"What’s going on, the gun..."


    "Why are Annie and her team running away?"


    "..."


    As Tao Yu’s gunshot sounded, the trio from Marley fell from their horses, and it was only then that the other cadets of the 104th Training Corps noticed that something was wrong.


    It seemed that their departure from the group was an attempt to escape?


    Was the officer chasing them?


    But soon, they understood why.


    Accompanied by a flash of lightning and an explosion, an armored Titan, towering tens of meters tall, burst forth from the ground!


    The sudden presence of a being as tall as a four or five-story building created an immense sense of visual oppression.


    It left the cadets of the 104th Training Corps with their eyes wide open.


    Titans!


    The Armored Titan, the culprit behind the breach of Wall Maria’s gates!


    Cheng Lixue and Zhang Hao, two country bumpkins who had never seen a Titan before, were now so terrified that their hearts were pounding.


    This, this is a Titan? We’re going to fight these things?


    How on earth could we ever win?


    Didn’t they say that the Titan Guo Jing encountered before was only about four meters tall?


    And here it seems just a fraction of this size!


    "Traitors!"


    Unquestionably, the most intense reaction belonged to Eren.


    He had never imagined that among his comrades with whom he had spent day and night, there would be one who possessed the power of the Titans!


    Even if Eren was slow to react, upon seeing the appearance of the Armored Titan, he immediately associated that the Colossal Titan must also be among those people.


    His own mother had perished right before his eyes in just such a scene.


    The years of suppressed sorrow from training, the humiliation during the southward escape, the despair when Mikasa was lost during their rearguard action—all these emotions broke free from the depths of Eren’s heart.


    "Die!"


    Leaping from his horse, he rushed forward. Before he even landed, he bit into his palm, and with an explosion, he transformed into the Attack Titan and crazily charged toward the direction of the Armored Titan.


    Even the Attack Titan, which had just run nearby, could only raise its arms to block.


    Facing such indiscriminate AOE, Tao Yu could only sigh helplessly and retreat gracefully using the lightness technique of Spiral Nine Shadows, alsotaking advantage of the momentum to thrust out "Seeing the Dragon in the Field," thus forming a barrier of Qi.


    He floated backward like a kite, seemingly unharmed.


    Annie did not hesitate either; she instantly transformed into the Female Titan and took off running ahead at full speed.


    The Female Titan’s comprehensive abilities were strong, faster even than the Armored Titan, capable of outpacing horses.


    However, the moment she started to run, she found that Tao Yu, who had just been floating away, reappeared in his original position after the shockwave had passed, switching places with his residual image, and then chased after her at a terrifying speed!


    The Female Titan, with her tens of meters of stature and the running frequency of a normal person, faster than horses, was now unable to shake off this monster, making her eyes nearly pop out in disbelief.


    She had guessed correctly; the man capable of killing Titans with his bare hands hadn’t followed them, and that was because there was another one in the troop!


    And even more terrifying!


    Tao Yu was finished testing his skills and didn’t even bother with the half-skeleton of the Colossal Titan, unable to move anymore. He slowly drew the "Warlord’s Sidearm" and fired a shot directly at the Female Titan’s head.


    Due to the height, the back of the neck was in a blind spot for shooting, but the big head was a more than adequate target.


    Annie saw the attack coming but didn’t care.


    Guns posed little threat to Titans...


    However, before she could even complete that thought, the bullet hit its mark and her mind seemed to be struck by a heavy hammer.


    Purified thoughts combined with Fist Intention, capable of causing a momentary lapse of consciousness in Huang Yaoshi and Guo Jing, even from a distance.


    Annie, certainly no match for them, staggered and then crashed to the ground.


    Bertolt, just emerging from the ruins of the Colossal Titan, had his eyes split with fury.


    "No!"


    But before he could react, Eren, who had also blocked the blast and charged forward, grabbed him with a giant hand, pulling him from the wreckage of the Colossal Titan and lifted him to his mouth, roaring.


    It seemed as if he was interrogating and screaming at him, asking why they had done this.


    Tao Yu had already arrived at the fallen Female Titan’s nape, looking at the crystalized neck, a smile inadvertently appeared on his face.


    "Hardness alone is useless..."


    Whether it be kinetic energy, True Qi, or Shadow Force, all were skilled in overcoming toughness with gentleness and penetration.


    Tao Yu stomped on the crystal, cracks immediately appearing on its surface, with wisps of Shadow Force infiltrating and seeming to erode and destroy the crystal.


    With another stomp, the entire crystal shattered, and he reached in to grab Annie, pulling her along with some of the Titan’s nerves out in one swift move and casually tossed her aside.


    In this world without added bonuses, Annie and Bertolt no longer had the capability to transform, and were easily captured...