The Vow Beyond the Walls - Collapse — The Man in Black Reveals His True Identity —

The sky beyond the walls hung heavy and foul. The sun had not shown its face since morning; thick clouds sagged low over the land. The wind blew warm and damp, carrying the smell of grass and soil and, from somewhere far off, a faint rotten sweetness—all of it mingling and striking the nose of Rivai Akkaman as he swayed in the saddle. Day three of the fifty-seventh expedition beyond the walls. The Survey Corps advanced north across the open ground, holding its long-range scouting formation. Grassland stretched as far as the eye could see, rippling and rustling in time with the wind. Scattered across it were the tiny figures of soldiers driving their horses, dotted here and there like specks. Rivai rode slightly behind the center of the formation, just to the left of Commander Eruvin Sumisu. His hands on the reins were loose, free of wasted strength, as always. But his sharp, gray-blue eyes never stopped sweeping the surroundings. (Something's off.) Rivai turned the unease coiling in his chest over on his tongue like a bitter pill. He couldn't get the words Eruvin had spoken the night before out of his head. "The only ones who know this formation's layout are the Corps' senior officers. And a handful of men in the royal government." "If there's a traitor among us, he'll show his tail. Without fail." What had surfaced in Rivai's mind then was the face of the man who'd worn an unnatural smile at the castle gate before they set out. Gelger. A veteran of the Survey Corps, a seasoned soldier past forty. Normally a quiet man who treated everyone with gentleness. And yet that smile of his clung to the corner of Rivai's mind and would not let go. (That's the face of a man who's plotting something.) Rivai let just a fraction of tension into the fingers gripping the reins. That was when it happened. "Commander—urgent report!" A single horse came galloping up from the rear at full speed. Its belly shone with sweat, and the face of the messenger riding it was pale with terror. Eruvin pulled the reins and brought his horse to a stop. Rivai halted alongside him. "What is it?" Eruvin's voice was low and calm. "R-report from the scouting squad! A large horde of Titans, including Abnormal types, is approaching from the northeast! Their number—at least fifty or more! Their course is straight toward us!" The messenger's voice was shaking. "Speed?" "F-fast! At this rate, we'll make contact within the hour!" Eruvin's blue eyes narrowed sharply. "From the northeast, you say." He spread a map across his saddle. Rivai leaned in from beside him to look. (Northeast...) (Between the left wing and the center. Where our scouting is thin.) Deep in Rivai's chest, last night's bad premonition swelled into a black mass. Eruvin's finger stabbed at a point on the map. "This course strikes precisely at the formation's weak point." His voice was quiet—almost cold. "Coincidence? No. This can't be coincidence." Eruvin folded the map and turned to Rivai. "Rivai. It seems my fears have become reality." "Yeah. Means there's a traitor." Rivai answered shortly. "Don't let anyone notice. I'm telling only you. There are likely several traitors. And they'll use this chaos to make their move." "I know." Rivai met Eruvin's blue eyes straight on. "You keep commanding the main body. I'll handle the rear guard." "Please do." Eruvin gave a short nod. Rivai started to turn his horse, then glanced for a single moment at Eruvin's profile. (This bastard's going to try to carry it all on his own again.) (But this time, I'm right here beside him.) Rivai muttered it inwardly and spurred his horse. --- The horde of Titans was closing in. From beyond the distant grassland came a rumbling of footsteps, like the earth itself groaning. Far across the endless plain, enormous shadows rose slowly, one after another after another. "All troops, battle positions! Tighten the formation—converge on the main body!" Eruvin's voice carried on the wind. Soldiers drove their horses forward all at once, gathering around the main body. "Rivai Squad, guard the left flank of the main body! Petora, you follow Rivai's orders!" "Yes, sir!" Just behind Rivai's horse, Petora Raru nodded with a serious expression. Her short, orange-tinged brown hair whipped in the wind. Her large amber eyes stared straight ahead. A small silver earring glinted dully at her left ear. The sole woman of the Survey Corps' Special Operations Squad—the Rivai Squad. Nineteen years old. A young soldier who respected and trusted Rivai more deeply than anyone. "Petora." Rivai spoke without turning around. "Yes, Captain." "Don't you dare die." His voice was blunt and brief. Petora's eyes widened for just an instant—then she broke into a soft, faint smile. "...Yes. You stay safe too, Captain." Her voice was polite, and it had backbone. Rivai said nothing more and urged his horse faster. (She's too earnest. But that earnestness is what holds the squad together.) So he thought, silently. --- The battle with the Titans began. "Uwooooh!" "Right wing, don't break! Hold the line!" The soldiers' shouts rang across the grassland. Anchors fired from the omni-directional mobility gear, wires slicing the air. Ultrahard steel blades tore through Titan flesh. And the death cries of the Titans. Rivai dismounted and raced across the grassland with his gear. "Tch... there's too many of them." He clicked his tongue. Normal-class Titans appeared one after another from beyond the plain. From small three-meter types to large ones over ten meters. By rough count, no fewer than thirty. Rivai drove an anchor into a Titan's shoulder, reeled in the wire, and accelerated in one burst. "Hah!" Holding his blade backhanded, he spun and slashed through the Titan's nape. Zbam! A spray of blood flew into the sky. The Titan collapsed. "Next." The instant he landed, Rivai leaped for the next Titan. --- Petora watched