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~East of Wall Sina, Stohess District~
Hidden in the shadows of a narrow alley, Haruya let out a sigh... a habit he had developed by now.
At this moment, his only trump card was his Titan transformation. He had to be constantly vigilant against sudden attacks.
If he had to name another advantage, it would be his cheat ability. But due to its limited uses, he didn't want to waste it carelessly.
"Alright, what should I do now?"
Honestly, while Haruya wanted to transform into a Titan and rush toward Annie immediately, doing so would undoubtedly make him a bigger target and complicate things further.
If he could escape in human form, he might be able to hide until the battle between Eren and Annie concluded.
However, escaping under the surveillance of these people was no easy task. After all, his enemies were the elite of the Survey Corps.
In just a few minutes, Eren would begin his operation. At the same time, the Survey Corps surrounding Haruya would also act, signaled by Armin's sonic bomb.
It seemed he wasn't experienced enough... his carelessness had exposed flaws, allowing the Levi Squad to catch him.
But Haruya believed they were only speculating. There was no way they could be 100% certain he was the black Titan.
Calming himself, he realized that although there were few pedestrians around, he could feel their gazes on him. Some deliberately avoided him.
These people had clearly come prepared.
If he transformed into a Titan now, those hiding with ODM Gear would undoubtedly attack immediately.
'How can I escape with minimal risk?ʼ Haruya didn't want to kill these humans as a Titan.
After all, he was just an ordinary person who disliked taking lives.
Of course he wasn't a saint either. To survive, he could do many things.
In short, as a decent person, Haruya had his limits. But once those limits were crossed, he could do anything.
In this Isekai, Haruya was supposed to be a minor character. Yet, now he had become the center of attention.
Being in the spotlight wasn't bad, but it wasn't exactly pleasant either.
~~~
Haruya was running in his Titan form.
Taking deep breaths to steady himself, he suddenly heard a whistling sound from his left.
*Boom!*
A cannon shell...
Unable to react in time, Haruya was struck in the left shoulder. His tough exterior was torn apart, muscles and bones shattered by the blast.
Losing his balance, he grabbed a nearby tree with his right hand, steadying himself before continuing to run.
"Damn it..."
That momentary delay had allowed the three Levi Squad members to catch up.
Ignoring them, he pressed on with his plan. But the attacks kept coming.
After the cannon blast, Haruya felt his body growing sluggish. Perhaps because his Titan body's senses had replaced his own, the loss of his left shoulder made movement awkward.
Not dwelling on it, Haruya leaped again.
"Attack!"
The Survey Corps soldiers launched another assault.
'These people really don't know when to quit.' As he sighed, Haruya extended his right hand.
His left shoulder injury made his left arm less agile, but it was healing quickly.
The soldiers swarmed him, but Haruya wasn't running along the streets, he was jumping across rooftops.
With every step, the streets below were reduced to rubble, though he paid no mind.
"Now!"
As Haruya vaulted over a building with one hand, the three attackers struck from behind.
Their anchors pierced his legs and arms... they weren't aiming for a fatal blow.
The ODM Gear hissed as Oluo and Eld lunged forward, slashing at the back of his knees.
'Trying to cripple my movement?'
Two blades aimed for the joint behind his knee.
In midair, Haruya twisted violently.
Since their anchors were still embedded in his legs, he couldn't shake them off.
Haruya ignored Oluo and Eld's attacks. As he turned, he punched a nearby building, sending rubble flying toward the soldiers behind him.
At the same time, as Petra aimed for his right arm, Haruya grabbed the roof with his right hand and snapped his jaws at her.
Forcing Petra back, Oluo and Eld's attacks landed.
Their goal was to destroy Haruya's mobility.
But their blades shattered.
Covered in black skin, his legs were now indestructible.
"One last chance." Haruya spoke in his Titan form, his voice hoarse but clear.
"This is your last opportunity to retreat. I won't harm any more humans!"
Some soldiers hesitated, but others charged forward regardless.
"For humanity! We must uncover their secrets!"
"Yeah!"
Ignoring reason, the soldiers rushed at Haruya.
'I guess I have no choice...'
To prevent his plans from being disrupted, Haruya abandoned his earlier restraint.
To these people within the walls, a human who could transform into a Titan might be their only tool to reclaim the lands beyond.
But Haruya still considered himself one of them, a person within the walls.
Even if he sought freedom, he was still bound by something...
Facing attacks from all sides, Haruya grabbed chunks of debris and hurled them forward while kicking a nearby building.
Lowering his stance, he stepped forward with his right foot and swung his left fist.
Soldiers trying to anchor themselves to his body were flung off as he sprinted and leaped.
One soldier flew past him, and Haruya swept his leg sideways, feeling no resistance...
The soldier crashed into a wall, blood spraying everywhere.
Within seconds, another attacker was sent spinning into a building, bones shattering from the impact.
Rising from the wreckage, Haruya spotted enemies on his flank.
Changing direction, he charged toward a group of soldiers.
As they braced for his approach, Haruya spun and bit down.
Two were swallowed whole. One was bitten in half.
There was no taste, just a deep discomfort in Haruya's human core.
Swinging his right arm, he kept his left hand guarding his nape.
He knew their tactics, so countering them was easy.
Crossing a river, Haruya reached a more open area. In the distance, he saw two Titans locked in battle.
As he ran toward them, black skin (his Armament Haki) spread over his right arm.
'Now…time to end this...'