In two days, Asemu and Graham had engaged in no less than ten training battles. Graham still hadn't taken them seriously, but Asemu's progress was commendable.
The last training session ended, and the Gundam AGE-2 still looked battered and broken. However, compared to the initial state of missing limbs, at least all its body parts were still intact.
The armor was shattered all over, with electric arcs continuously wrapping around its damaged frame. Even simple movements like raising an arm appeared stiff and awkward.
"That's enough for now. Return to base!"
"Understood." X2
The two machines returned, once again facing the gazes of numerous "Blade Men" as they arrived at the second command room. After two days of intense training and the experience Graham had imparted, Asemu was no longer as fearful as he had been at the start.
"Uncle Yang Hui, how did I do?" Asemu asked. After every practical training session, Asemu would immediately inquire about his performance.
Yang Hui nodded and glanced at the recording staff. "Pull up the data."
"Yes!"
The data and the fluctuation curve from the past two days appeared on the screen. Asemu was pleased to see the latest figures.
Although the data hadn't surpassed the first session, and the fluctuation curve had even dipped back into a trough from the second session onward, each subsequent battle showed improvement, with the curve steadily rising.
This was the normal progression. In the first battle, Asemu had relied entirely on instinct to control the Gundam AGE-2. Such instinctive bursts were not the norm and were hard to replicate. Once he calmed down, it was natural for him to return to his original state.
But that didn't matter. What was important was that Asemu grew with each training session. Although there were no dramatic leaps, steady and consistent progress toward the peak was the most reliable and realistic outcome.
"This time's duration."
"14 minutes and 25 seconds."
"Hmm, not bad. Another 15 seconds improvement."
"Yes!" Asemu excitedly clenched his fist and swung it. Every bit of progress thrilled him.
"But don't get too complacent. Graham hasn't even used half of his strength. You still have a lot to learn," Yang Hui said. While growth in skill was good, progress in mindset was equally important. He didn't want Asemu to become arrogant.
"Yes!"
"Alright, go and rest. You and Woolf should report back to the Diva."
"Huh?" Asemu was still immersed in the joy of his progress. Missing such a great opportunity would mean not knowing when the next one would come. Naturally, he didn't want it to end. "Uncle Yang Hui, I can still go on. I feel there's more room for growth. Please! Uncle Graham, please!"
"Of course, there's still room for growth, but there's no more time for training," Yang Hui said.
"What do you mean?"
"According to intelligence analysis, VEGAN forces will arrive in the space around the Big Ring base within two days. You haven't forgotten why we stayed at the Big Ring base, have you?"
"Oh... I see..." Asemu was disappointed, but there was nothing he could do. The imminent VEGAN attack wouldn't stop just because of his personal desires.
"After you return, don't look at the records anymore. Rest well and ensure you're in top condition before the battle begins."
"Yes."
"Go on."
After Asemu left, Yang Hui contacted Flit.
"Yang Hui, how did it go?"
"It's over, and the results are quite good," Yang Hui said, nodding to the recording staff to send Asemu's data and records from the past two days to Flit.
Flit glanced through them and was satisfied, though his expression remained grim.
"Although we achieved good results... it was still too reckless," Flit said, displeased.
Initially, Flit had disagreed with Yang Hui's plan. However, the reasons Yang Hui provided were irrefutable. Flit also wanted to see Asemu grow—not to become the pinnacle of the Federal Army like himself, but to survive better in different combat environments.
In the end, he agreed, but that didn't mean Flit had no reservations.
With the battle imminent, both Graham and the Flag Gundam, as well as Asemu and the Gundam AGE-2, were irreplaceable assets. If anything happened to them, Flit couldn't accept it, both for the sake of the war and his personal feelings.
"Relax, aren't you confident in Graham's abilities?" Yang Hui waved it off casually.
"But... never mind. You wouldn't listen anyway. Come to my office. I have a new mission for you."
"Yes."
After ending the communication, Yang Hui, Graham, and Yurin exchanged smiles. They were used to Flit's exasperated expressions, but it was still amusing every time.
As for the others in the command room... they kept their heads down, not daring to breathe too loudly. Yang Hui and Flit's conversation hadn't been private, and it seemed they had overheard something significant. Neither Yang Hui nor Flit were people they could afford to offend, so it was better to pretend they hadn't heard anything.
Yang Hui instructed the others to organize the data and records before returning to their posts, then headed to Flit's office with Graham and Yurin.
