Chapter 13: The Emotion Called Despair That Envelops the Heart

After the merchant moved the train blocking the gate, the residents who had taken refuge naturally all headed toward the inner wall. The elite members of the Garrison Regiment had completed their mission; all that remained was to notify the soldiers fighting on the front lines to retreat.

So Sikong Xu and Mikasa planned to go to the battlefield ahead to find Eren and the others. However, they encountered a problem: the gas that powered their maneuvering gear was running out! The reason the maneuvering gear allowed humans, accustomed to two-dimensional movement, to travel at high speeds in three dimensions was because of the compressed gas stored in the jet canisters.

When the highly compressed gas is released, the person equipped with the maneuvering gear can rely on the powerful recoil to move forward at high speed. This is humanity's most effective means against the Titans. Yet, once the maneuvering gear runs out of gas, it becomes nothing more than useless baggage—a burden to carry.

“Mikasa, the gas is almost gone. We need to figure out a way to get to the supply room for a refill,” Sikong Xu knocked on the gas canister, judging the remaining gas by the sound.

“The supply room is very close to Eren and the others. Let’s meet up with Eren and Armin first. I’m worried about Eren,” Mikasa, usually cold and reserved, rarely spoke so much. It was clear she was very anxious.

“Yes, the bell signaling retreat has already sounded, but they still haven’t climbed the wall. I’m afraid something has happened… Let’s go find Eren and the others. That kid’s personality makes me uneasy,” Sikong Xu thought of Eren’s impulsive nature, acting without thinking, and felt genuinely concerned. If his arrival caused some sort of butterfly effect, making events deviate too far from the original story, that would be disastrous.

The sky gradually began to drizzle, and the town took on a damp, picturesque quality—if only the Titans weren’t there to ruin it.

Gently, Sikong Xu pulled up the hood of Mikasa’s raincoat for her, then put on his own.

“Let’s go!”

“Mm.”

…

“Ah… There’s no hope… Without gas, we can’t climb the wall. Everyone’s going to die here…” A young man about Sikong Xu’s age slumped dejectedly on the rooftop tiles, clutching his head, fingers twisting through his natural brown hair.

This was Jean Kirstein, who had previously argued with Eren.

There were many others stuck in the same hopeless situation—most were graduates of the 104th Training Corps, Sikong Xu’s own cohort.

Originally, they only had to wait until tomorrow to begin their new lives, but the Titans’ attack came so suddenly that the Garrison Regiment was understaffed and sent these trainees to the front lines for support.

“Damn it! Jean, what do we do now?” Connie Springer, another 104th graduate and one of the few who hadn’t succumbed to despair, stood before Jean, asking urgently.

“What else can we do…” Jean hung his head, hiding his hopeless expression. “We finally get the order to retreat, but now we don’t have enough gas. With the distance to the wall, the little gas we have left isn’t nearly enough! It’s all the fault of those cowards!”

“You mean the supply squad?” Connie said angrily. “What are those guys doing? Did they all get eaten by Titans?”

“I heard they lost the will to fight… I can understand how they feel… After all, it’s terrifying for us, just graduated, to face those monsters…”

Jean raised his head slightly, looking around. “There are just too many Titans surrounding the gas room. They don’t dare to break out, and we can’t fight our way in… Who the hell attracted them there in the first place!”

“If that’s the case, maybe we should just fight the Titans surrounding the gas room head-on!” Connie clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination. “Either way, we’re dead! Maybe we’ll get lucky…”

“You’re awfully optimistic, Connie,” Jean looked around again, analyzing the situation. “Do you really think we stand a chance with our current strength? Never mind the seniors who were wiped out as the vanguard—among us trainees, barely anyone has the courage to fight Titans. And who would command such a desperate battle… Even if someone could, we’re helpless. The Titans are just too strong…”

“I’d bet there are plenty of three- and four-meter Titans inside the supply room too… Even if we break in, fighting Titans in a cramped space is suicide…”

“Ugh… Is there really nothing we can do…” After hearing Jean’s analysis, Connie’s hot-blooded words got stuck in his throat. Though passionate, he wasn’t reckless like Eren; Connie could see from Jean’s reasoning just how dire their situation was.

Despair was spreading among the trainees—even Connie, usually spirited, now showed a defeated look. Everyone seemed to think they had no hope of survival this time…

Perhaps only two among all the trainees felt differently; their identities were quite special—Reiner and Annie, both top ten graduates, exceptionally skilled, second only to Mikasa.

Tap, tap, tap! As the group fell silent, two hurried footsteps sounded across the roof tiles—Sikong Xu and Mikasa had arrived!

“Annie, have you seen which squad Eren is in?” Mikasa asked urgently, addressing Annie, Reiner, and the others closest to her.

“Uh, I haven’t seen Eren’s squad since the fighting began, but Armin’s right up ahead—you can ask him. He’s in the same squad as Eren.”

“Armin?” Mikasa followed Annie’s gesture and saw Armin Arlert curled up in the corner of a house.

“Armin, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Mikasa quickly strode to Armin and asked, “Have you seen where Eren is?”

“Eren… Eren…” Mikasa’s words seemed to trigger something in Armin. He looked like he’d gone mad, his eyes sinking deep into his skull, hands clutching his head, like a living mental patient.

“Armin…” Sikong Xu, watching Armin’s reaction, immediately understood what had happened.

It seemed Eren had indeed been swallowed by a Titan… Soon, he would probably become one himself…

“E-Eren…” Armin’s tears fell like a flood. “Of the six members of Squad 34, only I survived. The others… fulfilled their mission… gave their hearts for humanity… including Eren Jaeger…”