The first day of boot camp had just started, and Instructor Klaus had a plan.
He wanted to give the new recruits a harsh warning, to remind them who's in charge. That way, managing them later would be easier.
But then Ronan showed up—and everything changed.
Standing next to John, Klaus watched Ronan fly between the trees, moving faster and smoother every minute. His movements were flexible, controlled, and graceful.
His talent was obvious, and Klaus couldn't help but admire it.
"If no other genius shows up, Ronan alone will carry this whole group of recruits this year."
After thinking it over, Klaus made a decision.
"John," he said, "I'll personally handle Ronan's training from now on. You take care of the other recruits."
John smiled.
"Instructor, the last time you did this was for Levi. Do you think Ronan is at Levi's level?"
When he said Levi's name, he couldn't help but picture him in his mind.
Levi was undeniably a genius.
Back when he first touched 3D gear, he had mastered it faster than anyone else.
Now, Levi could fight giants alone. In the elite Survey Corps, he had become a legend—someone normal people could never catch up to.
Klaus's eyes lit up with respect when Levi was mentioned, but then he spoke seriously:
"Levi is excellent, I won't deny that. But Ronan is even more talented."
"Because he's younger?" John guessed.
Klaus nodded.
"Exactly. Ronan is only fourteen. If nothing happens to him, he'll definitely surpass Levi in the future."
"Instructor, you really think that highly of him."
"I trust my judgment." Klaus's eyes stayed locked on Ronan, full of admiration.
John sighed, knowing Klaus's love for talent had been triggered again. He didn't say anything more. After casting one last jealous look at Ronan, he walked away to handle the other recruits. This scene wasn't for him—staying here would only make him feel worse.
Meanwhile, Ronan's gas tank ran out again, and he landed on the ground, his muscles sore but his mind excited.
As he caught his breath, he noticed something surprising.
The person standing in front of him wasn't John—it was Klaus.
Klaus looked serious, ready to give him advice.
Just as Ronan was about to ask what he had done wrong, a system notification popped into his ear.
"Ding! Congratulations, host! Your 3D gear control skill has increased by +1."
Suddenly, Ronan's mind filled with new knowledge about how to operate the gear.
All the parts he had struggled with a few moments ago became clear. Now he understood exactly how to improve.
"Oh… so that's how you do it!"
But instead of acting proud, Ronan stayed humble.
"Instructor," he asked politely, "I still feel like I'm making some mistakes, but I can't tell what they are. Could you help me figure it out?"
Klaus was pleased with Ronan's attitude.
"Of course."
He immediately pointed out the issues he had noticed and gave clear advice on how to fix them.
As Ronan listened, he realized Klaus truly deserved to be in charge of training. No wonder he was chosen by Commander Erwin to lead this year's recruits.
Seeing the respect in Ronan's eyes, Klaus felt a little proud. Getting praise from a genius like Ronan meant a lot.
Once Ronan reviewed everything in his mind and felt his muscles recover, he spoke again:
"Instructor, I'd like to practice more."
Klaus was surprised.
"Are you sure? Can your body handle it?"
Ronan nodded confidently.
"I can still go on."
Klaus smiled.
As a teacher, he loved students who worked hard.
"Then go ahead."
Ronan happily changed his gas canister and jumped back into the trees, flying through the air once more.
Watching Ronan's excited and focused expression, Klaus shook his head and smiled.
"It's good to be young."
But soon, Klaus noticed something else.
Ronan's mistakes were disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye. His technique was getting sharper and more perfect with every minute.
Klaus sighed.
At this rate, there wouldn't be much left for him to teach Ronan.
"This is the kind of problem I like to have," Klaus thought.
Meanwhile, the other recruits finished their own balance tests.
The ones who failed stayed behind to keep practicing.
The ones who passed gathered around Ronan, learning how to assemble and equip the 3D gear.
They weren't ready to fly yet—their skills were nowhere near good enough—but at least they could learn the basics from him.
The female students looked at Ronan with admiration.
The male students were jealous, wishing they could fly through the air too.
But when they saw Klaus's serious face—and thought about their own limits—they held back their urges.
Klaus noticed this and shook his head, a little disappointed.
"If you're afraid of failing, you'll never succeed."
And so, the first day of training camp came to an end.
Ronan felt satisfied and motivated, while the other students were exhausted and discouraged.
But one thing was clear:
No one doubted Ronan's talent anymore.