09 Reflection Meeting

"Debriefing will now commence."

Thirty minutes after the simulation-based exercise.

Jin and the others had finished changing and resting, and were now conducting a debriefing in the classroom about the earlier battle.

While Yuria and Kou sit upright, May lies face-down on the desk.

Jin exhaled once, but did not reprimand.

The strain that extreme G-forces place on the body.

Jin knows this well.

"Trainee Bellwair, build your physical strength first. Your maneuver combat skills are impressive, but your body does not keep pace."

No reply.

Peering in with suspicion, she found him asleep, his expression utterly slack.

Kick the desk hard, literally knocking it to life.

This applies to everyone. Everyone shows exhaustion at that level of combat. Focus on physical conditioning daily.

There was variation in degree, but all showed signs of fatigue in their expressions.

That won’t do, Jin says.

Physical endurance is necessary for anything.

After all, there is no guarantee that combat will end so quickly.

Fighting while exhausted is not acceptable.

Jin decides to increase the training curriculum for foundational physical conditioning.

To May, who is blinking dazedly after being shaken awake, Jin adds an observation.

"Continue. Mobility of Bellwahr trainees contains excessive inefficiency. Most of it is instinctive, isn't it?"

As if confirming, not questioning, May’s eyes widen in surprise.

"You notice everything, Instructor."

"During high-G maneuvers, blood flow to the brain decreases. Cognitive function drops, reactions become reflexive. That is unavoidable."

Jin has experienced it himself.

At the same time, he knows that it is precisely that instinct that has kept him alive.

"Memorize every movement in your body. Increase the precision. Train yourself to take the optimal action without thinking."

Jin says it doesn't matter if it's based on instinct.

What must be refined is the reflex action itself.

"Concentrate on the quality of maneuvering during training. That is all."

"Understood! Let us prove ourselves worthy of this trial!"

"Furthermore, you will submit a written reflection on the unauthorized use of the communication channel earlier and your drowsiness just now. Five sheets of manuscript paper, by tomorrow."

He delivers the punishment precisely, then shifts his gaze to Yuriya.

"Trainee Nastin, you overused the thrusters during your movement from the sniper position. Prioritize remaining undetected over speed."

"Y-yes, sir!"

Jin hesitates, unsure whether to speak, as Yuriya replies with a voice strained by effort.

But if he does not speak now, the flaw will never improve.

Perhaps speaking will worsen it, but leaving it unaddressed means it remains unchanged.

"Furthermore, Trainee Nastin lacks endurance."

"Endurance..."

"Yes. At the end of the simulation. You grew impatient when the sniper shot missed. The ability to fire at such range via remote control was impressive—but without precision, it serves no purpose."

Yuriya lowers her gaze, as if considering something.

"Accuracy in rear support directly affects the entire unit’s casualty rate. As for mental resilience, there is nothing we instructors can do."

There is no magical phrase to fix it.

There is no way to release tension at will.

So there is only one thing Jin can do.

What we can do is train you—make you believe you’ve overcome trials of this magnitude.

Beyond this point, it rests with you.

"Do not say you must not grow anxious. But at least have confidence that your training thus far has not been in vain."

A small hope that awareness might improve.

If it does not improve—then even if commissioned, death will come soon enough.

Clearly, that mindset is not suited for the role.

"Then, Trainee Nastin. Was this operation your design?"

"Y-Yes!"

"One question—what scenario did you assume for this exercise?"

"Personal combat is prohibited under the Fleet Charter. Yet, this drill involves assault frames facing off directly. It appears to simulate an engagement with humanoid ASIDs, like those that attacked the fleet just days ago. My humble assessment."

Jin nods, satisfied.

To attempt to grasp the unspoken meaning behind the training—this is highly commendable.

The other two did not seem to have reached that level of understanding.

Still.

(This time, I didn’t think that far ahead!)

He says nothing of it, instead examining each element of the strategy one by one.

“Pushing the debris field after the initial sniper shot. What was the intent behind that location?”

“Yes. It selected a zone favorable for close combat, designed to challenge the mobile Sasamori trainee and Bellwar trainee.”

Jin nods. It is sound.

A solid judgment.

