A Choice with Regrets [Levi Ackerman]

39

One Year Later (848)
Wall Maria

[Levi's POV]

Ever since the breach of Wall Maria three years ago (845), our job as scouts along with the Garrisons is becoming less demanding due to the smaller numbers of titans invading the walls, but the fatality rate is much higher. Unlike before, our expeditions outside the walls were always planned out with plenty of resources behind us and we had small goals in mind, but this... is troublesome.

Within the year, our expeditions gave us time to gather fresh recruits, time to smooth out plans to reclaim Wall Maria, and time to get all the supplies we needed. Though our missions are becoming fruitful, our job would be done a lot quicker if we could plug up the hole in the wall.

Every passing day feels the same and my days have gotten gloomier without Sina. It has been a year since I last saw her and it stings deep in my gut when she's not around. I received no update on her whereabouts, which I find worrying, but I assume she is residing safely in Wall Rose.

We now find ourselves in a more controlled situation after slaughtering a large sum of titans. We freely roam around midtown to spot any more lingering around and I feel the ground shake beneath my feet when one appears on my left.

"They look more hideous than ever." I groan at their ridiculous faces. At full speed, I mercilessly slice the nape of a titan and when its heavy body tramples down, I land myself on top of a roof to find a titan chasing after Hange as she grapples away, laughing while having the time of her life. It almost looks like they're going on a weird date.

I spot a couple of scouts below me as they are getting a crawling titan's attention and when that happens, they scurry for safety with their gears when the titan leaps forward. I click my tongue at the scene. "Cowards. They do not have the balls to begin with..." That's when I step in by jumping off the roof to grapple onto the titan's exposed nape, then zip down to slice its flesh off.

After landing on the ground, I gaze down in disgust when my hands along with my swords are dirtied with hot, evaporating blood. I then look up to find the two scouts stunned and I give them a glare, my eyes flashing. "What? You two look like your heart dropped to your asshole."

"More like I shit myself, sir." The male scout on the left tells me in all honesty, and the female scout on the right is holding back her laughter.

"How disgusting." I bluntly reply.

"CAPTAIN!" Our minds get interrupted by a sudden voice cry for my help and we look up to find a scout grappling toward us. His face is written in fear and he attempts to catch his breath once he lands in front of us. "More titans are sighted in the area! What should we do!?"

The ground starts shaking violently, assuming a group of titans are heading toward us and my eyes twitch in anger. When will this ever end? There is panic in the air as the scouts ready their swords and I whip my head around to scan the area to find a smiling titan skipping down the street we are on. "Damn, if we don't act now, we're going to be sandwiched between these naked bastards..."

"Quick! It's coming!" The panicking scout screams and right when the titan is about to take another step forward, its nape is suddenly sliced off in a blink of an eye.

"Who was that?" The female scout is shocked like the rest of us and I am the only person who recognizes that spinning movement just now. The figure in a green clock lands on one knee as the titan falls on its back and stands up to wipe off the blood. "Sheesh, what a mess."

That voice. I know that voice. Something I haven't heard in forever and my heart is now racing. It can't be her I think to myself when the figure turns around while removing the hood of the cloak. "Why are you all just standing there? Do I have to do every—"