Holding two ultra-hard steel blades in hand and standing against the wind, Lock stared at the Female Titan on the distant city wall with murderous intent.
This was his first time facing a Titan Shifter—an intelligent Titan.
Compared with Pure Titans, their combat power was on another level entirely. Even Captain Levi himself wouldn't claim guaranteed victory against one, which only underscored how dangerous this enemy was.
The Female Titan possessed exceptional agility and the terrifying ability to emit a shriek that could attract nearby Titans. To make matters worse, their position on the city wall offered limited space for maneuvering, leaving their Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear far less effective than usual.
After Lock's command rang out, the team immediately shifted into combat readiness. All traces of calm or conversation vanished, replaced by focused determination.
Either it dies—or we do.
"Ymir, get back!" Petra Rall ordered, giving Ymir a reassuring look.
Ymir hesitated for a heartbeat, her chest tightening. She had resolved that if Petra were ever in danger, she would act—no matter the risk of exposing her Titan power.
Over the past few days, Petra's warmth and care had reminded Ymir of something she hadn't felt in years—family. Once a beggar and outcast, she now found herself wanting to protect someone for the first time.
Without retreating too far, Ymir backed up about ten meters, gripping the knife Petra had given her for self-defense. Her gaze fixed on the approaching Titan, and a strange thought took root: the urge to kill Titans—even if they were her own kind.
Meanwhile, Lock's squad repositioned themselves for the Female Titan's advance.
"Shouldn't we take the initiative?" asked Captain Mike Zacharius, standing beside Lock.
Though senior in rank and one of the Survey Corps' most skilled soldiers, Mike had observed Lock's leadership and calm under pressure. For now, he was willing to defer command—a gesture of respect and trust.
"No," Lock replied firmly. "As you said, she's conscious and intelligent. If we charge recklessly, she'll crush us. Eld Jinn, Gunther Schultz, Petra, and Oluo Bozado—draw her attention. Captain Mike and I will flank her and strike when the chance comes."
"Understood!"
The four soldiers immediately prepared to move. The two newer members who had come back with Mike held their position, reading the situation but wisely keeping out of the way. One sharp look from Mike was all it took to silence any impulse to interfere.
The distance between the Female Titan and the squad quickly shrank to a hundred meters.
After exchanging a silent nod, Lock and Mike split left and right, firing their ODM cables and racing along the outer edge of the wall for a pincer attack.
Lock analyzed every movement with precision. Annie's power at this point should be weaker than later… if we combine our strength, our odds aren't bad.
He drew closer, heart steady but alert. He didn't care who she had been—now, she was simply an enemy standing between humanity and survival.
But just as Lock was about to strike, the Female Titan's blue eyes shifted. She turned toward Petra and the others below, then caught sight of Lock and Mike flanking her.
Her gaze lingered on Mike for a brief moment. Then, to everyone's shock, she stopped moving forward. With a sharp pivot, she descended from the wall, leaping away toward Wall Maria. Using her hardened crystal ability, she vanished beyond the outer perimeter within moments.
"She ran?" Gunther muttered.
Lock lowered his blades slightly, watching the steam dissipate where the Titan had been. "She escaped," he said calmly, though a subtle relief softened his tone.
Truth be told, unless he was at least eighty percent confident in victory, Lock would rather avoid engaging a Titan Shifter head-on. His chances against her right now were nowhere near that.
Fortunately for them, Annie Leonhart had doubts of her own—and chose to retreat.
As silence returned, Lock turned toward Mike, who seemed equally relieved. "When you fought her before," Lock asked, "was there anything unusual?"
Mike exhaled and nodded. "Nothing special—except that I couldn't cut through the nape. Once I realized that, I focused on crippling her legs to buy time for escape. It worked well enough for my team to survive."
Lock understood exactly how desperate that must have been.
"That was a smart decision," Lock said sincerely.
Mike's expression softened, a trace of melancholy in his eyes. "Don't call it smart. It was just fear. Looking back… maybe I should have stayed and fought. Dying in battle would've been better than running."
Lock shook his head. "You made the only choice that kept you alive—and that matters. I'm sure Commander Erwin would agree."
Mike looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Lock."
Lock smiled faintly. "No need for thanks. The Female Titan's gone, and we've done enough for now. Let's regroup and report to the commander—he'll be glad to see you back."
Every soldier with Mike's strength and experience was invaluable to humanity. Commander Erwin Smith would no doubt recognize that.
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