Chapter 50: Is This Guy Really Human?

Another figure suddenly shot toward them.

It was Captain Levi.

"Brat! Didn't you say you'd handle the containment!?"

Levi gritted his teeth at the sight of Haruto standing on Annie's shoulder.

This guy had been so confident... yet the Colossal Titan had transformed right in front of them.

Haruto casually waved a hand.

"I was just about to go. It's just a Colossal Titan, Captain, you're too tense."

Levi glared at him, tempted to kick him right then and there.

"Alright. Annie, in a moment, undo your Titan transformation and contain Reiner."

"Captain, don't touch Annie."

After saying that, Haruto leaped off Annie's shoulder.

Levi's eye twitched.

This guy... he even had time to threaten him?

Though, he didn't actually say anything outright. But soon, Levi realized something was off.

Haruto wasn't wearing a vertical maneuvering device.

That meant jumping off a fifteen-meter Titan was a death sentence, wasn't it?

Realizing this, Levi immediately fired his hooks to grab him.

But then, he saw something shocking.

In the middle of his fall, a pair of black wings suddenly sprouted from his back. With a gentle flap, a powerful gust of wind erupted. His body accelerated instantly, shooting toward the Colossal Titan.

Levi's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oi... is that kid even human?"

Hanging from Annie's side, Levi couldn't help but ask.

Annie watched Haruto disappear into the distance and was momentarily stunned.

This guy... can even fly!?

But she quickly recovered.

She had seen too many anomalies in the Foundation.

Controlling the Female Titan, she came to a stop and placed Reiner on the ground.

Then, a thick cloud of steam erupted from her Titan's nape. Annie emerged from the Titan's flesh, took a brief rest, then detached completely.

Using her vertical maneuvering gear, she descended to the ground.

She needed to ensure Reiner was properly contained.

Levi watched as Annie exited the Female Titan.

Even though he already knew about Titan Shifters, seeing a person climb out of a Titan's body in real life was still absurd.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield—

Bertolt was fully controlling the Colossal Titan, desperately advancing toward Wall Rose.

Reiner was no longer an option.

He knew that Annie was incredibly fast, and the Colossal Titan couldn't keep up.

At this point, his only option was self-preservation.

As for questioning Annie's betrayal...

He had to survive first.

The constant screeching of metal filled the air. Countless Survey Corps soldiers were rapidly closing in.

The Colossal Titan was slow.

Despite its massive size and long legs, its speed was unimpressive.

Soon, several soldiers reached its body, using wooden pillars around them to maneuver closer. Three hooks embedded into the Titan's muscle as the soldiers quickly ascended.

Bertolt had no choice but to stop.

A torrent of scalding steam erupted from the Colossal Titan.

The hooks lodged in its flesh were instantly blown away.

The soldiers, overwhelmed by the intense heat, had no choice but to retreat temporarily. After releasing the steam, Bertolt resumed his advance toward the wall.

This high-temperature steam came at a cost, it consumed the Titan's muscle mass.

Bertolt calculated carefully.

Would he reach the wall before running out of muscle?

If he could breach Wall Rose, there was still a chance to slip away.

Once again, soldiers closed in.

Once again, he released steam, pushing them back.

Bertolt felt hopeful.

He had enough muscle left.

If he could just reach that place!

However, before the steam had even dispersed...

A voice spoke right beside him.

"Give up, Bertolt. Come out and accept containment."

Bertholdt looked to the side in disbelief.

Haruto had somehow landed on his shoulder without him noticing.

"How is this possible?! How could he break through the Colossal Titan's steam..."

Before he could finish speaking, Bertholdt choked on his words.

He saw the pair of black wings behind Haruto.

Why would a human have wings!?

"Haruto! What the hell are you?!"

Bertholdt muttered in confusion from within the Colossal Titan.

"I'm obviously human."

Haruto answered as if it were only natural.

Bertholdt: !

How could this guy hear what he was saying?!

Gritting his teeth, Bertholdt prepared to release a massive amount of steam to force Haruto away.

Even though it would significantly consume his muscle mass and might disrupt his carefully planned actions...

There was no other choice.

A more terrifying burst of steam erupted than in the previous two instances.

This time, the muscles of the Colossal Titan even glowed red, like heated iron.

However, to his horror, Bertholdt realized that Haruto, standing on his shoulder, remained completely unmoved amid the scorching steam. The heat, which could burn a person into charcoal, struck him yet felt like nothing more than a gentle breeze.

Bertholdt, expelling steam with all his might, could only watch as Haruto walked through the steam toward the back of his neck.

Slash!

The sound of flesh being sliced apart.

Bertholdt was yanked out of the Colossal Titan entirely. The muscles connecting his limbs were severed all at once.

In an instant, the massive Colossal Titan dissipated into steam, vanishing completely.

All that remained were a series of enormous footprints on the ground.

"You... you're a monster!"

Bertholdt's voice trembled.

The Colossal Titan consumed an immense amount of stamina, especially when releasing large amounts of steam.

He was completely immobilized now, left dangling in Haruto's grasp as they slowly descended. Several grappling hooks pierced through the lingering steam, shooting toward them.

Silhouettes of the Wings of Freedom tore through the obscuring mist.

However, upon seeing the scene within the steam, the soldiers of the Survey Corps were completely stunned.

They had no idea what had just happened.

All they knew was that the Colossal Titan had suddenly stopped and begun releasing intense heat and steam.

Then, it had simply vanished.

And now, cabling in to check, they found Haruto standing there, holding Bertholdt as if everything was under his control.

At that moment, Erwin arrived as well.

Seeing Haruto holding Bertholdt, he took a deep breath.

"Good thing you stand on the side of humanity within the walls."

In his heart, Erwin confirmed that Haruto's combat power was far beyond what the world inside the walls could resist.

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(T/N: Anyone who'll do a proper review, and I'll let loose 3 extra chaps.)