CHAPTER - 18 { Uneasiness }

Vlad, Vector, Rose and Mike sat around a senior soldier who explained the position for their squad.

In the excursion in about a month's time, Erwin had planned for a long-range scouting formation.

Vlad and his squad were behind the front line, their task was to convey messages.

Also, they were also tasked to provide support to the rear if the situation asks for.

Because they particularly didn't need any other lessons, their squad got a separate explanation.

"So this is all you need to remember. Now you will have to memorize and practice."

The senior soldier bid farewell and left them. Vlad looked at the paper containing the formation's drawing.

"This is easy."

Vector commented with an uninterested voice. Mike beside him was already lying on the soft grass with his eyes closed.

"Huh… You guys."

Rose sighed and massaged her forehead. Vlad scanned the drawing from top to bottom.

Only after understanding it fully did he pass it to Rose even though she didn't need it.

"Let's go, we need to practice with others."

Said Vlad in a plain voice. Vector shook his head in disappointment while kicking Mike to wake him up.

"Ahh! Bastard! I was about to marry the queen of my life! I will kill you! Kill!"

Mike roared with red eyes as he tried to grab Vector by his neck but Vector reacted quickly and made a run for it.

"Where can you run! I will rip your head off your neck!"

Shouted Mike as he chased behind Vector. Rose and Vlad followed them slowly.

They didn't know that someone was watching them from the main building.

"What do you think about them?"

Erwin stood behind the window as his figure was covered with the shadow of the clouds.

"Energetic and also bored."

Answered Levi as he pulled the curtains to block the windows.

"They will be before us. What's your say?"

"I don't know. Never seen them in action with my own eyes."

Levi sat down on the sofa and responded to Erwin. It was a reply Erwin knew from the beginning.

"I believe they will be the best. The reports wouldn't have lied and Commandant Sadies also gave positive feedback about them, especially Vlad Birsha."

"He ranked first in the top 10 cadets as well as deemed to have the best potential. Commandant Sadies also said that Vlad will surpass you, Levi."

Erwin said with a straight face. Levi for once, glanced at the file held by Erwin.

"Then he should be good."

Said Levi. Erwin smiled at him and closed the files as he kept them inside the drawer.

* * *

A month later___

Tens of soldiers from the Survey Corps gathered before the huge gate with their horses.

"Vector, in position!"

Rose said with a serious face as Vector had gotten off his horses and was flirting with some senior female soldiers.

"Tch. Yes, miss!"

Vector stomped his foot in the ground and saluted to Rose. This made the female soldiers laugh.

"And Mike! Stay alert! Don't doze off!"

Rose hit Mike's head with her knuckles to wake him up from his morning nap.

As for Vlad, he sat on his horse and scanned the surroundings.

His eyes observed every single soldier he could see as he felt something was wrong.

"Why do I feel weird?"

Muttered Vlad, he narrowed his eyes and gazed at the far back. The new soldiers were checking their bags and horses as their faces showed nervousness.

"What's it, Vlad?"

Asked Rose. She didn't see Vlad behaving uneasy before.

'Maybe even he can feel nervous.'

Thought Rose as she awaited Vlad's reply. But before Vlad could say anything, a loud voice was heard.

"We've driven away all the titans in the area. Thirty seconds until we open the gate!"

The soldier hanging on the Wall above the gate notified all the soldiers of the Survey Corps.

There was pressure waiting for these thirty seconds to pass away as it felt like hours.

"It's time!"

A senior soldier shouted. All the soldiers got ready to march forward on their horses.

"Humanity will take another step forward. Show me what you can do!"

"Ahh!"

The roars of all the soldiers resounded through the entire town. The citizens cheered them with claps.

"Open the gate!"

As asked, the gate then was lifted up slowly from the ground with the help of huge chains.

"Advance!"

Erwin Smith, at the front of the line, commanded as they rushed out of the Walls.

"We will now begin the 57th expedition beyond the Walls! Onwards!"

The horses carrying the soldiers stormed forward, even the ground could be felt shaking.

"My blood is boiling in excitement!"

Vector held the horse reins as he bent his upper body forward while speeding the horse.

"Go slow!"

Rose said with an unhappy expression seeing Vector pass Vlad and taking the lead.

"Hwaaa!"

Suddenly, a titan appeared from behind a building and stepped towards the soldiers.

Vlad glanced at the 5-meter titan and then focused back on the path.

Wuss.

The support team swung towards the titan and quickly killed it.

"Rose, when can we rest?"

Asked Mike while making his horse pick a similar pace to Rose's horse.

"Tomorrow."

Replied Rose with a straight face. Mike almost fell from the horse as his face looked paled.

"Now stay quiet and follow closely!"

Rose caught up with Vlad and Vector as Mike followed behind immediately.

The huge army of soldiers soon reached the end of the deserted town past the Wall Rose.

Huge open lands with some trees around in small groups greeted these soldiers.

As they left the old town, Erwin ordered everyone to enter the formation.

Vlad, Vector, Rose and Mike sped up their horses and entered their formation's position.

Behind their squad, were the carriages carrying unknown materials and objects.

Nobody spoke anything for a while until the Long-Distance Enemy Scouting Formation was completed.

Vlad narrowed his eyes to stare at the leading squad in the front about 500 meters from them.

It wasn't even a few hours when the first titan appeared on the right of the formation.

The red flare smoking in the air alerted the surrounding squads.

Armin was the first to notice the red flare signal from the far right of the formation; he passed the signal to the inner formation by shooting a red flare, notifying everyone of a titan's presence.

Thanks to this, Erwin was able to lead the formation to its destination with minimum contact with the titans.

As explained by Erwin, the flare signal strategy may not always work as a titan may go unnoticed and appear within the formation due to the landscape or obstacles in the area.

Many times the titans were able to come deep in the right of the formation.

But thankfully the squads there seem to be able to handle the situations.

Not long, black flares were shot in the sky from the left of the formation. Black flares were an indication of abnormal titans.

"So many flares are already used up."

Rose kept note of the number of flares already shot in the sky from the right of the formation.

Most were red flares, and only a few black ones.

"Something is off about this… there are too many titans appearing from the right while very few from the front and left."

Rose looked at Vlad and said with some seriousness in her voice.

"I know. From the start I am getting a weird feeling. There's something wrong with the formation. It's just, I am not sure."

Replied Vlad with his eyes still on the path. Rose nodded her head in understanding.

The formation was still traveling along the open land as titans appeared more often.

The situation wasn't looking very good for all these Survey Corps soldiers.