"Mu, you truly disappoint me."
Having stormed into Orb Satellite Heliopolis while piloting GINN, Creuset addressed the irritating fly buzzing behind him.
Unaware that his standing in Creuset's eyes had already plummeted to that of a mere insect, the ever-carefree Mu still believed himself to be the man's sworn rival. Piloting the Moebius Zero, he retorted,
"Creuset, have you lost your mind? Attacking a neutral nation's satellite?"
"Lost my mind? This world went mad long ago."
The current Creuset was vastly different from his counterpart in the original timeline. Though within ZAFT's military or on PLANT, he remained the same elegant war hero—an undisputed elite among Coordinators—only he knew the truth. After the battle at Nova Resource Satellite, aside from the physical torment of his illness, he now endured sporadic mental anguish as well.
Especially recently, with ZAFT's ongoing descent operations, Creuset couldn't even glance at the battle reports from the East Asian front without feeling as though needles were stabbing his skull.
"Tch."
Still chasing the tail lights of the GINN ahead, Mu found himself at a loss for words in response to Creuset's answer. Had it been too long since they last met, or had he simply never truly understood the man? It felt as though the masked figure had changed drastically since their last encounter.
Choosing silence, Mu continued the pursuit, weaving through the satellite's interior until their surroundings abruptly opened up.
"Damn it, we've reached the residential sector!"
Taking in the sight of lush greenery and the artificial sky, Mu detached the four wired-controlled gun pods from his Moebius Zero. If Creuset went on a rampage here, the entire satellite might not survive!
"Oh?"
Having fought Wang Hu, Creuset's spatial awareness had improved significantly. Combined with the experience gained from that battle, Mu no longer posed any threat in his eyes.
Half-heartedly fending off the nuisance behind him, Creuset locked onto the target mentioned in ground reports—the last remaining Gundam still under the Federation's control.
"Kira! Above!"
As Creuset led Mu into the skies of the satellite's residential zone, Kira was busy inspecting the newly equipped artillery configuration of the Strike Gundam, following Murrue's orders. His friends had just managed to retrieve the weapon attachments.
Suddenly, Sai and the others shouted from outside, warning him of approaching enemies.
"What?" Startled, Kira turned to look at Wang Hu, who was squeezed into the cockpit beside him.
"Close the hatch," Wang Hu instructed calmly, feeling the familiar electric surge in his mind.
"Ah—right!" Caught off guard, Kira, still seated in the pilot's chair, scrambled to activate the Strike Gundam without even bothering to switch places.
"So, it really is Creuset, huh?"
Though phrased as a question, it was a statement of certainty. Whether from remembered intel or the signals in his mind, everything pointed to one man—the masked warrior.
Rubbing his chin, Wang Hu's eyes darted around—maybe this could work?
"What's this feeling?"
Wang Hu could already sense Creuset's arrival, just as Creuset could sense Wang Hu's presence.
Inside GINN, Creuset's hand twitched, and under Mu's bewildered gaze, he even wondered if his opponent had gone mad.
Otherwise, why would GINN suddenly jerk like that for no reason?
"Dammit!" Mu couldn't help but smack his own helmet in frustration, regretting why he hadn't seized such a golden opportunity earlier.
If he had just unloaded a barrage at that bastard Creuset, wouldn't everything be settled by now?
"Wang Hu, I never expected to meet you here. What an unfortunate twist of fate!"
Stabilizing GINN's stance, Creuset completely dismissed Mu, who was still trailing behind him.
Over the public channel, he addressed Wang Hu inside the Strike Gundam's cockpit.
At the same time, an unnatural flush crept onto Creuset's face.
Can you even pilot a Gundam?
With that system of yours from the Allied Forces, there's no way you can handle it, right?
Right, Wang Hu!
"Wang Hu?" Being ignored didn't sit well with Mu, who had his own pride.
But he had heard Creuset's question.
So?
That super ace who emerged from East Asia, the man who surpassed even him, hailed as The Strongest Natural.
To be honest, Mu was deeply curious.
"Creuset, long time no see."
Standing behind Kira, Wang Hu activated the comms system, greeting Creuset with a smile.
"Honestly, I really didn't want to see you under these circumstances."
"Hahaha, but I've been dying to see you—always, always!"
Creuset laughed as he raised GINN's gun.
From the sound of it, it seemed the other couldn't even control the Strike Gundam?
Then what was he waiting for? Strike while the iron is hot.
"How unfriendly."
Wang Hu's lazy voice continued to transmit over the comms.
"Why did I have to run into you now? I barely know how to operate this Strike Gundam."
As he spoke, Wang Hu signaled Kira to prepare, instructing him to follow his lead.
"Is that so?" Creuset pondered whether Wang Hu's words were confident or just a bluff.
But thinking was one thing—his hands wouldn't stop moving.
GINN pulled the trigger on its heavy machine gun, and spiraling bullets erupted from the barrel!
"Wang Hu! Dammit!" Mu roared, a step too late to harass Creuset now.
"Lieutenant Wang Hu." Murrue, who had been listening quietly, felt her pupils constrict. At this point, she even felt a twinge of resentment toward Wang Hu.
Why did he have to engage Creuset in conversation? And if he had to, why not at least act more intimidating?
"Brother Wang Hu, Kira!"
That was Sai and Tolle.
Seeing the muzzle flash from GINN's gun, they panicked and scrambled for cover.
"Hmph, so it was just a bluff after all?"
Watching the Strike Gundam, seemingly frozen in fear by his attack, Creuset let out a long sigh.
This was fine. This was just fine.
Wang Hu, you can meet your unfortunate end right here.
But who would have guessed? Creuset's supposedly surefire attack missed entirely.
Accompanied by Wang Hu's calm voice over the comms.
"Let me see how this thing is controlled. Oh, right, right, I should press this now."
Instantly, the iron-gray Strike Gundam's blue-and-white paint scheme lit up.
First, it used its armor to block bullets that might have splattered toward Sai and the others, then moved as casually as a leisurely stroll in the suburbs.
The Strike Gundam swayed slightly and actually dodged every bullet Creuset fired.
"Wang Hu!"
Gritting his teeth, Creuset felt like he was being toyed with.
"Wang Hu..." Mu's expression darkened at the sheer ease of such skill.
He knew all too well—previously, even the best pilots the Allied Forces had selected could barely make a Gundam walk.
Yet now, this Wang Hu...
"Captain Wang Hu!" "Big Brother Wang Hu!"
That was Murrue and Sai, along with the other bystanders.
Unaware of the truth, they assumed Wang Hu had taken over Kira's piloting duties.
"Big Brother Wang Hu really can do it!"
Kira hadn't expected that simply following Wang Hu's instructions would allow him to perform such astonishing maneuvers so effortlessly.
So cool, so impressive!
"BOOM!"
Just as those present were either marveling at or trembling
from the Strike Gundam's earlier movements—
Two massive energy beams shattered the artificial mountain.
The soon-to-be-legendary warship Archangel burst into the satellite's interior!
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