Gundam 00: Rise of China

The defeats of Arelua and Tieria mean that Celestial Being's two offensives in this Ceylon mission have completely collapsed.

The last hope now rests on Setsuna and Lockon.

However, the situation on the other side of the island was also deadlocked.

Gundam Exia's physical longsword traced a brilliant white trail in the setting sun, and yet another Human Reform League Iron Man was cleanly and decisively cut in half.

But his brow furrowed even more deeply in an instant; he could indeed defeat any single enemy by virtue of the machine's performance advantage.

But the captain of the Iron Man Unit of the People's Revolutionary Alliance was like a piece of chewing gum that couldn't be shaken off, always managing to block or dodge a fatal blow with his thermal axe from the most tricky angles.

"Tsk." He suddenly became a little anxious.

This Ceylon native captain, a true ironman, possessed terrifyingly solid driving skills. There was no frills whatsoever; every axe strike was honed to perfection, as if one could predict his attack trajectory.

What troubled Setsuna even more was that, through the conversation between the enemy on the international rescue channel, he had roughly determined the identities of these people.

They were clearly two opposing groups of people on the island who were originally killing each other.

Putting myself in others' shoes, and thinking of the war-torn land where I was born, a strange sense of unease arose within me.

"Watch out behind you!"

Lockon's warning rang out on the communications channel.

Upon hearing this, she instantly turned to the side, and a cannonball from an Iron Man cannon just barely grazed Exusiai's shoulder armor.

He gritted his teeth and forcefully parried the axe of the Iron Man captain, who was trying to create an opportunity for his men. He then swept his longsword horizontally, forcing back another Iron Man who was trying to flank him.

On the surface, Gundam Exia still holds the upper hand, but at that moment, the restlessness in his heart continued to spread.

These Iron Man pilots, shouldn't they represent the mutually hostile groups on the island?

Just like in their own hometown, endless bloodshed has forged an indelible hatred.

But why is it that their cooperation now carries a wild tacit understanding, as if it stems from the instinct of the same bloodline?

This feeling is very unpleasant, especially when the thought of that land from my nightmares keeps replaying in my mind!

Why...?

In a brief lull between intense maneuvers, he couldn't help but let out a low growl on the international rescue channel.

"Why are you able to fight side by side?!"

Intelligence indicates that the two main ethnic groups on the island of Ceylon have been at war for centuries, with deep-seated hatred between them.

But now, they are like one person, driving the Iron Man of the People's Revolutionary Alliance to charge at him.

This completely contradicts his understanding of war and his perception of the suffering he experienced.

"Hmm?" Captain Ironman heard the question in a flash.

After yet another close call, he calmly answered on the public channel.

"It's normal that you, an outsider, don't understand."

The captain's voice carried a strange mix of weariness and determination.

"The three-hundred-year feud is because we were all trapped on this small island, thinking that the sky was only as big as the opening of a well."

"Our eyes only see the sky above this small island. We know the outside world is vast, but what does that have to do with the people on this island?"

"Until that day, the people from the University of Tokyo arrived..."

Upon hearing this, the physical longsword almost revealed a flaw due to a momentary lapse in concentration.

However, Captain Iron Man did not pursue, but continued:

"Two hundred thousand volunteers dedicated to poverty alleviation have transformed this island in five years."

The captain's voice echoed across the battlefield through the loudspeaker, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"The volunteers helped us repair irrigation canals, build schools, treat epidemics, and lay power grids to every mountain village at any cost."

"They told us how big the world is, what cooperation can bring, and that hatred... can never put food on the table."

Hearing this, she froze for a moment, and the Exia Gundam hesitated noticeably.

Two hundred thousand volunteers for poverty alleviation?

Five years?

No regard for cost?

These words, when combined, created a tremendous impact that he could not comprehend.

Even Lockon, who was providing remote support with his GN sniper rifle, cried out in surprise.

"What?! Two hundred thousand... volunteers?!"

This number is staggering, because it's not an army, but a saturated regenerative force.

Using peaceful means to heal centuries-old wounds!

Just then, Lockon, who was immersed in the shock of his cognition, was awakened by the sharp alarm of Haro in the cockpit of the Gundam Virtue.

"Warning! Numerous aerial targets detected! Bearing 110, altitude 3000!"

Lockon suddenly looked up, towards the northeast, towards the homeland of the People's Revolutionary Alliance.

On the battlefield, everyone's gaze was unconsciously drawn to the horizon.

There, enormous black dots appeared.

Soon, the black dot revealed its true form. It was not an ordinary transport plane, but the "Kunpeng" strategic heavy transport plane, unique to the People's Revolutionary Alliance and resembling a giant whale in the sky.

One, two, ten, a hundred... densely packed, covering the sky, like a flock of migrating birds, blotting out the sun, flying towards the small battlefield of Ceylon.

That was more than just reinforcements; it was another form of "iron torrent."

The sheer scale of that aura, so overwhelming it blotted out the sky and swallowed mountains and rivers, was enough to make Lockon's breath catch in his throat.

"In an instant! The machine signals from Tieria and Allelujah are rapidly moving away from the island! They've been defeated!"

Lockon then saw the information on the screen, and his heart sank. His voice was filled with an unprecedented sense of urgency.

"We must retreat immediately!"

However, Lockon seemed not to hear what he said for a moment.

He just stared blankly at the incoming transport planes, then at the battered but still ready Iron Men in front of him.

Two hundred thousand volunteers in the fight against poverty... five years... mended three hundred years of hatred...

His belief in eradicating war by force, which he had developed after seeing the "angel" in his hometown, was drastically shaken at this moment by the incomprehensible reality presented by the People's Revolutionary Alliance.

Is it possible in my hometown as well...?

No, not possible!

He shook his head violently, trying to dispel the absurd idea, but a crack had already appeared in the foundation of his cognition.

Some things are so deeply ingrained that it seems like we can never go back.

"Wake up! Abruptly!"

Desperate, Lockon tried to pull his comrades back to reality by shouting.

Startled by the loud shouts, he snapped out of his daze and, controlling the Exia Gundam, staggered toward Lockon.

However, in that instant, that pure determination was gone, replaced by confusion and bewilderment.

When Lockon from Gundam Virtue saw Setsuna's condition, his heart sank instantly. He understood that today, the defenders of Ceylon had not only repelled Tieria and Allelujah.

It probably also shook something solid in my heart at that moment.

"Go!" Lockon fired a shot that forced back the Iron Man Captain who was trying to pursue him. He covered his momentary daze and fought his way back towards the coastline.

Shortly after they left, Wang Ye, who had arrived at the battlefield, simply watched as the two Gundams fled in disarray.

Then Wang Ye looked up at the overwhelming 'Kunpeng' aircraft formation and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

"You need connections to get ahead in this world," he muttered to himself. "That's what happens when I have such a good teacher."

"No rush, no rush. The harder you work, the stronger the People's Revolutionary Alliance will become."