"Are you sure?"
Lucien stopped in his tracks, turning to meet Eld's determined gaze before glancing at Corporal Levi, Hange, and the others gathered around.
"Alright, alright. I didn't expect this much excitement first thing in the morning," he said casually.
Hange's eyes lit up with childlike enthusiasm, her grin barely contained behind her glasses. Even Eren looked intrigued.
"Fine," Lucien replied, shrugging indifferently. It was clear they wanted to test him. There was no point hiding his strength anymore.
Eld stepped forward, taking a combat stance. Lucien, however, stood loosely, posture relaxed, full of apparent openings—as if he didn't care at all.
The sight irritated Eld, though Levi narrowed his eyes instead. He knew better. Lucien wasn't careless. He was waiting—coiled, ready to strike like a viper.
Recalling the devastating kick from their last encounter, Levi's hands trembled slightly.
"Ah!" Eld roared, lunging at Lucien like a charging bear, sweeping his leg in a swift motion.
As one of Levi's elite squad members, Eld was far from ordinary; his physical ability and combat metrics were top-tier.
Yet Lucien's expression remained calm. Just as the incoming kick nearly reached his face, he bent low in a smooth crouch and spun, sweeping his own leg. His movements were fluid, almost blindingly fast—faster than Eld could react.
"Not good!" Eld realized too late.
"Bang!"
He hit the ground hard, dust scattering around him. Struggling to rise, he barely got to his knees before a dark boot hovered in front of his face.
He'd lost—completely and decisively.
"Thanks for the match," Lucien said, withdrawing his foot and offering a hand. Eld hesitated before accepting it, pulled up effortlessly.
"That fast?" Hange muttered, still processing the exchange.
"You really are strong!" Eren exclaimed, awe written across his face. After seeing Lucien's earlier scuffle with Corporal Levi, this only confirmed his belief that Lucien was on another level.
"Well, if that's all, I'll be heading out to train. I'll bring lunch back later," Lucien said, waving casually before walking toward a small hill in the distance. Within moments, he disappeared from sight.
"Eld, don't feel bad," Hange said cheerfully. "Even Corporal Levi was sent flying by Lucien."
"Hange," Eren hissed, panic flashing in his eyes as Petra and the others rushed to cover her mouth.
Couldn't she see Levi's expression darkening?
Despite the tension, everyone was quietly thinking the same thing—who was truly stronger in close combat, Lucien or Levi? Even Levi himself wasn't sure anymore.
---
By noon, Lucien returned—carrying a massive black bear over one shoulder and a wild boar over the other.
Everyone stared, jaws dropping.
The two beasts combined must have weighed close to a thousand pounds, yet Lucien carried them as if they were bags of grain.
"How did you do that?" Hange circled around him in amazement, poking at his muscles like a curious scientist.
"They're surprisingly elastic," she muttered, eyes gleaming. Just as she reached to tug at his shirt, Petra intervened.
"Enough, Hange!"
Eld crouched beside the carcasses, inspecting the bear's wounds. "Over a thousand pounds… and it was beaten to death," he murmured. His expression twitched in disbelief.
If Lucien could pummel such a creature to death, what did that mean for their spar earlier?
"Oh, I just got lucky," Lucien said modestly, waving it off. "Saw the two fighting each other and decided to take advantage of the situation."
His tone was light, almost teasing.
"I can't help but want to punch you," Eld muttered.
"Me too," Oruo added.
Lucien smirked. "Can either of you beat me, though?"
That smugness earned him a chorus of groans and curses. But even as they complained, everyone worked together—some chopping wood, others skinning the animals. The mood was lively. For once, the noon sun seemed pleasant.
---
An hour later, the camp was filled with laughter and the smell of roasted meat.
"Burp!" Hange let out a satisfied hiccup, leaning back with a dreamy look. The others slumped in their seats, greasy and full, bones piled high on the table—most of them in front of Lucien.
"Lucien, where are you going?" Petra asked, noticing him get up.
"To train, of course."
He left without hesitation.
