood on. While Angel cursed his weakly body, the soldiers seemed not to notice the cold, facing forward in formation and standing absolutely still even though they wore the same outfit that he did. An armor called muscles must have been blocking out the cold.

At the front of the formation were Jorge, the commander, and two deputy commanders. Behind them were Teams 1 through 5, each led by a team leader. A group of sixty. Angel would join Team 3, located in the center of the formation and temporarily led by Solm.

Throughout the Survey Corps’ history, it was extremely rare for anyone unaffiliated with the group to participate in an expedition. The corps normally consisted of ten Teams, but having suffered large losses in the last expedition, and unable to replenish their ranks in the turmoil that followed the Titan invasion, they’d been forced to reorganize. It was a fairly unique situation, but the soldiers did not seem nerved up. Their daily training had tempered their iron wills to handle the most difficult circumstances.

It was the best and strongest lineup that one could wish for, but Angel felt unease welling up inside of him, and he trembled.

“I thought I told you to use the toilet first,” Solm cajoled. “It’s not too late to pull out. What’ll you do?”

“Don’t be stupid.”

“All right, then,” Solm laughed, leisurely looking to the sky.

Angel found himself looking up with him. It had grown much brighter while they were chatting about nothing. When he looked toward the front of the formation, Jorge had his right arm raised high.

“We’re moving out!”

At the command, the giant gate slowly started to open, showing them a desolate, uninhabited plain.

The Survey Corps began to advance as the gate opened.

His tension skyrocketing, Angel’s heart started racing in his chest. His body seemed to be out of balance and an awful sweat poured out of him from head to toe.

“All right, let’s go take a gander at some Titans.”

Solm smacked Angel hard on the shoulder and let his horse trot ahead.

The numbing blow returned Angel to his senses. He slapped both of his cheeks to regain his nerve.

“Muscle head…” he grimaced and hastily spurred on his mount.

***

The Survey Corps streaked southward down their trackless path. The sun shone higher two hours after they had left Shiganshina District. The edge had been taken off of the cold air, but the scenery had not changed much. More trees were visible, but there were few other differences. They found no traces of civilization such as the ruins of towns or villages, and spotted nothing but animals. They had yet to find their target, a Titan, either.

We’ve come pretty far out.

Angel looked behind him on his cantering mount. Since they were around ten kilometers from Shiganshina, Wall Maria was now only dimly visible.

If we were to be attacked by Titans here…

Angel’s body instinctively shrank. Even their trained group of cavalry would never cover ten kilometers in a flash. At full speed, it would still take ten minutes or so.

Surveying his surroundings anew, Angel could tell just how expansive the outside world was. No matter which way he looked, he saw a flat horizon. It gave him an overwhelming sense of freedom, but he also felt unease. Although they were a large group, he felt isolated as if he’d lost his way in an unknown land.

“The orphanage director told me something when I was a child,” Solm spoke, looking straight forward while riding by Angel’s side. “They say most of the world is covered by waters called the Sea.”

“The Sea?”

“Of course, I don’t know if he’d actually seen it, or if he had just learned about it in a book.”

“For all that Sea or whatever’s out there, I don’t see so much as a puddle around us.” Angel made a show of looking around.

“In other words, we haven’t even reached this Sea yet.”

“Which means the world…”

“Is unfathomably large.”

That would make sense of the endless wasteland. It may have seemed unfathomably broad to human senses, but perhaps it wasn’t all that from a different perspective.

“This Sea could be right ahead of us.”

Just as Angel strained his eyes, he heard the pop of something like an explosion. A deep-red smoke signal bloomed like a rose in the south sky.

Tension spread through the soldiers when they confirmed it. A Red Star from a flare gun had exploded overhead, signaling that Team 1, who were acting as advance scouts, had found one Titan. A Yellow Star followed it.

They’re bringing a Titan back with them.

The combination of the Red Star and the Yellow Star conveyed Team 1’s message. While signal flares could alert any Titans in the vicinity, the creatures had the odd trait of not reacting to sound despite having ears.

After a moment, a Red Star and five Yellow Stars bloomed in the air.

