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[FEELING THE HEARTBEAT]
THE SKY HUNG LOW, a dense canopy of iron-gray clouds pregnant with the promise of rain, casting an oppressive shadow over the battle-scarred Trost District.
Wisps of steam coiled upward in ghostly spirals, rising from the grotesque remains of fallen titans.
The air was thick with heat and the acrid tang of decay, a grim reminder of the chaos that had unfolded moments before.
Armin hesitated, his hand trembling as he glanced at YN and Mikasa. "But... carrying someone while leaping through a Titan-field-it's nearly impossible," he said, his voice thick with uncertainty.
Before he could continue, Connie stepped forward, his jaw set.
"Let's just go!" he said, grabbing Armin's arm and preparing to move.
But Armin froze in place, his mind screaming at him, "No! Stop it. If I go along with this... if I don't speak up, another friend will die."
Armin yanked his arm free from Connie's grip and turned sharply, his voice trembling but resolute. "Wait! Listen to me. I... I have a plan!"
Connie stopped, his eyes narrowing in confusion. "A plan?"
Mikasa and Connie both turned to face him fully, their breaths caught in anticipation.
"You'll have to execute it... so it's your call," Armin said quickly, his eyes flickering toward YN. "But it's crazy. I'm saying... we could use that Titan."
Connie's jaw dropped. "That Titan? Are you out of your damn mind?"
But before he could continue, YN stepped forward, his steel-blue eyes sharp as blades. "It's a good plan," he said, his voice calm yet commanding.
Connie stared at him, flabbergasted. "You too?! Have you both lost it?"
YN's gaze never wavered. "Listen. That Titan-whatever it is-attacks other Titans. As Armin said, it doesn't seem interested in humans. If we can lead it to the supply area, it might clear a path for everyone."
Mikasa gasped softly, her eyes narrowing in thought as the pieces of the plan began to fall into place. "If it defeats the other Titans... then everyone might survive," she murmured, almost to herself.
Connie threw his hands up in exasperation. "Lead it? How?! It's a Titan! You're betting all of our lives on a hunch!"
"We don't need to bet everything," YN said firmly, stepping closer to Connie. "It's not just a hunch. It's fighting instinctively-it's not mindless.
