Mu and the others had never heard of Gjallarhorn. Just as he was about to ask, Mikazuki spoke again.
"Oh right, I also sensed something similar to that guy on your body. How strange."
Mu's pupils constricted violently. Mikazuki's words truly shook him.
"You... you can even sense that? Who exactly are you?"
"Main force of Tekkadan's first combat unit, and currently serving as Tekkadan's leader, Mikazuki Augus."
Mikazuki stated his name very directly.
Mu frowned slightly.
"Tekkadan? Why haven't I heard of this force? Are they mercenaries?"
Muryu's eyes flashed. Yes, mercenaries, why hadn't she thought of that?
This was the Cosmic Era, a time of war. There was no shortage of reckless hard-hitters. Various mercenary groups and organizations frequently emerged.
These mercenaries adhered to one principle: money.
As long as the money was enough, they would do anything: protection, assassination, or even fighting on the front lines.
Their Earth Alliance forces now had many areas where they employed mercenaries to do their bidding.
So this Tekkadan was most likely a mercenary organization, and their headquarters might even be in space, perhaps in a colonial satellite.
Although Mikazuki didn't know Muryu's thoughts, the nature of Tekkadan was, strictly speaking, similar to mercenaries.
"However, it's a shame that the most troublesome one got away."
Mu's tone was very regretful. He knew who was inside the mobile suit that escaped.
"Is there anything special about that silver-gray mobile suit?"
Muryu couldn't help but ask.
"Do you know about the Cruze Squadron in ZAFT?"
Natarle said sharply.
"The Cruze Squadron, who are even elites among the Red Coats? Could it be that the mobile suit that escaped was Rau Le Creuset?"
Mu sighed and nodded. That was a great opportunity to eliminate that troublesome guy, what a shame... what a shame.
Natarle was also filled with regret. Her support had inadvertently helped the enemy escape death's danger. This was truly... a humiliation.
Mikazuki wasn't interested in what they were saying. He walked up to Muryu, tilted his head slightly, and looked up at the taller Muryu, saying,
"Payment."
Muryu, who had been regretting with everyone else, froze when she heard Mikazuki's voice, then quickly regained her composure.
"Ah, payment. What do you want?"
"Didn't you say you'd give me food? Food."
Mikazuki said somewhat unhappily. Was she trying to renege on their agreement?
Muryu found Mikazuki's request for payment very strange.
"Is that really okay? You don't need money or anything?"
"Money's useless to me. There's nowhere to spend it."
"But... aren't you a mercenary? Even if you don't have anywhere to spend money now, you'll use it later, right?"
Mikazuki scratched his head.
"Mercenary... I guess so. But... you also said that's for later, right? Right now, I don't need money.
As long as there's a place to live and food, that's enough."
The Archangel crew and Kira's group all stared blankly at Mikazuki. What he said seemed to be true, but... why did it feel off?
A teenage mercenary destroying two GINNs just for a meal seemed unrealistic, no matter how you looked at it.
Moreover, many people felt that the teenager in front of them was speaking genuinely, without any pretense or desire for money. He only needed a place to live and food.
Muryu looked deeply at Mikazuki, then asked Natarle,
"Natarle, the Archangel's logistics team is fine, right?"
Natarle regained her composure, nodded, and replied,
"Yes, they're fine."
"Good. Take two hours to rest. Have the mess hall prepare food quickly. After the rest period, send people to transport supplies onto the Archangel."
"Yes."
Natarle left the deck with a few subordinates.
Muryu gently took Mikazuki's somewhat dirty left hand, which he was about to put into his pocket to retrieve a date, and said softly to him,
"Come, I'll take you to the mess hall."
Mikazuki hadn't even fully processed what was happening before Muryu led him away.
On the bridge, Muryu sat in the captain's chair. Mikazuki sat on a nearby step, holding a large tray of food in one hand and swiftly devouring the food with a fork and spoon in the other.
At the weapon control platform opposite Muryu were Mu and Natarle. Mu saw Mikazuki's eating speed and couldn't help but ask,
"Young man, how long has it been since you last ate?"
Mikazuki lifted his face from his food tray, licking a grain of rice from the corner of his mouth.
"Since morning... I ate some crackers earlier, but I got hungry again quickly."
"Are you saying you fought those three GINNs on an empty stomach?"
Muryu only then realized that when they were on the ground, she had heard rumbling sounds several times near Mikazuki. Could that have been his stomach growling?
Her eyes showed apology.
"You should have told me earlier. At that time, I had a few military compressed rations on me. They would have been enough to fill you up."
"Oh, really?"
Mikazuki clearly didn't pay much attention to this. He continued to eat the food on his plate.
Muryu shook her head helplessly, then put a bottle of water beside Mikazuki and left him alone to discuss serious matters with Mu and Natarle.
The Archangel's supplies were already being transported. Although the rest period wasn't over yet, it was best to prepare these things as quickly as possible.
"Briefly, what's the situation with the colonial satellite now? Heliopolis's evacuation has reached 100%. The alert level has reached level nine due to those three GINNs earlier, meaning the shelter entrance has been completely sealed and no more people can enter."
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