Bam, bam, bam—
Steel clashed as the ground trembled.
After leaving the hangar, Eno couldn't help being astonished by the sight before him.
Under the artificial gravity inside the PLANT colony satellite,
two Mobile Suits raced across the open training grounds.
The two solid swords crossed, clashing with a blinding spray of sparks.
They were Yzak and Athrun's Mobile Suits.
Athrun might not have been the combative sort, but he had been raised as a soldier from childhood by Minister of Defense Zala.
With Yzak pressing him relentlessly, Athrun wasn't about to go easy on him.
Bzzzt—
"Eno Kamal?"
Just as Eno was thinking about how to imitate the movements of Athrun and Yzak's Mobile Suits, a burst of static crackled and cut off. Then a somewhat gentle voice came through the cockpit speakers.
Hearing the sudden voice, Eno followed the procedure he remembered and opened the comm system. "Nicol?"
"Yeah, it's me. Um, Eno, since you've just started piloting a Mobile Suit, you can ask me if there's anything you don't understand. Of course, I don't mean to lecture you or anything. I just thought I might be able to help if you run into any problems."
Nicol sounded hesitant and nervous.
Though Nicol was gentle by nature, his Mobile Suit piloting skills were undoubtedly top-notch.
At this point, outside of combat, Nicol's piloting proficiency might not even match Athrun's.
"Thanks, I really appreciate it. But I think I'll first get familiar with the Mobile Suit, like Instructor Kelvin said. If I run into any problems later, I'll trouble you to explain them to me."
Eno quickly replied with a smile.
Nicol might have a gentle disposition, but his Mobile Suit piloting skills were undoubtedly top-notch.
At this point, outside of combat, Nicol's piloting proficiency might not even match Athrun's.
"Sure. Get familiar with the Mobile Suit first. You can ask me anytime if you have any questions."
After saying that, Nicol ended the call, not wanting to bother him any further.
Meanwhile,
the battle between Athrun and Yzak had nearly reached its peak.
After the two power cables came loose, the Mobile Suits took their fight from the ground into the air.
"You have to take things one step at a time. I'd better start by familiarizing myself with the basics of piloting a Mobile Suit, just like Instructor Kelvin said."
Eno turned his gaze away and focused on himself.
Strictly speaking, Athrun and Yzak's movements weren't all that complicated. In fact, Mobile Suit battles weren't that complicated at all.
Mobile Suit combat mainly tested a pilot's reflexes and their basic control over the machine.
Unlike humans, whose strength and speed varied depending on how they trained, a Mobile Suit's strength and speed were determined by its engine output and equipment. Neither could be improved through something as simple as training.
So a pilot's combat ability was measured mainly by their reaction speed and their basic control over the Mobile Suit.
"Let's see. I'll try taking a few steps first..."
Recalling Instructor Kelvin's advice, Eno piloted the machine across the spacious training ground, taking one measured step at a time.
Below, Instructor Kelvin watched Eno's movements with a pleased expression. That was it. The kid had listened to what he'd said.
Finally, a normal person.
Even now, he still remembered what it had been like training Yzak, Athrun, and the others.
They'd climbed into their machines, taken a couple of steps, and immediately started running. Then, as they ran, they started jumping. Before long, they were flying.
They hadn't even been airborne for long when Yzak picked a fight with Athrun.
Seeing them fighting, Nicol and Dearka, who were still getting used to their machines, hurried over to break it up. And then... well, there was no "then."
After that, Instructor Kelvin had nothing to do.
In an atmosphere of fighting and breaking up fights, the others had learned to pilot their Mobile Suits at breakneck speed in just a few days. Their example had influenced the other students, who began choosing the same kind of wildly aggressive training.
As a result, aside from marksmanship and other classes, his class spent every free-training session either fighting or on their way to a fight. Even as an assistant instructor, he had no idea what his purpose was.
But now things were different. At last, he had a normal student he could properly instruct.
"Being an instructor really feels so... huh?"
Instructor Kelvin was still pleased that Eno was following directions when he glanced up and noticed Eno's Mobile Suit beginning to move faster.
At some point,
the Mobile Suit that had been walking one step at a time across the open ground had started running, with another machine leading the way.
Then a second Mobile Suit joined them and started running too.
As time passed, all three Mobile Suits picked up speed.
Finally, as the power cables came loose, Instructor Kelvin watched in stunned disbelief as Eno's Mobile Suit raced toward the practical training field, flanked by the other two machines.
"That's it! Just like that! Pick up the pace!"
Dearka's voice came through Eno's cockpit.
"Eno, your steps are a little uncoordinated. You're putting a bit too much force on the right pedal. When fighting under gravity, uneven force between your front and rear feet can throw the machine off balance."
Nicol's voice also came through the cockpit.
Unlike Dearka, who was just watching the fun, Nicol was genuinely teaching Eno how to pilot a Mobile Suit.
Listening to Nicol's advice, Eno quietly adjusted how much force he was applying to the controls.
"That's right, just like that. You have to keep the machine balanced at all times when piloting a Mobile Suit. Never let its posture become unstable. A machine's reaction speed is limited. If you exceed that window, then even if you notice danger, you won't be able to adjust in time. That'll make it easy for your opponent to suppress you in battle, which is extremely dangerous."
"I understand."
Listening to Nicol's guidance, Eno gradually understood what he meant.
It was just like a fistfight. You had to keep your footing.
"Knowing the theory isn't enough. You have to experience it for yourself!"
Just then, Dearka's voice suddenly came through.
"Eno, watch out!"
"Wha—"
Bam!
Almost as soon as Nicol's warning rang out,
Dearka's Mobile Suit abruptly changed direction and slammed into Eno.
Eno saw it coming, but in the sudden rush, his reaction was still a little too slow.
With a violent jolt, the Mobile Suit Eno was piloting was sent flying.
"Eno, are you okay?"
Seeing the Mobile Suit lying in the dust, Nicol couldn't help asking.
Eno shook his dazed head and replied, "I'm fine. My head's just a little fuzzy."
That sudden hit had left Eno completely dazed.
"Dearka! What the hell are you doing all of a sudden?"
Instructor Kelvin saw what had happened and hurriedly opened the comm channel to Dearka.
"Helping him train," Dearka replied bluntly.
"Who told you to train him like that? This is Eno Kamal's first time in a Mobile Suit. If you do that, how is he supposed to—"
"But isn't that how we all started?"
Dearka cut Kelvin off.
"I... well... you guys—you're different!"
Instructor Kelvin struggled for a moment before replying.
"Different? Come on. Eno could run as soon as he got into his machine. He's practically no different from us."
Dearka countered, "Besides, this guy plans to make the top ten in two months. He won't manage that with ordinary training, will he?"
Dearka genuinely didn't think Eno was any different from them once he climbed into a Mobile Suit.
They'd all been able to walk as soon as they got in, run as soon as they left the hangar, and adjust the machine's output in response to external feedback.
He even felt Eno was learning to control the machine faster than he had—almost as fast as Athrun and Yzak.
"I... well... hmm..."
At Dearka's words, Instructor Kelvin suddenly thought of what Eno Kamal had just done.
Thinking it over, the kid's talent for piloting a Mobile Suit really did seem... maybe... possibly... on par with Athrun and the others.
But was that even possible?
A student ranked first in the command course, with the same Mobile Suit piloting talent as Yzak and the others? That made absolutely no sense.
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