After setting forth to establish a route to Shiganshina,
The Scout regiment encountered a female Titan seemingly possessed of sharp, cold-hearted intelligence
As soldier upon soldier fell to this new foe the regiment retreated into a forest of massive trees
Though to what purpose, no one appeared to know.
If the Levi squad can't stop this thing then who can? those men need us.
[Eren]: Another one!
[Eren]: Damn it, He didn't have to die
The choice is yours
You can trust yourself...
Or you can trust the people willing to put their lives on the line for you
[Eren]: I'm with you
[Erwin]: Fire!
Wait..what?
They're going to take her alive? Seriously?
So what do you think of us now Eren? we managed to outsmart the damn thing
Let this be a lesson to you greenhorn don't ever underestimate the scouts
Never again, Agreed?
Agreed!
She's not putting up much of a fight
[Erwin]: That's no reason to let our guard down.
Good work leading her here
I'm more than a little impressed
We couldn't have without the rear contingent Whose lives bought us time
This belongs to them
I don't intend to ever forget that
[Erwin]: That so?
[Levi]: Yes.
[Levi]: Because of their sacrifices,
We can expose whoever this really is.
Ten to one they're in there pissing themselves right about now
[Eren]: An abnormal? No, she's more like...
More like the colossal Titan
Wait, so does that mean Commander Erwin was--?
[Olua]: Hey, snap out of it runt
[Petra]: You can puzzle it all out later.
Right now we need you focused on pushing ahead.
Right!
[Erwin]: Not quite yet, Levi. A little more insurance.
[Erwin]: Second and third waves.
Fire!
All reserves
[Christa]: They..they figured out how to climb.
I can see that, Well, if they make it up this far we can always go up a little further I suppose
[Nanaba]: Anyway, I doubt we'll be here much longer,
I suspect the order to withdraw will be coming any minute.
[Christa]: What makes you say that?, those explosions just now?
I hope everything's alright in there
[Nanaba]: Me, too.
[Sasha]: Mikasa, you think that's cannon fire or what?
I mean nothing else makes that kind of racket right?
If that's the case, why didn't we see them bring any cannons in?
What the hell with all the noise seriously
Gimme a hand here, Bertholdt?
[Ymir]: you happen to see what tree Christa scuttled up
Sorry, I don't have a clue.
Nothing makes sense anymore,
What are we even doing here?
I just want to go home
What do you say we get out of the way
Ugly bastards really getting the hang of it
At this rate he's gonna try his hand at building the damn tree house.
The alarming thing is that it shows that they can learn.
Not a pleasant thought . of course they probably all develop at different rates.
[Jean]: Hey Armin, they want us keeping these Titans out of the forest, right.
I think I just figured out why
We're here to lure that female Titan into a trap
Come on what else could it be.
It's like you said, there's a person inside it steering the thing
Commander Erwin wants to find out who.
So that was the plan from the start?
We weren't flying by the seat of our pants?
Look, I'm not complaining, I get keeping it from me
But come on keeping you guys in the dark?
You think you'd earned a little more trust in that, right?
Damn you're annoying
[Petra]: I hope you're not suggesting the captain kept the plan from us because he thinks we're a liability
I'm sorry but I am
There's just no other way makes sense
Enough of this
Petra, knock a teeth out of his skull
Look I hate to say it but he's got a point
for being a supposedly instrumental to the plan as we were,
The captain didn't give us much to go on.
So what?
That means he doesn't trust us kind of a big deal
Come on you guys think about it. maybe Eren isn't the only one who can change
Maybe someone in the regiment is a Titan spy.
It's the only way all the pieces fit.
You with me?
Yeah..
Best explanation.
A spy!
Are you sure about that?
Well, No, But I'm sure the commander believes it
He'd have to..
And I'll wager you anything, the only people in the know on this with her survivors from five years ago.
Of course that's gotta be it
I concur wholeheartedly
Hear that sniffle drop? There was a good reason
Right, Yes, A perfectly good reason
It adds up
After all, in their position, it's the best way of narrowing down the list of suspects
to a manageable number.
Shiganshina is probably when the spy got in.
So you think this person's responsible for killing Sawney and bean?
