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048 The Titan of Fate
🕑 Added 2025-12-25 12:13:38 +0000 UTCThe dark, heavy sky and the drifting drizzle added a few more notes of despair to Trost District, this city that had been breached by Titans.
Crack! Yago crushed a roof tile underfoot and landed on the rooftop. The retreat bell rang in his ears, its dull toll seeming to represent humanity once again yielding to the Titans, humanity once again losing to the Titans.
Yago sighed helplessly, sheathed his blades, and turned to look toward Wall Rose. Was humanity really destined to cower forever behind these seemingly impregnable walls?
...
In the next moment, Yago leapt down from the rooftop, gas output fully opened. He headed for the supply station to see what was really going on—why there wasn't a single supply soldier in sight, what had happened to Squad 34, and Annie…
...
At this moment, the supply station was already surrounded by Titans. The supply soldiers who had originally been responsible for resupplying had completely lost the courage to resist after the commander, Kitz Weilman, fled on the pretext of organizing a rear guard.
On many rooftops a street away from the supply station, groups of training soldiers with ashen faces gathered in twos and threes. Every training soldier had heard the retreat bell. Those who should have felt relieved to finally withdraw were instead filled with utter despair.
Because the supply soldiers had lost their fighting spirit, the training soldiers had lost their supplies. The gas left in their canisters was no longer enough to let them cross the towering Wall Rose.
Jean Kirstein grabbed his head in frustration. Though unwilling to accept it, he still spoke the truth everyone understood in despair:
"We're finished. There's nothing we can do."
Marco stood beside Jean Kirstein, opening his mouth to say something, but not a single word came out. In this situation, there really was nothing to be done.
Connie said anxiously, "Jean! What are you talking about? How can you say that at a time like this?!"
Jean retorted, "I'm telling the truth. Can't you hear the bell? The retreat bell. But our gas isn't even enough to get us to the wall."
Connie was both helpless and furious.
"Damn it! What's wrong with those supply soldiers? Were they all eaten by Titans? There isn't even a shadow of anyone!"
Marco picked up the conversation.
"The supply station has already been surrounded by Titans. Those supply soldiers probably can't get out either."
Jean said, "Rather than saying they can't get out, it's more like they don't dare to come out at all. Those cowards must have been scared out of their wits. A bunch of afraid-to-die cowards."
"We have to do something, right? We can't just sit here and wait to die! The gas will be used up soon. If the Titans surround this place, we're really done. Jean, right now we can only rely on ourselves. Let's take everyone and charge through together! Kill all the Titans surrounding the supply station! Take the supply station back!" Connie shouted.
Jean shook his head in silence.
"Connie, you're smart for once, but we can't do it. If we force an attack, at least half the soldiers here will be lost. There are more than twenty Titans over there, and there are even Titans in the basement of the supply station. In a situation like this, if we attack, the ones leading the charge will almost certainly die. The veteran garrison soldiers of the vanguard squads have already all sacrificed themselves. Who would be willing to lead this suicide mission?"
Marco said, "Everyone's gas isn't enough. Maybe by the time we reach the supply station, we'll lose all mobility because the gas has been completely used up."
Jean clutched his head in regret. Why was he so unlucky? Tomorrow he would have been able to go to the comfortable Military Police—why did the Titans have to appear on this very day?! Why?! As he thought about it, a figure appeared in his mind.
Jean Kirstein turned his head. If that guy who was always shouting about driving out the Titans were here, he would definitely charge first without hesitation, right? Jean was certain of it. That guy would definitely do so. In the end, he really wasn't as good as Eren in this regard, even though he hated to admit it.
But Eren seemed to also… Jean looked at Armin, who was curled up to one side, with only Mina from Squad 34 staying by his side.
Sasha was the most optimistic among them. She kept encouraging everyone not to give up and was willing to lead everyone in a charge to the supply station. Unfortunately, no one paid Sasha any heed. There were more than twenty Titans at the supply station. A bunch of training soldiers without gas rushing over would just be throwing their lives away.
...
Looking at everyone's despairing expressions, a trace of confusion flashed through Bertholdt's eyes. On this very day, he had almost witnessed dozens of friends he lived with day and night die in the mouths of Titans, and he had even personally… Bertholdt almost didn't dare to look at those former companions again. He had once firmly believed, just like Reiner, that the people on the island were all devils.
But after five years of living here, it seemed that they themselves were the devils who destroyed this peaceful life. All of this tormented Bertholdt. He usually seemed emotionless, but among the three of them, no one knew of the confusion and torment in his heart.
"Reiner, what we're doing— is it really right?" Bertholdt no longer knew how many times he had asked this question. Surprisingly, Reiner, who had always answered him with certainty and firmness that everything was right, did not say those familiar words this time.
Bertholdt raised his head and realized that Reiner's condition was very wrong. His eyes were blank, as if he had lost his soul, and his mouth seemed to be muttering something.
Bertholdt moved closer to Reiner and only heard,
"I am a warrior, eliminate the devils. I am a warrior, eliminate the soldiers. I am a soldier, I am…" Reiner was almost talking nonsense.
"Reiner, Reiner!" Bertholdt pushed the rambling Reiner.
"Ah, what?" Reiner's eyes regained clarity. "Reiner, what are we going to do next?"
Reiner's eyes suddenly darkened.
"Wait a bit longer. Wait for them to gather together. Rose!"
Before Bertholdt could say anything more, Reiner suddenly said worriedly,
"But what if there's no gas left? Bertholdt, without gas, how are we supposed to fight the Titans?"
Bertholdt was stunned. Reiner, what's wrong with you?
...
A little farther away, Annie Leonhart leaned against a wall. Where no one could see her face, her small face was deathly pale. Her fingers dug hard into the wall, and a mist shimmered in her eyes.
Other than the three of them, no one knew what had just happened.
...
Armin curled into a ball, his body trembling nonstop. He hated it—hated how weak he was. What should he do? It was all because of him. How was he supposed to face Mikasa and Yago?
"It's all my fault… it's all because of me…" Armin said in a low, pained voice.
Seeing Armin in such pain, Mina couldn't bear it and comforted him.
"Armin… don't be like this. If you keep being this dejected, Eren and the others will definitely be disappointed. Please pull yourself together and think of something."
"No! Someone like me will only drag everyone down!" Armin had already sunk deeply into self-doubt.
Was there really no turning point at all?
