Chapter 13, The 35th Expedition Beyond The Walls

Late but here it is. New week, New Chapter. Already Thirteen chapters in so far.

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Enjoy.

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Trost District – Morning of Departure.

It was barely an hour after dawn.

The streets of Trost were filled with whispers. Dozens of mounted soldiers lined the cobbled roads, the crisp morning air swirling dust around the hooves of restless horses. The citizens of Trost, who had gotten up early to begin their livelihoods were silent, gathered on both sides of the road, watching what was taking place at the moment.

It was a scene they were all too familiar with. The Survey Corps had gathered again.

Murmurs spread like wildfire through the watching crowd.

"They're going out again?"

"Another expedition? Didn't they just finish one two days ago?"

"Yeah, and they lost so many. What's going on?"

"... I can't believe this. These guys are going to sacrifice more lives out there?"

"Unbelievable. There were barely half that returned last time. No, they …'.

At that moment, someone in the crowd noticed an oddity—something that broke the usual rhythm of the Survey Corps' expeditions.

"Wait… Are those Garrison members?"

"By the Walls… The Garrison is joining the expedition?"

"Have they exhausted their numbers so much that they're throwing more men to be Titan food?"

"The Survey Corps has stretched their arms to the Garrison… First them, next the Military Police?"

In the crowd, a mother clutched her son's wrist tightly, her voice sharp with worry. "Forget about joining the military next year."

"What? But …"

"No buts young man. You hear me? The Garrison isn't even safe anymore!"

The weight of public fear bore down on them. Even the most hardened of soldiers could hear the anger, could feel the silent accusations pressing against them. Among the ranks, several Garrison members swallowed hard. Their grip on the reins of their horses tightened, but their faces betrayed their fear.

A harsh voice rose above the murmurs.

"Erwin, how many people are you going to send to their deaths?"

"You're sacrificing the sons and daughters of grieving mothers!"

The words cut through the air, sent to the blond man who rode at the forefront. But Erwin remained unmoved. His eyes were set forward, his mind focused—not on the crowd, not on their accusations, but on the mission ahead.

---

Survey Corps Headquarters – Earlier That Morning

Inside the war room, the Survey Corps elite had gathered. Maps were spread across the table, marked with routes, Titan sightings, and estimated safe zones. The dim candlelight flickered against the tension-filled walls.

Erwin stood at the head of the table. His blue eyes swept over the gathered officers—

Ilse Langnar sat silently, her heart wrought with tension.

Not far away was Hange Zoe, The Special Operations Squad, and Their Leader.

Then, he spoke.

"Today, we will be conducting an emergency expedition beyond the Walls."

The room was silent. No one had expected another mission this soon after their last disastrous venture.

"Our objective is to locate and track an unknown individual last seen departing Wall Rose, into Titan territory, towards the Northern forest region. His name is Seiji Uchiha. We do not know whether he is friend or foe, but we know he possesses abilities we have never seen before."

"... I've already been briefed …". In a corner, a male officer with short, straight black hair, dull gray intimidating eyes and a short, lean physique muttered in a low tone.

Levi Ackerman. ".. and I still can't believe this".

"Aye, Levi. What's there not to believe?" Hange asked.

Levi leaned against the table, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable. "You're telling me we're going outside the walls, two days after we barely made it back, to chase after some mysterious bastard with superhuman abilities?"

Hange's eyes gleamed with interest. "Not just any abilities, Levi. We're talking about someone who kills Titans without ODM gear. He wields weapons we don't even understand yet."

Levi, remained less amused.

"So you're saying this guy can take down Titans without ODM gear? Right. And next, you'll tell me he rides them into battle."

"Not really, but wouldn't that be wonderful if he could?" Instantly, her eyes lit up with excitement, numerous thoughts clouding her mind.

The image of the mysterious stranger, riding a Titan as a mount and beckoning for to come on … How dreamy …

"... Hey, four eyes!" A sound broke her out of her daydream. "Wake up and pay attention. You're about to start drooling".

Levi uttered expressionlessly.

"Uh … Right. As I was saying …". Quickly regaining her posture, Hange adjusted her glasses and spoke.

