Chapter 20
Just five minutes before Rio Ackerman began walking toward the source of the commotion, things had already started to shift gradually in the training yard.
It wasn't caused by shouting or loud voices—but the tension had started brewing slowly… within one particular pair assigned for hand-to-hand training.
That pair was:
Eren Yeager and Annie Leonhart.
Annie stood in place, casually brushing off her hands after kicking Eren so hard he'd flown into the air and crashed to the ground.
Dust clung to Eren's face as he propped himself up on one elbow, clearly in pain.
His face was twisted in discomfort, but even so, he tried to keep his pride intact. He looked at her and muttered:
"Ouch… Annie… Couldn't you be a little gentler?! There's a thing called basic human decency, you know… you are human, right?!"
But Annie didn't respond immediately.
She ran her fingers through her short blonde hair, ignoring Eren's pained expression. Then, without even glancing at him, she replied coolly:
"I'd like to throw those same words back at you."
Eren blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
She finally turned toward him, her tone calm, but with an edge of sarcasm:
"You never go easy on me when you're attacking… That's a huge contradiction. Based on that, I just treat you according to your level."
Her words were measured, almost like she was delivering a philosophy lecture—not just defending her combat approach.
But Eren didn't get it. He kept staring at her in confusion.
She took a step forward and continued in the same calm tone:
"I'm not as strong as you. Not even close. So, if you think of yourself as a man… shouldn't you be a little more lenient with this weak little body of mine?"
Eren blinked several times, then muttered, bewildered:
"What the…? For the record, your jokes aren't funny. If you're not strong, then how come you're standing while I'm still lying on the ground?"
He slowly pushed himself up, brushing the dust off his clothes.
Annie fell silent for a moment. She glanced around, as if making a decision in her mind, then said:
"The technique I use… it's different from what they teach you here."
"Back home, there are different martial arts. Lots of them. But here, in this camp? The 'self-defense' training they give us barely counts as basics."
Her words weren't boasting—they were an honest assessment.
"The weak must rely on technique—on cleverness—to survive against those with stronger bodies. As for someone who has both… they're just a monster."
Then, suddenly… Annie raised her hands and took up a clear fighting stance.
It was precise… her footwork stable… her lead hand low, rear hand up to protect—something between classic boxing and modern MMA.
She said calmly:
"You won't get hurt… if you master this. This kind of movement."
But the moment Eren saw her stance—he felt something off.
Tension. Unease. A creeping sense of danger.
He lifted a hand nervously, trying to stop her before she attacked:
"Alright, I get it… Let's take a break first, okay?!"
But…
Annie had no intention of stopping.
Her sharp eyes remained locked, her posture unchanged—until she suddenly shot her left fist toward Eren without hesitation.
She attacked with such speed that Eren had barely raised his arms before she was already upon him—her movement like lightning, giving him no time to react.
She drove her left fist deep into his stomach with a clean, focused strike, knocking the wind out of him completely.
"Ghk—!!"
Saliva flew from his mouth as he doubled over, knees buckling from the pain.
But Annie didn't give him time to recover.
In the very next instant, she looped her arms around his neck, locking her hands behind his head, and drove her right knee into his back as she pulled his head toward her.
A submission hold.
Eren's body collapsed with her onto the ground, groaning from the choke. He clawed at her arms, struggling to break free—but her grip was unshakable.
His breath began to shorten, and his voice came out strained:
"I… I give up… I said I give up… Didn't you hear me?!"
But Annie didn't let go.
Her voice was cool and calm as always, but her words whispered harsh lessons he couldn't escape:
"You surrender? I don't want your surrender. I want you to learn."
"Learn how to use your strength… and how to talk to girls."
Eren wanted to scream from both pain and embarrassment. He barely had enough air to croak out:
"O-okay!! I got it!! I memorized the move! Just let go already!!"
But Annie didn't move.
