The Strike was racing ahead, with the BuCUE in pursuit, and missiles nipping at its heels.
Even the kind-hearted Kira could no longer tolerate it; a sharp sound echoed in his mind, as if something had exploded. His eyes lost their pupils, but instead of confusion or daze, they radiated a chilling indifference.
Suddenly decelerating mid-flight, he expertly dodged the pursuing missiles, which then detonated in a brilliant explosion before him.
The Strike Gundam broke through the flames and smoke, executing a 180-degree turn with minimal arc, and charged back toward the three BuCUEs behind him.
...
"The movements have changed! Is this a potential burst?" Lyle exclaimed. Just from those two recent maneuvers, Kira's piloting skills had reached at least a B- level, while all his previous performances had barely hit C+. This made Lyle wonder if Kira had been pushed to unleash his potential in this dire situation.
"Not quite," Yang Hui replied, observing the situation; Kira had indeed gone into a burst state.
A burst, also known as the S.E.E.D Gene Ability Burst, refers to the phenomenon associated with the S.E.E.D Gene—short for "Superior Evolutionary Element Destined-factor." Literally translated, it means a fate gene with advanced evolutionary elements, and it can also be referred to as a Seed Ability Burst. Its main characteristics include the eyes turning monochrome, pupils shrinking, reflexes dramatically increasing, physical attributes significantly enhancing, and mental acuity sharpening.
Moreover, a burst is a controllable ability. For most individuals, the first burst typically occurs in life-threatening situations, triggered by latent potential. Afterward, with increased understanding of this ability, one can learn to control it.
However, there seems to be a genetic predisposition; anyone possessing the S.E.E.D Gene can experience a burst, and Naturals can also burst. The S.E.E.D Gene and the genes of Coordinators do not necessarily have to be the same.
"The S.E.E.D Gene Ability Burst, or burst, is a unique ability possessed by individuals with a specific segment of genes. It may awaken in life-or-death crises, allowing a person to enter a burst state for a short time, enhancing all abilities without side effects, and it can be made controllable through deepening one's understanding."
"Wow? Such a powerful ability? And it's controllable? I'm starting to believe in Blue Cosmos's rhetoric that Coordinators are monsters," Lyle quipped.
"Not all Coordinators possess the S.E.E.D Gene; Naturals can also burst, so the S.E.E.D Gene is unrelated to whether one is a Coordinator or not."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"..."
Yang Hui pondered for a moment, realizing he couldn't analyze the S.E.E.D Gene from a scientific perspective. He could only explain to Lyle, "Just think of it as a special talent that the protagonists of this world possess, similar to the X-Rounders in the AGE world."
"I get it, you're a protagonist too…"
Hearing this, Yang Hui rolled his eyes and replied with exasperation, "Innovators can be mass-produced; all it takes is a high concentration and purity of GN Particles. Anyone has the chance to become an Innovator."
"Anyway, you're all monsters."Let's keep watching." The timing wasn't right; otherwise, Yang Hui would have definitely let Lyle know "why the flowers are so red"!
...
As the Strike Gundam turned back, it released the shield in its hand, allowing it to collide with the leftmost BuCUE, disrupting their triangular formation.
"What?" Andrew Waltfeld was startled by the Strike's sudden change, but being a seasoned veteran, he quickly regained his composure. "Disperse and attack! Distract him!"
Missiles shot out, surrounding the Strike Gundam like a swarm.
Faced with the onslaught of missiles, the Strike Gundam didn't stop or retreat; instead, it made a surprising choice—breaking through head-on!
Accelerating instantly, the missiles veered around the Strike Gundam once more, colliding behind it and resulting in a violent explosion.
In the shadows of the flames, the face of the Strike Gundam was filled with coldness and ruthlessness. With a gentle leap, it severed the balancing wing of the obstructing BuCUE. Andrew Waltfeld's machine immediately opened fire to cover his damaged subordinate. As missiles approached, the Strike Gundam made another astonishing move.
Gliding at high speed, it executed a pinpoint 360-degree backflip, kicking up a massive sandstorm. The missiles were blocked by the golden sand wall, failing to reach the Strike Gundam once again.
Andrew Waltfeld cursed under his breath; the Strike Gundam was hiding in the sand, unwilling to confront him directly, and before plunging into the dust, it dodged to the side.
However, the BuCUE following closely behind wasn't so fortunate. It leaped high, attempting to jump over the sandstorm's impact.
But at that moment, the dust cleared, revealing the Strike Gundam's silhouette along with its menacing gun barrel.
Green light flashed, and a beam shot forth, piercing through the BuCUE's waist, exploding before it even fell.
"Damn it!"
Seeing his subordinate killed before him, Andrew Waltfeld was enraged. The BuCUE abruptly halted and turned, sliding toward the Strike Gundam at high speed. Yet, as it lunged, the Strike Gundam slightly sidestepped, and the pink blade drew closer in his line of sight, the cold breath of death approaching Andrew Waltfeld.
Fortunately, due to the distance between the two machines, the beam saber merely severed one of the BuCUE's legs.
The proximity of death calmed Andrew Waltfeld down. He immediately ordered his allies to retreat.
"Retreat immediately! Dakosta!"
"Ah… yes!"
