The Girl Who Broke a Decade of Record

The morning air was unusually tense.

Hundreds of cadets crowded in front of the massive wooden notice board, their hearts pounding as instructors pinned up the final rankings of the 104th Training Corps.

Some prayed.

Some trembled.

Some had already accepted defeat.

The board was finally revealed.

For a second...

Silence.

Then—

"What...?"

"No way..."

"You're kidding..."

The whispers spread like wildfire.

One by one, everyone's eyes slowly moved to the very top of the list.

Rank 1

Y/N L/N

The score written beside her name froze everyone in place.

A score so unbelievably high...

That it didn't just earn first place.

It shattered the highest score recorded in the last ten years by an enormous margin.

Even the cadets who had expected to rank within the Top Ten stood speechless.

"She... she broke the ten-year record..."

"By that much?"

"I thought that record could never be broken..."

"Isn't she...?"

"The Stone Girl."

"Yeah... that's her."

"The noble girl from Wall Sina."

"I've never seen her smile."

"They say she doesn't even have emotions."

"I heard even the instructors couldn't read her expression."

The whispers only grew louder.

Yet the person at the center of everyone's attention...

Didn't even bother looking at the ranking.

Standing beneath the shade of a large tree, Y/N L/N remained completely still.

One hand rested inside her pocket.

The other casually stayed beside her.

Hidden inside that pocket...

Her fingers tightly held an old white handkerchief.

A handkerchief that belonged to someone who was no longer alive.

Her face showed nothing.

No pride.

No excitement.

No satisfaction.

Nothing.

Like a statue carved from marble.

---

Keith Shadis glanced at the notice board before looking toward the silver-haired girl standing alone.

"...Top Ten."

His voice echoed across the training ground.

"Step forward."

One after another, the highest-ranking cadets walked out of the crowd.

Finally...

Y/N began walking.

The whispers instantly became louder.

"So that's her..."

"Her hair..."

"Those silver eyes..."

"She's even prettier up close..."

"No wonder people call her the Stone Girl."

"But... why does she look so terrifying?"

She ignored every single word.

Her footsteps were calm.

Measured.

Silent.

As she reached the front, even several instructors unconsciously stared for a moment.

Ash-silver hair tied neatly into a military bun.

Ice-silver eyes.

Perfect posture.

An unreadable expression.

She looked less like a seventeen-year-old girl...

And more like someone who had forgotten what emotions were.

---

Watching from the platform stood three familiar figures.

Commander Erwin Smith.

Section Commander Hange Zoë.

And Captain Levi Ackerman.

Hange blinked several times.

"...She's beautiful."

Erwin's attention, however, remained fixed on the rankings.

"A ten-year record... broken by such a margin."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I want her in the Survey Corps."

Hange looked at him.

"You think she'll join us?"

Before Erwin could answer—

Levi spoke in his usual flat tone.

"You're dreaming."

Both of them looked at him.

Levi kept his eyes on Y/N.

"A noble family."

"Top graduate."

"No noble has ever chosen the Survey Corps over the Military Police."

"She'll choose Military Police."

Erwin remained silent.

A moment later he answered quietly,

"Even so..."

"I'll do everything I can to recruit her."

Levi gave him a sideways glance.

"Then don't expect much."

---

Keith Shadis stepped forward.

"As tradition dictates..."

"The Top Ten graduates may choose which military branch they wish to serve."

A wave of excitement spread across the crowd.

Everyone already had their own guesses.

"Military Police."

"Obviously."

"She's from Wall Sina."

"With that score she'd be crazy not to."

"No noble would ever risk dying outside the walls."

Keith's sharp eyes landed on the first graduate.

"Y/N L/N."

She stepped forward.

The entire field fell silent.

"What branch do you choose?"

Before she could answer—

The whispers began again.

"Military Police."

"Of course."

"It's obvious."

"She'd never choose Survey Corps."

On the platform—

Erwin quietly watched.

Hange leaned forward with sparkling eyes.

Levi crossed his arms.

Then...

For the first time—

Y/N spoke.

Her voice was calm.

Soft.

Completely emotionless.

"I wish to dedicate my heart..."

"...to the Survey Corps."

...

Silence.

Utter silence.

It was as if the entire training ground had forgotten how to breathe.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three.

"What...?"

"Did I hear that correctly?"

"Survey Corps?"

"She's insane."

"A noble... choosing the Survey Corps?"

"Has she lost her mind?"

"She's a psychopath..."

Even several instructors stared at her in disbelief.

On the platform—

Hange's eyes widened so much she looked ready to explode.

"...WHAT?!"

A huge grin instantly spread across Erwin's face.

His blue eyes shone with satisfaction.

"I knew there was something different about her."

Beside him—

Levi had actually stopped mid-sentence.

For the first time in a long while...

Genuine surprise crossed his face.

"..."

