Attack on Titan: The Strongest Newcomer

"Is this guy really going to die? Mark rushed forward like this just now, but he..."

A soldier stole a glance backward, his eyes lingering on Ryo as he sped toward the approaching giant. The sight filled him with unease. Could this young soldier truly be throwing his life away?

"Don't look back! Keep moving forward!" the commander bellowed. "We'll be out of danger in half a minute. Then we can show these beasts what we're made of and avenge our fallen comrades!"

The commander turned his head away from Ryo's retreating figure. He didn't want to dwell on it, but in his heart, this soldier would be immortalized. Ryo's sacrifice would not be forgotten.

The strange giant closed in with terrifying speed, and Ryo charged straight at it, both moving at blistering paces. The collision would be devastating.

As Ryo soared through the air, the giant's hand lashed out to seize him. The speed and accuracy of its movement betrayed an intelligence beyond that of ordinary titans. This wasn't just a mindless brute—it was a calculating predator.

The soldiers of the left-wing unit had seen this before. The same giant had snatched Mark moments earlier, crushing him in its grasp before swallowing him whole.

In the trees, Petra gasped and clutched her chest. "Ryo... he..."

Oluo gritted his teeth, his frustration palpable. Though he'd often found Ryo irritating, the thought of losing him left an unexpected ache in his heart.

Mikasa was frozen, her face pale as she watched the scene unfold. Her connection with Ryo, forged over the past year, made this moment unbearable.

As the giant moved to stuff Ryo into its mouth, Mikasa's voice cracked the tense silence. "No!" she screamed, her desperation cutting through the air like a blade.

Levi remained calm, his eyes narrowing as he observed the scene. "This is the path he chose," he said quietly. "He knows the risks."

The squad exchanged uneasy glances. Levi's words were logical, but they still stung.

Then, without warning, Levi's gaze sharpened. "Besides, do you doubt his strength? Look again."

All eyes turned to the battlefield just as Ryo broke free from the giant's grip. With a flash of steel, the giant's fingers fell, blood spurting from its severed hand.

Petra clutched Mikasa in a relieved embrace, shaking her excitedly. "He's alive! Ryo's alive!"

"This kid's got guts," Oluo muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "But I swear, when he gets back, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!"

Eld and Gunther exchanged relieved smiles, though their curiosity grew. How had Ryo managed to escape?

Meanwhile, on the ground, the left-wing commander and his troops heard cheers from the trees. Turning to see what had happened, they spotted Ryo in action.

"He's alive! That soldier—he's still alive!"

The commander let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His earlier plans to memorialize Ryo in his heart shifted to admiration.

"Keep moving forward!" the commander barked. "Don't let his sacrifice be in vain!"

Ryo wasn't just alive—he was fighting back. Utilizing the skills Levi had taught him, Ryo unleashed a technique that mirrored Levi's famed gyroscope maneuver. Spinning like a whirlwind, he used the giant's arm as a springboard, his blades carving upward with precision and power.

Each strike propelled him forward, maintaining his momentum. His larger frame made the technique uniquely his own—less a "small gyroscope" and more a storm of blades.

From their vantage point in the trees, the rescued soldiers watched with awe. They had escaped to safety, but their eyes remained fixed on the battlefield.

"That guy... he's incredible," one of them murmured, unable to look away.

Ryo, undeterred and focused, pressed his attack. For him, the battle was far from over.