The morning sun glints off the training grounds as I adjust my ODM gear for the third time. My fingers tremble slightly - not from fear, but from anticipation. Today's mission beyond the walls feels different somehow. Commander Erwin's briefing echo in my mind while the smell of fresh bread from the mess hall mixes with the metallic scent of the gear's hydraulic fluid.

"Nervous?" Eren's voice startles me from behind. I turn to see him grinning, Mikasa standing silently beside him with her usual stoic expression. The wind picks up, carrying with it the distant sound of the wall cannons being tested.

"Just checking my equipment," I reply, forcing a confidence I don't quite feel. "We need to be prepared for anything out there today." My gaze drifts to the horizon where the colossal Titan first appeared, a chill running down my spine despite the warm morning air.