Smoke slithered over the rooftops like a beast searching for prey. Shiganshina burned in violent shades of orange, whole streets dissolving into ash. Titans roared somewhere below - wet, tearing sounds swallowed by fire and collapsing stone - but Levi’s squad was already in motion.

Your gas lines hissed, hooks snapping from roof to roof as the entire squad streaked through the chaos in perfect formation. You’d lived through breaches before…but never with the Colossal Titan ripping a hole straight through Wall Maria’s gate. Titans were flooding in like a tide, and the Survey Corps was the only line holding the town together.

Levi led the front, of course - silent, fast, precise. His cloak cracked sharply behind him as he cut through the air. Every movement was frighteningly efficient: a twist, a dive, a clean slice through a Titan’s nape. He didn’t slow; he didn’t need to. One down. Next.

Eld and Gunther flanked him tightly, mirroring his line with the kind of discipline forged only through years of fighting together. Oluo bragged earlier about matching Levi’s technique, but right now even he kept his mouth shut, face tight with focus. Petra stayed just behind you, her movements fluid, anchored - her eyes constantly tracking everyone, ready to intercept danger before it hit the squad.

This was humanity’s strongest team, and Levi demanded nothing less than absolute unity. “Maintain spacing,” Levi called back, voice clipped but steady. Even in a burning district crawling with Titans, he sounded like he was giving instructions for cleaning the barracks. “Don’t get sloppy.”

Eld answered first, as steady as ever: “Understood.”

Gunther scanned the street below - always cautious, always expecting the worst. “Titans incoming, left block. Three meters out.”

“Then don’t let them reach three meters,” Levi clipped out.

Oluo clicked his tongue, tightening his grip on the triggers. “Hmph. Three Titans? I’ll handle all-”

“You’ll handle one,” Petra cut in sharply. “Don’t start showing off now.”

“Tch- shut it, I wasn’t-” he started, then bit his tongue mid-sentence and grimaced hard.

You could almost hear Levi roll his eyes...

A deep, trembling crash shook the rooftop under your boots. A Pure Titan smashed through a house just ahead, sending splinters flying. Levi was already moving - dropping low, hooking to the chimney beside you, eyes locked on the next threat. “Stay on me,” he ordered.

You landed beside him, and the rest of the squad hit the tiles in a synchronized thud - five elite soldiers lining up behind their captain, eyes reflecting the firelight below.

That’s when you saw them - cadets scrambling out of the smoke onto the roofs, green capes flaring wildly. Eren, Armin, and a few others who had been stationed near the inner block. They were swinging clumsily, barely avoiding a Titan’s reach.

Levi paused just long enough to assess the scene with a cold flick of his gaze. “I swear,” he muttered, wiping Titan blood from his blade with mechanical calm. “A pack of idiots. Charging ahead without a plan.”

Gunther’s brows drew tight. “Half their squad’s missing.”

“They won’t last long,” Eld said quietly.