Chapter 22: Breaking Through to the Supply Room

Amid the smoke-filled town, a fine, misty rain fell. Thin streams of water trickled over the blue-stone streets, gradually joining into a fair-sized current. But the water was not clear as a mirror; instead, it ran tinged with a faint crimson, the rain having washed away the blood spattered across the thoroughfares.

Where once a vibrant town bustled with life, now only desolation remained. Not a trace of human presence could be felt; the air reeked of terror and despair. The endlessly overcast sky and ceaseless drizzle seemed like the bitter grievances and unwillingness of the dead, refusing to dissipate. The place was on the verge of becoming a city of the dead.

The cause of this devastation was none other than the giants that roamed the streets and clustered around buildings, their grotesque faces and terrifying aura unmistakable—the man-eating giants.

They poured relentlessly through a gaping hole, some twenty meters wide, at the base of the city wall. Once heralded as the Wall of Hope and Salvation, the city’s colossal barrier had, after being breached, become nothing but a wall of death. The hole had been smashed open by the Colossal Titan.

The giants—a name that had terrorized humanity for over a century—had once more come to rule over mankind’s fears. All remembered that day: the day the great wall was breached, the day that marked the beginning of humanity’s downfall.

Yet hope is born and flourishes in the depths of despair. Even in this nearly dead city, many warriors refused to surrender to death, to the cruel loss of their loved ones, or to their own powerlessness.

Perhaps they were terrified, perhaps hopeless, but nonetheless, with the resolve to die if need be, they took up their swords and swore to fight despair to the bitter end.

A thunderous roar erupted.

The giant Eren let out a deafening howl, piercing the clouds as if to scatter the deathly silence over the city. Even the oppressive weather seemed to lighten, if only a little.

Eren’s bellow drew the attention of every giant surrounding the supply room. They stared at him, their sparse intelligence seemingly puzzling over why this “kin” carried the scent of humans.

But their sluggish thoughts quickly faltered. Mere seconds later, they ignored the oddity and lumbered toward Eren. However strange this “fellow” was, so long as he bore the scent of humans, the giants would throw themselves at him like moths to a flame.

“Well done! All the giants have been drawn away! Everyone, now’s our chance—break in through the windows and get into the supply room!” Armin shouted excitedly, held in Connie’s arms.

Having handed his maneuver gear to Mikasa, Armin had resigned himself to death, lacking the courage or ability to fight giants unarmed. But with this strange, attacking giant’s sudden appearance, he saw a glimmer of hope.

“Everyone listen up! Once inside, gather together immediately—don’t act on your own. There may still be a few three- or four-meter class giants lurking inside,” warned Sikun Xu, familiar with the story’s course. He knew that in the original tale, seven small giants awaited within the supply room.

“Yes, sir!” all the cadets replied in unison. By now, they had come to obey Sikun Xu without question. In their darkest moments, it was he and Mikasa, with their strength, who had inspired hope. Even the top ten graduates followed his orders without hesitation.

As soon as he finished, the sound of shattering glass rang out. Thanks to Eren’s distraction, none of the giants took notice of these “little insects” scrambling into the supply room. Thus, not a single life was lost in the breakout.

Sikun Xu, using his maneuver gear, retrieved his cables, kicked open a window, and rolled perfectly to absorb the impact as he landed. The entire scene inside the supply room came into view. Mikasa arrived just behind him.

Concerned that something might befall the main group, Sikun Xu and Mikasa had deliberately brought up the rear. With their arrival, it meant everyone had made it inside.

He surveyed the hall. The formation was far from orderly, but there was unity among the exhausted cadets. There had once been nearly a hundred trainees at the corps’ base; now, barely thirty remained, many wounded. Such was the cruelty of reality.

“Is everyone here…” Sikun Xu sighed softly. “If so, let’s head for the underground gas storage.”

But just as he was about to give the order, a commotion broke out at the back of the group.

“What are you doing…?”

“Why didn’t you come out to resupply?”

“It’s you—abandoning us, letting so many of our comrades die!”

The uproar’s focus was Jean Kirschstein, who had entrusted his maneuver gear to Sikun Xu. While the group assembled, he had discovered members of the supply team hiding beneath a desk.

Jean had long resented the supply team for failing to assist, leading to the deaths of many friends. Now, after everyone else had fought for survival and broken through, finding these cowards cowering in the supply room ignited all his pent-up anger.

He lunged forward, dragged a supply team member out by the collar, and, fueled by grief and fury, smashed his fist into the man’s face. It was as if he struck not only for himself, but on behalf of his fallen comrades. Blood and saliva sprayed from the man’s mouth, teeth knocked loose. No one intervened; instead, they cheered Jean on. Only Connie, worried things would go too far, finally pulled him back.

“Xu…” Mikasa looked at Sikun Xu, a flicker of emotion in her eyes. He understood and stepped forward.

“That’s enough,” he said.

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