So the Titan is about five meters tall.

Angel brought his hand to his chest and forced himself to exhale deeply. He could feel through his palm that his heart was beating significantly faster.

It’s okay. This is the plan.

They were on the expedition to capture and to examine the behavior of a Titan. Multiple Red Stars would have gone up if there had been more than one Titan, in which case they would be playing it safe and retreating.

The plan’s going forward, then.

A cold sweat began to rise from Angel’s pores.

“All troops, assume your positions!”

Teams 2 through 5 created a V-shaped formation on Jorge’s order. At the center of the formation was Jorge, the commander, and his two deputy commanders were placed at each wing. As Angel would be useless in a fight and potentially disrupt the formation, he would steer clear of the operation, simply observing from behind.

Angel’s eyes caught something. “They’re here…”

What looked like a cloud emerging in the distance quickly grew in presence. It was a plume of dust. Soon, cavalry, assumably Team 1, appeared to the fore. They grew closer every second, the cloud of dust their horses kicked up in tow.

“Advance!”

The moment Jorge gave the command, the formation moved forward, intact. It almost appeared as though they were going to intercept Team 1, but that was not the case. They had visual confirmation on humanity’s nemesis, a Titan, trailing by about three hundred meters. He looked like a young man in his late teens, but his body stood a towering five meters tall. His emaciated body seemed to be nothing but skin and bones, and his face seemed to be on the verge of tears, but he certainly hadn’t come seeking to be comforted by the Survey Corps. Flopping his arms back and forth more than appeared necessary, stumbling numerous times, he ran and ran after Team 1, his food.

Team 1 broke to both sides just before reaching the main formation, but the Titan continued to advance, seemingly carried by his momentum. Soldiers on both wings gripped the capture net. On Jorge’s command, the wings encircled the Titan, and a moment later, the capture net was cast over his head. The Titan’s arms and legs became tangled in the fine mesh, causing him to fall flat on his face.

“Yes!”

Angel finally allowed himself to exhale in relief and quietly pumped his fist. There seemed to be no problems with the net’s strength, with no signs that it would tear. The more the Titan struggled, the more he tangled himself into the net. He was eventually wrapped so tight he could no longer move.

“Yeaaah!”

A cheer rose over the soldiers, but the real work was yet to come. The troops formed a circle around the Titan and stood guard. Moving to the center of the formation, Angel dismounted and walked toward the Titan. Jorge and several soldiers followed behind him.

“The more I look at him, the more human he seems.”

Aside from his large mouth that stretched from ear to ear, there was practically no difference between the Titan and a human. He was, quite literally, a titanic human. Unlike Mammon he was lean, but appearances could be misleading. He looked emaciated from a lack of nutrition, but that did not necessarily mean he was on the verge of starving to death.

Why does he have to look so human? Look more like a monster, you monster…

No mercy would be shown to a Titan, but the creature’s undeniably human appearance made Angel weirdly conscious.

He reached toward the Titan’s upper arm.

This is creeping me out…

But he had to touch.

Titans aren’t human. They’re just monsters.

The best way for Angel to internalize this would be to touch one.

The moment his fingers touched the Titan’s skin, he felt out of sorts.

Warm…

Surprisingly, the Titan’s body was warm. Because of their cruel habit of eating humans, he’d assumed the Titans would be cold-blooded like reptiles. Yet they seemed to be warm-blooded like humans. Only, the body temperature was higher than a human’s, almost hot to the touch.

“Why don’t we get started.”

Unsheathing their short swords on Jorge’s command, the troops on hand placed their blades against both of the Titans knees and sliced. Instead of blood, steam spewed out of his body. Whether it was his blood boiling or some metabolic effect, the result did underwrite a high body temperature.

“Doesn’t even make a peep. Either they don’t feel pain or they don’t have vocal cords,” Jorge noted as he watched the soldiers work.

The Titan’s weepy face made him look as though he were in pain, but since the creatures’ expressions never changed, it was impossible to judge what emotion he was exhibiting.

