"New recruit Ryo Akira has exceptional physical strength, explosive power, and impressive endurance. His eccentric personality stands out, and he has A+ growth potential. His future development will be closely observed."
The instructor had initially considered giving Ryo a higher evaluation, but due to the limited time spent with him, he chose a more conservative approach. He plans to reassess after seeing Ryo's performance in future tests.
At the time, Ryo was unaware of this. He had already surpassed most of the recruits and was closing in on the leaders.
Mikasa, Annie, and Rang were ahead of him.
It struck Ryo as odd that Mikasa wasn't with Eren. He noticed that Eren was still in the middle of the pack, while Mikasa was pushing ahead on her own. The distance between them was considerable.
"Forget it," Ryo muttered to himself. "Less than five kilometers to go. Time to catch up."
He pushed himself faster, swiftly closing the gap and overtaking Annie. As he passed, Ryo shot her a quick grin, but Annie just glared at him, her face unreadable.
Ryo chuckled softly. He was surprised by Annie's reaction, considering her usual cool, composed demeanor. The last time he had seen her, she had been merciless as the Female Titan, effortlessly dismantling the Survey Corps and causing chaos.
If anything, Annie was someone Ryo wouldn't want to provoke.
After passing her, there was just one person left ahead—Rang.
"Damn it, how did this guy catch up so quickly?" Rang muttered under his breath. He had been in the lead, but now Mikasa was pulling ahead. Just as Rang was trying to regain his pace, Ryo flashed past him with surprising speed. Rang's chances of catching up vanished in an instant.
Ryo smirked. "Mikasa's running at full speed? Can't let a girl show me up. I'll have to catch up and see how she's doing."
Though Mikasa was only twelve years old, she had already developed into someone who could easily turn heads. Ryo, determined not to be distracted, slowed just enough to match her pace. He then casually spoke, keeping the conversation light.
"Hey, Mikasa. Fancy running alongside me?"
Mikasa rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "We're all supposed to be running," she muttered. "What's so special about that?"
Ryo smiled but didn't press the issue. "I noticed Armin's been lagging behind. Eren's with him, right? Why aren't you sticking with Eren?"
Mikasa's expression tightened. "Armin is fine. Eren's looking after him."
Ryo could see the worry in Mikasa's eyes, even if she didn't voice it. He leaned in, lowering his voice. "Mikasa, you're running hard. Are you trying to make sure Eren ends up in the Military Police instead of the Survey Corps?"
Mikasa froze for a moment, clearly taken aback. Ryo's words hit too close to home.
"You think I don't know?" he continued, observing her closely. "Eren hates the Titans, and the Survey Corps is dangerous. If he joins, he'll be putting his life at risk. The Military Police might be safer for him, don't you think?"
Mikasa's gaze darkened, though she said nothing. Ryo wasn't surprised. It was obvious she didn't want Eren to join the Survey Corps, where the mortality rate was high and the battles with Titans were endless. Mikasa wanted him safe, even if it meant holding him back from his ambitions.
"I didn't mean to upset you," Ryo added with a casual shrug. "I'm just saying, you're trying to protect him in your own way."
Mikasa didn't respond. She simply picked up her pace, determined to keep her focus.
Ryo grinned and kept pace with her, his thoughts drifting to the future. He had a lot to prove, and Mikasa's concerns about Eren only reminded him of his own journey ahead.