"What's happening?!"
The pilot aboard the Mistral, who had been wearing a triumphant smile moments earlier, now let out a desperate roar.
On the other side, Andrew stood with his mouth slightly agape as he watched the exploding battleship behind them.
"He actually pulled it off...?"
How had this happened?
It all traced back to Fred's communication not long ago.
Back then, Fred had mentioned that he could launch a canister of high-compression nuclear fuel.
That type of nuclear fuel wouldn't explode easily. Inactive and undetectable, it only needed to be detonated at the right moment near the enemy's missile muzzles to trigger a chain explosion.
It sounded simple in theory, but there were countless variables at play.
The nuclear fuel couldn't move on its own—it essentially required the enemy battleship to collide with it. Moreover, the timing of the detonation had to be precise enough for the small nuclear blast to penetrate the narrow openings of the launch bays and cause internal damage.
Each step seemed nearly impossible.
Yet, against all odds, Fred had single-handedly performed two miracles.
Of course, Andrew had some idea how he'd done it.
Although spacecraft routes weren't automated, there were still optimal trajectories. To avoid being hit by their three Mobile Armors near the missile launch bays, the enemy would have had to take evasive maneuvers and alter their course... Fred must have calculated all of that...
But it still sounded utterly unbelievable.
"Captain, you're amazing!"
Amid Andrew's mix of shock, disbelief, and delight, the entire Bridge crew broke into synchronized applause.
This was the prowess of an elite Coordinator.
Those worthless opponents—whether pirates or Atlantic Federation elites—were all blown to smithereens.
"Um..."
Listening to the praise, Andrew felt a rare blush warm his tanned cheeks.
He couldn't possibly take credit for someone else's achievement—that would be utterly shameless.
"It was Fred's plan."
As Andrew's words hung in the air, the cheerful atmosphere on the Bridge froze as if someone had hit pause.
A single thought echoed in everyone's minds:
That Fred?
The one who alone devised a strategy to destroy an Atlantic Federation elite warship?
Even if the disguised ship didn't have the full capabilities of a real battleship—since it was fundamentally just a transport vessel—was this even possible?
This person—a Natural, and only thirteen years old!!!
Not only could he repair engines, farm, and pilot a Mobile Armor, but he could also set tactical traps and wage battles?
Was he even human?
Though his individual skills might not yet match their elites, he seemed to have no weaknesses.
And Fred was only thirteen.
If this hexagon warrior's abilities continued to develop evenly with age, wouldn't he become a true all-rounder by adulthood?
He was more Coordinator than the Coordinators themselves.
Watching the stunned expressions on the others' faces—mirroring his own earlier reaction—Andrew felt a sense of balance restored.
Ahem.
Andrew cleared his throat lightly, breaking the silence.
"Finish off the remaining hostiles. Don't just stand there gawking!"
"Yes, sir!"
Snapping back to reality, the crew remembered the few remaining Mistrals still lurking like escaped fish in a net.
Without their mothership, even with missile launchers, the Mistrals were no match for elite Coordinators like Alec and the others.
The battle situation quickly became one-sided and ended amidst everyone's astonishment.
Fred, however, didn't rush forward recklessly.
Alec and his team were sufficient - there was no need for him to greedily seek experience points.
Safety remained the top priority.
Even with double experience rewards, life only came with one chance.
Therefore, it was best to avoid taking action whenever possible.
Thinking this, Fred also turned his attention to the notifications.
[MA Control +0.02]
[MA Control (Beginner) 66.87/100]
[Astronautical Engineering +0.04]
[Astronautical Engineering (Proficient) 0.07/100]
Not bad, almost reaching 0.1. It seemed practice indeed made perfect.
After repairing the engine, he felt his understanding of this high-speed engine had subtly deepened.
Of course, now he had numerical proof it wasn't just his imagination.
On the other side, seeing the battle had concluded, Andrew scanned the area before withdrawing his gaze with an amused expression.
"I told you it would work, but you didn't believe me."
"Notify the other ships to come dispose of the remaining wreckage. We'll be leaving first."
"As for Fred, you can judge for yourselves."
These people were Zala's direct subordinates, naturally completely loyal to her. But beneath that loyalty, their attitude toward Fred would likely change after this incident.
Though he spoke lightly, Andrew couldn't help feeling surprised again.
After all, he hadn't known Fred was so capable.
From start to finish, he had been gambling.
He had bet his own life on Fred's hands - fortunately, he had won the bet.
However, leaving these people here could have significant implications.
Space communications weren't that fast and risked interception. For covert operations, they wouldn't report to the main fleet constantly.
They needed to clean up all traces to prevent exposure.
"...Understood."
Hearing Andrew's words, the surrounding personnel responded in acknowledgment.
Fred truly wasn't ordinary.
Wherever he went, he would be valued.
And now, on their side, they indeed needed to show him some respect.
At the very least, they should demonstrate the proper attitude.
...
"Fred, I never expected you to be this amazing!"
Just as he emerged from the cockpit, Alec looked eagerly toward the young man.
The two team members behind him shared the same sentiment.
If what they felt before was respect, now it bordered on worship.
Fred was incredible.
That seemingly unremarkable container had been perfectly struck by him.
"I couldn't have done it without your coordination."
Fred smiled.
Indeed, he needed the three of them to force the transport ship into evasive maneuvers, and as elites, they had perfectly accomplished the task.
However, whether it was truly as Fred described or not,
his modest attitude made the three burst into hearty laughter.
"Haha, you're too humble."
"It was a pleasure working with you this time."
"If there's anything we can help with, just let us know."
Responding to Fred's words, Alec patted his sturdy chest as he spoke.
If before he had merely admired the other's courage and ability, now he genuinely wanted to form a friendship.
Fred was clearly destined for greatness. So what if he was a Natural? Their interests aligned, their factions were the same—they could still be friends.
"Actually, there is something," Fred replied without hesitation. "How about we spar?"
"Spar?" Alec blinked, looking at the boy who hadn't even begun his growth spurt.
If it weren't for the fact that this was Fred standing before him, he would have truly thought the other was joking.
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