Enjoy the violence.

He wished he had the heart to tell her about the little speck of green wedged between her teeth, nestled right below her gums. It was a relatively objectionable sight, but after nearly three hours of this meeting, it was the only hope at cheap amusement he could really get.

It could have been simple, fixing Hanji's dental faux pas with brief eye contact and a hand motion But, of course, Levi wouldn't. It was kind of funny in an immature sort of way, but he also didn't want to bother with exerting the energy required to lift a fingertip to his own teeth and make a scratching motion. All of his energy needed to go toward the mission he had later in the night, one that Levi had been waiting the entire length of his life for.

Within the next few hours, Levi would be looking into the eyes of a certain man. His job was to escort this notorious criminal from the starting line to the finish, with Erwin's moral concerns extended far enough to accept the money and task from such scum, but excusing himself from holding any responsibility over the crimes the man would eventually later commit. The crimes Erwin Smith and his men committed were different from the common miscreant, they were for the benefit humanity—classy and maybe even necessary, if illegality could be described as such.

So, in essence, as long as this man paid the fee, Levi would escort him along his little route. At the ending point, after receiving the final chunk of the cost, Levi could do as he wished from that point on. Erwin didn't care, as long as the money was forthcoming. And it was beside the fact that Erwin Smith knew that Levi wouldn't spare this man's life.

Levi was almost excited, in his own muted sort of way, because of this opportunity. He'd be friendly just enough to have this man trust him, and then when he thinks he's safe, that would be the time that Levi would strike. He'd torture this man so slowly and tenderly, ask very few questions because everything he ever needed to know had been long answered.

This man was Levi's father, for one. But the more important piece of trivia that Levi learned right when he could comprehend words, the most vital question already answered before it was even a question, was that this man was Levi's father for one specific reason. This man, this criminal and trash of the earth, raped the woman who gave birth to Levi. His mother never a single person forget that fact, and couldn't place the blame on anyone but the child, whose existence was a direct outcome of her assault. The child being a certain Levi, the same Levi whose body shook with nerves to finally serve his own type of justice for the sake of his mother.

Stars aligned, which allowed Levi the pleasure to finally get to know his father. So many lost years, opportunities to bond lost right along with the time. There were many curiosities Levi had. He'd love to get to know what his father's screams sounded like, and how quickly his father would last before he would beg for mercy. Levi really wanted to get to know his father and the color of his blood. And the favor would be reciprocated. His father could finally see how much his boy grew into a man—and how his boy inherited his father's cold heart.

A cold heart ending the life of a colder one.

It wasn't a conventional family reunion, but Levi didn't mind the more unorthodox of customs. He just had to wait patiently to get out of this meeting, and then he would depart on this mission. And then these images in his head would be so satisfyingly real—it made him tingle with anticipation. Until then, he would focus on the spot of green in the scientist's teeth.

Said teeth were addressing him, apparently. "Captain Levi, what is your opinion on this?"

Without a pause, Levi fabricated a cover-up. "Let me hear it one more time so that I understand clearly."

He didn't want a lecture for daydreaming in such a crucial meeting. Not that this meeting held anything really relevant to Levi and his direct interest. He was expecting some question on finances, or a request to send one of his squad members to another unit. Something so painfully pointless.

So when Erwin lowered his hands back down to his lap, and sat fully upright in his chair at the head of the table, Levi was mildly pleased. Maybe it would finally be something worth talking about. Then Erwin checked his watch and Levi immediately couldn't suspect pleasantries.

"As you may know, Eren Jaeger's escape from the theater has put a hold on many forthcoming plans," Levi nodded for him to continue. "And with much deliberation between my fellow advisers and myself, I have come to find that retrieving Jaeger from his own residence would be the necessary plan of action."

Levi wasn't shaken with some argument. It could be a theater, or a home. Location hardly intimidated him. In fact, this information was much better than he'd predicted. "That sounds fine. I trust that you all have weighed the pros and the cons to the highest degree, so I feel comfortable in supporting this."

