Inside the waiting hall of the Human Reform League's orbital elevator, the four pilots of Celestial Being were gathered.
"What a strange meeting that was..."
After much reflection, Lockon sighed. He could only find the word "strange" to describe the encounter with Roz and the others.
"To think that within the AEU... or rather, disguised and mixed in with them, there's a group of enemies possessing unknown mobile suits."
"If Mr. Roz's words are correct, these enemies wouldn't hesitate to sell their MS to the AEU, Union, or HRL... just to gain the power to seize the Gundams," Allelujah added, taking a sip from a bottle of mineral water.
He was only now beginning to recover from the pressure that Roz's spiritual energy had unconsciously radiated aboard the Nahel Argama. It had been a terrifying sensation—as if countless souls were clinging to Roz's body.
"If someone like that spread their machines across various nations... we'd likely see the rise of both cold and hot wars," Lockon said, rubbing his temples. "Mainly, if the design philosophy of those machines gets leaked, heaven knows how far the MS development VEDA has been guiding would deviate."
"Criminals—it's a fitting name. A crime against the world far more severe than what we in Celestial Being are doing." Allelujah tightened the cap on his water bottle and placed it back in his backpack.
"By the way, Setsuna and Tieria haven't said a word since we got back."
"Who knows? Maybe seeing the Virtue defeated by that machine shattered their worldview?" As the one who considered himself the most "normal" member of the team, Lockon was well aware of their states of mind. Sometimes, he felt like he had adopted three children with personality issues and spent every day conducting "rehabilitation training" for these bratty kids.
"No..."
Setsuna shook his head, refuting Lockon's speculation. "It wasn't because of that."
"I felt it... That machine is a Gundam."
A black, surging lion—that was Setsuna's impression of the Banshee Norn. Compared to the monster-like pride of the Penelope, the Banshee Norn under Shinn's control carried a wild, unrefined arrogance.
"A machine like that is not a Gundam!" Tieria snapped back, nearly slamming his hand on the table. However, remembering that a loud noise might attract attention, he forced his hand down and continued indignantly under his breath.
"But it's a fact that the Virtue was defeated," Lockon sighed, patting Tieria on the shoulder. "Relax. Your piloting skills and his aren't even on the same level; it's only natural you lost."
"After all, that guy is a battle-hardened warrior. At the end of the day, our dominance over the world comes primarily from the technological superiority of our mobile suits."
Recalling the meeting with Shinn in the conference room, Lockon couldn't help but sigh again.
"We need to refine our combat techniques. Whether it's to face the criminals lurking in the AEU or whatever unknown enemies the future holds."
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Meanwhile, inside the workshop of the Nahel Argama.
The Banshee Norn, which Shinn had recently piloted to deliver a sound thrashing to the Gundam Virtue, stood quietly as Christina and Cindy performed adjustments on it.
"How did it feel, piloting the Banshee Norn?"
Roz leaned against the railing and handed a bottle of water to Shinn, who had just stepped out of the flight simulator drenched in sweat.
"The machine is incredibly agile. The visibility of the panoramic cockpit is excellent; I can lock onto enemies almost instantly."
Shinn took the water and had a drink.
During the battle with the Virtue, he had pulled off that exaggerated "Super Amped Discharge" move with the Banshee Norn, and in the simulator, he had felt its full-burst acceleration—a speed comparable to his old Destiny. This sensation was like moving from a High Grade (HG) model kit to a Master Grade (MG), or even a Perfect Grade (PG) spec.
As for how he knew that "Super Amped Discharge" maneuver, it dated back to a break period in the Courtyard. To bond with his team of four, Shinn had bought a video game to play with them back on the Nahel Argama. It was called something like "Monster Hunter." Having lost the burden of his past debts, he had little personal desire for luxury, so he spent his earnings on Mayu and the others.
Now, aside from protecting those close to him, his only wish was to join Roz in saving as many people as possible.
"Captain Roz, for some reason, I feel like the Banshee Norn could be even stronger..."
Coming back from his thoughts, Shinn stared blankly at the water bottle. "I can feel a sort of chain on the Banshee... and I can't seem to unlock it."
Seeing Shinn's state and sensing his brainwaves—feeling like a fresh sprout pushing through the soil—Roz smiled.
"No, you do have a way to unlock it."
Roz turned his gaze toward the Banshee Norn standing silently in the hangar. "You have the potential. The potential to become a NEWTYPE. I have always believed that everyone possesses it."
"NT-D: the Newtype Destroyer (Drive) system. Once activated, it unleashes the power of the Psycho-Frame installed within the Banshee Norn."
Roz explained, "That is the seal upon the Banshee. If a pure, sincere heart activates her, she becomes a weapon to protect others." His expression turned solemn as if recalling something. "But if a person consumed by obsession breaks that seal, she becomes nothing more than a killing machine."
"A seal... I understand."
Facing Roz's warning, Shinn instinctively thought of the Unicorn Gundam with its Psycho-Frame fully deployed. That radiant silhouette, the miracle that saved a world... could he do that too?
No, he surely could. Captain Roz was willing to believe in him, and he refused to betray that hope. Shinn wanted to bring that "miracle" to more people, no matter how desperate the world seemed. That figure—the Gundam that saved the world—was what he wanted to pursue.
"I see a tender sprout that has just germinated. But to grow into a towering tree, to become a true NEWTYPE, you only need a single catalyst."
Seeing Shinn lost in thought, looking almost like a computer that had crashed, Roz laughed and patted him on the shoulder.
"Who knows? If you keep working this hard, you might even become stronger than me one day."
Roz was quite open-minded about the possibility of someone surpassing him. He didn't see himself as a "destined protagonist," just an ordinary Newtype. It wasn't impossible for someone to grow stronger than him. Therefore, Roz maintained a regime of high-intensity training—increasing the difficulty as soon as he met his goals, without end.
"After all, if you don't put in the effort, even the greatest talent will eventually be taken back by the heavens."
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