"Ha, this guy is truly something else; it's been a while since I felt this excited."
After North Africa was occupied, the mighty Beast King often dozed off due to the lack of opponents. Now, a fierce cheetah had intruded into the tiger's territory, awakening the tiger, its eyes filled with fiery battle intent, yet a bead of cold sweat formed due to the cheetah's ferocity.
...
"Let's go, it's over."
"Are we preparing to teach the princess a lesson?" Lyle teased, but his actions were swift as he started the jeep, driving toward the Strike Gundam with Yang Hui.
"Maybe; I think someone will help us teach that ignorant girl a lesson."
Kicking up a cloud of dust, Yang Hui and Lyle reached the side of the Strike Gundam. Before they could get out of the vehicle, a sharp sound of a slap echoed.
"Smack~!"
"Having only ideals, what can you protect!?"
Whether it was Kira's slap that stunned her or his words that impacted Cagalli, she stood there, holding her reddened face, unsure of what to do, staring blankly at Kira.
Yang Hui watched silently from the side; at this moment, whatever he said to Cagalli would fall on deaf ears.
"Good job, that was well done," Yang Hui said, ignoring Cagalli and patting Kira on the shoulder.
"Yang Hui, are you okay?" Kira didn't feel embarrassed; he was very angry, upset that these people acted impulsively and lost their lives for nothing.
"Alright, Kira, pilot the Strike back to the ship; the battle is over, so make sure to rest."
"...Okay." After taking one last look at the Desert Dawn members, Kira returned to the Strike Gundam and headed back to the Archangel.
"Kisaka."
"Mm."
"Take Cagalli back."
"...Understood." Kisaka was now Cagalli's bodyguard, or perhaps it was more appropriate to say he was her caretaker. He would follow Yang Hui's orders as long as they didn't endanger Cagalli.
"Sayibu."
"Lord Yang Hui, we…" Sayibu looked at the corpses of his comrades, filled with regret. The stimulation from his companions and Cagalli had made him hot-blooded.
If he had been a bit firmer at that moment, stopping his comrades from acting impulsively, wouldn't there have been fewer casualties now?
"Once a person is dead, they cannot be brought back; take care."
"If… if I could have been calmer back then, if I could have stopped them, it wouldn't have…" As he spoke, tears of regret streamed down Sayibu's face, and the other surviving comrades felt the same.
"Alright, what's done is done; hurry up and clean the battlefield, and bring your comrades home."
"I understand." Wiping his tears, Sayibu steeled himself. Yang Hui was right; he couldn't let his comrades sleep in such a place, and besides… their battle with the tiger wasn't over yet!
...
As the group returned, they hadn't yet reached the frontline command post when they saw a dense wall of people gazing in their direction, searching for familiar faces with worry.
The convoy arrived; some returned, while others would never come back. Some were overwhelmed with joy, while others were heartbroken.
"Elder, everyone… I'm sorry." The first thing Sayibu did after getting out of the vehicle was to apologize to those who had lost family members.
The Elder said nothing, merely patted Sayibu's shoulder, conveying that he needed to be strong; he was the pillar for everyone.
Wives who lost their husbands, children who lost their fathers, mothers who lost their sons—all wept bitterly, but they held no resentment toward Sayibu; they only felt sorrow for their departed loved ones.
Some could find the bodies, while others could bring nothing back, only able to erect a simple grave under the night sky, beside the bonfire, performing a simple funeral and farewell.
After the funeral, the Elder sought out Yang Hui alone.
"Lord Yang Hui, I humbly request your assistance." Although Yang Hui's prior warnings had allowed them to relocate some food and water in advance, their homes were gone, and the remaining supplies wouldn't last long. For the sake of his people and compatriots, he had to swallow his pride and seek help from Yang Hui.
"Please rise, Elder." Yang Hui helped the Elder straighten his hunched back and replied calmly, "You are all our companions; helping you is only natural. However, I can't contact Orb right now, so I can only purchase supplies from nearby cities."
"Thank you very much, Lord Yang Hui; this is already a lifesaving grace for us."
"I'll set off tomorrow. Have Sayibu take a few people as guides and interpreters; after all, it's my first time in North Africa."
"Of course, I will inform Sayibu."
"Go rest now, Elder."
"Alright, Lord Yang Hui, I won't disturb you any longer."
After the Elder left, Yang Hui turned to the shadows beside him without looking back and asked, "Aren't you coming out?"
Stepping into the moonlight, Cagalli emerged with a complex expression.
"Who exactly are you? How do you know the Elder?"
"Ha, before I answer you, tell me first, in what capacity are you asking this question? The Princess of Orb, Cagalli Yula Athha? Or the passionate local volunteer, Cagalli Yula?"
"What do you mean?"
"Literally, Cagalli. Depending on your answer, my response will differ."
"What difference does it make!? Isn't it just about your dark dealings with my father…"
"Smack~!"
Before Cagalli could finish her sentence, Yang Hui swiftly slapped her, the forceful blow sending her crashing to the ground.
"It seems Kira's slap was too light; can't you see the situation clearly yet?"
Backlit by the moonlight, Yang Hui was shrouded in shadows, his features becoming indistinct. His brown eyes were the only bright spot, yet they were cold and harsh, causing the surrounding temperature to drop.
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