The Fall of Trost – A Battle Against Fate

The battlefield was chaos.

The Titans had breached Wall Rose, and the newly graduated soldiers found themselves in a nightmare come to life. The colossal shadows of the Titans loomed over Trost, their grotesque grins sending waves of terror through the recruits. The air was thick with the scent of blood and the screams of the dying. It was exactly as I remembered from the manga, but experiencing it firsthand was something else entirely.

My body felt lighter, faster, sharper—undeniably thanks to the Body Purification Pill I had taken when I first got the system. I had noticed it before, in training, how my stamina outlasted others, how my reflexes had been a fraction quicker. But now, in actual combat, I realized just how much of an advantage it was. I could see details others missed, react a split second faster than even the most seasoned soldiers.

Yet, even with Gamer's Mind, I felt it—the raw, crushing fear.

"Akira!" Armin shouted, eyes wide with panic as a Titan's massive foot slammed into the ground mere meters away from us. My mind snapped into focus, processing the situation instantly. The Titan is shifting its weight—meaning it's about to lunge. Escape route? Left alley—no, blocked by debris. Right? Open, but too narrow. The only way—

"JUMP!" I shouted, grabbing Armin and launching us both backward just as the Titan's hand swiped down. The shockwave sent dust and splintered wood flying. I hit the ground and rolled, barely keeping my balance.

Eren, already in motion, slashed his blades through the nape of a smaller Titan nearby. "Stay focused! We've trained for this!" His voice was steady, but his hands shook as he landed.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to adapt. This isn't a game. The pain, the death—it's real. But so am I.

As the battle raged on, I worked alongside the others, strategically cutting down Titans while analyzing the battlefield. I remembered which characters survived this battle and which ones shouldn't—but would I intervene? Should I?

I spotted a group of soldiers about to be overrun. In canon, only one survives. If I act now—

My body moved before my mind could finish debating. I launched myself toward them, slicing through the Titan's Achilles tendon and sending it crashing down. "MOVE!" I barked at the soldiers. One hesitated, eyes wide in disbelief. That hesitation would have killed him in the manga. I grabbed his collar and threw him aside just as another Titan lunged.

Blood splattered across my uniform as I twisted midair, narrowly dodging a Titan's grasp. My blades sang as I brought them down in a clean, precise cut. The Titan screeched as its nape was sliced through, and I landed smoothly, heart pounding but body moving on instinct.

System Notification:

You Have Altered Fate! +1 System Reward Lottery Ticket

I smirked. That's what I thought.

As the battle dragged on, exhaustion settled in, but my enhanced stamina kept me moving. I noticed Annie fighting efficiently, her expression as unreadable as ever. She's the Female Titan, but right now, she's just another soldier. She caught my gaze for a brief moment before returning to her fight.

"Don't die, Kurogane."

I raised an eyebrow. That was new.

I shrugged, slicing through another Titan's nape. "No promises."

Mikasa moved like a shadow, her form perfect, efficient, deadly. She landed next to me, flicking the blood off her blades. "You're keeping up."

"Surprised?" I grinned, panting slightly.

She gave me a rare glance—one of acknowledgment. "No."

The tide of battle began to shift. We were holding on, but just barely. My mind raced. What's next? What's the key event—

And then it happened.

A deafening explosion of steam filled the air. The heat was suffocating.

The Colossal Titan had appeared again.

The battlefield froze.

My heartbeat quickened. This is it.

Eren, standing nearby, clenched his fists. "It's the same as before," he muttered. "That damn thing…"

I knew what was coming next. I took a deep breath. This is the moment Eren loses everything.

The Smiling Titan appeared.

I had never hated anything more in my life.

"Eren, get back!" I shouted, but he was already moving.

Too late.

The Titan's hand came down.

Carla Jaeger was trapped.

The next few seconds felt agonizingly slow. Eren screamed, struggling against Hannes' grip. Mikasa's eyes widened, pain flashing through them as she reached out. Armin looked away, shaking, unable to face what was coming.

And I? I could only watch.

Because this… this was an event that could not change.

The system remained silent.

No Altered Fate notification.

Because Carla Jaeger was meant to die.

A weight settled in my chest as the Titan's jaws closed around her.

Eren's scream echoed through the burning ruins of Trost.

And I clenched my fists, feeling utterly powerless.

System Notification:

New Quest: Rage Against the Titans! Objective: Survive the Battle of Trost Bonus: Engage in direct combat with a Titan (Rewards vary by contribution).

A new quest.

A cold fury settled over me.

If I couldn't change Carla's fate, then I would make sure the Titans paid for it in blood.

I grabbed my blades, gritting my teeth as I launched myself forward. The battle was far from over.