"You…"
Blood dripped continuously from Annie's trembling lips; her voice was weak and broken. She could barely form words—her injuries were far too severe.
Lucien didn't bother with unnecessary talk. He simply knelt down and injected the spinal fluid into his body.
A flash of golden lightning illuminated the forest as a grotesque Titan emerged—roughly seven meters tall, with short black hair and a face that faintly resembled Lucien's own.
"No… no…"
Terror filled Annie's blue eyes. Tears welled up as the Titan's massive hand reached for her. She didn't even have time to think—how did he know about spinal fluid? How did he know that consuming an intelligent Titan could transfer its power?
He never gave her a chance to ask. From the moment he appeared, Lucien had only spoken three words, struck her down mercilessly, and then acted with precision and silence.
Where did this man come from? How could he be so terrifyingly strong—and so well-informed?
The mindless Titan that Lucien had transformed into showed no hint of consciousness. Even with the system's power, it was purely instinctual. Upon seeing Annie, it immediately grabbed her and shoved her into its mouth.
Her terrified scream was swallowed along with her.
Heat and steam exploded outward, shrouding the area in a thick white haze. The Titan collapsed in the center of the clearing, its flesh slowly dissolving. From the nape of its neck, Lucien rose, his face streaked with blood, his body connected to the steaming remains of the creature.
As his consciousness cleared, Lucien glanced at the lifeless shell of his Titan form and exhaled softly.
He had succeeded.
Cutting the connection, he stepped down onto solid ground and stretched his limbs. His strength felt noticeably greater—raw and vibrant.
"So that's what I look like as a Mindless Titan," he muttered, eyeing the steaming corpse nearby. The Titan's face bore an ugly resemblance to his own before its flesh completely melted away, leaving only bone.
"When I transform again… will I become the Female Titan, or something different?"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Even the original series hadn't clarified such details. Eren's father had transformed into the Attack Titan, his form somewhat resembling the Beast Titan's structure, while Eren himself became a lean, sharp-featured Titan with black hair and green eyes.
"Let's check my lifespan first."
Pushing aside his musings, Lucien summoned the system's interface.
[Successfully hunted Attack on Titan world's secondary antagonist: Annie Leonhart.]
[Reward: One Dice Roll Opportunity.]
He frowned slightly. "Secondary character?"
So the system categorized characters into major and secondary tiers. Major figures earned three dice rolls and a +1 to Luck, while secondary ones granted only one roll. The difference was… significant.
He guessed it depended on their narrative importance—major characters had deeper ties to the world's "Child of Destiny," meaning more screen time and influence.
Lucien then flipped to the lifespan section. The once blood-red timer had faded to a lighter shade, and his remaining time now displayed: 13 years.
He still had the note about late-stage cancer, though he wasn't sure that diagnosis was real anymore.
"Thirteen years, huh… more than enough for now." He exhaled slowly, relieved for the moment.
Then his gaze returned to the floating text.
[Rolling Dice… Result: 5]
Light shimmered before him, and the reward materialized in midair.
[Reward: One 50kg, 1188mm high-grade gas cylinder]
[Description: Industrial steel container for pressurized gas. Internal pressure 0.5–1.2 MPa. Service life: 15 years. Explosion risk if exposed to fire.]
Lucien stared blankly for a moment, his face darkening. "Seriously… a gas cylinder?"
It seemed this so-called system really loved mocking him. What was he supposed to do with this? Blow something up? Maybe pair it with that lighter he'd gotten earlier?
Shaking his head, Lucien dismissed the screen and looked around. The area wasn't safe anymore—too much noise, too many potential witnesses.
His maneuver gear had been destroyed when he first transformed, leaving him no choice but to rely on his own skills.
With a deep breath, Lucien activated Geppo, stepping into the air and leaping gracefully between the towering trees. His movement was silent and fluid as he ventured deeper into the Giant Tree Forest.
He already understood the key to transforming: a clear objective—and blood.
After several minutes, he landed on a massive branch, raised his thumb, and cut it against his index finger. As the blood welled up, golden lightning burst forth.
This time, his goal was simple: transform.
The roar that followed shook the forest. A shockwave spread outward, and from its center emerged a Female Titan—tall, elegant, and terrifyingly powerful.
"Hmm…"
Lucien examined his reflection in a nearby pool of water. His vision was sharp, his limbs long and slender. Short golden hair framed his face. The Titan's physique was curvaceous and well-proportioned, roughly fourteen meters tall.
"Wait… this is Annie's Titan form."
He hesitated, flexing his fingers and glancing down at himself. Everything—from the proportions to the hair—was nearly identical.
"Great. I'm literally the Female Titan now," he sighed.
Curiosity got the better of him. He lifted both hands, experimentally testing balance and movement, adjusting to the strange sensation. Even his expression twitched awkwardly.
Despite the discomfort, his mind remained clear. His control was precise, even fluid, though he could feel an unfamiliar weight in motion.
Lucien tested a few martial arts forms—punches, kicks, even push-ups—just to acclimate. His strength was immense, far beyond human limits.
"My physical power's on another level," he said softly. He kicked a nearby giant tree, sending it crashing down in a single blow.
Next, he decided to test regeneration.
With a grimace, he ripped off his own left hand. Pain shot through him, followed by a hiss of steam as colorful lines of energy rippled across the wound. Within moments, the limb began to regenerate.
"So healing burns through stamina…" he observed. "But as long as my nape stays intact, this regeneration makes me nearly immortal."
The sight reminded him of Marco the Phoenix from One Piece, though his Titan regeneration was clearly less efficient.
"Let's try hardening next."
Lucien focused, channeling his inner energy. Unfortunately, nothing happened—just a faint vibration under the Titan's skin.
"Looks like that'll take some practice."
He then tested his movement. "Can I use Soru and Geppo like this?"
The Titan's size made agility harder, but he could tell—given time—he'd adapt. Everything he could do in his human form could eventually translate into his Titan form.
Finally, Lucien willed the system into action again. Two nichirin blades appeared in his massive hands.
He smirked. "So I can still summon equipment in Titan form. Good."
The blades, however, were short—barely a meter long compared to his towering size. "Too bad they're not scaled up," he muttered. "If they were longer, I could tear through anything in..."