Chapter 01 - Beyond the Time… Again
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Floating in this endless void, I've got absolutely nothing to do except sing "Beyond the Time" in my head for, what, the hundredth time? Maybe more. It's hard to tell when there's no sense of time here—no light, no sound, no up or down. Just me and this suffocating nothingness.
I honestly have no clue how long I've been stuck here. Hours? Days? Centuries? Hell if I know. Maybe I died. Yeah… that actually makes sense.
Ha! I died.
Wait—hold on. Did I delete my search history? Format my hard drive? Damn it, that's what's going to haunt me in the afterlife.
Still, whatever. It's not like I'll be going back anyway. If this is eternity, I guess I could do worse. At least the void doesn't lag or buffer.
So… back to singing "Beyond the Time."
And before anyone asks, yeah, I like Aimer. I like Sawano too. Their stuff slaps—usually. But their version of "Beyond the Time"? I swear, it makes my soul cringe every single time I think about it. I don't even know why.
A voice suddenly echoes through the void, calm but oddly smug.
[Wow… this is the first time I've seen someone sing that song over a hundred times in just two days. Anyway, my name is Urien, and congratulations—you're getting a second chance!]
I blink—or at least, I think I do. Hard to tell when I don't even have a body. In front of me, a blue screen flickers into existence, glowing faintly against the endless black.
Two days? Seriously? It felt like forever. Guess time really is weird in this place.
And wait—second chance? Like, reincarnation-type second chance? Oh, there's totally gonna be a catch.
[Yes, there is a catch. You have to have fun in your second life. That's the only catch. I'm a busy man managing my kingdom, so I'll let you choose your… whatever you're choosing. You'll be reincarnating into Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. Normally, I'd spin the gacha, but screw the rules—I make them.]
I stare at the glowing text, speechless.
...Did this guy just read my mind? And did he seriously say "screw the rules"?
I can't help but wonder—will his kingdom really be okay with a guy like that as their king?
[Choose!]
Before I can even reply, another blue screen pops up in front of me. This one's a full-on catalogue—an infinite grid filled with every kind of giant robot imaginable. Gundams, Zakus, Knightmares, even some I don't recognize at all. The sight alone makes my inner mecha fan scream.
Wait… hold up. Why can't I find Gundam Unicorn? I scroll through the catalogue, squinting at the endless lineup of mechs. No Unicorn. No Banshee. Not even Phenex. The hell, did someone delete them from the server?
And—what the actual hell—where's my Gurren Lagann?
The screen keeps flashing new mechs with every swipe, but none of them are what I'm looking for.
Then something catches my eye.
"…Is that… the Nirvash?"
Huh. Eureka Seven in a Gundam reincarnation lineup? That's… oddly tempting. The sleek white frame, the surfboard—it's just sitting there, practically begging me to go space-surfing like a lunatic. My fingers twitch. I want to pick it so bad. But then reality kicks in.
Yeah, no. Knowing me, I'd probably skill issue myself into an early grave. Dying twice in one week doesn't sound like fun.
So I keep scrolling.
Then I see it—the one machine that makes my heart skip a beat.
G-Self.
I've always loved that machine. The design, the energy, the cockpit that includes the toilet —it's pure perfection. And according to the description, choosing it gives me all of its packs. Every single one.
Photon Torpedo included.
I grin. Oh yeah, that's the one. The kind of weapon you pick when you've officially stopped caring about collateral damage. Still, part of me itches to pick Turn A. I mean, the Moonlight Butterfly is legendary— but honestly, I've never vibed with its design. Feels too… dad-like? Regal, maybe. Not my taste.
So, screw it. G-Self it is.
The moment I lock in my choice, another blue window blinks open.
[Choose your camp!]
[1. Jeturk Heavy Machinery]
[2. Peil Technologies]
[3. Grassley Defense Systems]
[4. Dawn of Fold]
[5. Custom]
I don't even hesitate. My finger—or whatever counts as one right now—instantly hovers over the last option.
