It was none other than a team of elite soldiers, including Levi's squad, who had successfully lured a large group of Pure Titans and a couple of Abnormals toward Byakuya.
They were rushing toward the designated tower as outlined in the operation plan—only to witness an enormous, flying "Titan" charging at another wave of Pure Titans.
The fact that such a Titan could fly, and more incredibly, was helping them, left the soldiers in total disbelief.
And just then, a deafening commotion erupted behind them.
When they turned around, their eyes widened at the sight before them.
More than a dozen Titans, including the two Abnormals, had already been slain. Massive blades had burst from the ground, impaling countless Pure Titans through the body.
Some Titans had died instantly. Others, though their napes weren't yet destroyed, had been pinned so violently they couldn't move an inch.
And standing in the midst of it all was Byakuya — now a colossal 20-meter-tall armored figure.
Every single element of what they saw defied logic.
Byakuya's Titan form wasn't normal by any means. It appeared to consist only of a massive upper torso, yet even that reached staggering heights. And in its hands was a weapon almost as large as a building.
"This... this has to be a joke. Our commander is that kind of monster?!" one of Levi Squad's members gasped.
"No wonder we're following the plan instead of engaging directly" Petra added with a sheepish laugh. "Compared to him, our efficiency in taking down Titans doesn't even come close."
"Let's regroup at the tower for now," Levi said, staying the calmest of them all—though even he was visibly shaken.
He had known from Erwin's decision that their new commander was special. But this... this was on a whole different level.
Byakuya, meanwhile, was finishing off the Titans that hadn't quite died.
[Ding! The host has defeated a Pure Titan. Reward: 5 Attribute Points!]
[Ding! The host has defeated a Pure Titan. Reward: 5 Attribute Points!]
Within moments, Byakuya had wiped out the remaining Titans. Then he reverted to human form and returned to the tower's top.
That one skirmish alone had netted him over 500 attribute points— over a hundred Pure Titans and two Abnormals.
And that was just the first wave. More were coming.
Just as he arrived back at the tower, Eto had also returned after cleaning up the other side. She too had reverted to her human form — though she could still fly short distances with her kagune, even outside her full kakuja form.
The elite soldiers began arriving at the base of the tower. According to the plan, they would take a brief rest before going out to lure more Titans again.
Now that they had witnessed the terrifying power of Byakuya and Eto with their own eyes, even the most skeptical among them had nothing left to question.
In fact, questioning them felt absurd now. It was like they didn't even belong to the same world.
....
Wave after wave of Titans were drawn to the battlefield, and each time, Byakuya and Eto took them down with ruthless efficiency.
By the time the sun began to set, the day's operation had finally wrapped up.
Titans tended to enter a dormant state at night, similar to sleep, but humans also lost visibility in the dark, making movement risky. And if the Titans were startled awake, they'd begin chasing again, creating even more danger.
The tower was used as a temporary base. The soldiers had supply wagons, so food and water weren't an issue.
At sunrise, the operation would resume.
Task ③: Slay 999 Pure Titans (423/999)
Task ④: Slay 33 Abnormal Titans (15/33)
While resting inside the tower, Byakuya checked the mission tracker in his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Both missions were nearing the halfway mark.
It wouldn't take long to finish them.
That left just one remaining objective — Slay Ape using Tengu-Form Susanoo.
But Zeke hadn't shown up yet. The one he'd encountered in the underground chapel was a future version of him.
That night, morale among the elite soldiers was higher than ever.
The day's operation had gone unbelievably smoothly. Luring Titans wasn't too difficult, especially since they weren't fighting head-on.
Abnormals were a concern, but as long as they led them back to the tower, the two commanders would handle them with ease.
At this rate, the operation to retake Wall Maria was headed for a full-scale victory.
For the first time in human history, it felt like humanity could win against the Titans. That thought alone filled them with courage.
Technically, Byakuya was the only official commander. But given Eto's overwhelming power, the soldiers had started treating her like one too.
Later that evening, while they were drinking and celebrating, many soldiers looked around for Byakuya and Eto, wanting to raise a toast — but found both were nowhere to be seen.
Odd — just moments ago, they were sharing food with everyone…
In truth, Byakuya and Eto had quietly slipped away to the top of the tower.
"You don't like drinking either?" Byakuya asked.
"Nope. Never tried it. Not interested" Eto replied simply.
Byakuya was of a similar mind. Being toasted by every soldier sounded like a headache, and he wasn't particularly fond of alcohol anyway.
It was far better to lie on the rooftop and watch the stars, soaking in the moonlight.
"So… what's your plan for those three — Reiner and the others?" Eto asked, breaking the silence.
"They'll be useful eventually. But no need to expose them just yet" Byakuya answered.
Later that night, the two of them fell asleep atop the tower, wrapped in each other's arms beneath the moonlight.
It looked like a dangerously exposed place to sleep — but only for normal people.
The slightest disturbance nearby would immediately trigger Byakuya's instincts. No one could sneak up on them.
Not that it really mattered. In this world, there were no humans or Titans capable of killing either of them.