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Survey Corps Headquarters
"Erwin."
Levi brought Naruto to Erwin Smith, the commander of the Survey Corps, and said expressionlessly, "I found a very good new recruit and want to recommend him to join the Survey Corps."
"Hmm?"
Erwin Smith, who was working, stopped what he was doing upon hearing Levi's words, then looked at him strangely and asked curiously, "You're actually recommending a new recruit? And with such a 'very good' evaluation? It seems you've indeed found a promising seedling."
As he spoke, he looked at Naruto, who was standing beside Levi, and smiled. "But according to the rules, even if you recommend someone, I must first understand them clearly."
"Erwin!"
Levi suddenly interrupted Erwin Smith, staring at him seriously and saying, "I said, this new recruit is very good—even stronger than me!"
Levi knew very well that although Erwin was a serious person, he was not rigid. Otherwise, he wouldn't have devised a way to recruit him, a former thug, into the Survey Corps. And Kenny Ackerman wanting to recommend Naruto through his connections to join the Survey Corps indicated that his identity was definitely problematic—at least the kind that couldn't withstand scrutiny.
Initially, when Levi received Kenny Ackerman's request, he actually intended to find a reason to refuse, which was why he proposed to test Naruto himself.
As long as Naruto couldn't pass his test, even if Kenny Ackerman personally spoke up, Levi would absolutely not recommend Naruto.
However, after personally 'testing' Naruto's strength, Levi believed that his joining would play a very significant role in the Survey Corps, so he temporarily changed his decision.
Levi believed that no matter what Naruto's identity was, or what his purpose was in joining the Survey Corps, as long as he was in the Survey Corps, Erwin would definitely be able to utilize him well and maximize his strength.
"Stronger than you?"
Erwin Smith's expression immediately became serious upon hearing Levi's words. He then directly found a new recruit enrollment document from his desk, personally handed it to Naruto, and said, "New recruit, fill out this document, and you will be a member of the Survey Corps."
Without any hesitation, Erwin Smith chose to believe Levi's words and immediately decided to accept Naruto, not even asking for his name.
This shows the decisive character of the Survey Corps commander.
Naruto looked at Erwin Smith standing in front of him, a little surprised, then took the document from his hand, quickly filled in his identity information, and then returned the completed document to him.
"Mike!"
Erwin Smith took the completed document from Naruto, placed it directly on the desk without looking, and then shouted toward the door. Soon, a man with a mustache, nearly two meters tall, walked into the office expressionlessly. He subtly scanned Naruto, then asked Erwin, "Commander, what is it?"
This man was Mike Zacharias, a squad leader in the Survey Corps, and also the person whose strength was second only to Levi in the Survey Corps.
"This is a new recruit Levi brought back. Take him to understand our Corps' situation and get his equipment," Erwin Smith said, pointing at Naruto.
"Oh? A new recruit recommended by the Captain?"
Mike Zacharias's face immediately showed surprise upon hearing Erwin Smith's words. He then approached Naruto with interest, put an arm around his shoulder, and asked with a smile, "What's your name, little brother? What's your relationship with our Captain? Come on, come on, I'll take you to tour our Corps first."
Just like that, Naruto was enthusiastically led out of Erwin Smith's office by Mike Zacharias, who questioned him along the way.
"Naruto."
After Naruto was led away by Mike Zacharias, Erwin Smith picked up Naruto's file again and asked Levi, "Tell me, what's his situation?"
"He's someone pushed onto me by an annoying benefactor. His identity and background are completely unclear—"
Levi told Erwin Smith everything he knew about Naruto, then said seriously, "The only thing I can tell you with absolute certainty about his strength is that he's stronger than me, much stronger. I fought him twice and couldn't last more than three rounds before being knocked down. I couldn't even grasp his full potential. He's simply as strong as a monster. I believe that compared to his identity, his strength might play a huge role for the Corps, so I brought him back."
Levi said he had fought Naruto twice. The first time was his test of Naruto; the second time was when he came to his senses and deliberately acted unconvinced, wanting to probe Naruto's limits, but he was knocked down by Naruto again within three rounds.
Levi even felt that his ability to last three rounds was due to Naruto holding back, which was why he evaluated Naruto's strength as "simply as strong as a monster."
"As strong as a monster, huh?"
When Erwin Smith finished listening to Levi, he also finished reading the file in his hand. He then said to Levi, "Your decision is correct, Levi. Compared to this person's identity and purpose, his combat power is more important to our Corps—but the premise is that his combat power can be used by me. 'The goal is to kill all Titans'?"
Erwin Smith looked at the answer Naruto left in the reason for joining the Survey Corps, and a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth. He said, "The council made a big decision recently that requires our Corps to cooperate in a battle. It's a good opportunity for me to see how strong the power you call 'monster' truly is."
Although all the information Naruto wrote on the Survey Corps enrollment document was true, Erwin Smith didn't believe a single word.
Because from the information Naruto filled out, he was a quasi-farmer less than a year ago, but now possesses strength that even Levi finds terrifying—too many loopholes.
However, none of this mattered to Erwin Smith. He was already thinking about how to maximize Naruto's strength.
On the other side;
After Naruto toured the Survey Corps' base with Mike Zacharias and received a set of Corps uniforms,
he finally arrived at the equipment distribution area.
"Is this the Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear?"