"I'm glad you agree," Erwin's face held something bitter, a pleasant inflection hiding information that had to be anything but good. "Because I am selecting you to execute this mission."

It was strange that Erwin expected Levi to be upset about this. While he would've liked some time off, it wasn't a very difficult maneuver to execute, and the results would be immediate and satisfactory. Levi could not have cared less if he were on this mission or not, to be frank. "Consider it done."

"Excellent. I'll have the necessary preparations readied. Be ready to depart at dusk."

There it was. That was the catch. With Erwin Smith, there was a catch more frequently than not. Levi tried not to outwardly display shock, especially in a room with several people. He could not guarantee it was a success, however. "Depart on the Eren Jaeger mission?"

Erwin looked as if Levi were the dumb one. "Yes," Levi couldn't tell if he was being an asshole, or if he was genuinely clueless. "Did you already have a prior commitment?"

"You assigned me a mission long ago," He knew that Erwin understood the significance of this mission. "The escort mission within Wall Sina."

"I do not recall."

Levi wasn't a child to throw tantrums, but this sensation bubbling under the surface of his skin felt awfully close. "It's a very important mission to me, Commander. I was under the impression that you knew this."

If he had any doubt that Erwin was just being a dick, then it was long gone. Levi saw the gears click. Erwin knew this was the mission involving Levi's father, and over the years, Erwin had learned the details of Levi's past. Behind closed doors, this mission could have been considered a gift from Erwin to Levi. He knew. "I can see how much it means to you."

"Thank you, Commander," His relief was short-lived. Levi couldn't expect anything good from the way Erwin narrowed his eyes, and that expectation was solidified when he went to glance at his watch for a second time.

"I recall you saying that you'd personally guarantee the capture of Eren Jaeger in the theater."

Nothing good, Levi was right. "I did."

"There is no Eren Jaeger in my custody," Erwin was so polite in his words, so proper. Levi was half-tempted to attack him. "Which leaves your personal guarantee unfulfilled."

Levi didn't say anything. Not that he could, anyway. He'd recite the holy words directly from the gods above, but that wouldn't change a damn thing in Erwin's mind.

"I really do like you, Levi, and I'm proud of what I've seen you become. I would hate for you to lose your integrity."

It was so tempting to wrap fingers around Erwin's jugular. So tempting that it physically ached. Levi would capture Eren Jaeger, and he'd do it flawlessly, but this was his only opportunity to confront his father. Eren Jaeger could have waited just one more day, or at least until after Levi's father's final breath was drawn. But Erwin Smith had already made a decision, one that Levi was foolish in even thinking he could sway.

There was a lot of tongue biting Levi had to do. Erwin was simply being an asshole out of some unknown spite, and for that, he was on Levi's shit list—not that such a position held much threat. Levi wasn't going to rebel, and Erwin knew this.

"I'll send someone to Wall Sina in my place."

Sometimes Levi wished that he could live away from the castle. With the sort of money he was earning under Erwin's command, he had no doubt he could find a nice house in the city. Though, such a luxurious lifestyle was foreign to Levi, who had grown up relatively impoverished. The architecture a mansion would be a satisfying sight to come home to, but he wouldn't need a place so large if it were just him.

And Levi was more than secure with the fact that it would always be just him.

So the castle would have to do for the time being. Levi would have to simply admire homes in passing glances, he couldn't think much about cobblestone walkways, fountains hidden within lush gardens, or windows stained in all colors. But, really, that was on his mind as he lurked in the darkness just outside the Jaeger residence. As much as the plan at hand needed to be the exclusive thought in his mind, Levi had to stop for a moment to smell the roses.

Without even the sound of a snapping twig or crunching leaves, Levi crept closer to the home. A yellow glow of light radiated from within, a shadow dancing in the windows. He froze in his tracks, watching the pattern of the figure, trying to detect its route inside of the home.

