BEGIN!!!

"...Begin."

The moment the command echoed across the training field...

Neither of them moved.

A cold breeze swept between the two girls.

Mikasa's sharp eyes remained fixed on Y/N.

Y/N looked back with the same emotionless gaze.

Neither blinked.

Neither showed the slightest impatience.

Around them...

The recruits unconsciously held their breath.

"...Why aren't they attacking?"

"They're waiting..."

"No..."

"They're reading each other."

Levi's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"They're looking for an opening."

Hange folded her arms with an excited grin.

"This is going to be fun."

---

A heartbeat later—

Whoosh!

Mikasa moved first.

She dashed forward with astonishing speed, her fist aimed directly at Y/N's face.

Without changing her expression—

Y/N tilted her head just enough for the punch to miss by mere centimeters.

Mikasa immediately followed with a spinning kick.

Y/N raised her forearm.

Thud!

The impact echoed across the field.

Before Mikasa could continue—

Y/N stepped inside her guard.

Her elbow shot toward Mikasa's ribs.

Mikasa twisted her body just in time.

The strike barely grazed her jacket.

She retaliated with another quick punch.

Y/N leaned backward.

Again...

It missed.

The exchange happened so quickly that many recruits couldn't keep up.

"W-What...?"

"I can't even see their hands!"

"They're too fast!"

---

Neither of them spoke.

Only the sounds of fists cutting through the air echoed across the training field.

Punch.

Block.

Kick.

Counter.

Step.

Turn.

Every movement flowed into the next without hesitation.

Neither wasted energy.

Neither lost focus.

---

Mikasa suddenly swept her leg low.

Y/N jumped.

At the same instant—

Mikasa pushed herself upward, aiming a punch toward Y/N before she landed.

Y/N caught Mikasa's wrist in midair.

Using Mikasa's own momentum—

She spun.

Thud!

Mikasa hit the ground.

Gasps erupted from the crowd.

"She got her!"

But before Y/N could capitalize—

Mikasa rolled backward, sprang to her feet, and immediately attacked again.

No hesitation.

No frustration.

Almost as if being thrown had never happened.

A small smile appeared on Hange's face.

"Now that's more like it."

---

The pace only increased.

Mikasa launched a rapid combination of strikes.

Y/N blocked the first.

Dodged the second.

Redirected the third.

The fourth nearly connected—

But Y/N shifted sideways at the last possible instant.

The recruits watched with wide eyes.

"...This doesn't even look human."

"They're monsters."

---

Mikasa feinted high.

Y/N instinctively raised her guard.

That was the opening.

Mikasa pivoted and hooked Y/N's leg.

Y/N lost her balance for a split second.

Mikasa seized the opportunity.

She grabbed Y/N's arm—

Twisted—

And slammed her onto the ground.

Bang!

A cloud of dust rose.

"MIKASA DID IT!"

Before anyone could celebrate—

Y/N planted one hand against the ground.

Using the momentum of the fall—

She kicked upward.

Mikasa was forced to jump back.

In one smooth motion...

Y/N flipped to her feet.

Her breathing remained perfectly steady.

Not even a strand of silver hair had escaped her bun.

Mikasa quietly adjusted her stance.

For the first time...

A hint of seriousness appeared in her eyes.

Y/N's expression...

Didn't change at all.

---

Several meters away—

Even Eren found himself staring.

"...They're unbelievable."

Armin nodded slowly.

"It isn't just strength..."

"Their timing..."

"Their reactions..."

"They're predicting each other's movements."

---

Levi watched the fight without saying a word.

His sharp eyes followed every movement.

Every step.

Every counter.

Neither girl relied on brute force.

They relied on precision.

Control.

Discipline.

For the first time that morning...

The corner of Levi's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.

Not a smile.

Just the faintest sign of approval.

The fight...

Was far from over.

A thick layer of dust hung over the sparring ring.

No one spoke.

No one dared to blink.

Every pair of eyes remained locked on the two girls standing several meters apart.

Both had already landed clean techniques.

Both had been thrown to the ground.

Yet...

Neither had managed to finish the other.

---

Mikasa inhaled quietly.

Then—

She disappeared from where she stood.

Whoosh!

"What?!"

"She's so fast!"

Before most recruits could even follow her movement—

She appeared at Y/N's left side.

A sharp roundhouse kick cut through the air.

Y/N raised her forearm.

Bang!

The impact pushed her back two steps.

Before Y/N could regain her footing—

Mikasa closed the distance again.

Punch.

Elbow.

Palm strike.

Every attack flowed perfectly into the next.

Y/N blocked the first two.

Redirected the third.

But Mikasa suddenly switched rhythm—

Instead of striking—

She grabbed Y/N's wrist.

Twisted.

Pulled.

Trying to throw her over her shoulder.

At the last possible moment—

Y/N bent her knees, lowering her center of gravity.

The throw failed.

Without hesitation—

Y/N drove her shoulder forward.

Thud!

Both of them stumbled apart.

---

"...They're adapting."

Armin whispered unconsciously.

"They've already figured out each other's habits..."

Eren swallowed.

"They're changing their fighting styles in the middle of the match..."

---

Hange's grin only grew wider.

"They're learning while fighting."

"How fascinating."

Erwin silently nodded.

"They're forcing each other to improve."

---

Neither Y/N nor Mikasa wasted a second.

They charged again.

This time—

Neither intended to give the other any breathing room.

The sound of fists colliding echoed repeatedly across the field.

Bang!

Thud!

Crack!

Every exchange became faster than the last.

Several recruits had completely lost track.

"I can't see them anymore!"

"Who's attacking?!"

"I don't know!"

"They're both attacking!"

---

Mikasa ducked beneath Y/N's punch.