".... If he's an enemy, he's just as dangerous as the Titans themselves. If he's an ally—"

"Then he could be humanity's greatest asset." Erwin finished.

Levi scoffed. "And if he's neither?"

"Then we have one of three choices depending on the situation. Reason with him, Extract as much information as we can, or simply contain him." Erwin's voice was final.

"However, the last option is a last possible resort, only viable if he grows hostile to us. As most of you are aware, the recent attack on The Garrison was his doing".

Instantly, small murmurs were set off in the gathered group.

"I believe you all know the result. Our target is not to antagonize."

Following this, he turned his gaze elsewhere.

"What we know about him is very little. Mainly coming from the soldier who first made contact with him. Ilse Langnar, a soldier from the 34th Expedition who returned to Wall Rose with his help".

All eyes instantly focused on the person in question.

Levi, in particular, squinting.

Ilse stepped forward. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides.

"I encountered him before," she said, her voice steady. "I'll guide us to where I first saw him. Near the Tree Grove in the Northern Forest Region."

Erwin gave a firm nod. "Ilse Langnar will serve as our guide. We will be following the northern route toward the forest where she encountered him. The mission's priority is information. If Seiji is hostile, we will retreat and regroup. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary."

He turned to the Garrison members standing in the back. "You have been selected to assist in this expedition. Many, if not all of you have no formal experience dealing with Titans. I won't lie—many of you will not return. However, your sacrifices will not be in vain, as today's mission will possibly lead to hope for mankind's future."

The room was deathly silent. No one moved.

Erwin's gaze lingered over them for a moment before he gave a sharp nod.

"We move out at dawn."

With the meeting dismissed, everyone moved to prepare.

A group of selected Garrison soldiers gathered before departure, whispering among themselves.

One soldier, tense and reluctant, mutters.

"We're just being sent out to die. The Survey Corps already throws away their own, now they want us too?"

Another soldier, slightly more hardened, snaps: "Shut up. Complaining won't change orders. Just stick to the plan and don't get yourself killed."

The youngest among them, a rookie barely past training, clenches his fists: "We swore to protect the Walls… But we're going beyond them? Why?"

Elsewhere,

"It's good to have you back, Ilse".

"Yeah, I almost thought I was hallucinating when I saw you".

".. Um, thanks …".

The female let out a forced smile.

"Ilse, are you okay?"

"... I'm … I'm fine. Just a bit worried. It'll probably be fine".

"Right. Hey, so, You're the one who met him. What do you really think about this ... Seiji guy?"

Ilse hesitates, then finally answers: "I don't really know… From the time I spent with him, he didn't seem like a bad guy. I just, never expected him to attack The Garrison."

---

Back to Present – The Streets of Trost

With the sun risen over the Walls, Erwin raised a single hand. The gates of Trost creaked open, revealing the vast, terrifying world beyond.

The shouting continued behind them, but the moment Erwin dropped his hand, everything else became irrelevant.

"Advance!"

The sound of hooves thundered against the ground. The 35th Expedition charged forward, dust and wind trailing in their wake.

Erwin's voice rang out once more.

"Let us now begin the 35th Expedition Beyond the Walls!"

"Onward!"

Meanwhile, on the top of Wall Rose, an old man with a mustache watched as the group rode into the distance.

"Do you think they'll make it, commander?" Anka asked, standing behind The Territory Commander of the Southern Region, Dot Pixis.

".. Life is a mystery my dear …". In response, Pixis chuckled. "We never know what can happen. We can only wait and see".

---

Beyond the Walls – Tracking Seiji

Upon leaving the abandoned town areas outside Wall Rose, the 35th Reconnaissance Team rode into the open plains.

Seeing the coast was clear, Erwin at the forefront stretched out his left hand and commanded.

"Go into Long-range scouting formation".

Instantly, the soldiers moved upon receiving orders. The previously compact, single file formation began to expand as multiple horses and their riders distanced away from the center squad.

"Vanguard! Spread out in a semicircle …. Rear Guard, monitor the curve, remember …".

The current expedition members weren't all survey corps members. Last-minute instructions were required to keep the formation from being disrupted.

".... Stay within Visual range of one another. Position yourselves at fixed intervals. Watch out for the Titans, and relay their sightings with the smoke flares as quickly as possible …".