Possibly,
In fact, After it happened the commander asked me this odd question
"What is it you think you see?"
"Who do you think the real enemy is here?"
So that's what he meant
Of course.
If we'd known the answer to that question
He probably would have let us in on what was happening today.
Though, There again, I really don't think any of us could have
Speak for yourself my friend
I knew I just decided to keep my own counsel.
Doubtless you appreciate the reason for my silence
Which would be...?
Oh calm down,
Surely you all know...
Dear oh dear, perhaps I've said too much already
Well one day when you've reached my level of expertise
Look we all get that you like to pretend you're captain Levi
But that's not how he sounds
If we pull this off...
We might learn what the Titans are all about
But, Even for that...
Was it worth letting so many people die?
You think the commander was wrong to leave us out of the loop?
Well he certainly wasn't in the right
Why put so many of our lives at risk
Just because one of us can't be trusted
Hell, we could have smoked out the spy
Maybe saved some good people
No, He did what was necessary.
Are you seriously trying to defend him
Do you know how many of us died so the Commander could play intrigue?
of course I do
All I'm saying is it's easy to judge in hindsight
At the time though..
There was no way to know how things would turn out
He's a Commander not a soothsayer, He had to act on what he had, Period.
He had to choose..
A handful of us..
Or all of us..
What would you have done?
He made a decision he sacrificed a hundred lives for the good of mankind
Eren, I can understand why you still have your doubts
But in time you'll come to realize
just like we all did
Why Erwin Smith was entrusted to lead the scouts and carry humanity's hope.
Or why even someone as cagey as Captain Levi can trust him.
Indeed, live long enough and you'll understand the weight of it
I may be naive but..
There's one thing I know beyond all doubt
Genuine harbingers of change must be able to do what others won't dare.
Sacrifice their heart,
Accept the burden of doing the unspeakable.
Weather we'd like to admit it or not
The fact is this...
To rise above monsters, We have to abandon our humanity.
That's the irony really.
If you can't let it go, it's not worth holding on to.
Fire!
Poor thing, can't some much as bat an eyelash, can we?
Must be terribly frustrating
Get used to it my dear.
Biology could oftentimes be a curse
Case in point the more your wounds heal the stiffy her joints become.
Now what in the world is the hold up on the extraction of our esteemed guests.
It won't get any easier, Strike while the iron is hot I say.
an impressive ability
So she can harden her skin to protect portions of her body
Similar to the one who rushed while Maria
The Armored Titan I believe they called him.
The question is, How many blade strikes will it take to finally chip our way through?
Too many in any event
Time is short
Yes, Sir
Prepare an artillery round, I want her hands blown off.
[Rashad]: With all due respect Commander there's a risk if we use the cannons.
The hands will get blown off but whatever's beneath them will too, Sir!
A fine point soldier
Which is why you'll aim carefully and sever them at the wrists.
On my signal I want an all-out salvo.
Yes, sir!
Knock Knock!
We know you're in there
Why don't you make this easy and come on out stop wasting our time
Seriously, what can you hope to gain by stalling
If you're thinking we'll let you go we won't if you're thinking about trying to escape don't.
All you should be thinking about are the good men you killed today.
Now that you would, that's not your style, is it?
Remorse?
You enjoy killing.
Which means we have something in common.
Of course, I enjoy killing Titans.
But it's a start
I'm sure we can still find some middle ground.
Oh that's right,
While we're on that subject let me ask
You're okay with me cutting your limbs off at the joints, right?
I mean they'll grow back
I'm talking about your actual body
Don't want you dead just yet
Timing wouldn't work
Nicely done, I almost lost my composure.
Were those like death throes or something?
[Mike]: They're coming I can smell them
[Erwin]: From what direction?
[Mike]: From every direction, Fast, Dozens.
What the hell is this?
They...they're all going in
Why're they ignoring us all of the sudden
Oh no
You..you telling they're all abnormals?
How cares, concentrate on pushing them back.
Engage
What's going on over there?
Wait please.
I know that sound he used to hunt my sleep
I'd hear it from the forest in the dead of night
Believe me nothing in the world screams like that except a dying animal.
