Slaying a Titan

By then, Bai Yu, Ming, and Xiate had already strapped on their Omni-Directional Mobility Gear and were running outside.

With a metallic ring, Bai Yu drew the long blade at his waist and raised it high.

"Quiet! Everyone, form up!"

Bai Yu's roar drowned out every other sound, making the panicked Cadets turn to look at him.

Looking down at the Cadets, who no longer bore the slightest resemblance to soldiers, Bai Yu spoke coldly.

"This afternoon, your horse-stance training time will be doubled. Now, everyone, form up!"

He swept his blade through the air. His utterly fearless voice gave every Cadet an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

But as he watched the Titan steadily approaching in the distance, Bai Yu spoke to Ming and Xiate beside him.

"Ming, Xiate, stop that thing!"

"Understood."

"Right."

After answering, the two fired the cables of their Omni-Directional Mobility Gear into distant trees. Compressed gas blasted out behind them as they charged toward the Titan crawling on all fours.

Bai Yu raised his long blade again and shouted at all the Cadets before him.

"Form up!"

Although some of their legs were still shaking, they assembled. One or two, however, acted as though they had not heard Bai Yu at all.

Bai Yu's gaze sharpened.

Gas blasted out behind him, and his cable anchored nearby. He shot into the air, dropped down, and kicked one of them over. He punched the Cadet in the face, then threw him to the ground before flying toward the other, seizing him, and slamming him down.

They immediately lost all ability to resist.

Bai Yu dragged them back, one in each hand, tossed them in front of the others, and spoke coldly.

"You two can leave the Training Corps tonight."

In the distance, Ming and Xiate had already engaged the Titan. It was a strange-looking creature, but neither let that thought slow their movements.

They flashed past simultaneously, slicing away the muscles in the Titan's shoulders. White steam began rising as the wounds regenerated, but with its arms out of its control, it toppled to the ground.

Standing in formation, Eren watched the Titan being forced to a halt in the distance and murmured.

"They're so fast."

Bai Yu drew his long blade from its sheath.

"Eren, Mikasa."

"Here!"

"Keep an eye on those two."

"Yes!" they both answered.

"Perfect timing. Now you can watch how Titans are fought in real life. But just watch-don't take this as a proper example."

With that, Bai Yu shot forward, the gas jets behind him tracing an arc through the air.

Xiate and Ming frowned slightly at the Titan before them. Something about it felt different. Was it trying to survive? It stayed where it was like a wounded beast, glaring fiercely at Ming in the tree.

Neither dwelled on it. They launched themselves again, their cables quickly anchoring nearby. Their Omni-Directional Mobility Gear reeled them forward at full power, gas blasting behind them, before they released the cables.

Bai Yu had told them that Titans could easily grab their cables, so they should retract them as soon as they gained momentum. That alone had taken a long time to master.

In perfect coordination, they attacked from both sides. By then, the Titan's arms had fully regenerated, and it reached out to grab them.

It moved fast.

But Ming and Xiate were faster.

They used gas to shift their positions in midair, stepped off the Titan's arms, and opened their gas jets to full power again. In an instant, they swung around to its other side, both moving in unison.

Their gas trails traced a circle through the air, with the Titan at its center.

Their cables shot out again, but they did not attack head-on. One ahead and one behind, both aimed for its flanks. Before the Titan could even draw its hands back, two cold flashes swept past.

Both arms crashed to the ground.

Ming and Xiate exchanged a glance in midair, then dropped together, spinning rapidly as they slashed down with all their strength.

They severed the joints in both legs as the Titan tried to stand, and their blades shattered at the same time.

But in the next instant, a figure shot toward the Titan's nape.

It was Bai Yu.

One slash sent the flesh of its nape flying into the air, and the struggling Titan went still.

Why would a Titan appear here? Looking at the Titan beneath his feet, Bai Yu felt puzzled. Could it be that Titan spinal fluid? But shouldn't only the Reiss family have that?

Another headache.

The three returned to the assembled Training Corps Cadets. All three had been splashed with Titan blood, which was still giving off steam.

Seeing that the others had yet to recover, Bai Yu coughed softly. Only then did they snap out of their daze and look at him.

Bai Yu sheathed the long blade in his hand, seemingly unperturbed by the Titan they had just fought, and spoke.

"Form up."

This time, everyone obediently straightened up at once. Bai Yu looked at Yishi, whose body was still trembling and whose eyes were filled with fear.

"Dismissed. Go have lunch. I need to report this Titan incident. Ming will supervise you this afternoon."

With that, Bai Yu turned around. Just as he was about to leave, Kali called out to him.

"I-Instructor Bai Yu."

Bai Yu stopped.

"What is it, Kali?"

"I-I've decided. I want to join the Support Squad!"

Kali's words drew every eye around her.

Bai Yu smiled.

"Is that so? Then you'll now be a prospective member of our Survey Corps Support Squad. But there's still one condition: one year. Within one year, you must rise into the top three of the 104th Cadet Corps. Then, a year from now, you'll graduate early, join the Survey Corps, and receive my personal instruction. Well? Can you do it?"

"I can, Instructor."

"Good. I'll be watching you, Kali."

As he spoke, Bai Yu reached out and gave her shoulder a light tap.

Then he turned and walked away. Before he had gone far, however, he paused and shouted without turning around.

"Starting now, increase Kali's training load!"

Once the three had disappeared completely, half the Cadets collapsed where they stood, gasping for breath and still looking in the direction the three had gone.

"Is that what the Survey Corps is like? Why did killing a Titan look as easy for them as chopping vegetables?"

Beside them, Armin shook his head gently.

"No. Their Support Squad is the elite of the Survey Corps."

Eren murmured.

"Bai Yu and the others really are strong."

Everyone's voice was filled with awe.