How about joining our Survey Corps?

Xiate, standing nearby, noticed Bai Yu's gaze.

"Brother, do you want Yishi to join the Support Squad?"

But Bai Yu merely shook his head gently.

"She's not ready yet."

"That's true."

The Support Squad was dangerous, extremely dangerous. At least, that was true for Cadets like Yishi. Even Bai Yu might not be able to save them in time.

So Bai Yu needed people he could trust, and strength mattered too. He didn't have the power to sweep aside everything on his own. That sort of unrealistic thing only existed in novels.

The Cadets kept glancing toward a spot a short distance behind Keith. Bai Yu and the two girls weren't trying to hide, either, and were easy to spot on the rock.

Once training ended, most of the Cadets gathered around them. Bai Yu hadn't visited lately because he had been researching weapons like the Thunder Spear. This time, he had mainly come to check on Kali.

The Cadets seemed to have missed them.

Looking at everyone gathering around him, Bai Yu couldn't help joking.

"Haven't you had enough training yet? You were never this enthusiastic before."

A blonde, blue-eyed girl beside him smiled.

"You were only trying to help us get stronger, Instructor Bai Yu."

"Oh, then how about joining our Survey Corps when the time comes, Christa?"

"Well..."

Christa scratched her cheek awkwardly.

But Ymir, standing nearby, spoke up irritably.

"Who tells someone else to go get themselves killed?"

Ymir leaned against a large tree with her arms crossed. She hadn't wanted to come over, but then she'd seen Christa doing so.

When she saw Bai Yu trying to get Christa to join the Survey Corps, she immediately cut in.

But her words upset Eren as well.

"What's wrong with the Survey Corps?"

Bai Yu tapped Eren on the head, putting an end to the subject.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to put you through training now. Well, except for Kali. I've got pretty high hopes for her."

A rather short, bald boy nearby spoke up, sounding puzzled.

"Instructor Bai Yu, why didn't you invite Mikasa to join your Support Squad? In terms of strength alone, shouldn't Mikasa be the strongest?"

His words voiced a question many of them had been wondering about. Even Kali herself looked over.

Bai Yu spread his hands.

"I wanted to, too. But do you think Mikasa wants to leave Eren? Otherwise, our Support Squad wouldn't have just four people even with Kali joining. We're still one short. I reckon we'll have to wait for the next batch of Cadets."

That explanation cleared things up for everyone. Eren, meanwhile, shouted angrily, though it was hard to say exactly what he was feeling.

"Bai Yu, what are you talking about!"

Bai Yu held out one hand to keep Eren at a safe distance, speaking with a helpless air.

"See? Eren's getting embarrassed."

With that, he gave Eren a hard knock on the head.

Thonk~

Yep, a good melon.

"So cherish what you've got. Otherwise, I'll recruit Mikasa into my Support Squad."

Eren was still off to the side, clutching his head and trying to bear the pain.

Quite a few of the others laughed aloud.

"Kali!"

"Here!"

"Well, don't be so nervous. I'm not your instructor right now."