"Are you helping that boy on purpose?" Martha's sharp eyes caught Harry's, her voice quiet but knowing.
Harry didn't bother to deny it. He set down his rag, exhaled, and answered bluntly.
"Lock works harder than most grown men. He's got the strength, the will. What he lacks is confidence. All I've done is clear a few obstacles, lay the foundation. With the way he's progressing, he'd have reached this level soon enough on his own."
Martha frowned, worry creasing her face. "You've grown fond of him. Why not keep him here? The Survey Corps is too dangerous."
At that, Harry fell silent for a long moment. The hammering in the forge next door echoed faintly, filling the space between them. Finally, he sighed.
"You saw his eyes when he spoke of the outside world. That fire doesn't go out. If we tried to chain him here, we'd crush something vital inside him. And what right do we have to kill a child's dream? The future isn't ours anymore. It belongs to them."
Martha said nothing. The air between them grew heavy, filled with unspoken fear.
Meanwhile, across the street, Lock was still lost in the thrill of the system's chime.
Ding.
Conditions met. Achievement unlocked: [Apprentice Craftsman].
Strength +3. Coordination +3. Weapon Mastery +3.
The rush of new strength left him grinning. And before long, another prompt flashed.
Ding.
Achievement task unlocked: [Forging Master].
Forging Master
Goal: Become a master blacksmith
Reward: Strength +5, Coordination +5, Weapon Mastery +5
Penalty: None
Time limit: Six months
Lock stared at the glowing panel, expression torn between amusement and exasperation.
"Six months to become a master? What are you trying to do, push me into blacksmithing? My dream isn't to be the king of forges…"
The reward was tempting, yes, but his path was already set. He couldn't waste time chasing every side task the system threw at him. Especially now.
It was already the year 845. The month of the fall was uncertain, but he knew one thing: it wouldn't be winter. That left precious little time to prepare. The pressure on his shoulders was immense. He wasn't training just for himself anymore. His friends, his families — all of them needed protecting.
This time, I won't let tragedy repeat.
Plot be damned. I'll change it.
Driven by that thought, Lock trained harder than ever, though progress came slower than he wanted. His body was already beyond normal human limits — squeezing out more improvement grew harder by the day.
And then, at last, the long-awaited day arrived.
The conscription meeting.
In the Shiganshina garrison square, the crowd was overwhelming. At least two hundred youths stood shoulder-to-shoulder, all hoping for one of the three coveted spots in the Training Corps.
"The competition's fierce," Lock muttered at the gates, surveying the scene. For a fleeting moment, he was reminded of exam halls in his past life — though the odds here were kinder than any civil service exam.
He was about to step inside, perhaps eavesdrop on the anxious chatter, when a familiar figure blocked his path.
Hannes.
The man glanced around nervously before leaning close. "Sorry, kid. Things aren't the same this year. The Garrison isn't running this draft. The Survey Corps sent people to take over. Which means… the favor I promised you may not hold."
Lock blinked once, then shrugged, his voice calm. "It doesn't matter. If the Survey Corps is in charge, at least it'll be fair. No backroom deals, right?"
Relief flickered across Hannes's face. "Right. No corruption. The officer leading the process is Deputy Commander Erwin Smith himself. He doesn't bend the rules."
Erwin Smith…
The name struck a chord. Lock recalled the man's defiant cry of "Advance!" as he led the charge against the Beast Titan, fearlessly galloping toward certain death. The image burned into him, stirring a deep admiration.
That's a man worth following.
He returned to the present, finding Hannes still guilt-ridden. Lock clapped his shoulder lightly and smiled. "Don't worry, Uncle. Without a quota, I'll make it in on my merit. Just wait — I'll dominate the field."
"You little…" Hannes tried to sound stern, but his voice softened. For a brief instant, the boy's confidence reminded him of Lock's father. The same unshakable fire…
"Fine then," he said with a resigned sigh. "But if you botch this, you'll have no choice but to stay with Harry and forge iron for the rest of your days."
Lock straightened, expression firm. "I won't let you down."
With that, he strode into the square, shoulders squared against the sea of competitors.
Behind him, Hannes watched his back, emotions tangled. Part of him prayed the boy would fail — safer that way. Another part feared that failure would break him completely.
In the end, Hannes shook his head and muttered, "Whatever happens… It's fate."
And he wasn't the only one.
Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Harry, and Martha — all of them, in their way, had come to see whether Lock would seize his chance… or be turned away.
⚔️