Chapter 424: Quest Complete, Seal Lifted — Salvation or Destruction?
"What are you standing around for? Move!"
The Garrison Corps captain bellowed.
Everyone snapped out of their daze, forcing down their fear.
Remembering their duty to protect the wall, they activated their vertical maneuvering gear and shot into the air like a swarm of bees.
After the wall was breached,
the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan vanished.
Jiraiya landed at the very edge of the massive breach, a living shield.
His blade was chipped and bent from constant use.
Mindless Titans kept pouring in.
Even with Jiraiya holding the line, some managed to slip past and enter the city.
"Ahhh!"
A Garrison soldier screamed in pain.
A nimble Titan grabbed him like a mouse,
its immense grip crushing ribs and organs.
Crunch.
The soldier was tossed into its mouth,
the cracking of bones chillingly clear.
"It's an Abnormal!"
Eren's face filled with panic, but he could do nothing.
He tried to describe the abnormal Titan's movements to Jiraiya.
But he needn't have worried.
Jiraiya, though exhausted, still burned with fighting spirit.
Even Abnormals were felled like wheat before him.
Gradually, Garrison soldiers began to work in tandem with Jiraiya,
forming a protective ring around him—
not to steal kills, but to ease his burden, allowing him to focus on cutting down Titans.
They knew they were weak.
None of them tried to play hero.
"Chaos, slaughter, death, war…"
Jiraiya lifted his eyes,
watching the panic-stricken crowd and the unending tide of Titans.
He sighed deeply.
Was peace truly impossible in any world?
[50 Titans slain. Seal progress: 10%…]
After killing one more Titan, a game notification rang in his ear.
Though exhausted,
Jiraiya felt a rush of warm energy flow through his aching body, revitalizing him.
"Everyone, evacuate the civilians. Leave the rest to me!"
Jiraiya suddenly ordered the surrounding soldiers to fall back.
"What nonsense are you spouting, stranger?! Without us, you'd have been Titan food by now!"
The Garrison troops were stunned.
Jiraiya's strength was clear, but the Titans kept coming.
Without their support, he'd be overwhelmed in minutes.
They'd already lost over a dozen comrades trying to support him.
"This isn't the time for pride, damn it!"
The captain frowned. "If we lose control, civilians will die!"
Jiraiya didn't answer.
Faced with their doubt,
he suddenly dropped his weapon and slapped both palms on the ground.
"Earth Style: Swamp of the Yellow Springs!"
The ground softened and trembled.
It turned to quicksand, pulling in everything.
Titans stumbled,
unable to keep their balance,
and were soon swallowed whole.
"What the…?"
The captain and his soldiers stood frozen.
They forgot they were standing at a breached wall, surrounded by Titans.
First, a Colossal Titan appeared—something not seen in centuries.
Then, a mysterious man stronger than Levi fended off hundreds of Titans.
Now, he was casting what looked like… magic?
Were they dreaming?
"Decent power."
Jiraiya nodded. With just 10% of his power unsealed, he was already Jonin-level.
And thanks to his abundant energy, he could cast far more jutsu than most.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Rampart!"
Taking advantage of the swamp's temporary effect,
he weaved hand signs. Chakra surged.
A massive earthen wall rose, rapidly sealing the breach.
"Not enough chaos. Don't let him seal the wall!"
Reiner, who had snuck into the city and seen everything, couldn't waste time being shocked.
If the breach was patched and the city intact,
their infiltration would be discovered.
Everything—the wall breach, the chaos—was orchestrated by a far-off empire.
Reiner and his allies, Warriors capable of transforming into intelligent Titans,
had been sent to this land of mindless beasts to infiltrate and recover the Founding Titan hidden in royal bloodlines.
They couldn't fail.
Not even once.
BOOM!
A deafening crash rang out behind the Garrison soldiers.
Two men were crushed against the wall, reduced to pulp.
The Armored Titan reappeared, charging toward Jiraiya and the wall he was repairing.
Every step shattered the stone streets beneath him like a tank rampaging forward.
Crash!
The Earth Wall shattered.
Though these intelligent Titans were low on spiritual hierarchy,
their stats were absurd—especially Strength, easily 40 points.
That was equivalent to top-tier taijutsu Kage like the Raikage.
The locals had only their maneuver gear—no match.
Even most Jonin would be overwhelmed unless they were taijutsu monsters like Guy.
Such was the gap between worlds.
Though Titans were unbalanced in stats,
they had their own terrifying advantages.
"Intelligent Titan! Stop! We can talk!"
Jiraiya didn't attack.
He called out to the Armored Titan instead.
Inside, Reiner panicked.
Had their plan been exposed?
But when he looked around and saw the confused expressions of others, he understood.
"Idiot. If you ruin the mission, Bertholdt will go down in Marleyan history as a traitor."
Clearly,
Jiraiya had gotten suspicious when he saved the Colossal Titan.
Normal Titans didn't help each other.
"Just stay silent."
Reiner had no intention of negotiating.
If the mission failed, he couldn't face his homeland.
There was only one path left—victory.
He raised his armored right arm like a shield and charged Jiraiya.
The Armored Titan's edge was his near-impervious armor.
It was like a walking tank.
Even if Jiraiya could use magic-like powers,
breaking through that defense was almost impossible.
"Watch out!"
The Garrison soldiers screamed.
Before disappearing, the Armored Titan had once breached a wall with this very charge.
Not even steel could withstand it.
"Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!"
Jiraiya didn't retreat.
Black markings formed around his eyes.
He extended his palm—
a glowing blue sphere the size of a beach ball formed instantly and slammed into the Titan's chest.
Thud!
Reiner gasped.
His armor was pierced.
Even his hardened plates couldn't stop the spiraling chakra sphere.
"Sage Art: Wild Lion's Mane Jutsu!"
Jiraiya's messy white hair shot outward like blades.
Twisting with his head's motion, they sliced through the Titan's nape.
[Armored Titan slain. Seal progress: 15%...]
[World Quest Activated: Salvation or Destruction.]
[Titan World Quest: Salvation]
Objective: Destroy the corrupted aggregates created by the tainted Titan World consciousness. Purify the Titans.
Reward: 1,000,000 Contribution Points.
[Titan World Quest: Destruction]
Objective: Destroy Wall Maria, Wall Rose, and Wall Sheena. Eliminate all nine Titans. Crush the tainted world core: [Titan].
Reward: 1,000,000 Contribution Points.
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