COMRADES • Eren Jaeger

CHAPTER 7: Warriors

"APPARENTLY there are two other cadets in the 104th who are from the same area as her," said Hange. "Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover. Thanks to the chaos five years ago, most of their family records are missing. During the long-range scouting formation, they were falsely told that Eren was in the right wing."

"The Female Titan attacked from the right wing," said Armin, looking uneasy. "they might have passed that info to Annie."

"Reiner is like everyone's big brother," Eren insisted. "I find it hard to believe that he'd do that."

Armin nodded. "Reiner gave everything to fight the Female Titan, if he hadn't — I only talked about Eren and Y/N's position in the formation because Reiner had asked about it... and after he escaped from her palm, Annie changed course... it's possible."

Eren glared at his friend beside him. "What are you trying to say, Armin?"

"Regardless whether Reiner or Bertholt are Annie's accomplices or not, act in a way that doesn't seem suspicious," Hange said loudly, their frowning face clear against the torchlight. "That goes for everyone. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Section Commander!" everyone replied in unison. It felt as though your insides had turned cold, and you shared an uneasy look with Eren.

Annie might have betrayed your blooming friendship, but Reiner and Bertholt were your brothers. It was as if it had just been yesterday that you had all met for the first time. The memory of this replayed as dawn broke into the sky of Wall Rose. Shouts came from all sides of the formation.

"We're nearing Castle Utgard!"

But the dark structure in the distance before you did not look like a castle. If anything, it looked like a giant landfill of rocks and earthly gravel. And it was swarming with Pure Titans. In the distance, you could see Krista running towards a group that was currently devouring something you could not see. Was it another Titan?

"Krista!" you shouted, holding onto the reins of your horse and willing her to go faster. "Get away from there!"

You were too far away for her to have heard you. She continued running to the busy Titans. At that moment, one Titan came from behind a broken pillar and turned to face Krista, who froze dejectedly.

You unsheathed your blades and readied your gear. "Krista!"

Your eyes turned to see Connie, Bertholt, and Reiner running after her, the latter wearing his hand in a tourniquet. A second Titan with hungry eyes suddenly burst out of the rubble, effectively blocking their path from Krista and causing them to freeze. You gasped and pulled the trigger on your gear, latching your hooks onto the Titan's back and releasing your gas canisters.

"Someone save Krista!" you shouted as you swung your legs over your saddle to leap off your horse. "I'll take care of this one!"

"I'm on it!" Mikasa called back.

"Wait, Y/N! Your ribs are broken!" Moblit said with concern. "Perhaps it's best if you don't—"

You pressed the toggles once more and found yourself zipping through the air, throwing your weight forward until you were directly above the Titan. You threw your weight to the side once more and accelerated down to make a clean slice across its neck. The Titan's head lolled to the side, and it fell down with your feet planted on its right temple, its hot blood smeared across your face.

The three other boys gaped at you in shock. "Y/N?"

You turned around to see that Mikasa had successfully killed the Titan that was about to assault Krista. The rest of the Scouts quickly did the same on Hange's orders. To your surprise, Eren unsheathed his blades and maneuvered his way up in the air. A few Scouts shouted at him to fall back, but he did not listen.