The smoke was so thick that Kyle could barely see his own hands.
The sound of explosions, people screaming, and the footsteps of Titans merged into a merciless symphony of chaos.
But even in all that…
There was one thing clear in his mind:
[44:12…]
The countdown.
Kyle tightened his grip on Eren's hand, while Mikasa stood behind them, her eyes sharp despite the fear.
This was no longer just a catastrophic day…
It was a test.
"Listen carefully…" Kyle said in a low but firm voice,
"Don't leave my side, no matter what happens."
Eren looked at him hesitantly.
"Who are you, anyway?"
Kyle froze for a second.
A simple question…
But one that carried a complicated truth.
"…Someone who doesn't want to see you die."
There was no time to explain more.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently.
The smaller Titan was back—
but this time, it wasn't alone.
Two more Titans emerged from behind the rubble.
Their bodies were uneven, their movements erratic…
but their speed was terrifying.
Kyle activated his ability instantly.
The world slowed down.
Glowing lines appeared in the air, tracing the Titans' movements, the direction of their attacks, even where debris would fall.
"Right!" Kyle shouted.
He pulled Eren and dashed forward just before a Titan's fist slammed into the ground where they had been standing.
Mikasa followed quickly, but a large chunk of stone was launched toward her.
Kyle saw its trajectory before it happened—
But…
[Warning: You cannot save everyone]
He froze for a moment.
The system… was stopping him?
Or warning him?
"Kyle!" Mikasa shouted.
In that instant, he had to choose.
Either save Eren and preserve the timeline…
or risk everything to save them both.
His teeth clenched hard.
"…Damn you," he muttered—whether to the system, the voice… or himself.
He jumped.
Letting go of Eren's hand for a split second, he dashed toward Mikasa.
He grabbed her and pushed her away just as the rock crashed down where his body had been a moment ago.
But—
A faint cracking sound.
Kyle hit the ground hard, pain exploding through his shoulder.
"Ggh…!"
It wasn't fatal…
but it was real.
Too real.
[Injury Registered: Left Shoulder]
[Warning: Physical performance decreased by 18%]
"Even this… is calculated?" Kyle whispered, breathing heavily.
Mikasa stared at him in shock.
"Why… did you save me?"
He didn't answer.
There was no time.
Eren was a few meters away… alone.
And worse—
A Titan was approaching him slowly… with a twisted smile.
Its eyes…
The same eyes.
The same Titan…
That killed him in his previous life.
Kyle's heart stopped for a second.
Memories of death flooded his mind:
Teeth… darkness… pain…
"No…" he whispered.
But this time… he didn't freeze.
He gripped his blade and ran.
His predictive ability pushed to its limit.
Every step, every angle, every possibility—
he saw them before they happened.
The Titan opened its mouth—
But Kyle was faster.
He pulled Eren away at the last second and rolled with him across the ground.
The Titan's roar shook the air.
But before he could stand…
The text appeared again:
[Potential Timeline Violation]
[Penalty Under Evaluation…]
Kyle froze.
"…What?"
The air around him grew heavier.
The world… felt like it was pressing down on him.
Then—
A scream.
But not a Titan's scream.
A human one.
He turned quickly.
A soldier… was being devoured alive.
The scene was identical—
Exactly the same.
The same soldier…
The same place…
The same moment…
Kyle understood.
Slowly.
Coldly.
"If I change something…" he murmured,
"something else has to replace it…"
The mysterious voice returned, calm… as if it had been waiting for this moment:
"Finally… you're beginning to understand."
Kyle's fists tightened.
Anger… fear… realization—colliding inside him.
"This isn't saving people…" he said quietly,
"This is… a cruel balance."
[40:03…]
Time was still ticking.
But now… the game had changed.
Kyle stood up slowly, his shoulder aching, his breath heavy…
But his eyes were different.
He was no longer just someone running from death.
Now… he was someone challenging the system.
He looked at Eren, then Mikasa, then the burning city.
"If a price has to be paid…" he said calmly,
"I'll choose who pays it."
Suddenly—
The system began to glow unnaturally.
The golden words shifted…
[Hidden Phase Activated]
[Unknown Condition Fulfilled]
Kyle's eyes widened.
"…What did I do?"
But the answer didn't come from the system…
It came from another voice.
A new one.
Colder.
More dangerous.
"You're starting to break the rules… Kyle."
The world went silent for a moment.
Even the Titans…
Their movements slowed.
Kyle felt something terrifying:
He wasn't the only one playing this game.
End of Chapter 4