You arrive somewhere in the inner parts of Wall Rose in the afternoon and the sun is nearly setting down. The headquarters of the Cadet Corps towering before you. You tried to make sense of your environment in hopes of figuring out who to talk to and where to go. The place has people going in and out of it they're busy fulfilling their duties.

You dismount your horse, and sensing your nervousness Morn nudges her muzzle to comfort you. You smile at the adorable gesture. Thinking that she may be hungry, you hand her an apple to eat. You gazed at the honorable flags of the headquarters. The flag fluttered as it was caught by the wind. Two swords crossing each other, together form very familiar feelings hidden deep inside your chest.

The Cadet Corps symbol

You feel something within you stir at the sight of it. This is it, the day you'll begin enlisting to become a cadet.

With Morn's reigns in your hand, you decided to walk towards the gate.

*

Ada and Dan sat down on the wooden platform with a cup of water in hand.  She chugged it down in one go and so did Dan. They had just finished organizing the materials and files for the cadets' training. "Sigh, there are more and more casualties in the Survey Corps." Dan sat his shoulders slumped as he gulped from a cheap beer bottle. "Sometimes I couldn't tell what Commander Keith is thinking," Ada replied putting down her cup. "That's why I left the Survey Corps, I thought at some point if I continued like this, I'd end up losing my life," Dan stated his left hand patting the pegleg where his right leg used to be. Resigning to the discussion Ada replied with a small laugh, "You made the decision that's best for you. At the very least we still have jobs to live by." At this point, she caught sight of you who's wondering and looking around the headquarters' plaza like a lost puppy. She bid Dan goodbye for a moment before walking up to you.

She thought you must be one of those weird ones who applied for the Survey Corps. Well, she cast that thought off, she was one of those weird ones after all. She made a gesture to Dan that she'd be leaving to approach a rookie for a moment. Dan nodded watching Ada walk away. She approached you with a gentle demeanor, "Hi, might I ask if are you one of those rookies who applied recently?" You brighten up to answer this kind angel who kindly talked to you. "Yeah, I was wondering what I should do next or..?" You trail off sheepishly asking her.

"Ah, I see," She turns on a certain direction. "Follow me to the stables first let's get your horse to settle down." She said as she turned to lead you. "I'm Ada and that guy sitting out there is Dan." She said motioning to herself and Dan who was watching a few walks away. Dan nodded in response and you waved in greeting. You have such gentle and welcoming seniors, you thought. "I'm Eve Cromwell ma'am, at your service!" You introduced yourself scurrying to a rough and hesitant salute. This is the first time you'd be saluting like this for real. It feels so unreal, you feel nervous if you're even doing the right thing. Ada smiles you could swear you hear her give a small laugh at your cute rookie salute. "Alright follow me to the stables then I'll introduce you to your superior officer." She walks ahead of you and you both arrive at the stables. You settled Morn and took your baggage. Ada turns to you with a serene expression. "To be fair, you're a bit late the assembly of the rookies ended 4 hours ago but I'll convince Lena to let it slide since you're such a good kid." She said her arms crossing in a relaxed manner. "I'm sorry ma'am." You apologized with a downcast gaze. "It's okay." She smiled.

"Oh, right before I forget to tell you, yesterday they assigned cadets to some of the officers in the Garrison Regiment and Survey Corps. They say this is to teach them early basics of the system of the regiments, and chain of command and also expand the training of cadets to future higher-ranking official positions. Almost everyone ended up choosing the spots for the officers in the Garrison Regiment and since you're late you ended up as a trainee for a Survey Corps officer. I hope that's okay with you." Ada says with a gentle smile. "It's okay ma'am. I'm going to choose the Survey Corps anyway." You say with a small smile, your gaze cast down.

Ada was taken aback for a bit. "Alright, enough of that. Come with me." Ada then leads you to where your superior officer is.

*

At this point in the evening, the moon was waning and Lena had just finished writing her reports. She turned to finally check letters from her lover and family. It has become a habit of hers to finish work first before attending to any personal matter. A routine she made to build her work ethic in the Survey Corps. She had worked her way from a rookie scout to a Section Commander in the Survey Corps whose job is to manage and audit the funds that go through the Survey Corps. She had been lucky to be stationed in the city instead it made it very convenient for her to run documents back and forth to the necessary government departments.

The wrinkles on the edges of her eyes and the scars that decorate her face showed her age and professional work as a veteran. Her eyes only for this moment looked softer, more gentle as she caressed the letter in her hands. Reading it, graced a smile on her face. A brief reprieve from her time as a soldier in the Survey Corps as she admired the amateurish yet neat handwriting on the letter.

