Chapter 42: The truth about Eren, the 104th gets a big surprise
Levi walks over to the training field. Their new recruits wait for them. Only eight new soldiers. Hopefully they really are good with Eren being a shifter but first they need to know that he is already a soldier. That´s a point his friends hadn't told the others. For obvious reason. Eren looks and is most likely even younger than them. Who would let a child into their unite, shifter or not?
Eren is right behind him in his Survey Corps uniform, the others still wear their cadet uniforms. Erwin wants to leave them the choice before they really join. They need to see what they have to do and with whom they work together. Who can´t is free to leave.
Levi stands in front of him and he sees Armin and Mikasa smile at Eren who stops next to him. The others notice his uniform and look confused but don't say a thing. They all salute for him and Levi has the first thing he needs them to stop doing. He has no time for them always saluting. He never does. They can do that with the others, he doesn't care. "Attention, before we start lets get over with the introduction. I´m Captain Levi Ackermann and this is Private First Class Eren Jäger. You should all know us. We worked on an undercover mission to reveal the identity of the titan shifter." Silence. They all stare at Eren who tries his best not to laugh. He had this rang for about three hours (official at least). Erwin could never give him any rank because he doesn't exists, not really. All their paperwork was faked regarding Eren and his identity. "As you already know is Eren a titan-shifter, what you don´t know is that the Survey Corp has a new way of training for their soldiers. Namely you train with him." Levi points at Eren and after a second. "As a titan." That gets him the predicted reaction. Before they can say something, Levi continues. He hates these talks but it is necessary and he wants to finish before Hanji arrives and freaks them all out with her game CATCH THE HUMANS. "Our last real mission outside the wall three years ago had zero casualties. We had only two months of training with Eren but it dropped our mortality rate from up to 50 % to zero. I hope you understand what that means." They slowly nod. "Good, Hanji will explain the game she invented for this training now is the last chance for you to leave. Who wants to stay gets its Survey Corps uniform after the first training. Being here means working with Eren, who is unable to do so has to go. You have five minutes than the training will start." They all salute. "And stop that saluting you can do that with the others, I don't care for it, we have only a limited time a day for training, don't waste it."
Levi steps back and let Eren alone with his friends, he waits for Hanji´s arrival, still he can hear what they stay. He wouldn't let Eren alone with them.
Mikasa is the first that jumps into Eren´s arms, closely followed by Armin, they hadn't seen him since the fight against Reiner and he is glad that even his wild side hadn't frighten these kids. They would go against the other shifters and normal titans but that has time. Levi understands Erwin´s hesitation to hunt them and he has to admit their commandant is right.
Eren tells them about how he came to the wall, how he had found Levi and returned with him. About the training and that he really was a soldier before he had sign up. Eren reminds them that no one outside their unit is allowed to know things like this. One asks him what he eats and Eren explains all about the sun and that the other titans eat humans for fun.
That is the moment Hanji arrives and tells them about the game. They all look shocked, the same as the last group that got the same explanation three years ago. They should have changed the name but what can they do.
They are all armed with their wooden swords as Eren walks away a few meters to transform. The lightning was blinding as ever and as the titan stands in front of his friends, they all try not to step back. Levi knows that it can be frightened so he steps forward to show them what they have to do. It will not be the first time. And when they got a bit better the other soldiers could continue their training.