Abyss Below the Wall

Hekika no Shin'en (壁下の深淵) is the 2nd chapter of the 7th volume and the 22nd chapter overall of the Before the Fall manga, written by Ryō Suzukaze and illustrated by Satoshi Shiki.

Summary
Arriving at Shiganshina District, the local Garrison is amazed to witness the arrival of Jorge Pikale. Cardina is happy to have arrived, and Kuklo begins to feel nostalgic of his time spent in the city with Sharle some months ago.

At the Survey Corps barracks, Captain Carlo Pikale greets the two trainees. He and Kuklo laugh together, recalling that they risked death together but were never properly introduced. While Carlo and the others make small talk, Cardina is awed to be introduced to a veteran soldier, though Carlo is not what he expected. He introduces himself to Carlo, and the Captain leads them into the barracks for food.

Carlo informs them that the mission must take place at night since it is unofficial. Kuklo notes the emptiness of the barracks, to which Carlo tells them of the increasing amount of soldiers transferring out of the Survey Corps, with Jorge doing what he can to bring in new recruits.

At night, the soldiers meet up at the base of Wall Maria. They cautiously head to the top of the wall, where they meet Maria Carlstead, a veteran of the Garrison, the former fiancée of Sorum Humé. Jorge informs them that she partook in Kuklo and Cardina's rescue some time ago, much to their gratitude. Maria tells them that it is her habit to help others, a trait which earned her the name "the Guardian Deity of Wall Maria" in her youth. Kuklo is surprised to learn that she has a daughter his age wanting to join the Survey Corps.

They unbox the new prototype of the device, notice its new size and weight. Maria suggests calling off the mission due to the clouds overhead obscuring their light, but since their next opportunity would not be until six days they decide to proceed anyway. Sensing the presence of Titans below, Kuklo makes his way down into the darkness below. They begin to worry when Kuklo does not give off any signal of reaching the ground, and Cardina decides to follow after him.

As the soldiers above hope for the safety of the trainees below, Cardina comes across the face of a Titan staring at him as he hangs above the ground.