Shinzou wo Sasageyo Ayanokouji

ℭ29: 𝔏𝔢𝔳𝔦'𝔰 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔷𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫

C29: Levi's Realization

In just eight minutes, the entire situation flipped on its head, leaving the table overturned and my team in disarray. In that short span of time, we lost four crucial members, and with them went the very structure that held us together. What kind of expression was etched upon my face? Was it one of anger? I instinctively reached up and touched my face, but there was no discernible crease, suggesting that anger had not yet consumed me. Instead, my eyebrows bore that all-too-familiar arc, revealing my deep sense of upset and disappointment.

I seethed with frustration as I grappled with the fact that I had failed to protect my own team. Normally, I didn't waste time fretting over things, but this time, the stakes were dangerously high. Those two individuals carried not only the weight of my forces but also represented the last flicker of hope in this wretched, forsaken hell. Yet, I couldn't take enough precautions to save them. Was this such a fucking mistake?

"Levi cut the crap. Now's not the time," Hanji snapped, her hand patting me while her eyes pierced into mine.

Those eyes... I knew them all too well. The same damn eyes I've seen three times in my life. The first time was when I lost my entire squad, back during my cursed first deployment. These titans crushed my squad under it's hungry jaws chewing them and ripping their organs off as if they were bags of meat just there for satisfying their killing intent and leaving me to lament the reason why I wasn't gobbled up, chewed and mangled by those disgusting beasts.

The second time, was when I finally had everything settled yet due to nothing but the ridiculous political dominance of the empire, felt everything slip out of my palms.

And the third, is this having my own squad turned traitors.

I had callously placed too much faith, that's the fucking issue. I gritted my teeth aimlessly.

"Hanji, gather the forces we have a meeting taking place." I barked out as I concentrated back to the issue.

They made the announcement as if it came out of the damn blue. But no, it couldn't have been. If it truly caught Kiyotaka off guard, even for a fraction of a second, his expression would have flickered, betrayed some sign of surprise. That little brat, however, had a face as rigid as hardened clay, showing no hint of wavering.

So, it must have been predictable. The signs were there, scattered throughout the situations we faced. If only I had connected the dots, if only I had followed those damn hints, maybe I could have prevented this from happening. But no, I was fixated on the immediate threat of the Titans. The worry of betrayal lingered in the recesses of my mind, but I foolishly drowned it out, pushing it aside for another time.

I let my focus slip, that I allowed myself to be blindsided. As a leader, I should have been vigilant, and always prepared for any possibility. Yet, I allowed myself to be consumed by the urgency of the moment, neglecting the subtle warnings that were right in front of me.

Titans living among humans, first Annie now this. Was there more? There was a possibility. What if Kiyotaka was one? Perhaps that's why he didn't worry. What if Kiyotaka was a titan and him being held hostage was a part of their scheme?

Was I thinking too much into it? Maybe it's just a crazy afterthought but the idea of someone being in the group and being an information leak is too much of a risk. I dropped down and entered the makeshift tent set up.