Footsteps suddenly sounded behind me.
My body reacted instantly. I drew the dagger from my waist and hurled it toward the sound without hesitation. However, the moment I turned and saw who it was, I quickly adjusted my aim. The blade sliced past the man's cheek and buried itself in the wooden door behind him.
Even though the man looked slightly different from how he appeared in the anime, I recognized him immediately.
Doctor Grisha Jaeger.
Grisha's eyes widened in shock as he stared at me. Behind him, his son Eren stood frozen at the doorway, his face filled with disbelief.
"Save... save Mikasa!"
Hank's weak voice came from behind me.
I turned around at once, ignoring Grisha and Eren completely. The moment I met Hank's eyes, my heart sank. The effect of the healing cards had already faded, and his life was slipping away even faster.
Without hesitation, I pulled out two more healing cards from my belt and pressed them against his wound. A faint green glow flickered again.
Some strength returned to Hank's eyes.
However, the effect was far weaker than before.
The healing cards were losing their power. At this rate, the next time they were used, they might not work at all.
I swallowed the grief building inside my chest, wiped the tears from my face, and spoke softly.
"Uncle Hank, is there anything else you want to say?"
Hank breathed heavily, struggling for every breath as he leaned against the wall.
"Jax... there are five of them."
His voice trembled.
"Save Mikasa... please. The Ackerman family depends on you now."
He grabbed my hands tightly with both of his. Despite being on the verge of death, his grip was unexpectedly strong.
"I promise you."
I nodded firmly.
By this time, Grisha had recovered from the shock and rushed forward to examine Hank's wounds.
"Doctor Jaeger," Hank said weakly, "I leave Jax and Mikasa in your care."
Grisha nodded solemnly.
"Do not worry. I will take care of them."
The faint glow from the healing cards slowly faded.
The last trace of light disappeared from Hank's eyes.
His hands loosened and slipped from mine. His head fell forward as his body went still.
He was gone.
Grisha took a slow breath and pressed his fingers against Hank's neck to check for a pulse.
"I am sorry, Jax," he said quietly. "He is gone."
Bang!
My fist slammed into the wooden wall beside me, spreading cracks across the surface.
I stood up slowly, my expression dark.
My gaze moved across the room until it stopped on something lying on the floor.
Mikasa's scarf.
The bright red cloth looked painfully vivid against the bloodstained floor.
I walked over in silence, bent down, and picked it up. Without a word, I wrapped the scarf around my neck.
After that, I stepped toward the doorway, pulled my dagger from the wood, and picked up my bow and arrows.
"Wait... wait!"
Grisha suddenly realized what I was about to do.
"Where are you going?"
"I am going to kill them," I replied coldly. "And bring Mikasa back."
The story had already changed. I could no longer rely on what I knew from the original plot. There was no guarantee Mikasa would be saved this time.
I would not allow another tragedy to happen.
"There are five of them. You cannot do this alone!" Grisha shouted, completely losing his calm.
"You do not even know where they are. The best option now is to report this to the Military Police and ask for help. Hank entrusted you to me. I cannot let you throw your life away!"
I reached into my robe and pulled out the crescent pendant Hank had given me earlier. I tossed it toward Grisha.
He caught it with both hands, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"This... Hank actually gave this to you."
"He also told me that Skog is a traitor," I said quietly. "And he asked me to save Mikasa."
I closed my eyes for a brief moment.
"Five enemies, fifty enemies, five hundred enemies, it does not matter."
I opened my eyes again.
"Even if there were five thousand of them, I would kill them all and bring Mikasa back."
"This is my promise."
Without another word, I stepped out of the house.
Through the enhanced perception of Hunter Spirit Sight, I could clearly see the tracks the attackers had left behind.
My grip tightened on my weapon.
"I will kill them all."
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