Five years since Wall Maria fell, the time for the recruits' graduation approaches. While training in hand-to-hand combat with Reiner and Annie Leonhardt, Eren learns that many among his peers are just honing their abilities to earn a place in the Military Police and avoid confronting the Titans at all. Jean claims that confronting the Titans is pointless, as mankind has never won a battle against them. Despite this, Eren remains dead set on joining the Recon Corps. On the day of graduation, Krista, Sasha, Connie Springer, Marco Bott, Jean, Eren, Annie, Bertholdt, Reiner, and Mikasa become the top ten recruits of their class. Despite the fact that the top ten are allowed to join the Military Police, Eren joins the Recon Corps as he has always intended, with Armin and Mikasa to watch over him. Later Sasha, Connie, and some of the other recruits follow their example and join the Recon Corps as well, after being inspired by Eren's speech to have mankind freed of the Titans. They are assigned to the District of Trost, one of the cities near Wall Rosé, and are taken by surprise when the Colossus Titan appears before them and breaks through the gate, leaving the city unprotected. Once Eren regains his composure, he takes command and orders a counterattack, climbing back to the top of the wall to have his revenge against the Titan.