Chapter 34: The Beast Titan

Well, at least most of the District's intact this time. Hanji thought as she arrived in Stohess. True, there were a few destroyed houses and torn off roofs, but bodies weren't littering the street. She knew Nile would be relieved that the Scouts kept their promise about keeping the battle contained to the area near the Wall. Still, she knew better than to assume that there would be no casualties. No doubt they'd get called out for that on top of letting the Female Titan return to this disaster area of a District.

Speaking of which, she spotted said Shifter kneeling on the ground, holding something to her face. Definitely had to be Dillon. It was truly a stark contrast compared to the Titan that decimated the Scouts not so long ago. She made her way over, catching Annie's attention once she was close enough, but before she could debrief the girl, she took note of Matthew's body lying nearby with a knife jammed in his chest along with an eyeball not far from the corpse.

"Is Elise dead, too?" Hanji asked.

"You'll find what's left of her next to the Wall," the Female Titan answered, pulling Dillon away from her.

Hanji clicked her tongue, disappointed. "That's a shame. I was looking forward to interrogating her, too."

"If it's all the same to you, Section Commander, I need to take Dillon to the hospital," Annie said.

Hanji nodded. "Alright, but don't take too long. I need the details on everything that happened."

"Understood." The Shifter was to her feet and began walking towards the hospital, careful not to jostle her boyfriend.

Hanji let out a sigh as she knelt in front of Matthew's body. She could only begin to imagine what Dillon was going through, having killed his own father. Out of respect, she closed the remaining eye. It was the least she could do.

"Section Commander!" Jean shouted from behind.

She whirled around, seeing the teen along with a now-conscious Mikasa walking towards her. "You don't have to shout. I'm right here."

Jean was as white as a sheet, like he just saw a ghost. "There's a… you need to come to the Wall."

Tilting her head in confusion, Hanji asked, "What are you talking about?"

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you," Mikasa answered, just as shocked as Jean was.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she told the duo, "Lead the way, then."

Hanji followed the two as they all but ran to the area in question. What she saw once she rounded the corner caused her to skid to an abrupt halt, jaw dropping.

A small crowd of civilians that were stupid enough not to evacuate had gathered and were looking upward at the hole Elise made in the Wall. Inside was the skinless face of a Titan that bore similarities to the Colossal Titan. Its eyes slowly drifted downwards, staring directly at the people watching it.

"Tell me this is just a nightmare," Jean pleaded. "I'm just hallucinating because of my head injury."

Hanji shook her head with disbelief. She had seen and heard so many crazy things lately, but this was pure insanity. "That's impossible."

Hanji was caught off guard by a hand clapping down on her shoulder. The owner, Pastor Nick, was panting heavily, having ran all the way to the Wall.

"Pastor Nick?" she asked, surprised.

"Listen to me," he urged, doubled over. "Whatever you do, don't let sunlight touch it!"

Hanji's eyes narrowed dangerously. This wasn't a frightened man who discovered something horrific for the first time. This was frightened man that had something horrific discovered no one was supposed to find out about. However, she would have to wait on that. The sun was setting, and the light of its rays were edging closer and closer to the Titan's face. "You heard the man!" she called out, rallying the soldiers in the area. "Unless you want the end of humanity itself, cover the damn hole."

The soldiers immediately got to work. A group gathered about 50 blankets and began stitching them together to form a giant quilt that could cover the opening. The other group brought many ropes and spikes to keep the covering from falling off. Once the quilt was completed, the soldiers used their ODM gear to carefully hold it over the hole, ignoring a deep growl coming from the Titan every now and then. While they held it there, the rest of the Scouts pinned it down. For good measure, they lashed it on the other side, the makeshift tarp now secure.

Hanji watched the entire scene in silence. She was at a loss as to what was going on, and she had a feeling Annie could clear a lot of this up. However, what really interested her was the fact that Pastor Nick seemed to know about the Titan. It started to make sense as to why he and his band of Wall Worshippers were so protective of their precious Walls.

Once the Titan had been covered up, Hanji immediately rounded on him as he stared at the repairs. "All right. You wanna tell me what's going on? Why a Titan? What's its purpose? What on Earth's the point of having one hidden inside the Wall? And why choose to keep it a secret?"

