A Clever Trap

"He can say that after he wins. Xu De is testing their respective skills, and Hal isn't that stupid."

Draco replied coldly.

Moody still caught the hesitation in his words, and his smile brightened a little.

"Then let's watch."

The two fell silent. Everyone in the observation room had their eyes fixed on Xu De.

Who knew what that teacher was thinking, but Maliu had no intention of looking away from him.

Maliu believed his performance would definitely catch her teacher's attention.

After all, his control was even smoother than Hal's.

Although it seemed to have the lag of an online game, he was still more agile than Hal, who charged straight ahead without thinking.

And, most importantly, there was his mindset.

When Hal treated his Mobile Suit like a fighter jet, he had probably already lost in the teacher's eyes.

After all, they were looking for Mobile Suit test pilots, not Mobile Armor pilots.

If it didn't have legs, could it even be called a Mobile Suit?

As for Xu De, although he held the lowest rank here, Maliu thought he probably had the most potential of them all.

Back on the battlefield, Xu De was heading toward the damaged Agamemnon-class ship with his rear thrusters at full power.

Hal followed close behind and entered the ship.

"Talk about walking into a trap!"

Looking at the familiar, cramped warship, Hal's grin widened.

In a place this narrow, he could back his opponent into a corner.

The fool hadn't given up his legs. That made him more agile than Hal, but in tight quarters, Hal had the absolute advantage.

"Bottom line, you're just a useless rookie with no experience!"

Xu De didn't respond to Hal's taunt. He quickly scanned the Agamemnon-class's hangar,

then followed the program he had prepared in advance, turning quickly. While doing his best to keep his legs balanced, he reached out and grabbed the arresting net abandoned inside the bay, like the kind once used for emergency carrier landings.

At the same time, he tossed aside his machine gun and drew the Heavy Cleaver from his waist.

He had barely finished the maneuver when his opponent charged in after him, like a bull gone mad.

Even when Hal saw the arresting net already pulled taut, there was no room to turn back.

This wasn't a fighter jet. Braking depended on the leg thrusters and the Mobile Suit's attitude controls.

But when Hal saw the net ahead, he freed his legs from their restraints at the last possible moment and began adjusting his posture.

Hal wasn't stupid. He had been hiding his abilities; in fact, he could control his legs with the preset program for a short time.

But Xu De didn't give him the chance to show off.

A Natural controlling a Ginn was already a beat slower. By the time Hal adjusted his posture, it was too late.

Hal plunged headfirst into the arresting net.

Like a hairy crab from Yangcheng Lake.

The net, originally meant for emergency landings, had now become a trap for someone who'd walked right into it.

It completely ensnared Hal's already clumsy Ginn.

"It's over."

As Xu De delivered his cold verdict, the auxiliary thrusters beneath his feet suddenly surged. A streak of red light flashed across the Agamemnon's deck, and without the slightest hesitation, he drove the Heavy Cleaver in his hand straight into the enemy's cockpit.

But his own control of the artificial gravity was off. As soon as he had stabbed Hal, he stumbled and pitched forward.

Still, compared to Hal, who had been stabbed right through, he was completely unharmed.

"Holy shit..."

Everyone who had thought Hal was sure to win was stunned by what had just happened.

You had to admit, it had been pretty underhanded...

But Xu De had managed to control the Ginn to this degree. His hands and legs had moved just well enough for him to set a trap.

That alone made him better than Hal.

"Unbelievable. He really can control it?"

Someone couldn't help murmuring.

At that moment, Hal jumped out of his cockpit and charged straight at Xu De.

The flush that had spread from his neck to his face left no doubt that the elite pilot had completely lost his temper.

"Useless! Get out here!"

"Hm?"

Xu De climbed out of the cockpit unhurriedly and looked at the elite before him. His expression hadn't changed in the slightest.

Of course, to someone already seeing red, Xu De's composure only added fuel to the fire.

The red-faced pilot said nothing more. He simply swung his fist at Xu De.

Moody narrowed his eyes at the sight. Just like Draco, he made no move to intervene.

Rather than looking at Xu De as a potential friend, the two of them seemed to be sizing him up as a possible partner.

Xu De, naturally, wasn't going to just stand there and take a beating.

The calculations he'd just made had left his head spinning, but his body had long been trained to react on instinct. Once he read his opponent's punch, Xu De deftly sidestepped, grabbed his arm, and used his momentum to throw him over his shoulder.

Of course, without gravity, the move didn't do much physical damage. Hal was simply flung away and landed face-first, but the emotional damage was practically maxed out.

"You..."

Before Hal could curse more viciously, Cook came down from the observation room.

"Ensign Hal, leave at once!"

Cook, the ordinary-looking middle-aged man, knitted his brows. His imposing presence made everyone wary.

He didn't threaten anyone; it was simply an order. Yet the pressure he exuded was enough to plunge the entire area into silence.

But Hal was already blinded by rage. Ignoring Cook, he roared and charged at Xu De again.

This time, however, Cook came sprinting up from behind and kicked him flying.

"Military police! Take him away!"

Cook spoke coolly, as if that impressive kick had never happened, and straightened his uniform.

"I'll kill you!! I'll kill you!!"

Hal continued to roar, but Xu De remained unmoved.

If Hal could really kill him, all the experience he'd gained over the years would have gone to waste.

Still, someone with violent tendencies like that might become a threat if left alone.

Suppressing his headache, Xu De looked at Cook, Bella's uncle.

"You. Come with me."

Cook only glanced at Xu De. Although he was growing more and more pleased with him, he didn't let it show.

It was impossible to tell whether he was calling Xu De over to reward him or punish him.

Xu De wasn't intimidated. Under the admiring looks of the others and the meaningful gazes of Moody and Draco, he followed Cook up to the observation room.

"Xu De, we meet again."

Halberton looked at the young man before him, smiling warmly and kindly. Xu De felt as if a gentle breeze were washing over him.