The soldiers silently continued their work. The Iron Bamboo short swords worked on the Titan, but not well enough to cut cleanly through. His skin gave way but snapping bone was an arduous task; the soldiers were drenched in sweat and breathing heavily by the time they’d finally succeeded. Given how it was even with Iron Bamboo, blades made out of mere steel not standing a chance made sense. The cross-section showed bone, vessels, muscles, and such as one might expect to see on a human. While they were not medical experts, taking home a sample would surely advance their knowledge of the Titans. As they tried to pack away the severed leg, however, it disintegrated, steaming, into dust and ashes that were carried off by the wind.

“What’s with that…”

Angel tried to understand the phenomenon taking place before his eyes, but he couldn’t come up with a convincing explanation. As their sample disappeared, the Titan’s leg soon began to regenerate, the wound closing and buds of flesh sprouting as if to scab over it. These swiftly formed into a leg, a complete restoration in just a few minutes. Jorge had previously compared the Titans’ recuperative abilities to a lizard regrowing its tail, and now Angel had the same impression. Of course, there was a huge difference in the rate of regeneration.

Are they really an organism?

While monsters did not call for common sense, these Titans were creatures that lived in the same world as Angel.

I suppose they’re an organism with astonishing recuperative powers.

Yet he could scarce leave it at that.

Well, mulling over it won’t get us anywhere…

They’d learned that the Titans had no weaknesses below their knees. He had to consider it another step toward comprehending the Titans.

Switching gears, Angel took out a handful of bombs from his saddlebag. They contained enough firepower to stock a small ammunition dump. Xenophon had enthusiastically prepared a variety of explosives for him.

“Severing limbs takes too long. Let’s optimize.”

Setting the explosives on the Titan’s arms and legs, Angel summarily detonated them. The Titan’s limbs flew off, but most of the chunks of flesh were contained thanks to the net. Again, the pieces of meat turned to dust, and any missing parts were restored in moments. A human would have expired from massive blood loss, but there were no signs of that happening to the Titan.

They moved to blowing up the lower abdomen, and upon inspection, failed to note any reproductive organs.

“Do Titans have genders?”

There was the possibility that the Titan was female despite looking outwardly male. Although hermaphroditism was not out of the question, how they would breed without reproductive organs was a mystery.

Do they not need to reproduce? Don’t tell me they divide.

But the Titans embodied irrationality. A full body regenerating from a severed arm or leg wouldn’t be all that much more bizarre.

I hope not, though…

The nightmarish scenario gave Angel goose bumps, but he quickly shook his head, collected himself, and proceeded to destroy the Titan’s abdomen. With an explosion it ruptured, and entrails gleaming pink poured out. Still, the creature’s vitality showed no sign of abating.

I can’t believe this bastard.

The Titan’s body lost no time regenerating before a dumbfounded Angel.

Could they really be immortal?

Angel drew the short sword at his waist and thrust it into the Titan’s chest. Its tip piercing skin and crunching bone, the blade plunged in to the hilt. The sword should have skewered the Titan’s heart, but breathing his last seemed far from his mind.

“Damn it!” Angel spat, and walked toward the head.

Despite being pinned down, upon noticing Angel, the Titan opened his mouth wide. An eloquent statement: no thunderous loss of limb, no blade sticking out of the chest merited any attention, but as long as he could move he would go on eating, and eating. The absurd response half-appalled, half-intimidated Angel.

“Please, just die.”

Angel stared into the dark abyss that was the Titan’s mouth and tossed explosives inside. Moments later, the Titan’s head exploded, his cranium flying in what looked like a volcanic eruption. The flesh on his face had peeled back, leaving behind a few writhing and twitching mimetic muscles. Even if the Titan wanted to curse Angel, most of his face had been scattered about and not a trace of his features remained. The shock of the explosion seemed to have shaken the brain apart; it oozed out of the cracked head in a soupy state. It was too harrowing a spectacle to look straight upon. Still, Angel could not feel pity for the Titan.

Compared to what Corina…what all the humans you monsters ate suffered, this is nothing.

Corina’s figure after Mammon’s blow had turned her into a lump of meat was still fresh in Angel’s mind. Nothing would ever ease the chagrin of the dead or the sorrow of the deceased’s loved ones.

