So strong...

Xiate, who was following behind Bai Yu, could not help feeling a little puzzled.

"Big brother, um... was that all you needed to collect data on Little Fish?"

"Pretty much. I've tested it more than once and collected ten sets of data. There shouldn't be any problems in actual combat, either. You just need to get a basic feel for how to use it."

As for experimental data, Bai Yu had already tested it many times in the system's training space. Testing it outside was mainly about checking whether a few key variables had any issues. Once those were confirmed, the rest was more or less settled.

Bai Yu and Xiate had now arrived near the 104th Cadet Corps' Training Corps grounds. Since he was supervising Eren, Reiner, and the others anyway, he might as well sleep nearby and borrow their training grounds for Xiate to practice.

Bai Yu greeted Instructor Keith and asked to let Xiate train there as well. Keith had no objections. It was a good opportunity to show these brats what real Omni-Directional Mobility Gear maneuvers looked like.

Watching Bai Yu sleep in a large tree not far away, the 104th Cadet Corps cadets listening to Keith's lecture below could not help wondering why Bai Yu was still so strong when he slept every day.

Xiate also equipped her Omni-Directional Mobility Gear and flew into the woods to train. Of course, she trained alone. Surely she could not be made to race Eren and the others?

As the 104th Cadet Corps' simulated Titan Suppression battle began, everyone launched themselves into the air with their Omni-Directional Mobility Gear and flew into the woods. Yet they caught sight of a figure darting between the trees without slowing down or hitting a single trunk. After just one glimpse, they could no longer keep up with her.

Xiate did not attack the Titan models. Instead, she left marks on the trees with one slash after another, her blades flashing as she passed.

A cold gleam flashed, and deep blade marks appeared in the trunks.

Mikasa also spotted Xiate ahead of her. Gritting her teeth, she tried to catch up, opening the gas jets of her Omni-Directional Mobility Gear as far as she could manage. Though she was not using full power, even that speed was becoming difficult for her to control.

Ahead of her, Xiate's blades moved with her body, the cloak bearing the Wings of Freedom fluttering behind her. Within seconds, nearly ten blade marks appeared on a large tree.

They corresponded to a Titan's hands and feet, and finally, its nape.

Then, without hesitation, she plunged from high in the air, diving rapidly toward the ground as though dodging something. Even Mikasa, who had caught up, thought she had lost control of her direction.

But the instant she neared the ground, her gas jets cushioned her descent, her cables shot out, and the gas drove her forward at full power. She skimmed the cramped stretch of grass, charging toward the tree ahead.

Her body changed direction three times along the way, leaving an N-shaped trail of lingering gas above the grass. As she approached the tree, she used her cables and the thrust of her gas to spin rapidly, slashing upward from its roots all the way to its crown. With one forceful stroke, she cut at roughly the same height as a Titan's nape.

She launched herself into the air again and hurled her two battered blades with all her strength. They spun rapidly through the air, swept past the edge of a large tree, and struck a nearby trunk, quivering violently.

Still airborne, Mikasa was momentarily stunned by Xiate's rapid flurry of slashes. Xiate's movements lingered in her eyes. They were so... so beautiful. Clean and crisp, fast yet powerful, without a single pause or interruption. Nearly a hundred slashes flowed together in one seamless sequence, each leaving its own mark. And the faint sharpness in Xiate's eyes, the way she moved as she pleased-it was truly beautiful.

Yet Xiate, who had just landed, suddenly turned with a slight frown and rushed toward Mikasa, leaving her puzzled.

But when Mikasa turned her head, she saw the tree ahead rapidly looming larger before her.

Nothing like this had ever happened during her previous training. There was no time to react! Even a sharp turn would send her crashing headfirst into one of the surrounding trees. She could only instinctively raise her arms to shield herself.

But the impact she expected never came.

Another figure in a green Survey Corps cloak flashed past and caught Mikasa in midair. Because he still had to control his cables and gas, he could only hold her against his chest as best he could. He dodged the trees at several different angles in the air, then did everything he could to slow their descent before they hit the ground. In the end, they rolled several times, but fortunately, neither was hurt.

Mikasa quickly sat up and looked around, but all she saw was Xiate, who had just landed.

"Could you get up?"

A calm voice came from beneath Mikasa.

"S-sorry."

She hurriedly apologized. Only then did she see that the one who had saved her was Ming.

Xiate walked over, looking somewhat relieved, and pulled Ming up from the ground.

"Are you all right?"

Ming shook his head lightly.

"I'm fine."

Xiate frowned slightly as she addressed Mikasa.

"Mikasa, what happened to you? That was dangerous."

But Ming spoke up, having seen exactly what had happened.

"She was watching your Omni-Directional Mobility Gear maneuvers and got a little mesmerized."

His words made Xiate look at Mikasa doubtfully.

"Is that true?"

Mikasa glanced toward the grass beside her and gave a slight nod.

"That's a bit ridiculous."

Xiate could not help making a quiet remark.

"Hurry up and get back to training. You'll reach this level someday, too. Ming, let's go. We'll train somewhere else, a little farther away, so we don't disturb them."

After the two left, Mikasa sat on the ground and leaned against a tree trunk, still replaying each of Xiate's slashes in her mind.

Could I do that?

Mikasa asked herself.

She tightened her grip on her blade and swung it hard in front of her.

"I don't think... I can..."

She murmured softly.

"But I'll be able to."

A resolute voice suddenly rang out.

Mikasa looked to the side and saw Kali. She gazed in the direction Ming and Xiate had gone, her eyes firm. She had seen all of Xiate's Omni-Directional Mobility Gear maneuvers just now, yet she still believed that.

"You should know how strong they are. Next month, you're going on an Expedition Beyond the Walls..."

But before she could finish, Kali merely smiled.

"I'll be as strong as they are. Because Bai Yu chose me, and now I'm part of the Support Squad, too. So I'll work hard to make sure I don't hold them back."