Assault (Chapter)

"Eren Yeager is not my enemy. Too bad that it's you. Come out, Levi! Time is running out, you know?"

- Zeke Yeager to Levi Ackerman.

Assault (強襲) is the 1st chapter of the 26th volume and the 103rd chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Overview
Falco awakens to see the Survey Corps and the Warriors engaging one another. He finds Reiner partially transformed and unconscious in the rubble, and leaves to find him help. Mikasa unsuccessfully attempts to destroy the War Hammer's crystal, and Eren is also unsuccessful in consuming it. As the fight continues, Eren emerges from his Titan form, and immediately transforms again. Pieck and Galliard discuss their plan, agreeing to defend Zeke from the Survey Corps. Zeke proclaims that Eren is not his enemy, and tells Levi that it is time to come out.

Falco reaches Magath, and alerts him to Reiner's state as Gabi joins them. Meanwhile, Marleyan battleships approaching the harbor are destroyed when Armin transforms into the Colossus Titan from a boat nearby. Angered by Bertolt's death, Galliard attempts to rush down the Attack Titan, yet is stopped by Mikasa. Jean readies a squadron of Survey Corps soldiers to attack the Cart Titan. While Pieck is distracted, the Beast Titan's nape is slashed and detonated, using explosives, by Levi. Jean's squadron and Sasha begin to attack the Cart Titan, killing its panzer unit, and showering Pieck with explosives. Before Jean could deal the final blow, Falco rushes out onto the battlefield, begging for the fighting to stop.

Summary
As both the Marley Warriors and the Survey Corps resume fighting, Falco emerges from the ruins of the building him, Eren and Reiner were in. He looks around in horror at the fighting and destruction around him and notices Eren's Attack Titan form trapped inside the web formed by the War Hammer Titan. He is still in disbelief that Eren deceived him and then wonders how he managed to survive. He turns around and sees an unconscious Reiner; he remembers that Reiner bit his hand as he turned around and was able to partially transform to protect both of them. He apologizes for being the cause of this and is curious as to why he has not fully recovered. Falco recalls that Reiner's behavior before transforming is possibly why Reiner has not begun to heal, noting that the holder of a Titan power must have a strong will to regenerate quickly. He leaves Reiner to go find help.

Meanwhile, in the town square, a Survey Corps soldier launches a Thunder Spear at the crystal surrounding Ms. Tybur in hopes to blow it apart but it fails. Zeke launches more debris at the Survey Corps. and two soldiers charge at him only to get shot down by Pieck and her Panzer unit. She orders the unit to conserve their remaining bullets and protect Zeke from behind. However, another soldier flies up out of range of the Panzer guns and prepares to launch a Thunder Spear at Pieck. Porco scales a nearby building and slaughters the soldier in mid-air. He emerges from his Titan and tells Pieck to be on guard for the Ackerman that was pursuing him.

While this is happening, Eren makes eye contact with Ms. Tybur and tries to bite through the crystal, but its teeth break and shatter. Eren takes note it is similar to the crystal surrounding Annie and notes that while the War Hammer has been able to trap him, he still has a way to escape. He jumps out of his Titan form and regenerates it once more, causing Porco to question why he is using all his strength and stamina. Pieck theorizes that despite Eren's actions, the Marley soldiers have blocked off all escape routes available and they must advance with caution due to him containing the Founding Titan. Zeke agrees with Pieck's theory and is able to repel the Survey Corps away. To the surprise of everyone present (including his fellow Warriors), Zeke proclaims that his enemy is not Eren, but Levi and tells him to come out and face him. Falco is in awe at the site of Zeke and is found by Magath who demands to know what he's doing there. As Falco informs him that Reiner is in the Plaza Gabi arrives and overhears that Eren is responsible.

In the harbor, several navy ships prepare to set sail towards Liberio to provide aid for Marley. The captain of one notices a small fishing boat to the side and advises it to return, noting that it is currently dangerous to be on the water. The sailor removes his hood, and it is revealed to be Armin. He looks at the ship and then transforms, obliterating the ships and causing an explosion that is seen and heard in Liberio. Gabi, Falco, and Magath are all blown away by the resulting blast; Porco deduces that Paradis had taken Bertoldt's life and his Colossus Titan, driving him into a rage. He breaks formation to charge at Eren head-on, hoping to once again take the Founding Titan. Mikasa unsheathes her blades and defends Eren from Porco. Jean rallies the remaining Survey Corp soldiers to neutralize the Cart Titan's guns as both Pieck and Zeke move to attack.

Suddenly, the Beast Titan stumbles and Pieck spots Levi on its neck, slashing open the nape and causing it to crash to the ground. Levi delivers the final blow by dropping a bomb inside the slashed open neck and grapples away; Magath pulls both Gabi and Falco away as the bomb detonates. The Marley forces are momentarily caught off-guard at the presumed death of their warchief, and the Survey Corps take the opportunity to attack the Cart Titan. As they fire wildly at the soldiers, Sasha takes aim and kills one of the gunners; Pieck senses this and charges at Sasha. Jean swoops in and, wishing for payback from it nearly killing him in Shiganshina, fires a Thunder Spear that deflects into one of the eye slots and detonates. The rest of the Panzer unit is killed as a barrage of Thunder Spears are fired from above, gravely wounding Pieck. She stumbles off the building and crashes in front of Falco. As Jean moves in for the kill, Falco jumps on the neck of the Cart Titan and begs for him to stop.

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