Chapter 103: Beating Up Gabi!
Liberio Internment Zone, the scorched earth after urban combat.
The smell of blood and smoke stung the nostrils.
"Ugh…" Jean, Connie, and Sasha struggled to sit up, staring at their rapidly healing wounds, the shock of survival still fresh on their faces.
"We're okay! Alive! Meat! I thought I'd never eat meat again!" Sasha cried out, her voice a jumbled mix of joy and confusion.
Nearby, the blinding crimson light slowly subsided. Mikasa Ackerman stood unharmed, clad in a new, deep red battle suit that radiated a grim aura unlike before. The scarf she always wore now floated as if caught in an unfelt wind. Her eyes were ice-cold, locked onto the figure on the rooftop above—the enemy who had just taken her life.
Magical Girl Mikasa had arrived.
…
Plaza Center.
Eren's green energy fists relentlessly hammered Reiner's grey-white shield. Green clashed with grey, each impact shaking the ground.
Just moments ago, in that instant, Mikasa's presence had vanished from Eren's senses, completely severed. The Attack Titan's body froze. He saw Mikasa beheaded, saw Gabi's face splattered with blood, burning with crazed hatred.
NO!!!
Panic and rage instantly consumed him.
"GABI—!!!!!"
Deep within his consciousness, only a silent explosion. The green light in the Titan's eyes abruptly turned blood-red.
BOOM!!!!!!
Eren abandoned the nigh-unbreakable Reiner before him. His massive body became a streak of green light, tearing through the air as he violently turned towards the street. The terrifying force of his movement created a shockwave that sent the surrounding rubble flying again.
On the rooftop, Gabi saw Mikasa revive. Surprise flickered in her eyes for only a second before being replaced by an even deeper killing intent. She raised her arm again, ominous red light gathering in her palm. She would eradicate this "devil" completely.
But the premonition of destruction struck from the side. "What?!" Gabi whipped her head around. Her vision was instantly filled by the massive form of a Titan burning with green fury. Eren's heavy body slammed down onto the street nearby, the impact sending tremors through the entire block.
"DIE!! DEVIL!!!" Gabi screamed, recklessly firing the web of crimson magic beams she had gathered at the landing Eren.
Eren didn't even bother to dodge. His giant hand, hardened with magic, met the beam-web head-on.
FWOOSH—!!!
The crimson web struck the green palm and instantly disintegrated, offering no resistance at all.
SMACK!!!!!!!!!
A deafening impact! Eren's giant hand continued its trajectory, driven by the fury of crushing an insect, and slammed down hard on the rooftop where Gabi stood. The building pulverized instantly.
"AAAAAAAHHH—!!!" Gabi let out a piercing scream. Her tiny body was caught in the irresistible force, sent flying along with the debris, leaving a trail of blood as she crashed deep into the ruins of a building across the street.
Dust filled the air. Eren's Titan body leaned forward slightly, his burning eyes fixed on the spot where Gabi had fallen.
A faint cough came from the rubble. Gabi struggled to crawl out, her body wracked with pain, blood pouring from her mouth and nose. Her dust-covered face was a contorted mask of pain and terror. Her red-and-black magical dress was in tatters. She looked up and met Eren's massive, cold face looming over her.
Fear seized her throat, but hatred quickly overwhelmed it again. "D…devil…" she rasped, her voice hoarse and broken, using the last of her strength. She spat a mouthful of bloody saliva at Eren's giant face. "KILL ME!!! You island devils!!! YOU ALL DESERVE TO DIE!!!" she cursed madly, her eyes venomous.
The Eren Titan's face showed no expression. Only the fury in its eyes seemed to warp the very air. He slowly raised his giant right hand, fingers spread, green [Magic Hardening] energy gathering again in his palm. He would crush her, squash this noisy insect.
"EREN!!!"
Just then, an urgent cry cut through the night!
BOOM—!!!
With a massive thud and a blast of air, another colossal figure landed at the edge of the plaza nearby. A sea-blue energy phantom of a dress covered its massive Female Titan body.
