"This is bad… the situation's not looking good. There are two fifteen-meter Titans," Connie said through clenched teeth.
"No… that Titan seems openly hostile toward the other one," Mikasa said. Somehow, the figure felt strangely familiar.
Armin stared at the steaming Titan skeleton on the ground.
Chen Si glanced at Armin. Looks like he's already forming a hypothesis. Smart. The ones who can accept the truth are often those willing to face the absurd.
Before everyone's disbelieving eyes, the Titan Eren had transformed into raised his fists into a boxing stance—something only a human would do.
"It's pretty obvious," Chen Si said calmly. "Armin, make bold hypotheses and verify them carefully. That Titan is clearly human."
"A human… turned into a Titan…? Th-that…" Armin wanted to say it was impossible, but he had already noticed how abnormal this Titan was.
"No way, Chen Si. How could humans possibly be Titans?" Connie clearly couldn't accept the idea.
"We're still missing one piece of evidence," Chen Si continued.
"What evidence?" Armin asked.
"The nape," Chen Si replied flatly.
Even revealing the truth had to be done logically—make it look like pure deduction, and let Armin arrive at the conclusion himself.
A flash of realization crossed Armin's eyes as he stared at the Titan's nape.
"The nape is a Titan's weak point. If Titans really are transformed humans… then the human must be hiding in the nape."
"Smart. You catch on fast," Chen Si praised.
"Chen Si… did you already know?" Armin asked, puzzled.
"Yes. I personally saw a human figure emerge from the nape of the Colossal Titan," Chen Si said.
"What? That happened?!" Connie was stunned speechless. Everyone knew Chen Si had fought the Colossal Titan—he was the only one who had—so no one doubted his words.
"Did you see clearly who it was?" Armin whispered into Chen Si's ear.
Chen Si narrowed his eyes slightly and shook his head.
"I didn't see clearly. But judging by the build, I have a rough idea. Still, that's not evidence. I can't just accuse someone."
Armin nodded in agreement.
If Chen Si named someone—even as a suspicion—the people inside the Walls would rather kill wrongly than let a suspect go. The person would immediately be arrested. Armin didn't want to wrong a comrade.
As for Chen Si, he was more concerned about Bertholdt making a desperate move. He had a faint feeling that someone must have helped Bertholdt escape that day. He intended to dig that person out eventually.
Eren's fight with the Pure Titan was completely one-sided.
With a single slap, he knocked the Titan's head flying, then crushed its nape underfoot.
"H-he hit the vital spot… That Titan knows the others' weakness?" Armin exclaimed again.
"And more than that," Chen Si added. "He hasn't shown any intention of attacking us."
"Also… he's using human martial arts," Mikasa observed carefully.
"Or maybe he's just an abnormal Titan," Connie muttered uneasily. "If Titans had intelligence…"
"Or maybe," Mikasa said quietly, eyes fixed on the Attack Titan, "he is human."
"Mikasa," Chen Si whispered near her ear, "does this Titan feel familiar to you?"
"Yes… I keep feeling like…" she hesitated.
"I feel it too. And I'm certain it's him," Chen Si said firmly.
Mikasa's pupils contracted slightly. She had no doubt about Chen Si's words.
"It really is him? How is that possible…" she murmured in shock.
"No time to worry about that. When the time comes, we protect him," Chen Si said.
The Titan Eren had transformed into gradually moved farther away.
"Let's go. We need to keep moving," Chen Si said.
He pulled the trigger of his gear—
"Wait, what?"
No gas came out.
"This is bad," Armin said grimly. "One set of gear carrying three people must've burned through what little gas was left."
"So one of us has to stay behind," Chen Si said.
"I'll stay," Armin said with difficulty. "With Chen Si's skill, if he carries Connie and Mikasa, the remaining gas in Connie's gear should be enough."
"What, trying to prove your resolve by dying? Planning to walk the underworld road with Eren?" Chen Si teased.
"Armin, we're not leaving you," Mikasa said firmly.
"But…" Armin still felt guilty, afraid of dragging them down.
"Enough," Chen Si cut him off with a grin. "I'll carry you. When have I ever fought a battle I wasn't sure about? Remember when I took on five guys at once as kids? You tried to stop me. And what happened?"
Armin recalled it—the first time Chen Si borrowed books from him, he had been surrounded by five bullies. Chen Si insisted on handling them, while Armin desperately tried to stop him.
In the end, Chen Si had beaten all five while carrying Armin on his back.
"…Do you think we could lure that Titan to headquarters?" Armin began. "Have it deal with the clustered Titans there, and then—"
Before he could finish, arcs of electricity crackled violently around Chen Si.
He assumed a samurai-like drawing stance, blade angled downward, eyes gently closing.
Connie stared wide-eyed at the electricity surging over Chen Si's body.
"Chen Si, wh-what's wrong with him? Did he get electrocuted? There's no thunder today!"
"Don't worry," Mikasa said, though she drew her blade, ready to support him at any moment.
That move again… Armin thought in awe.
"Then let's help him!" Connie shouted, drawing his blade.
"I… don't think we'll need to," Armin said uncertainly.
"Huh? Armin, what are you talking about? There are four Titans over there! One for each of us and—"
"Thunder…" Chen Si muttered softly.
"What?" Connie stared, shocked at the lightning engulfing him.
"Quadruple strike!"
Chen Si's eyes snapped open, twin flashes of electricity bursting from his pupils. He transformed into a streak of lightning, tracing four jagged arcs through the air before landing on a rooftop opposite.
Blood erupted simultaneously from the napes of four Titans. Their necks were charred and mangled. One by one, they collapsed and began to steam.
The Attack Titan froze for a moment, then turned its head, scanning the surroundings. Finally, its gaze locked onto the distant headquarters.