Naruto looked at the pile of equipment in front of him—thrusters, launchers, firing-type fixation devices, fans, retractable belts, high-tensile ropes, fixed grappling hooks, gas tanks, replaceable blade magazines—and couldn't help but feel a headache. He was worst at using such complex things.
And these things didn't look very sturdy; they felt like they would break with a touch. And those thin blades—could they really kill Titans?
"That's right."
Mike Zacharias nodded, then looked at Naruto curiously and asked, "You haven't used this device? Haven't you received training from the Cadet Corps?"
"No."
Naruto shook his head, then pointed at the pile of equipment in front of him, asking with a conflicted expression, "And I probably won't get used to these things. Can I request to use a weapon I'm good at?"
Naruto felt that if he used this pile of equipment, it would only hinder his movements, so he tentatively made his request.
"A weapon you're good at, this—"
Mike Zacharias scratched his head, a little troubled, not knowing how to answer upon hearing Naruto's words.
If it were an ordinary new recruit who dared to make such a request, he would have slapped them already.
But Naruto was recommended by Captain Levi, and he also remembered the look Erwin Smith gave him when he led Naruto out of the office, clearly showing great importance to Naruto, which was why he didn't know how to respond to Naruto's request for a moment.
"No problem!"
At this moment, Erwin Smith's voice came. He and Levi walked over, looked at Naruto, and asked, "What kind of weapon are you good at using? If the Corps doesn't have a suitable one, I'll have someone specially make one for you."
"Longsword—"
Naruto thought for a moment, picked up a blade from the table, drew the style of the Infinite on the table, and then said, "A longsword of this style—the harder the material, the better."
"No problem."
Erwin Smith glanced at the longsword Naruto drew, then directly nodded and said, "Mark the dimensions of the sword as well, and I'll have someone make it for you right away."
"Okay."
Naruto nodded, then marked the detailed dimensions of the Infinite. After Erwin Smith glanced at it, he said to Mike Zacharias, "Mike, go find the craftsmen from the production squad, make a copy of the weapon blueprint Naruto drew, and then craft a batch according to the blueprint."
"Yes!"
Mike Zacharias immediately went to find people in the production squad upon hearing Erwin Smith's order.
"Besides a weapon, do you have any other requests?"
Erwin Smith pointed at the thrusters and launchers and other auxiliary equipment of the Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear on the table, and asked Naruto, "Do you not need these auxiliary movement aids either?"
From Naruto's reaction just now, it seemed he also wasn't planning to use the Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear. Erwin Smith was very curious—how would he kill Titans without using it?
"No need."
Naruto shook his head and said, "These things aren't much help to me; carrying them would actually be a burden."
Although Naruto hadn't seen how to use this Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear to fight Titans, he had already seen Titans and had simulated countless scenarios of fighting them in his mind.
Naruto was confident that with just a sword, he could kill all Titans—except for the Colossal Titan that destroyed the wall—without needing any "auxiliary equipment."
And as for that Colossal Titan, if it didn't have any special abilities, he should be able to take it down by giving his all.
"A burden—"
Erwin Smith's eye twitched slightly upon hearing Naruto's words, then he said, "There's one more thing. Although I've heard about your strength from Levi, and I believe Levi wouldn't exaggerate, I still want to witness your strength firsthand; besides curiosity, it's also so I can make the most reasonable arrangements for your combat power in the future."
"No problem."
Naruto heard Erwin Smith's request, nodded in agreement without any hesitation, and then asked, "So you're taking me to hunt Titans now?"
Naruto didn't mind showing his strength, and he was also very curious about 'Titans,' having wanted to directly interact with them for a long time.
"Now?"
Erwin Smith listened to Naruto, pondered for a moment, then pointed at the equipment on the table and shook his head. "You don't even have a suitable weapon right now. Going to hunt Titans like this is too risky. Let's wait until your weapon is made.
The weapon blueprint you provided isn't complex; the production squad should be able to craft it very quickly once they get the blueprint."
Erwin Smith only wanted to understand Naruto's strength, not to send him to his death, so he wouldn't let Naruto face Titans without even a suitable weapon.
"It's fine."
Naruto, however, refused Erwin Smith's kind offer, saying with some anticipation, "Just give me any sword."
In fact, if it was just to deal with ordinary Titans, Naruto felt he could do it even without a weapon.
"No, it's too risky!"
Erwin Smith's gaze flickered slightly upon hearing Naruto's words, but he ultimately shook his head and refused, then asked, "How much do you know about Titans?"
This question made Naruto pause slightly, then shake his head in confusion and ask, "Are there many types of those Titans?"
Erwin Smith and Levi's foreheads couldn't help but show black lines upon hearing Naruto's question. They didn't expect Naruto to not even know basic facts about Titans, and yet he dared to say he would go hunt Titans if given just any sword.
They didn't know if he truly had that strength or if he was blindly overconfident.
Erwin Smith took a deep breath, then began to educate Naruto about Titans:
"After long-term confrontation, we have divided the Titans outside the walls into two types: Normal Types and Abnormal Types.
Normal Type Titans can range from 3 meters to 15 meters tall. When facing these Titans, we can use experience to predict their movements; Abnormal Type Titans are different. Although their appearance is no different from Normal Type Titans, their movements are much faster and completely unpredictable, making them more dangerous than Normal Type Titans."
"I see."
Naruto nodded thoughtfully after listening to Erwin Smith's explanation, then asked, "What about that Colossal Titan that broke Wall Maria a year ago? What type of Titan is that guy?"