Pyxis

In the early morning, the 218 soon-to-graduate cadets of the 104th Cadet Corps stood in neat ranks, awaiting their instructor's orders. Even after three years, Instructor Keith's voice was as powerful and booming as ever.

"Listen up, you pigs! Today's simulated attack exercise in Trost District is extremely important! Some of you want to join the Military Police Brigade, don't you? Then give it everything you've got tomorrow! See how far you still fall short of real soldiers! Tomorrow, Commander Pyxis, supreme commander of the southern region, will also be here to observe. Cadets, show us your best! Dedicate your hearts!"

"Dedicate your hearts!" Everyone pressed a fist to their chest and roared.

Once the speech ended, the cadets immediately dispersed and headed to their assigned stations to prepare. This simulated attack exercise in Trost was a joint exercise between the Training Corps and the Garrison Regiment.

The simulated attack exercise covered the series of combat operations and responses that would follow if Titans breached Trost District.

It included organizing civilian evacuations, along with vanguard squads, supply squads, logistics squads, communications squads, and more. Everyone had a clearly defined role, though it remained to be seen how this so-called training would hold up in actual combat.

Squad assignments were once again random. Yago, Thomas, and Bertholdt were assigned to Squad 27, though "team" seemed a more appropriate term than "squad."

Squad 27 was a vanguard squad tasked with assisting the Garrison Regiment's vanguard in clearing the Titan models on the left flank.

Once their preparations were complete, everyone shouldered their packs and set off. After entering Trost District, Thomas suggested stopping by his home. They were in no hurry, so anyone who wanted to go home was free to do so. Mark happened to be heading home too. Before leaving, he asked Jean if he wanted to come along. "Jean, your mom must really miss you. Come with us."

Jean pictured the doting way his mother treated him. Seemingly afraid of embarrassing himself in front of everyone, he hastily turned Mark down.

As they walked through the streets of Trost District, the two country kids, Sasha and Connie, were dazzled by everything they saw. "Wow, there are so many interesting things in the city! And so much good food!" "This is my first time seeing somewhere this prosperous too!"

Yago had been inside Wall Sina and seen how the so-called nobility lived, so he did not make a fuss.

Watching those two goofballs, Sasha and Connie, Jean could not resist a sneer. "Once you join the Garrison Regiment, you can look around as long as you like. I'll come visit you here after I become a military police officer."

But Armin, standing nearby, delivered the perfect follow-up. "Speaking of which, Jean, are you really not going home for a visit? From what Mark said, your mom must really miss you, right?"

Jean froze for a moment, then snapped in embarrassment, "Shut up! Why do you care so much?"

Before long, noon arrived. Yago's Squad 27 stood on the roof of a tower, with Thomas and Bertholdt beside him. Yago looked up at the sun and judged that it was nearly time.

With two quick swishes, Yago drew a pair of blades from their sheaths and slotted them into the rotating mechanisms on his legs. Thomas and Bertholdt were already used to the sight and drew their own blades, preparing for combat.

Bang! A green signal flare shot into the sky, marking the start of the exercise. In an instant, the previously quiet Trost District burst into activity. Hundreds of cadets and Garrison soldiers roared as they charged from every direction toward the Titan models erected throughout the city.

The Garrison soldiers responsible for evacuating civilians also began directing an orderly withdrawal. Everyone knew it was a drill, so the civilians were cooperative.

The Garrison vanguard squad that Squad 27 was assigned to assist gave Yago and the others a signal. Yago drew his blades, his gaze sharp. "Squad 27, move out!"

Taking the lead, Yago leaped off the tower, and Thomas and Bertholdt immediately followed.

Atop Wall Rose, Instructor Keith watched the exercise through a spyglass. Beside him stood an old man with the same bald head, a white mustache, a heavily wrinkled forehead, and flushed cheeks. He wore a Garrison Regiment uniform bearing the roses they defended, with a bright red honorary sash across his body. This was Pyxis, supreme commander of the Garrison Regiment's southern region. With over ten thousand Garrison soldiers directly under his command, he was a powerful figure who truly held military authority.

At that moment, however, Pyxis was swaying on his feet. Anyone who came closer could not only hear the commander snoring but also smell the strong reek of alcohol.

Through his spyglass, Instructor Keith spotted Squad 27's performance in the distance and was thoroughly impressed. Yago led the charge, wielding two blades in his hands while the pair strapped to his legs spun intermittently. As he soared through the air without slowing, his hand-held blades sliced through one Titan model's nape while a blade strapped to his lower leg neatly cleaved another model close beside him.

Thomas and Bertholdt also performed very well. Thomas mainly watched for targets, Yago handled the bulk of the kills, and Bertholdt guarded against surprise attacks and delivered finishing blows. Bertholdt in particular used his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear and executed his twin-blade strikes with flawless, textbook precision, without a single wasted movement, though he occasionally seemed a little rigid.

Instructor Keith nodded in satisfaction, only to turn his gaze and spot something that displeased him.

Before his eyes, Squad 21, which had been assigned to the rear guard, suddenly abandoned its post and charged toward the front line. Keith could guess why: they probably wanted to show off by rushing forward to kill more Titans.

Keith appreciated that kind of courage in battle, but this was a regiment training exercise. Acting without orders like that could easily disrupt the defensive line or even cause it to collapse.

At that moment, Miniko, the female Garrison soldier beside Commander Pyxis, also noticed something was wrong and hurried to report it. "Commander, Squad 21 has abandoned its post. Huh? Commander? Commander?"

Pyxis had fallen asleep standing up. Left with no other choice, Miniko shouted into his ear, "Commander!"

Pyxis jolted awake. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Is it time to eat?"

"Commander, didn't you just eat?" Miniko asked, speechless.

"Did I?" Pyxis scratched his head, then raised the bottle in his hand. Just as he was about to open it, Miniko snatched it away. "Commander! You can't drink any more!"

To her surprise, Pyxis produced another bottle from inside his coat as though performing a magic trick and began gulping it down. Miniko's expression darkened. This commander simply would not listen. I'm tired. Let it all burn. Li An, the male Garrison soldier responsible for taking notes, hurried to soothe her. "It's fine, it's fine. The commander rarely gets an opportunity like this. A little more won't hurt."

With his eyes glazed over, Pyxis took another mouthful of liquor and began wondering what he should have for dinner.

"Commander Pyxis, you really should drink less," Keith said, walking over to him.

"Oh, Keith," Pyxis said. "How's life as a Training Corps instructor? I hear you've got quite a few promising cadets."

Keith nodded without the slightest modesty. "Indeed. The cadets of the 104th Cadet Corps are truly outstanding. They're good enough to become elite soldiers in any of the regiments."

Pyxis laughed heartily and took another swig. "Keith, you really haven't changed. You still don't know the meaning of modesty. Well then, let's go. Let me have a look at these outstanding cadets of yours."