The training grounds of the Moon Kingdom weren't a simple field or a hangar — they were an entire artificial valley, sealed under a colossal domed barrier. The sky above projected rolling clouds and pale sunlight, but beneath it lay jagged mountains, winding rivers, and crumbling ruins — a battlefield crafted for war.
Dozens of pristine Lunaris Gundams stood in maintenance cradles along the edge, their silver-gray armor gleaming coldly under the artificial sun. Sleek and refined, they lacked the brute bulk of Earth Federation designs, but every line of their frame promised speed, precision, and deadly intent.
Ferius Nura stood at the foot of one, his eyes tracing the smooth contours up to its angular head. The visor glowed a sharp sapphire blue, watching him in silence.
So this is it… a Lunaris Gundam.
Captain Ralvern's voice boomed across the grounds.
> "Recruits! Today, you will take your first steps as Moon Kingdom pilots. These are live units, fitted with reduced-output weapons for safety. Your objective: disable your assigned opponent within three minutes. If you cannot move, you are considered destroyed. There will be no second chances in this round."
Beside him, Kaedin let out a low whistle. "Throwing us into the deep end already."
"Guess they want to see who's worth keeping," Ferius replied, though his gaze never left the machine's visor.
They climbed into their cockpits. The seat's embrace was snug, the harness locking into place with a reassuring click. The controls — twin sticks, pedals, throttle — looked familiar, but the moment his hands closed over them, the Lunaris seemed to respond, as if recognizing him.
> SYSTEM ONLINE — PILOT: FERIUS NURA
The Gundam stepped forward from its cradle, and Ferius immediately noticed the difference. No heavy mechanical lurch like older suits, no sluggish startup. Each movement was smooth, balanced — like wearing armor that obeyed without resistance.
Not as raw and powerful as the Thanatos, he thought, but the reflexes… it's like the machine moves the moment I even think it.
A sharp tone signaled the start of the match.
Across the simulated valley, his opponent's silver-gray Lunaris drew its beam saber. Ferius reacted instantly, thrusters igniting as he surged forward. The first clash sent sparks spraying into the air, the vibration of impact running through his arms.
The enemy swept low; Ferius pivoted, shield slamming into their shoulder. His suit's acceleration was instantaneous, allowing him to sidestep and counter before the other pilot recovered.
"Fast," the opponent's voice came over comms. "But let's see if you can keep up."
"You'll find out," Ferius answered, driving in again.
The duel became a blur — sabers flashing, shields locking, thrusters roaring. Every movement felt sharper than the Scorpio, cleaner than the Federation's clunky frames. For the first time since Valkiron City burned before his eyes, Ferius felt the spark of real capability.
With the clock ticking down, he hooked the enemy's saber arm with his shield, twisted hard, and slammed the flat of his blade into their chest. The impact threw them backward, the system painting his HUD with ENEMY DISABLED.
The timer hit zero.
> "Decisive and precise," Ralvern's voice echoed. "That's what we need."
Ferius powered down, his breath steady but his pulse still high. This wasn't strong like Gundam Thanatos but it balanced for overall and— it was the weapon he'd been looking for since that day.
Kaedin's voice crackled in his ear. "Looks like you and the Lunaris are already getting along."
A faint grin tugged at Ferius' mouth. "Yeah… I like it."
---
Far from the bright lights of the Moon Kingdom, beyond the orbiting patrol routes and defense satellites, a lone warship drifted in the shadow of a dead asteroid. Its hull was matte black, absorbing the faint starlight, its shape angular and predatory. No transponder signal, no heat flare — to any scanner, it was just another cold rock in space.
Inside, dim crimson lighting bathed the bridge. A tall figure stood before a holographic projection of the Moon, his face hidden beneath a hooded helmet. His voice was low, deliberate.
> "The Kingdom basks in its false security. Their eyes watch the front gates… not the shadows."
Another officer, her uniform marked with unknown sigils, glanced at him. "The infiltration unit is ready. We've calibrated the phase cloaks — the Kingdom's sensors won't even register them."
The hooded figure nodded once. "Then begin."
In the hangar bay below, four mobile suits stood in silence. They were nothing like the Lunaris — their armor was jagged, almost skeletal, painted in shifting black patterns that seemed to swallow light. Each carried a massive, single-bladed scythe, the weapon's edge glimmering faintly with an energy field.