Nick didn't respond, purposefully ignoring her.

The Section Commander was getting aggravated at her unanswered questions. "Look, it's been a long day, so I'll make it easy for you. I want answers, and I want them now."

Heaving a sigh, he stood up and brushed himself off. "I don't have time for this nonsense. I'm a busy man," He had the audacity to glare at her. "I have demanded restitution for the destruction of my chapel and the devastation of my flock, and my demands have gone unanswered. Your souls shall be forever damned for allying yourself with that beast. Now, let me down from here this instant!"

Hanji's eyes narrowed. "If that's what you want."

To everyone's surprise, she grabbed the pastor by the collar and dangled him over the edge of the Wall.

"Will straight down do the trick?" she offered, enraged.

Moblit's eyes widened in horror. He had never seen her like this before. "Commander-!"

"Hold!" she ordered to him and the rest of the soldiers before returning her attention to Nick. "Let me ask you something: do you have any concept of how many Scouts have laid down their lives fighting these monsters? More than you can count. They died fighting for your freedom!" Her anger caused her to start shaking. "I was with them. I was willing to lay down my own life. Now, you can explain, or you can take the plunge. Or maybe I should feed you to that same beast so you can join your precious flock. Your choice. I can always move on to the next blowhard."

Nick was desperately trying to get back up, but she was far stronger than him.

"As a matter of fact, they probably know more than you anyway," Hanji pushed him further off the ledge, his toes being the only thing left to give way. "Why am I bothering?"

"Let go," he demanded. "Unhand me!"

She scoffed at his poor choice of words. "That's kind of what I had in mind."

"Do it," he dared.

"Don't try and call my bluff," she warned dangerously.

"Please, don't," Moblit pleaded, trying to get her to come to her senses.

"You think I'm afraid to die in the service of my belief?" Nick asked. "We fulfill our duty whatever the cost. I don't care!" He stretched his arms out, making it harder for Hanji to hold onto him. "The Lord is my shepherd. Let his utmost servant fall!"

She was so tempted to give in, to drop him and let this nuisance leave this world for good.

"God, grant release," he prayed, shaking with fear.

Of course, if she did that, all the answers she sought would be gone in an instant. Heaving a sigh, Hanji tossed him back onto the surface with surprising strength, prompting him to immediately curl in a ball out of terror. She took a seat on the ledge, chuckling. "Lighten up. I was just kidding around."

The Scouts knew damn well that she wasn't.

"Come on, Pastor Nick," she said "Are all the Walls made of Titans? Just tell me that much." She paused for a moment. "Actually, you know what? You don't have to say a word, Nick." An unsettling smile appeared on her face. "We don't need you to talk to get what we need."

"Uh, Section Commander?" Moblit asked nervously.

She sighed. "How long has it been since I felt like this? It must've been since I stepped outside the Walls for the first time. Talk about terrifying."

"Makes me wonder what Annie hasn't told us," he replied.

Another unsettling chuckle passed through her lips. "Someone has been holding out on us." Oh, Annie, what more could you tell us? What more can you reveal?

Suddenly, the bell started ringing, signaling the rapid approach of a Scout on a horse bringing the news the entire Scout Regiment had been waiting for.

"Wall Rose has been breached! Wall Rose has been breached!"


(Scout Outpost; South of Wall Sina; 7 hours prior to Elise's death)

If there was one thing that Connie Springer knew above all things, boredom was never truly defined until this very moment. He, along with Reiner, Bertholdt, Sasha, Ymir, Krista, and several other cadets he didn't know the names of had been stuck in this outpost ever since they returned from the Expedition. Seven days of being stuck in a dreary outpost being debriefed constantly by the Scouts. Unfortunately, checking out their information was taking longer than it should due to red tape and bureaucracy also known as the Military Police. Until then, they would be stuck here.

Honestly, Connie believed it was a complete waste of time. What more could be said and discovered? The Expedition was a complete wash, there was a Female Titan lurking around (he was so happy he didn't run into her that day), and Eren was going to be handed over to the MPs. There was no point in keeping them here anymore. Hell, this whole place started to feel like a prison. They didn't even have their gear, and they weren't allowed to train until this whole mess was cleared up.

