This whole process of setting up the giant net looked simple on the surface, but in practice, it was a painstaking and time-consuming task.
Without blocking the Titans in Shiganshina District, completing the net would've been nearly impossible.
Of course, if Byakuya and Eto weren't around, the elite soldiers from the three military branches could've used themselves as bait to lure the Titans away.
But the maneuvering space in Shiganshina was limited, and more Titans could charge in at any moment through the massive breach caused by the Colossal Titan. Without Byakuya and Eto to thin the enemy out, the risk to the troops would've been massive.
It would've taken countless sacrifices just to buy the time needed to secure the net.
At that moment, only the soldiers designated to construct the net were actively working. The rest—elite members of the three branches—could do little more than observe from rooftops.
With Byakuya and Eto on the battlefield, there was simply no room or need for anyone else to step in.
As for their horses, they'd all been left inside the Wall. Once the net was up, the animals wouldn't be able to return. The soldiers themselves, however, could use their ODM gear to scale the wall again.
Even the strongest among them, Levi, felt no need to intervene.
He could kill one Titan in the time it took those two to kill ten—or more.
Hange, in particular, stood closest to the action, watching Eto with starry-eyed admiration, as if witnessing some rare and priceless treasure.
"Hange, that area's dangerous. Why don't you stand with us?" Petra called out, clearly concerned.
But Hange was far too captivated to hear her.
"Leave her be" Levi said flatly, his tired eyes locked on Hange. "She's always been like that. Strangely hard to kill, too."
By "hard to kill," he meant that Hange had a habit of recklessly approaching Titans for research, and somehow surviving every time.
"Still... what is that weapon the Commander's using made of? It's way sharper than our blades, and we're already using the most advanced materials we have" one soldier suddenly asked.
"Who knows?" Levi shrugged. "You could always go ask him."
"Eh… maybe not…" the soldier muttered nervously.
The Commander's power was just too overwhelming. No one dared casually approach him.
....
[Ding! The host has defeated a Pure Titan. Reward: 5 Attribute Points!]
[Ding! The host has defeated a bnormal Titan. Reward: +10 Attribute Points!]
Whether Pure or Abnormal, Byakuya cut down every Titan that came his way.
Once the net was finally secured, he and Eto could stand down.
"It's done! The net's in place!" a soldier shouted from atop the wall, firing a colored flare to signal completion.
Byakuya heard the shout faintly through the wind.
Eto shifted back into her human form, and the two of them instantly appeared on top of the wall.
The soldiers who had just finished anchoring the net jumped in surprise when the two materialized beside them.
Even though they'd heard of the Commander's unbelievable powers, witnessing it this close still shocked them to the core.
Byakuya inspected the net's anchoring. Everything looked solid—perfect, even.
The elite soldiers who'd been watching from rooftops quickly deployed their ODM gear, grappling their way to the top of the wall.
Everyone took a moment to rest.
Below, the Pure Titans pressed uselessly against the net. Those in front were caught on the barbed spikes, while those in back were blocked by the bodies piling up. It was the perfect containment.
Excitement buzzed through the air.
At this point, the mission to retake Wall Maria could be declared a total success.
"We humans… we've finally defeated the Titans!"
"It wasn't easy — well, actually, it kind of was. Let's be honest: without the two Commanders, we never would've pulled this off."
"Right? There were just too many Titans inside Wall Maria. If it had been up to us alone, we would've lost hundreds, maybe thousands of soldiers. And the more we killed, the more would've poured in through the breach."
Tears streamed down faces. Joy, disbelief, and awe mixed into one overwhelming wave.
This was humanity's first true victory—and easily its most important.
They all knew the truth: without Byakuya and Eto, none of this would've been possible.
Two to three thousand Titans killed in just a few days. Dozens of Abnormals among them.
It was unimaginable.
And to think they had doubted these two in the beginning… now that felt shameful.
But the two people who had done the most — Byakuya and Eto — remained calm.
They'd faced far greater threats in their original worlds. Compared to that, dealing with Pure and Abnormal Titans was child's play.
"Now we can begin repairing the wall" Byakuya said flatly. "Before the net is worn out or destroyed, get as much of it rebuilt as you can."
He was speaking directly to the Garrison Regiment—the ones responsible for maintaining wall defenses.
...
After a short rest, the troops headed back to Wall Rose, eager to deliver the exhilarating news.
There might still be a few straggler Titans inside Wall Maria, but they could be dealt with later.
All elite units made their way to the nearest district: Trost.
...
On the walls of Trost District, Garrison soldiers spotted multiple signal flares in the sky.
The flares signaling a triumphant return.
Eyes widened. Even though the miraculous news had already reached them the night before, seeing confirmation with their own eyes still felt surreal.
The Garrison scrambled to raise the gates, ready to welcome back what could only be called the saviors of humanity.
As the massive gates groaned upward, civilians swarmed toward the commotion.
They still didn't know for sure if the operation had succeeded, but they all shared the same hope: to learn, at last, if humanity had won.