Erd whistled to capture Levi's attention, requesting directions. After a moment of contemplation, Levi decided it was best if each member of his squad entered from different positions. He signaled this plan to Erd in a poor attempt at charades, but he somehow managed to understand and shortly departed to inform the others.

Keeping low to the ground, Levi inched his way to the walls of the house. He gently felt the windows, tugging and pushing in hopes of finding one unlocked. It would've made his job that much easier, but this family wasn't a stupid one, so Levi was stuck devising an alternate method of entry.

There was a door on the side of the house, attached to presumably the kitchen. Trying to open it anyway, Levi expected it to be locked, which, of course, it was. Footsteps were light behind him, too light to be one of his male squad members. Levi barely looked in the direction of Petra, who inspected the keyhole of the door.

"Are you certain the boy's parents have left?" She whispered, fondling with her pockets.

The doctor and his wife came out of the house, arm in arm. He assumed it was only a nightly stroll, so there wasn't much time able to be wasted. "I am. They departed no more than twenty minutes ago."

Petra crouched to her knees, eyes level with the knob of the door. She had fished out her kit from her pockets, extracting the proper materials needed to pick the lock. Levi watched as she gingerly felt for the right mechanisms inside, angling the tension wrench just right, jiggling the pick to press all the right places. Within a few minutes, Petra was back on her feet, opening the door with no issue. Levi could pick a lock himself, but he usually grew impatient and frustrated, having to start the process over again. Calm persistence was the key factor in being an expert lock picker, and Petra had plenty of that, which made her simply the best.

"We have a clear sight of the den, so keep the fight in there. We'll enter once at a time."

With that, Petra was amongst the trees, camouflaged in the foliage. Levi didn't allow himself time to think, he just wanted to dive right in. According to the information briefed to him prior to departure, Eren Jaeger was strong and skilled, but young. There was an expectation for someone with the perfect potential to overtake Levi, but he probably lacked experience and self-control, which were the two biggest mistakes of a prodigy. Well, Levi wasn't sure about being an exact prodigy, per se, but he was young enough to meet the age requirements to be defined as such.

Levi wasn't sure what young exactly was, but he hoped it was older than fourteen. There would be something too familiar with the situation if Eren Jaeger turned out to be a fourteen-year-old, and he wasn't willing to deal with the thought of that.

It seemed to be a straight path through the kitchen, past a dining room, and into the den. Levi could see the fireplace crackling in the distance. Once again, the admiration of such a nice home overwhelmed more of his brain than he needed. There was nothing outstanding about the décor, nothing that hinted at extreme wealth, but it felt as though each object had a place. Everything in this home belonged, except for the grown man with the intentions of stealing the kid. But that went without saying. Levi didn't really belong anywhere, so he was hardly disheartened at not fitting in.

Eren Jaeger must have had impressive hearing, because Levi was certain that he didn't make a single sound. "Mom? Is that you?" The voice was deep enough for him to be closer to a young adult. Because of this, Levi was able to care less about hurting this boy. "I thought you went to the market with Dad."

Air was sucked into Levi's lungs and held tight, not wanting to risk even the sound of breathing. Footsteps came from down a set of stairs, it sounded like, and they stopped in what seemed to be the den. Levi pressed against a wall, peeking around the corner, using shadows as a means of invisibility.

"Mikasa, are you home already? The ballet isn't over until late."

Levi froze with that last statement. Mikasa was not a name that was heard everyday, and an Oriental was not a sight seen everyday. The mentioning of a ballet only further proved a theory in Levi's mind. Maybe, just maybe, he'd see a certain prima ballerina without the assistance of Erwin Smith's libido.

He caught sight of Eren Jaeger in a brief glace. Levi knew that the boy's height was a direct advantage, especially compared to his own lack of such. But he was also very slim, hardly any muscle, so Levi may have had the upper ground in the area of pure strength. However, there was only one way to find out how this match would turn out.

