Even with Mikasa's strength, it was futile to try to move the ruins buried beneath the collapsed wood and stones. But Eren could only keep struggling desperately, and Mikasa helped him.
The problem was that a Titan that had entered Shiganshina District had already sensed the humans' presence and was making its way toward them with a low growl.
The Titan's eyes were hollow and vacant, with no self-awareness to speak of, yet it specifically treated humans as prey to be devoured—this was knowledge Eren had learned from books. But the words described in those books were nowhere near enough to convey the terror this real Titan inspired in him.
"The Titan's already inside! Take Mikasa and leave, Eren!!!" Eren's mother screamed sharply from beneath the rubble. If they stayed here, Eren and Mikasa would only die for nothing in the Titan's jaws.
"I won't go!"
Eren was still like a child in his rebellious phase, refusing to listen to his mother. Nor could he listen, because if neither he nor Mikasa did everything they could, then his mother really would die here.
There was no reasonable choice here, because the outcome of either option was cruel.
But if someone had to die, Eren's mother would rather die alone than drag Eren and Mikasa down with her.
End of Chapter
Landing Seconds!
With a whoosh, a fierce wind swept past. Mikasa's gaze sharpened. Just now, it seemed as though a figure had brushed past the three of them and run toward the Titan.
Because it had only been an extremely faint sensation, Mikasa initially thought it was merely an illusion. But in the next second, everything changed.
The hunter's shadow concealed itself perfectly within the space, racing forward with incredible speed. Though ordinary people could not catch sight of it, the disturbed air currents raised a whistling gale.
No one could follow the hunter's movements. Yet, while stealthing, he borrowed the momentum to leap, carrying terrifying inertial force as he descended from the sky and landed on the Titan's neck.
The sharp hunting blade became a chilling streak of silver light, flashing past along with the hunter's figure.
The pitch-black figure emerging from the void passed by the crimson Titan. Before the razor-sharp hunting blade, the towering Titan had become prey completely incapable of resisting the Pride Stalker.
"Landing Seconds!"
A calm, disdainful voice drifted out. The instant Lianye landed, the Titan's nape seemed to cooperate with the hunter's performance, blooming with an even more vivid scarlet spray of blood. After staggering helplessly in circles a few times, the Titan crashed to the ground.
"S-So strong!!!" Eren's eyes widened as he stared blankly at the scene before him.
"This man—" Mikasa still vaguely remembered Lianye, whom she had encountered half a day ago. As before, black hair and black eyes were inherently the most conspicuous features in this world.
The children might not yet understand what the sight before them meant, but Hannes, who had fled in fear, understood all too well what such an outrageous act of hunting a Titan represented. Without ODM Gear, the man had leaped into the air and precisely sliced through the Titan's weak point at the nape.
If his eyes had not deceived him, if the scene before him was real, then just how extraordinary was this guy's physical agility and strength?
Hannes opened his mouth blankly. The man before him was practically a real monster.
PS: The Holy Light knew some readers would complain again that shouting "Landing Seconds" while attacking was too cringe and stupid. But honestly, plenty of players using the Pride Stalker also liked to shout "Landing Seconds" when they jumped out to solo-kill the enemy ADC, right? It was for the spectacle.
There were plenty of cases in anime where people shouted the name of their move while using it, weren't there?
If anything had to be said, it could only be this: if violence was not for showing off, then it had no meaning.
Rhythm of the Hunt
"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Under the enhanced Ultimate Predator state, even the barely perceptible sound of heartbeats was clearly audible to Lianye.
Before you continue