"Found them!" Jean, Marco, and the others carried several equipment crates out of the storeroom.
Everyone gathered around them.
"These were being kept by the Military Police Brigade. The dust on them is absolutely disgusting, but we should be able to use the weapons inside," Jean said.
"Huh? They're not that outdated. This gun feels pretty well made," Chen Si said in surprise, running a hand over it.
"Because they're the Military Police Brigade, they've always had access to the most advanced weapons within the walls," Armin said.
"This gun fires buckshot. Will that really work? Can guns even kill Titans?" Jean asked with a frown.
"At close enough range, buckshot should be powerful enough to injure a Titan," Mikasa said, looking at the firearm schematics.
Armin nodded.
"Yes. If we're only dealing with those seven three- to four-meter Titans in the supply room, even this level of firepower could blind them all at the same instant," Armin explained.
"So we're going to shoot their eyes out, right? How exactly do we do that?" Connie asked.
Just then, Sasha quietly slipped over to Chen Si, held out a dozen peanuts, and whispered:
"Zap these for me, and I'll give you half."
Chen Si took the peanuts and closed his hand around them. An arc of electricity flashed across his palm, and after a burst of crackling, he handed them back to Sasha.
"Aha, they smell so good!" Sasha happily took them and ran over to Armin, munching as she listened to his plan.
Chen Si stared speechlessly at the three peanuts left in his palm.
"Half..." Chen Si didn't dwell on it and tossed them straight into his mouth. My electric-roasted peanuts really are delicious.
"First, we'll use the Lifting Platform to lower a large group through the middle of the ceiling. Then we'll fire at all seven three- to four-meter Titans simultaneously, injuring their eyes and taking away their sight.
"Then comes the most crucial step, in the very next instant. Seven people hidden up by the ceiling will coordinate their attacks with the gunfire, striking all seven Titans in their vital spots at once and killing them.
"In other words, this operation will be decided in a single strike. We're staking everyone's lives on it. The plan requires seven people to kill seven Titans simultaneously, each with a single blow. We'll need the seven most athletic people, with the highest chances of success, to carry it out," Armin said gravely.
"I'm really sorry for putting everyone's lives on your shoulders," Armin added, blaming himself.
"It's fine," Reiner said with a smile.
"No matter who does it, failure means everyone dies. The risk is the same," Annie said calmly.
"But this plan of mine..." Armin's confidence faltered again.
"Believe in yourself, Armin," Mikasa said, looking at him.
"Ha, it doesn't actually have to be this complicated. Did you forget about me?" Chen Si flashed a broad, toothy smile and pointed his thumb at himself.
Everyone immediately turned to look at Chen Si.
"I can take care of all of them myself," Chen Si said confidently.
"It's so cramped in here. Are you sure you can still pull off something like that?" Annie asked. She had attributed the power of Chen Si's ability to the acceleration of his fall from above.
"Yeah, Chen Si, how can we let you shoulder all the risk alone? We're comrades!" Marco said, clenching his fists.
"Exactly, Chen Si. We don't know precisely how your ability works, but it must take something out of you," Armin said.
"You can't hog all the glory. At least give us a chance to show what we can do," Jean added.
"Chen Si, I'll show you the hunting skills of Tropa Village's finest hunter!" Sasha declared, raising a fist.
"You guys..." Chen Si froze for a moment. Their concern and solidarity warmed his heart. At that moment, he truly understood what camaraderie meant, and accepted them as his comrades.
"Big brother, working together can strengthen everyone's bonds. It could also help them hone their skills," Mikasa said beside Chen Si.
"All right! Let's do this together! Victory to the 104th Cadet Corps!" Chen Si raised his arm and cheered.
"Victory to the 104th Cadet Corps!" everyone shouted.
They began preparing to carry out the plan.
"Lifting Platform ready!"
"All weapons are loaded!"
They began heading down the stairs.
"But can we kill Titans without Vertical Maneuvering Equipment?" Connie asked anxiously.
"It'll be fine. They're only three to four meters tall. They'll be easy to aim at," Reiner encouraged him.
"Yeah, their size doesn't really matter. Our target is just the spot on the neck below the head," Jean said.
"An area one meter long and ten centimeters wide." As expected of a professional hunter, Sasha remembered the dimensions precisely.
"Or you can use this thing to slice off their asses. Those are their only two weak points," Reiner said, drawing a standard-issue blade.
"I had no idea we could do that too," Connie said in surprise.
"That's news to me too." Sasha hurriedly committed it to memory.
Annie turned to give Reiner a brief glance. Chen Si looked at him too.
Looks like Reiner's in his soldier persona right now. That ass-cutting trick must be something the Marley Titan Research Association came up with, Chen Si mused.
"Reiner, those might end up being your last words," Jean said, dampening the mood.
"Come on, my man Reiner isn't going to die that easily," Chen Si said with a laugh.
"Haha, of course not," Reiner replied with a laugh of his own.
Yep, definitely his soldier persona.
The Lifting Platform slowly descended, and everyone began to grow tense.
"Guys, don't be nervous. Just get in there and do it!" Chen Si called out.
"Right!" everyone replied.
The Lifting Platform reached its lowest point. Titans wandered aimlessly around, making the floor tremble faintly.
"Their numbers haven't increased. Stick to the plan!" a squad leader on the Lifting Platform said.
Standing on a ceiling beam, Chen Si suddenly felt he had forgotten something.
Didn't my system say my ability could still be upgraded? I think I needed to kill a hundred Titans. Shit, I can't give these kills away!
Chen Si considered it for a moment and decided to steal the kills.
Arcs of electricity began flickering over Chen Si's body. He closed his eyes and began gathering power.
"Hey, Chen Si, it's not time to move yet," Reiner said, trying to stop him.
Annie turned toward Chen Si, electricity crackling all over him, and stared for a moment.
Mikasa glanced at Chen Si, then began counting the Titans on his side, tightening her grip on her blade.
"Fire!" Gunshots suddenly rang out.
"Sevenfold Strike!"
With a low shout, a bolt of lightning shot forward, tracing seven zigzagging streaks through the air. Seven sprays of blood burst out in succession.
With a crash, all seven Titans fell to the floor at once, and steam began to rise.