Waiting for the most opportune moment to extract himself from the darkness, Levi let the seconds pass by—long enough for Eren Jaeger to think that it was maybe just his imagination playing tricks and inventing noises that just weren't there.

"I know you're in the kitchen," His voice was calm, knowing. "Hurry up and try to rob the house. I'll give you a ten-second head start before I attack."

This kid was a cute one, with a cockiness that Levi could manipulate into a weakness. Saving the dramatics, Levi emerged into plain sight, coming into contact with the well-requested Eren Jaeger. "I'm not here to rob you."

"So you're with the Military Police. It's about time you found me."

The thought of Levi having anything to do with the police made him want to laugh, but he wouldn't. "Let me rephrase," He stepped closer to the boy, and was mildly impressed when the he didn't step back. "I'm not with any form of police, but I am here to take what's not mine."

"And what is that?"

"I'm here to take yo—"

Before Levi could even finish sounding out the final word, he was dodging a projectile toward his head. He hardly gave Eren Jaeger time to rearm himself, jumping onto the table in the dining room, kicking the decorative candelabra at the boy. It clipped him in the face, both leaving small gash deep enough to draw blood and sending him tumbling backward into the rear side of a sofa.

Levi advanced forward, grabbing the boy by his collar. "Just come with me without a fight. It'll save everyone a lot of time."

Instead of a verbal answer, Eren Jaeger connected his fist with Levi's jaw, which spoke for itself on the matter of going without a fight. While the punch was a good one, he didn't produce the right amount of momentum from his hips, and Levi could tell he held his knuckles awkwardly, because the crunch of a hand against cranial bone was not supposed to sound so painful. Levi felt the warmth of blood pooling between his palate and tongue.

Eren Jaeger was held by his windpipe, Levi intentionally making a point to dig his nails into the thick flesh of this boy's neck. Feeling around for the proper carotid arteries nestled below the chin to restrict, Levi tried to make this kid fall unconscious. Right when this boy's widely green eyes were fluttering from an oncoming blackout, there was a sharp pain in Levi's knee, the joint hyperextending backward from the boy's kick. This gave Eren Jaeger enough time to regain enough blood circulation that was needed in order to use his own body as a lever against the couch. With the right amount of upward propulsion, Levi was airborne, toppling over the sofa and onto the coffee table.

Pinned against the table, Levi struggled against the boy's punches. Eren Jaeger was curled up against him, the entirety of his body weight resting on top, and Levi felt Eren in the crook of his neck, holding tightly enough to make sure Levi had no room for his own attacks. And Levi felt Eren Jaeger's fist driving harder and harder into Levi's guts. Levi eventually mustered the power needed to push the boy off of him and reverse the roles. It was a struggle, Levi had to restrain himself from puking because his innards were bruised and bursting, he was sure of it. But he learned how to let pain become secondary.

He wondered where the hell the rest of his squad had gone. Levi made sure to keep the fight in the den, but no one was showing up to assist. It made his blood boil knowing that he probably needed backup in the first place. Levi felt this rage tingle throughout his nerves, and with several years worth of mental discipline, he channeled the anger into controlled power. Anybody could get mad and punch, but Levi perfected the balance between restraint and force. And this very balance was what allowed him to send Eren to the ground.

Eren Jaeger's body bounced, the impact on the ground great enough to send his body back upward, and Levi hardly looked at the face of this child as one blow was aimed for the nose. Such a beautiful crack rang in the air, a grunt of pain escaping the boy's mouth. There was no room for mercy, and Levi knew this, so when Eren Jaeger was whimpering—because, really, he was just a child whose nose just broke—he had no choice but to take the kid by the collar once again, and drag him across the floor.

There was an open flame in the fireplace, and Levi dragged Eren Jaeger until his head came painfully close to being lit ablaze. Eren had obviously lost, but Levi needed to solidify the victory. "I offered to save everyone a lot of time, but you had to go and waste mine," He inched the boy closer, so close that even Levi's fingers were singeing from the heat. "So consider this collateral."