Rivai's back from a distance. (The Captain really is amazing.) (I have to learn to fight like that too.) She pressed her lips tight and dove into the horde with her gear. "Hiyah!" Petora circled behind a small Titan and cut through its nape. The Titan crumpled. "Good—that's one!" She let out a small breath. But in the next instant, something moved at the edge of her vision. "—!?" She spun around. A five-meter-class Titan was charging straight at her. "Kh—!" Petora fired an anchor on reflex, driving it into the Titan's shoulder. But the Titan moved faster than she'd expected. (I won't make it—!) The moment she thought it— "What're you standing around for!" Rivai cut in between Petora and the Titan. "Hah!" His blade severed the Titan's head in a single flash. The Titan fell. "...S-sorry, Captain!" Petora apologized in a fluster. "If you've got time to apologize, look around you. On the battlefield, the ones who die first are the ones standing around dazed." His voice was cold. "Yes...!" Petora bit her lip. (I'm always just being protected by the Captain.) (I have to fight properly.) She steeled herself from within. --- The battle grew fiercer. The number of Titans wasn't shrinking—it was growing. "Damn it, there's no end to them!" "Someone! The left wing's in trouble!" The soldiers' voices filled with panic. Rivai kept cutting down Titans while calmly observing the situation around him. (Something's wrong.) (These Titans are clearly reading our movements.) The horde struck precisely at the formation's weak points, tightening the encirclement. (So there really is a traitor. And one sitting pretty high up.) Gelger's face surfaced in Rivai's mind again. "Rivai!" Eruvin's voice reached him. Rivai looked toward him. "We're falling back to protect the main body! Rivai Squad, serve as rear guard!" "Understood." Rivai answered shortly. "Petora! You lot, fall in behind the main body! I'll hold the rear!" "Yes!" Petora followed Rivai's orders and moved to the rear of the main body. Rivai stood alone before the horde. "Come on, then. I'll be your opponent." He readied a blade in each hand and murmured quietly. --- That was when it happened. "Uwaaaaaaah!?" A scream erupted from the center of the main body. Rivai spun around. At the center of the main body, one of the Survey Corps soldiers was cutting down the comrade beside him—from behind. "W-what are you doing!?" The struck soldier fell with an expression of disbelief. "Guh—!" The soldier who'd struck him, face blank, scanned the surroundings as if searching for his next prey. "Traitor! The enemy's mixed in among us!" "Everyone, ready your weapons! We can't tell who's the enemy!" The main body fell into chaos. "Tch... so it's started." Rivai clicked his tongue and started to race back toward the main body. But then— "Don't move, Captain Rivai." A cold voice came from behind him. He turned. One of the Survey Corps soldiers had the edge of a blade pressed to Petora's throat. "Petora!" Rivai's voice sharpened. "You don't care what happens to this woman?" The traitor grinned. "Drop your weapons. Otherwise, I'll cut her throat." Petora's face had gone pale with fear, but even so, her eyes on Rivai were steady. "Captain... please, don't worry about me...!" Her voice was trembling. "Shut up!" The traitor pressed the blade harder against her throat. "...Tch. Playing dirty, are you." Rivai clicked his tongue softly. "Drop your weapons, Captain Rivai. This woman's life depends on what you choose." The traitor spoke with the triumph of a man who'd already won. Slowly, Rivai let the blades fall from both hands to the ground. "...That good enough?" His voice was cold. "Hah, so even humanity's strongest soldier throws down his weapons for one woman." The traitor sneered. "But too bad for you. You're going to die here too." The traitor raised his blade. —And in that instant. Rivai's body vanished. "—!?" The traitor's eyes flew wide. Rivai had kicked the fallen blade up off the ground with his toes, caught it in midair. "You thought you could beat me?" His voice was cold as ice. "W-what—" The traitor lost his words. In an instant Rivai closed the distance, slamming into the man and shoving Petora clear. "Kyah!" Petora tumbled to the ground. "Damn you!" The traitor swung his blade wildly. But Rivai's movements were several times faster. "Too slow." Rivai's blade carved through the traitor's arm. "Gaaaaaah!?" The man screamed. "What's fun about cutting down your own comrades?" Rivai seized him by the collar and slammed him to the ground. "...D-damn...!" The traitor gasped in pain. "Where's the man in the black cloak?" Rivai peered into his face. "...How should I know." No sooner had he said it than he suddenly pulled something from his coat. "!?" Rivai leaped back on reflex. The next instant— BOOOOM!!! The traitor's body exploded. "Guh—!" The blast threw Rivai through the air, and he rolled across the ground. "Captain!" Petora ran to him. "...I'm fine. More importantly, are you hurt?" Rivai said it as he pushed himself up. "Y-yes... I'm all right. But Captain, you—" Her voice was shaking. "Don't worry about it. This is barely a scratch." Rivai brushed the dirt from his clothes. "...Those bastards came here planning to die from the start." He looked down at the remains of the exploded traitor. "Fanatics, then." His voice was low and heavy. --- That was when it happened. "Commander Eruvin." A man's voice suddenly rang out from the center of the main body. Rivai looked toward it. Standing there was Gelger. "Gelger... you." Eruvin's voice wavered, just slightly. "What is the meaning of this?" Gelger smiled pleasantly. "The meaning? Why, it's exactly as it looks, Commander." His voice was gentle, as though he were making idle conversation. "You're... the man in the black

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Episode 4

Name: The Vow Beyond the Walls
Author: Novelia

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