"Is it really that easy?"
The new recruits stared, stunned, as Ronan hovered steadily in midair, suspended by two cables from the ODM gear. He kept perfect balance, swaying slightly but never faltering.
For most of the recruits, this was like watching a miracle.
But for Ellis and the other two boys from Shiganshina District, it was nothing new. They'd already seen Ronan's terrifying abilities before.
Their expressions stayed calm—almost bored.
"These guys are too green," one of them muttered. "This test is nothing for Ronan."
"He really is the strongest…" whispered another, their voices tinged with admiration but also a trace of arrogance.
Their comments grated on the nerves of the other recruits, especially those who had been beaten senseless by Ronan the day before. Some clenched their fists, thinking:
"Fine. We might have lost the fight yesterday, but we won't lose in training!"
No one wanted to be completely outshined.
After a few more seconds in the air, Ronan reached for the buckle at his waist, unhooked the cables, and landed smoothly on the ground.
At that moment, the instructor's voice rang out.
"You're Ronan, right? Very good. I look forward to your future performance."
Ronan turned and saw Coach Klaus, the strict instructor who had worn a permanent scowl since day one, actually smiling at him.
Well… he really shouldn't smile, Ronan thought. That face is way too fierce for smiling. No wonder the others are scared of him.
Almost as if Klaus realized this himself, he quickly wiped the smile from his face and went back to his usual cold expression.
"Next!"
Ronan glanced toward the edge of the training grounds, where he saw the stereoscope station—the training gear used for aerial maneuvering practice.
Without hesitation, he said, "Instructor, I want to learn how to use the stereoscope."
Klaus's brows furrowed. He looked like he was about to scold Ronan, but then Erwin's words echoed in his mind:
"Let him try. Give him more room."
Suppressing his initial reaction, Klaus turned to his assistant.
"John, take this kid over there."
"Yes, sir." The man named John responded, then looked at Ronan with a strange smile.
"Come on, I'll take you."
"Thanks." Ronan replied politely.
"Don't thank me yet," John chuckled. "Wait until you actually learn how to use it."
In his mind, John was already imagining Ronan's failure.
Talent alone isn't enough for this.
He'd seen it before—cocky recruits who thought they were special, all eager to try the stereoscope early. Every single one of them ended up falling flat, sometimes literally.
John remembered one particularly talented recruit from two years ago. The kid had good instincts but broke his leg trying to use the stereoscope without enough practice. He had to quit the Training Corps in disgrace.
In John's opinion, Ronan was just another overconfident genius.
"It's better if he eats a little dirt now," John thought. "Being good at fighting doesn't mean he'll master the 3D gear."
Soon, they arrived at the stereoscope training area.
The full name of the gear was Stereo Mobile Equipment, but most people called it ODM gear or just "the stereoscope."
It was one of the army's most essential tools—designed to let humans, who normally live in a two-dimensional world, transition into full three-dimensional movement.
In the fight against Titans, this gear was life or death.
Of course, outside the Survey Corps, most soldiers rarely used it. The Garrison and Military Police barely touched the equipment once they graduated.
Only the Training Corps and Survey Corps mastered it fully.
John patiently explained how it worked:
The user pulls the trigger on the handles.
The waist-mounted device fires a grappling hook (called the fixer) into a building, tree, or Titan.
Once anchored, the gear uses compressed gas to reel in the cable, propelling the user at high speed through the air.
During flight, the user has to constantly adjust posture by shifting their waist, legs, and the belts on their feet—dodging obstacles, stabilizing in midair, and preparing for attacks.
The gear was powerful, but it wasn't perfect.
Problem one:
The cables could get caught by a Titan's hand. If that happened, escape was almost impossible.
Problem two:
The gas had limited capacity. Once you ran out, the gear was nothing but dead weight.
By now, Ronan had strapped the equipment onto his body. He listened carefully as John continued explaining the techniques.
"Alright," John said, crossing his arms. "I've explained the basics. But just knowing the steps won't save you out there. Real use is full of surprises. Your reflexes will be tested constantly."
Ronan nodded. His face showed no fear, only quiet focus.
John gave a final warning:
"Okay, let's start with the basics. Whatever you do, do not pull the trigger yet—"
Before he could finish the sentence, there was a loud puff of compressed air.
"Pffft!"
Ronan vanished.
One second he was there—
The next, he shot straight into the air, cables whistling behind him, disappearing from John's sight entirely.
"WTF?!"
John's jaw dropped.