Just as she was writing to respond to the letters, she heard a knock and the familiar voice of an old friend, Ada. "Come in," She said her voice turning out a bit coarse in the cold of the night. Ada entered the room with you a rookie in tow. Good grief, she thought as she drank some tea from her now cold cup and placed it down to face you and Ada.

"This rookie got lost looking for the headquarters. She's a bit late, but I think she's a good kid." Ada made an effort to make an excuse for you. You thanked her inwardly. Ada gestured for you to introduce yourself. "Eve Cromwell ma'am! At your service!" You saluted, very nervous. Lena sighed with a small laugh. She does look like a good kid with that rookie energy.

"Thank you, Ada. Sorry for bothering you. I'll take it from here."

"Don't overwork yourself too much Lena."

"I won't. You too, Ada."

Ada then left you and the Section Commander alone. Lena then crossed her fingers as she leaned forward from where she was sitting, "The rookie assembly ended hours ago. As scouts, we navigate. We don't get lost. I'll let this slide, but you'll have to cope on your own whatever you missed out on the assembly. Is this clear?"

"Ma'am! Yes! Ma'am!" You complied with a salute this time more rigid, more serious.

"Alright. Eve Cromwell, yes? I'll lead you to the women's quarters." Lena said as she broke from her imposing pose and stood up to lead you to your dormitories. Her intimidating demeanor made you instinctively open the door for her. She nodded and took note of your behavior just now with Ada's words vouching for you as a good kid imprinted in her mind.

"Where'd you come from?" She asked her tone calm with a tinge of tiredness from today's work. "From Wall Maria Ma'am! A small town just outside Shinganshina."
"I see. So your parents must be farmers then?"
"Yes ma'am! My parents own a small vineyard."
"I see," Lena said, you feel like she's either a woman of few words or you just caught her at a busy time of the week.
Something about her feels like she's a natural leader, her stoic expression and calm behavior as she walks makes you feel safe. She wasn't particularly mentioned in the series but you knew that in the way that she carries herself is that she's strong. Maybe stronger than you.

The Cadet Corps dormitory is a single building, divided into separate dorms for men and women by a courtyard and the mess hall. It did not take you long to arrive at the floor of your quarters.

The entire dorm is already in a state of quietude, with only your squad leader's footsteps and yours making a thud in the floorboards. She stopped at a door 4th to the last. There's a wooden sign on the side and one of your name is on it. "This is your room, I'll send someone to fetch your uniform early in the morning. Training starts 2 hours after dawn tomorrow and do your best to be punctual this time." As if remembering something she added. "You'll start training office duties after this week. I'll have someone inform you of your schedule at a later date." Lena shortly left after those few words. You could only mutter a "Yes, thank you ma'am." under your breath as she left.

You turned to the door and slowly opened the door only to find a single person sleeping in one of the bunk beds. Then three neatly made empty beds on the other top and lower bed. You simply settled your things into the bunkbed below. You're too tired to take a bath so you simply decided to take a bath tomorrow early morning. You have no idea where the bathroom is anyway. Just as you were taking off your boots to head to bed. 

Morning came and your training began, you were almost late as you did a speed run of breakfast, bath, and getting dressed in the uniform left outside your door.

Your eyes follow where most of the cadets are going and you follow their direction. You calmed your breaths down and scanned your surroundings so that you'd be able to make sense of the situation. Everyone is preparing to stand in the formation assembly.  You stand in the formation line to blend in just like everyone else.

The instructor this time around wasn't Keith Shadis that you from the anime. Just some random middle-aged dude named Koen Wittman.

He's well-built though, I give him that. He looks every bit like a veteran soldier. Even though he seems to be missing an arm.

Your thoughts are cut off just when the instructor finishes asking introduction questions to the cadet next to you.

"And what's your name, cadet?" Instructor Wittman says in a menacing tone.

"Eve Cromwell sir!"

"From where?" He said keeping up his intimidating countenance.

"South of Inner Wall Maria, Eldal Town sir!"

Just as you were finished introducing yourself, you found a lone cadet hurrying to sneak into the formation. The instructor spots her.

"Stop right there cadet!" Wittman shouts. Looks like he values punctuality a lot.

"I think your squad leaders made it clear that everyone must be present in the formation line 2 hours after dawn!" Upon hearing the instructor reprimand her, she stood there stiff and straight, her face full of panic.

Wait a minute

"What's your name cadet?" The instructor walks toward her as he yells at the poor girl.

That looks like the girl sleeping in my dorm room last night!
My roommate!

"J-Jina Flois, sir!" She said dying inside.

How unfortunate of her. You feel bad that you didn't get to wake her up.

