Chapter 11

Of course, compared to watching the regret and despondency of people who had nothing to do with him, Lianye was far more interested in the equipment carried by the Survey Corps members.

The "ODM Gear" consisted of launching devices mounted along the outer thighs, harnesses secured around the back and waist, and refined steel blades sheathed on the outside of the launchers.

It used pressurized gas to propel grappling lines, then reeled in the cables of the anchors to move the body at high speed, allowing the user to fight through three-dimensional high-mobility movement. That was what made the "ODM Gear" special: it gave humans, who were accustomed to moving in two dimensions, the ability to move in three dimensions. In other words, it greatly improved an ordinary human's mobility, giving them at least some ability to fight back against the enormous Titans.

As for Lianye, he did not urgently need this equipment to aid him.

With the Hero Ability of the "Pride Stalker" and the enhancement of the "Bone Tooth Necklace," Lianye, now a legendary hunter, possessed the tremendous strength, speed, balance, and explosive power of a beast. He could leap onto a Titan with the power of his legs alone, and he could easily dart up and down its back and shoulders as though walking on level ground.

Cutting the flesh from the back of a Titan's neck was, to Lianye, no more than nimbly adjusting his position atop a massive prey item—a Titan—and delivering a slash.

That said, even though inheriting the Pride Stalker's Hero Ability had already allowed Lianye to hunt Titans with ease, he was still quite interested in the ODM Gear.

—He did not urgently need it, but he was interested in it. It was that simple.

After all, the more skills one had, the better. If he could master a special method of movement that none of the more than 130 heroes in League of Legends possessed, it would be a fine trump card for Lianye.

Besides, whose childhood had not included the dream of swinging through the air like Spider-Man, soaring up and down with ropes and pendulum motion as they stylishly leapt between city buildings?

Though the source of the abilities and the places where they were used differed, the ODM Gear and Spider-Man's abilities clearly had much in common.

PS: Holy Light will still be fully focused on the new book for now. There will be at least three updates a day. That's all—please give me some vigorous support from be♂hind, fellow readers.

End of Chapter

Chapter 9: Scent of Prey

Compared to the frustration and disappointment on the Survey Corps members' faces, as well as the negative emotions of the surrounding onlookers who grumbled and criticized them, one young boy looked toward the Survey Corps returning from beyond the walls with eyes full of hope and longing.

Unlike the others who muttered, "So they accomplished nothing again~~!" and "Isn't this just wasting us taxpayers' money on pointless work~~?", the boy clenched his fists tightly. His gaze toward the Survey Corps was filled with excitement, admiration, and yearning.

—Well, he was a child, after all. It was only natural for him to admire so-called "heroes." But even the Survey Corps themselves did not think they deserved such admiration from the boy, so most of them merely lowered their heads, unable to answer those expectant gazes.

This young boy, who behaved differently from the others, also caught Lianye's attention. He withdrew his gaze from the Survey Corps and placed it on the boy.

Eren Yeager.

That was the young boy's name. Naturally, Lianye knew him.

But the current Eren was not worthy of Lianye's attention, even if he was the protagonist of this world. Only when he possessed the ability to transform into a massive "Spirit Giant" would the ultimate hunter spare him a glance.

—As for whether that gaze would be friendly or the brutal gaze one reserved for prey, that remained to be seen.

Eren, who was pouring his fervent emotions into the Survey Corps, did not notice that Lianye was observing him. However, the girl beside him was far more alert than he was.

Perhaps realizing that Lianye was watching the two of them, the girl tilted her head slightly and turned her gaze toward Lianye in the crowd.

It was not an intimidating glare in return. Mikasa was merely somewhat surprised by the gaze of this unfamiliar man. Though he did not give off any hostility, his imposing presence alone made Mikasa grow serious.

—She was certain that neither she nor Eren had ever seen this strange man. After all, in this world, black hair and black eyes were far more distinctive than blond or brown hair.

Since Lianye's gaze held only a faint trace of amusement and no hostility, Mikasa merely frowned lightly.

(As expected of Mikasa—her physical abilities may have been honed through later training, but were that terrifying awareness and technique innate?)

A faint smile rested on Lianye's lips. Having seen the childhood Mikasa and Eren, he had determined the current point in time. There was no longer any need to keep watching this Survey Corps farce.