The arrowhead was razor sharp, its shaft long and slender.
With a short, sharp hiss, the hardened arrow shot out.
Like a keen blade cleaving murky air, its tip tore through the noisy chaos, neatly leaving all sound behind it.
Like a solitary soul bidding farewell to the old world.
Like a wanderer severing all ties to his past.
Like a mad warrior stirring up a bloody storm.
It wanted to slay all that was rotten, so it flew.
It wanted to shred all those grievances ground to dust, so it flew.
It wanted to slam shut a history of endless conflict, so, burning with unbridled fervor, it shot forward!
The moment the arrow left the string, Roger lowered his arm.
He only had one shot. If that arrow failed, he would be torn apart by the Titans behind him and never climb out of that abyss.
Roger didn't pray for a second chance. He fixed everything on the present—on that single arrow in flight.
With the War Hammer's power no longer sustaining it, the bow in Roger's hand slowly faded, dissolving into nothing.
As if it had only ever been a concept in his mind, briefly molded into shape by the Titan's power.
Something that was never meant to exist would naturally return to the place of things that do not exist.
Whoosh!
The arrow shot straight toward the nape of the Female Titan—Annie.
The Female Titan heard the sound and caught sight of the arrow feather aimed at her.
So Annie immediately clapped a hand over the back of her neck.
Hardening with everything she had, the Female Titan shielded her vital spot.
Her running posture now was as bizarre as some kind of aberrant Titan.
Anyone who didn't know better, on seeing her, really might have taken her for some unknown oddity.
But in truth, she was one of the Nine— the Female Titan, with power on par with the other major Titans on average.
Not only was she more agile than the others, her running speed was top tier.
That much was clear from the chase: Roger trying to run Annie down, the Armored Jaw Titan pursuing the Female Titan.
Roger simply couldn't catch her.
That was why he'd stopped—why he had watched helplessly as the Female Titan pulled farther and farther away.
Using the War Hammer Titan's power to create a ranged weapon—a bow and arrow—had been the trump card he thought of when no matter what he did, he couldn't close the distance.
He was gambling.
He was betting that this arrow would hit.
So he didn't fire a second one.
Back in Marley, he'd received special firearms training.
Though archery and shooting were fundamentally different, at least he had a marksman's foundation.
Whenever Roger looked at the fleeing Female Titan, he couldn't help but recall those days on the mountain, firing on a moving target—the wild boar.
That boar was unbelievably fast, and on the whole mountain the villagers had named it "Boar King."
Roger and the other warrior candidates of his intake had chased that boar like hunters on a hunt.
Only, they were far more cruel.
If they didn't find it in the mountains and kill it, then haul its carcass back in triumph, it was all for nothing.
They would be tossed aside as trash by headquarters.
Just like the Trainee Corps inside the Walls.
To train on the ODM gear and force soldiers to tap into their potential, they would have the recruits latch onto a cliff wall with their gear—clinging there like cicadas—then up above, they would cut the safety ropes meant to guarantee their lives.
Anyone who hadn't truly mastered the ODM gear, who couldn't get solid footing at the next landing point, would be mercilessly dashed to death—or crippled.
And once that happened, they would never again have anything to do with the word "soldier."
Inside the Walls, soldiers enjoyed special privileges. It was just like the honorary Marleyans in Marley: a few select Eldians were picked out to receive benefits their kin could never have.
But at the same time, they tasted cruelty like no other.
Like a living hell, this world was especially merciless to those who took part in war.
And yet, those who didn't take part in war often met an even worse fate.
With no ability to protect themselves, when faced with those who would harm them, all they could do was scream and flee.
Roger had survived the training required to be a "soldier," but Marley wanted to turn them into "warriors"—warriors who would give up everything for Marley's future.
At first, Roger had thought about living quietly and settling down, but Marley's humiliations, again and again and again, finally made him snap.
"Go to hell."
Roger whispered.
Behind the Armored Jaw Titan, a countless horde of Titans charged him.
Roger felt the terrifying quakes beneath his feet, but he still kept his eyes locked on the distant Female Titan.
On her—and on the arrow streaking toward her!
Finally, the arrow drew close to the Female Titan!
Annie didn't dare look back.
She was terrified that the moment she slowed, the arrow would punch right through her throat.
But… at this distance, was that even possible?
Could that arrow really hit her?
Annie's heart was a tangle of doubts.
At the same time, she nursed a desperate, irrational hope.
She wanted to believe Roger would miss.
But she was terrified that he wouldn't.
Either way—
She could not slow down!
Thud, thud, thud…
Her steps grew uneven. Annie—the Female Titan—was exhausted.
She had no choice but to ease her pace.
And in that same moment, a bone-deep sense of dread clawed its way up her spine.
She tried to accelerate, but she couldn't anymore!
"Haa—"
"Haa—"
Her breathing was rough and ragged; Annie had been pushing the Female Titan to run for a long time.
She wanted nothing more than to stop and rest.
Just then…
Two airships suddenly dipped lower, descending.
Because they were carrying Marleyans, they weren't afraid of the threat posed by the Titan spinal fluid gas.
They were descending to retrieve the Founding!
Whip, whip!
Two rope ladders dropped down.
Two people began climbing down them.
"They're…"
"Here to save me?"
For an instant, Annie felt like she'd found life in the jaws of death.
It was as if she could see hope again.
So, while still running, she had the Female Titan open its mouth, revealing Eren Yeager—the Founding Titan—lying on her tongue.
The airships drew closer.
Annie heard the strange whine of their engines.
Vaporizing the nape as quickly as she could, she prepared to climb out from the back of the neck, grab one of them—any one of them—by the arm and go back with them.
But…
"Ensure the Founding's safety at all costs!"
"Prepare to lift!"
The two Marleyan soldiers' voices carried straight to Annie's ears.
They both dropped down onto the Female Titan's tongue.
Each hooked one of Eren's arms over their shoulders; one hand gripped the rope ladder, and together they shared his weight.
Eren's skull was slowly regenerating; his brain was already dead, and no one knew whose mind would inhabit the head that was now rebuilding itself.
But rescuing Annie had never once crossed their minds.
All they cared about was the Founding. The Founding. The Founding.
"Annie, orders from the president: keep running, don't stop."
"You're to draw Roger's attention away from the airships."
"…"
At those words, something in Annie's eyes died.
Like a solitary plume of smoke snuffed out over a desert…
"Annie, follow orders."
She spoke flatly.
Then, in the very next instant, the Female Titan's jaws snapped shut—chewing, chewing—grinding the three people in her mouth into paste!!
"Arrrghhh!!"
"What are you doing?!!!"
"Let us out!!"
"An—!!! NIE!!!"
Their miserable screams echoed out.
The blood and flesh of three bodies mixed together into a slurry of gore, then slid down her throat as she swallowed.
When she opened her eyes again,
Annie's eyes
were a brilliant, blazing blue.
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