Attack on titan: The Last Stand

Sitting in an assault boat surrounded by soldiers, Xu Shixiong couldn't understand why he had come back. Maybe it was his pride? Frustrated, he tugged at the oversized bulletproof vest, which hung loosely on his frame.

"Why bring him along? He'll only be a liability," Bai Li said from the bow of the boat. Dressed in full tactical gear with an assault rifle slung across her chest, she glanced at her fiancé, Qin Feng, who was eyeing Xu Shixiong struggling with his vest.

"I watched everything from the footage sent by the helicopter. There's a question I need to answer: why didn't the red giant attack him?" Qin Feng said.

"You mean the Type-A giant?" Bai Li asked, puzzled.

"Yes." Qin Feng's sharp gaze flickered.

"So, you're not here to save people?" Bai Li questioned, surprised.

"One doesn't interfere with the other," Qin Feng replied calmly.

The assault boat landed under the cover of night. The special forces team formed a defensive perimeter around Qin Feng and Bai Li, who held a tablet to review the map and finalize their plan. Xu Shixiong sat idly on a rock by the beach, skipping stones across the shimmering waves.

"The detailed operation plan is set. This mission is designated 'Red,'" Qin Feng announced.

The special forces soldiers responded with synchronized OK gestures.

After finalizing the plan, Qin Feng decided to drive to the distress site. Glancing at Xu Shixiong, who was sulking on a rock, he ordered, "You're coming with me. Don't lag behind."

Xu Shixiong didn't argue, dragging himself over to Bai Li with a defeated expression.

Bai Li noticed his mood and offered a comforting word, "If you don't want to go, no one's forcing you."

Misinterpreting her concern as mockery, Xu Shixiong snorted coldly. "I'm the one who got you out of Kyoto, so why not go back? I'm not afraid."

Seeing his defiant attitude, Bai Li shook her head, choosing not to argue further. Meanwhile, Qin Feng led the team to search for vehicles, intending to speed up the rescue effort by driving.

The journey was eerily uneventful. Apart from the deserted streets, the occasional chirp of insects and birds created an almost serene atmosphere.

Qin Feng sat in the passenger seat, observing their surroundings. The convoy moved in darkness, with no headlights to avoid detection, inching silently toward their destination.

"Stop the vehicles and cut the engines," Qin Feng ordered through the radio. The convoy came to an immediate halt.

Special forces soldiers disembarked from the vehicles, raising their rifles to scan the area. Xu Shixiong, sitting nervously in the car, looked out the window, confused by the sudden stop.

Qin Feng opened his car door cautiously, speaking into the radio, "This area feels too strange. Stay alert."

The soldiers sensed the odd stillness. The insect and bird noises had stopped abruptly, leaving an unsettling silence.

Standing beside Qin Feng with her rifle raised, Bai Li kept watch. Xu Shixiong, feeling trapped in the cramped car, quietly slipped out and huddled near Bai Li for some sense of safety. She glanced at him briefly but said nothing.

"Stay quiet," Bai Li whispered.

Suddenly, the trees began to sway without wind. Xu Shixiong, now visibly on edge, scanned his surroundings. The citywide blackout limited visibility to about fifty meters, heightening the tension.

The special forces team remained disciplined, awaiting orders. "No one moves without my command," Qin Feng instructed, fearing any rash action might provoke danger.

Then, silence returned as suddenly as it had been broken. It was as if the earlier commotion had been nothing but a passing breeze.

"There's definitely a giant nearby," Bai Li stated with certainty.

"This is cursed," Xu Shixiong muttered to himself.

"Still recovering from piloting Aokyu… and now I'm back in Kyoto like an idiot," he grumbled.

Bai Li's expression softened, though she maintained her grip on the rifle. She asked curiously, "What did it feel like when you stabbed yourself with that knife back then?"

"Feel like?" Xu Shixiong was taken aback by the question. Hoping to lighten the tense mood, he replied, "It wasn't gut-wrenching. Just felt like something cold and sharp lodged in my abdomen—very painful and definitely not comforting."

Bai Li let out a soft laugh.

"Toyama said you're in terrible shape. The Aokyu barely scratched you, yet you passed out on the hospital bed for ages," she teased.

Xu Shixiong grumbled, "That old man… I'll have to put him in the Aokyu myself someday."

Bai Li nodded playfully. "When we get back, stab him once, and call it even."

Amused by her casual tone, Xu Shixiong stole a glance at Qin Feng, then muttered, "Honestly, your fiancé has a bit of a superiority complex."

Bai Li didn't argue, smiling faintly. "He's a good person—responsible, but maybe too responsible for his own good."

"You two look like the perfect match," Xu Shixiong quipped.

Bai Li shot him a knowing look. "What you really mean is, 'what a pair of bastards,' isn't it?"

Caught off guard, Xu Shixiong coughed awkwardly to hide his embarrassment.

Before they could continue, a thunderous noise erupted from up ahead, breaking the eerie calm. A cloud of dust rolled toward them, forcing the group to cough and shield their faces.

As the dust settled, an enormous figure came into view. Smaller than the red giant, it had no eyes, yet Qin Feng could feel its gaze locked onto him.

"Don't shoot!" Qin Feng ordered. He feared provoking the giant and even lowered his gun, waving at it in a gesture of peace.

Xu Shixiong couldn't understand Qin Feng's actions. "Are you insane?! It's dangerous!" he shouted.

The giant, unsurprisingly, didn't reciprocate Qin Feng's gesture. Instead, it swung a massive hand toward the convoy.

"Look out!" Bai Li shouted.

A powerful gust accompanied the giant's swing, scattering vehicles and debris like toys. Xu Shixiong instinctively tackled Bai Li to the ground, narrowly avoiding the giant's swipe.

The aftermath was devastating. The street lay in ruins, with vehicles flung dozens of meters away. The giant crouched overhead, raising its massive hand for a crushing blow.

Qin Feng rose and unleashed a hail of bullets at the giant, the rounds sparking uselessly against its thick skin. Other soldiers joined in, but their efforts were futile. The giant's hand continued its descent.

Desperate, Xu Shixiong remembered the weapon system Toyama had provided. He quickly input the coordinates and activated the support system.

From the Wuhan ship, artillery systems locked onto the target. Missiles streaked across the sky, their white trails cutting through the darkness before striking the giant directly.

A deafening explosion followed, lighting up the night as fire engulfed the giant.