Hesitance was not a word Levi liked to use, one that never bothered to cross his mind, so he had every intention to roast this boy like a hunk of meat. Erwin Smith requested Eren Jaeger's capture, never specifying what condition he wanted the boy in, so Levi hoped that slightly charred would suffice. Even when Eren Jaeger teared up, and his screams were heavy in the empty house, Levi didn't think to stop. He was so close to lighting this kid up.

And he was going to, but then there was an excruciating pain in his thigh, with warm wetness shortly following. Looking down to see the damage, Levi saw that Eren Jaeger stabbed him with the fireplace poker. It wasn't deep, but it hurt, and Levi had no choice but to release the boy to tend to his wound. Pulling the poker out had to have been a mistake, with the sensation of even more blood saturating the fabric of his pants, but Levi still had a mission to complete and an iron rod in his leg would have been a slight hindrance.

It was surprising seeing how much of a fight this boy was putting up—Levi took pride in his combative capabilities, but Eren Jaeger was certainly holding his own. Their skill levels differed in all aspects, but they came to be almost even as opponents.

But here they were now. Levi was applying pressure to the puncture in his thigh, Eren Jaeger was rubbing the minor burns on his neck and face. The winner would be the one who'd rise to their feet first. Considering Levi had a fresh hole in his limb that was needed to achieve such a task, it wasn't much of a shock when Eren Jaeger was the one who'd be looking down at him. And Levi braced himself as he watched Eren raise his leg into a kicking position, while trying to find a weak point in his balance to throw him off. He saw that he put too much of a spin onto the ball of his foot, and Levi was about to go for the heel to disrupt equilibrium—then Eren was grabbed from behind.

Günter had Eren Jaeger in a rear naked choke, holding him in one place as Petra rushed to Levi's side. "Captain, we need to get you to Major Hanji! You've lost a lot of blood!"

"Calm down," He tried his best to get himself onto his feet, but Petra had to offer some of her weight as support, much to Levi's displeasure. "I'll be okay."

The room was quiet, everyone waiting for Levi to give the next course of action. He thought for a moment, but it was mostly an internal monologue needed to convince himself not to show outward pain because of his leg. "As you may know, Eren, you are highly wanted by the Military Police."

He was fuming, biting and barking like a dog that was chained down. Günter didn't let Eren move an inch, but he could still talk, so Günter's grip wasn't too restricting. "What's that have to do with you?"

"I work for a very powerful man, you see, and you should feel honored that he wants your abilities to be apart of his team. It's not every day do you hear about a nine-year-old killing a group of men. And as you've gotten older, from what I hear, the crimes get more elaborate. And if the rumors stand correct, you possess a certain skill that most people would consider monstrous."

"That's none of your fucking business," Eren struggled against Günter's height and brawn.

Levi was unmoved. Maybe slightly okay with the fact that this handsome boy didn't have to lose a face to the flames, but that was about it. "Such a filthy mouth," He swatted away Petra's attempts at first aid. "He'd make it worth your while if you'd come and work with him. He'd love to see this skill of yours, and show you how you can utilize it to its maximum."

Eren's mind was working, resistance softening and eyes ready to bargain. "And if I don't?"

Silence seemed to speak more than a threat would, but Levi did make a point to drag Eren's gaze back toward the fireplace, with the raging inferno awaiting to consume the chocolate mop of the boy's hair.

Eren didn't say anything. He looked down at his feet, mulling something over within his head. Frankly, Levi wanted to cut this rendezvous short—he could only bleed so much before it'd be a problem. "Make a decision in five," He exaggerated the length of time between each second. "Four—"

There was a shatter of glass, and before a single person could even turn a head to find the source of the breakage, Günter fell to the ground. Petra let out a small scream, and even though Levi could stomach the worst of abominations, seeing the tiny stiletto of a knife wedged deep in Günter's eye socket really wasn't easy.