"You're here."
"Yes. What's the important intel that requires our personal presence?" With no one else in the office, Yang Hui's attitude was more casual.
"Take a look."
Yang Hui took the document from Flit, skimmed through it, and couldn't help but smile.
"Take a look too."
He passed the document to Graham and Yurin. Graham's expression mirrored Yang Hui's, while Yurin maintained her calm smile, though a hint of seriousness flashed in her eyes.
"Do we know the exact numbers?" Yang Hui took the document back from Yurin and returned it to Flit.
"Not certain, but it's confirmed to be in the double digits. VEGAN's research on X-Rounders far surpasses the Federation's."
"Doesn't matter. That degenerate power isn't worth praising."
Yang Hui wasn't belittling X-Rounder abilities. As the saying goes, without comparison, there's no harm. Compared to NT, Innovators, genetic modifications, and even psychokinesis, X-Rounder abilities were truly lackluster.
Take NT, for example. Everything X-Rounders have, NTs also possess, but NTs have abilities that X-Rounders lack.
Combat intuition—something all humans inherently possess—is merely suppressed by the rationality that sets humans apart from beasts. Through training and experience, it can be fully developed without the need to awaken an X-Potential Field.
Of course, this conclusion is drawn from comparing ordinary X-Rounder users. High-level X-Rounder users like Flit, Yurin, and Jehart are hard to match, even with extensive training and combat experience.
"But we need this power now, Yang Hui. You know that..."
"Yes, I know. It's a need, not a necessity. I believe you've already made the necessary arrangements, so..."
With that, Yang Hui, Graham, and Yurin stood up, straightened their postures, and saluted Flit.
"...Please issue your orders, Commander Tomorrowland."
"Change of orders: Lieutenant General Yang Hui, Major General Graham, Colonel Yurin. If VEGAN's X-Rounder units are encountered during combat, prioritize their elimination."
"Yes!" X3
The three lowered their hands, and the atmosphere relaxed once more.
They knew when to be casual and when to be serious. Given their relationship with Flit, they could afford to be informal, but when the situation demanded it, they would adopt a serious demeanor, striking the right balance.
...
Meanwhile, five Fah Bausser ships departed from the Tans Fortress, heading toward the Big Ring base. One of them, painted red, stood out like a target.
This was Jehart's flagship, the fleet's command vessel.
"It's hard to understand," Jehart muttered, reading Lord Ezelkanta's orders once again.
"What's the matter? Is there an issue with Lord Ezelkanta's orders?" Medel Sant frowned.
Originally, he was Jehart's superior and had extensive experience. He couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed in Jehart, as if he was hiding something—not just from him, but from Lord Ezelkanta as well.
"Hmm... I'm wondering, since our objective is to annihilate the Federal Army's headquarters, and the Big Ring base is both the Federal Army's headquarters and the only barrier between us and Earth, why... why did Lord Ezelkanta order the Tans Fortress to remain in the rear instead of mobilizing the entire force to take the Big Ring base in one fell swoop?"
Jehart wasn't harboring any ulterior motives. He simply felt that Lord Ezelkanta's orders were not only unhelpful to the battle but also a hindrance, as if... he never intended to succeed in the first place.
"Lord Ezelkanta must have his reasons."
To be honest, Medel Sant was also puzzled by Lord Ezelkanta's orders, but his long-standing habit of obedience kept him from questioning them. The older generation, who had endured the harshest times, revered Lord Ezelkanta the most. Without him, there would be no VEGAN today, nor the grand ambition to return to Earth. They would have been left to die on Mars, consumed by hatred.
"That's because we're here, so the Tans Fortress isn't needed."
At that moment, a group of young men and women in special uniforms entered the bridge, speaking without a hint of respect for Jehart.
"Glen, you're being disrespectful! How dare you speak to the commander like that!?" Medel Sant immediately scolded.
"Deputy Commander Medel, I don't recognize him as my commander, do I?" Glen Rize's arrogance was palpable, completely unfazed by Medel's reprimand.
"Of course, as an MS pilot, he's decent, but as a commander... tsk tsk."
"I don't know what Lord Ezelkanta was thinking, putting a kid in charge."
"Yeah, I should've been the one in command."
...
Watching these young people act so insolently, even ques
tioning Lord Ezelkanta's orders, Medel Sant was on the verge of erupting in anger.
But just as he was about to unleash his fury, Jehart raised a hand to stop him.