The Titans were atrocious. Zeroing in on their regenerative abilities and destroying a Titan’s body over and over, however, was no less diabolical.

Maybe I won’t be dying peacefully in bed, either…

If so, there was no point in showing mercy at this stage. There was no choice but to mute his emotions and harden his heart.

Perhaps destroying the head had worked, and the Titan was limp.

“Did we get it?”

They couldn’t be certain, not knowing how to define death in this case. Measuring a human’s pulse told you if the fellow was alive or dead, but it was unthinkable that the method worked on a Titan.

Unthinkable…

Angel reached his hand out toward the Titan’s neck.

If there’s no pulse… If this guy doesn’t start moving…

Then perhaps that signified the death of a Titan. Still, Angel had his doubts, and the uncertainty would linger until all traces of the Titan’s body disappeared from existence.

Maybe we should just blow the body to smithereens.

Right as Angel entertained this ruthless idea, a shout came from among the soldiers who had been training their eyes southward.

“Enemy attack!”

From the troops watching the west too came a bellowed warning.

“Enemy attack!!”

The report quickly spread through the formation and riled it up.

“Now of all times…”

The investigation was incomplete, and a load of points still required confirmation. Angel couldn’t leave without ascertaining them.

“Prepare to retreat!” commanded Jorge, quickly straddling his horse.

But Angel hesitated. He at least wanted to make sure the Titan was dead.

“We’ll save it for another day.”

“But there might not be a next time.”

“Suffering losses here will have a far bigger effect on any subsequent expedition. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Despite the tense circumstances, Jorge, calm and collected, showed sound judgment. After all, they were talking about monsters believed for over a quarter of a century now to be immortal. Trying to off it in the next couple of dozen minutes was a ridiculous idea. As Jorge proposed, it was best to try again another day.

Or as many times as it takes.

Angel consented, glanced at the Titan, then mounted his steed.

The question is what kind of shape this guy will be in when we do come back.

If the Titan was decaying, it would be safe to say that they’d killed him.

But if he’s still alive…

Then that’s that, Angel persuaded himself. If he managed to do so fairly easily, it was because he saw how humanity might be freed from its birdcage.

If we can’t kill them, we can just tie them up.

The total number of Titans in existence was unknown, but if they steadily captured one at a time with nets, they could eventually rid themselves of them.

It’ll take time, but it’s a possibility.

The soldiers broke their circular formation and began to regroup in the same column formation they’d left in. But when Angel rode toward them to join it, he heard something from behind him. It was the snapping sound of threads being torn apart.

The moment he turned to look at the sound, his eyes opened wide in surprise. The Titan’s thin, branch-like arms were jutting out of the ripped capture net.

“Agh…the explosions weakened it.”

A durability issue had come to light, while the Titan’s body, on which they’d done such a number, was restored with no apparent loss of vitality. Sundering the net to pieces, the Titan, freed of bondage, entered into a mad dash.

“The bastard…”

Paying no mind to the boggled Angel, the Titan assaulted the formation’s flank. No doubt having opted for the larger concentration of prey, the creature nevertheless stumbled and fell, sending up a fantastic cloud of dirt. Mounts neighed and reared, and a few riders, shaken off of their horses, tumbled to the ground.

The prone Titan sluggishly raised his upper body. An unlucky soldier who happened to come underneath one of the hands clenching the ground let out an agonized shriek. Grabbing the writhing man’s head with his fingers, the Titan slowly pulled it upward. Perhaps having pinched too hard, he crushed the skull of the soldier who was now completely devoid of life, motionless after a few last twitches, blood dripping from dangling arms and legs. Opening a large mouth that stretched from one ear to the other, the Titan started devouring the soldier’s body. The terrible sound of snapping bones filled the air.

“Angel! Behind you!!” Solm shouted.

Uh oh…

Angel shuddered at the footfalls approaching unexpectedly from behind. He didn’t need to turn around. He could guess what was closing in on him. Distracted by the Titan in front of him, he hadn’t noticed what had drawn near.

