The next morning, Nura found himself standing outside General Halsten's temporary office in the Moon Kingdom's military district. The metal doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing Halsten at his desk, reviewing stacks of data pads.
Halsten looked up. "Nura. You've decided?"
Nura stepped forward, his voice firm. "Yes, sir. I'm going to join the Moon Kingdom as a pilot."
Halsten's gaze softened, and for a brief moment, the weight on Nura's shoulders felt lighter.
"...I see. Then I'm glad you made a choice for yourself. You've been through hell, and I won't pretend it's easy to keep moving forward after everything you've lost. But if you believe this is your path, walk it without regret."
He pulled out a sleek, dark-blue folder with the Moon Kingdom's silver emblem stamped on the front. "Fill this out. Personal details, combat record, medical history—everything they need. Once it's processed, they'll call you for testing."
Nura took it with a short nod. "Understood."
---
[Skiptime – Several Weeks Later]
The day came.
The Moon Kingdom's military training complex was a towering structure of steel and crystal-like panels that gleamed under the artificial sunlight of the dome. Shuttle transports and military trucks moved constantly, bringing in candidates from all across the Moon's territory.
Nura stepped off the transport and froze. Hundreds of people stood in the vast courtyard—soldiers, pilots, technicians. Some wore the white-and-blue uniforms of the Earth Federation, others the dark green of the Rebel Faction, and many more were civilians in training gear.
And among them, familiar faces.
"Oi, Nura!"
Turning, he saw Kaedin weaving through the crowd, that familiar grin on his face. "Didn't expect to see you here."
Nura smirked faintly. "Same to you. Guess you decided to sign up too?"
Kaedin shrugged. "Couldn't sit around forever. If I'm gonna live on the Moon, might as well be useful."
They exchanged a firm handshake before falling into casual conversation about the weeks since they'd last met. But before they could go deeper—
A sudden booming voice echoed across the courtyard.
"All applicants—attention!"
Every head turned toward the raised platform at the front of the complex. Standing there was a tall man in a white and gold officer's uniform, cape billowing behind him. His presence was commanding, his voice carrying effortlessly without the need for amplification.
Beside him stood several armed guards and a sleek, silver podium bearing the Moon Kingdom insignia.
"I am Captain Ralvern of the Moon Kingdom Defense Force!" the man declared, his sapphire eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk. "Today, we will see who among you has the skill, discipline, and willpower to wear the Moon's crest on your chest. This test is not just about piloting—it is about proving you have the spirit to defend this kingdom!"
The crowd went silent, the air thick with tension.
Nura exchanged a glance with Kaedin, his heartbeat quickening.
"This," Captain Ralvern said, leaning forward with a faint, dangerous smile, "is where the weak are weeded out."
---
The moment Captain Ralvern stepped back from the podium, a row of armored instructors moved forward, each holding a tablet that flickered with glowing blue data.
"First phase—physical and mental evaluation!" one of them barked. "Follow your assigned group leaders. No stragglers."
The candidates began splitting into smaller formations. Nura and Kaedin found themselves in Group C, led by a stern, short-haired woman whose eyes looked like they could cut steel.
She wasted no time. "Listen up. In war, the enemy doesn't care how many push-ups you can do or how much you can bench. They care about whether you can still fight when you're exhausted, injured, and bleeding out. We're going to find out if you can survive that reality."
The group was taken into a massive indoor facility, where the ceiling arched high above like a hangar. The floor was sectioned into different testing zones—obstacle courses, firing ranges, zero-gravity chambers, and sealed rooms for mental trials.
The first test hit like a hammer.
"Three-kilometer sprint. Full combat gear. No breaks," the instructor ordered.
Weights were strapped to their backs, heavier than they looked. The instant the horn blared, the group exploded into motion.
The first kilometer was manageable, but by the second, the artificial gravity's subtle increase started to crush every step. Kaedin gritted his teeth beside Nura. "They're… hiking up the G-force!"
"Keep moving," Nura growled back, sweat running down his temple.
Several candidates stumbled out, collapsing to the ground where medics immediately dragged them away. By the time the third kilometer was done, only half the group remained standing.
"Not bad," the instructor said with no hint of praise. "But this is the easy part."
---
Mental Evaluation
They were ushered into a dimly lit chamber, each placed inside a pod-like chair. A visor dropped over Nura's eyes, and suddenly, he was inside a simulation—a battlefield, explosions ringing in his ears.
