Turning the Tide

The night was calm, but within the walls of the Survey Corps' temporary base, preparations were in full swing. The upcoming assault on Marley was no longer just a distant possibility—it was imminent. The gears of war were turning, and I had ensured that I was one of the hands spinning them.

[System Notification: Significant Change in Fate Detected!] [Sasha Blouse Survives – Reward Granted!]

50,000 System Coins Skill: Predator's Instinct (B-Rank) – Enhances reaction speed and danger sense in combat.

A small smirk tugged at my lips. Preventing Sasha's death had been a simple task, but the rewards made it all the more satisfying. The system acknowledged my role in shaping events, and I would continue to do so.

As I walked through the dimly lit corridors, I could hear murmurs of anticipation. Soldiers whispered about our upcoming mission, about our chances against Marley, about the new weapons that had recently entered production. My weapons.

In the armory, Hange and her engineers were working tirelessly, finalizing the first batch of semi-automatic rifles. They marveled at the efficiency, at the sheer increase in firepower. The Survey Corps had always been outgunned by Marley's technology, but now… the tables were turning.

"Akira!" Hange called out, her voice laced with excitement. "You need to see this!"

I stepped forward, glancing at the newly assembled weapon in her hands. It was a thing of beauty—sleek, deadly, efficient. A proper rifle, not the outdated flintlocks or cannons Paradis had relied on for too long.

Hange handed it to me, and I tested the weight, the balance. Perfect.

"It works flawlessly," she said, her eyes gleaming. "The recoil is manageable, the firing rate is unmatched, and the precision… we've never had something like this before."

Levi, standing off to the side, watched with his usual unreadable expression. "And you're sure these won't just make us overconfident?"

I smirked. "Confidence isn't the issue. The problem has always been that we were fighting an uphill battle. Now, we have an edge."

Levi huffed, crossing his arms. "Tch. We'll see how much of an 'edge' it gives us when we're in the middle of battle."

"Fair enough," I said, setting the rifle down. "But you'll see soon enough. The battlefield isn't just about skill anymore. It's about adaptation."

Levi didn't respond, but his silence was answer enough. He knew I was right, even if he wouldn't admit it.

The following night, the mission commenced. We boarded the airship, the looming lights of Marley in the distance signaling the battlefield we were about to step into. This was it—the moment where history would take a different turn.

As I sat among the others, I felt a familiar presence beside me—Mikasa. Her usual stoic demeanor was tinged with something else. Concern?

"You're quieter than usual," she murmured.

I chuckled lightly. "Just thinking."

She studied me, her sharp gaze searching for something. "You always think too much."

I turned to meet her eyes, my voice softer. "And you always fight too much. Maybe we balance each other out."

For a brief second, her expression faltered. But before she could say anything, the airship's doors opened. The time for words was over. It was time for action.

The moment we landed, chaos erupted. Explosions, gunfire, the clash of steel—it was war in its purest form. The Warriors of Marley fought with desperation, but we weren't the same people they had faced before.

I moved through the battlefield with lethal efficiency. My knife sliced through enemy ranks, my enhanced body and Reiryoku making me faster, stronger. My mind was clear, my calculations precise. Every move I made served a purpose, every action setting the stage for what was to come.

Then, amidst the carnage, I spotted her.

Pieck Finger—the Cart Titan.

She was an asset, one of the most intelligent of Marley's forces. If I played this right, I could turn her into something else entirely.

An ally.

I watched as she fought, her Titan form weaving through enemy lines with tactical precision. I needed to find the right moment, the right opening. And then—there it was.

A single mistake. A vulnerability.

I moved swiftly, faster than she could react. In one smooth motion, I was on top of her Titan form, blade pressed against the nape of her neck.

"Yield," I murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. "Or die."

She hesitated. For the first time, I saw genuine uncertainty in her eyes. She was calculating her chances, weighing her options.

I leaned in slightly. "You're smart, Pieck. Smarter than the rest of them. You know this war isn't as simple as they want you to believe."

Her breathing was heavy, but she didn't answer immediately.

"Think about it," I continued, my voice calm despite the chaos around us. "Marley doesn't care about you. You're a tool to them, nothing more. But here? You could be something greater."

She gritted her teeth. "And you expect me to betray my people?"

"I expect you to survive," I corrected. "And I expect you to choose the winning side."

Another moment of hesitation.

Then, slowly… she nodded.

[System Notification: Enemy Converted to Ally – Pieck Finger]

100,000 System Coins Item: Titan Control Serum – Temporarily enhances control over Titan abilities for 10 minutes. Influence in Paradis Increased.

I smiled. Another piece on the board, right where I wanted it.

[System Notification: Your numerous reflex-based and instinctual skills can now be integrated into a singular form. Would you like to proceed?]

I didn't hesitate.

[Yes.]

A wave of power surged through me, an indescribable feeling of clarity, lightness, and absolute control. My senses sharpened to an impossible degree, my body moving in perfect harmony with my mind.

[Ultra Instinct Level 2 acquired.]

I smirked. This war was already mine.

The battle raged on, but the tides had already begun to shift. And soon, Marley wouldn't just be fighting the Survey Corps.

They'd be fighting a war they never saw coming.

All according to plan.