Chapter 23: Annie
The yellow signal flare shooting into the sky caught the attention of the Survey Corps.
"Eren Yeager has lifted that boulder and is beginning to establish a defensive line."
Survey Corps Squad Leader 'Mike Zacharias' led his men to converge on Eren. As a squad leader of the Survey Corps, Mike's combat prowess was certainly not to be underestimated. He had conducted 56 expeditions beyond the walls, but ultimately fell to the Beast Titan and was devoured by numerous Titans.
After receiving the yellow signal flare, the Survey Corps within the city swarmed in. Over a thousand people leaped rapidly across the rooftops, creating an extraordinarily spectacular scene.
Following the pre-arranged plan, the Survey Corps split into two groups to help Eren establish a defensive line leading straight to the breach.
Su Xiao leaped swiftly across the rooftops beside Eren, constantly monitoring Eren's condition.
The situation was optimistic. The Titans along the path had been cleared away. The combat power of the Survey Corps was far superior to that of the Garrison Regiment. Eren's advance was now proceeding very smoothly.
Puff.
The sound of gas jets from the 'Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear' came, and a slender figure landed on a rooftop near Su Xiao.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Su Xiao's pupils contracted sharply, and many thoughts raced through his mind.
"Training Corps members, fall back! The Survey Corps will handle this from here."
Su Xiao quickly approached the newcomer, while Eren and Mikasa gradually moved away.
"I can't do it. I can't do it."
The newcomer was a fair-skinned blonde girl. She turned her head to look at Su Xiao, her eyes filled with helplessness, even a hint of despair.
"Why? Why do we have to block that hole?"
Annie murmured softly. If the hole was blocked, the plan of the 'Three-Walled Intelligence Giant Group' would be ruined.
"Recruit, have you been stimulated by something? Come with me to the supply point to rest."
Su Xiao approached Annie with steady steps. He couldn't walk too fast, as that would startle her.
Su Xiao had already guessed what Annie was about to do. Annie's mental state was very unstable right now. Her long-cherished desire was about to succeed; she could finally go home. But all of this was suddenly disrupted. Annie was on the verge of a breakdown; otherwise, she wouldn't have appeared so openly.
"You're very strong, so don't come any closer. I, a weak woman, am very scared."
Annie's eyes were dim and lifeless. Tears streamed down her cheeks as if she were making some kind of decision.
"Fine."
Su Xiao stopped in his tracks, but his body slightly crouched, and the tiles beneath his feet creaked and cracked.
The distance was still five meters. He had a forty percent chance of directly severing Annie's head.
"I've been here for three years now. I've really become stupid, appearing directly in front of others at a time like this. How foolish."
Annie's tears dripped from her chin. Her gaze shifted to Eren, who was carrying the boulder.
"If I take you away, I won't have to continue this life anymore. What should I do?"
Annie's mental state worsened, and her speech was somewhat incoherent. Years of undercover work had made her live alongside the people within the walls. When she infiltrated the walls, she was only thirteen years old, the most innocent age.
At that most innocent age, Annie was sent inside the walls to live with the people there and find an opportunity to breach the walls and kill all the humans inside.
If she didn't carry out the mission, her family would die. But if she did, she would cause the deaths of thousands of innocent people.
'Annie, even if the whole world hates you, even if the whole world is against you, your father will stand by your side.'
Her father's voice echoed in Annie's ears. Annie finally made up her mind.
Bang! The tiles shattered.
A loud explosion came from beside Annie. Annie's body trembled. Turning her head, she saw the man who had been five meters away just moments ago now shooting toward her like a cannonball.
Recalling that man's terrifying swordsmanship, Annie knew that if he got close, it was over.
Raising her arm, Annie immediately bit down on her index finger.
Pfft.
A slender arm flew up, and a long wound appeared on Annie's delicate cheek.
Annie's heart was in turmoil. This man was too terrifying. She had to put on that thing immediately.
Just as Annie was about to transform into a Titan, Su Xiao, who was mid-air, had already sheathed the Dragon-Slaying Flash. The distance was too close; the blade could no longer inflict lethal damage.
