Keith opened the roster of the 104th Cadet Corps. It contained detailed records of all 218 cadets, and the first page listed the top ten.
(I gave the following character introductions some thought and decided to include them after all, mainly to refresh everyone's memories. Definitely not because I wanted to pad the word count! Absolutely not! (｡ò∀ó｡))
Tenth place: Sasha Blouse
A soldier from a hunting family, she had extremely keen instincts. However, her hunter's habits made her poor at teamwork and somewhat too inclined to act on her own. She was also a glutton with an enormous appetite.
Combat: 6; initiative: 3; tactical thinking: 5; cooperation: 6; speed: 5; appetite: 10; intuition: 10; overall rating: B
Ninth place: Connie Springer
He had an excellent sense of balance and outstanding mobility, but seemed somewhat too simple-minded. His frequent errors in judgment led to mishaps.
Combat: 6; initiative: 7; tactical thinking: 3; cooperation: 7; speed: 10; overall rating: B+
Eighth place: Mark Potter
He carried out orders effectively, demonstrated outstanding leadership, and had exceptional organizational skills. However, he was too soft-hearted and sometimes failed to rein in overly aggressive teammates.
Combat: 8; initiative: 7; tactical thinking: 8; cooperation: 10; speed: 6; overall rating: A
Seventh place: Jean Kirstein
He had exceptional skill with vertical maneuvering equipment, strong awareness and discernment, and a knack for adapting to changing battlefield conditions. However, he was somewhat too self-serving, and his abrasive personality made him prone to conflicts with others.
Combat: 9; initiative: 8; tactical thinking: 7; cooperation: 5; awareness: 10; overall rating: A
Sixth place: Eren Jaeger
He originally had no particular strengths, but developed outstanding combat skills through practice. His resolve and perseverance surpassed those of his peers, and his hatred of Titans was unmistakable. He possessed an exceptionally strong sense of purpose.
Combat: 9; initiative: 10; tactical thinking: 3; willpower: 10; cooperation: 5; passion: 10; overall rating: A
Fifth place: Annie Leonhardt
Her cutting technique was flawless, and her combat skills were exceptional. However, she was withdrawn. Apart from some interaction with Cadet Yago, she hardly spoke to anyone and was poor at cooperation.
Combat: 10; initiative: 7; tactical thinking: 7; cooperation: 3; overall rating: A
Fourth place: Bertholdt Hoover
A soldier with tremendous potential and outstanding abilities across the board, he demonstrated excellent marksmanship with a flintlock during one training session. However, he lacked initiative, struggled to make his own decisions, and was far too indecisive.
Combat: 9; initiative: 4; tactical thinking: 6; cooperation: 9; proactivity: 2; overall rating: A
Third place: Reiner Braun
Physically strong and resolute, he possessed outstanding abilities across the board and formidable combat prowess. He was deeply trusted by his comrades and displayed courage and competence beyond his years.
Combat: 9; initiative: 7; tactical thinking: 7; cooperation: 10; overall rating: A+
Second place: Mikasa Ackerman
An almost perfect soldier, she excelled in every subject and could fully master every skill. Her combat strength rivaled that of a hundred ordinary soldiers. However, she favored Cadet Eren too much during training, sometimes disrupting its rhythm.
Combat: 10; initiative: 10; tactical thinking: 8; cooperation: 9; judgment: 8; overall rating: S
First place: Yago Norman
The top cadet of the 104th Cadet Corps, he was an exceptionally powerful soldier with a calm, steady temperament. He could organize a squad in very little time and coordinate it effectively, demonstrating outstanding teamwork. He devised his own method of attacking with leg-mounted blades and possessed astonishing talent. A perfect soldier without any flaws, he deserved the highest possible assessment.
Combat: 10; initiative: 10; tactical thinking: 10; cooperation: 10; overall rating: S+
By the time Keith closed the roster, night had fallen. Torches in the training camp clearly illuminated the faces of all 218 cadets.
The top ten cadets, led by Yago, stood at the front of the formation. They were the finest soldiers in the 104th Cadet Corps, and only they had the right to choose whether to join the prestigious Military Police Brigade.
"Dedicate your hearts!" At the instructor's roar, all 218 cadets pressed their clenched fists to their left breasts and shouted in unison, "Dedicate your hearts!"
"I'm proud of you. From today onward, you will be true soldiers, dedicating your hearts to humanity!" Instructor Keith said with his hands behind his back. When he finished, he stepped back, and another instructor came forward to explain their options.
"After graduating from the Training Corps today, you have three choices. You may join the Garrison Regiment, responsible for reinforcing the walls and protecting the cities, or the Survey Corps, which risks life and limb to venture into Titan territory. Your final option is the Military Police Brigade, which serves the King, oversees the populace, and maintains order. Of course, only the top ten cadets have the right to choose the Military Police Brigade."
Immediately, everyone's eyes turned toward the ten figures at the front. Gazes filled with envy, jealousy, regret, and all manner of other emotions swept over them.
The ten had very different thoughts as well. Jean's face shone with pride, along with his longing for the life he would lead in the interior once he joined the Military Police Brigade.
Eren, meanwhile, looked utterly determined. His hatred of Titans and yearning for freedom meant he would join the Survey Corps without fail.
Mikasa's choice hardly needed considering. Everyone knew she would follow Eren wherever he went. Her feelings for him certainly made some of them jealous-Jean, for instance. Though he was delighted about joining the Military Police Brigade, the thought of ranking below Eren still made him grind his teeth in anger.
Unfortunately, Eren had no idea how lucky he was and failed to appreciate Mikasa's feelings. Perhaps he would only learn to cherish them when he was truly about to lose her.
Yago's face was expressionless, but something difficult to define lingered in his eyes. Of course, his original intention to join the Survey Corps had not changed. Whether for the sake of his own secrets or the trust Uncle Vig had placed in him all those years ago, Yago would join the Survey Corps and fight for humanity without hesitation. Still, his conversation with Commander Pyxis that day had left something like a thorn lodged in his heart.
Admittedly, if Yago put himself in Commander Pyxis's position, he too would have been suspicious of a powerful soldier with an unknown background. He understood the reasoning, but actually experiencing that suspicion still made him deeply uncomfortable.
In a sense, though, Commander Pyxis's guess had been right. Yago now suspected that he was not originally from within the walls, because the white coat in his memories did not look like anything worn there.
His hazy memories as a "transmigrator" reminded him that he was probably someone who had been modified by a mad scientist, which was why he possessed titan power. But where had Titans come from in the first place?
How had that person in the white coat mastered the ability to turn humans into Titans? And if, as he remembered, that person had called him a failure, what would a successful specimen be?
The more Yago thought, the darker his eyes grew. He did not even notice the instructor dismissing them. Only when Thomas nudged him out of his daze did he come to his senses.
Tonight, the cadets could celebrate to their hearts' content. The mess hall even provided some alcohol and roast meat, much to Sasha's delight, and the graduating cadets gathered there to celebrate.
But no one noticed three figures slipping through the darkness.
Before you continue