With a silent command, their thrusters flared briefly before vanishing into absolute darkness — phase cloaking engaged.
The four suits launched into the void, gliding through the cold expanse. Even the Moon Kingdom's long-range radar arrays passed over them without a trace. They cut a wide arc, approaching the dark side of the Moon, where the planetary glow faded and shadows deepened.
The lead suit transmitted a tight-beam message back to the ship.
> "We are ghosts in the void. Moon Kingdom defenses… blind."
As they slipped closer, the towering defense spires of the Moon Kingdom glittered faintly in the distance, unaware of the silent predators closing in.
Inside the capital's shimmering dome, the people went about their lives in peace — utterly unaware that death was already at their doorstep.
---
The morning after his one-on-one duel, Nura found himself back in the artificial valley. This time, the lineup of Gundams was split into two teams — each squad marked with colored sensor flags on their shoulders. The atmosphere was heavier, the recruits exchanging sharp glances instead of friendly chatter.
Captain Ralvern stood on the command platform, arms folded.
> "Today's exercise will test coordination, adaptability, and endurance. This is not about a single duel — this is about surviving against overwhelming odds while protecting your squadmates. You will have no respawn. If you're disabled, you're out. Last team standing wins."
Nura's team numbered five Lunaris Gundams, each armed with beam rifles, sabers, and shields. Across the valley, the opposing force fielded eight — veterans in training, their movements sharper and more confident.
Kaedin chuckled over the comm, trying to lighten the tension.
> "Guess they want us to suffer."
> "Or see if we crack," Nura muttered, tightening his grip on the controls.
The timer hit zero.
A piercing tone sounded.
Battle start.
The enemy squad surged forward in a tight wedge formation. Beam fire streaked across the valley. Nura instinctively boosted sideways, the Lunaris responding in an instant. Faster than Scorpio… far more agile than Thanatos, he thought, weaving through the incoming shots. But Thanatos would shrug this fire off — Lunaris can't take that many hits.
"Break formation, spread their aim!" Kaedin's voice barked.
Nura dove low, thrusters flaring as he slid between two boulders. An enemy Gundam came around the corner — too slow. Lunaris pivoted sharply, beam saber snapping up in a single reflex motion, slicing the rifle from the enemy's hand. A clean disable.
> "Nice cut, Nura!" Kaedin called.
But there was no time to celebrate. Three enemy suits converged on his flank. Strength… that's where Thanatos would've crushed them. He darted backward, shield raised, deflecting a saber slash before boosting up into the air, spinning mid-flight to rain rifle fire down.
Two were hit in the sensors — disabled. The third boosted after him, swinging wildly. Nura parried once, twice, but a direct power clash rattled the Lunaris' frame.
Yeah… Thanatos would overpower him in a heartbeat. Lunaris can't win in raw strength — but speed… reflex… that's mine.
He shifted his stance, let the enemy swing, and sidestepped in the same breath — his beam saber cutting across the enemy's back sensor. Another down.
By the end of the drill, his team was battered but standing — only Nura and Kaedin left operational.
Captain Ralvern's voice came over the comm, surprisingly approving.
> "Nura. Your machine isn't the strongest here… but your reaction time and movement kept your squad alive. Remember that — play to your strengths, not your opponent's."
Inside the cockpit, Nura exhaled slowly, heart pounding. He understood now — Lunaris wasn't Thanatos, and it didn't need to be.
---
The battlefield exercise had escalated fast.
Nura's Lunaris Gundam darted between crumbling artificial ruins, beam rifle snapping off quick bursts while his thrusters hissed with rapid micro-adjustments. Three enemy Moon Kingdom units flanked him, their teamwork tight and suffocating.
But this was where his reflexes came alive.
The Lunaris was lighter than the Gundam Thanatos, and its controls responded like a second skin. Every twitch of his wrist, every press of the pedal translated instantly into movement.
Still… something gnawed at him.
> It's not the same…
He realized what it was — the Malaya System, the neural-boost interface that Gundam Thanatos had. Lunaris didn't have it. That was why it felt different. Thanatos was slower but brutally powerful, each movement enhanced by the Malaya System's predictive assistance. Lunaris, on the other hand, was pure raw reflex — no artificial foresight, just him and the machine.
And right now, that raw connection was winning.