Su Xiao's entire body lunged onto Annie. His left arm wrapped around Annie's neck, his right hand gripping his left fist, and he viciously choked Annie's throat.
Guillotine!
Su Xiao could make Annie suffocate within two seconds. Within three seconds, he would completely snap her neck.
Crack, crack, crack.
The terrifying sound of bones breaking came. The whites of Annie's eyes instantly filled with blood, and her vision rapidly darkened.
Annie forcibly concentrated her mind to mobilize the Titan power within her. Unlike Eren, who was a half-baked amateur, she had received professional Titan knowledge training since childhood.
Boom!
A golden lightning bolt fell from the sky. Su Xiao felt a buzzing in his head. Annie in his arms instantly expanded, sending him flying.
Bang. Su Xiao landed on a rooftop, smashing a large area of clay tiles.
"Cough, cough, cough."
A sweet, fishy taste rushed up his throat. Su Xiao coughed up a few small mouthfuls of blood.
He had struck off-center. The tiles he had stepped on were more brittle than he had imagined.
The Dragon-Slaying Flash appeared in his hand. Su Xiao looked toward the patch of golden light not far away. Annie was transforming into a Titan.
The golden light dissipated, and a Female Titan with a resemblance to Annie appeared. The golden hair was the most similar feature.
After transforming into a Titan, Annie stared at Su Xiao with lingering fear. She had almost died just now. She had always believed her combat skills were strong, but in that man's hands, she had no room to fight back.
"In the end, I still had to put it on, huh? Pfft... what a mistake."
Su Xiao spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva and walked slowly toward Annie.
"What? Not going after him?"
Su Xiao licked the blood from his lips. The smell of blood stirred his ferocity.
Annie assumed a fighting stance. It wasn't that she didn't want to chase Eren; she knew full well the consequences of turning her back on this man.
"White Night, what's going on here?"
Hange Zoe arrived nearby, cautiously staring at the Female Titan. After the incident with Eren, the Survey Corps was now wary of any suspicious-looking Titan.
"Another human-turned Titan. Leave this to me. That one over there is our ultimate goal."
Su Xiao pointed in Eren's direction. Hange Zoe nodded and immediately led her people away.
"We must capture it."
After saying this, Hange Zoe ran off.
As soon as the Female Titan appeared, the Survey Corps reacted immediately, forming layers of protection around Eren and advancing with him toward the breach.
Eren's act of lifting the boulder and moving forward had already explained everything. Now they had to protect this Titan at all costs. The hope of humanity reclaiming Wall Rose lay here.
A trace of worry appeared in the eyes of Annie's Titan form. But at that moment, another commotion came from not far away.
Boom!
Another golden lightning bolt struck the ground. A few seconds later, a Titan covered in full-body bone armor appeared.
The Armored Titan, 'Reiner Braun,' had also moved. Reiner Braun and Annie were in the same situation. Both had joined the Training Corps three years ago and came from the same place. However, Reiner Braun was more deeply hidden. In Eren's mind, Reiner Braun was like an older brother figure, a goal to strive for.
"Another one."
Su Xiao's expression wasn't good. He could handle one, but if the Female Titan and the Armored Titan attacked together, it would be trouble.
But within the walls, there were not only Titans but also human strongmen. A short figure was charging at high speed toward the Armored Titan.
It was 1.6 meters, no, it was Captain Levi, humanity's strongest soldier, and one of Mikasa's few remaining kin, Levi Ackerman.
Captain Levi could handle the Armored Titan without issue. However, considering the Armored Titan's hard bone armor, it would be difficult for Levi to kill it.
After noticing Su Xiao's gaze shift, Annie threw a standard straight punch at him.
A fierce gust of wind came rushing towards him, Su Xiao agilely sidestepped.
Boom.
Annie punched a large hole in the rooftop, sending dust flying. Annie immediately withdrew her fist and brought both fists up in front of her face.
Su Xiao, leaping through the air, began to assess Annie's overall capabilities.
Annie's strength was slightly weaker than Eren's, but her speed was several times faster. This type of Titan was almost a human killer. Combined with Annie's own martial arts skills, it would become a nightmare for human soldiers.
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