Levi took a step forward to try and aid his fallen member, searing hot pain coursing through his injured leg, but before he could cover any distance, there was a noise of air whipping past, and in a blur not even a hair's length away from his nose, something flew by. His first instinct was to track the path of the projectile, finding a sabre clip knife wedged snugly into the wood of the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Touch Eren again and I won't be so generous with my aim," A girl's voice spoke. Levi followed the intonation of someone hostile in the most peaceful sense, and he turned to find her standing there.

The prima ballerina from the theater. The Oriental.

Her beauty was vivid from the distance between a stage and a box, but that was only a mere dilution compared to such a close proximity. There were no words to be spoken as she walked right past Levi to retrieve her knife skewered into the mahogany. He could visibly see the suppleness of her slender neck, and the protrusion of such feminine collar bones, and she was teasing his patience by carrying herself with such lax. She was effortless in looking like marble-carved perfection, but even more so in gracefully intimidating anyone in her presence.

There were other adjectives to describe Levi in place of intimidated, but he would not let a hint of any one of them exhibit on his visage.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to retrieve Eren Jaeger," Levi answered, even though he knew he didn't owe a thing to this girl.

She was hollow in her speech, with the slightest breathy drawl. "Before the police come for him, correct?"

"Correct," He affirmed, watching this girl.

She didn't seem armed or dangerous—holding nothing more than the knife she had just pulled from the wall. A black leotard covered only the vital components of her slender body, but those arms and legs were exposed for Levi to relish. He needed to know how muscle was able to remain so lean, and how such alabaster skin could stretch so evenly over the expanse of her limbs.

Rosy pink lips, with the faintest shine, began to form words. Dangerous words. "I believe it would be in everyone's best interest if you left."

Levi was rather disappointed. The girl had to waste her last words on something so polite, which was such a shame. Even if it was with every intention to murder, he was still keen from the prospect of even touching her for a moment. Knowing Eren was restrained by a different squad member, Levi had no worry in the boy's hero complex getting out of control. So he reached for the girl, fingers just so close to feeling the silk of her skin, and decided a snapping of the neck would work.

Her next actions were so quick, so agile. Levi could not have possibly done a thing to defend himself from her swift judgment and even swifter execution. His arm twisted, and using his body weight to pull her upward, he felt a set of thighs around his neck. Within another blink of the eye, she used the built momentum to literally swing Levi downward to the ground. There was minimal damage done to his body, but the attack happened within such an instant of time, that she gained dominance over him. This dominance was emphasized with one of her small dancer's feet pressing his throat down to the floor.

She had the knife pointed at all his other members, ready to attack with equal speed if the need arose. With the free hand, she leaned over slightly to reach for a bottle resting on the nearby coffee table, the glass revealing a transparent amber liquid. Uncapping the bottle with her teeth, Levi watched as the bottle slowly tipped in her hand, and he could do nothing but witness gravity pull the liquid down onto his own body. It smelled bitterly strong, and it thoroughly soaked his clothes. With a final splash, she let it drip onto his forehead, burning his eyes by just the smell alone. He tasted the drops that fell onto his lips—it was brandy.

If Levi ever thought there would be a single goddamn person—in all of the past, present, and future—who was capable of holding such emptiness, especially in an act of violence, his search was up. She was right here in this room, holding his alcohol-sodden body only a few steps away from an open flame. Her voice was cool and even, still monotone with a barely noticeable lilt that was audible every few words.

"You wanted to set Eren on fire, so I thought I'd even the score."

Levi needed his squad to take action—their almighty captain wasn't about to go out this way. But that fire was getting closer, and his heart pounded with every second that passed without any ignition.

Right when he planned to take her down in flames with him, Eren was screaming. "Mikasa, stop!"

