Chapter 101: Mikasa, Looks Like You Need Help?
Marleyan Empire, Liberio Internment Zone, The Plaza.
Midnight felt like purgatory. The battle was collapsing—for Marley.
The Jaw Titan had been smashed deep into a building, its hardened faceplate and claws shattered, its condition unknown.
The Cart Titan, along with its turret and gunners, had been blasted away by a green beam of light, tumbling powerlessly. Its screams were drowned out by the explosions.
The War Hammer Titan was still fighting, continuously generating crystal weapons in a desperate attempt to resist, but its counterattacks grew weaker. Each clash left more cracks on its hardened constructs. Its stamina was gone.
At the center of the plaza, Eren's Magical Attack Titan ignored the War Hammer's futile attacks. The green energy surrounding it burned even brighter. He clenched his right fist, and a layer of translucent, hardened structure formed over it, shimmering with magical light. The Attack Titan's hardening, fused with the power of a Magical Girl! Indestructible!
His target—the hidden crystal underground.
BOOM!!!
The magically hardened fist slammed down with world-destroying force onto the ground spikes the War Hammer had just generated.
CRACK—!!!
The spikes instantly pulverized. Eren didn't stop. His arm muscles bulged as he swung again, aiming for the crystal body connected to the umbilical cord below. He would smash through that hard shell and devour the War Hammer!
"Attack!!!" Commander Magath roared from afar, his eyes nearly splitting with rage. Only a handful of soldiers remained around the surviving Marleyan commander. Soldiers from Paradis Island zipped between the ruins, the sound of their ODM gear tearing through the air as Thunder Spears harvested lives. Marley's proud military might was rapidly crumbling before these strangely equipped, fearless enemies.
The fleet at the port had already been turned into a sea of fire by the Colossal Titan, which was even now drawing closer. Communications were down, command paralyzed. Was Marley… truly finished?
…
Meanwhile, in two entirely different locations, two souls consumed by despair and rage heard the same voice.
[So, what kind of wish do you want to make!?]
On a chaotic street. Falco desperately held onto Gabi Braun. She was still struggling madly, her eyes burning with destructive fire. Her small face, smeared with blood and tears, was twisted with rage and grief. Hatred had consumed her reason. Kill them! Kill the devils from Paradis Island! Drive them all out!!! This was her only thought, her strongest, purest wish.
"I WISH!!!" Gabi screamed with all her might, her voice sharp and piercing. "TO DRIVE ALL THESE ISLAND DEVILS— OUT!!!"
In the basement ruins. Reiner Braun slowly lifted his head. His empty gaze focused on the white creature before him. The screams outside, the explosions, his comrades' cries for help—all grated on his numb nerves. Mother… Gabi… Falco… Porco… Pieck…
I can't… just die now… Will death really bring release? Die here, and let everything happen? No… So noisy… too noisy… I just want… quiet…
"I…" His voice was hoarse and weak. "I wish… to be able… to… peacefully… quietly… die…"
…
BOOM!!!
Eren's magically hardened fist broke through the War Hammer Titan's final defense! Eren opened his Titan's mouth, fangs bared, ready to claim his prize—the power of the War Hammer Titan!
Just then! Something changed!!!
VWOOM—!!!
An incredibly dense wave of energy erupted from the direction of the basement ruins. Instantly, layers upon layers of massive magical shields materialized between Eren and the crystal. The shields were a strange grey-white color, covered in fine cracks, yet radiating an indestructible aura of deathly stillness.
THOOOM!!!!
Eren's heavy punch slammed squarely onto the multiple shields, creating a dull, heavy thud like hitting a thick wall. Green magical energy clashed violently with the grey-white shield energy, annihilating each other. A shockwave expanded outwards in a ring, flattening the surrounding ruins even further.
Shock filled Eren's eyes. What?! This power— is—?! He whipped his head around, looking toward the basement ruins.
From that pile of debris, a massive figure was slowly rising. A Titan, similar in form to the Armored Titan, covered in thick, grey-white armor. But different. This Titan was also draped in a tattered Magical Girl dress of the same color?! The hem was ragged, its luster dull, covered in the dust of death. The Titan kept its head bowed, radiating an aura of despair that simply wished for silence, as if it could drop dead at any moment.
