Mikasa stood frozen, her sharp eyes glued to the scene unfolding before her. From her vantage point, she could see everything clearly—Ryo Akira's every daring maneuver, every calculated risk.
"So fast!" she whispered, her voice trembling with awe and disbelief.
Ryo's actions defied all logic. The giant's massive hand had reached out to grab him, its shadow engulfing him completely. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, Mikasa thought it was over. He would be caught, crushed, and devoured like so many others before him.
But Ryo Akira was no ordinary trainee.
With precise timing and flawless execution, he swung his blade, slicing clean through the giant's massive fingers. The severed digits fell like heavy logs, crashing to the ground. Using the momentum, Ryo launched himself into the air, firing his anchor into the giant's shoulder and landing nimbly behind it.
Mikasa's heart raced as she watched. That series of moves—each performed with confidence and skill—was something she had never seen before.
How could someone who had only recently begun training in three-dimensional maneuvering move with such precision? How much time had Ryo spent practicing, studying, and honing his technique?
Despite her usual composure, Mikasa couldn't suppress her shock. For the first time, she felt a deep sense of respect—and perhaps even admiration—for someone other than her adoptive brother.
---
### Meanwhile, on the Battlefield
Levi sped through the battlefield, his three-dimensional maneuvering device making sharp turns as he closed the distance. He had seen countless recruits lose their composure in the face of Titans, but this scene was something different.
From afar, the recruits' formation was in complete disarray. Panic was written across their faces, and their inability to coordinate left them vulnerable.
Levi sighed. *If they can't even hold their ground, they'll become Titan fodder in no time.*
His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, settling on a figure charging directly toward a giant. At first, he thought it might be one of the instructors stepping in to protect the trainees.
*Bold move,* he mused. But as he got closer, Levi realized something unusual. The person wasn't an instructor. It was a trainee—a recruit who had no business engaging a Titan head-on.
"Idiots…" Levi muttered under his breath. "Reckless courage will just get you killed."
Still, his interest was piqued. The recruit didn't falter. Instead, they darted through the air with speed and precision, almost as if…
Levi's eyes narrowed. The Titan roared in pain, its towering form swaying before collapsing to the ground with a thunderous crash.
"What the…?" Levi muttered, genuinely surprised. He adjusted his course, heading toward the fallen Titan.
---
### System Prompts
As the Titan's body hit the ground, Ryo Akira heard a familiar chime in his head.
> **Ding!**
> Task complete: Kill the Titan. Reward: 100 experience points.
Ryo's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
> **Ding!**
> Level up! Consumed 110 experience points. Current level: 4.
> **Ding!**
> Achievement unlocked: *First Blood.* Reward: Title earned—*First Blood*.
"First Blood?" Ryo murmured, pulling up his system interface to check the details.
The title's description appeared:
> **Title: First Blood**
> Earned for killing your first Titan. Grants +1 Strength permanently.
"Nice," Ryo said, feeling the slight boost in his abilities as the title automatically equipped itself. He switched to the status page to view his updated stats.
---
### Observations
Levi arrived just in time to see the aftermath of the battle. He glanced at the fallen Titan, then at the recruit standing tall amidst the chaos.
The rookie's moves had been rough, lacking polish or professional finesse. Yet, despite the odds, he had succeeded.
"This kid…" Levi muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Maybe there's some hope for humanity after all."
As the dust settled, Ryo glanced around, taking in the stunned faces of his fellow recruits. Mikasa's gaze lingered on him the longest, her expression a mix of astonishment and grudging admiration.
For Ryo Akira, this was just the beginning.