"You run 3 laps, around the training grounds after training ends! No breaks." Gosh, Jina's face went pale after hearing that. "Now get in the damn formation!" The instructor added.

"Y-yes sir!" She scurried over to the back of the formation line.

The instructor pulled out some papers, which must be a list of cadets, and wrote a tick on Jina's name. You thought that it was unfortunate for Jina to get into trouble on the first day in the Cadet Corps.

Tsk. Tsk.

"Who's her roommate?" The instructor shouts for whatever reason you're also now doomed.

"Eh?"  You thought, buckets of sweat permeating your back. The instructor flipped some pages with "Hmph." and then called your name after he found out who is Jina Flois' roommate. "Eve Cromwell!" You're dead.

What? But I'm not even late! I arrived on time!

"Yes sir!" You answered anyway. "You'll be doing 3 laps around the training grounds after the training ends as well, you hear me!" The instructor shouts just as you are about to open your mouth in protest. He cut you off, "As a soldier, your comrades' lives are tied closely to your own neck! That's a lesson you don't wanna learn the hard way!" He said in a powerful voice.

Ahh.. I see now.

As a criminology student in your past life, you do understand that this is the way he instills camaraderie between your fellow cadets. It sucks but he is right. You got lost in your thoughts as your instructor's words faded into the background. You notice that everyone's leaving the formation line in an orderly fashion. You followed suit. You're surprised to arrive at a classroom setup. It was an orientation.

Ehh... I was expecting the ODM gear. Bummer

It's not surprising one of the unique and exciting parts of the anime series is the use of the ODM gear! So being presented with books and writing on your first day disappointed your spirits a bit. Nonetheless, it's something you have to do anyway.

You hear the instructor's voice finally fade into your consciousness as you try to focus on where he left off.

"After graduating, you cadets will join one of the three regiments of the military. The first is the Military Police Regiment, whose duties revolve around maintaining order, and peace and serving the king's guard. They have the highest authority among the three regiments. They are also in charge of tax collection and land distribution. As their duties don't involve fighting titans, their primary weapon is firearms instead of ODM gear. Only the cream of the crop from the Cadet Corps can ever hope to join this regiment." Your instructor discussed the three regiments you'll be joining.

"Next is, the Garrison Regiment, their duties revolve around patrols, defenses, and improvements of the walls. Lastly, the Survey Corps, ' duties revolve around exploring the outside of the walls and the eventual reclamation of the human territory from the Titans by setting up small bases, camps, supply stations, and extra fortifications." He then continued teaching the creed and ethics of soldiers and their duty to humanity.

Your first weeks in training had been mostly about physical and tactical training in the morning, orientation classes in the middle of the day, and more physical and hand-to-hand combat training in the afternoon.

What eased your boredom though was the hand-to-hand combat training. You were thrilled to know how the modern combat skills that you learned from your past life can measure up to the hand-to-hand combat in the Cadet Corps. So you decided to put everything you have in this phase of training. You were one of the top students in your criminology course in your past life so you have no doubt this will be cinch. All you have to do is remember everything properly and adapt all the training you had from your father and to your course to every bone and muscle of your new body.

Your opponent this time is another woman a bit taller than you a few inches. You decided to let her attack, but with your deft footwork you managed to evade her punch then you circled under her range. You countered with all the STR stats that you have, aiming a punch to her abdomen.

I'm sorry...

You thought as you're suddenly reminded of your stat numbers. She then flew several steps back. In panic, you ran off to her and decided to hold your hand out. You watch her cough up some saliva, as she hugs her stomach.

"I'm sorry, I was intimidated by your height so.." You say trailing off with an embarrassed smile. 

"It's okay." She smiled back, "I can take this."

Then a man walked up to you, a confident smile on his face.

"This is why women should just stay in the kitchen. Playing soldier will just be a waste of taxes on you girls." He said his arms crossed, looking down on your sparring partner on the ground.

"What did you say?" You asked in a menacing tone as you looked at him from behind your shoulder. Your expression is dark and threatening. He flinched and fought the urge to step back. "Say that again to my fucking face." This time you turn to him taking a step forward. He did not back down and instead, his grin grew wider, "I said girls like you should just stay in the kitchen and make sandwiches--" That last sentence he didn't get to finish because you hooked his face with a high-kick. The impact made him roll on the ground your foot to his face as his vision flashed white. An adaptation of what you know about a Brazilian kick. You then straddled him, with a darkened expression. "Really? You must like this view then huh." You say as you pummel his face with all of your 89 STR stats. You stopped when you noticed the instructor Koen Wittman started walking his way towards you and your victim.