The Magical Armored Titan… Reiner!
Reiner… you still chose… to keep living… in pain?
"Reiner!!!" Porco and Pieck's relieved cries came from the distance. It was Reiner's new power, the multiple Shields of Annihilation, that had blocked Eren's attack and saved them from his clutches.
Eren looked at the Magical Armored Titan radiating deathly stillness. "REINER—!!!" He let out a heaven-shaking roar and slammed his fists into the grey-white figure again!
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Eren's heavy blows rained down on Reiner's magical shield. Each impact created a massive boom and a shockwave of energy. The grey-white shield vibrated violently. Cracks spread across its surface and shattered, only to be instantly filled by the deeper, equally dead energy beneath. Eren's attacks… were somehow unable to break through this bizarre defense!
Reiner just stood there silently, head bowed, enduring Eren's furious onslaught. His heart felt nothing. Perhaps… this is 'peace.' No need to think, no need to struggle, no need to feel pain— Just need to… be quiet… and wait for the final… annihilation… Why… isn't it over yet… Let me… die… The corruption in his Soul Gem surged, fueled by Reiner's self-destructive tendencies.
…
On the other side of the city, in the urban combat zone.
"What's that?!" Connie pointed at the red flare exploding in the distance, his face full of shock. "A retreat signal?! From Armin?!"
"What's going on?!" Jean frowned, dodging sporadic enemy fire. "The battle isn't over! Why are we retreating?!"
Mikasa said nothing, tightening her grip on her blades. Her gaze shot toward Eren in the plaza, a strong sense of unease washing over her. Eren—
In the split second they were distracted by the signal, a small figure suddenly appeared on a nearby rooftop. A little girl in a strange outfit? A red-and-black, military-style short dress, with a gem radiating an ominous red light pinned to her chest. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, her face smeared with blood, but her eyes burned with an almost insane hatred. She held a blinding red energy condensed in her hands.
It was Gabi! Magical Girl Gabi! Born from the wish to "drive out all the devils of Paradis," a form of destruction!
"DEVILS—OF PARADIS!!!" Gabi's voice was distorted and shrill, filled with bone-deep hatred. She saw Mikasa and the others! Saw the "devils" who had killed her comrades and destroyed her home!
The Survey Corps members reacted instantly. Enemy! Magical Girl!
"Look out!" Jean made the split-second decision to fire his Thunder Spear. Sasha and Connie raised their weapons simultaneously.
But… she was just a child. A girl who looked about the same age as the kids back on their island… That flicker of instinctive hesitation lasted less than half a second. But for Gabi, in this state, it was enough.
"DIE!!! DEVILS!!!" Gabi roared madly, swinging her arm down!
Pew! Pew! Pew!
Several concentrated beams of crimson magic, radiating destruction, shot out instantly, targeting the unprepared Mikasa, Jean, Connie, and Sasha, leaving only afterimages in their wake.
"NO!!!" Jean's pupils contracted. He tried to dodge, but the beams were too fast!
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Three beams hit their marks precisely. Jean's chest was pierced through. Connie's abdomen was impaled. Sasha's lung was shredded. Blood sprayed. The three let out pained grunts and plummeted from the sky, crashing hard onto the ground, their life force instantly fading.
"JEAN! CONNIE! SASHA!!!" Mikasa screamed in horror. In that critical moment, her Ackerman instincts allowed her to make an extreme evasion, narrowly dodging the beam aimed at her. It grazed her cheek, searing off a few strands of black hair. She watched helplessly as her comrades fell into pools of their own blood, their lives rapidly slipping away.
"Hee—heehee— Now you devils know how it feels—" On the rooftop, Gabi watched the fallen "devils" below and let out a hysterical laugh, a sound mixed with pleasure and pain. She did it! She got the power! She killed the devils! For Marley!!!
Just then, a small white figure appeared beside the fallen Jean, Connie, and Sasha. It tilted its head, its round red eyes watching the dying youths and the unharmed Mikasa impassively, as if assessing something.
Then, it slowly turned its head and looked at Mikasa nearby. "Mikasa, your comrades don't look well. Do you need help?"