Buddy Complex

Everyone, the project that you're currently involved in is classified.

However, the Coupling system implemented in the Valiancers

will definitely play a role in our war against Zogilia.

Once the Coupling mechas are deployed to all of the Alliance army,

you will become the army's core.

Keep this in mind while training.

Allow me to introduce the team members.

First, our advocate theorist, Doctor Fermi—

Hey! Dio Weinberg?

Yeah.

I'm Fromm. Looks like we're the youngest pilots in the team.

Nice to meet you, Dio.

Nice to meet you.

So you came here from the front line to volunteer.

Was there a reason?

Fiona...

Huh?

I just...

want the power to defeat the enemy.

Dio...

Where were you deployed?

Oomura Base

Oomura? The one that just got bombed?

Zogilia is also broadcasting a video?

Coincidentally, the enemy is also trying to use propaganda.

The music is quite gallant.

With this, the enemy will be giving their all.

Prepare for battle!

Understood!

It's all because you pulled out a gun, you know?

Then how are we gonna kill them?

I told you, that's not the point.

They're here.

That's...

Our new ship.

The national army's new airship departed from Chitose?

From the outside,

it appears as though they are heading for the Alliance's Hawaii base to prevent them from regrouping.

Their projected course will lead them right into our battlefield.

It's too late.

By the time they arrive,

the enemy's new-type will be bits and scraps on the seafloor...

The enemy has disappeared.

What was that?

When the sea gets rough, it's hard to track them.

There's no way an airship of that size would get swallowed by the rough seas.

Hurry up and find it!

Multiple objects detected.

They're islands!

Enemy detected.

An Imperial Guard airship.

It's the Gae Bolg!

This is going to be tough.

The enemy ship has changed its search pattern.

They've probably lost our location.

To reach the Alliance's Hawaii base,

it'll only take 2 hours at maximum speed.

They said they can't afford to send even a single ship to help.

We'll have to take care of this ourselves.

On our side, we have a new in-commission product

Certainly, with an electronic warfare, we'll have a chance against the Gae Bolg.

Perfection isn't necessary.

Time is on our side.

A storm you say?

The highest wind speed is 60 m/s

At this rate,

it'll reach the area in one hour.

You're telling me the Gae Bolg will fall from a mere storm?

No.

But it'll be impossible for Valiancers to fight with this wind speed.

The enemy is also planning to pass here.

Hurry up and find the enemy ship!

The enemy ship

is activating electronic sensors.

Electronic jammers!

Activating jammers!

To think that our plan is to simply run past them.

Despite his looks,

our Captain hasn't once been sunk in all the six ships he boarded since the training ship.

Why don't we attack them first?

They might send out more Valiancers than before, you know.

And in comparison, we only have 4 mechas.

Make that 5.

Lee-san.

Captain.

Lee.

You've already recovered from all those injuries?

It should only take about three days to fully recover from minor injuries like that,

boy from the past.

Amazing.

Not completely recovered. Nearly, right?

When the doctor said it's alright, it's the same thing as a complete recovery.

Captain.

Um?

Starting today, I, Second Lieutenant Fromm Vantarhei, have been deployed to Cygnus.

I'm sorry for the late introduction.

Yeah. I've heard about you.

I'm Lee Conrad. Nice to meet you.

Lee.

Ah, sorry.

Fromm,

Aoba and Dio.

Elvira has something to say to you guys.

To us?

We are 40 minutes to the storm.

Prepare the Front Terminal!

My excellency!

We'll be giving away our position!

The Gae Bolg will not be defeated by that weak white swan!

Activate Front Terminal.

Front Terminal approaching!

They're not worried about themselves.

Neutralize the waveform, now.

Neutralizing waveform.

Neutralization complete.

This is the standard Emphater waveform of a Coupling pilot.

What is this?

You're talking about brainwaves?

The waveform required for Coupling.

Previously, the Coupling system had several flaws

and as you know, many sacrifices were made.

Yes.

In order to avoid making the same mistake twice, our team came up two major changes.

The first was to minimize delays and signal integration by developing a new cockpit.

A new cockpit.

Yes. Elvira-san developed it, you know?

Oh.

Is that so?

And the second was to gather those who have the potential qualities for Coupler Training.

Every Coupler received strict training to match their own Emphater waveform with the standard waveform

and make them nearly identical to each other.

Due to those changes, the tests were successful this time.

Incredible.

The biggest miscalculation was you, Aoba-kun

What?

Look at this next one.

You suddenly appeared,

matched with our trained couplers, and executed a perfect Coupling.

This is your waveform.

Aoba-kun, your waveform and the standard waveform is exactly the same.

If that's a coincidence, then the probability is astronomical.

But the problem starts here.

Dio's latest waveform

It's off?

Why?

During the dozens of tests with Marcus, yours were almost always at standard.

After a few Couplings with Aoba-kun, your waveform changed.

That's why he couldn't match with me.

You talk about it like it's not your problem.

Don't tell me...

Here's your waveform after Coupling with Aoba-kun only once.

Me too?

But with Aoba,

it's possible.

It's true.

On top of that, both of your Emphater levels increased when synchronized.

What does all this mean?

I still don't understand all of the details.

However, the reason the Coupling was successful even with a deviated waveform,

is because Aoba-kun maintains the standard waveform without any training,

which allows the Buddy to have a wide margin.

Margin?

It means that even with a pilot whose waveform is off from the standard one,

you can do Coupling.

Not to mention with trained Couplers.

Because of that, it deviates the Buddy's waveform.

What does that mean?

Is that a problem?

Normally, a Buddy with a waveform far from the standard can't perform a Coupling.

Which means that if this continues,

Dio and Fromm-san will only be able to do Coupling with Aoba-san.

The final goal of the Coupling project was that...

a trained Coupler could team up freely with another Buddy to perform a Coupling,

then fight at each battlefield.

For that purpose, you guys had gone through rigorous training.

While Coupling with Aoba-kun is a double-edged sword,

as far as restoring a deviated waveform is concerned,

it's still unknown how much time is needed as well as whether re-training is even possible.

As I thought, Dio and I can't do Coupling anymore, can we?

It's possible to try once more.

Then…

We've been found.

The enemy has discovered us!

We couldn't slip past them.

It's a symbol of a new unit.

It's not the Gae Bolg.

What the hell is that?

There's no previous data on it.

It's a Zogilia's new-type ship!

On our 12 o'clock, an enemy, the white swan.

As expected of the new-type airship.

It's my honor, sir.

Valiancer units ready for launch.

Lieutenant Colonel.

Relay this information to Lord Dolzief.

Lieutenant Colonel.

Is the Imperial Guard Army willing to accept this from the National Army?

If it's from a trustworthy figure, then of course.

Or are you defying my orders?

Surely you jest, Special Service Agent.