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THE RAIN PELTED THE TRAINING GROUNDS WITH RELENTLESS INTENSITY, soaking the cadets as they struggled through the grueling exercise.
Commander Shadis, perched on his horse, surveyed the scene with a steely gaze, his eyes sharp as he scanned each cadet's progress.
His booming voice cut through the din of the rain and the cadets' heavy breaths.
"You're too slow! Run, you laggards!" Commander Shadis bellowed, his frustration evident as he watched the cadets slog through the downpour with their heavy backpacks.
In the midst of the chaos, Armin Arlert lagged behind, his face flushed with exertion and frustration as he wrestled with the weight of his bag.
The rain streamed down his face, mixing with the sweat from his strenuous effort.
Commander Shadis's voice rang out with piercing accuracy.
"What's wrong, Arlert? You're falling behind!" Commander Shadis yelled, his gaze unwavering as he looked down from his horse.
"Is it too heavy for you? Will you be the one to remove his equipment? If this were a real fight, you'd be Titan food by now!"
Armin clenched his jaw, the sting of Shadis's words cutting deep.
He kept his head down, struggling to keep pace as the commander trotted forward, leaving him behind with a dismissive flick of his reins.
"Damn it!" Armin cursed silently, his frustration mounting as he pushed himself harder.
Just then, a voice cut through his inner turmoil.
"Give me that!" Reiner's commanding tone broke through the rain as he appeared beside Armin.
Without hesitation, Reiner grabbed Armin's heavy backpack, lifting it onto his own shoulder with ease.
"At this rate, we'll all fail out. We're being graded on this exercise," Reiner said, his voice firm as he continued to run beside Armin.
Armin looked up, surprised and grateful, but also conflicted.
"If you do that, you'll lose points too," he protested weakly, trying to keep pace with Reiner.
"Just don't let them find out! And don't make me change my mind!" Reiner responded sternly, his eyes flashing with determination.
The unspoken bond of camaraderie and shared struggle was evident in his voice.
As Reiner took the weight of Armin's bag, Commander Shadis's sharp eyes continued to observe from a distance.
He watched the exchange with a mixture of scrutiny and subtle approval, noting the dynamics of teamwork and the cadets' resilience.
