What Awakened Within

Draco's usually cool expression softened as the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

After all, his combat skills were elite, but most of his strength came from his sharp mind and absolute composure.

Even he had to admit that, after watching Xu De over the past few days, Xu De was even calmer than he was. His tactics were also far more unpredictable, and his piloting skills were a few notches above Moody's.

If he had to put it simply, Xu De was like a combination of himself and Moody, with their strengths taken to an even higher level.

In a one-on-one fight, there wouldn't have been much of a chance.

But Xu De's Mobile Suit was now in terrible condition. Even though he had switched to Moody's Ginn, his own combat ability had fallen further.

And Draco had a huge opportunity!

"Die!"

Unlike his usual restraint, Draco was now worked up and shouting at the top of his lungs. Xu De blocked the bullets he fired at the already damaged right side of his chest.

He didn't block them in the usual way. He used Moody's Ginn's corpse as a shield.

The instant he blocked the attack, Xu De threw the Heavy Cleaver that had been stuck inside Moody's cockpit toward Draco.

Propelled by tremendous force, the blade seemed to carry the weight of thunder and lightning in the Moon's weak gravity. Draco had no choice but to change course and dodge.

At the same time, Xu De grabbed the machine gun beside Moody and fired at Draco, while his other arm picked up the machine gun he'd previously thrown on the ground.

"Dual-Handed Combat!"

Xu De said.

He knew his chances were slim too, but he had to give it a shot.

Wasn't all that grueling training for this very day?

He'd made that line up on the spot, but his movements really did match the name.

Xu De fired at Draco like he was controlling two machine guns at once, shooting with deadly accuracy.

It was a move that would be distracting even for an ordinary person, but after the calculations he'd just made, Xu De felt as if something had burst out of its shell in his mind. He felt wonderfully clear-headed.

Even controlling two targeting systems at once felt completely natural.

"...Damn it."

Watching Xu De's state, Draco cursed loudly. Then the screen in front of him went black.

Was he even human? He could fire both ways while keeping his aim steady—and even use one hand to force his opponent to dodge while the other went on the offensive.

Draco hadn't been familiar with piloting the Ginn in the first place, so he was defeated in short order.

With the selection finally over and everyone watching eagerly, Xu De stepped out of his simulator and looked at Moody, Draco, and the others gathered before him.

"You're amazing. I can't believe you won that."

Moody gave him a heartfelt thumbs-up.

In truth, apart from the frustration of losing, the outcome was good for all three of them in the grand scheme of things.

Xu De was more capable than Moody, and his tactics were more devious than Draco's.

That made him the right person to lead them. It would increase their chances of surviving on the battlefield and help them earn more merit.

It would be good for Moody's future, too.

"Hmph."

Draco gave a quiet snort, but he still inclined his head toward Xu De.

"A bet's a bet."

Xu De smiled.

His head was drenched in sweat, but it did nothing to diminish his youthful charm. If anything, he looked even more brimming with masculine energy.

"Of course. What kind of people do you think we are?"

Moody rolled his eyes at Xu De.

Among the three of them, Xu De was the leader.

On the battlefield and throughout their future time at military academy, the two of them would be reliable partners.

Xu De thought it over, then spoke.

"I believe in you both."

"Then if either of you can beat me in the future, I'll hand over the captain's position."

If a single win had determined who became captain, the two of them might stop accepting his leadership after a while.

Rather than let one match decide the position, it was better to keep competing with them.

Only by continuing to win could he earn their wholehearted respect and establish himself as the leader of the three.

And he could keep honing himself through the competition, too.

The three of them could all serve as whetstones for one another.

Most importantly, Xu De didn't think he would lose.

During his battles with Moody and Draco, it felt as if something had awakened inside him.

If his instincts were right, he had probably gained some kind of ability to wield both hands at once. After all, he had two people inside him, and being pushed to the brink could have made him unleash his inner power.

He'd said before that it was impossible for an ordinary soldier to unleash that kind of power.

But having two people inside him was something ordinary soldiers had never experienced.

And his daily training was more intensive and scientific than theirs.

With enough practice and accumulated effort, even ordinary people could make a breakthrough. How much more so for a transmigrator like him?

Still, he needed to figure out as soon as possible what exactly had made him stronger.

Who wouldn't be happy to improve?

And improving in such a crucial area was worth celebrating with every step he took.

Hearing Xu De's words, the way the two looked at him changed slightly.

They were already convinced of his strength.

But hearing him say it so openly and confidently made them admire him even more.

"All right! You said it!"

Moody stepped forward and gave Xu De a friendly punch on the shoulder.

Even Draco, who was usually so cold, came over.

"Mm. I did."

"You're welcome to challenge me anytime."

Xu De smiled.

After the three of them finished talking, the others hurried over to congratulate him.

They were only Mobile Suit pilots in the reserves, and once they reached Earth, they'd probably have to compete against others for a place.

But there was no doubt that Xu De was the one among them most likely to become a Mobile Suit pilot.

It was important to build a good relationship with him.

Besides, they'd all traveled from the World Tree to the Moon together.

That meant they were already somewhat close.

If they showed him some goodwill now, then if Xu De rose to prominence in the future and remembered them, they might benefit too.

As for Xu De, he didn't turn anyone away.

They were all ensigns, and all of them were elites.

Even if they had approached him for their own benefit, they still had something to offer.

That meant they could discuss mutual interests and cooperate for everyone's benefit in the future.

As long as he didn't let them take advantage of him or get swindled, it would be fine.

A lone wolf, no matter how strong, wouldn't get far.

Only a pack could thrive and prosper.

"Xu, let's grab a drink together before you head down to Earth."

"Right. Consider it a send-off for the two of you."

"We might not be able to beat you in the Ginn, but we won't lose to you at the drinking table."

"Sounds good."

Hearing the officers around him, Xu De readily agreed.