"All right, this is the finish line! Keep going!"
"Five hours and sixteen minutes. Considering the weather, that's not a bad result."
At the mountain mid-point finish line, the instructors welcomed the arriving trainees. Almost everyone had reached this point. They sat together, sharing how grueling the process had been.
"I thought I was going to die… didn't expect snow mountain training to be this tough," Eren said.
"My whole body has gone numb."
"There was a steep slope on the way—I almost fell down it."
"I hope the room has some good food waiting for us."
"Are they still not letting us in?"
"I think everyone's back by now, right?"
As the conversation went on, Eren looked around but didn't see Lillian. At that moment, Reiner came running up, looking worried. "Krista hasn't returned yet!"
"Krista?"
"She was with Daz, who's not feeling well," Mikasa said. "And Lillian and Ymir… they're in the same group, right?"
"Yeah. Daz, Ymir, Lillian… like Krista, they haven't come back yet!"
"Lillian?" Eren suddenly remembered and stood up. "He's not back yet?!"
"Let's wait a bit," Marco said. Reiner shook his head. "No. I just asked the instructors—any of the paths up the mountain lead to the finish line. Even the hardest one, they should've arrived by now!"
"Could they be lost?" Armin guessed.
"Hey… if they get lost in this blizzard, they could die!"
"Damn it!" Eren clenched his fists and started to move, but Mikasa grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?"
"Doing? We can't just leave them!" Eren said. "Lillian can't get hurt—I owe him big time! I have to go find them!"
"I'll go too!"
"Count me in!"
Clearly, everyone was concerned for the group. After half a year together, bonds had formed, and they cared about each other.
"Everyone, get inside immediately!" an instructor said sternly.
Eren looked at him. "But there are still a few—"
"We know," the instructor interrupted. "Tomorrow morning, a search team will go out."
"That's too late!"
The instructor frowned. "In this weather… do you want to increase the number of casualties?"
"…"
---
"…"
"Krista, you need to eat more—being this light won't do."
On the snowy path, Ymir carried Krista on her back. Earlier, Krista had twisted her ankle after tripping on a rock and could no longer walk on her own, so Ymir had to carry her.
Krista clung to Ymir's back, hands extended in front of her to shield her from the wind and snow. She turned her head to see Lillian behind, carrying Daz.
Her eyes fell on the red marks still visible on Lillian's right hand.
"Don't look. It's fine," Lillian said.
"Fine? How could it be fine!" Krista cried, worried. "It needs disinfecting quickly, or… or—"
"Relax, Krista. The little guy will be fine," Ymir reassured her.
"… …"
"By the way, I have to thank you, sharp-tongued woman," Lillian said. "If you hadn't stabbed that wolf in time, I probably wouldn't have saved this arm."
Indeed, wolves are like dogs in one terrifying way: when they bite, they clamp onto muscles and bones, sink their sharp teeth in, and hold on. They tear flesh with violent shakes of their heads, making their attacks extremely dangerous. Once bitten, you have to pull away immediately—otherwise, it can be fatal.
"You threw your dagger too. That evens it out," Ymir said.
"Ah…"
Silently, they trudged through the snow, stopping and starting, finally reaching the finish line after almost another hour.
"Trainees!"
The instructors on guard spotted them and ran over. The other trainees inside heard the commotion and rushed out.
"Krista!"
"Lillian! Your hand…"
"What happened to Daz?!"
Everyone was talking at once, panicked. Krista turned to the instructors, urgent. "Please help them! Lillian's arm was bitten by a wolf—he needs immediate disinfecting! And Daz… he has a high fever and is unconscious! He needs treatment too!"
"All right!"
The instructors quickly got to work. Ymir pinched Krista's cheek and said, "Don't forget about yourself." Then she told the instructors, "Krista also twisted her right ankle."
Treatment began in full swing. The injured were taken to the medical room, and Eren and the other trainees followed—no one could stop them.
"Hiss—!"
The attending doctor unwrapped the bandage on Lillian's arm. Everyone gasped at the sight of the mangled flesh; some even turned their heads, unable to look.
The doctor frowned slightly and said, "It's definitely a wolf bite. Needs immediate disinfection."
He opened his medical kit and took out some antiseptic.
The other trainees were in disbelief.
"Wolves?!"
"Terrifying… good thing we didn't run into any."
"Hey! What are you saying?!"
"No, no… I just—"
The chatter continued. Krista, sitting opposite Lillian and receiving treatment herself, looked at his arm and felt tears welling up again. He had risked this severe injury to save her. Why… for me?
"The recovery still needs observation," the doctor said, disinfecting Lillian's arm and rebandaging it. He hesitated, then added, "Be prepared for the worst. If it doesn't heal well… you might not be able to become a soldier."
Lillian's pupils narrowed slightly.
"What are you saying?!" Eren exclaimed, eyes wide. "You're a doctor! Why would you say that all of a sudden?!"
"Eren!"
"It's just some flesh! Just eat more meat and it'll grow back!" he snapped, knowing it was nonsense but refusing to stay quiet.
The doctor sighed, patted Lillian on the shoulder, and left the room.
"Lillian, don't listen to that alarmist doctor! He—"
"It's fine, Eren," Lillian smiled. "I know my body. Don't worry—it's okay." He added, a hint of fatigue in his brows, "You all should get some rest. I'm a bit tired too."
"…All right." Eren didn't argue further, but after a few steps, he turned back seriously. "Lillian… you will become a soldier!"
The group left the room.
Lillian looked at Krista, still tearful across from him, and sighed. "Hey… don't cry. I'm not lying—it really is fine." His voice dropped slightly. "My body… isn't just strong."