In the Shadows of the Past | Levi Ackerman

6

Today was the most sleep I've had in years. I slept for almost four hours, waking up excited before anyone else. There was no training for the other cadets because of me, imagin how special I must felt that they canceled all training just for me. As I made my way to the woods, I felt excited because I haven't used the ODM-gear in forever, and I missed the feeling of flying and letting go of my worries.

Upon reaching the woods, I saw five people, including an unfamiliar face. Keith Shadie, Hange, Erwin, and Levi were there, but who was the fifth person? I looked at his black hair and brown eyes trying to figure it out until Erwin broke me out of my thoughts. "This is Noah. He's one of the best in ODM-gear, and he's going to be right behind you counting how many fake Titans you kill," Erwin explained.

I nodded as Noah came up to me with an ODM-gear, handing it over.Not fazed by the weight of the ODM-gear I examined every detail to ensure it wasn't broken. "It's not broken," Shadie said.

"You can never be too careful, don't you think?" I remarked with a smirk. After ensuring everything was fine, I put on the ODM-gear faster than they expected. As the gear hung on my body, it felt like a piece of me. I jumped a couple of times to make sure I was ready, glancing up to see surprised eyes.

"You don't mind if I take a quick run, I haven't warmed myself up," I said, making their eyes widen even further, except for Levi and Erwin, who managed to keep their expressions under control. Without waiting for approval, I dashed off for a quick run around the training grounds. It didn't take me longer than three minutes before I returned, with no sweat and steady breath.

Walking to the edge where the forest started, I faced the five of them, leaving my back to the big trees. I put two fingers to my forehead in a fake salute before falling backward. I could sense them all running to the edge, probably thinking I was about to harm myself. Closing my eyes, I simply enjoyed the rush of the wind.

As I sensed myself nearing the ground, I spun in a lightning-fast motion, feeling the adrenaline surge through me. With practiced precision, I hooked my ODM-gear cables to the trees in front of me, letting the momentum pull me forward at an exhilarating speed. The rush of wind whipped past my face as I soared through the air, the forest becoming a blur around me.

As I approached the first fake titan, I executed a flawless spin, my blades slicing through its neck with a satisfying thud. The titan crumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust as I swiftly moved on to the next target. With each pass, my movements were fluid and graceful, a dance of blades and cables that left the fake titans in my wake.

Behind me, I could sense Noah struggling to keep up, his movements jerky and uncoordinated compared to my own. Despite his efforts, he remained far behind, a testament to my skill and agility with the ODM-gear.

With each deep cut into the fake titans, I felt a surge of satisfaction, knowing that I was proving myself once again. My movements were not just efficient; they were elegant, a testament to years of training and dedication. As I continued to slice through the air with precision, I couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration, knowing that I was truly in my element.

As I made my way back to where they were waiting for me, the reactions were exactly as I expected. Sadie's jaw hung open in disbelief, Hange was practically squealing with excitement and blushing furiously, while Erwin's surprise was evident despite his attempt to conceal it. Levi, on the other hand, remained stoic and expressionless, a stark contrast to the others. It puzzled me; reading people was my specialty, yet Levi was an enigma.

"Well, I want my own room with a bathroom," I declared nonchalantly, dropping the ODM-gear at Erwin's feet as I strode past him. I heard a disapproving tsk from behind, likely Levi, but I paid it no mind.