It was Armin! He had finally arrived! But he had no time to assess the situation in the plaza or assist Eren. His first act was to roar with all his might towards every corner of the battlefield.
"EREN!!! CAPTAIN LEVI!!! EVERYONE!!! RETREAT!!!" Armin's voice, amplified by his Titan form, echoed through the night sky. "THERE ARE KYUBEYS EVERYWHERE!!! SOMETHING'S WRONG!!!!"
This wasn't random!
…
Plaza Center.
Eren's raised hand paused. He heard the extreme panic and urgency in Armin's voice. Kyubeys everywhere? The fire in the Titan's eyes lessened slightly, replaced by a flicker of gravity and unease.
Retreat?
But—it was already too late.
Before Armin's warning could even fade, in that very instant, from every direction in the Liberio Internment Zone, the beings lurking in the shadows finally bared their fangs.
Streaks of light in different colors suddenly flared up, hundreds, thousands of brilliant yet deadly beams blooming against the dark night sky. Pink, yellow, blue, purple, orange, green, black… countless lights, erupting from collapsed ruins, from dark alley corners, from among the panicking Marleyan civilians, from among the Marleyan soldiers making their last stand.
Each flash of light represented the birth of a new contract.
When the light faded, figures clad in various Magical Girl outfits appeared. They were of different genders, different ages, wearing diverse attire, and wielding a motley assortment of weapons. Their eyes held fear, confusion, or grim resolve, but all eventually converged into a similar torrent directed at the invaders:
Raw hatred. Their homes destroyed, their loved ones killed by the devils of Paradis.
A twisted desire to save. To use this heaven-sent power to protect Marley and purge the devils.
A hollow prayer for peace. Hoping to use magic to end this destructive, endless war.
Desperate resistance. Willing to offer their souls to make these devils pay.
All these various wishes, with Kyubey's "help," catalyzed by war and death, became reality. The Kyubeys collected and uploaded samples and data on Eldians and the Nine Titans, continuously sowing seeds of hope amidst despair, quietly waiting for the harvest.
And now, these newly empowered Magical Girls had only one target—the devils of Paradis Island!!! Eren Jaeger!!!!!!!!
…
On the street.
Jean, Connie, and Sasha had just gotten back on their feet when they saw the sudden appearance of numerous Magical Girls all around them. The overwhelming hostility and killing intent radiating from the girls' eyes hit them like an icy wave.
"Wh— what the hell is going on?!" Connie cried out, his hand gripping his blade, slick with cold sweat.
Jean's face was grim. "Enemies— so many appeared all of a sudden?!"
Sasha clutched her weapon, looking at the hostile faces surrounding them. They were trapped.
Nearby, the white culprit, Kyubey, tilted its head. Its gaze swept over the shocked Jean, Connie, and Sasha, then to Mikasa, who had just transformed across the street, and finally to the Magical Girls encircling them.
The tide of battle had instantly turned.
[Non-Human Chat Group]
Tom Cat: [Cat_jumps_scared_into_a_can.gif]
SpongeBob SquarePants: Oh my goodness! New contract lights everywhere! Kyubey! Why are you helping the bad guys on the other side!! They want to kill everyone on Paradis Island!!! Kyubey, you did something bad again!!!!
Monokuma: Upupupupu! SpongeBob-kun, what did you just say? Bad guys? Are you implying the people from Paradis are the good guys? The ones who just bombed this place into ruins and slaughtered countless people?
Monokuma: Upupupu! There are no good guys or bad guys! Your perspective has just been following the Paradis people! And besides, should these people just line up quietly and wait to be slaughtered by the "good guys" instead of picking up weapons to fight back?
Monokuma: Kyubey-kun gave them their only chance to resist! I think Kyubey-kun is the good guy here! Upupu!
Monokuma: Upupupupu! Now! Despair versus despair! Hatred tearing hatred apart! This is the best kind of stage, the kind that makes your heart pound!
SpongeBob SquarePants: But— it shouldn't be like this…