The winter's cold wind was piercing to the bone; even wrapped in thick cotton coats, one still couldn't block this chill.
In a vast expanse of white snowfield, small squads advanced slowly. Everyone wore heavy cotton clothing, carried packs on their backs, and stepped in thick deerskin boots. This was the training soldiers undergoing winter training.
Winter training was a long-distance marching mission held by the training corps during winter, requiring a trek of nearly 20 kilometers across snowy mountains. Marching in snowstorms in the mountains was extremely dangerous—one careless mistake could mean dying in the snow.
Therefore, for this training, the instructors did not require all trainees to participate. Those with injuries, poor physical condition, or who simply didn't want to go could apply to skip it, though it would have some impact on their grades.
Since it concerned graduation results, most trainees gritted their teeth and joined the training. Only some who already had lingering injuries from earlier training, along with a few who feared wind and snow and had poor performance anyway, chose to give up. The rest all shouldered their packs and set off.
The requirements weren't high—successfully reaching the destination meant passing. The shorter the time used, the better the result.
Yago stumbled through the snow, one step deep and one step shallow, already lagging a short distance behind the group. Ahead of him were Historia and Ymir.
Yago still hadn't fully recovered from his weakness. Originally, he could have chosen not to participate in this training, but he could sense that something about his physical condition was off. If he stayed in the camp, something bad might happen.
So, taking advantage of this winter training, Yago deliberately fell behind the group, searching for an opportunity.
Soon, the opportunity came. A cold wind swept through, followed by countless snowflakes scattering as a heavy snowfall enveloped the trainees.
Marco held up an oil lamp and struggled forward against the wind and snow. As the head of the group, he was responsible for guiding the trainees. The snow grew heavier and heavier, and soon visibility dropped to less than ten meters.
"This is bad—it might be a blizzard! Everyone stay close, don't fall behind!" Marco shouted loudly.
"Eren, grab my hand! We can't get separated." Mikasa took the initiative to reach out, but Eren, being bluntly stubborn, refused with a look of resistance.
"No! Mikasa, I'm not a child—what are you doing?!"
Eren and Mikasa stood in front of Armin, shielding the physically weaker Armin from some of the wind and snow while asking,
"Where's Yago?"
Armin remembered what Yago had said and replied, "Yago said he'd meet up with Thomas behind us, so we don't need to worry about him."
Eren: "Is that so?"
Armin nodded, and Eren didn't press the issue. After all, everyone had seen Yago's strength—winter training shouldn't be a problem for him.
Armin: "Yeah. Yago must have his reasons for doing this."
...
On the other side, within the group ahead, Reiner, Annie, and Bertholdt walked together with their packs, the three of them a short distance away from the rest.
Using the noise of the wind and snow as cover, Reiner spoke solemnly to Annie and Bertholdt.
"Another year has passed, but we still haven't gained much. If this continues, it'll be very hard for us to complete the mission."
Even wrapped in thick cotton clothing, Annie still looked small in front of the two tall youths.
"So, what do you want to do?"
Reiner glanced at Bertholdt, then said to Annie, "I hope that in the spring next year, you'll try to infiltrate the royal palace, or maybe a noble's household, and see if you can obtain some intelligence."
Annie's tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
"Heh, why go through all that trouble? Why don't I just seduce a noble directly? Reiner, you make it sound so easy."
It was obvious sarcasm, but unexpectedly, Reiner answered bluntly,
"I've thought about that plan. But I know you're very close to Yago, so you probably don't want Yago to get hurt either, right?"
Annie's gaze instantly turned dangerous as she stared coldly at Reiner.
"Are you threatening me?"
Seeing the two on the brink of confrontation, Bertholdt nervously tried to ease the tension.
"Reiner, that wasn't good to say. Annie, calm down. Reiner didn't mean it like that."
After a moment of silence, Reiner said, "Annie, you have to understand—this mission must be completed for our families. Don't worry, we won't interfere in matters between you and Yago. After all, we share the same blood as the descendants of devils."
Annie said nothing, silently turning around and walking away.
"One more time. I'll infiltrate the royal city again. But whether I get information or not, I won't do it a third time." Her voice carried through the wind and snow into Reiner's and Bertholdt's ears.
...
Yago hid silently behind a tree, watching as the group gradually moved away until their figures disappeared into the wind and snow. He tightened his clothing and turned toward the forest on either side.
After walking for a while, faint steam began to rise from Yago's entire body.
It felt as if his body were being pricked by countless tiny needles—painful and itchy at the same time. This was different from the pain that occurred every year before. It was as if the previous pain had been testing whether he could endure that immense power, and this time, he had passed the trial and was beginning to truly accept that power.
Yago could feel that the power of the Titans was far more than just transforming into a Titan. Behind this power, there had to be secrets unknown to others. The girl from that day, the figure in a white lab coat, and something called Marley—all were mysteries Yago wanted to uncover.
Staggering slightly, Yago reached a tree, slowly sat down against it, and gently closed his eyes.
...
In the wind and snow, a small figure dragged a stretcher with great effort, trudging through the snow.
Historia's small face was pale from the cold, while Ymir followed behind her holding a lamp.
As the wind and snow gradually intensified, Historia was blown so hard she could barely keep walking. Seeing this, Ymir urged her,
"Historia, give up! If you keep dragging Daz like this, we'll all die here!"
Historia shook her head firmly.
"No. I won't. I can't abandon my comrades. Ymir, don't worry about me—go on ahead."
Ymir frowned. She knew that beneath Historia's gentle and lovely exterior was an extremely stubborn personality. Realizing she couldn't persuade her, Ymir could only accompany her, moving forward slowly together.
...
Yago sat upright beneath the tree, a layer of frost already forming on his eyebrows. Suddenly, a clump of snow struck Yago's face. He opened his eyes in confusion, bloodshot, and looked up. His pitch-black pupils contracted sharply as a massive sheet of snow came rolling down the mountainside.
"This is bad—it's an avalanche!" Yago cried out. The avalanche was incredibly fast, leaving no time to dodge.
Without hesitation, Yago drove his fingernails fiercely into his palm. A blinding burst of yellow lightning enveloped him. Skeletal frames emerged from his back, muscles grew along the bones, followed by blood vessels, nerves, and organs. In no time at all, a seventeen-meter-tall Yago Titan appeared—solidly muscled like a bodybuilder, with black hair and sharp fangs. His crimson eyes had just let out a roar when he was swallowed by the raging avalanche.
Before the overwhelming force of nature, even a Titan seemed powerless.