Needless to say, he wasn't the only one getting restless. The other cadets wanted to leave as well, especially Krista. When the description of the Female Titan came about; specifically, the blond hair and blue eyes part, she was immediately put on suspicion for a brief time. It was thanks to Reiner and Ymir's testimonies regarding her whereabouts that day that said suspicions were allayed.

Until such a time as they were released, all he could do was talk about places he'd rather be. "You know, my village happens just a little bit south of where we are now."

"Where I'm from is pretty close, too," Sasha added, sounding just as bored as he was.

The bald-headed soldier let out a sigh. "Why can't I go see my people? Maybe I'll just go sneak out after dark."

"My people told me not to bother coming back home until I'm normal, so no such luck for me," she informed him.

A smirk appeared on his face, reminiscing. "Folks that I grew up with told me I was too puny to be a soldier. No question I have the brains for it. I was in the Top 10 in my class, actually. Somebody's gonna be eating their words. That's a promise."

"Connie," Reiner interrupted, getting up from his fifteenth game of chess with Bertholdt. "I'll help you if you really wanna go."

"Yeah? Why would you?" Connie wondered, glancing over at him.

"Doesn't this feel a bit strange?" he asked back. "We're on standby in our plainclothes for a week, and they won't let us wear our uniforms. We can't even train." He walked over to the window, his eyes narrowing at the soldiers below. "What's even more suspicious is that our superiors are armed to the teeth. We're inside the Wall, not the front lines, so who exactly are we fighting?"

"Well, they've been asking us a lot of questions about that Titan chick. Maybe they think I'm the Female Titan," Connie joked.

Sasha nearly vomited at the thought. "Oh, God, Connie. Seriously?"

Even Reiner flinched, trying to get that image out of his head. "Dude, I'm the only one in this room who actually saw the Female Titan. You being her is just... no. Never again, Connie."

"Hey, look on the bright side," Ymir said with her own smirk. "If that's the case, we get to kill you."

"And who's to say that you aren't her?" Connie accused in jest.

Ymir let out a snort. "Definitely would be a much better sight than you."

"Can we please not have this discussion?" Krista requested quietly. "I may not have witnessed what she did, but, the idea that someone, possibly a friend, could be allied with the monsters that are trying to eat us all..."

"Krista, take it easy," Ymir said firmly. "Whoever that bitch is won't last long. She can't run forever."

"'Cause we're soldiers and stuff," Sasha mumbled, planting her head onto the table.

"That's one of way of putting it," Reiner replied dryly.

And just like that, the mood went straight back to absolute boredom.

On top of the lookout tower, Mike Zacharias stared at the forest, keeping his senses open. Today was the last day of Annie's requested week-long delay to the Beast Titan. He considered themselves highly fortunate that the Titan Shifter complied to her request so far. It gave them time to be prepared and have the opportunity to catch them by surprise for a change.

Per his request, Erwin sent some reinforcements for advanced teams to be used as warnings for the Titans' approach. They were given orders to lay traps such as barriers containing hidden cannons, or spike pits to trip them up. That being said, after the traps were activated and the flares were fired to signal their approach, the Scouts would retreat to a rendezvous point for further instructions.

With him stood a tall, blonde-haired woman named Nanaba and a man who resembled Mike but with black hair named Tomas. Both were senior members of the Scouts, having been part of the regiment since before the fall of Wall Maria. The three had been intensively planning out their defense and counterattack against the incoming attack and helped figure out what to do regarding the moles in their regiment: Reiner and Bertholdt. Tomas had been adamant about capturing them now, but the risk of them shifting during the attempted capture was too great. The original plan was to have Eren and Annie arrive with a large team of Scouts in order to subdue them if things went bad, but considering that they were dealing with their own problems regarding that powerful Psion, they were on their own for the time being. Once an opportunity arose, the Shifters would be taken down hard and fast.

"They're getting restless," Tomas noted.

"Unsurprising," Mike replied. "Confined to a single building will make one go stir-crazy."

"We've kept the charade on for this long," Nanaba added, "but I'm concerned that the Shifters will try something soon."

The Section Leader nodded in agreement. "A valid concern to be sure, but as long as they don't suspect that we know, they have no reason to blow their cover just yet."

