Chen Si felt the plentiful mana coursing through his body. Woohoo, time to take off! This guy was about to go on a killing spree.
Chen Si discovered that his Vertical Maneuvering Equipment had completely run out of gas. He could no longer fly, so he would have to walk and save his lightning-powered flight for critical moments.
A faint worry nagged at Chen Si. Carla hadn't died this time. According to the prerequisites for transforming into a Titan, the wielder of a Titan's power needed sufficient resolve and a clear goal. He wondered whether Eren would still be able to transform.
Chen Si frowned at the thought, but he was even more worried about Mikasa.
"I was out for a bit too long this time. Armin's usually so attentive. How did he get so scared that he became this careless? He just assumed I was dead without even checking on me. If Mikasa shuts down now and Eren hasn't transformed, we're in trouble."
At that thought, arcs of electricity flashed across Chen Si's body. He abruptly accelerated, turning into a bolt of lightning that shot straight up from the ground, cleared the rooftops, and flew away.
Meanwhile, Mikasa lay in an alley, staring blankly at the sky without a trace of life in her eyes.
"Again... it's this feeling again. The feeling of losing my family, of losing the person who matters most to me..."
Gripping her only remaining blade, Mikasa slowly stood up. She took two steps, then sank to her knees again.
"This same heart-wrenching pain... Is there still a chance... to start over...? Big brother... I don't want to stay in this world anymore..." Mikasa had no hope left of living.
A potbellied Seven-Meter Titan slowly approached from the distance and reached out to grab Mikasa. She remained unmoved.
Mikasa stared unresponsively at the enormous hand reaching for her. Suddenly, an arc of electricity flashed across the blade in her hand and vanished.
Mikasa snapped out of her daze. She instantly raised her blade, severed the Titan's arm, and jumped aside.
The Titan raised its other hand and brought it down at Mikasa. She dodged again.
Was that you, big brother...? Mikasa glanced down at the blade in her hand. Do you want me to live...? But...
The Titan's hand regenerated. It raised both hands and slammed them down at Mikasa. She hastily dodged, but the shock wave from their impact with the ground still sent her flying.
Mikasa coughed repeatedly amid the dust, struggling to get up.
There's no meaning left in living... Why am I getting up?
"Mikasa, I'll always protect you."
"Mikasa, fighting is the only way to survive in this world."
"Mikasa, I want you to be happy."
Fragments of Chen Si's words kept echoing through Mikasa's mind. As the ground shook violently, she whipped her head around and discovered another Titan approaching from behind.
"At least you can still live on in my memories. Aah!!!" Mikasa cried, holding her blade in one hand.
"Titan, fuck you!!!!" In that split second, a shout rang out.
With howling wind and surging lightning, a tremendous thunderbolt struck from the sky. In half a second, the head of the Titan before Mikasa exploded, its entire upper body blasted into shredded flesh. The blade in Chen Si's hand instantly shattered into dozens of pieces.
Blood splashed onto Mikasa's face as shock waves battered her. She drove her blade into the ground and gritted her teeth, desperately holding on.
When the dust cleared, Mikasa opened her eyes. Chen Si stood with his back to her, enormous arcs of electricity wrapping his entire body.
"Big brother..." Mikasa stared at Chen Si with wide eyes, tears spilling from them.
"Sorry, Mikasa. I'm late," Chen Si said as he pulled out the blade he had given her.
Mikasa shook her head over and over as she cried, tears streaming uncontrollably down both cheeks.
The sight made Chen Si's heart ache.
Then he turned an irritated gaze toward the second Titan before him. That last attack, partly to show off and partly out of anger, had consumed sixty percent of his mana in one go. What a waste. It had even splattered Mikasa with blood.
Should I give that move a name? I used Thunder Breathing's name before, so let's give this one a local name. Thunderclap will do. It's kind of like the Rumbling.
A tiny arc of electricity flew from Chen Si's body to Mikasa. Its restless energy suddenly turned gentle, evaporating the filthy Titan blood from her face and clearing the dirt from her pores while it was at it. Mikasa's skin became fairer, softer, and smoother.
Chen Si tightened his grip on the blade. The ground beneath his feet shattered with a boom, and within a single breath, he was back where he had started.
The Titan before him took two steps as though nothing had happened, then toppled sideways, crushing the wall beside it. The flesh at its nape had been sliced away in an instant.
"I... I thought... I'd never see you again." Mikasa threw herself into Chen Si's arms, sobbing out the words.
Mikasa clung tightly to Chen Si, refusing to let go. The moment she had heard Armin report his death, it had felt as though her own heart had died with him.
She had forced herself to keep going all the way here. Now that Chen Si had returned, she could no longer hold back the flood of anguish she had felt then.
Finding that Mikasa wouldn't loosen her grip, Chen Si simply scooped her up into a bridal carry. Her face flushed bright red.
"Big brother, I... I'm fine. I can walk by myself."
"What, you don't like your big brother carrying you?"
Her face still crimson, Mikasa buried it in Chen Si's chest, silently accepting.
Boom! Another wall collapsed. Holding Mikasa, Chen Si flashed aside with arcs of electricity coiling around his feet.
A black-haired Titan with long bangs and pointed ears was viciously stomping on the head of the Titan on the ground, which had yet to turn into steam. It brought its foot down again and again.
Eren's mom didn't die, and he still hates Titans this much? Damn, he's even desecrating the corpse, Chen Si grumbled inwardly.
"Why is a Titan killing another Titan?" Mikasa asked in shock.
"It's no big deal, Mikasa. Based on my observations, Titans are very likely humans. This one's far too bloody and violent. Not suitable for children. Let's go," Chen Si said.
"Okay," Mikasa answered obediently.
"Mikasa! Chen... Chen Si?!" Armin had finally found them from above. He landed, exclaiming in delighted surprise.
"Chen Si, you're alive! Thank goodness!" Armin cried with joy, then wiped his runny nose.
"All right, all right. I'm so strong, how could some weak-ass Titan kill me?" Chen Si waved a hand.
"What's a weak-ass?" Armin asked in confusion.
"Nothing. Hurry up and get us out of here. Both our sets of Vertical Maneuvering Equipment are out of gas," Chen Si said.
"Okay! I'll carry you both." Armin began trying to pick up Chen Si and Mikasa at the same time.
"Chen Si, you're too heavy," Armin said, looking a little embarrassed. In truth, neither Chen Si nor Mikasa was particularly light. He could manage one of them, but two was too much. Still, he couldn't very well say that about Mikasa.
Chen Si stared speechlessly at the struggling Armin, while Mikasa smiled too.
"Take it off and give it to me. I'll fly you both out," Chen Si said.
Without another word, Armin removed his equipment and handed it to Chen Si.
After putting it on, Chen Si had originally planned to carry Mikasa bridal-style and hold Armin with one hand. Armin was too embarrassed to fly like that and thought it was far too dangerous.
So Chen Si reluctantly let Armin sit on Mikasa's lap, then picked them both up.
Had it been another guy, Chen Si would definitely have objected. But from a distance, Armin looked like a girl, and Chen Si also trusted his character.
After flying for a while, Chen Si ran into Connie, who was hurrying over.
"Chen Si! I knew you wouldn't die that easily!" Connie punched Chen Si in the chest and spoke excitedly.
"Of course." Chen Si smiled faintly and handed Armin over to Connie.
"We need to hurry," Connie said.
At that moment, Eren, transformed into the Attack Titan, faced off against another fifteen-meter Titan.