Two enemy suits lunged — he rolled between them, severing one's beam saber arm before twisting up and firing point-blank into the other's chest plate.
> ENEMY UNIT DISABLED.
He exhaled sharply, a flicker of satisfaction cutting through his focus.
---
Moon Kingdom Central Command – Observation Deck
Captain Ralvern stood before a large projection, reviewing Nura's combat feed.
"Candidate Nura's performance exceeds baseline expectations," he reported crisply. "Not only did he adapt to Lunaris's controls immediately, but he also neutralized two Camelot-type Gundams during the engagement. His combat instincts… are not beginner level."
Across from him, seated in her white-and-blue Moon Kingdom uniform, Morderia rested her chin on one hand.
"I've met him before," she said thoughtfully. "Back in Moon City. He didn't tell me everything, but I could tell… he's seen war. He's lived it."
Ralvern inclined his head. "Shall I place him in the reserve roster?"
Morderia shook her head. "No. I want him under my squad. Effective immediately."
Her decision was final, her tone unshakable.
---
Moon Kingdom Inner City – Sky Corridor
Morderia's transport pod glided along the magnetic rail, heading toward the High Council Chamber where she was due for an important meeting. She tapped her wrist console, sending the recruitment authorization for Nura.
Then the floor shook.
BOOM!
The shockwave ripped through the corridor. A second blast followed, windows shattering as fire bloomed in the distance. Alarms wailed across the city.
The pod screeched to a halt. Morderia steadied herself, looking out to see four shadowy mobile suits, their scythe-like weapons gleaming, cutting through Moon Kingdom defenses with impossible precision.
Ralvern's voice roared over comms, tight with urgency:
"Unidentified mobile suits inside the dome! They're using stealth tech — we never saw them coming!"
Morderia's expression hardened. She turned to her guards.
"Get me to the command post. Now. If this is Camelot…"
Her eyes narrowed. "…then we're already at war."
---
The final buzzer for the training match was still echoing when the first explosion shook the artificial valley.
Nura's hands instinctively tightened on the Lunaris controls.
"What the hell—?"
A priority channel opened in his cockpit, Captain Ralvern's voice cutting through the static.
"All recruits, emergency scramble! Unknown mobile suits have breached the inner dome! This is not a drill — switch to combat readiness!"
Across the field, Kaedin's Lunaris unit whipped around to face the city's direction.
"Did he just say breached the dome?"
Before Nura could answer, another explosion — bigger this time — sent a column of black smoke curling into the artificial sky. His gut twisted. This wasn't part of any exercise.
---
Inside the Dome – Moon Kingdom Central District
Morderia's transport pod screeched to a halt on the magnetic rail as the third blast lit the sky. Through the shattered glass panels of the corridor, she could see them now — four mobile suits unlike any she had seen before, dark silhouettes shimmering in and out of visibility. The wicked curve of their scythe weapons gleamed with every movement.
They were already deep inside the Moon Kingdom… and cutting down defense units like paper.
"High Council security detail — down!" one of her bodyguards yelled, pointing at the burning council tower.
Morderia's eyes narrowed.
> "This isn't a raid. This is assassination."
She grabbed the comm on her wrist.
"Ralvern, deploy every pilot you have. And put Nura on the front line."
---
Training Valley – Deployment Zone
Nura's heart was pounding now, but his hands moved fast, flipping Lunaris into full combat mode. The soft hum of training-limiters deactivating was replaced by the deeper, hungrier roar of a live reactor.
Kaedin's face appeared on his comm.
"You think it's Camelot?"
Nura's reply was cold, clipped.
"I don't it is. Camelot have a honor so they don't do like this."
The launch rails aligned, locking onto the city's coordinates. Over the squad channel, Ralvern's voice came sharp as a blade:
"Moon Kingdom units — your orders are simple. Intercept and destroy. The enemy is inside our home. Make sure they regret it."
As Lunaris locked into the catapult, Nura's thoughts flicked — not to the Lunaris's smooth reflexes, not to the fight ahead — but to the one thing it lacked.
> No Malaya System… no foresight. It's just me and the machine.
Good. Let's see if I'm enough.
The green light flashed.
"LUNARIS GUNDAM — LAUNCH!"
The catapult hurled him forward, and the silver-gray machine tore into the sky, boosters flaring like twin comets as the city and its burning skyline came into view.