Several days earlier, as everything entered its final phase, Zhou Tianming finally found time to enter his Consciousness Space for inspection.
Upon entering, he immediately noticed changes—the once flawless space was now covered with black cracks.
As he approached, a surge of Mental Power filled with hatred and anger assaulted him.
Without needing to doubt, he knew this originated from those lost memories.
Silence.
Then came an angry laugh: "Seems I was quite 'taken care of' back then."
Calming himself, Zhou Tianming checked his status. His Mental Power was at 282, higher than he'd expected.
But upon closer inspection, he discovered [Love] had been activated.
His expression softened as he murmured, "Silly woman."
Subtracting the 121 points from Natarle's [Love] feedback, his actual Mental Power was only 161. Before the battle, it had been 341—proof of how intense the fighting had been.
Through the Mark of Mental Command, he traced his most frequently used commands: [Overdrive], [Bloodlust], and [Iron Wall].
What caught his attention was [Iron Wall].
Why had he used [Iron Wall] so many times?
The Vermilion Bird, as an MA, wasn't designed to tank damage—its speed made it hard to hit in the first place.
So what had [Iron Wall] been defending against?
The answer was clear—mental attacks!
Moreover, judging by the intervals between activations, the enemy's mental assaults were visible, allowing him to prepare defenses in advance. Finding a way to counter mental attacks eased Zhou Tianming's tension.
The enemy's impenetrable defense now had cracks.
[Overdrive] needed no explanation.
Had [Bloodlust] been used repeatedly because he couldn't break through defenses?
In reality, he rarely used [Bloodlust]. Unlike its damage-doubling game effect, here it enhanced physical strength and melee attacks.
Consider his units—Xuanwu and Vermilion Bird.
Xuanwu lacked a Psychoframe, leaving only Vermilion Bird capable of receiving commands.
The physical damage of [Feather Plumes]...
Beam sabers didn't count as physical. Was he stabbing enemies bare-handed?
Or recklessly ramming them with Vermilion Bird?
With [Feather Plumes], neither made sense.
Thus, [Bloodlust] must've been used not for its effect, but for something else.
He couldn't immediately deduce what that might be.
Current clues only led this far.
Primarily because directly contemplating the enemy was impossible—many theories had to remain superficial to prevent memory distortion. Exiting the Consciousness Space.
In the darkness, Zhou Tianming lay in bed with Natarle sleeping beside him.
Though her face was invisible, her breathing was audible, her presence tangible.
What am I hating?
Ah—only this is unforgivable.
Men are creatures who'll tolerate attacks on themselves, but harming those close to them is an unforgivable offense!
A grand plan began forming in his mind.
Satellite wreckage, atop the tower—
Zhou Tianming was deep in thought.
The [Iron Wall] embedded in his SEED defended against mental assaults, while [Analyze] helped him deduce information.
He pondered everything about his enemy without restraint.
Though the distorted and erased memories couldn't be recovered, he could still piece together clues to reconstruct some information.
Most importantly, he needed to identify his enemy's weakness.
I don't need to know your appearance, your abilities, or your motives.
But your weakness—that I must grasp firmly in my hands.
Maintaining [Iron Wall] only cost 10 points per second.
Zhou Tianming used it for 8 seconds, letting his Mental Power drop to around 80 until dizziness struck, then immediately activated [Iron Wall] using his maximum Mindpower.
This time, it lasted long enough.
Long enough for him to pinpoint the crucial detail amidst the chaotic information—Mental Power.
In the world of Gundam, any discussion of Mental Power inevitably leads to Newtypes.
"So the weakness is Newtypes."
His lips curled into a smile.
As [Iron Wall] faded, such intense contemplation invited an even fiercer mental counterattack.
It felt like a steel blade stabbing into his skull, twisting and turning.
Zhou Tianming curled up in agony, trembling violently as blood seeped from all seven orifices.
"Ah!"
A guttural growl escaped his throat.
Memories were shredded and erased, yet Zhou Tianming laughed—a wild, triumphant laugh to the heavens.
You've told me.
My deduction, my answer—it hit the mark!
"White Rabbit, record this..."
Before he could finish, darkness swallowed him.
