Assault (Chapter)

"Eren Yeager...is not my enemy. Someone else comes first.... Show yourself, Levi. You can't afford to wait, can you?"

- 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 the Marleyan Warriors and the Survey Corps resume fighting, Falco Grice emerges from the ruins of the building that he, Eren Yeager and Reiner Braun were in. He looks around in horror at the fighting and destruction around him and notices Eren's Attack Titan 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 Reiner's behavior before transforming and realizes why Reiner has not begun to heal; the holder of a Titan power must have a strong will to survive in order to regenerate quickly. He leaves Reiner to go find help.

Meanwhile, in the town square, Mikasa Ackerman fires a Thunder Spear at the crystal surrounding Willy's sister in hopes to blow it apart but it fails. Zeke Yeager launches more debris at the Survey Corps and two soldiers charge at him only to be shot down by Pieck and her Panzer Unit. She orders the unit to conserve their remaining bullets and to 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 Galliard 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 Willy's sister and tries to bite through the crystal, but the Attack Titan's teeth break and shatter. Eren takes note that the material is similar to the crystal surrounding Annie Leonhart and notes that while the War Hammer Titan 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 Galliard to question why he is using all his strength and stamina. Pieck theorizes that despite Eren's actions, the Marleyan soldiers have blocked off all escape routes available. The Warriors 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 his fellow Warriors, Zeke proclaims that his enemy is not Eren, but Levi is, and tells him to come out and face him. Falco is in awe at the sight of Zeke and is found by Theo Magath who demands to know what he's doing there. As Falco informs him that Reiner is in the Plaza, Gabi Braun 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 Arlert. 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 stagger from the resulting shock wave, which is strong enough that even the Jaw Titan grabs on to the roof to avoid being blown off. Porco deduces that Paradis Island has taken Bertolt Hoover'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 Kirstein 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 open neck and grapples away. Magath pulls both Gabi and Falco away as the bomb detonates.

The Marleyan forces are momentarily caught off-guard at the presumed death of their Warchief, and the Survey Corps takes the opportunity to attack the Cart Titan. As the Panzer Corps fire wildly at the soldiers, Sasha Blouse takes aim and kills one of the gunners. Pieck senses this and charges at Sasha. Jean swoops in, wishing for payback for the Cart Titan nearly killing him in the battle of Shiganshina. He fires a Thunder Spear that deflects into one of Pieck's eye slots and detonates.

The rest of the Panzer Unit is killed as a barrage of Thunder Spears is fired from above, gravely wounding Pieck. She stumbles off the building and crashes near Falco, Gabi, and Magath. As Jean moves in for the kill, Falco runs over and jumps on the neck of the Cart Titan to beg for him to stop.

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