The command was implemented, the long-distance scouting formation spread across the open plains. The Survey Corps took the lead, the Garrison members positioned strategically within the formation. Ilse rode near the lower front, alongside Erwin and Levi.

'Good luck'.

Erwin thought. They would need it.

Usually, Survey corps expeditions were to set supply routes, secure lands, possible bases, do anything that could help in the reclamation of Wall Maria.

In this expedition, however, their goal had changed to tracking down a single individual.

However … Time elapsed.

Tracking Seiji was easier said than done. With each mile, the landscape changed, and Titans became an ever-present threat.

In their high-speed formation, traditional tracking methods were completely impossible to implement. Titans wouldn't wait for them to stop and observe possible tracks.

Hence, stopping midway for any reason could lead to the total failure of the operation. Which was why in this expedition, a certain someone had the highest protection priority.

Ilse Langnar.

Hange leaned over her horse, scanning the ground. "We should be looking for anything unusual—any signs of human movement outside the Walls."

"Think before you speak, Four eyes". Levi uttered blandly. "Do you want us to stop and look for footprints? That will disrupt the entire formation, and leave us vulnerable to Titan attacks."

"Which is why we aren't stopping." Erwin uttered solemnly.

"Seiji Uchiha was spotted heading North. Coincidentally, that is the exact direction he and scout Langnar had their first encounter. Our goal today is to see if he is in that location."

Survey corps missions were just like. Full of uncertainty and danger. Travelling into Titan territory was dangerous, and every expedition was marked with casualties upon returning without exception. In simpler terms, every time the survey corps went outside the walls, someone had to die. Always.

Now, it was unknown whether their Target was actually in that location. If he wasn't, then the sacrifices to be incurred today would be for nothing. And as the only one who knew the location, Ilse, previously an ordinary scout member, now had the highest protection priority.

Just like Eren would experience in the future. At least for this expedition, Ilse Langnar was become a prime protection target at all costs.

Ilse nodded, pointing ahead. "That way. Toward the tree grove. That's where I first met him."

Levi remained silent but alert, watching for any signs of an ambush.

'… It will take us a minimum of two hours to get there. This isn't even counting any possible detours we'll have to take to avoid Titans. Even then, who knows how many people we'll lose before we …'.

His thoughts were interrupted by a scene in the sky. A black smoke flare, rushing to the sky.

"Damn! An aberrant has already been spotted".

Erwin noticed as well.

"Commander, should we go around or …".

"Around". Erwin cut in. "It's early in the day, we have plenty of time." He thought, backing his words with actions as he sent a smoke flare of his own, signalling the expedition members in which way they should ride to.

"I just hope … We can get through this with the least casualties …".

----

Four hours later

----

"Sir, we just received word. Half the right flank have been wiped out".

The Lower Front of the formation received a visitor.

"Damnit!" Levi cussed in dissatisfaction. "It doesn't matter, Levi, we're almost …".

Erwin paused at what happened next. A red smoke flare, symbolizing a Titan.

In the last four hours, they had seen it many times. However, this time was different. In the sense that, these smoke flares came from right in front of them. 

The Front team had encountered Titans.

"Levi, in case The front can't defeat the Titan, you'll have to make it quick so we can …".

In his hands was another flare. With the goal so close, Erwin decided to muscle past the Titan in the way.

Hence, he planned to shoot the flare forward, alerting everyone to continue advancing the same way.

However … His hand froze just as he was about to do it. Why?

Because at that moment, multiple flares shot out from all directions. Some red, some black, from left, right, and forward.

"... Shit!" Levi uttered. Ilse felt her face turn pale with fright.

"Commander, we're surrounded".

Instantly, the atmosphere turned suffocating.

"... From the looks of it, that's not all …". Hange cursed under her breath. "We've got a problem". She said, pointing towards the trees in the distance. From between them, multiple Titans could be seen running in their direction.

Five at the minimum.

"I can't believe it. We encountered a Titan horde".

"It means the Front has probably been wiped out".

"Commander, what do we do?"

Erwin was stunned. However, that expression faded quickly.

He remained calm and ordered, "Maintain formation. We'll force our way through. All soldiers! Prepare for battle!"