Whether it was munching or a smacking of lips, the slurping sound offended his ears. Angel was nothing more than prey. He felt an urge to check out his adversary, but there was no time for that. He needed to act and didn’t have a second to lose.

He kicked his horse’s belly, abruptly setting forth. A sound like a bestial roar arose behind him. A draft of hot putrid breath licked the nape of his neck.

It’s over…

Right as Angel had accepted his fate, the sound of a blast surged past him from the front. Not a moment later, he heard a whizzing pass by his ears, then something behind him falling.

“Hurry!”

He looked ahead of him to find Solm aiming a carbine.

Angel coaxed his horse to go faster. He then looked behind, to where a three-meter-class Titan with an air hole between his eyes lay supine on the ground.

Phew…

He was only relieved for a moment, though, as a familiar Titan came charging from the south.

“Mammon─”

Flabby limbs and body jiggling up and down, closing in at a speed belying such a figure, was the same Titan that had barged into Shiganshina District and that had eaten Corina. The Titan with the middle-aged appearance still wore the same beaming smile as he rushed toward them with outstretched arms. Thundering booms reverberated with every step he took, and with them came impressive clouds of dirt.

“Aghh…” Angel let out an indistinct scream.

No human could withstand the embrace of a monstrosity that boasted a height reaching ten meters. There was nothing to do but to urgently turn tail and flee.

“Disperse and withdraw!”

So commanded Jorge, but the Titan was rushing in on them with every moment. The soldiers tried to spur their horses in accordance with Jorge’s order, but a number of the steeds were past control, terrified as they must have been by a Titan accompanied by earth tremors. Meanwhile the Titan arrived, and picked a prey close by.

“Ah, aaaaagh!” a member of the Survey Corps, renowned for its ferocity, let out a pitiful scream.

The Titan raised his blubbery right arm above his head and flattened the man with his palm.

“Humans…aren’t bugs…”

Pinching the soldier’s head, the Titan carried it to his maw. He wriggled his mouth as if to savor the taste and, skillfully removing just the head, tossed it on the ground. The freshly-severed head covered in saliva tumbled across the earth, its grimy face wearing a clear expression of terror.

“You think you can do whatever you want…”

But the circumstances ruled out any attempt at revenge, and it wasn’t such an impulse that visited Angel.

Reaching out for more food, the Titan snatched another soldier as casually as if he were picking a berry he’d spotted on the roadside, and proceeded to stuff his cheeks.

“Damned monster!” a soldier yelled, firing a carbine at the Titan.

“You idiot! Just run!!” screamed Angel, but his words didn’t reach the soldier.

Witnessing a comrade’s grisly end seemed to have sapped his alertness. Tossing his gun away, he grabbed the short sword on his hip and charged cursing toward the Titan.

“Don’t bother… Let’s go!” Solm urged, biting his lip, his slightly trembling finger pointed north.

Angel nodded, kicked his horse, and took flight. The surviving soldiers also began to retreat with Jorge in the lead. They could hear agonizing screams coming from behind them.

Damn it… Damn it!

Angel cursed in his heart but didn’t look back. He faced forward and rode on. If he mustered up some small amount of courage and confronted the Titans, he’d die like a dog. They needed to advance as far as they could while the Titans toyed with the soldiers.

I’m sorry…

All Angel could do was make sure the soldiers’ death wouldn’t be in vain.

The tide of the battle couldn’t turn any worse. In fact, calling it a battle was too generous. It was a one-sided massacre by the Titans.

That was not the only tragedy they faced, either. The three-meter-class Titan had already recovered, and they could see him charging in from ahead. Angel and Solm attempted to evade him by splitting to both sides, and the Titan’s momentum carried him through the gap. Since shrieks arose behind them, the troops following after them must have fallen victim instead. It was as clear as day that a hellish scene was unfolding.

Escape. That’s all I can do…

They were up against unfathomable monsters that brushed off even the strongest equipment they could prepare. Trying to fight the Titans was foolish. Their confidence had been ground to dust, and their bodies and minds felt withered.

They were about ten kilometers away from Shiganshina District. Barring further trouble, it would take ten minutes to get there. But the footfalls rushing in from behind quite clearly told them how unlikely that was.

