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Mikazuki's answer was nonchalant. He didn't show much emotional fluctuation about having dealt with the so-called elites.
Hilda and her two bodyguards twitched their mouths upon hearing Mikazuki's reply. Although they weren't Red Coats themselves, their strength surpassed many Red Coats, so they understood the capabilities of a Red Coat very well. To become a Red Coat, one not only needed powerful Mobile Suit piloting skills but also strong psychological resilience, adaptability, and combat prowess. One could compare them to special forces; anything special forces could do, they could do, and things special forces couldn't do, they could also do. This was a Red Coat, which was why they were called the elite of elites.
Yet, such powerful elites were taken down by a boy piloting a completely unknown mobile suit. Who would believe it if they heard it? But it had just happened before their very eyes.
"By the way, Mikazuki, can you tell us what that thing on your back is? If it's something you'd rather not discuss, don't force yourself."
Mikazuki understood what Lacus was referring to. "Ah, that? That's the Alaya-Vijnana System."
"Alaya-Vijnana System?"
Lacus and her group exchanged glances, seeing the confusion on each other's faces. What was the Alaya-Vijnana System? They had never heard of it.
Hilda spoke into the comms. "Would you mind explaining what the Alaya-Vijnana System is?"
"Um... something that makes you stronger..."
Before Lacus and the others could even retort, Orga burst out cursing, "Idiot Mikazuki! What kind of perfunctory explanation is that?!"
Mikazuki retorted unhappily, "But I wasn't wrong, it really does make you stronger."
"Only a monster like you gets stronger from it..."
"Mr. Orga, what exactly is the Alaya-Vijnana System?"
Their conversation was heard by Lacus and the others through the comms. They seemed to be gaining some understanding of Mikazuki and Orga's relationship and personalities. Mikazuki was more of a man of action, somewhat aloof; Orga's presence, however, compensated for Mikazuki's lack of social skills. So Lacus shifted the question to Orga.
Orga organized his thoughts, then said slowly, "The Alaya-Vijnana System is a surgical procedure."
"Surgical procedure?"
Hilda chewed on the word "surgery," seemingly recalling something but unsure.
"Yes, a surgical procedure. It's a surgery that can only be performed on children in their growth period, injecting nanomachines into the human body. Through these nanomachines, a simulated organ that controls spatial recognition is formed in the brain. Through this simulated organ, external machinery... which for us means Mobile Suit information, is directly sent to the brain for processing."
"How can this be? Injecting nanomachines into the human body? How can such a surgery even exist?"
Lacus gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Such a surgery existed in this world? In this world, any human experimentation or surgery was an abomination, considered inhumane. Every country and organization forbade human experimentation.
Orga seemed to be able to see their horrified expressions at that moment and continued, "This surgery carries great risks, but if it weren't for the Alaya-Vijnana System, how could we, a bunch of uneducated guys, pilot Mobile Suits, these massive machines?"
"Wait, 'we'? Are you saying that besides you and Mikazuki, there are others who have undergone this surgery?"
"Ah, most of our Tekkadan members have undergone the Alaya-Vijnana System surgery."
"Tekkadan? Are you saying... your Tekkadan... is composed entirely of children?"
Lacus's voice was trembling slightly. She found it hard to imagine that so many people had undergone such a surgery, and that they were all children.
"That's right. Back where we're from, we, the members of Tekkadan, are a group of kids whom outsiders call 'space debris'..."
Orga's reply was flat, as if he wasn't talking about himself, or perhaps he had come to terms with it. Mikazuki remained expressionless. For him, fighting and protecting his family in Tekkadan was everything, even if Tekkadan wasn't currently by his side.
"May I continue?"
Lacus made an effort to calm herself and nodded. "Alright, please continue..."
"As I said earlier, this surgery carries great risks. We were just lucky. Mikazuki and I... There were ten of us who underwent the surgery together at that time. Four of them failed the surgery and were immediately sent to the hospital."
Upon hearing this, the four people in the car's faces changed again. "I imagine they're probably still lying in hospital beds now, but that's assuming they're even alive."
Everyone gasped. This surgery was truly too cruel...
"Do you know how many times Mikazuki underwent this kind of risky surgery?"
"..."
"Three times. Of course, all of them were this guy's own choice."
Lacus frowned deeply, utterly bewildered. Her heart inexplicably ached, and she couldn't help but ask aloud, "Why? Why undergo such a dangerous surgery? Mikazuki?"
Mikazuki looked at the car in Barbatos's hand and said calmly, "No reason. Just to become stronger, just... to survive."
"To survive..."
Orga seemed to give a slight laugh. "This Mikazuki, he knows that in that world, in that era... if you don't get stronger, you can't survive. We... we, the guys from Tekkadan... we're all troublesome brats, but even we have the same goal: to survive together."
"So, to survive, no matter how desperate, no matter how severe the wounds, even if our limbs are broken, we crawl forward. All we want... is simply to survive."
"The never-fading iron flower, that's Tekkadan! Our Tekkadan, the space debris who have no place to belong!"