"Is he crazy?" Jean muttered.
"Does he even have hobbies besides training?" Connie added.
"I think he's just like Hange—maybe even worse," Oruo whispered.
"Hm?" A cold glint flashed behind Hange's glasses, silencing them immediately.
"The new recruits should be arriving this afternoon, right?" Oruo asked, quickly changing the subject.
Eren nodded, rubbing his stomach. "Mikasa and the others should be with them. I heard Commander Erwin and Miche are overseeing it."
Levi stood up quietly. "I'll check on things upstairs."
From the window, he could see Lucien in the distance, training relentlessly under the orange sky. Levi's eyes narrowed before he turned and left the room. He had two responsibilities—keeping an eye on Eren, and now, on Lucien.
---
By five o'clock, the horizon was painted crimson. The sound of hooves and rising dust echoed in the distance.
"They're here," Gunther called out, spotting Commander Erwin and Miche leading a group of new recruits toward the castle.
Eren and the others stepped outside, faces lighting up at familiar voices.
"Eren!"
"Mikasa, Armin!"
Eren waved excitedly.
"Jean, Connie—you two joined the Survey Corps too?"
Jean grimaced. "Yeah… already regretting it."
Reiner, Sasha, Bertholdt, Krista, Ymir—they were all there, faces both nervous and determined.
"Zhou Wei, you joined too?" Eren asked, noticing the quiet young man near the back.
"Yes," Zhou Wei replied simply.
From a corner, Commander Erwin surveyed the courtyard, eyes sharp. "Where's Lucien Graves?" he asked Levi.
"Training over there," Levi replied, pointing toward the hill beyond the castle. "You brought him into the Survey Corps too?"
"Yes," Erwin said calmly. Levi noticed his gaze linger briefly on Zhou Wei.
"He's suspicious," Levi remarked bluntly. "I'll keep my eye on him."
Erwin nodded slightly, though his expression remained unreadable. "Has Lucien shown any strange behavior recently?"
"No. And he's definitely not a Titan," Levi replied firmly.
"Are you sure?" Erwin's tone carried doubt.
"Just my intuition," Levi said simply.
"I see," Erwin murmured, thoughtful.
---
With the arrival of the new recruits, the once-quiet castle grew livelier. Voices echoed through the halls, laughter and chatter blending with the clatter of boots.
As the sun dipped low, Lucien appeared once again—this time with a wild deer in one hand and a boar in the other.
"Lucien, you—" Connie froze mid-sentence, staring at the two enormous beasts lying before them.
"What are you all standing around for?" Eld barked. "You're new recruits, right? Get moving! Tonight's dinner just got an upgrade."
The newcomers blinked in confusion but obeyed quickly.
"Did Lucien hunt both of these?" Sasha asked, wide-eyed.
"They were already fighting," Lucien said with a shrug, his grin faintly mischievous. "I just… happened to pass by and took advantage."
"Oh, so that's how it happened!" one recruit said earnestly.
Lucien could only smile faintly at their gullibility.
"These new recruits are something else," Hange whispered, adjusting her glasses with an amused smirk.
With everyone pitching in, the animals were cleaned and cooked in record time. Soon the long dining table was once again covered with plates of meat and laughter filled the air.
Zhou Wei sat quietly at the far end, occasionally glancing toward Lucien. Lucien noticed, his eyes narrowing slightly.
He'd hoped this wouldn't happen—but Zhou Wei's presence here could only mean one thing. The system had likely given him another "advantage." And worse, Zhou Wei clearly recognized him too.
Throughout the meal, Lucien pretended not to notice, though his instincts stayed sharp.
When dinner ended, Commander Erwin stood and began explaining the upcoming 57th expedition beyond the walls.
The plan was detailed, though the ultimate objective remained undisclosed. The operation would commence in two days.
As Erwin's deep voice filled the hall, Lucien's gaze drifted toward the flickering candlelight. His expression was calm—but behind those eyes, gears were already turning.
He had a bad feeling about what was coming.
---