In the afternoon, several horses galloped across the open countryside.
Leading the charge was Corporal Levi, his cold eyes fixed ahead. Behind him rode Petra, Eld, Gunther, and other members of the elite Survey Corps squad. Among them were Eren and Lucien, who had been summoned to join the new unit.
During the past ten days in the Training Corps, Lucien hadn't only mastered the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment; he had also learned how to ride a horse with surprising skill.
After an hour of travel, the group arrived at their destination—a long-abandoned castle surrounded by overgrown weeds. Some walls had crumbled with age, but most of the structure remained intact.
"It looks deserted," Gunther muttered.
"Overgrown with weeds," Petra added, brushing dust from a cracked window.
"Probably full of rats and cobwebs inside," Oruo grumbled.
Levi's expression didn't change. "The cleaning is up to all of you."
Lucien stood apart from the group, arms folded. The faint pressure left by Zhou Wei's presence still lingered in his memory, pushing him to continue his training whenever he had time.
"What are you going to do?" Eld asked, narrowing his eyes at him.
Lucien didn't look back. "My daily training isn't done yet."
He waved his hand and walked toward the hills nearby, leaving the others visibly irritated.
They had been ordered not only to monitor Eren, but also to keep an eye on Lucien.
"Corporal Levi," Petra said softly.
"Leave him be," Levi replied with a small frown, before walking into the castle to inspect the rooms.
The others sighed and began cleaning the place.
Lucien, meanwhile, climbed a small hill to the right of the castle and started his intense routine. His body moved like a machine: push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups—each exceeding two thousand repetitions. Recently, he aimed to push it past three thousand.
His Story could now cover five meters in a flash. His goal was to extend that distance further, and his [Geppo] training also demanded refinement.
As dusk fell, the team finally finished cleaning the castle from top to bottom.
Among Levi's elite squad, Petra was one of the only two female members—a woman of grace and strength, with light blonde hair brushing her shoulders. Her calm, gentle personality contrasted sharply with Hange's eccentric madness, making her someone everyone instinctively wanted to protect.
While cleaning the rooms on the right side of the castle, Petra glanced out the window—and froze.
Outside, Lucien was training.
She watched, mesmerized, as he performed push-ups so fast that her eyes struggled to keep up—five per second, by her count. His body moved with disciplined precision, every motion fluid and controlled.
What kind of monster was he?
She had heard whispers that Lucien had fought Levi himself, though no one knew the result. Her curiosity was growing.
"Who's going to call that guy for dinner?" Eld's tone was laced with annoyance.
"I'll go," Petra said quickly, already moving toward the door.
But before she could step out, the door opened.
Lucien walked in, drenched in sweat, carrying a massive wild deer across his shoulder. He dropped it onto the floor with a heavy thud.
"I found this guy wandering near the forest," Lucien said casually. "Maybe we hit it off, so I brought him back. Anyone here know how to cook?"
Everyone stared at the huge deer, then at the simple sweet potato dough on their plates. One by one, they all stood up.
"I'll get firewood."
"I'll find the spices."
"Oruo, help me clean it!"
"I say we roast it."
"Soup's good too!"
Eren blinked in confusion. Moments ago, they'd been complaining about Lucien. Now they were practically volunteering to serve him. He couldn't make sense of it.
Lucien nodded, unbothered. "Then I'll leave it to you."
"Where are you going?" Petra asked.
"To the river," he replied without turning back. "I'm covered in sweat."
About thirty minutes later, the group gathered around the table. The aroma of roasted venison filled the air, steam rising from the glistening meat.
"Can we start eating now?" Hange asked, eyes wide. Before anyone could respond, she grabbed a knife and fork, cut off a leg, and started devouring it.
That was all it took—everyone followed.
In no time, the entire deer was reduced to bare bones. Half of those bones sat in front of Lucien.
"I didn't expect you to eat so much," Oruo muttered, staring at him in disbelief.
Lucien leaned back. "I'm only a quarter full. Guess one isn't enough."
Eld gaped. "Are you sure you're not a Titan?"
Lucien smirked. "If you want to think so, go ahead. I didn't eat your family's food. Eren's a Titan too—why don't you treat him like that?"
The air grew tense.
"I'm going to get more food. Who's still hungry?" Lucien asked, pausing at the doorway.
"Me!" Hange raised her hand enthusiastically.
"Okay." Lucien's voice faded as his footsteps disappeared into the night.
Eld slammed the table, cheeks red. "He's so damn arrogant!"
Levi, arms crossed, spoke without looking up. "If you're that bothered, challenge him tomorrow."
Hange's grin spread. "That sounds fun."
By morning, sunlight spilled across the castle walls.
Lucien had gone out again during the night and returned with another deer—leaving a leg for Hange, who had stayed up talking to Eren about Titan research until dawn.
"Yo, morning," Lucien greeted casually as Petra stepped outside.
"Morning," she replied, giving him a slightly strange look. She'd noticed that even at night, he never stopped training. He'd gone to bed around two, yet here he was again, fully awake at seven.
The others slowly gathered in the courtyard. Eren looked exhausted, dark circles heavy under his eyes.
"Corporal, any missions today?" Gunther asked.
"No," Levi replied curtly.
"New recruits should be arriving soon," Petra said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Is Mikasa coming? Armin? Reiner?" Eren's spirits lifted at once.
"You should sleep first," Oruo said, eyeing Eren's face.
"You all chat. I'm going to train," Lucien announced, waving casually.
"Wait." Eld stood up, his tone firm. "I want to duel you."
The courtyard fell silent, a faint wind brushing past the castle walls.
Lucien turned slightly, a faint grin forming at the edge of his lips.
"Alright," he said softly. "Let's see what you've got."
_____
(＾▽＾) Become a patron to get access to chapters in advance.
[email protected]/Zphyr_
Change @ to a.