Hurry, please!

Angel whipped his horse. He couldn’t afford to tarry a single second. If the Titans got him, it was all over. Begging for mercy meant nothing to monsters who didn’t understand language, and sobbing and crying would have no effect, either. The Titans would greedily devour him, gulping him down until nothing was left.

Angel’s face contorted when he imagined the scene. He timidly turned around. What he saw were three Titans chasing after the fleeing party. Mammon, initially in the rear, brushed aside the two Titans running ahead of him, spread out his arms, and thundered forth. He must have wanted all the prey for himself. An embodiment of greed. The nightmare in the flesh wore an expression of supreme bliss better suited to an innocent babe.

Hurry… Faster…

The Titan was about three hundred meters away. It was a considerable distance but failed to put Angel at ease. The footfalls felt close, and the intent to do harm searing. Although Jorge was still present, the Survey Corps had already been partially wiped out.

Do we slip through the gate first, or…

The Titan was closing in steadily. The horses continued to gallop but were gradually losing speed. No matter how well-trained, they had a limited supply of stamina.

While the Titan…

Angel wondered but immediately cast his thoughts aside.

For now focus on getting away!

He glared straight ahead to find Wall Maria in the distance. It was about eight kilometers away, but the span seemed like eternity to him.

Jorge, leading the troop, raised his flare gun and fired it. The Black Star that exploded overhead polluted the sky with lurid black smoke. It was a signal to the Garrison soldiers who stood on Wall Maria’s watchtower: “Emergency.”

We just need to get him in range of the cannons…

That might not fell the Titan, but it could at least stall him. The only problem was that the cannons had a range of two kilometers.

Wall Maria steadily neared, but Angel’s mount was on the verge of giving in. Wheezing with every unreliable breath, ready to collapse at any moment, it was slowing down as well.

Angel whipped his horse but barely picked up any speed.

The footfalls had closed in and were now directly behind. A giant man-shaped shadow covered Angel’s.

Shit… This is it…

Right as he had started to abandon hope, Solm, who rode beside him, pulled his short sword from its scabbard.

“Hey, what are you─”

Before Angel could finish, Solm had spun his horse around and was charging toward the Titan.

“W-Wait!”

As Angel turned around, bewildered, he saw Solm slashing at the Titan’s right knee. The gaping wound was so deep it exposed bone but did not make the Titan fall over, only throwing him off balance. Still, robbed of momentum, he fell to one knee.

Solm seemed to take this as a good opportunity and rode around the Titan on his horse, slashing at the creature with his blade. Moments later, the lower half of the Titan’s body was covered in sword wounds.

Solm moved shockingly well, but the Titan still retained his smile, showing no signs of enduring any pain. The wounds began to heal shortly, the erupting steam shrouding his body.

Still not enough for a Titan…

Solm should have known this, too, but the Corpsman nevertheless continued to swing his sword. The Titan, denied the time to recuperate, continued to spew hot smoke in the place of fresh blood.

Even the mighty Titan must have found Solm annoying as he leapt around like a gnat. He flailed his giant, trunk-like arms about, and while the ill-aimed sweeps failed to snag Solm, a direct hit would mean certain and immediate death. It was a chilling sight, but Solm was the superior fighter.

Solm’s stalling tactics allowed the soldiers in front to put a considerable amount of distance between the Titan and themselves. At this rate, the Titan would be within cannon range before he caught up to them. Fortunately, the other Titans were lagging behind. Possibly not as interested in live prey as Mammon, the three-meter-class was occupied with corpses nearer on hand, while the lanky one was so busy stumbling he would never catch up with them.

Apparently satisfied with his results, Solm disengaged and made to retreat.

“Solm! Hurry!!” Angel screamed.

The Corpsman set his horse running, but one of the Titan’s flailing arms grazed his body.

“Ugh…”

Solm’s body slammed into the ground hard, bouncing a few times before coming to a rest, bent and writhing. While he did have some luck, in that he survived, his right leg must have snapped and was twisted in an unnatural direction. Considering the situation, it was unlikely that Solm’s injuries stopped there.