She let out a sigh. "I hope so, sir."

"Don't let them see you sweat, Nanaba," Mike advised. "We can't afford to lose our nerve now."

"Yes, sir," she responded.

In the far distance, however, they finally saw what they've been waiting to see: several red flares firing into the sky along with a couple black ones.

Mike's eyes narrowed. "They're here. Tomas, ride out there. Take three couriers with you. Notify the districts. We've got multiple Titans coming in from the south. Wall Rose has been compromised."

"Yes, sir!" Tomas replied, zooming towards the ground quickly.

He turned to Nanaba. "Gather the 104th. It's time."


(Forward Line)

"Open fire!" a Squad Leader ordered.

From on top of a large, log barricade, three cannons took down a couple of ten meters that got close.

"Burn in hell, you bastards!" one soldier crowed.

A swarm of Titans had appeared roughly two minutes ago, about 15 of them, and, as ordered, the Scouts were ordered to delay them with the preexisting traps. Judging from the flares in the far distance, the other checkpoints were getting hit as well. At least the advanced warnings were gonna pay off.

However, one Titan, a thirteen-meter, came charging towards them at full speed.

"Go!" the Squad Leader yelled, grappling away from the barricade.

In the nick of time, the other Scouts got away just as the Titan smashed right into it, toppling the entire thing, though the mindless beast collapsed to the ground in the process, buried under the fallen logs. Seemingly inspired, some of the Titans started making a mad dash for the Scouts, who quickly started to flee on their horses. Fortunately, in the event of a chase, there was a backup plan.

One Titan stepped on a certain part of the ground, and it gave way, revealing a large pit of blades pointing up. Its foot was impaled, causing the monster to fall, accidentally tripping up the pursuing Titans behind it.

Satisfied, the Squad Leader dished out his next orders. "Fall back to the rendezvous point immediately for further orders."

"Yes, sir!"

This should have bought enough time for the Districts to get evacuated. He thought. We might just have a chance after all.


(Scout Outpost; South of Wall Sina)

Nanaba quickly grappled over to the building's window and opened it. "Is everyone here?"

"What is it, Squad Leader?" Krista asked, concerned.

"We've got company," she answered as she stepped inside. "Approximately 800 meters to the south and closing. Titans heading this way."

The cadets recoiled in horror, unable to believe it.

"There's no time to suit up in your ODM gear. I want everyone on a horse stat! Evacuate every home and settlement in the area. Get to it."

Connie's eyes were wide with shock. "The... the south? But that's-"

"Now!" Nanaba shouted to the frozen cadets.

As they were scrambling towards the stables, Mike continued to stare into the distance. He couldn't quite see them, but he began to smell them. If the advanced warning team did the trick, then they should've slowed the Titans down.

Finally, the Titans made their presence known, coming over the hill towards them. Almost all of them were the same giant humanoids, but with them was a three-meter Titan with an egg-shaped face and a pointed nose, easily claiming the ugliest Titan award.

"Nine Titans in that horde over there," Mike said once Nanaba returned.

"How could they have broken through Wall Rose without the Colossal Titan?" she asked.

"A mystery that will have to wait until later," he replied. "For now, we stay the course and keep an eye on the Shifters. Should they show any signs of becoming hostile, take them down quickly."

She nodded. "Understood."

Once the Scouts mounted their steeds, they took off down the road towards the forest.

"The second the Titans reach the woods, we split up!" Mike explained. "I want four separate teams, recruits and soldiers alike in each unit. When I give the signal, we'll scatter in different directions simultaneously. Get the word out to civilians. Do not engage the enemy!" He looked back at the recruits. "Which one of you is most familiar with the area?"

"Uh, me," Sasha answered, raising a hand. "Sir, my hometown's just to the north of here. I know this region like the back of my hand. Connie, too. Go on, tell them!"

He didn't respond, seemingly in a daze.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"My village," he said quietly. "My village is to the south. That's where the Titans are coming from."

There was a brief, solemn pause in response. If that was the case, that it was more than likely that his people were wiped out.

However, Connie was going to find out the truth himself. "I can lead you to nearby settlements, but afterwards, let me go home. Please!"

"Very well," Mike conceded. "Guide the Southern team. Then, go to your village."