The glow around Vermilion Bird dimmed, its song vanishing. Its emerald eyes turned dull as it stood motionless atop the tower, blending into the black void of Cosmic Space.
Time passed indeterminably before Zhou Tianming awoke, temples throbbing. Even the slightest thought sent searing pain through his skull.
His stomach growled fiercely, acid churning within.
The incessant beeping in his ears signaled an incoming communication.
He answered.
Natarle's face appeared on the screen—eyes red-rimmed, tear tracks visible, her expression frantic. "Tian Ming!"
"What's...?"
Her voice cracked. "Three days! You've been out of contact for three days! I thought—"
"Sorry... headache." Clutching his head, Zhou Tianming nonetheless grinned. "Seems I succeeded."
Attempting to recall brought fresh agony.
Retrieving compressed biscuits from the storage compartment beneath his seat, he devoured them ravenously.
Natarle's heart ached seeing him—pale, blood-streaked, eating like a starved beast.
After somewhat alleviating his gnawing hunger, Zhou Tianming sipped water slowly. "Don't worry. It's over. I'm coming back now."
"I'll be waiting."
He nearly said "No need, I can catch up," but seeing Natarle's expression, he simply nodded. "Wait for me."
Days later, Vermilion Bird reunited with Xuanwu.
The moment Zhou Tianming emerged from the cockpit, Natarle flung herself into his arms.
They held each other without words.
"You stink!"
"Haven't showered in days. And... I really need to pee."
Natarle clung tighter, unwilling to let go.
"Since you won't release me, don't blame me." Zhou Tianming whispered in her ear, "I love you!"
Before she could react, he swept her off her feet.
"Let's bathe together then!"
Blushing furiously, she stammered, "W-wait, I... I..."
Of course, Zhou Tianming ultimately failed to get his way and bathe together.
However, that night, he shamelessly burrowed into Natarle's arms, using her soft "little buns" as a pillow for a good night's sleep.
The next day, though both woke up early, they lingered in bed, reluctant to rise.
In the heat of passion, kisses were inevitable. Having tasted sweetness, the two clung to each other obsessively.
Zhou Tianming's restless hands naturally wandered toward the "little buns," only for Natarle to seize his wrist firmly.
Their lips parted.
"No moving around!"
Nuzzling closer, Zhou Tianming looked at her expectantly.
"No!"
His expression dimmed.
Blushing with springtime allure, Natarle took the initiative to press her lips to his again.
Another entanglement ensued.
An hour later, the two arrived on the Bridge, fully dressed.
"White Rabbit, play my message."
Natarle was tense, gripping the armrests tightly.
Zhou Tianming covered her hand with his own and squeezed. "It'll be fine. I believe in myself."
A weak, trembling voice, suppressing pain, spoke: "Research the Newtypes, defend against the Newtypes, spread awareness of the Newtypes. Don't ask why—just keep moving forward."
Hearing the term "Newtypes," Zhou Tianming immediately understood the subtext—Mental Power.
To prevent enemies from reacting to the term describing their weakness, I didn't even use the word "Mental Power" back then.
I really was cautious.
But it also made him acutely aware of the enemy's strength, as he had no memory of ever saying these words.
Without a doubt...
"I" died.
His expression darkened.
This debt would be repaid one day.
"Tian Ming..." Natarle looked pained. "Researching Newtypes... does that mean...?"
He turned and shook his head.
"It's just a placeholder. I took extra precautions in case the enemy reacted."
Natarle exhaled, her face relaxing. "Then what are Newtypes?"
After a moment's thought, Zhou Tianming explained, "What do you think is the most important thing for humanity in Cosmic Space?"
"Physical adaptability, like Coordinators."
"That's what I used to think too. But this incident made me realize the most crucial thing is cognitive ability."
He continued, "In this vast Cosmic Space, there are infinite things—some dangerous, some safe, some communicative, others treacherous."
"What we need is the ability to bypass knowledge and experience, to recognize others instantly. That's what Newtypes are."
Natarle lowered her head, pondering, then no
dded. "True. Relying on knowledge would take too long, and experience would require endless sacrifice. Both are too slow—we might miss critical opportunities."
She looked up at him. "Are you a Newtype?"
He sighed and shook his head. "No. My mother might have been. But this isn't something an individual can solve."
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