She drove her shoulder into Y/N's abdomen.

Y/N slid backward across the dirt.

Before Mikasa could continue—

Y/N planted one foot firmly behind her.

Stopped herself.

Then rushed forward.

She spun—

Her heel swept toward Mikasa's legs.

Mikasa jumped.

Exactly what Y/N had predicted.

The instant Mikasa landed—

Y/N's palm struck directly against Mikasa's shoulder.

Thud!

Mikasa staggered back.

But instead of retreating—

She smiled.

Very faintly.

Barely noticeable.

Y/N saw it.

Yet her own expression remained unchanged.

---

Levi watched every movement without missing a single detail.

"...Interesting."

He spoke quietly enough that only Erwin heard him.

Erwin glanced sideways.

"What is?"

Levi kept watching the match.

"They're both holding back."

Hange turned immediately.

"Holding back?"

Levi nodded once.

"Neither of them is fighting recklessly."

"They're testing."

"Analyzing."

"They're trying to understand how the other moves."

Erwin's eyes returned to the ring.

"...You're right."

---

Back inside the circle—

Both girls stopped once more.

Their breathing had become slightly heavier.

Small scratches marked their uniforms.

A thin layer of dust covered their boots.

For the first time...

They looked like they had actually been fighting.

Yet—

Neither showed exhaustion.

Neither looked intimidated.

Mikasa quietly adjusted her stance.

Y/N did the same.

The distance between them slowly disappeared once again.

Everyone instinctively leaned forward.

The feeling was unmistakable.

The next exchange...

Would likely decide the winner.

The training field had become eerily silent.

No one whispered anymore.

No one cheered.

Every soldier—new recruit or veteran—was completely absorbed in the match unfolding before them.

The dust slowly settled.

Y/N and Mikasa stood face to face once again.

Neither had lowered their guard.

Neither intended to.

...

Without warning—

They moved.

At the exact same moment.

Bang!

Their fists collided in the center, forcing both of them a step backward.

Mikasa immediately spun into another kick.

Y/N ducked beneath it.

She drove her palm toward Mikasa's ribs.

Mikasa blocked.

Y/N's other hand shot toward her shoulder.

Blocked again.

For the next several seconds...

It wasn't even possible to tell who was attacking anymore.

Every strike was answered.

Every throw was escaped.

Every opening disappeared before it could be exploited.

---

"They're... equal."

A recruit muttered in disbelief.

"I've never seen anything like this."

---

Mikasa suddenly changed tactics.

Instead of attacking directly—

She closed the distance completely.

Their arms locked together.

Shoulder against shoulder.

Each trying to overpower the other.

The muscles in their arms tensed.

Their boots dug into the dirt beneath them.

For the first time—

Raw strength decided the exchange.

For nearly three seconds...

Neither of them moved an inch.

Then—

Crack!

The ground beneath their boots gave way.

Using that instant—

Mikasa shifted her weight.

She hooked Y/N's leg.

Y/N felt herself losing balance.

Mikasa immediately attempted a shoulder throw.

But—

Just before leaving the ground—

Y/N twisted her body in midair.

Instead of landing flat—

She landed on one knee.

Still holding Mikasa's wrist.

With one swift motion—

She pulled.

Mikasa's balance disappeared.

Both girls rolled across the dirt together before instantly separating.

Neither remained on the ground for even a heartbeat.

They stood again.

Almost simultaneously.

---

"...Incredible."

One of the veteran soldiers whispered.

"They're adapting faster than some experienced soldiers."

---

Hange looked absolutely thrilled.

"I want to study both of them."

Levi shot her a brief glance.

"...Don't."

She laughed.

"I'm kidding."

"...Mostly."

---

Back in the ring—

A faint bruise had begun forming on Mikasa's forearm.

Y/N's sleeve had a small tear near her shoulder.

It was the first visible evidence that the fight had taken its toll.

Yet...

Neither girl's expression had changed.

Mikasa remained calm.

Y/N remained unreadable.

---

The next exchange came faster than all the others.

Mikasa lunged.

Y/N stepped aside.

Mikasa expected it.

She pivoted instantly.

Y/N had expected that.

She grabbed Mikasa's sleeve.

Mikasa slipped free.

Y/N swept low.

Mikasa jumped.

Y/N turned with her.

The moment Mikasa landed—

Both girls threw a punch at the exact same instant.

THUD!

Their fists connected with each other's shoulders.

The force pushed both of them backward.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Then...

Both regained their footing.

Neither had fallen.

The recruits stared with mouths slightly open.

"...How..."

"...They're still standing?"

---

A slow smile appeared on Erwin's face.

Without taking his eyes off the ring, he calmly spoke.

"That's enough."

His voice wasn't loud.

Yet it reached every corner of the field.

Immediately—

Both girls stopped.

Not because they were tired.

But because it was an order.

They lowered their stances at the same time.

The silence returned.

Erwin walked a few steps closer.

His eyes moved from Mikasa...

...to Y/N.

"There is no winner."

A ripple of surprise spread through the recruits.

"No winner?"

"But—"

"They were about to finish!"

Erwin continued.

"You've both proven your abilities."

"If this continued..."

"...one of you would eventually win."

He paused briefly.

"But the other would leave with unnecessary injuries."

"Our purpose is to build soldiers."

"Not break them."

Mikasa gave a small nod.

"Understood, Commander."

Y/N answered in the same calm tone as always.

"Yes, Commander."

The two girls looked at each other for a brief moment.

No hostility.

No resentment.

Just silent acknowledgment.

Then they turned...

And walked back toward their respective positions.

From the sidelines—

Levi's gaze followed the silver-haired girl for a moment longer than before.

He didn't say anything.

But one thought crossed his mind.

"That wasn't luck."

"She's the real deal."

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