Angel leapt forward on his horse, hurrying toward Solm. As expected, the Titan still could not move due to the damage inflicted on his legs, but it was only a matter of time before he would be mobile.

“Solm!” Angel shouted, lowering his right hand and almost grazing the ground while his horse still ran. “Solm! Give me your hand!!”

Solm understood Angel’s intention and, despite contorting his face in agony, managed to reach out his hand. Angel grabbed Solm’s arm and pulled up with every bit of his strength. He was not quite powerful enough, and the best he could do was drape Solm’s body across the back of his saddle.

Angel made another U-turn on his horse and set off for Shiganshina District as fast as he could.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” Angel yelled, criticizing Solm’s deed. Then he said, “Just wait, I’ll get you to a doctor right now.” But the horse was completely exhausted, not to mention overloaded. It was hard to tell if it could even cover the rest of the distance.

“Maria’s gonna scold me…”

“And I will too.”

“She’s scarier than she looks…” Solm snickered.

“Hurry! He’s coming!!” Jorge shouted, but the horse had reached its limits long ago.

“Just a little more! C’mon!”

Angel tried to invigorate his horse with his whip, but the beast merely let out pitiful gasps and would not go faster.

He could hear the Titan’s footfalls behind him.

“Angel. Do you have…any of Xenophon’s toys left?”

“Yeah.” Angel felt around in his bag for a few grenades then handed them to Solm without turning around. “Aim carefully. We can get away once we’re within the cannons’ firing range.”

“…I never miss my target.” Solm’s voice was lifeless, but his words were full of confidence. “Angel…”

“What’s wrong? Hurry up.”

“Take care of Maria for me.”

“Hey, what do you mean by…” Angel suddenly felt Solm disappear, and his horse sped up. “Solm?!”

When Angel turned back, he couldn’t believe what he saw. Solm had leapt off the horse. Using his short sword as a cane, he was meeting the incoming Titan head-on.

“No! S-Stop it!!”

Solm’s leg was broken, and he seemed to be in no shape to walk, let alone fight. He had no chance of victory.

The Titan immediately reached his hungry fingers toward Solm, who didn’t even have the time to resist. He was grabbed and carried toward the Titan’s mouth.

But Solm was not going to let himself be eaten without a fight.

“Raaahhh!”

Letting out a war cry, Solm sliced horizontally with his short sword and ripped through both of the Titan’s eyes. Neither tears nor blood flowed, but the Titan must have been inconvenienced; he let go of Solm and held his face in both hands.

Solm was free again, but rather than flee, he chose to re-engage the Titan. Burying his short sword in the Titan’s throat, he used it as a fulcrum to alight on the creature’s body. Distracted by his slashed eyes, the Titan paid no attention to Solm, who used his arms and his good left leg to reach the shoulders. He then grabbed the grenades tucked in his breast pocket, immediately pulled the pins, and clung onto the Titan’s nape.

“Solm! Don’t!!” Angel yelled.

A moment later, the roar of an explosion ripped through the wasteland with a flash. Solm’s body scattered into tiny pieces of meat that plopped down on the ground as if to enrich the cracked earth.

“Ahh…” Angel breathed with a half-resigned expression.

He could feel the strength draining from his body. If he were not on horseback, he would have sunk to the ground.

The strike that cost Solm his life had blown apart the Titan’s neck. The head, robbed of support, thudded to the ground, the impact of its own weight distorting its shape. The smile still never left the Titan’s face.

“Aaaaahhh!”

A bestial scream came from Angel as he whipped his horse. Obeying, it began to move faster, dashing through the wasteland with all of its strength.

“I swear… I swear I’ll kill them!” Angel pledged in his heart, looking back to burn the image of his foe into his eyes. Yet, all he could see there was a preposterous amount of steam. He barely made out the giant silhouette of a Titan, but that was all. Soon, even the silhouette became indistinct as it vanished in the wind. Nothing was left. The Titan and its imposing presence had clean disappeared.

“What…just happened?”

There was no time to double back. The skinny Titan had resumed his chase with an obsession.

Cannons sounded, far away.