The VEGAN fleet set out with high spirits and unwavering confidence, only to return with roughly half its forces, their morale low and hearts filled with resentment.
"It's all your fault! It's because of your poor command that Glenn, Mink, and the others died!"
The moment they returned to the flagship, the remaining three members of the [Devil Man] unit confronted Jehart, unleashing all their anger and hatred upon him.
"Silence!" Doll Frost and the other two stepped in front of the furious Lacey Adner and her companions.
"Brother Doll! Mink is dead! Glenn and Zell are dead! Zafar, Nylon, Sart... they're all dead! Aren't you even a little bit sad!?"
Lacey Adner roared at Doll Frost, her voice filled with anguish and bitterness.
The three members of the personal guard had grown up with the [Devil Man] unit, trained and studied together. Doll Frost and the other two were the eldest and most mature among them, always looking after their younger siblings like true older brothers. If Lord Ezelcant hadn't suddenly reassigned them to form the personal guard, they would have been the leaders of the [Devil Man] unit.
And now... their younger siblings were nearly all dead, and yet they stood in defense of the man responsible for this tragedy, making Lacey Adner and the others feel that their once-beloved brothers were no longer the same.
"The failure of this operation isn't entirely Commander Jehart's fault. The Earth Federal Army had too many hidden aces, which led to our defeat," Doll Frost explained.
He was right. The primary reason for the failure was the extraordinary coordination between Flit and Argreus. Both Ezelcant's objective to capture the [Big Ring] base and Jehart's goal to cripple the Federal Army's forces were thwarted by their precise tactical command.
Although the [Celestial Being] unit remained as monstrously powerful as ever, in large-scale warfare, the impact of elite aces was significantly diminished.
"Brother Doll! You..." Lacey Adner and the others glared at Doll Frost and his companions, who stood their ground, firmly supporting Jehart's position. The tension on the bridge grew heavier, like a powder keg ready to explode.
"I do bear the primary responsibility for this operation's failure," Jehart stepped forward at the right moment, taking the blame upon himself.
"Commander Jehart!"
"See! Even he knows it! If you know, then you should atone with your death! Bury yourself alongside Glenn and the others!"
"Shut up, Lacey!"
"Enough! Silence!" The argument was about to escalate, but Jehart immediately intervened. "The morale of the entire army is at an all-time low after this defeat. Do you want to tear the army apart with your bickering?"
"This... My apologies, Commander Jehart."
"Tch."
Though the conflict wasn't entirely resolved, the argument ceased for now. Jehart continued, "The main reason for this failure was insufficient intelligence. Flit Asuno's tactical command posed a significant obstacle, and the [Celestial Being] unit..."
Though he didn't say it outright, Jehart's gaze fell upon Lacey Adner and the others.
He wasn't trying to shift blame, but the performance of the [Devil Man] unit had indeed disappointed him. They failed to buy time, couldn't retreat safely, and were nearly wiped out.
However, Jehart wasn't in a position to criticize the [Devil Man] unit either. He and his personal guard had been equally overwhelmed by Yurin's hidden prowess. He didn't know if Yurin had held back in the end, but despite their [Genoace M] units being heavily damaged, the personal guard had managed to return safely.
But Lacey Adner and the others didn't see it that way. Feeling Jehart's disappointment in his gaze, they were filled with shame and indignation.
"What's with that look? Trying to shift the blame?"
"It was your poor command! We were just following your orders!"
"That's right! As the overall commander, why did you go to the front lines? Were you trying to get yourself killed? Why didn't you die on the battlefield!?"
"Enough! Lacey, Leon, Ned! If you keep this up, don't blame us for being harsh!"
"Brother Doll..."
"Alright, that's enough. Medel, I'll leave the command of the unit to you for now. Once we return to the Dons ship, begin the recovery operations immediately and arrange for the command to meet in the war room."
"Yes, Commander Jehart, but why the war room...?" Medel Sant voiced his confusion. The war room was where plans were made and missions assigned before operations. They had just suffered a crushing defeat—was there already another mission?
"To review this battle."
"Review?" Everyone present was momentarily stunned.
"Yes, a review. Through this battle, I've noticed that our pilots' skills surpass those of the Federal Army. Our technological level has always been ahead of the Earth Federal Army, and our numbers were greater this time. Your command wasn't significantly flawed either, yet we still lost. There must be some oversight we failed to notice. Identifying and correcting these issues is the purpose of the review," Jehart explained.
