Mikazuki re-opened the communication channel and asked, "Since you were entrusted by Orb to repair their warships, does that mean you have a good relationship with them?"
Lowe didn't think much of it and answered directly, "Ah, I guess so. To be more precise, my partner is very well-acquainted with a high-level official in Orb. Oh, that official's name is Erica Simmons."
Mikazuki heard another familiar name. Erica Simmons, the head of development for the M1 Astray. It seemed this man truly wasn't lying.
"I see..."
"That's right, that's right. By the way, you still haven't told me who you actually are."
Mikazuki maneuvered Barbatos to turn around, dropping a single sentence as he did.
"The leader of Tekkadan, Mikazuki Augus."
"Tekkadan?"
Lowe's brow furrowed as his brain frantically searched for the name.
Mikazuki ignored him and piloted Barbatos away from the island.
"Hey, wait up!" Lowe quickly maneuvered his machine to follow. "My name is Lowe Guele. So, your name is Mikazuki? What kind of machine is this? And that black guy from before what was the deal with you two? Are you mortal enemies?"
Mikazuki was already physically exhausted, and having a chatterbox in his ear only made it worse. He simply blocked the other party's communication, and the world finally became quiet.
He arrived beside two fuel trucks hidden behind some rocks on the island. He had specifically asked Murrue to prepare these; otherwise, it would be a headache if Barbatos ran out of fuel for the next leg of his journey.
The rain had stopped, and the dark clouds moved slowly with the wind. Mikazuki opened the cockpit. The moment he disconnected from the Alaya-Vijnana System, a sharp pain shot through his chest, forcing a muffled groan from his throat.
Immediately after, half of his vision turned pitch black.
"Urgh..."
Hearing that groan, Orga's voice came through the comms, laced with urgency. "Mika, what's wrong?"
Mikazuki raised his right hand and closed his left eye. He waved his hand in front of his dull, lifeless right eye, but he could see nothing.
"My right eye... I can't see."
"Tch... Just as I thought. That's exactly why I told you not to push it! Is it just your eye? What about your hands and legs?"
Mikazuki moved his body slightly inside the cockpit. "No, it seems like it's just the right eye. Everywhere else is fine."
Orga let out a sigh of relief. "Phew, that's at least something..."
It truly was fortunate. Back when Mikazuki had defeated the Graze Ein, the price had been one eye and one hand. Releasing the limit this time and only losing the sight in his right eye was a relatively small price to pay.
"Listen to me, you idiot. You absolutely, definitely cannot overdo it again. Do you hear me?"
Orga's voice was stern. A relaxed, comfortable smile touched the corner of Mikazuki's mouth.
"Okay."
Orga sounded suspicious. "Are you actually listening?"
"I am. I also need to refuel Barbatos."
"Is your body okay? Rest for a bit longer." Orga was still worried.
"I'm fine."
Mikazuki put on his shirt, threw on his overcoat, and jumped to the ground. He looked up at the battered Barbatos behind him.
"Good thing nothing major is broken, or I wouldn't know where to go for repairs..."
He muttered to himself as he walked toward the fuel truck. Before fueling Barbatos, however, he had to wash his face. The blood he hadn't wiped away properly had already coagulated into crusts, making him feel quite uncomfortable.
Lowe, who had just caught up from above, was stunned when he saw the pilot's true appearance. He murmured, "How can this be... He's just a child."
Once his machine stabilized, Lowe unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the cockpit, and descended to the ground using a simple elevator. He ran over to Mikazuki, who had just finished washing his face with the rainwater collected in a pit.
"Hey, you're Mikazuki Augus?"
"Ah, Lowe Guele? Is there something else?"
After washing his face, Mikazuki's spirit had improved significantly. Although his right eye was completely dim and lifeless, it made no difference to him. As long as he was connected to Barbatos, he would be able to see again.
Lowe didn't notice anything wrong with Mikazuki's eye. He suppressed the shock of finding out his opponent was a child and said with a grin, "Actually, it's nothing much. I just wanted to take a look at your machine."
"There's nothing to see. It's already filthy."
As he spoke, Mikazuki walked past Lowe and hopped into the fuel truck, driving it alongside Barbatos. He pulled out the delivery hose.
Then, without any regard for the grime, he held the hose and jumped onto the waist of Barbatos, which was kneeling on both legs. He pushed open the fuel tank beneath the skirt armor and began refueling.
Watching the boy's movements, Lowe frowned and spoke up. "Hey, why are you piloting an MS? And why fight such a terrifying battle? Do you realize you're actually in a war? If your luck runs out, you'll die."
"If I don't fight, I'll die even faster."
"What?" Hearing Mikazuki's words, Lowe's frown deepened. "Why do you say that? What do you mean by 'die even faster'? A kid your age should be in school, having fun with your classmates, shouldn't you?"
Mikazuki leaned against Barbatos's waist and looked down at Lowe.
"The things you're talking about... those are just the things you know, right? Not everyone's world is as beautiful as you describe. For some people, if they don't fight or get stronger, they can't survive."
Mikazuki paused. "You asked me why I fought that black guy just now. It's simple. I killed someone important to him, so he came for revenge. But I didn't want to die, so... I killed him. Combat is just kill or be killed. It's that simple."
"You..."
At that moment, Lowe realized that the youth before him... was terrifying. It made him want to turn around and run.
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).