Xiao Ran had a purpose in leaving Tessa behind and having Ruri Hoshino take him to the bridge. Informing the Apocalypse Unit to pick up speed had instead become a secondary matter. With N-Jammers on Earth, communications were in terrible condition. Real-time communication was possible within a certain range, but this time Xiao Ran needed to contact Free, PLANT, and Orb. Real-time Video Communication was somewhat impractical.
However, there were other ways to get in touch. He could contact Orb through relay points, then have Orb notify Free and PLANT. Xiao Ran contacted all three parties so they could devote themselves to investigating and reaching out to Mithril. Since Mithril had now stepped forward, Xiao Ran felt that rather than waiting for them to be shattered by Amalgam, it would be better to see whether they could be brought under his control beforehand.
And precisely because the main target of this communication was Mithril, Xiao Ran had left Tessa behind and come to the bridge first. As for touring the Nadeshiko, he truly had little interest in it.
More than an hour later, all the pilots from Danner's Son's AS squadron had arrived aboard the Nadeshiko. Sousuke Sagara, Cruz, and Melissa Mao, who had arrived earlier—the three main Mithril pilots from Full Metal Panic—were all present. The Nadeshiko had likewise prepared to welcome them.
Only after both sides had entered the Nadeshiko's multifunctional dining hall did Xiao Ran emerge from the room prepared for him, led by Haruka, and become the last person to enter the dining hall.
The moment Xiao Ran entered, the previously bustling dining hall suddenly fell silent. Everyone inside immediately turned to look at Xiao Ran, the last to arrive, while Xiao Ran likewise used his mask to take in every person present at once.
Those