If you're gonna get penalized for this you decided to give him one last hard kick on his bum as you stood up. "Ugh.." He let out a pained moan. "Grow some balls you dipshit." You muttered in a low voice to him.
In attention to the presence of your instructor, you gave a salute, indifference all over your face.

"I saw everything happen. I thought I told you to only spar with your sparring partner." He then turns to look you in the eye. "And Cromwell! You should go easy next time. Sweep the entire training ground after training!" He said penalizing you for going overboard. You like that line though.

"You should go easy next time."

You smirk down to your victim who just got up taking in his balance with the help of his friends, "You heard that boy? The instructor said I should go easy on weaklings such as yourself. Maybe you should be the one in the kitchen instead of playing soldier here." You say crossing your arms with a smug look on your face.

Pissed, he took a step towards you with eyes seething in anger.

"What, wanna go at it again?" You say imitating your best yakuza demeanor with a dark expression.

He flinched and decided to walk to the infirmary with his friends. He better is, you thought. Because you'd be breaking his spine this time if he does it again. You weren't able to beat up misogynistic people in your past life but this time you're glad that you're able to. You might've vented that on this poor guy though.

"Thanks." Your sparring partner said to you. "I don't think you hit me as hard as you hit him." She said with a small laugh. "That bastard deserved it anyway. Like who does he think he is to say things like that?" You say with annoyance in your expression. "You're right, he deserved it." She said smiling, "Wanna go over the drill again? but well of course minus the hard punch." She says with a laugh, motioning you to practice the drill again.


That afternoon, you swept the training grounds with satisfaction on your face.


Months came, and now you are being evaluated in the rudimentary basics of being able to use the ODM gear! In other words, the evaluation phase is where you have to learn to balance yourself between wires in mid-air!

You may not have any talent but you have this!

SP:32

You managed to obtain a sizeable amount of SP by absolutely killing every single living thing besides pet animals, livestock, and humans. You'd hunt in the forest occasionally in secret, but the most satisfying part was cleaning your room! 

*

There was a time when hunting became less and less possible due to restrictions of your supervisors but of course, you found a solution.

First, you organize your things along with your roommates'. With her permission of course. Then, you dilute soap in a bucket of water, sweep the dust to oblivion, and the main highlight is the soap.

As you mop the floor with soap, tiny critters crawl out from between the cracks of the floorboards.

More SP for me! EYYYY!

You did not spare one inch of the room, as you drown them out with the fumes of the soap sometimes tougher critters would take more than soap to die. So you gather and trap them in a separate bucket. Before throwing them in the bonfire.

Oh, the series popping sound you hear as you burn a bunch of them delivers you SP.

More SP! BWAHAHA!

You continued your pest extermination to your room as you cleaned the room to perfection. Not even the walls were spared. After this is over you'll be stronger and stronger to reach the top 10!

Your roommate, Jina is taken aback by your passion for cleaning. One dormmate came in to see the ruckus. She and Jina watched you clean very diligently with satisfaction on your face.

"Jina, is she... getting off on cleaning?" Your dormmate Kate, looks over with a worried, or rather a weirded-out expression on her face. Kate is one of the strongest cadets around, she's a tall woman with well-toned muscles. She reminds you somehow of Luisa from that animated cartoon Encanto, only she doesn't have superpowers and has a less exaggerated muscle build. She's still muscular nonetheless and you take a mental note not to piss her off.

"I don't know... but the room is looking better now!" Jina says with optimism in her eyes, as she faces Kate.

"Didn't she say she'll join the Survey Corps?" Kate asked Jina as she watched you scrub the walls this time.

"Ah yes, she did mention that."

"I guess you'll have to be at least weird if you want to survive the Survey Corps."

"Eve is kind though!"

Noticing Kate's impression of you, Jina tried to defend you to clarify any misunderstandings. This is but a futile attempt as you couldn't look any weirder as you have that wide grin on your face cleaning the room.

"Well in any case, if you're in danger just call out for help alright?" Kate says giving Jina a pat on the shoulder.

It sure was exhausting, there's so much to clean on. You wiped the sweat off your forehead with your towel.

Sheesh,

You realize you bit more than you could chew. You weren't this diligent when it came to cleaning in your past life, you just cleaned up whenever things got too cluttered for your liking, clean only when your feet finally felt something off on the floor. You might've overdone things this time. You clenched your fists,

But if it's for SP...

You need to get stronger and you know it. You have a goal beyond the Top 10 rankings, but to achieve your goal with 100% success, you have to be in the Top 5 or 6 at least. If it's possible even the Top 1! Your eyes now full of resolve, decided to pick up the sponge again before scrubbing on the side of the walls.