“Was the decision to remain at the original sniper position intentional?”

“Yes. It remained stationary deliberately, to lure the enemy in.”

Each judgment, though clumsy, follows a clear intent.

No extravagance. Pure adherence to fundamental tactics.

...Then, here it is. You shut down your own reactor and positioned yourself as an ambush. That is correct, yes?

Affirmative. Based on past combat examples involving ASID units, the reactor's dormant state was evaluated as effective for concealment.

The risk of detection is minimized as long as visual contact is avoided. At the very least, it's a tactic worth testing.

The judgment made so far was not incorrect.

One clear mistake.

“The last time you were shot down…”

Yes. I believe the timing of the deployment was early.

No, it's the opposite. I deliberately exposed a weakness—thought you wouldn't take the bait.

Jin says the attempt to lure out the hiding Yuria was exposed, but her reaction was slow.

And the reason for it was also foreseeable.

You hesitated for a moment then. Whether the gap would open while the two front-line units held out. A commander must not waver in judgment once decided.

Is there a better way?

Jin considers this repeatedly.

But reconsidering a decision already made is a poor choice.

Especially when aiming for a single instant.

"Same as the earlier sniper incident. Build confidence in your accumulated experience. If you cannot, learn until you can. Understood?"

"Understood, Instructor."

Yuria is the commander. That is the most critical point.

If the mind wavers left and right, the limbs will not move properly.

"Sasamori cadet—"

"Instructor, may I ask something?"

Before Jin could comment on Kou, Kou raised one hand and interrupted with a question.

"What?"

"Was I mistaken—did you mean Instructor Higashi, the one named Jin Higashi?"

What? Jin felt slightly disoriented.

A flicker of embarrassment at possibly being overly self-conscious.

"Can't say which Jin Higashi, but I’ve never heard of two Jin Higashis within the military."

His words brought surprise to everyone’s faces.

They hadn’t realized the instructor was the very same person as the fleet’s top ace.

They might have boasted earlier, but now it was just a name they’d once worn.

Nothing to be proud of.

"Why, Instructor…?"

"Various circumstances. Is that all? Then let’s return to the matter at hand."

Jin cut the question short, showing no interest in elaborating on the details.

Now, it’s purely personal—this reluctance to cut into the time spent with Mio. To speak of it feels embarrassing.

Evaluation of Kou. That unsettles Jin.

In terms of basic skill, he’s remarkably well-balanced.

He could manage the duties of an officer if assigned now.

Precisely because of that, it’s regrettable.

He didn’t believe praising him here would serve his growth.

With a heavy heart, Jin maintained a stern expression.

“You’ve completely failed to grasp how to pilot an Assault Frame. That realization has disappointed me.”

Kou’s eyes widened at the words.

At least in practical drills, he had consistently performed well.

The outright dismissal of his past evaluations struck him as a shock.

“Every movement you make still reflects the constraints of human motion under gravity. The primary battlefield for the Assault Frame is zero-G. And its joints exceed those of a human—unrestricted.”

Zero-G combat requires a specialized skill set—distinct from standard gravity-based operations.

Combat in zero-G demands an entirely different approach.

Thus, Kou’s current performance was inconsistent.

Take the elbow, for example. There is no reason why it cannot be bent in reverse.

The majority of joints are fully mobile.

"Actuator coordination during close combat is insufficient. Inertial control is crude compared to that of a Belval trainee. Proper use of inertial control would have enabled faster attacks."

Fewer regular soldiers can perform such integrated combat maneuvers.

Close combat utilizing the entire frame—such precision is unconscious reflex in those labeled as aces.

"Finally, you advanced with complacency, assuming the ground beneath your feet? Even humanoid forms are this vulnerable. The phrase 'within expected parameters' does not exist when facing an ASID. Exercise greater caution."

An exceptionally harsh evaluation compared to the other two.

Kou spoke in a strained voice.

"Thank you."

Only that.

Too severe, perhaps. Jin thought so.

Yet without doubt, Jin felt Kou's potential beneath the surface.

Still raw ore.

What lies beyond polishing remains unknown.

The qualification of ace.

Kou is, by far, the closest to it.