Mecha: Return of the Pioneers

Chapter 2022 The Collapsing Giant!
"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Powerful, resounding beats pierced the vacuum, constantly shaking everyone's hearts.

It was as if a pulsation from ancient times—no, from destruction—was gradually becoming a reality, ultimately dragging this world into an abyss of no return.

What exactly happened?
Most people are unaware of this, but after feeling this terrifying surge, no one would naively believe that the battle is over.

However, this is no longer a battle they can intervene in.

All Earth Federation warships that were still mobile retreated, and search and rescue airships were dispatched to rescue friendly forces from the damaged warships in the surrounding area that were unable to retreat on their own, and to withdraw from the battlefield together.

Amidst this scene of massive retreat, a mere dozen or so mobile suits were sailing upstream, rapidly flying towards their designated positions under He Ming's command.

Someone flew towards the front of the petal giant.
Someone flew toward the side of the petal giant.
These MS can be found on the left and right sides, the back, and even below.

On the top of the petal giant's head, and around its head and shoulders, are the Banshee Gundam and the twelve crystal floating shields it controls.

"ZETA Unit 1, ready!"

"Unit Two, in position!"

"Unit 3, in position!"

"ZETA Unit 6, ready!"

"Qubeley, ready!"

"Hyakushiki, ready!"

"F91 Gundam, ready!"

"···"

As Amuro, Hathaway, Christina, Haman, Char, and Kamille took their positions, faint rays of light quietly appeared, extending outwards from the Banshee Gundam and connecting all the mobile suits in place via the Twelve Crystal Floating Shields.

"Amuro, that mobile suit looks like yours, doesn't it?"

Looking at the faint light that stretched out around them and connected them together, Char (Yuya) turned his gaze to ZETA Unit 1.

"Hmm, I wonder who drove it out?"

Amuro responded, but the next second, the other party revealed their identity.

"It's me! Quess Palaya!"

"!!"

Amro and Hassavi's eyes widened immediately.

"Hassavi, didn't you explain it clearly to her?"

Amuro was quite helpless.

It was clearly his machine, so why was it piloted by someone else?

“This is my decision, Amuro. Since General Ming, no, General He, needs all NEWTYPE pilots to be deployed, then every additional NEWTYPE pilot we have will provide an extra layer of protection.”

It was Brad who explained Amuro's doubts.

"Is that so?"

Amro blinked and glanced at Hassavi.

"I'm sorry, Captain Amuro, but time is of the essence. I trust the captain's decision."

"Ha, Mafti! Can't you just trust me for once?"

Quess Paraya, sitting steadily inside the ZETA Gundam Unit 1, said with dissatisfaction.

She had to beg Brad for a long time, and it just so happened that He Ming asked all NEWTYPE pilots to sortie, which allowed her to board the ZETA Gundam Unit 1 for sortie.

However, Hassawi did not seem to appreciate it.

“This is no joke, Quess Palaya!” Hasavi sighed, then said with a serious expression.

"Everyone, concentrate and feel my mental fluctuations!"

Just as Quess Palaya was about to speak, He Ming's voice suddenly appeared in everyone's minds.

Immediately afterwards, the "thump-thump" sound, like the footsteps of destruction, became increasingly rapid.

"Boom, boom boom!"

"Boom! Boom!"

Amidst the rapid "thump-thump" sounds, the petal giant, having lost control of the armored face and fallen into a deathly silence, began to crumble.

No, that's not right!

It's a collapse!
Suddenly, a vortex-like phenomenon appeared on the chest and abdomen of the petal giant without warning, continuously tearing apart and devouring the surrounding bodies, like a bottomless abyss devouring the petal giant's dead body.

Moreover, as the body continued to collapse within the vortex, the surrounding gravity suddenly became erratic, pushing various sensors on numerous warships into a frenzy, frantically emitting extremely piercing alarms that caused serious unease.

In addition, Gop, who was at the Chabro headquarters, also sensed a terrifying abnormal fluctuation brewing.

Just as the Petal Giant raised that terrifying giant sword, the Chabro headquarters happened to be located directly below that star battlefield, and could clearly see the moment when that terrifying giant sword collided with the beam giant sword wielded by the Banshee Gundam.

Now, Gop lowered his gaze, looking at the shaking table and the tea in the cup on the table—sometimes rising and sometimes falling—and his expression gradually became serious.

"boom!!!"

Suddenly, a deafening roar shattered people's emotions, plunging them into an abyss of panic.

The towering buildings swayed from side to side, their glass shattering and scattering everywhere, and the load-bearing pillars were cracked with terrifying fissures by an unknown force.

The once smooth and unobstructed street began to undulate like ocean waves, eventually being crushed by a terrifying force and reduced to fragments, filled with countless horn blares, screams, and cries for help.

"Issue the order!! Immediately deploy all troops to rescue civilians!! Hurry!!!"

Gop shouted angrily, even pushing open the door and personally walking out of headquarters to direct the surrounding federal soldiers to rescue the civilians.

In this tense and fearful moment, Gop remained calm and directed the rescue operation with clear and methodical thinking. However, when he glanced at the sky, a hint of fear flashed in his eyes.

Because he had already guessed the cause of this anomaly—a small black hole.

The enemy was so ruthless as to use the petal giant's body as nourishment for the black hole, allowing it to form beside Earth and eventually erupt.

This moment is undoubtedly the end of the world!
The real apocalypse!
But what can he do?
Gop took a slow, deep breath.

"Rebil, and Ming—no, He Ming—you'd better stop this disaster. Otherwise, it's all over!!"

The floating continent, formerly the capital of the Hellish Federation.

Asuka kicked open the door and rushed toward the EVA Unit-02 parked outside, but was stopped by a figure that suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Master Lian! Don't stop me! I need to go and support Colonel Ming!"

"No. Your mission is not to go to space, but right here."

At some point, Ren, the maid who had come to this shattered capital, reached out and placed a mental protection headband in Asuka's hand.

“I don’t doubt your and Unit-02’s ability to travel to space, but even if you do, it won’t help. You should use Unit-02’s abilities and the Mental Protection Bracelet to assist the adults.”

"The capabilities of Unit 2?"

"Yes! Also, if possible, Shinji, the same applies to you and Unit-01."

Ren raised her eyes and looked at Shinji Ikari, who had silently changed into his pilot's suit and followed Asuka out.

"Master Lian, what can I do?"

Shinji Ikari glanced at the mental protection headband in Ren's hand, then asked with a determined look in his eyes.

Lian raised her head, gazing at the enemy who was constantly manipulating power, pushing the Earth toward the abyss of destruction, and said in a deep voice.

"Of course, it's something you're capable of doing!"

(End of this chapter)