The voice in the headset was calm, almost soothing. "You have two minutes to complete your mission. Civilian convoy to your left, high-value enemy target to your right. Choose."
Nura's hands clenched. The choice was a trap—saving one meant losing the other. The clock ticked down mercilessly.
Think… think!
He made his decision and moved. The simulation shifted instantly—new threats, new impossible scenarios. No time to breathe, no chance to second-guess. By the time the visor lifted, his pulse was thundering in his ears, shirt clinging with sweat.
Some candidates looked pale, even shaken. One was quietly crying.
---
The survivors of the evaluation were escorted into another section of the training complex, where a pristine row of simulation pods gleamed under the sterile white lights. Each pod's surface bore the Moon Kingdom's white-and-gold crest, as if to remind them that only the worthy would sit in the real thing.
Captain Ralvern stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back, voice like steel.
"Phase Three—Cockpit Simulation Trials. You'll be flying the Lunaris-Type Gundam in a controlled combat scenario. We're testing mobility, accuracy, and battlefield awareness. Fail here, and you're out."
Nura's heartbeat kicked up a notch. This was it—his first time at the controls of a Moon Kingdom Gundam.
He climbed into the pod. The hatch shut with a hiss, plunging him into a dim cockpit lit by the glow of control panels.
> "Pilot candidate detected. Simulation start in 3… 2… 1…"
A panoramic display flickered to life, revealing a barren lunar battlefield. Earth hung huge in the black sky above.
The moment his hands gripped the control sticks, Nura felt it—familiarity.
This isn't as hard as Thanatos… and it's not so different from the Scorpio.
The Scorpio had weight and grit, Thanatos had raw, violent power that fought him at every move. This machine? Smooth. Responsive. Balanced.
---
First Trial: Mobility
Blue target beacons appeared across the cratered terrain.
> "Destroy all targets within 90 seconds."
He hit the foot pedals, and the Lunaris Gundam leapt forward. The acceleration was sharp yet predictable, thrusters responding instantly. Nura swung the beam rifle into position, firing in controlled bursts—one target down, two, three—his aim snapping from point to point like it was second nature.
---
Second Trial: Close Combat
Enemy mobile suits shimmered into view ahead, rushing to engage.
Switching to his beam saber, Nura darted in. The first enemy swung wide—he blocked with the shield, kicked the suit back, and slashed across its chest in one clean motion.
Another charged from the side—he pivoted, saber up, cutting it down before it could strike.
Feels good… predictable… no wild recoil like Thanatos.
---
The simulation faded to black.
> "Trial complete. Candidate Nura—performance rating: 91%. Status: PASSED."
The hatch hissed open. Nura stepped out, breath steady but heart still pounding. Across the room, Kaedin was just leaving his own pod. Their eyes met—Kaedin grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.
---
The candidates who passed the simulation were ordered to assemble in the main atrium. The massive hall was lined with banners of the Moon Kingdom—white silk with the golden crest of a soaring phoenix, catching the warm artificial light. Rows of Moon Kingdom soldiers stood in perfect formation, their uniforms immaculate.
General Halsten was there, hands clasped behind his back, watching Nura with quiet pride. Kaedin stood beside him, still in his evaluation gear, eyes scanning the crowd.
At the far end of the hall, a raised platform held several high-ranking officers, and at the center was Captain Ralvern. His voice boomed across the space.
> "Candidates, today you have proven your worth. You have endured the physical trials, the mental strain, and the demands of the cockpit. From this day forth, you are no longer civilians—you are soldiers of the Moon Kingdom."
Assistants moved down the rows, handing each recruit a folded uniform—white with gold trim, the Moon Kingdom crest on the chest, rank insignia on the shoulders. When Nura's turn came, he took the uniform in his hands, feeling the weight of the fabric. It wasn't just clothing—it was a contract, a declaration of intent.
Captain Ralvern's gaze swept over them.
> "Wear it with honor, and remember—our purpose is peace. But when war is inevitable, we fight to protect that peace."
The hall echoed with a unified salute as every new recruit pressed a fist to their chest.
Nura followed the motion, eyes narrowing slightly—not out of defiance, but out of resolve. His fingers curled into the fabric of the uniform.
In his mind, he saw Valkiron City again. His parents. His comrades. The blinding light of Tristan's beam.
This is my path now.
Kaedin stepped up beside him after the salute. "Guess we're officially Moon Kingdom soldiers now," he said with a small smile.
Nura glanced at him, then back to the crest embroidered on his new uniform.
"Yeah."