Only for a brief moment.

Then, just as quickly—

His expression returned to its usual cold indifference.

Keith narrowed his eyes.

"Y/N L/N."

"Do you understand what you're saying?"

"The Survey Corps has the highest casualty rate among all military branches."

"You may never return alive."

Y/N didn't hesitate.

Not even for a second.

"Yes, Sir."

Two simple words.

Yet the way she said them—

Calm.

Steady.

Without the slightest trace of fear—

Sent chills through everyone standing there.

For a moment...

It felt as though they had witnessed something impossible.

The Stone Girl—

Had just chosen the path that no one had expected her to walk.

After a while,,,,,,,,,,

The headquarters of the Survey Corps was quieter than most people imagined.

There were no grand celebrations.

No welcoming ceremony.

Only disciplined footsteps, the faint sound of soldiers training in the distance, and the occasional neigh of horses from the stable.

The newly recruited members stood in a straight line inside the large assembly hall.

Unlike the excitement that had filled the training grounds earlier that day...

The atmosphere here felt heavy.

Almost suffocating.

Y/N stood at the very end of the line.

Hands resting behind her back.

Expression unchanged.

Eyes staring forward.

Around her, however, the whispers hadn't stopped.

"So she's really here..."

"I thought she'd change her mind."

"A noble choosing the Survey Corps..."

"She's definitely insane."

"I still can't believe she broke a ten-year record."

"And with that face..."

"She doesn't even blink."

Y/N heard every single word.

She simply didn't react.

Not even once.

---

The large wooden doors slowly opened.

Every soldier inside immediately straightened their posture.

Commander Erwin Smith entered the hall.

Behind him walked Section Commander Hange Zoë.

A few steps behind them...

Captain Levi.

Their presence alone silenced the entire room.

Erwin stopped in front of the recruits.

His sharp blue eyes slowly swept across every face before finally speaking.

"Welcome..."

"...to the Survey Corps."

His voice wasn't loud.

Yet every word carried weight.

"You all made a decision today."

"A decision most people would never understand."

"No one forced you to stand here."

"You came here by your own will."

He paused briefly.

"In this corps..."

"You will lose comrades."

"You will witness things no human should ever witness."

"There will be moments when fear tells you to run."

"And moments when giving up feels easier than moving forward."

The recruits listened without making a sound.

Erwin continued calmly.

"Not everyone standing in this room will still be here a year from now."

The reality of those words settled heavily over the hall.

"But..."

"If humanity is to move forward..."

"Someone must continue walking."

His gaze remained unwavering.

"I expect discipline."

"I expect responsibility."

"And above all..."

"I expect each of you to remember why you chose this path."

"Because that reason..."

"...will be the only thing keeping you on your feet."

Silence filled the hall once again.

Then—

"Dismissed."

Most of the recruits immediately saluted.

"Yes, Commander!"

The room slowly began to empty.

Groups naturally formed as recruits chatted among themselves.

Only one person remained standing exactly where she had been.

Y/N.

She hadn't moved an inch.

---

"Y/N L/N."

Erwin's voice stopped her before she could leave.

She turned around.

"Yes, Commander."

Erwin glanced briefly at Hange and Levi before looking back at her.

"I have one question."

Y/N remained silent.

"What made you choose the Survey Corps?"

The room suddenly became quiet again.

Several nearby soldiers discreetly slowed their steps, pretending not to listen.

Even Hange leaned forward with obvious curiosity.

A top graduate.

A noble.

Someone who could have lived safely in the Interior.

Yet she had chosen the most dangerous military branch without hesitation.

There had to be a reason.

Y/N looked directly at Erwin.

Her expression never changed.

"...Because it was my decision."

Silence.

Hange blinked.

"...That's it?"

Y/N gave a small nod.

"Yes."

Hange folded her arms with a half-pout.

"That's not really an answer."

"I was expecting something a little more dramatic."

"Like a dream... or a promise... or wanting to save humanity."

Y/N's gaze remained as calm as ever.

"I'm sorry."

"I have nothing else to tell."

For a few seconds...

No one spoke.

Erwin studied her face carefully.

Searching for even the slightest crack in that emotionless mask.

There wasn't one.

Not a single one.

Finally...

He gave a small nod.

"I understand."

"You may go."

"Yes, Commander."

Y/N saluted once.

Turned around.

And quietly walked out of the hall.

The sound of her boots gradually faded down the corridor.

Only after she disappeared from sight did Hange let out a long breath.

"...She's impossible to read."

Levi, who had remained silent the entire time, looked toward the now-empty doorway.

His expression stayed as indifferent as always.

"Whatever she's hiding..."

"...she's buried it well."

No one noticed—

Far down the corridor...

Y/N's hand had slipped into her pocket once again.

Her fingers silently tightened around the old handkerchief.

Then...

Without a word—

She continued walking.

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