Why? Because why not?
If I'm getting a second life with my favorite Gundam, I might as well go all in.
[Choose]
Another blue window pops up in front of me, its neon text flickering like a slot machine ready to ruin my self-control.
[1. X-Rounder]
[2. NewType]
[3. Coordinator]
[4. Code]
[5. Innovator]
[6. Homo Sapien Novus]
Alright, let's break this down before I accidentally pick something stupid.
Most of these are power-up packages for pilots like me. X-Rounder gives me enhanced spatial awareness and the ability to predict enemy movements—basically a built-in aimbot. NewType? That's pure soul energy. Spiritual awareness, empathy, a sixth sense for death flags—the works. Coordinator means perfect reflexes and SEED mode for "I saw the bullet before it existed" kind of reaction time. Code… well, Code's Code. You die, you revive, and you go insane in the process.
Then there's Innovator—the quantum brainwave user. Pure logic and evolution. Homo Sapien Novus, though… that's a whole different can of worms. Body hijacking and immortality? Yikes. That's too close to horror movie territory for me.
The logical pick is clearly Innovator—quantum brain power, efficiency, the works. But you know what? Screw logic. My heart says NewType. Because NewType ftw!
So, I tap on number 2 — NewType.
The window hums for a second before another message appears.
[Choose!]
…Huh?
You want me to choose a companion?
Wait, what? A companion? Out of nowhere?
Not that I'm against the idea, but won't that mean they'll get ripped straight out of their own universe?
[They will be custom-made for you from scratch.]
That doesn't exactly make me feel better, but… fine. Whatever. Let's roll with it.
The screen shifts again, displaying a massive gallery of characters—faces from every Gundam timeline imaginable. My brain's immediately on overload.
And then I see him.
Char Aznable.
Oh, I want to pick him. The legend himself. But let's be real—if he's my companion, he's probably going to outsmart me, stage a coup, and drop a colony on someone before I even get breakfast. Char is… well, Char.
So I keep scrolling. Then she appears.
Barara Peor.
Yeah, her design's great, and she's got solid piloting chops too. No deep reason, honestly—I just like her.
I grin. Yeah, I've always liked her design. No deep reason. She's cool, confident, and can pilot really well too. Good enough for me.
Oh—wait, is that… Delty's mom?No, I meant Iori's mom.
Wow, they even put her in here? Tempting, but nah. I'll go with Barara.
[Choose!]
The next window flickers to life, and a new menu appears.
Time to pick her mobile suit.
I think… yeah, I'll go with this one.
Right in front of me, a massive white-and-green mobile suit materializes, its metallic frame gleaming under the artificial light of the void.
Gundam 00 Shia Qan[T].
God, that design is clean. Sleek curves, balanced proportions, and that elegant GN Sword bit arrangement—it's basically the love child of style and power. Honestly, it even got more screen time than the actual 00 Qan[T] from the movie.
If it weren't so damn feminine-looking, I'd totally steal it for myself. But nah, this one fits Barara way better. She'd look badass piloting it.
Still… those green accents don't quite match her vibe. Let's fix that. Pink it is. It'll go perfectly with her color scheme—and, well, a little pink never hurt anyone.
[Choose your perks!]
Oh, here we go again. Another blue screen floods my vision, filled with hundreds of glowing options like an RPG skill tree on steroids.
After scrolling for what feels like forever, I stop on two familiar ones:
[RG System] and [Star System]—from Iori's Build Strike. Both are solid. They'll give me adaptability, reaction enhancement, and power scaling during combat. Pretty much a cheat code for any pilot.
Then something else catches my eye.
[Moonlight Butterfly – 2 drawbacks]
…Oh. Oh-ho-ho.
So I can get the Moonlight Butterfly—the literal end-of-civilization weapon—for just two drawbacks?
Should I do it? Is it worth it?
Of fucking course it is!
That's my ultimate "fuck you" button right there. If things ever go south, I'll have one hell of a way to make my point. Consequences? Please. I'll deal with those later.
