Armin gazed at Evan with a hopeful softness in his eyes.
"Evan… you're definitely the kind of person who believes the world has an ocean.
I can tell."
Evan nodded casually.
"Of course the sea exists. I've seen it."
"..."
Silence.
Evan blinked, confused until he looked up and saw three pairs of eyes staring at him like he'd just announced he was the king of the world.
"…Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"You've SEEN the sea!?"
Eren nearly choked on his own breath.
"Really? Evan, you actually saw the ocean!?"
Armin's voice trembled with excitement.
Even Mikasa, normally calm enough to make statues jealous, was staring with genuine suspicion.
Evan's mind screamed.
Crap. Crap. CRAP Why did I say that out loud!?
His eyes darted left then right then back to the group.
With an expression colder than the Wall Sina winter, he calmly replied:
"Oh, that? I meant the descriptions in Armin's forbidden books.
Those count as 'seeing,' right?"
"...Oh."
Armin deflated like a balloon.
Eren's shoulders dropped as well.
But Mikasa…
Mikasa narrowed her eyes.
Her gaze sharpened.
"Evan. It's been a whole year.
And your lies still have the exact same flaws."
"…What?"
Evan put on the most innocent face he could conjure.
"I lied? When? I didn't lie. Anyway let's go home. Carla's waiting."
He jumped to his feet and walked off before anyone could question him.
Eren frowned, turning to Mikasa.
"How did you know he was lying?"
Mikasa adjusted her scarf, looked ahead, and replied coolly:
"Instinct."
She walked away like a lone hero in an epic tale.
Eren and Armin exchanged glances.
"…That was cool."
A Year of Resolve
When a person gains a goal,
they gain something even stronger
drive.
Ever since the four decided to enter the cadet corps together, the next year became a harsh cycle of daily training.
And the reason was simple:
Even in the wake of the Titan disasters, the military's standards never dropped.
Killing Titans was not a matter of numbers, it required monsters among humans.
Like Levi Ackerman
"Humanity's Strongest"
whose Titan-slaying skills were unmatched.
And there was another, more brutal truth:
Joining the military was the only way for a poor civilian to climb into the middle class.
Even if it meant risking your life.
And so, the competition was always fierce.
Despite Evan already being twice as strong as an average adult, he still had to push himself.
The Walls held nearly eight hundred thousand people…
and only 5,000 served across the three military branches.
Raw strength alone would not guarantee survival.
Days Passed… and Kids Grew Sharper
Their bodies hardened.
Their movements sharpened.
Their spirits changed.
Eren grew taller, almost 170 cm now and lean muscle wrapped around him.
Armin, though weaker by nature, still grew far stronger than before.
Mikasa…
After awakening her Ackerman bloodline at nine, her growth was terrifying.
Now, with long black hair, sharp features, and a body honed like a blade she was already stunning, lethal, and unmistakably Ackerman.
Men would someday fall at her feet…
and die by her sword.
And Evan Cross…
What could be said?
When he entered this world, the system remade his physique entirely
giving him a cold, clean, striking look.
Not as emotionless as Levi,
but with an aura of quiet danger.
Calm as a frozen lake.
Explosive as a breaking dam.
Then vanishing like smoke.
He looked like a kid pretending to act like a grown man
yet somehow also more mature than all his peers.
He was clever. Unpredictable. Reliable when it mattered.
And still…
Still addicted to sneaking cigarettes.
Evan Cross Status (age 12)Name: Evan Cross
Age: 12
Physical Conditioning: 30 (average adult = 10)
Current Titan Affinity: 1.4%
Skills: Intermediate Combat Arts, Fluent Eldian