𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ||【 𝕃𝕖𝕧𝕚 𝕏 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕏 𝔼𝕣𝕨𝕚𝕟】

|17| Retake of Trost ✔️

This chapter everyone is speaking in Japanese, so I decided not to bold anything. I don't like reading when the text is bold so I'll do this from now on when it is Japanese speaking chapters only.

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"When do we go?" I asked as I stepped up beside Commander Pixis. His eyes flicked to me, then returned to the group in front of us.

"You have one mission," he began, addressing Ian, Ricco, and Mitabi. "Guard Eren Jaeger."

His tone was sharp, serious—the kind that made soldiers straighten their backs.

"You are to eliminate any threat that appears during the operation. This will be the most dangerous, most critical task of the entire mission."

The three of them nodded silently, absorbing the weight of his words.

"It's no exaggeration to say that humanity's fate rests on your shoulders." He extended an arm in my direction. "This is (Name) (Surname), a member of the Scouts."

Pixis continued, "She may be young, but don't let that fool you. She'll be helping lead this mission."

My eyes widened slightly. Helping lead? First I was support, now I'm command staff?

"She's one of the few with real experience outside the Walls—and the only one here who's dealt with Titans up close and lived. If she says something, I suggest you do it. She was once Erwin's right hand man."

Right-hand woman, I thought, but whatever. Not the time to nitpick.

"Commander, may I speak?" Ricco asked, turning to Pixis.

"What is it?"

"Does this... human weapon actually work?"

Pixis glanced at me, silently handing the question off.

"I helped get the kids out during the chaos in Trost," I said. "Jeager's Titan went berserk on the others. He tore through them without hesitation. That strength alone makes him our best shot at sealing the gate."

"But," I added, leveling a serious look at Ricco, "we still don't fully understand his power. Until he's carrying that boulder, we keep our distance."

"You're saying he might lose control," Pixis said.

I nodded. "It's a real risk. That transformation in Trost? It was his first. He didn't even know he could shift. Power like that doesn't just come with an instruction manual."

"You seem to know a lot about Titan transformations," Ian commented.

I shrugged. "It's all guesswork. But I trust what I've seen more than hope. The kid's got a good heart, but once he's transformed? Trust him like you'd trust any Titan."

I looked down at my hands resting on my blades. My voice dropped.

"Keep your guard up. Defend yourselves. Treat him like a Titan that wants to kill you—because he might."

That should've been enough warning.

A soldier jogged up, panting. "Commander! The decoy operation is beginning."

Pixis turned back to the group.

"Ian Dietrich, Ricco Brzenska, Mitabi Jarnach—you are the Garrison's most elite. Humanity is counting on you."

He turned to Ian. "Ian, you take command. You have full authority out there."

Ian looked like he'd just been handed a live grenade. "Me?"

"I have no objections," Ricco said, unfazed.

"Nor do I," Mitabi added.

I do, I thought. Ian's a bit of a bitch. But I bit my tongue.