So yeah—my choices are set:
[RG System and Star System]
[Moonlight Butterfly]
[Randomly generating a talent]
The system hums, spinning like a slot machine. A second later, the screen flashes.
[Gotcha!]
[Weapon Mastery A]
[You are really good with weapons.]
A grin spreads across my face. Now we're talking.
Then, just as I'm starting to feel unstoppable—
[Randomly generating two drawbacks]
Ah, here comes the payback.
[Caffeine addict]
[You need caffeine. You will be moody unless you have one cup in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one at night.]
I snort. Fair enough — I was already like that when I was alive. No change there.
Then the second one pops up, and I immediately groan.
[Hate boner for fake smiles]
[You cannot stand fake smiles sent your way. Your EQ will drop a little when dealing with those with fake smiles.]
…Great. Just what I needed—irrational anger toward corporate PR people and social climbers.
Well, whatever. I've got caffeine, NewType powers, Moonlight Butterfly, and a shiny G-Self.
Bring it on, new universe.
[I'm back! Hmm? Nice choices.]
The blue screen flickers again, and this time the glow pulses in rhythm, like it's breathing. Great—now it's got personality.
That's definitely Urien behind the screen.
[What the hell? Why didn't you choose funnels?!]
What? Funnels?
"Because I don't think I'll need them?" I reply instinctively, not even sure if my voice is real here.
[No giant robots go without funnels on my watch! I'll make Iori Sei put C-Funnels on your G-Self. This is free of charge, you uncultured swine.]
I stare blankly at the glowing text.
This… this is actually good for me, but why do I suddenly feel this primal urge to punch the guy behind the screen?
Before I can even finish that thought, another message flashes.
[Now, onto your second life. Go and have fun!]
The world around me shatters like glass. My consciousness spins, twists, and collapses all at once. There's no pain—just a sudden click in my mind, like someone flicked a switch.
Then, I open my eyes.
Metal. Switches. Control levers. The faint hum of a generator beneath me. I'm sitting in a cockpit.
Through the panoramic display, I can see stars—dozens, maybe hundreds—stretching endlessly before me. Off in the distance floats what looks like a satellite… no, wait, that's a school? A school in space.
Oh boy.
And then the flood of memories hits me all at once, like downloading a full season of anime straight into my brain.
My name now is Cadell Cromwell, seventeen years old, apparently from Venus.
Wait. Venus?
Oh, great—turns out my home company's called Venus Globe. That's a nice little G-Reco reference. Guess Urien's got a sense of humor after all.
I'm the heir of Venus Globe, and the current CEO is… Barara.
Huh. So she really made it big, huh? She can't exactly call others nepo babies anymore, though. Good for her, I guess.
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Cut to me, standing in front of a classroom now—metal desks, floating projectors, and rows of students in pristine uniforms.
"Student number LP-042," I say flatly. "Cadell Cromwell."
The teacher glances up from their tablet. "Anything else?"
"No."
They sigh, the kind of long, tired sigh only teachers can perfect, and gesture toward the empty seat near the back.
I trudge over and sit down, suppressing the irritation bubbling up inside me. The other students are smiling, but it's that kind of plastic smile—thin, empty, fake as hell.
And to make things worse… I haven't had my coffee. Not one cup.
I can already feel my patience running out.
First day in a new world, and I'm already hating it here.
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Author's Note;
Well, it's been a while! I'm back with a new story. To be honest, I've been feeling a little burnt out on Hoyoverse games lately, so I've turned to another series I've completely fallen in love with: the Gundam franchise!
So, what do you think? Is the MC too OP? I'll be the first to admit he probably is! It's been a long time since I've written an overpowered protagonist, and I'm using this fic to get a feel for it again. Depending on how it goes, I might even reboot the Evil Lord story. Think of this as my way of getting my mojo back for writing comedy with an OP main character.
The main goal of this story is to put a hotdog between the two clams.