It's the sound of a creature who knows it's got absolutely nothing to lose
It's alright I know to be careful.
That is not the right attitude to have
You can't just be careful you have to be terrified
Have you ever seen me terrified of anything
No, and I'm telling you this'd be good time to try it out
Right.
I have to give her credit
The girl's instincts are usually dead-on
Especially right before all hell breaks loose
Eren is in the center rank I think
That's what Armin said.
Faster on the artillery gentlemen
Here they are.
First wave, closing from the east.
And coming in fast.
Wagon defense squad, Intercept, Now!
What's going on? Damn thing passed right by us!
3 Titans are broken through.
Captain Levi
Hey, what did you do? Called up some friends, Didn't you?
They ignored us and went straight for her?
The enemy is bearing down from all directions
All hands commence combat
Defend the Female Titan at all costs
No
[Erwin]: All hands withdraw
[Erwin]: Redeploy the formation
[Erwin]: Return to Karanes districts
[Erwin]: We've been bested
[Levi]: Don't give me that crap
[Levi]: Not now, Not yet.
[Erwin]: think about it
The enemy was prepared to make sacrifices, enormous ones.
So committed to maintaining her secret she would rather let herself be cannibalized than exposed.
That whole song and dance in the courtroom and this is what we've got to show for it
We scurry back now with our tail between our legs, Eren's right back in Chains or worse.
We'll jump off that bridge when we come to it.
Right now our only concern is getting back without sustaining further casualties.
However we can.
This steam isn't helping matters
Smoke signals aren't likely to cut through the murk
I'll gather up my squad
Not yet Levi, First replenish your blades and your fuel.
I can deal with what I've got, we're running against the clock as it is.
Why?
Because I said.
That's an order.
Whatever you say, Sir.
I trust you implicitly.
Withdraw!
I guess we're done here
We return to HQ on horseback.
Understood!
Hold on, you telling me it's over?
Oh...thank god!
I don't like this
Eren!
That's our cue
All right let's saddle up, we're going home.
Chop-chop, runt. One would think you'd be beside yourself to get an eyeful
Of who's driving that gargantuan harpy
You really think they found out who it is?
Of course, All thanks to you.
I didn't do anything.
You learned to trust the fellow members of your squad, That's big
The sort of thing that turns out well for everyone involved actually.
A lesser man in your dilemma probably would've buckled,
Then where would we be?
Oh please, Why don't you stroke his forehead while you're at it?
We'd be exactly where we are now, without of course having had to endure his incessant whining
Don't wait for me to decorate your path in pink and white rose petals.
Survive the journey home and I might be persuaded to respect you.
The mission isn't over, not till we through the gates.
Do you understand?
Yes, Sir, I completely understand.
[Eld]: Olua, Petra I gotta hand it to you both.
[Eld]: For someone who wet themselves first time out, you've come a long way.
[Petra]: No!
[Petra]: I thought we agreed never to speak of it again
Whoa, seriously?
Relax, incidentally I've never once pissed myself in battle-
How I dare you?
I have the highest kill count of any one of the damn squad,
Argh!, imbecile
You wanna hide that stain behind your kill-counts, be my guest.
shut your hole
[Eren] So did it, like, rain down on everyone midair, or what?
Enough!
No one cares who pissed whose pants, focus on the job at hand.
For the record my shorts have always been dry.
Must be a signal from the captain himself
Stow the chatter till we're home, We'll rendezvous with Levi shortly.
Erwin
Why bother having him replenish?
There's no time-
We saw the female Titan get eaten
Did we actually see the person inside suffer the same fate?
I didn't
You mean?
Yes, your hypothesis is correct this isn't over.
We're dealing with someone like Eren,
Someone who regenerates in and out of Titan form.
Suppose that person equipped themselves with ODM gear in advance
Suppose further that they're also disguised in one of our uniforms.
What would their next move be?
Captain Levi?
Wait that...
That's not...Oh shit!
Gunther...are you okay? what happened?
Talk to me
[Erwin]: How do you ferret out the enemy?
[Erwin]: When they're one own.
Erwin's plan has backfired the dreaded female Titan comes for air and yet again
But between her and her quarry stands a team of expert Titan Slayers
The Special Operations Squad