Time Flies

Swish! The sound of a blade slicing through the air rang out as it cut through the thick Mop. A deep gash had been carved into the Mop marking the vulnerable nape of a Titan model over ten meters tall.

On a nearby treetop, a tall figure slowly slid his blade back into its sheath. Beneath his short black hair, his dark eyes were as still as water.

Yago leaned against a tree, watching the others dart through the forest with their Omni-Directional Mobility Gear.

Time flew. Another two years had passed in the blink of an eye. This was their third year in the Training Corps, and in another month, the 104th Cadet Corps would graduate.

They were no longer the Titan fodder they had once been, but formidable soldiers skilled in the use of Omni-Directional Mobility Gear.

Dressed in uniform, Yago wore a languid expression. Unlike the other cadets, he had two strange devices strapped to his calves, as though sword grips had been mounted on his legs.

Of course, after more than two years, everyone was already familiar with Yago's custom equipment. The two rotating devices came with sword grips, allowing him to attach a blade to each leg in combat and slash in every direction.

Unfortunately, Yago alone could master this unusual fighting style and equipment. With the enhancement of his Titan Power and his own exceptional perception, he could keenly sense changes in his muscles and control the cumbersome rotating devices.

Instructor Keith felt both proud and hesitant. Many instructors now regarded Yago as the strongest cadet in history. Levi did not count, since he had never attended the Training Corps.

What gave him pause was that such an outstanding student wanted to join the Survey Corps. It was simply too dangerous. Keith had once commanded the Survey Corps himself and had seen countless passionate, powerful soldiers. Sadly, almost all of them had eventually died beyond the walls.

Yet, in his heart, Keith still hoped Yago would join the Survey Corps. More than the other two regiments, the Survey Corps needed elite soldiers.

"You're slacking off again." A voice suddenly reached Yago's ears. Annie held a broken section of blade, knocking off the damaged piece as she watched him loafing in the tree.

"This isn't slacking off," Yago drawled. "I just don't want to put too much pressure on everyone else. I've already cut down a third of the Titan models. If I keep going, I'm afraid they'll all gang up on me tonight."

Annie paused, but did not argue. Yago really was powerful, and his top ranking was thoroughly deserved. What puzzled her was how his theory grades had become unexpectedly good, too. He clearly slept through every class.

"If you don't want to train, then spar with me." Annie raised her arms, eager to try.

Yago straightened up. He had grown considerably taller over the past two years, and he looked down at Annie. The top of her head barely reached his chin. "Tsk, tsk, Annie. Let's just forget it. With this height difference, there's not much of a contest, is there?" he said, shaking his head.

Annie's expression darkened. The next instant, Yago plummeted in a smooth arc, a footprint freshly stamped on his backside.

Using his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear, Yago easily swung through the air and landed in another tree. Annie followed him. "Aren't you going to cut down a few more Titan models?" he asked in surprise.

"No need," Annie said indifferently.

The two sat in the tree, gazing absently at the forest. "I heard they're holding a simulated attack exercise in Trost next week. Commander Pyxis of the Garrison Regiment will be there to observe, too," Annie suddenly remarked.

"Really? Then you'd better put on a good show, Annie. Commander Pyxis is a big shot-the supreme commander of the Garrison Regiment's southern territory. You wanted to join the Military Police Brigade, right? If you perform well in front of him and catch his eye, getting promoted later should be easy," Yago said admiringly.

Annie's expression dimmed. She had spent a long time considering joining the Military Police Brigade. To get close to the Founding Titan, she had to join the brigade with the best access to it. But she could not let go of Yago.

Yago was determined to join the Survey Corps, and its death rate of eighty percent chilled Annie to the bone. She did not want him to die at the hands of those Pure Titans.

Annie had once haltingly expressed her hope that Yago would join the Military Police Brigade with her.

If Yago had not been through so much, perhaps he really would have joined the Military Police Brigade, which outsiders so desperately coveted, for Annie's sake.

But Yago carried too many secrets, and parts of his memory were missing. He wanted to unravel every mystery. Why had he become a Titan? That path of light, that girl, that white coat, Marley...

Too many secrets awaited him. A comfortable life would not help him find answers, so Yago had made up his mind to join the Survey Corps!

After both of her hints were rejected, Annie seemed to recognize how firm his resolve was and stopped bringing it up. But thinking of her father back home, she sighed inwardly. She could not abandon him. As for Yago, perhaps his loss of his past memories was not such a bad thing. At least he did not have to carry so much.

Whoosh, whoosh! Sasha and Connie swept past them. "Ha! Yago and Annie are hiding in a tree and slacking off! We caught you!" Sasha shouted. Connie joined in from beside her. "Slackers! Slackers!"

Yago and Annie exchanged a smile. Yago stood and rolled his neck. Shing! He drew a blade with his right hand. "Looks like I don't need to spare these guys' pride anymore. Then let me show you the true strength of the top cadet in the 104th Cadet Corps!" Yago leaped, his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear blasting gas as he shot through the air.

Annie smiled faintly and leaped after him.

After flying around for ages, Jean finally spotted a Titan model. Excited, he rushed toward it and raised both blades. Before he could bring them down, an absurdly fast figure had already sliced through the model he had targeted.

"Yago! You bastard, don't push it!" Jean cried in despair. As if this monster taking a third of the points for himself was not enough, he was now stealing theirs, too. Was he going to leave them anything at all?

"Sorry, Jean! The thing is, I got caught slacking off, so I've got no choice but to get back to it!" Yago's voice rang in his ears. Jean gritted his teeth and cursed whoever had interrupted Yago's break. Couldn't they just let the guy slack off in peace?

Elsewhere, Sasha and Connie sneezed at the same time. "Huh? That's weird. It feels like someone's bad-mouthing me." Sasha scratched her head blankly.

Connie looked astonished. "I feel like someone's bad-mouthing me, too! Could someone be cursing both of us at once?"

"Very possible!"

Leaving those two goofballs aside, elsewhere, Eren slashed at a Titan model, only for his blade to get caught in it, nearly making him fall. Mikasa stayed close to him the entire time.

Armin was with Mina, talking about something or other. Farther away were the grim-faced Reiner and Bertholdt. But Reiner's gaze was strange: one moment gloomy, the next filled with righteousness, and then secretly searching the grounds for Christa.

Instructor Keith closed the roster and went to look out the window toward the forest. "Cadets of the 104th Cadet Corps," he murmured, "it's time for you to spread your wings and soar!"