Long-Distance Enemy Scouting Formation

Chōkyori Sakuteki Jinkei (長距離索敵陣形) is the 4th and final chapter of the 5th volume and the 22nd chapter overall of the Attack on Titan manga, written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.

Summary
The Survey Corps, while out on their latest mission, go over their plans and new formation. Commander Erwin has designed a new formation that allows the group to have a full view of their surroundings and significantly increases the chances of survival. The soldiers are set apart at intervals, allowing them to see in all directions and widening the detection range. At the sight of a Titan, they are to fire a red smoke signal. When the next set sees the signal, they fire their own and so on. This will allow Commander Erwin to be alerted in a short amount of time and adujst accordingly, firing a green smoke signal to indicate the course change. In the event that they come across a deviant Titan, or one manages to break throught the line, they fire a black smoke signal.

Before they depart, Eren sees Armin and Mikasa. He's excited to see his friends, especially since he hasn't been able to be around them since the trial. They greet each other and Mikasa, worried about him, asks if they've mistreated him. Other members of the 104th Trainees Squad who joined the Survey Corps come over to see Eren. Surprised to see so many, he asks if Jean and Marco joined. Jean walks up behind him and tells him that Marco died in the last attack. Eren is shocked. Jean then asks Eren if it's true that he tried to attack Mikasa the last time he transformed. As Eren doesn't have any memories of losing control, he can only go off of the reports of that day.

Jean questions Eren about his knowledge of being a Titan and his turning on his friends. Mikasa sternly asks him what his point is. Jean states that, like Eren, he wants to know what he's giving his life up for otherwise he might end up hesitating at a crucial moment. He then makes a request of Eren. He pleads with Eren to remember all of the people who are putting their lives on the line for him. Eren says he will. Soon after, the troops deploy in their new formation. Eren asks Oluo if he thinks his friends will win against the Titans. Oluo says that it's not about winning but trying to avoid them, just before biting his tongue again.

Now in formation and divided into smaller groups, Sasha's group encounters a Titan, sends up a red flare and makes short work of it. Armin, noticing that no green smoke signals for a course correction have been fired, worries that the formation is in disarray. Just then, he sees a black smoke signal and sees that a Titan is making its way towards the center of the formation. Being at a disadvantage due to the flat lands and not being able to use their Vertical Maneuvering Equipment, Ness and Siss still manage to take the deviant class down. However, off in the distance, they notice a Female Titan closing in on them.

The Titan is much faster than normal Titans and catches up to Ness and Siss in no time. They attempt to get at its weak spot, but the Titan catches Siss in mid-air and crushes him. She then grabs the ropes from Ness's Vertical Maneuvering Equipment and slings him into the ground. She has intelligence like the Colossus Titan and the Armored Titan. With no one left but him, Armin is in a panic wondering what he should do. We then see the path of destruction the Female Titan has caused, wiping out all of the right-wing soldiers in her path while the rest of the formation is completely unaware of the dangerous situation.

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