This was something he had learned from Yang Hui during his time on Tordia. When Yang Hui was working with a few students from the MS department to develop and test a miniature MS, he made it a habit to review their progress every day. Though he didn't directly point out the issues, he subtly guided everyone to develop the habit of reviewing.
Small-scale battles had always favored VEGAN, leading to the assumption that VEGAN was superior to the Earth Federal Army in every aspect. But this large-scale operation had exposed underlying problems, giving Jehart the opportunity to pass on this valuable habit of reviewing.
"I see. I understand," Medel Sant pondered briefly and recognized the necessity of the review. VEGAN had been too accustomed to success—minor victories without major battles. Only the [Celestial Being] unit, with its monstrous capabilities, had ever given them trouble. In other areas, they had always won more than they lost.
This led to complacency in favorable situations. When faced with a stalemate or disadvantage, they would quickly crumble, unable to turn the tide.
"Tch, just trying to shift the blame, aren't you?"
"With your incompetent command, you should take full responsibility for this failure!"
"If I were you, I wouldn't have the face to keep living!"
The three members of the [Devil Man] unit, now viewing Jehart through a distorted lens, saw him as nothing more than a scapegoat for their anger. Even if his orders and decisions were correct, they refused to listen.
"Hey, you..." Seeing the three turn away, still treating Jehart with disdain and hostility, Doll Frost and the others were on the verge of losing their temper.
The three of them, mature and level-headed, realized they had made many mistakes during the battle. However, the intensity of the combat made it difficult to clearly recall where they had gone wrong. Jehart's proposal for a review resonated with them, further solidifying their respect for the young commander.
Jehart raised a hand to stop them, shaking his head.
"Commander Jehart."
"If they don't want to participate, let them be."
Jehart wasn't a forgiving man. He hadn't forgiven the three survivors of the [Devil Man] unit—he had already marked them as expendable.
Stubborn, arrogant, and unruly, their only redeeming quality was their exceptional piloting skills. They lacked the demeanor of true warriors. Such individuals couldn't be reasoned with through words, nor could they be convinced through demonstrations of ability—it would only fuel their jealousy.
While these ticking time bombs could potentially endanger the entire army, if used correctly, they could still play a significant role.
"Doll, Ova, Dett, you may leave."
"Commander... Understood."
The three members of the personal guard didn't grasp the full picture, assuming Jehart had the magnanimity to forgive them. Their opinion of him rose even higher.
"Commander Jehart."
"It's fine. I'll leave the fleet in your hands for now. I need to organize the data from this battle and report to Lord Ezelcant."
"Sigh... You've already done well, Jehart. Don't put too much pressure on yourself," Medel Sant comforted Jehart, believing that his tolerance of the [Devil Man] unit's disrespect stemmed from taking full responsibility for the defeat.
"Mmm..."
With a heavy heart, Jehart left the bridge and returned to his captain's quarters. The moment he entered, he collapsed into his chair and removed his mask.
"Is this the burden of great power...?"
Jehart still felt the lingering effects of his X-Rounder abilities, the warning signals that hadn't ceased since his battle with Yurin. The oppressive sense of imminent death, the razor-thin line between life and demise, was something he couldn't forget. Even when he had nearly died at Yang Hui's hands, he hadn't felt this way.
"Did she hold back...? Tch, I can't believe I'm feeling this way. How... frustrating!"
Jehart had spared Asemu, leaving him angry and resentful. Now, Jehart was experiencing the same emotions.
He had once thought that Yang Hui truly lacked the ability to kill him. Though he never understood why Yang Hui had spared the ordinary soldiers who covered his retreat, in comparison, he now realized that Yang Hui had indeed held back. After all, he couldn't have annihilated an entire [Devil Man] unit in about ten minutes, nor did he believe Yurin was stronger than Yang Hui.
The first time, Yang Hui had deliberately let him go. The second time, Yurin had done the same. His subordinates had survived both times. Aside from frustration and bitterness, Jehart also sensed their expectations—their hope that he would grow stronger.
"They're my enemies, yet they want me to grow... Why? A chance to end the war? A path to mutual understanding? Or... some hidden secret?"
Jehart felt that Yang Hui and Yurin's intentions went beyond simply helping the Federal Army achieve ultimate victory. There was something more beneath the surface, a secret Jehar
t couldn't yet decipher.
"Never mind. I'll deal with it later. For now, I need to organize the data and report."
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