"WTF?!"
John stood frozen, staring at Ronan flying through the forest using the ODM gear like it was second nature.
John had been alive for over thirty years.
But today, he felt like his life had been a joke.
How can someone be this ridiculous?
This was Ronan's first time using the 3D gear—yet he was flying through the trees like a pro.
John's brain just… stopped.
From far away, Klaus, the strict instructor, was also watching. He was supposed to be helping another trainee, but when he saw Ronan's moves, he forgot everything else—even the poor recruit who had just fallen flat on his face in front of him.
All the new recruits followed Klaus's gaze.
And what they saw shocked them even more.
At first, Ronan had looked a little awkward. But now?
He was moving faster, smoother, more confident by the second.
"Wait… is that Ronan?"
"It has to be. But how the hell is he doing that? He's controlling the most difficult gear like it's nothing!"
"I give up. There's no way we can catch up to him. If anyone still wants revenge for yesterday, go ahead. I'm done."
"Same here. Geniuses live in a different world. Mortals like us don't stand a chance."
"Damn it… Why did the world make Ronan and me in the same generation?"
Someone whispered, "Hey Isayama Hajime, you fell on your face three times today. How are you gonna compete with Ronan?"
"Don't make fun of me when I'm down, man!"
But Ronan didn't hear any of this.
At that moment, he was flying between the trees, feeling the wind in his ears, the rush of speed, and the thrill of moving in the air. His scalp tingled from excitement.
He couldn't help but shout out happily.
Ronan was starting to realize something else, too:
His body coordination was far beyond normal.
The complicated controls of the 3D gear?
For him, it all just clicked.
After only a short time adjusting, he was moving as if he had become one with the equipment.
Flying felt natural, like breathing.
He loved this feeling.
He didn't want it to end.
But eventually, the gas started to run low, so he had no choice but to slow down and land in front of John.
John just stood there, mouth open, totally speechless.
Ronan had been so focused on flying that he hadn't noticed how much energy it took.
Now that he had stopped, his muscles started to ache. But he didn't mind. It just meant he needed more practice.
"I'm still too inexperienced," Ronan thought to himself.
He quietly made a list of mistakes in his head, planning to fix them next time.
But when John heard Ronan say that, his whole body stiffened.
"You're… still inexperienced?!"
John wanted to cry.
His face twitched as he forced out a question:
"Ronan… Is this really your first time using the 3D gear?"
"Yeah, this is my first time," Ronan replied honestly. "I still have a lot of room to improve."
John: "..."
Better than me, and he still says that…
John realized something in that moment:
"There's no point comparing myself to a monster like him. I'm just a regular person."
Oddly enough, that thought made him feel a little better.
When he turned around and saw Klaus and the other instructors staring blankly, he felt even more balanced. At least he wasn't the only one shocked.
Ronan, still focused on the equipment, started changing his empty gas canister.
"Can I switch out the gas and keep practicing?" he asked.
"Of course," John nodded.
Geniuses always get special treatment.
If someone else could fly like Ronan, they could have special treatment too. But since no one else could, it wasn't his problem.
Ronan happily replaced the gas and shot back into the air, eager to keep practicing.
The sounds of air jets and hooks firing filled the forest again.
Watching all this, Klaus finally snapped out of his daze. He thought:
"As expected of the genius Erwin personally recommended. He's mastered the hardest gear in no time. He might even graduate early."
Then Klaus looked down at the poor recruit still face-planted in the dirt, calling for help.
Suddenly, Klaus felt bored.
"You have three days," Klaus said coldly. "If you can't balance by then, get out of the training camp."
He left the other instructors to handle the rest and walked straight toward Ronan.
---
Behind him, the new recruits all had the same look on their faces—somewhere between tears, envy, and awe.
They couldn't help but feel complicated emotions toward Ronan.
Admiration.
Jealousy.
Helplessness.
---
But one thing was clear:
No one dared to hate him.
Because Ronan was simply too powerful.