The Cost of Defiance

Blood and dust filled the air as the battle for Trost continued in full force. The once-bustling district was now a graveyard of broken buildings and crushed bodies, the scent of iron and smoke hanging heavily over everything. The distant screams of civilians were fading as survivors made their way to the inner gate, but the recruits—myself included—were still locked in a desperate fight against the Titans.

Eren, Armin, and the rest of the squad were further ahead, fending off a cluster of Titans near a collapsed structure. I kept my distance, supporting from the rooftops, slicing through any stray Titans that got too close. My Gamer's Mind kept my emotions in check, but the sheer scale of death made my stomach tighten. This wasn't just another fight—it was war.

The System Farm window blinked in my vision again.

System Farm Update: [New Battlefield Harvest Detected: Titan Flesh Remnants] [Processing… Usable Biomaterial Extracted. Stored in Inventory.]

"What the hell am I supposed to do with Titan flesh?!" I muttered as I landed on a rooftop, flipping my knife in irritation.

"Akira!" A voice called out. I turned to see Hannes, his face drenched in sweat, blades stained with Titan blood. "We need to regroup! The outer perimeter is lost!"

I nodded. "Where's everyone else?"

"The recruits are scattered, trying to hold ground. Some of your squad is running out of gas," Hannes panted. "We need to push toward the inner gate before we're overrun."

Before I could respond, a deafening crash shook the area. A Titan—easily fifteen meters tall—plowed through a row of buildings like they were made of paper. And at the heart of the destruction, a familiar green cloak fluttered.

Eren.

He was fighting, hacking through Titans like a man possessed, his rage-fueled strikes driven by pure willpower. I knew how this played out, but seeing it firsthand sent chills down my spine. His blade cut through flesh, his ODM gear carrying him through the battlefield with a reckless determination that made him look like an untamed storm.

But then it happened.

A blur of movement. A Titan from behind. A single moment of vulnerability.

Teeth clamped down.

"Eren!" Armin's scream was raw, filled with horror as blood splattered in all directions. The Titan chewed once, then swallowed.

Time seemed to stop.

I gripped my knife tighter, my brain working overtime. It happened. The turning point. I had seen this moment in the manga a thousand times, yet witnessing it now, in real-time, sent an unnatural stillness through my body.

Armin collapsed onto the rooftop, trembling, eyes wide with shock. Mikasa, who had been cutting down Titans with machine-like precision, suddenly froze, her grip tightening around her blades until her knuckles turned white.

The battlefield didn't care.

Titans kept coming.

I cursed under my breath, launching myself forward. "We have to move!" I grabbed Armin's arm, shaking him. "We can't stop now!"

His eyes snapped to mine, unfocused and lost. "He… he's gone. He—"

"Snap out of it!" I hissed, shoving him toward the nearest rooftop. "We don't have the luxury to grieve right now. We need to survive first!"

Mikasa's breathing was ragged, but she didn't break down. Not yet. Instead, she redirected her fury toward the nearest Titan, cutting through its nape with terrifying precision. Her anchor. The only thing keeping her together was her need to keep fighting.

The battle raged on.

My Affection Meter flickered in the corner of my vision.

Armin Arlert – 80 (Shaken but Grateful) Mikasa Ackerman – 70 (Determination/Unspoken Trust) Hannes – 65 (Respect/Growing Confidence in Me)

"Tch, this damn thing keeps updating at the worst times," I muttered, slicing through another Titan's nape. Still, it was good to know where I stood with people.

A new system notification appeared.

System Notification: [Achievement Unlocked: 'Guiding Light'] [Reward: +5 Intelligence, +3 Charisma]

I ignored it for now. Survival came first.

The inner gate was in sight, but the Titans were relentless. More and more recruits were falling, their screams cut short as they were snatched up and devoured. The scene was horrifying, even for me, who had braced myself for it.

And then, out of nowhere, the Colossal Titan appeared in my mind. Berdolt's still out there. And so is the Armored Titan.

I had information no one else did. Knowledge that could change things.

But how much could I risk? If I interfered too much, could I break the very sequence of events that led to humanity's victory?

Before I could dwell on it, a roar unlike any other shook the battlefield.

A new presence.

My eyes darted toward the wreckage where Eren had been devoured.

And then…

The ground exploded.

A Titan—one unlike any other—rose from the debris, its eyes burning with a savage fury.

The Attack Titan.

A slow grin tugged at my lips despite the chaos. "Well… looks like the show's about to get interesting."

The tide of battle had just shifted.

The impact of Eren's transformation sent a shockwave across the battlefield, momentarily stunning the Titans. The massive, muscular frame of the Attack Titan stood tall amidst the destruction, steaming with raw power. Its emerald eyes burned with an unrelenting rage, a stark contrast to the mindless hunger of the surrounding Titans.

"No way…" Armin whispered, his body still shaking. "That Titan… it's fighting the others."

Mikasa didn't hesitate. "We need to regroup with the others. We can't waste this opportunity."

I nodded, but my mind was racing. Eren's first transformation was key to humanity's counterattack. I needed to ensure everything played out as close to the original events as possible.

As we maneuvered through the ruined district, the carnage continued. Eren's Titan roared, charging at the nearest enemy, tackling it into a crumbling wall before slamming its fists into the creature's face with unrelenting force. The scene was pure chaos, yet oddly beautiful in its own terrifying way.

A system notification appeared again.

System Notification: [Hidden Event Triggered: 'Witnessing the Titan's Rebirth'] [Bonus Reward: +10 System Coins, Unique Skill: 'Battle Sense']

I glanced at the new skill.

Battle Sense (Passive): Enhances perception and reaction time in combat situations. Increased awareness of enemy attacks and movement.

"Oh, hell yes," I muttered under my breath. That was going to come in handy.

With Eren wreaking havoc on the battlefield, a spark of hope ignited in the hearts of the remaining soldiers. The fight wasn't over yet, but for the first time since the attack began, it felt like we had a chance.

The battle for Trost was far from finished, but now, with Eren's newfound power, we had a Titan fighting for humanity.

And I had a front-row seat to history in the making.