Kyle's last scream echoed in his head as his hands gripped his dagger tightly. The air around him was thick with smoke and dust, and the screams of civilians mingled with the relentless devastation above the rooftops.
The colossal Titan approached with heavy steps, each one shaking the ground beneath Kyle's feet. He could see Eren's small body, like a shattered painting from a past life, trapped between the rubble and the Titan's crimson shadow.
"No… no!" Kyle whispered to himself, his heart pounding.
But before he could move, the golden words flashed through the air again:
[New Alert: Phase 1 – Designated Danger Zone]
[Skill Available: Kinetic Prediction – Use with Caution]
Kyle took a deep breath, trying to process the new ability. "Kinematic Prediction?" he said softly. It wasn't just a feeling, but an inner sensation of a surge of movement, as if the whole world was slowing down for him.
At that moment, the Titan leaped toward the neighboring house, shattering the wall completely. Debris flew in every direction, and the screams of the people rose to their highest point. Kyle didn't have the luxury of hesitation. He used the skill for the first time, and then he noticed something astonishing: glowing lines that hadn't been there before, following the Titan's path, every movement predetermined, every step anticipated before it happened.
"So… that's what the screen meant…" Kyle whispered, his eyes widening with a mixture of excitement and fear.
He ran toward Eren, every step calculated precisely. Every move of the Titan unfolded before him seconds before it happened. But the surprise didn't end there.
Behind him, he heard that mysterious voice again:
"Remember, Kyle… every attempt to change your destiny comes at a price."
He turned around. No one was there. Only the empty alley and thick smoke.
His heart raced, but he focused on the task at hand: saving the child. He finally reached where Eren lay and lifted the debris that had fallen on him. He couldn't move much longer; time was moving at an unnatural speed, and the countdown in the air reminded him of his impending fate:
[58:12…] Kyle cradled the child in his arms, his eyes fixed on the giant. He used his kinesthetic foresight to dodge flying debris, calculating every step, anticipating every danger.
In the midst of the chaos, he noticed something strange: the garrison soldiers were beginning to act unnaturally, as if repeating the same mistakes he had witnessed in his previous life.
"No… it can't be…" Kyle whispered. "Everything is repeating itself… even them."
The idea was taking root in his mind: this time loop wasn't just a chance to survive, but a test of his every move, every intervention. Any wrong step could lead to another death… and perhaps even greater secrets awaited him if he succeeded.
Suddenly, another giant appeared on the side of the wall, smaller than the first, but terrifyingly faster. The sound of it crashing against the walls filled the streets with a deafening roar. Kyle used his kinesthetic prediction again, dodging flying bricks and guiding Eren to temporary safety. But his heart was racing. Every passing second was a new test: Would he have enough time? Would the skill work?
In a brief moment, he spotted an old dagger dangling from the hand of one of the soldiers running for safety. He knew instantly that using it would be too risky. This was his only chance to disable the smaller Titan, but it could cost him his life.
"No room for hesitation…" Kyle muttered, leaping into the open path, his dagger taut.
A piece of debris fell on him, but he managed to land a precise blow at the Titan, causing it to pause for a moment, losing its balance, before continuing its destructive advance.
The countdown was approaching the first half hour:
[30:48…] At the same moment, he felt a cold hand touch his shoulder again, but this time the voice wasn't just a warning:
"Choose carefully, Kyle. Don't change everything… only what you can change without breaking the system." He turned quickly: no one was there, but the shadowy figure's silhouette faded into the smoke.
Kyle felt the pressure, not just from the immediate danger, but from the knowledge that his every move was being watched, that any mistake could send him back to square one, or worse.
A smaller giant's scream filled the air, and the city crumbled around him. Kyle ran, guiding Eren, using motion prediction, dodging every threat of death, but he knew: the decisive moment would soon come, the moment of final decision that could determine humanity's fate… Suddenly, a golden light shone from behind the rubble, as if the screen before him expanded into a window to another world. Words danced and pulsed:
[Next Mission: Confront the First Decision]
[Danger: You Cannot Survive Alone]
Kyle looked at Eren, then at Mikasa, who ran after him, then at the burning city.
—This time… I'm leaving nothing to chance. Kyle whispered, his blood running cold. Yet, deep down, he knew: the real challenge hadn't even begun, and every calculated step now was a struggle between survival and knowledge…
End of Chapter Two
Will Kyle succeed in protecting Eren and Mikasa? Who is the mysterious voice watching him? And how will the time loop evolve with each new attempt?