Standing on the rope with no support, no balancing tools, and no training in tightrope walking, he relied solely on his natural sense of balance and coordination. Remarkably, he remained perfectly steady—no shaking, no faltering. Ronan realized in that moment: he had passed this round without a doubt.
"Very good coordination," Erwin praised as he watched Ronan walk steadily along the rope, showing no signs of falling.
Levi, standing beside him, gave a cool nod in agreement and added,
"With coordination like that, he'll master the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment quickly. He's got solid endurance too. And he's still young—plenty of potential. He's definitely a useful talent... if he's willing to join the Survey Corps."
"The outside world doesn't think much of us," Erwin said with a faint sigh. "Lately, the best recruits go straight to the Military Police Brigade, and the rest usually opt for the Garrison Regiment. It's hard for us to get people like him unless they choose us willingly."
It was a harsh truth. Compared to the comfort of the inner districts or the more relaxed lifestyle of the Garrison, the Survey Corps, which frequently ventured beyond the Walls into deadly territory, seemed like a death sentence to many.
People feared death. Their hesitation was understandable.
Hearing this, Levi scoffed slightly and glanced at Ronan, still balanced with ease on the rope.
"I've got a feeling he'll choose us."
He looked back at Erwin. As far as Levi was concerned, Ronan was too steady—too calm—to encounter any major missteps.
"Let's wait and see," Erwin murmured. "To be a part of the Survey Corps, willpower matters more than physical ability."
He turned back to the rope—and his eyes widened.
"What the...?"
"What is it?" Levi asked, startled.
He followed Erwin's gaze and saw Ronan, who had previously been walking at a steady pace, suddenly break into a run.
On the rope.
He was sprinting. And faster with every step—light, confident, fluid.
In mere moments, he reached the finish line.
Silence.
"…What the hell? Am I dreaming? Are you sure that's a rope and not just a path on the ground?"
"I couldn't run that fast even on solid ground."
"This guy's a monster. Whatever, there are still two spots left—I still have a chance."
Meanwhile, from the stands—
"That kid's got nerves of steel," Levi remarked, watching Ronan's calm expression as he stepped down.
Erwin, still processing what he had seen, nodded slowly. "Approach him later. See if he's interested in joining the Survey Corps straight after graduating from the Training Corps. We can offer him good incentives."
Erwin had always valued raw talent.
He'd proven that years ago when he'd spent a fortune to bring Levi, once a feared thug in the underground city, into the Survey Corps—and had entrusted him with critical missions ever since.
Reality had taught Erwin that for a unit like theirs, constantly fighting titans outside the walls, they didn't just need soldiers.
They needed exceptional ones.
One true genius could determine the outcome of an entire expedition.
Levi had already proven that.
Now, watching Ronan, Erwin felt that same intuition stirring again—just like the day he'd recruited Levi.
"If we can train someone else with Levi's combat ability, he'd be worth more than a full squad of 400 men. We have to get him into the Survey Corps," Erwin thought with conviction.
Meanwhile, Ronan had stepped into the promotion area, drawing countless stares.
He ignored them all and simply smiled, waving to Eren and the others in the stands.
Inside, he felt a strong understanding of his coordination. Handling the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment would be no problem.
But turning that into real combat strength? That would take flexibility—and practice.
"Once I start using the gear, I'll work on agility. I can't wait to join the Training Corps."
His physical foundation was already solid. What he needed now was focused training and real combat experience.
Back in the arena, the testing continued.
Compared to Ronan's effortless performance, the others looked clumsy. The best of them barely made it halfway. None came close to running across the rope like he had.
It's one thing to be bad. It's another to stand next to someone who is that good.
By comparison, everyone else looked hopeless.
There was no doubt who the strongest was.
The second round ended quickly. The crowd thinned out—less than 30% remained.
Most people had to return to work or their daily lives, and the test wasn't exactly exciting: walk, stumble, fall. Repeat. It didn't make for much entertainment.
But for those who had seen Ronan's performance, admiration was the only reaction left.
In the end, Ronan was the only candidate to complete the entire rope. He was placed firmly in first.
The remaining two slots were given to two young men in their twenties who had at least made it the farthest after him.
Just as Ronan was about to follow the soldiers into a nearby room for the final background review, a cold voice suddenly rang out from behind:
"Wait a minute."
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