"Simon—get your spear and armor."
"Yes, Commander."
Simon turned his head toward one of his comrades at the edge of the ring. The man nodded without a word and hurried off, boots pounding against the dirt.
Moments later, the soldier returned, shoving through the thick press of bodies with spear and armor in hand. The crowd parted just enough to let him through before closing again in a wall of steel and voices.
Simon took the gear swiftly, strapping on the armor piece by piece with practiced ease, then gripping the spear tight in his hands. The weight settled over him, his posture straightening as he prepared to step into the circle fully armed.
Meanwhile, behind Eren—still clutching one of his hands—Mira spoke, her voice low beneath the rising noise of the gathered soldiers.
"Will you be alright?"
There was hesitation in her tone. She remembered what Velira had told her—how Eren was said to be more powerful than the Battalion Commander himself.
