Cradled in the Armored Titan's arms, Bertholdt watched the scene unfold, cold sweat trickling down his forehead. At this rate... at this rate, they would never get away.
Why? Why were Bai Yu and the others so strong? Three people. Just three people had hacked two mighty Titans into complete immobility.
What he didn't know was that Bai Yu and the others weren't trying to kill them yet. Otherwise, a few Little Fish would have blasted both their human bodies and their napes to pieces long ago, hardening or no hardening.
"No, Reiner! None of us will get away at this rate! Annie, use that!"
At Bertholdt's shout, Annie, who had transformed into the Female Titan, understood what he meant. Though she couldn't see, she tilted her face toward the sky and tried to roar.
But the moment she opened her mouth, Bai Yu slashed straight through her windpipe, showing her no mercy and cutting off the scream before it could escape.
"Damn it!"
Seeing that their plan had failed, Bertholdt finally gritted his teeth.
"Reiner, Annie! I'm transforming!"
With that, he shot high into the air using Vertical Maneuvering gear and bit into the web of his hand. Strands of golden lightning danced across his body.
Bai Yu had noticed the instant he shouted. He stopped attacking and yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Retreat!"
All three opened their gas valves to full power and hurtled backward. Moments later, Bertholdt blazed with golden light high above them. A massive bolt of lightning descended from the sky, and scalding steam spread rapidly in every direction.
Bai Yu quickly adjusted his position in midair, drew the flare gun from his waist, and fired the purple flare he had prepared into the sky. Every Survey Corps soldier immediately began retreating. They