"Yes, sir."

"I'll come with you," Reiner offered once more.

"What? No, you're crazy," he shot back. "They'll be everywhere."

The tall blonde smirk. "You think I care? I was gonna help you get home anyway, wasn't I?" He glanced at Bertholdt. "What about you? Coming?"

Bertholdt thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Of course. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Once that was taken care of Nanaba spoke her piece. "As you have guessed, today marks the darkest hour in humanity's history. Look sharp! If you ever needed to give your all, that time is now. Give heart!"

"They breached the woods!" a soldier shouted. "The enemy is on top of us."

"Scatter now!" Mike commanded. "Ride for everything you're worth."

On cue, the cavalry split up into four teams, all heading in their specified directions.

The approaching Titans spotted the Scouts and stopped for a moment, as if contemplating the situation. Then, they charged towards them at alarming speed, ready to kill and eat.

"No, they're coming at us full tilt," Mike realized as the monsters were drawing closer quicker than expected.

"Holy shit,!" were the appropriate words that left Connie's mouth.

Mike narrowed his eyes, knowing what had to be done. "Gelgar, take charge of the Southern team." he ordered as he galloped straight towards the horde of Titans.

"Sir?" the man in question replied, confused for a moment that passed instantly. "Uh, understood."

"Tell me he's not going to use himself as bait," a female Scout pleaded, surprised.

"I'll go with him," a male Scout offered. "I can help."

"Stay where you are," Gelgar interjected. "We can't spare anymore soldiers. Give him some credit. That man's skill is second only to Captain Levi. He'll make it back alive. Count on it!"

Determined to get this done, the Southern team pushed forwards. Time was of the essence, and humanity's fate rested in their hands.


(Hospital; Present time)

Eren couldn't remember the last time he was in a situation like this. Normally, he was the one to be patched up while Mikasa waited on him. Now, it was the other way around. It was a stark reminder that, despite her abnormal strength and speed, Mikasa was still human. For once, he had to thank Jean for helping her get to the hospital. Then again, the guy had an insane crush on her, so he shouldn't have been surprised.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door. "Mikasa, are you decent?" He didn't know the extent of her wounds, and he wasn't about to put her in an awkward situation.

"Come in, Eren," she answered.

The Shifter entered the room where he saw bandages around Mikasa's head and some patches on her arms before she rolled her sleeves down. "Are you okay?"

She seemed embarrassed to be in this condition more than anything. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Eren countered, closing the door behind him. "You took a beating."

Mikasa let out a sigh, sitting down on the bed. "I've never faced anything like them before. I hoped Annie would be the worst, but the Psions, they were… I'm lucky to be alive." She seemed to shudder a bit. "I've fought humans and Titans, Eren. I can handle that, but those two… I couldn't see their attacks. I couldn't counter them."

He sat next to her, giving her a sympathetic look. "Seems like we both had our fair share of lucky breaks recently." His eyes drifted to the red scarf she always wore, noticing the red was fading and there were some holes in it. "I can't believe you still wear that scarf. Next time we get a chance, I'll buy you a new one."

On instinct, she clutched it, her face turning red just a bit. "No, no, that's fine. I've always liked this scarf, Eren."

"If you say so, Mik." Girls were so confusing.

She froze, slowly looking at him.

He gave her a confused look. "What?"

"You haven't call me 'Mik' in years."

It dawned on Eren the reality of the situation. "That's true, isn't it?" He couldn't even remember the last time he used that nickname. Maybe it was before Shiganshina fell, but that was a lifetime ago.

Mikasa inched closer to him. "Eren, what's wrong?"

The Shifter let out a sigh, deciding to come clean. "Carolyn Amsdale is in a coma."

Coma. One of the few words that she never wanted to be associated with anyone she knew. Ninety percent of people who went into one never woke up again. It was practically a death sentence in the Walls. "Does Dillon know?" she asked quietly.

He gave a slow nod. "I told him. Someone had to. He just responded, 'thank you,' and asked to be alone."

"He's been through a lot lately," Mikasa said. "We all have." Her eyes narrowed when she looked outside. "I saw her out there picking up the debris from the battle as if that changes anything she's done."

