This alone was enough to make Mikasa, who rarely showed much emotion, feel happy from the bottom of her heart.
Mikasa had originally believed that there was no one else like her left in this world. That was why she had firmly regarded Eren's family, who had taken her in, as her own family.
And now, the hopeless situation had taken a turn for the better.
Lianye's appearance would not make Mikasa value Eren's family any less. But no matter what, having one more familiar person, one more person like herself, was always a good thing.
"Then, Mr. Lianye, what do you plan to do now? Will you evacuate with us, or...?"
After the somewhat lighter conversation, Hannes spoke up. After the brief joy, they still had to face the panic and chaos, which had yet to subside.
Perhaps it never would.
If possible, Hannes hoped Lianye could evacuate with them. After all, this guy had already displayed monster-level strength. If he came with them, their lives would be far better protected.
But it was only a question. Though he looked like an elder, Hannes did not think he could order Lianye around.
Lianye glanced at Eren and his mother. After Mikasa's simple bandaging and a brief rest, Carla Yeager could move, though only with great pain and difficulty.
"You should go. Shiganshina District has already fallen. Only by fleeing to Wall of Rose can you escape danger."
He spoke indifferently. Hannes could not help but freeze. Though he had not truly expected Lianye to follow the four of them around like a caring nanny just because of Mikasa, the disappointment still left him somewhat dazed.
"What about you?"
As the group regrouped and prepared to head toward Wall of Rose, Mikasa suddenly turned around and asked.
She was not disappointed that Lianye would not be traveling with them. She was simply curious about what he intended to do next.
She could not help but care, at least somewhat, about someone like herself.
"Me...?"
Lianye gave a noncommittal chuckle, then turned his head back at a forty-five-degree angle and met Mikasa's gaze as she looked back as well.
"I'm going to take their heads."
The moment he finished speaking, Lianye leaped away and quickly vanished from Mikasa and the others' sight.
Mikasa withdrew her gaze from the direction Lianye had disappeared in, then followed Hannes with Eren toward Wall of Rose.
Though they had only met twice, Mikasa had a feeling that one day, she would meet this "person like herself" again. And that day was not far off.
So for now, the most important thing for her was to survive, no matter how difficult the road ahead might be, until that day came.
Lianye did not travel with Mikasa and the others or retreat to Wall of Rose.
What fun would there be in getting shoved about amid the sea of fleeing people, accepting relief rations amid the prejudice of those from the interior, and then barely surviving while listening to others gossip behind his back?
Even though life within Wall of Rose would be safer, Lianye still chose to remain in Shiganshina District and face the Titans of Attack on Titan head-on.
This was different from his lonely, helpless life exposed on the Titan wilderness before.
With Wall of Rose at his back and human cities serving as fallback bases, Lianye could kill the Titans wandering through the city with far greater ease.
The vast land between the first and second walls would soon become the Giant Hunting Ground of the Pride Stalker!
Before you continue