There wasn't even a beat of hesitance. Like a light switch, a glint of human life came back into her inky black eyes. Eyes so shiny and wide, framed in thick lashes. They were almost alien because of how doll-like and eerie they were. But the in the fraction of even a second that Eren Jaeger spoke, the faintest spark was provoked deep within her pupils. Deep.

"Eren, he tried to hurt—"

"Just let him go!"

And with that, Levi's neck was released. So many motives were unreadable, Levi had to thoroughly analyze the situation. But first, he made a point to move away from the fire place. "He said that his boss wanted to utilize my skill, Mikasa. That's a first, and you know it."

She looked away from him, making contact with some ambiguous point in the distance. "It could be a scam. I wouldn't do it."

"Let me make that decision for myself!"

The girl—Mikasa—shook her head, repositioning the knife in her palm. "You're not going with them. It's my job to keep you safe."

"Mikasa, would you stop—"

"You," She turned to Levi, eyes attempting to make contact with his, but she just fell short, opting for his cheek instead. "If you're going to take anyone, you're going to take me."

Petra stepped forward, along with Levi's other squad members. All but Levi himself were responding to that offer. "We could just kill you if you tried to attack again!"

Levi was, in short, very curious. Maybe it was the infatuation this girl generated within him, or maybe it was the fact that she was one of the few people, regardless of gender, to ever hold his life on the line. Knowing there was still a dead body in the room, and knowing she caused it, he wanted to know if she really had what it took—that she just wasn't empty threats with someone to always stop her before she

could go through with them.

"Did you throw that stiletto into my comrade's eye?"

"I did."

"From outside that window?" Levi motioned to the broken glass, and she nodded. This curiosity was only growing. "How?"

She didn't look proud of a remarkable kill. It seemed as though this was only the basics of her capabilities. "There's a position from the neighbor's roof that made the angle possible. I gave it enough force to smash the window and still maintain sufficient velocity."

Levi was sizing her up. A beautiful face, with such finesse so tightly under wraps. Such finesse that killed one of his finest men. "I see."

"Your comrade is not dead, by the way."

That last statement made the quiet room even quieter. There was a sharp object deep within his pupil, probably only a nudge away from piercing brain cells. He had to have been dead.

"How would you know that?"

"I hit his cornea cleanly. Not a single blood vessel was severed."

It was probably obvious that Levi was unconvinced. She spoke with such assurance, but to hit a target the size of a coin from several yards away—it seemed way too ludicrous, even for his own skill level. The Mikasa girl shrugged, not showing any obligation to prove her feat. "See for yourself."

With that word, Petra rushed to Günter's side, wincing every time she looked at the knife standing erect in his eye. After pinching the pulse point on his wrist, and after several seconds of agonizing silence, she broke down in tears, nodding with a small smile. Her head fell to Günter's chest.

Levi needed to sit down. Whether from the ache in his leg, or because she really did manage to pull off something so preposterous, he need to take a moment. But he didn't, of course, because he wasn't going let her—or anyone—know that he was actually impressed. "So he passed out from the pain."

Mikasa looked up, waiting with a vacant expression. "You're going to take me, or else I'll hold you all off while Eren gets away. And I can't guarantee I'll leave a survivor."

Eren was struggling to break loose, yelling even after the girl hardly showed much acknowledgment toward him. "Mikasa, don't—"

She pointed a knife at Eren of all people. He held still, almost appalled she'd even insinuate hurting him. "I'm doing my job by keeping you safe," Softer with her words, she looked down at her feet. "It's my debt to you, Eren."

Levi observed this scene, concluding his brief internal debate with a passive sigh. Erwin Smith would certainly kill him, but he could consider this payback for forcing Levi to give up his one opportunity he had to serve justice to his father.

Eren Jaeger was released, but that boy was no longer a concern to Levi.

"Grab Günter and get him to Hanji immediately," To Mikasa, he narrowed his eyes tighter than he ever had held them. "Don't make me regret this."

There wasn't any backing down on her end. "No promises."

Aw, man. I was looking forward to some Levi flambé.