"As much as I hate to admit it, she propelled humanity forward with the information she told us," Eren replied with a sour expression.

"It's only a matter of time before she makes her move. We'll be ready when that happens," Mikasa assured, her jaw tightening ever so slightly.

Eren found his hand go to his chest. No one looking at him would know a wooden stake impaled him less than a week, left him pinned to the ground. If Annie were to backstab them again, he didn't know if he'd be strong enough to beat her. Past experiences proved that she was the superior fighter.

She noticed his movements and took his hand into hers. "I won't let her hurt you again, Eren."

That should have been comforting, but it just made him feel worse. "Always there to protect me, huh?"

"Eren! Mikasa!" a voice interrupted from the other side of the door.

The two looked to see Armin bust open said door, panting heavily once he reached them.

"Armin, what's going on?" Eren asked, concerned.

"They've broken through Wall Rose," he announced frantically. "The Titans are coming!"


(Scout Outpost)

With a battle cry, Mike sliced open the nape of another Titan, its lifeless body plummeting to the ground. He landed on top of the rooftop, surveying the damage. Five Titans were killed and four remained. Two ten-meters, that weird three-meter, and... him.

There he was, circling the area as if on patrol. He stood at a height of seventeen meters or more, covered in fur. He resembled a giant ape and acted like an Abnormal, but Mike knew better. This was the Beast Titan, the leader of the Titan Shifters. The warning from the letter Commander Erwin sent him rang in his mind when told about this monster: "Avoid a fight with him if you can."

The Section Leader clenched his swords tightly, trying to figure a way out of this. His tanks were half-empty, and what spare supplies he had were destroyed during the Titan attack. Options were limited, and the chances of surviving were equally so. Worse yet was that he didn't want to let the Shifter know that they were onto him.

The only course of action left is to fall back. Mike reasoned. However, I must prevent these Titans from pursuing me.

Taking a deep breath, he launched himself to a tree, prompting one of the ten-meter Titans to pursue him. He quickly circled around and cut through its nape just as the other ten-meter came at him, jaw wide. Narrowly, he dodged getting eaten and slashed its eyes, blinding it. The Titan could do nothing as Mike followed up with the killing blow. He landed on another tree, panting heavily as the creature collapsed. That just left the three-meter and the Beast Titan.

He heard movement from behind and instinctively grappled away as a massive arm took down the trees. It seemed like the Titan Shifter was getting into the battle now. He went back to the building, staring at him with determination that masked his fear.

"You humans are very resourceful," the Beast Titan commented in a deep voice, catching Mike completely off-guard.

He... he can talk. The man thought, staggering back in shock.

The Beast Titan used his surprise to his advantage by picking up one of the fallen trees and swinging it at the building. Frantically, Mike jumped off in the nick of time as it was destroyed in a single blow. He was running out of high points, which was the intention of this creature. Barely, his foot escaped getting bitten off by that annoying three-meter and landed on one of the remaining trees. Deciding it was time to get out of there, Mike let out a loud whistle for his horse.

He spotted his steed in the distance just as the Beast Titan went at him again. Mike leapt off the tree and impaled his hooks into him. The Shifter was surprised by the bold approach and had no time to react as Mike slashed out his eyes. The monster let out a pained roar as he gripped his face. Quickly, Mike was able to get on his horse and made a full retreat with the three-meter hot on his tail. Of course, the Section Leader pulled out a flare gun and fired point-blank at its head. The Titan crashed to the ground, blinded by the attack, as Mike made his way towards the rendezvous point.

Steam erupted from the Beast Titan's eyes, initiating the healing process. He was impressed by how prepared the humans were for another attack, even more so at that human's tenacity. Yet, the fact that they were so prepared for them made him feel like something wasn't right. He shook off for a moment, deciding it was best to pursue that line of thought later. Right now, he had a job to do. With all this chaos, his comrades should have enough time to get the Coordinate and flee the Walls. Then, they could all go home.

Remastered Edits: Not much different from the original. The biggest change was Eren and Mikasa's scene, give them a bit of fallout from the previous chapter. Also, the term Wall Worshippers and "cause we're soldiers and stuff" came from Abridge on Titan. I apologize for not crediting them sooner. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to your reviews, and I'll see you all in the next one.