She looked into his face, into his eyes, trying to teach him that raw power wasn't enough—that skill and control were far more important than impulse or passion.
She leaned her face a little closer and whispered:
"Really? Want me to teach you more?"
But then suddenly…
A huge shadow loomed above her, moving fast from above.
Her instincts as a fighter kicked in—she looked up just in time to see the last person she expected:
Reiner, leaping from a height, his face full of excitement.
He screamed from midair:
"Annnnnnnieeeee!!"
She realized what was about to happen and instantly rolled out of the way with agility and grace.
Reiner, however, came crashing down—right onto Eren, who still hadn't recovered his breath.
BOOM!!
Eren let out a scream of agony:
"AAAAAGHHH—MY BAAAAAACK!!"
---
After Reiner collapsed on top of him, Eren started crawling away across the dirt, his face twisted in pain, muttering:
"Why the hell were you flying through the air like that, Reiner?!"
But before he could complain further, a sharp, familiar voice cut in from behind:
"Hey, Annie… Why don't you teach me those techniques too?"
The voice was calm, but piercing.
Mikasa Ackerman.
She walked toward them with steady steps, eyes locked on Annie. Her expression was dangerous—like she was ready to slay a Titan. Her voice carried a cold jealousy that no ear could miss… especially after witnessing Annie pin Eren to the ground earlier.
Annie turned her head slowly, her gaze calm and unreadable as always…
But internally, she was analyzing the situation carefully.
Should she ignore her? Attack her? Or reply with something clever?
After a brief silence, she responded in a quiet voice—but loud enough for everyone to hear:
"Actually, I'm not sure about that… These techniques are designed for humans, as you can see. I doubt someone like you would ever need them."
There was a moment of stunned silence.
But Annie wasn't finished.
She extended a hand forward, shifting into a classic combat stance—knees slightly bent, fists up protecting her face, her body angled in full readiness.
"But," she continued coldly, "I wonder if they'd work… against monsters. Like you."
Her brows lifted slightly in challenge, eyes fixed on Mikasa.
The tension was boiling. Even Eren, still groaning in pain, looked on in awe and whispered:
"Is this… really happening?! … Finally!"
Around the yard, cadets started halting their practice, turning to the center of the action.
Connie stopped mid-training with Sasha, staring wide-eyed:
"Hey hey… Are they seriously going to fight?!"
Sasha, lowering her training blade, muttered:
"It's like… the dream match…"
A voice from the back shouted:
"Who's gonna win?!"
Then Marco jumped in excitedly:
"I bet Annie takes it!"
Jean, instantly outraged, barked out:
"Huh?! Are you blind?! I'll bet my dinner on Mikasa!!"
Laughter, tension, and excitement rippled through the crowd.
On the ground, Reiner slowly dragged himself upright and asked Eren seriously:
"So… who do you think will win, Eren?"
Eren hesitated, then glanced at both girls. After a short moment of thought, he said:
"…Maybe… Mikasa."
By now, nearly half the cadets had gathered around the makeshift arena, eagerly anticipating this rare showdown between two of the regiment's top female recruits.
Mikasa took her stance—low, sharp-eyed, knees bent in readiness.
The fight was about to begin.
But…
Just as Annie leapt forward—and Mikasa dashed in with a clenched fist—
A third figure appeared between them.
Rio Ackerman.
In a blur, he stood between the two girls, catching Annie's right fist with his right hand, and Mikasa's with his left.
He stopped both attacks before they could begin, and spoke with a calm yet commanding voice:
"As your squad leader… this fight ends now."
His voice was quiet—but firm. It left no room for argument.
Everyone—even Mikasa and Annie—froze in place, shocked by Rio's sudden intervention.
And at that moment, a
bout a hundred meters away, Shadis stood on a small ridge, watching the entire scene unfold.
He crossed his arms and looked on with a sharp expression, muttering:
"Let's see what you're really made of… son of Veig."
To be continued…