Jina seeing your uh passion and resolve to clean your shared room approached you.
"Uhh Ano~," Jina said with such adorable hesitation, "I'd like to help you out cleaning our room," She looked around the room, "Is there anything else I can do?" She asked doe-eyed. 

Ahh, what a blessing!

You don't mind the help, instead, you're glad that she offered to help you!

"Thank you, Jina ~," You said with a relaxed expression.
"Just leave the insects and tiny critters to me, okay?" You added.

You could've sword you saw her face go pale at the thought of insects and in their room!?
"O-okay," Jina said picking up a sponge to help you clean the walls.

"What?" You ask her puzzled with concern, "You don't like insects?"

"Don't like? I hate them!" Jina says as she scrubs the walls with an uncomfortable expression on her face.

"I'm scared of them especially those that can fly around," Jina added, there's an obvious fear in her voice.

"Then leave the insects to me! I'll deal with them for you!" You say lightly knocking a fist to your chest with a confident expression.

More SP for me!

"Really? Thank you, Eve." Jina says as she soaks the sponge with more soapy water.

The both of you continued on your spring cleaning day.

*

And the day has finally come to put that good amount of SP to good use! You opened your status window screen and put all the SP to DEX.

BWAHAHAHA

Your body feels like you'd be able to move more flexibly and at ease like those professional gymnasts you used to watch in your past life.

You watch, as your fellow cadets go first on being tested on their evaluation in their rudimentary basics to use the ODM gear. Many of them pass the test but not with ease. Many of them struggled to keep their balance. While you, you're not worried yourself. You're confident in being able to pass this test!

Now comes your turn, you walk under the contraption and your fellow cadets attach the wires to your belts.

"Are you ready?" A fellow cadet asked. Something in their voice made you nervous, beads of sweat amidst the echoing self-doubt ran through your mind but you replied with a resolved nod anyway.

Steady as a rock, just like Mikasa was!

Just as you were lifted, you felt yourself sway forward and backward. Your vision fades as you continue to struggle to keep up with your balance. You never thought it'd be this hard! You spin and hit your head on the ground but you're not giving up. Not when you've reached this far. Not after all the hard work. All that cleaning you did...

Just as your instructor is about to fail you, "Again! I'll try again!" You say, your eyes filled with more resolve once again, your instructor sighed and then eventually let you try again.

"Not that it's going to change anything." You hear him but decide to ignore it.

You are once again lifted, and you feel your body sway and start to spin again. You struggle to keep your body still and adjust yourself to the motions of the wires attached to your waist.

Ugh, it's hard! This is too difficult.
Calm down, don't overthink it just let the DEX stats take into effect.

You try to picture yourself, at a complete balance, flying in the air by your will and not the wire attached to your waist.

Inner peace, just like those monks,
Let your instincts take over.

You let your instincts take in and you feel your body in quietude.  As you forget and empty your mind, your father's voice echoes in your memories.

When you do a kick like this, your shift in balance shouldn't be on this side
But this side, direct to your core.

You still remember your father's voice as he held your leg to the point where should you shift your weight for that specific move. Such warm memories embraced you that you forgot you were being evaluated for the use of ODM gear.

"Huh?" A cadet looks at you with a puzzled look on his face as he stands by to manage the contraption that lifts you. Silence permeates the air

"Is she... sleeping?" He went on and thought out loud, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Everyone watched for a good while to observe you, or the sleeping you in shock. Your instructor is as flabbergasted as he can be. No one had ever slept or fallen asleep in this phase of evaluation. He didn't know if it's either your talent that he should be happy enough or if should he be pissed at how cocky and relaxed you are right now when you should be taking this seriously!

"Wake up cadet!" He yelled at you, the power of his voice this time was coming from the depths of his diaphragm. It was loud, too loud that it snapped you back to reality from your inner peace. 

"Eh? Ehhh!?" In shock, you fell out of balance as you spun around the contraption and hit your head.



You blacked out. 

Year 839

Status:(Eve)

STR: 89
AGI: 50
DEX: 81 (42^)
HP: 60/60
CONCENTRATION: 40
LEADERSHIP: 29
DEF: 20

Status: (Kate)

STR: 58
AGI: 49
DEX: 81
HP: 100/100
CONCENTRATION: 35
LEADERSHIP: 30
DEF: 88

Status: (Jina)

STR: 38
AGI: 30
DEX: 39
HP: 100/100
CONCENTRATION: 50
LEADERSHIP: 35
DEF: 28

[Note: An average soldier's stats would range from 30-40 while a normal man's stats would range from 10-29. Common stat limit 100.]