The moon was dim and the stars were sparse. The wind was cold and biting. Occasionally, a few patrolmen passed by, all looking hurried. The road was flanked by trees on both sides, and the absence of sound added an extra chill to the night.
But soon, the silence was broken by the sound of wheels rolling over frozen earth.
Two carriages raced forward at high speed. Inside one of them, Ronan was bundled up tightly, with only his eyes visible, staring out ahead.
As they turned a corner, the trees gave way, revealing a sudden drop—a cliff about fifty or sixty meters high. Below it, surrounded by forest, stood a cluster of wooden buildings encircled by tall wooden walls.
They had arrived at the Training Corps base.
"Finally here!" Ronan exclaimed, excitement in his voice.
The biting cold that had gripped his body began to ease.
At last, he could begin learning the skills of a soldier.
Ellis and the others were equally relieved. Traveling through a winter night was no pleasant experience.
Soon, the carriages entered through the base gates without issue.
Everyone inside exhaled a collective sigh of relief.
Within the walls, sheltered from the wind and surrounded by trees, warmth slowly returned to their limbs.
Ronan had expected to be taken to a rest area—after all, it was late. But instead, the carriage drove past rows of wooden dormitories and headed toward the rear of the base near the cliff.
"Brother, where are you taking us?" Ellis asked, puzzled. After two days together, his natural gift for communication had made him friendly with the soldier escorting them.
The soldier didn't hide anything. "To the training yard. You should be the last group of recruits to arrive. Be mentally prepared."
"Prepared for what?" Rivington asked, frowning.
"You'll see when you get there."
The soldier gave them a look that silently said, "Good luck," and said no more. No matter how much Ellis or Rivington prodded, he remained silent.
"Ronan, what does he mean by that?" Ellis whispered, uncertain.
After only a couple of days, he no longer saw Ronan as just a 14-year-old boy. He had naturally become the center of their trio.
It was because Ronan was calm—and strong.
The brutish man in the carriage behind them had been knocked out by Ronan with a single punch.
If it had been him, Ellis was certain he'd be hospitalized.
"I don't know either," Ronan replied, shaking his head.
Just as he finished, they passed the last row of houses, revealing a flat square, lit dimly by torchlight.
In the flickering glow, they saw dozens of young boys and girls standing out in the cold wind. All of them looked miserable—and angry.
The carriage stopped before the group. Ronan could clearly feel the heat of their collective resentment focused entirely on them.
"Are they... waiting for us?" Ronan muttered, frowning as he stepped off the carriage.
A familiar voice rang out behind him.
"You're finally here. Fall in."
"Yes!" Ronan responded instinctively.
He led Ellis and Rivington to a few empty spots in the front row. Finally, they got a look at the man who had spoken.
It was none other than Erwin Smith, the officer who had overseen the conscription meeting in the Shiganshina District.
So the Deputy Commander of the Survey Corps is this free? Ronan thought silently.
He scanned the area discreetly, but didn't see Levi, which disappointed him.
Erwin spoke again, his voice steady:
"Since everyone is present, tonight's assembly is over. Formal training will begin tomorrow. I hope you all sleep well."
Without another word, Erwin gave Ronan a faint smile, then turned and left.
The nearby Training Corps soldiers quickly dismissed the group.
"Hey, hey, why are they looking at us like that?!" Ellis whispered nervously, noticing the glares surrounding them.
Rivington looked even more shaken, a scowl plastered across his face.
Among those nearby, only Jonah, who had previously fought Ronan, seemed confused. The others were visibly hostile.
No wonder—they had all been forced to stand out in the freezing wind waiting for the final six arrivals. There were more than 200 recruits this time. Anyone would be furious.
Back inside the officer's quarters, Erwin wore a rare smile, causing the soldier beside him to look exasperated.
That mischievous side of their Deputy Commander was rearing its head again.
"Captain... is this really alright?" the soldier asked hesitantly.
"There's no 'Captain' here. Only instructors," Erwin corrected calmly.
Then, with a rare gleam in his eye, he added, "I trust my instincts. That kid won't disappoint me."
With that, Erwin turned on his heel and left. The soldiers followed quickly behind.
Back on the square, Ronan and the others were now face to face with a group of angry students.
"You made us stand out here in the cold for so long. And now you're just going to walk away?" the leader growled.
Ellis and the other five immediately looked at Ronan.
"Tch. Letting a kid take the lead? That's pathetic," the man sneered.
Laughter rippled through the group.
Only a dozen students stood off to the side, choosing not to get involved.
Ronan stepped forward, his face blank, raising his eyes to meet the leader's.
In a calm voice, he said:
"Please... move."
"And if I don't?" the man said with a smug grin, towering over the shorter Ronan.
In response—
—a fist came flying, fast and sharp, straight toward his eye socket...