Clashing Blades (Levi X OC)

『 C H A P T E R 4 : TEST 』

【 Live up to your own decision. Don't falter... 】

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The wind blew fiercely against the cadets' faces as they swung around in the air.

Today, exactly marked as the fifth month of training for the 104th Training Corps, was one of the fine day that the cadets used to train and polish their skills in using the vertical maneuvering equipment. Back then on the first day alone, many of them actually ended up smashing into trees, tangled between the thick wire or get their asses dragged on the ground as they lost balance, body getting too stiff or too nervous when moving at high speed in the air and fail to navigate properly.

They were told that to use the equipment alone didn't only demanded art that required strength and skill, but also great spatial recognition abilities and mental strength so to not waver in the midst of panic. And as such, months of training were required to make sure all of them were comfortable and capable enough to use it. Otherwise, they would be sent back to the reclaimed land and start working their asses there.

As per said, Ireen just swung passed Connie who had just gotten his leg caught in one of the comrade's steel wire that was shot when he suddenly made a sharp turn, and then subsequently clashed with the other's path. Connie stumbled forward as the wire pulled against his leg, and he went over a thick branch in front before ended up hanging upside down over it. Meanwhile the cadet lost his balance due to the wire got pulled sideways and was harshly sent flying to bang a tree.

Ireen choked on her laughter before piercing her grappler onto the tree where the unlucky soul was and stood in hang, stopping to check on him.

She couldn't stop laughing as she peered over her shoulder at Connie's upside down posture that currently rocking left and right lightly. "I told you before Connie not to crisscross path during training. It is dangerous unless we get far from the others."

"Shut up! Simply going straight and forward after firing the grapple hooks is not enough. If an abnormal titan suddenly showed up and jumped directly in front of me, I couldn't avoid at all. I need to learn to redirect my heading when in the air!" Connie fought back.

Sasha who was swinging along nearby them landed with a soft thud on the branch that Connie was stuck to, intended to help untangling him.

Ireen shifted her gaze to the unlucky cadet below her, whom currently swaying like a pendulum bob, growling with a hand over his face as blood trickling down his nose. She upright him by putting his arm over her shoulder, handing him a handkerchief to wipe the blood away before slowly bringing him down to the ground.

She checked on him, and was glad when he assured her that he was fine. Ireen doesn't want to drag his ass to the infirmary room. As much as the condition of her fellow cadet-mate is important, she didn't want to waste her training hour on trivial thing. She turned her attention back to Connie whom currently resting next to the cadet.

"What I'm saying is Connie, this area is not suitable for us to learn doing a sudden turn or changing directions while still being reeled on air. The trees are too packed, much closer to each other and rendering us from having a better mobility since we are still clueless on how to do so. And other cadets are all around here too. We have to get somewhere with bigger space and trees a bit scattered away to practice advance techniques", Ireen said as the four of them gathered and took a rest for a while.

Connie sighed at the statement, despite he agreed to it. "I wonder how Jean was able to do it. Though it was not perfect, he seems to grasp the idea on how to change direction while still reeling on air."