28 Companions of the Way 9

Shirley, listening from beside, says, “If that’s the case, I have an idea.”

“Communication interference is severe in this sector. We’re being told to send orders to the front line and observe their movements simultaneously—impossible, really.”

Mei and Shu both nod in understanding. That’s what they’d been complaining about earlier.

“Perhaps we should emulate the era when communication devices didn’t exist. Send a courier instead.”

“Hah—now I see. There’s no one here.”

“Sasamori Instructor, perfect. Regular troops have all been deployed. No surplus manpower left to spare for couriers… meaning.”

“Just the two of us.”

“Exactly.”

Shu exhales in quiet admiration. Unauthorized sortie has, somehow, become a courier mission.

“But wait. Once the courier duty is done, we’ll have to return, right?”

Mei narrows her eyes at him, as if he’s said something absurd.

"What's wrong, big sister? Did I say something strange?"

"Why are you activating that odd sense of protocol—whatever it is—right here? Once inside a communication blackout zone, you just adapt on the fly."

"Ah."

I see. Jun nods.

Direct confrontation is his strength. He's weak to this kind of maneuver.

May resolves to teach him that lesson thoroughly once they return. She checks with Shirley.

"Can we still operate our Leopard?"

"Of course. Fully operational."

Shirley gives a firm nod. May smiles back and starts moving.

Heading toward the dressing room to change into her pilot suit.

"Come on, Jun. Hurry up with your preparations. We're leaving right away."

"Y-yeah..."

But Jun doesn't move immediately. He hesitates for a moment.

"Uh, Sergeant Byron?"

"Me?"

Sharon blinks, caught off guard by the unexpected words.

She doesn’t believe Gou could have anything to say to her at this moment.

If it were anyone else, she might think it was a pre-deployment confession—though that’s unlikely.

They’re years apart in age, and the boy’s interest is plainly evident, even to someone as new to him as Sharon.

She has no idea what he could be about to say.

She waits.

“If you have something to tell my father, I’ll listen.”

She freezes for a moment, then lets out a quiet laugh.

So obvious, even someone barely acquainted with him could see it.

“You’re a good girl.”

“H-hey, stop that.”

She feels his hand on her head, ruffling her hair.

Thinking back, he’s grown so much since their first meeting during the expedition training.

And ever since that time, Mio has continued to hold the same feelings—perhaps she and Sharon are similar in that way.

"A person who can be kind to others is already admirable."

Sharon’s object of affection cannot do that.

She has only recently come to understand.

Jin is not strict with others or with himself.

He simply does not know any other way.

Everyone expects him to be strong.

Even Sharon herself—she cannot deny it.

Jin is strong. That is enough. He does not need to be kind.

There was, somewhere, a kind of indulgence like that.

That is why Jin knows almost nothing of kindness given to him by others.

Only a brief moment, only a small fragment, is all he has to reference.

"I am fine. I’ve said everything I wanted to say."

She knows his resolve will not shift through her words alone.

Jin only knows the clear order within himself.

He decides accordingly, at all times, in accordance with that order.

Who to save.

Whom to reach out to.

But right now, that one is ambiguous—only confusion remains.

Below third rank, influence over such matters is impossible.

"...But yes. Could you tell her this, if you meet Mio? — 'Waiting for you to return.'"

Saying this, he gently pushes Shu’s back.

Seeing off those who go to battle is his duty.

He has never resented that role—but—just this once—he wishes he could go with her.

Then he could say it himself, in his own voice.

Shu, urged forward by Shirley, begins preparing for deployment.

Holding another item entrusted to him, separate from the backpack.

"...Really, she has no eye for people, or what should I say..."

Shu does not understand why Mio chose to join this.

He cannot comprehend the reason she wants to change the past.

There’s nothing I’d want to change about my past.

Ah, that’s what Sho thinks.

Even the events from eight years ago, Sho has no regrets.

If given the same choice again now, he would act without hesitation.

And even that wasn’t entirely bad.

In fading consciousness, a phrase reached his ears—something he’s never told anyone, yet holds dear.

Perhaps, years from now, after living ten or twenty more years, he might come to wish for some change.

Still, the wishes unfulfilled now, he intends to fulfill in the future. He will not spare effort in pursuit of that.

So one thing is certain.

“I want to see your high school uniform.”

That one thing, at least, can’t be changed by effort alone.

As he changes into his pilot suit, his hand brushes the scar on his chest.

The wound was too large to be entirely erased.

The doctor had said it would be a hassle to explain when a lover came along—but he didn’t care.

He had no intention of being with anyone who didn’t already know the truth.

“…I’m counting on you. Give me your strength.”

He didn’t need May to tell him he was lacking.

But there was a secret even he hadn’t told Kou or May.

He noticed it by accident during training.

There were moments when his performance was unnaturally sharp.

As if his senses were heightened, his body refusing to scream even during reckless maneuvers.

At first, he thought it was simply because he’d been in peak condition.

But by the third or fourth time, he realized.

Every time the performance was sharp, a dull ache followed—like the scar heating up.

He finally understood the truth the day he visited Kou and May’s home.

A forbidden nanomachine used for physical enhancement, once administered to May.

Similar to the withdrawal symptoms.

The scar was from when Mio was attacked by ASID.

At that time, he had been injected with nanomachines by ASID.

For reasons unknown, miraculously, those nanomachines did not transform him into an ASID, but instead functioned like medical nanomachines—now he understood why.

Mio had done it. He had not heard it directly, but he was certain.

It was impossible to completely remove the remnants still lodged within him.

After removing as much as possible, the rest could only be left to metabolic processes, waiting for natural expulsion.

Eight years had passed—those nanomachines should have been fully expelled by now.

Yet he sensed, with certainty, that they still remained inside his body.

They were not causing harm at present.

At least they amplify his own abilities beyond measure.

Since he realized this, Shu has become aware of the nanomachines' presence within him.

Since then, he has been able to control them.

Normally, he keeps them suppressed. Otherwise, training would be meaningless.

But in an emergency, he can access their power.

This is the basis for the reckless act Shu is attempting now.

Enhancement by unknown nanomachines.

With this, he can move at a level comparable to a regular soldier.

Perhaps not enough to be truly useful.

In combat, dodging bullets might be the best he can do.

Still, it is enough.

Shu is not going to fight. He is delivering something.

The thoughts of others. The words they could not speak.

His own thoughts, made into words.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah. I can go anytime... Sorry, older sister."

He feels guilt over involving his adoptive sister in this.

He knows he’s placing her in danger through his own recklessness. But the option to stop here never existed for Shu.

His priorities have been set long ago, within him.

That is why he is a trainee, and why he is here.

"Then let’s go. First, a dispatch to the front-line unit and a status confirmation. After that, the Terminus warrior company."

And afterward, he will violate orders.

Infiltrating the Lombardia-class vessel where Mio is located.

It is not as simple as speaking it aloud. Yet, if that is his objective, he must be able to follow behind the assault unit… he wants to believe he can.

Adjusting his backpack, Shu mounts his Leopard.

On the battlefield, higher-tier Ravens and Griffons clash, devouring each other’s flesh.

The fear of diving in with an outdated model.

He dismisses it with a story he heard before.

"His father fought the Terminus people with this thing—so they say..."

The combat records between Edelweiss and the Terminus people left him stunned when he first saw them.

Definitely strange, he thought, with quiet conviction.

If such an otherworldly being is the goal, then hesitation at this level is unacceptable.

Become stronger than Kōgō Jin. Otherwise, Tōtani Mamoru will never earn the right to stand beside Kōgō Mio.