Winter, 849. The snowy mountains.
The soldiers of the Training Corps were carrying out their final training exercise of the year-snowy mountain training.
Once this exercise was over, their three years of training would come to a successful close.
This exercise in the snow was a grueling one. The soldiers had to make good use of their limited supplies, endure the howling winds, and reach the designated destination to pass. According to records from previous years, snowy mountain training had the highest death toll.
That made it a particularly dangerous exercise.
After collecting their cold-weather supplies at the supply station, all the soldiers waited in an open area swept by howling winds for Keith's briefing.
Before long, Keith arrived in front of them, bundled in thick clothing, and began his announcement.
"We'll be starting snowy mountain training shortly. Since this exercise is highly dangerous, I'll allow cadets in poor physical condition to request an exemption. Does anyone wish to do so?"
Hearing this, a dozen or so cadets considered their physical condition. Certain they could not complete the exercise through the freezing winds and blizzards, they requested to withdraw.
"Anyone else?!" Keith asked again.
This time, no one answered.
"All right, then. We'll now assign the groups. Everyone in each group must help one another complete the exercise. Do you understand
?!" Keith roared.
"Understood!" everyone answered.
"Very good." Seeing how spirited they were, Keith nodded in satisfaction.
Then he took out the roster and began assigning groups.
"Group one: leader, Eren Yeager. Members, Armin Arnold, Thomas Wagner, Hannah Carolina, Mikasa Ackerman, Marco Bott... (a bunch of extras)"
"Group two: leader, Reiner Braun. Members, Annie Leonhart, Bertholdt Hoover, Connie Springer, Ymir, Jean Kirstein... (a bunch of extras)"
"Group four: (a bunch of extras)"
"Group five: leader, Arthur Ackerman. Members, Christa Reiss, Sasha Blouse, Daz... (a bunch of extras)"
"All right, everyone will set out in this order," Keith said after assigning all the members.
"Yes, sir!" everyone answered.
"Mikasa, make sure you keep warm. Don't worry about me. I'll get there safely," Arthur said gently, patting her head.
"Mm. Be careful out there," Mikasa said with a nod.
"Christa, you have to take care of yourself. Don't go helping everyone you see. Look after yourself first," Ymir earnestly told Christa beside her.
"Yes, yes, I know. Besides, Arthur's my group leader. Don't worry, I'll be perfectly safe." Christa glanced at Arthur, who was talking to Mikasa. For some reason, seeing how close they were made her feel a little miserable.
"Oh, you..." Noticing Christa's distraction, Ymir followed her gaze to Arthur and sighed. Of course she knew Christa seemed to have a secret crush on him. It made her terribly jealous, but there was nothing she could say.
"Arthur, you demon king, I'm leaving my Christa in your care," Ymir told Arthur just before setting out.
"Got it, tomboy," Arthur shot back.
"Hmph." Ymir gave Arthur an irritated glare, then looked at Christa with a complicated expression before leaving with her group.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Just then, a boy named Daz in Arthur's group began coughing violently, as though he were about to cough up a lung.
"Hey, Daz, are you all right? Maybe you should ask to withdraw?" As group leader, Arthur felt he ought to check on his members.
"N-no, I'm fine. I can keep going." Daz refused.
Arthur sighed and looked at Daz helplessly. He had no idea why the boy was as stubborn as a mule. Daz was clearly in poor physical shape and failed almost every fitness exercise, putting him among the worst cadets. Only his decent academic results had kept him from being kicked out.
He knew that if anything happened to Daz during the snowy mountain exercise, it would definitely affect their group's score and might even slow them down.
"Well, we'll just have to take things as they come," Arthur said helplessly.
Then he looked at Christa, who was shivering in the freezing wind, took off the knitted winter hat Aunt Carla had made him, and put it on her head.
"Huh?" Christa looked at Arthur, puzzled and a little shy.
"I'm not that cold. You wear this hat for now," Arthur said gently.
"But I can't. It's your hat," Christa said awkwardly.
"It's fine. Just keep it on." Like a gentle older brother, Arthur patted Christa's head.
"Okay..." His affectionate gesture left Christa feeling terribly shy. She stopped protesting and accepted it.
"All right, it's our turn to set out. Everyone, stay close behind me!" Seeing that it was nearly time, Arthur called out to all his group members.
"Yes!" The members nodded, and Arthur took the lead, carrying a lantern as he guided them toward their destination.